Show & Tell

Where has May gone? Wow! I have been a little more than busy and haven't had time to post. A week after I got back from my first Quilt Show, my husband and I drove up to CT to see my parents for a few days. Now, we are in the process of having our kitchen remodeled. We spent last weekend cleaning out all of the cabinets and trying to find a place for everything. My living room is full of my new cabinets in the boxes and my dining room and family room are full of everything else. We will be without a sink for close to 4 weeks, so trying to do anything in the kitchen is out of the question.

Saturday, our son, Dan, graduated from Univ. of NC School of the Arts, with a degree in Fine Arts. His specialty is Technical Direction. We are so excited for him as his first job will be an Automation Director for the entertainment on a Carnival Cruise Ship. I'm seeing a cruise in my future.


On to the Show & Tell part of this post. I have received so many wonderful pictures of the Professional Totes that you have made. It is so much fun for me to see all of your creativity and excitement making my totes. I love the fabrics and it makes me want to make one more just like it.

I bought the Professional Tote pattern at my local quilt shop, and I LOVE it!  So far I have made six of them, and each one is my new favorite.  The latest is my jungle bag, with machine embroidered designs on both sides.  I've given three bags away as gifts, and have plans for more. 
...Phyllis in Colorado

Hi Laura,
Please find attached photos of my first Professional Tote.  What a great pattern.  Yes it does have lots of pieces but you instructions are perfect and clear to follow.  What I liked the most was no seam was to hard for my fussy Pfaff.  And that's saying something.
Thanks Again
Merilyn Stewart from Croydon Australia

Betty made this blue paisley tote with patio cloth. The cloth is weather proof, and fade proof, etc. What a great idea! Betty made this one for her sister-in-law who lives in FL.

 

I made this for a teacher who must carry her things back and forth from building to building.  Hope you like it, as I

love, love, love this pattern. Deb Tuck.  

Make sure you check out the fussy cut dots at the top of all the pockets. Great job!

.

Hi Laura!

 I just wanted to tell you I love this pattern sew very much.  I have made many gifts out of this pattern.  It is very popular in our area and I just wanted to pass that on to you and show you a few that I have done. 

Thank you for wonderful instructions and PICTURES!!!!  I love your patterns.

Sincerely,

Kathi Fahrbach

Jefferson City, TN

This pattern makes the greatest school bag, diaper bag and travel bag and it's just the best!!!!

Kathi has done a beautiful job embroidering all of the front pockets of each of her totes. 

Good morning Laura
Attached are photos of my "Diaper Bag" Professional Bag. It was fun AND a challenge, but well worth it. Love the end result.

Colleen French

Judy Clay from Montrose, CO sent me this great picture of her "Easy Stripper" group posing with all of the Professional Totes they have made. Her friend Ludene has made 13 or14 Professional Totes. 

There are 8 ladies in this picture and I have been able to count as least 16 totes in the picture. You "strippers" are very busy!!

 

Thank you so much for sharing all your wonderful pictures! I love them all!!

My First Quilt Show Booth

I just returned from having a booth at my first quilt show. Now, "just" is a relative term. Today is Thursday and I actually returned Sunday night, but it has taken me this long to recover and I'm still not completely unpacked. I think I'm doing something wrong!
I am familiar with having a booth at a show because I used to go to lots of craft shows in the early 90's. That was when I made all the bags and sold the completed bags. BUT, that was almost 20 years ago when I was that much younger! My mother was right, "Growing Old is Pigeon Poop"!  Many years ago, she came up with that saying, and we have been saying it ever since; now I know how true it really is.  Do you think all this age talk has anything to do with the fact that I will turn 55 (senior citizen) this month and that I am letting my gray hair grow in (maybe a temporary thing)?  I'm having a little pity party.
Anyway, the show was a good learning experience. It was the first year for this show in Hickory, NC. The Bernina dealers did a great job putting it together and had  65 vendors and a wonderful quilt show. I'm sure the people that attended the show were impressed. The only problem was that there wasn't that many people that attended so it made for a slow show for the vendors. After talking to other vendors, I was reassured that this was not a typical show for sales. I'm not complaining because I needed a show to get my feet wet and if it had been busy we would have crumbled. My husband and daughter came with me for moral support and physical help. By the 3rd day, I think we had everything under control. The 3 of us had fun spending time together and on 3 occasions people poked there heads around to our booth and told us we were having way too much fun! There was a lot of laughing involved.

Here is a picture of our booth.