QuiltFest 2008 begins!

Things are gearing up for another great Quilt Show Season!

There are two main seasons per year, January to May and then September to November. Some new big Summer shows have started up, but I'll save that for another post.

In Jacksonville, FL, it's QuiltFest time!

For many people, QF is almost a year-round labor of love, yet when Quilt Turn-In Day comes, then the excitement really builds up.

I helped take in quilts at Old Green Cupboard. What a great way to get a preview of the show! Here's one quilt we measured, lint-rolled, and tagged:

"Stairway to the Stars", the 2008 raffle quilt for the All Star Quilters Guild.

Yes, friends, once again I had my camera but forgot to take pictures! This is my guild's quilt. I have a hard time being in a working frame of mind and being a photographer at the same time. There were more than 70 quilts to take care of, along with their owners to inform and educate about the show process.

Quilts were collected at six different locations, along with a large number of mailed in entries, for a total of over 400 to be judged. The quilts are all carefully guarded as they go in and out of their bags and finally end up at the Prime Osborn Convention Center on September 23 to be hung for the show, which runs Sept. 25th to the 27th (Thursday through Saturday).

I'll be there...with my camera in my pocket, so I won't forget to take pictures! Unless I am completely dead on my feet, I hope to do a daily post during that week so you can come to the show along with me, and get a behind-the-scenes view. I'm planning to cover as much as possible: hanging the quilts, the Preview Party, the show, the vendors, the quilt sale room (members of the guilds who host the show can sell items there), the guild booths, the fund-raisers...even take down and a special report on what pie is available at the show!
Oh, yes... I will be doing two demos (Thursday at 3 PM and Friday at 4:30 PM), so come on by!
I'll see you at the show!