Hershey Quilt Show Weekend

Started late on Thursday. I used the GPS to get there. You're suppose to attach the GPS thingie on to the front windshield but I chose not to do that and just put it on the passenger seat. It just seemed like it would be a distraction and mess with my view. The problem is, it's a tap screen and if you touch it, you mess up the trip programming and have to reprogram your trip. I pulled over a few times to fix it. I was on 78 west for a long time and thought maybe I drove past Hershey. Up to this point, there's no signs that mention Hershey, no road signs or advertisements. I took the next exit, stopped at a gas station and reprogrammed the GPS thingie. The Englishman (with English accent), did not direct me back on to the highway but on some side roads. VERY country like roads, so hilly that I'd be driving up a hill and could not see anything but sky until I started going back down the hill. I just kept going up a hill, down a hill, up and down, over and over again, with twists and turns on a narrow country road. This lasted about 5-10 minutes and then I found myself right smack in the middle of Hershey. On my right was a big roller coaster and on my left were houses. Apparently the amusement park is right in the middle of town and people can be sitting in there backyards, having a BBQ and hear people SCREAMING as they're making their descent on the roller coaster. Soon I found Hershey Lodge and relaxed. Hershey Lodge is HUGE. The motel room was FAR FAR away from the quilt show but I did not have to go outside to get to the show. And the open sewing room was somewhere in between my room and the show. There were four different restaurants to eat at and a bar in the lobby.

On Thursday, I rushed to the vender area and bought fabric to use for my project on Sunday. They closed at 5 pm. I liked shopping between 4 and 5, there were less people. Then I found a restaurant and ate at the bar with Harry Potter (Ok, a book). I also had two glasses of wine with my sandwich. I found the open sewing room, where people can set up their sewing machines and work on whatever they wanted. It was so much fun to meet different people, they were all working on different projects and ALL of them were friendly. I learned a lot in that room. Sewing tips, good places to shop, fun quilting teachers, good sewing books to buy and this is all while people are sewing, joking, etc.

On Friday, I took a long shower and used all 10 of the different water sprays on the shower head. I took my time. I picked another restaurant and had a lovely (expensive) breakfast with Harry. I then went back to the room, got my machine and went to the open sewing room (open 24 hours). Hung out with the ladies and started cutting out my fabric for my class on Sunday. At noon, I stopped and met Denise, one of the members of the online Carol Doak Group. Denise is from Bucks County PA. She was able to get into Carol's Friday Class. When I tried, I was unable to get in, it was full. While Denise was in the class, I was in the open sewing room. I hung out with Denise for lunch, shopping, and dinner. I found out I could sign up for sewing classes that had openings. So I signed up for a Saturday morning class with another teacher, Billie Lauder. Denise and I attended Carol Doak's desert lecture together. Here, I met another gal, Connie from another online group I belong to, Stashbusters. The lecture was very entertaining. We really enjoyed the day. During the lecture, Kate finally showed up with the wonder boy, Steve. They're just friends is the story she's telling. He was going to sleep in his car and I let him sleep in our room, ON THE FLOOR. I'm too nice. The kids went out exploring the lodge and Later, I went to the open sewing room, until 1 Am. (Steve hung out with Kate on during the day and then left on Saturday evening.)

On Saturday, I woke up, showered, did not eat breakfast, just went right to the class. After the class, I ran back to the room to drop off my sewing machine, I had lunch plans with four more ladies from the Carol Doak Yahoo Group. I was late meeting them. I was on the elevator waiting for it to get to the lobby so that I could go find them. I started on the 3rd floor, the elevator slowly went down to 2, then 1. The stupid elevator stopped on the 1st floor. I groaned. The elevator door opens and there's Carol Doak standing right there. I told her I was meeting some gals from her online group and asked if she would come say hello to them. So I showed up to meet the girls and I brought Carol Doak with me!!!!! LOL She could not eat with us because she had to get back to a class she was teaching. I had a lovely lunch with Glenda, Cathy, her husband, Sue, Debbie and Dot. I went to the vendor area again and bought fabric for Kate's project at Sundays class. I went back to the open sewing room to cut up the fabric for Kate. Kate and Steve went swimming in the three pools at the motel and then to the movies to see The Simpson Movie. Steve left for home, late but he left. I took a nap. Missed dinner but I was able to get a cup of soup and some crackers. On Saturday, there was something called 'Show and Tell'. I smuggled my soup in and ate it while the festivities were going on. All the instructors were there and made their students show what they made. They were also throwing out fabric to the audience. On the way out, we were able to pick a gift out from a tables full of stuff. I was practical and picked up blades for my rotary cutter. After that everyone left for their rooms, there was a line going to the elevator so I stopped at the bar and had chocolate martinis with Leslie, a women I met in the open sewing room. :D

Sunday, I woke up, took a quick shower, threw stuff in the suit case and packed everything up so that Kate and I could make the 9 AM Carol Doak class. THIS was the reason for going to Hershey in the first place! We did our best, packed the car and practically ran to the class. We were a bit late but it was ok. Carol Doak was really impressed with Kate and wants to post Kate's pick on her Carol Doak site, not the group site but on Carol's very own site. We didn't finish our projects but now we must so that I can send Carol a pic of Kate.

On the drive home, Kate was with me and would not play any of my CDs. We listened to hers but she did give me lots of bubble gum. It helps me stay awake while driving.

I don't know if you can tell.. LOL But I had a GREAT time! I had a blast. I hope to do this again next year.

First Post

I guess I can't say that I'm new to quilting. I've been playing around with fabric for about five years now. I have a 6 foot by 4 foot book case filled with fabric and another bookcase that has two shelves filled with quilting books. Due to my son leaving the nest, I now have a room devoted to my sewing stuff. I would like to turn the room, not into a sewing room, but a 'QUILTING STUDIO'. I think it sounds more artistic then just a 'sewing' room. My 'Quilting Studio' is in the works, it's waiting for 'the husband' to repair the ceiling and paint the walls. Then I need to get in there and organize all the fabrics, books, notions, patterns, sewing machines, etc. Right now, I have been sewing in the dining area but I prefer to have all of the quilting stuff in the 'Quilting Studio'.

I have completed several postcards and sent them out through various quilting group swaps. But that's the only quilts that I completely finished. I actually quilted one quilt but it awaits the dreaded binding. I think I will have to break down and actually sew by hand.

I have actually made some bags and swapped or given them away. I have made hundreds of blocks, mostly pieced. This past year, I have learned about Carol Doak's method of paper piecing. I'm hooked! I love paper piecing. I'm a HUGE fan of Carol Doak and her Carol Doak Yahoo Group. I have met Carol Doak and several members of the group. I now have a few paper pieced quilt tops, just waiting to be layered and quilted. I'm thinking, once I get the 'Quilting Studio' in order, I will be able to work more on my actually quilting education.

I'm a sucker for quilt gadgets and have one of those Fabric Movers for quilting on a home sewing machine. I read about it online, watched a video, went to the Viking Dealer who was more than happy to demonstrate it and even let my try it out.............next thing I know, I have one. Since last Christmas! I have yet to use it. Now that I'm getting quite a collection of quilt tops, it's time I learned how to use it.

Next Post: My trip to Hershey Quilt Odyssey.