Quiltcon East

Quiltcon East is halfway through and it has been quite an exciting event. We're in Savannah at the International Trade and Convention Center, Booth #443. It's located on Hutchinson Island right across the river from Savannah and can only be accessed by ferry or bridge.

It is a quilt show put on by The Modern Quilt Guild (MQG). I have so much I can say and share about this show, but I will try and limit myself. This is, I think, the 5 th major show where I have been a vendor and I can't even count the number of shows that I have attended. This show makes me feel the excitement that I felt at my first quilt show. Quilters have traveled to Savannah from all over the country and even from outside Europe and Canada to share in the Modern Quilt movement. There are lots of younger quilters and everyone is eager to learn and buy and meet the quilting rock stars.

I have been surprised by the huge presence of the major fabric manufacturers. They have huge booths with hands on activities touting their latest fabrics. I view it as an attempt to build name recognition and to build loyalty.

There are classes starting at 8:30 in the morning and into the evening. Their website could not handle the volume of quilters wanting to take classes and it crashed within hours of opening class registration. It took them several days before it was up and running again.

This is the tote that was given to the volunteers and quilters taking classes. I tried to snag a couple as a vendor, but was told they were only for volunteers and students, but they were for sale.

It's adorable and I was planning on picking up a few for some of my quilting buddies and me. Before the show opened on Day 2, I went to buy them and was told they sold out in the first 3 hours of the show. Bummer.

And the quilts. I know many quilters think Modern, shmodern! What's the fuss? These quilts are not traditional quilts. There is a completely different aesthetic. They are modern, from the design to the quilting. There's a lot of straight line quilting as well as a lot of solid colored fabric. The viewpoint of these quilters is much different than mine. They really think outside of the traditional box. They are not ho hum in any sense and there were so many that made me stop and give pause. There are too many to share, but I'll pick a few. I can't even say they are my favorites, because there were sooooo many that impressed me. (Please forgive me for not giving credit to the quilter. It was just too much. ) To see all of the winners, click HERE.

Best in Show - "Bling" by Katherine Jones of Australia

 

There were halls filled with quilts from MQG chapters all over the world. These were group quilts that were to represent their home town/city with certain guidelines and will return home for a charitable purpose. It's so hard to describe the uniqueness of these quilts.

 

This skyline, from the D.C. MQG, depicts our nation's capitol.

Florida sunshine and beach.

The next quilts from 3 MQG chapters are such an excellent depiction of how modern quilters take a traditional block like the churn dash and turn it on its ear.

 

 

 

 

Check out this van

 

With the photo of Jenny Doan on the back.

And there was a touching tribute to The Orlando MQG and their spearheading of the hundreds of heart quilts made for the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting. This chapter collected blocks and then quilts from all over the world. They were overwhelmed with quilters generosity and kindness and gave quilts to not only the victims families but to first responders, and the nightclub workers and many others who were directly touched by this tragedy.

And my humble booth

It's been a great show in so many ways. I met lots of Instagram friends and made lots of new Curvalicious friends. I'm sorry it will head back to the west coast next year, but I may have to go to a Pasadena. In 2019 Nashville here I come.

 

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