GSQA Meeting

GSQA Opportunity Quilt

This lucky gal has been doing so many quilty things lately! I don't know how July became the quilt travel month for me, but wow! I'm having fun. Of course, I'll have to settle down and get busy with our quilt show, which is on Sept. 28th. In other words, the heavy lifting is about to begin. 

This travel was to attend the GSQA meeting in Brandon, Mississippi, with Lori, a friend who is about to become the new GSQA president. Her term begins in January. 

Detail of opportunity quilt

I was a little more than moral support: I also had the opportunity to "sell" my circuit teacher classes. There's a system to how that's done. First, the teachers lay their class quilts out on tables and chairs to be seen by anyone interested. Then we each had a few minutes to talk about the classes so that the audience could get our perspective of what we teach. 

There wasn't much time, but showing our class quilts and giving a little blurb may have interested someone who will go back and encourage her guild to hire a teacher. Cross your fingers and hope that I'm one!

The hosting guild had a mini quilt show, which was a sweet surprise. Those are the quilts you're seeing here. Unfortunately, the quilts did not have information as to who their makers are. 

Did I mention that we did part of a shop hop along the way? I know, I know, but yes, I did buy fabric. How about the goodies come in another post? This one is plenty full of eye candy.

We also had a show and share. I wanted to show Dropcloth, so I was standing in line or helping to hold other folk's quilts and didn't get any pictures. Just trust me, there were some fabulous ones.

Lastly, MJ Kinnan gave a trunk show and presentation. You have to check out her work! It's amazing. Can you imagine what this quilt looks like in person? It's a stunner, for sure. These are two of MJ's diamond quilts. Both photos are from her website. Though I did take photos of my own, you can't imagine how difficult that is until you try sitting down behind people, while one or two others (who are always too short) hold up and move the quilt. I'm not very good at photography when everything is in my favor, so the pictures I took? Nah, not even.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY BENNETT STUDIO

I had not even heard of Kinnan before this meeting. Well, maybe in passing. Have you? She'll be teaching in Houston and has had quilts in several major shows. If you have the opportunity to see her teach, jump on it! Quick, fast and in a hurry. She's that good and her quilts that fabulous. 

PHOTOGRAPH from MJ Kinnan website.

I must live under a rock. Are you there under the neighboring rock or are you familiar with some of the big name quilters? How do you manage that? Really, I read about quilting all the time. Where and whose work should I be reading to keep up?