Tag Archives: road to california

Road to CA 2023

I’m in! When I first signed up for classes at the upcoming Road to California, I was waitlisted for 2 of the 3 classes. I recently got an email letting me know that my number was called and now I’ve got a full set of classes. I’m excited and my room reservation has been made.

I’m taking the Sashiko/Boro class with Carole Ziogas, Wool applique with Catherine Redford, and Sue Spargo’s Flower Garden. I’m thrilled and excited about the event.

Happy quilting my friends.

Melanie

Road to CA 2022

 

My favorite show is back. It was a much smaller turnout than previous years and I’m not sure the vendors are too pleased. But as a quilter and long time attendee I was thrilled to get back. 

I took 3 classes Thursday – Friday and spent Saturday romping through with a couple of friends. 

Thursday – I couldn’t take the full day off so I left late around 2’ish. Checked in to my hotel and then headed to the show. I was able to walk the vendor section with a friend and make mental note of things I liked and things I would potentially buy.  I had an evening class with Catherine Redford on “Intro to Folk Art Embroidery”. We learned did 5 basic stitches. I knew most of them but it was nice for a refresher. The new to me stitches were the wrapped stitches. They were fun. 

On Friday, I took Annie Smith’s Aurifil Thread Matters Class. It sounds like it would be a sales pitch for Aurifil. As a tried and true Aurifan, I didn’t see it as such. This was a chance to try all the types of thread that Aurifil has to offer.  We were provided a Bernina 570 to use and basically stitched sample stitches onto fabric using the different weights, needles, and decorative stitches on the machine. We put all of our samples into a binder to keep for reference. I think everyone should do this whether you like Aurifil, Superior Threads, Wonderfil, etc. First, different weights use different needles and different weights in the bobbin. And each combination produce different results. Everyone has their own preference and doing this allows me to choose which combination I want to use to produce the result I want to produce on any given project.  I’ve always used 50w on top, 50w on the bottom and mostly use a 70/10 needle, sometimes 80/12 and sometimes 90/14.  For me, this is fine for piecing. The needles I used was whatever was in my machine. I generally changed it to 90/14 because I have a TON of them. A lifetimes worth really. But those are bigger needles meant for thicker thread like a 12w or 28w. I really loved playing with the 12w lana (wool) and I may have to invest in all the colors Aurifil offers in this weight. 

Friday evening, I ended it with Catherine Redford’s more intermediate class, “Dimensions of Folk Art Embroidery.” We learned about 6 more stitches that were a bit more complicated. You had to have known how to do a chain stitch and it surprised me that there were a few people who signed up who didn’t know how to do a chain stitch and were beginners.  I can only guess they didn’t read the class description. 

I enjoyed myself immensely at all three classes. I’m getting really hooked on hand embroidery and am getting an itch to finally start a crazy quilt. A couple of ladies in the friday night class told me to start now. It’s a long term project. That doesn’t surprise me. It seems all of my projects end up being long term. The hand work more so than any other. 

If you’ve ever been to Road, it generally took up 3 main areas. The main room, with some quilts for show and mostly vendors. The second ballroom, with most of the quilts for show and no vendors (all though I believe this just started in 2020 or 2019, I can’t remember).  And the third place – the tent, with food, some tables and more vendors.  This year, we didn’t have the tent with the extra options for food. Instead, all the vendors were in the main room. And it was not cramped. There were still open booths where chairs were placed allowing attendees to sit and rest.  So there weren’t as many vendors. There was only one booth selling a large selection of Aurifil and no one was selling cones. Where before, there would be 3+ vendors selling the same stuff and there was only one booth with items. For example, I was looking for a stripology for a friend. Only one booth (Quilt in a Day) had it. Really, they were the only booth with Creative Grid rulers. There were 2+ other booths with rulers but different kinds (ie. Quilter’s Select, etc.). So not as many options. I hope next year, our world is in a place where more vendors and attendees can come out. 

 

 

 

Best of Show: Harlequinade – Maker: Rebecca Prior, Quilter: Jackie Brown

Merry Christmas II – Maker/Quilter – Aki Sakai

This quilt is exceptional. It’s hard to see al the mini details but it’s hand done and quilted. Outstanding!

Ewe Two Crazy Love Birds – Maker/Quilter: Janet Stone.
Hometown of Kirara- fishing village – Maker/Quilter: Ayako Kawakami
Bloomers – Maker/Quilter: Penny Morris

This crazy quilt is my favorite. I want to make one also with embroidery stitches all over it.

Happy quilting my friends.

Melanie

Road to CA 2020, The Value of Violet by Margaret Solomon Gunn

I’m still looking at pictures from Road to CA last January.  You can see all the winners here.

I noticed a lot more shiny quilts made up of silk blends. They produced quilts that looked like they were glowing. Here is The Value of Violet by Margaret Solomon Gunn. I believe there is a post about it on Road to CAs site.  The description of the quilt did not say that the fabric was silk so I’m not sure where I got the idea that it was made of silk. I believe that the white glover or other onlooker told me that it was made of silk cotton blend which is what gives it that glowing quality.

