Exhibit in Sarpsborg / Annual meeting in NQF

Last weekend was the annual meeting & gathering in NQF (the Norwegian Quilt Association), and this year Sarpsborg was where it all happened (Quality Hotel Sarpsborg, to be precise).

I travelled down by bus Saturday morning and stayed until Sunday afternoon (the weekend kickstarts Friday afternoon and lasts until Sunday afternoon). I hadn't signed up for any courses, but had voulenteered as a Quilt Angel (helper), so spent some hours "working" (it was too much fun to call it work-work) both Saturday and Sunday. Other that that, there were shops visiting (with too many tempting kits, patterns, fabric and notions.. I have a few regrets, and a parcel coming in the mail, but am very happy with what I came home with), people to chat to, coffee to drink (consumed a few cups, yes.. even black coffee - which I normally don't drink) and an exhibit to check out and admire.

I didn't take very many pictures of the quilts in the exhibit, but I know that there are many others who did, so if you're curious to see some of the quilts, please visit Abyquilt. She took many pictures of the diverse and wonderful quilts on display. But! I did get a few shots of my quilts (of course..). So here they are - finally - two of my little (haha..) secrets this past winter :

My version of "Tailfeathers", a pattern by
Cinderberry Stitches.

It's no secret that I absolutely adore the patterns made by the lovely Natalie Lymer/Cinderberry Stitches, so when she made Tailfeathers, I just knew I had to make it. Four (or was it five..?) years ago I finished her BOM Truly Scrumptious, and when Tailfeathers was announced the year after there was very little doubt in my mind. I think I finished most of the stitchery blocks the year before Plutt was born, but then everything went into pause mode, and stayed that way for almost two years. Last summer I finally picked up the blocks again and finished it - and my mom helped me quilt it.

You might notice that there are some parts missing? Well, the missing birds decided that they wanted to be made into a table runner, to match the quilt on the wall, and so they did (you can see a picture of the table runner a few posts down). When birds tweet you these things, you listen. ;-)

My entry in the jubilee competition
(NQF celebrates 25 years this year).

I wanted to make something simple, yet me for the competition, and ended up with a quilt consisting of four "blocks" where I tried to describe my "evolution" (you might call it) as a crafter. I remember one of the first quilts I made, which was with the little Sunbonnet Sue (who didn't start their crafting/quilting careere with SS?). After a few years of buttonhole appliqué, I started playing with hexagons and flowers (I still have a rather big quilt with about 170++ of these flowers). I know that some time after the hexagons came the big wave of stitcheries, and I got completely stuck here. Stitcheries - to me - is what makes me the most relaxed. I know that all I have to do, is follow the line. And you don't need to think. (Well, unless you're stitching with many colours, then it might be good to keep your mind on using the right colours at the right places..)
Both Leanne Beasly and Natalie Lymer are represented in my quilt, as I've been inspired and learned so much from both of them - through both their patterns and from reading their blogs.

Ready for Saturday's big dinner.

Saturday is also when the big festive dinner is held. This year I think there were about 260 of us gathered in a huge hall and being served nice food. (Yes, I did take pictures of the food.. but not sure if you're interested in seeing them.. are you?)

I'll see if I can get pictures of the treasures which followed me home from Sarpsborg.. Not much, I have to be honest, but I'm very happy.