Quilt Camp in the Pines

It's up!

2009-08-27T16:14:00.003-07:00

WooHoo! The new schedule is up! New teachers, lots of classes, and a hew headquarters. We've moved to the Four Points Sheraton Hotel which is going to be brighter, lighter and better. And, most of the classes will be right at the hotel. We've worked hard on the class selections and are sure you're going to like it! And... yes, the chocolate that I received from one of our faithful, is delish. I'm sure that was where I got the strength to work faster. Hope you like it.

Tid Bits From Quilt Camp

2009-08-06T16:57:00.004-07:00

Wherever does the time go? Quilt Camp just flew by... we were looking forward to it, planning for it, getting ready for it, packing... and then, all of a sudden it was over! From all of the evaluations we've been receiving, everyone had a fabulous time. The weather in Flagstaff was beautiful and the heat wave waited until Camp was over. That was nice.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Now... we working on the schedule for Quilting in the Desert. Our lineup of teachers is exciting. As always, some teachers who have been at QID before and some new ones. Check the list on our web page and then watch for the schedule around the middle of August.

I sure wish I had some chocolate!

WooHoo! It's Camp Time

2009-07-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here we are... getting ready for Quilt Camp in the Pines. Lots of work to be done before we go to Flagstaff. Although the address for Camp is in Sedona, Camp is actually held on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. All the prep is done at Audrey's house in Sedona. You can see the view reflected in the glass doors of the breakfront. Not bad working conditions! And, it's just the beginning of the fun. Stay tuned... more photos from Camp coming up.

Yoo Hoo!

2009-06-21T12:17:00.003-07:00

Where is everybody? If you are visiting our blog, please leave a comment... just to let me know you were here. I think that so many people are on vacation or checking the blogs about the international incidents happening these days. We are truly blessed to live in the USA and also blessed to have met fellow quilters on our many travels who feel the same about where they live. And, that's a good thing!

Photo credit: Gregory Case 2008

Here is a photo from the taping of one of the classes on Ricky Tims and Alex Andersons "The Quilt Show". It is of Ricky and Rose Hughes standing in front of some of Rose's quilts. Rose is one of the fabulous teachers who will be at Quilt Camp in the Pines in Flagstaff this summer. You can't believe how amazing her work is and it's just not possible to see her incredible beading and how it enhances these quilts. There are still openings in some of her classes. You'll be sorry if you don't check it out.

Hope you are having a great Father's Day with your families. Let's see, how many Father's would like a trip to the local quilt shop as a special outing? I know that there really are some who think that's a fine way to spend the day! Quilt shop tour and then home to the BBQ. Yum! Or, just leave him at home in front of the Golf Tournament and take the kids with you to the quilt shop. He'll love it! Let us know how you are spending the day.

For anyone who comments on our blog, we'll add your name to our Quilter's Candy Jar and, who knows, we might just be sending you something really special. Gee, I wonder what a quilter would consider candy? Hmmmm?

Happy Day, Dee

Wow! A Slide Show...

2009-06-10T23:46:00.004-07:00

I consider myself pretty computer savey but most of the time I just don't seem to have enough time to figure out all this techy new stuff. Blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking! Oh, my!

I love doing the Quilt Camp web page but longed for something that could be friendlier. My good friend, Carole, told me that I really should start Blogging. I hardly knew what blogging was but she patiently led me through it. I thought I was doing just fine but... it still needed something. I started trying to put up photos. OK, not bad. I did that, with Carole's help. Then, I get an email from my good friend and one of our favorite teachers,Jan Krentz, who suggested that I add a slide show. She told me where I could go online to get a program that would magically, after I added the photos, put it into the Blog. I found this hard to believe because about two years ago, I struggled to create a slide show for our web page. I had to write the HTML code (yep! I can... ), add the images, put the whole thing online and... it slowed everything down so badly that I just took it off. I was so bummed. But now, I have taken Jan's generous advice and am just about to put up my very first slide show. Not sure how many photos I can put in it... but I'm about to find out. I put photos of some of the classes for Quilt Camp in the Pines 2009. If anything looks interesting to you, there is still time to register for any of them. Just go to the web page and print out a registration form, fill it out, enclose a check and send it to the address on the form. Easy!

Please... let me know what you think about the Slide Show of Quilt Camp Classes. Here it is.... TaDa! I can hardly wait to check it out myself.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

More Classes...