The Value of Violet by Margaret Solomon Gunn

Here are some close ups.

The Value of Violet
Margaret Solomon Gunn

The Value of Violet
Margaret Solomon Gunn

The Value of Violet
Margaret Solomon Gunn

At this show, I was attracted to the various edges and bindings that finished quilts. I took a lot of pictures so I could remember the different ideas.

Melanie

Road to CA 2020, Masterpiece Winner

You can see all the winners here.  But I plan to post pictures of my favorites.

I really loved the Masterpiece Winner.

Road to California
2020 Masterpiece Winner
“Crazy Four Ewe”
Janet Stone

This one was my favorite.  Janet Stone won Best of Show last year and the quilt is similar in style. It reminds me of a cross stitch sampler.  I wish I had taken close ups of some of the individual blocks. I thought I had but in going through my phone, I did not. Isn’t that always the case?

Melanie

Road to CA 2020

I’m still recuperating so my post recapping the event and my weekly updates will have to wait. In the meantime, here’s a pic of the Best Of Show Quilt

Christmas in St. Andrews

Make/Quilter: Marilyn Badger of St. George, UT

Pictures never do a quilt justice… can you see how the plaid lines up throughout the quilt? There are also crystals strategically placed to make it shine. At first glance, it’s a beautiful quilt but upon further inspection the details is what truly makes this an outstanding quilt.

I had a lovely and exhausting time!

Melanie

Road 2016

So my final thoughts on Road…

It took me awhile to get this up and next week it’s already QuiltCon.  But I wanted to get this in here before I forget.  I kind of want a refresher when I start looking at classes in July.

First, I enjoy shows and I love taking classes.

I hope I can make this an annual event for me.  I debate between Road and PIQF every year.  I don’t think I could afford to do both and I want the consistency of attending the same one year after year.  Well, I believe QuiltCon West will be in Pasadena every other years so maybe I can go to PIQF the years we don’t have QuiltCon. I’ll have to check if my budget will allow me to do this but I definitely want to do Road every year.

Here are some guidelines for next year:

#1- Definitely staying at a hotel near the area is a must.  I enjoyed not to having to drive back and forth each day.  I enjoyed the feeling of community with the other ladies staying.  This year I stayed at Ontario Inn and Suites.  it’s not within walking distance of the convention center but it’s only about 1-2 miles.  So it’s a fraction of the cost of the hotels closer to the show.  I still have to pay for parking but between hotel and parking, it’s still cheaper than staying anywhere closer.

#2- Ask anyone at my guilds if they want to go too, we could share a room and/or carpool.

#3- Once I’m parked at the show, Uber to and fro if I need to. For example on Thursday, my class schedule was classes in the morning, a long break, and then an evening class.  I had to leave the show to check in at the hotel, and then get back to the show for the evening class.  That meant I paid twice for parking.  I thought about Ubering from the hotel to the evening class but I’m not familiar with the area and whether there would be an uber nearby at 10 at night.  I didn’t want to risk it.  Afterward, I figured I could have left my car at the show Ubered to the hotel to check in and a short nap and then Ubered it back to the show before the evening class.  Well, I would have to get the fare estimate to see if that method would be cheaper or if paying twice for parking would be cheaper.  But it’s an idea.

#4- Stash a cooler in the car.  We can’t bring outside food into the convention center but I could always leave and eat in the car.  This would save me a ton of money I’d rather spend on quilty stuff.  I know, there were still ladies who brought outside food inside and I guess I could do that.  We’ll see if I have the gumption to do that when the time comes.

#5- Take technique classes, not necessarily project classes. I enjoy taking classes but I don’t want UFOs.  So, I look for techniques I want to learn.  Register early for classes!

#6- Take classes where I can try different long arm machines .. this year, I tried the HQ Avante this year and would like to try others next year.  I don’t know if I’ll be in a position to seriously buy one next year but I’d like to do my research.

 

Manic Monday – 1/26/2015

For BOM Away Monday, Flowers and Baskets is officially a done deal!

Flowers and Baskets Finished! 1/25/2015

Flowers and Baskets
Finished!
1/25/2015

 

Quilted, bound, and labeled!  I still have to wash it but DD is doing her laundry so I’m next in line.  I’m working on a small bag project that should be done soon and then I’ll get going on the final clue for Tell It To The Stars.

Check out more finished BOMs at 

 

For Design Wall Monday…

It’s still a secret so here is a picture of more things I bought at Road2CA.

Bloc Loc Rulers HST Set #1 1/24/2015

Bloc Loc Rulers
HST Set #1
purchased at Road2CA 1/24/2015

I’ve been wanting these forever!  Well since PIQF 2013.  I bought the 6.5″ HST ruler at the time and was mad at myself for not getting the whole set.  Well, I’ve realized since that I love the one I had originally purchased and life would be so much easier if I bought the other sizes so I don’t have to keep moving the ruler up and down my smaller HSTs. My challenge now is that it doesn’t fit in my current ruler holder (I can’t fit any more rulers in their) and I need a system where I won’t lose the small 1.5″ ruler.  Any ideas? In the meantime, I need to update my wish list

Grommets for more bags! purchased at Road2CA 1/24/2015

Grommets for more bags!
purchased at Road2CA
1/24/2015

I also bought grommets to make more bags… Do you think I’m starting a new phase in my life?  Last year I was knitting, this year I’m trying to make bags.  Hopefully I’ll find use for these.  I think so based on the number of bag projects I want to do.

