Blue ribbon for Warm Regards and rich blessings

Last Sunday I came in from gardening checked my phone and there was a message to say that my quilt had won an award at the Victorian Quilters show and presentations were on Thursday at noon.  I was so excited, but nervous!  Nervous because I had no idea which prize I had won and also because the timing was ordinary; my husband was away with work, Thursday was our oldest sons 13th birthday and finally the builder is here renovating our ensuite as our shower had been leaking!  

After lots of juggling and after considerate negotiations with our son I managed to hand over his birthday gifts on Thursday morning then a friend Antoinette drove us down to Melbourne (its a 7 hour return trip) in time for the ceremony where to my surprise, my quilt Warm Regards awarded first prize in the section Mainly Applique, 2 person Amateur.  Vicki was on hand volunteering (for the whole show) so was able to take this photo of me trying to pin the rosette on my quilt.  

This quilt started life two Christmas ago when good friend Lisa gave me the book Simple Friendships by Kim Diehl and Jo Morton then suggested we (together with Vicki) make a quilt together (theme of the book is block swaps) but each make our own version.  Lisa is making the Jo Morton pattern and Vicki and I both enjoy applique and made the Kim Diehl pattern.  In February Vicki told me she had a cancellation in her long arm custom quilting schedule and was booking Warm Regards in for March.  So this push forced me to get cracking and finish the top.  Vicki gave me further assurances that it was of a good standard for the state show and Lisa encouraged me the whole way, as she regularly enters quilts.  Both Lisa and Vicki have won prizes before, but I never thought that I would too! 

We were home in time for take away tea and birthday cake that my new teenager requested and my brother and parents facilitated organising school run etc so that I could go for the day.  I would never been able to  go and help my son celebrate his birthday if Antoinette had driven me, so I feel very blessed to have such good friends and family support.  

My prize was a very generous cheque sponsored by Geelong Quilters, a queen size batting from Nu-Wool and 5 yards of Moda fabric from PK Fabrics. 

Because my husband is away for 10 days (including over the weekend of the show) I never planned on going to the show and hadn't been for a few years because it clashed with our sons birthday. So as much as it was a flying visit it was lovely to see all the quilts and fit in a bit of shopping!    I had already purchased some mats for my Go Cutter and decided that was sufficient, because I am between jobs.  After I found my generous cheque I went back and brought some fat quarters from Somerset Patchwork!  I also got to deliver the six Very Snuggly Quilts (childrens quilts) that I had finished to the guild.  And to top off my exciting week I also got some lovely feedback on a quilt I had made for a friend who is having a really rough time. 

Happy quilting, Sue.