Last look at QuiltFest

It's time to bid a fond farewell to QuiltFest for 2008...
after thousands of visitors, 400 quilts, and many miles of walking up & down the aisles of vendors!
I helped hang it up, so I helped to take it down and return the quilts to their owners.
When the show closes, everyone must exit the room (except the take-down volunteers). The cloth bag with the quilt's ID number is placed under the one it belongs to. A sheet is carefully spread on the floor, and the two ladder-people un-hook the bar and slide the quilt off.
Working with them, another helper or two fold the quilt and put it back into the bag, along with the show tag and any ribbons it may have won. The ID tag is re-attached to hold the bag closed. It waits on the floor until the cart comes by to pick it up.

The bagged quilts are then set into rows by category number so they will be easy for the runners to pick up when.....
..... the owners, who have been chompin' at the bit to get in and retrieve their babies, are finally admitted back into the room!
Meanwhile, they have picked up an envelope with the judge's critique for their quilt(s), and can entertain their friends by discussing what was said!
Each quilt has a release form to sign, which must be shown at a table. From there, a "runner" goes to pick up the quilts (actually by that time it's more of a slow stagger, but we hustle as much as possible to get those quilts back!).

The remains of the Quilt Sale Room...unsold items are claimed after the show, or returned to the guilds by their QuiltFest Reps. Thanks to everyone who bought something, especially my stuff! I only had a small quilt left (the stars & geese one).

Once more the sea of cement has returned...hard to believe that I was so recently laughing & sharing Mile-A-Minute in the corner up there, and so many glorious quilts were on display!
But will all happen again next year (Sept. 24--26), and by then my "photo journalism" skills may have increased.
I just get so wrapped up in what's happening, I forget to take the pictures!

As one event ends, another rushes in to take it's place.
Soon I'll be leaving for Orlando to teach a couple classes...one is a Mystery Quilt that I had a great time writing for the Central Florida Quilters Guild.
Cherry-Cherry is coming along as my assistant, and we'll be staying at the home of A. Coffee Queen....there is no telling what craziness may ensue!