Fun with Bigfork Bay Cotton Company

PEACE by artist Paris Bottman

Thanks to Gail Peck from our local quilt shop, The Quilter's Workshop, in Newport, NH  (http://www.gailpecksquiltersworkshop.com/) for sponsoring a very interesting program on Sunday.  

Holly Moose by artist Paris Bottman





We were treated with a great lecture/trunkshow/slideshow/ how-to demo presented by Traci and Jane from the Bigfork Bay Cotton Company. (http://www.bigforkbaycottonco.com/ )

 They work with licenced artists and they "translate" their paintings into patterns for art quilts. I was particularly interested in the tools and techniques that they use for the intricate cutting and fusing that they do.
The program was really well presented, they explained everything in great detail. And, best of all, we got to see 90 gorgeous quilts up close & personal.
This would be a great program for quilt shops & guilds to look into.

AND their favorite scissors are Famores - sold by The Scissors Man (http://www.famorecutlery.com/ ) They recommend Famore 4" large ring micro-tip 711 and Famore 4.5" large ring serrated 714

A big shoutout to Brint and Sebastian who were our neighbors on the houseboat in Paducah this spring. Aren't they hotties??  Brint is sporting his dashing dust mask which he uses when he's sharpening hundreds of pairs scissors every day at the show.



"THE Scissors Men"



More Paducah - The Wall

 A huge wall runs along the river to keep the flood waters out of Paducah - when the waters begin to rise the metal flood gates are put into place. 

The problem here is that the Convention Center, where they hold the quilt show, is OUTSIDE OF THE WALL!!!!  So AQS had to scramble to change and move all the venues for the show. They were moved to a local church, a vacant Comp USA, a vacant Office Max building & the rest was in the Bubble, a huge white tentlike structure
 See what it looks like outside the wall now http://207.162.164.52/default.asp?num=5/
My heart goes out to all the people who are affected in so many ways by the forces of mother nature.

PADUCAH ( title to be read outloud in the "Oprah Favorite things voice" PAHHHH DOOO CAHHHHH !!!

 Wow what a crazy whirlwind week I've had - It's hard to believe that last Sat. I was still in Paducah. This was NH when I left & since then I have seen every weather condition you can think of -

                                                                                                                                                              

from the warmth of Atlanta - to the wild weather that is wreaking havoc across the south right now. While in Paducah KY, we had lots of rain & flooding, high winds, lightning, thunder and tornadoes raging all around us. And through it all the amazing people from AQS & the city of Paducah pulled off the most incredible quilt show I have ever experienced.

I stayed on a houseboat at The Kentucky Dam with my sister & a fun bunch of her quilting friends ( Hi Laurie, Jess, Jeanette, Karen, Lois & Ellen - who made us laugh til we cried - can't tell you THE story - we've been sworn to secrecy!)  

The Lap Of Luxury

Notice the dock on the day we arrived - now on the day we left  



Fishing on the playground- that's the swing set in the background

   


And on the tennis court.

to be continued....... the computer is moving incredibly slow & I have tons of stuff to do today.