Wow, November was a busy month.  Sorry I didn't have a chance to blog.  I do have quilt images from three shows that I can upload this month, the first of them are from the Vermont Quilt Festival from June, 2008.  I stayed in the dorms and took some classes while wandering around and seeing all the quilts.  Great classes and show.  Truly, a beautiful setting.

The Vermont Quilt Festival is New Enlgand's oldest and largest quilt show, with an attendance over 11,000.  It truly is a wonderful show.  This year there were almost 500 quilts on display with many classes for attendees.  Each year the show also has a competition so there will always be a selection of similarly themed quilts on display.

This Festival abounds in quilting activities.  There's something for everyone best exemplified by a list of their 2008 special exhibits:  Hard Times, Fine Quilts; For the Love of Fabric:  An Ann Bird Quilt Retrospective; A Class Act; Fabled Fibers:  Art Quilt Enchantments; Variety is the Spice of Life; Barbara Olson:  Wild Child; The Legacy of Florence Peto; Teacher's Showcase.  Wow.

Here's the website for the Festival:  Vermont Quilt Festival!

Next year's show will be situated in the same location and about the same dates:  from June 19-21, 2009 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, Vermont. 

Also, next year will be the first-ever juried show for this festival.  2009 is the 400th year since Samuel de Champlain discovered Lake Champlain.  The Festival's website has particulars for those wishing to enter their competition entitled "The Lake We Share:  Lake Champlain in History and Imagination."

Here are some pictures I took at the show of the quilts:
    

C103    "Pineapple Slices" by Jocylene Martel                                 C110    "TGIFF" by Janyce Broude

    

C111  "My Very Best Favorite Quilt!" by Janet-Lee Santeusanio      C119    "Wandering Ways" by Helen Irwin

    

C126    "Remembering Rebecca" by Jill Reid                               C127    "Arisen from the Stashes" by Elizabeth Pappius

    

C207    "Bits of Yesterday" by Linda Gilmartin-Hancock            C302    "Hearts in the Garden" by Wings Fall Quilter's Guild

    

C506    "Shades of Black and White" by Mindy Fitterman          C510  "Grandma's Christmas Quilt" by Lisa Noordergraaf

    

C709    "My Secret Garden" by Paula Higgins                                C803    "Exotica" by Molly Waddell

    

CM7    "By George, It's Amish!" by Sharon Shea Perry                CM14    "Mini New York Moment" by Pat Gaston





T13    "Expanding Star" by Judy Mathieson

The Festival had a selection of quilts on display by notable quilters and instructors such as Judy Mathieson above.  I had some other images by John Flynn, Bobbie Aug and others but the images didn't come out well.  It's unfortunate because I think you would have liked them. 

Also, the Festival has a great link that details all the winners' names and addresses, their quilt title, and the award they won (with images available - just click on the title) at:  2008 Vermont Quilt Festival Awards!

Big Note:  Right nearby is the Shelburne Museum, a wonderful museum dedicated to American Folk Art in a beautiful, bucolic setting.  I'm amazed I haven't blogged about this museum yet.  It's a true gem.  I did blog about a wonderful book entitled "Enduring Grace:  Quilts from the Shelburne Museum Collection" which shows a portion of this museum's collection.  I'll blog about the entire museum in the next month or two.

Best,

Fiona