a little story about a quilt show

Many years ago, I phoned my mother (she lives just outside of Phoenix) for a chat. She was all flustered and said she couldn't talk to me right now because she had to go pick up her sister- they were running late to go to a quilt show and she needed Aunt Carolyn to help her carry her "stuff". My heart fell to the bottom of my feet and my pulse rate jumped.... neither of the two sisters is a quilter nor does either one sew. I carefully asked her "what 'stuff'?" She said Aunt Carolyn was helping her carry all the quilted "stuff" I had made for her and dad over the years... she was taking all of it to the quilt show.

My pulse rate kicked up another notch and I started feeling nauseated. Mother is a very determined lady and the entire family learned a long time ago that she does not take kindly to the words "no" or "you can't". I couldn't tell her that the little quilted things I had made for her weren't good enough for the show- not good enough by a long, long, LONG shot. She would calmly tell any quilt judge that the potholder her daughter made was vastly superior to the Best of Show Baltimore Album Quilt that was completely handmade by a famous quilter with 39 stitches to the inch.

I said the only other thing that popped into my head "Mom, I think only the people who made the quilts are allowed to enter them in the show". She said "I'm taking them along to show to people". My heart stopped dead.... I had this mental image of the two little old ladies sitting on a bench inside the quilt show asking people if they wanted to see the potholders, table runners and Christmas tree skirt that her daughter made.

I have never had the courage, even after all these years, to ask her about her one and only quilt show.....

Mothers. Ya gotta love 'em!

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
Loading thread data ...

That's a great story Leslie! My mother DID enter one of my quilts into her local quilt show!!! Though it was one that I wouldn't have been "too" embarassed to stand near. Several years ago she bought a quilt at a garage sale that was a real train wreck! It was made of all owl blocks (she collects owls). The owls were outlined with what seemed like a pearl cotton stem stitch or back stitch and the color was filled in with crayons...probably fabric crayons. I didn't get to see the "quilt" in its original form, but Mother said it was horrendous. The person who made it didn't quite understand the sashing concept...the sashing was made of fabric "tubes" stuffed with batting. The "quilting" was done by a sewing machine with severe tension problems....oh, and did I mention the background fabric was a white polyester sheeting...very thin. Anyway, my mother spend an entire winter picking this whole thing apart..all the way down to the original blocks...none of which were the same size. Then she sent them to me!!!! I found 16 that I could cut down to the same size and sashed them with a complimentary fabric. I did machine trapunto around the owls and also did a satin stitch around the "leaves" that were sewn into the background of the blocks. There were some holes where the original sewing machine had chewed up the block when working on it, so this is how I covered those. All in all, it was pretty cute when I was done and I gave it back to her one Christmas. I wish I had a picture. She drags it out to show people who visit her. It is covered in a closet so it won't get dusty. Sheesh.... USE IT!!!! I thought she was going to hang it behind her bed. I have a few of the leftover blocks around here somewhere....maybe I'll post the pictures sometime. I think you should ask what your mom did with all your quilty items! The mental picture is just priceless! Thanks for telling the story!

Reply to
KJ

Reply to
Taria

Leslie, what a wonderful story! You're so lucky to have a mother who so obviously treasures you and everything about you! :)

Reply to
Sandy

Thanks for the smile!! And for being you!!! And for the laugh that you might have *ever* turned out something that shouldn't have hung in a show

My DD made my day this afternoon. Was watching a quilt online that just won huge awards.... she bounces in... ohhhhh pretty mom mom.... but the one you are working on for me downstairs beats that one... when are they putting it online? Man I love that kid......

Jan RCTQ Coffee Diva

Reply to
coffeeediva

What a great story, Leslie! Thanks for sharing it.

Nann

Reply to
Nann Hilyard

Leslie,

That is too cute!!!! I hope she bragged about you all day long.

Tricia in TX

formatting link

Leslie & The Furbabies > Many years ago, I phoned my mother (she lives just outside of Phoenix)

Reply to
A&T

And my story. There is no LQS in the Swamp but there is a little quilting shop to the west (although the bridge from here was taken out by Katrina and it is still out) and there is another quilt shop to the east. I can't go in either one of them without a wig, dark glasses (hard to define colors that way) and pay in cash. I would not dare use a check or a credit card and reveal my identity. When invited to take classes at one shop, my beginner quilting buddy told them she didn't need their classes, that she was learning from a real expert, Ms. Esther. At the other shop, they showed her a quilt on display and she criticized blunted points and lazy quilting. She mentioned there that Ms. Esther would never put up with that sort of shoddy quilting. It ain't easy having a fan club. It is almost as bad as having a child learn to talk and tell Everything. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Well, you could take another tack. Walk in, bold as brass (keep the sunglasses, it will add to the star aura) and plunk down your plastic and purchase enough fabric to hide from your family for a few months, just like any other quilter ;-)

Reply to
L

Thanks for rescuing those poor owls! Sounds like they desperately needed help. I'd love to see a picture of the blocks or even the quilt if you could get your mom to take a picture next time she takes it out.

Reply to
Jeri

I'll see if I can dig out the unused blocks that I still have. They were so misshapen that I just couldn't fit them into the quilt for my mother. In the leftovers I think there are three that could be matched up and I thought about make a piano bench pad, but I figured that wouldn't be used either. The patience it took to unstitch this quilt is amazing. I guess that's why I went ahead and put some of the blocks together...the work I put into it was insignificant compared to the picking apart my mother had done.

Reply to
KJ

Cute, cute story Leslie! My mom shows off everything I make her to anyone who walks in the door. I appliqued some St. Patrick's Day DISH TOWELS for her, and she kept them on the arm of her lazy boy so she could have them handy when someone stopped by..... lol. You're right, ya gotta love 'em.

Patti in Seattle

Reply to
Patti S

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

You should ask. Then you would have a longer story. Debra in VA See my quilts at

formatting link

Reply to
Debra

I really do not want to know what happened- I'm quite certain it did NOT turn out the way she thought it would when she planned it. If it had been a pleasant experience she would have told me all about it..... Call me a coward if you like. VBG

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.