See more design walls at Patchworktimes.com

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Stash Report – Week 4, 2015

My New Featherweight 1/24/15

My New Featherweight
1/24/15

I couldn’t restrain myself.  At Road2CA I found this little baby at a price I could not say no to.  I don’t have to clean it up or deal with broken bits.  I can thread it, plug it in, and start sewing.  I actually haven’t had the nerve yet but once I get through the awe of actually having one of my own, I’ll get going on it.  I made a bunch of purchases yesterday and I’ll be showing them off over the week.  But I want to spend the rest of the day working on a project so here’s the stash report:

I used half a yard on the little pin cushion I finished last Sunday  –

Pincushion 1/19/2015

Pincushion
1/19/2015

But I added yardage from Road2CA.  In previous shows, corduroy fabric was my fabric.  I first saw it at the Long Beach Quilt Show in 2012 and at every show and quilt shop since, I keep an eye out for it.  Now, my LQS carries a bit of it so.  I have a Corduroy quilt I’m working but I love the fabric so every time I see a different one, I buy a bit of it.  I didn’t see any at Road2CA this year.  Which made me sad at first.  Until I saw Moda’s Linen and now I am loving Moda’s Linen.  I do not know if I’m loving Moda’s Linen or linen in general but now I’ve got my eye out for linen.  So I’ve got 5.25 to add to my stash.

Moda's Linen

Moda’s Linen

In addition, I bought a kit.  I know I said no kits but I want to start making bags and bag kits are going to help me start learning how to actually do this.  It’s bad enough that I often cannot understand the patterns but to have to gather all the materials makes it really hard to get started.  So – I bought 1 kit to try it out.  (I have 1 kit here at home that I know of and maybe more stashed away).  I WILL get to it at some point.  I’m not sure how much yardage is in here but from the supply list I’ll round it to 2 yards.

IMG_5719[1]

 

I’m almost done with Flowers and Baskets – only the binding left to do so that will help with my numbers soon. In the meantime:

Used this week: .5 yards
Used year to Date: 7.5 yards
Added this week: 7.25 yards
Added Year to Date: 20.25 yards
Net Added for 2015: 12.75 yards

see more stash reports at  Patchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

Road2CA here I come…

Flowers and Baskets All quilted 1/24/15

Flowers and Baskets
All quilted
1/24/15

First, I finished quilting all of Flowers and Baskets – woohoo!  Now all I need is the binding.  I have enough of the purple border fabric left over to use that as fabric but I’m not sure I like that look.  I’m thinking about putting black.  I was going to go to LQS yesterday but I was afraid I’d buy more than binding fabric and I’m going to Road2CA today so I didn’t want to use any of the money I budgeted for it. 🙂

Off to Road… will check back tomorrow will all my loot! 🙂

Happy quilting everyone!

~Melanie

 

 

TGIF, 1/23/2015

WIPs Be Gone

WIP Status:

 1. Flowers and Baskets – Finished quilting two of the four borders. I probably would have gotten more done but I ran out of bobbin thread.  I’ll try to get the other two borders done tonight.  I noticed that I run out of steam after one border so I’ll be pushing myself.  But I want to get this baby done so I can work on Tell It To The Stars next.  I did go through my drawer where Flowers and Baskets was hiding before I pulled it out to quilt and I have fabric.  It’s the same fabric as the border.  I think this was just left over fabric.  I was going to use it as my binding but I don’t think I’ll like it.  Since the quilt is already off the machine, I think I’ll take it to the LQS to get fabric for the binding.  This quilt was a BOM a couple of years ago (okay more like 4) so I’m sure they would love to see the almost finished project.

Flowers and Baskets  in the machine 1/19/2015

Flowers and Baskets
in the machine
1/19/2015

Road to California in Ontario is this week.  I wanted to attend classes and workshops like I did at PIQF in 2013 but I still have a bunch of UFOs from the classes I attended then.  So I held off.  I can always go to PIQF this year if I wanted to, or go to Road to CA next year.  So I am not attending classes.  But I want to check out the quilts and visit the vendors to see what’s new. So that’s tomorrow!  I’m super excited about it.  Unlike PIQF and the Long Beach Quilt Show, I will not be buying kits.  I’ve got a bunch of kits that is still waiting for me to get to.  I will be looking for tools, stuff for bag-making, batting, and if I happen to find fabric I love – then fabric.  I generally do not buy fabric at shows because I get overwhelmed with the selection but I have an idea now of what my two LQS generally have and what they do not have so I think I have more of a discerning eye this time around.  We’ll see.  I have to keep in mind that in a few months, we’ll be having our SoCal Shop Hop and I know I’ll be buying fabric and things there too so unlike previous shows I’ve been to, I’m not there just to buy whatever takes my fancy!

Happy Quilting everyone!
Melanie