2009-06-08T15:24:00.003-07:00

Photo above is Curling Colours by Jacqueline de Jonge. Jacqueline is from the Netherlands and is coming to Quilt Camp in the Pines for an encore. Her students from Quilting in the Desert were enchanted with her accent, her brilliant colours and her discoveries about Americans and our eating habits in the USA. If you happen to see her, you must ask her about her first encounter with BBQ spareribs.

This is another one of Jacqueline's classes. This is her Stars in the Night. I think it's just fabulous. These quilts are paper pieced. How cool! Still room in these two classes. Don't miss out on two days of fun, fun, fun in Flagstaff!

Just Some of the Classes...

2009-06-07T15:14:00.007-07:00

Have you checked out the classes at Quilt Camp in the Pines for this summer? There is still space in many of the classes... some of the really good classes that I think the Campers are overlooking. I get phone calls every day asking whether there are classes that are still open. I thought that I would feature one or more of the classes each day so you can see what you can still do.

Check out the classes pictured above. The one on top is John Flynn's, Quilting at Windmills. The one below it is another John Flynn class, Where's Walleye. He still has openings in some of his classes. This is really cool for those of you who don't want to go shopping for fabric (could that be?) or don't have time. Anyhow, he offers kits for each of his classes. Now... a kit is a kit but, when it comes already laser cut, what could be better? That's my kind of kit! Check out the web page and see this one and the other ones still waiting for your registration. You can't possibly want to miss the fun.

Back Again....

2009-06-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a fun weekend of teaching in Winslow, AZ. Class full of ladies who want to learn to hand quilt. Just made me feel so good that there are still some quilters who want to learn or perfect their hand quilting. Machine quilting with the long arms is wonderful... and fast for the quilts that we want to finish in this year. It's simply wonderful that we can keep the old while celebrating the new. Hand quilting preserves tradition and the incredible maching quilting that is being done today is making a future. I am not a machine quilter so anything that I want to have done on a long arm must be sent out for someone else to quilt. Quilt Camp in the Pines has some neat Long Arm classes on this summer's schedule of classes but... woe is me... I'll be working hard to see that everyone else has a fabulous time and there won't be time for me to take any of the classes. So... guess what? That means that you all need to be registering so I can send my quilt tops (the ones that I have time to piece) out to you for quilting.

Would You Ever Believe?

2009-06-02T17:21:00.003-07:00

That's us... way up there on that elephant. This was in Bangkok. So much fun... for just one time! No repeats. But, the view from up here was fabulous. We could see into a garden that was manicured beautifully. Wow!

We're Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

2009-06-01T23:38:00.010-07:00

It's been a long time since I've put anything on the blog. Shame on me! My intentions were so good. I figured that it would be so fun to post pictures along the way from Audrey's and my various travels. I almost always have the laptop with me and so it should be easy to just type a message and hit Go! Wrong! Easy if the laptop lives... not easy if it dies! And dead it was.

We left for our cruise from Australia to Asia (Sydney to Bangkok) flying to Los Angeles and changing planes there and flying to Sydney. There was a 5 hour layover in LA. Yep...5 hours. But, I was OK with that because I knew that I could sit at the laptop station in the airport, be plugged into power and write messages for the blog and then attend to other work that had to be done. Only one problem. Laptop... brand new in August... wouldn't boot up. Nope... nada. Hard drive dead. Dead... along with everything that was on it but that's a totally different story... for a totally different day.

We tried to get it fixed in Sydney... just what we flew 16 hours to do... visit a computer repair place. There was nothing they could do except sell me a new hard drive. And, of course, that would destroy the warranty on the "brand new" laptop! Annoying! After we returned home, Dell sent me a new hard drive and I replaced it myself. Little did I know what I can do. But... I am quilter... I can do anything!

Wow! Photos, too!

2008-11-30T15:27:00.006-07:00

I am finally solving the mystery of how to put photos into the blog. I've got a lot of them saved up. Everytime I take one I am thinking, "That would sure look good on the blog!" But, until now, they have never made it. But now... I think I have it all figured out. And so... here is my first effort.

This one was taken of Audrey and me when we were inducted into the Arizona Quilter's Hall of Fame. We are just so proud of this honor that I think it appropriate that it be the first ever photo on our blog. Audrey is on the left and I'm the other one! Just wait... there'll be lots more.

Talking, Talking, Talking!

2008-11-20T15:44:00.002-07:00

Just in case you missed us and wondered why there have been no updates to the blog... Audrey and I have been traveling. Yes... traveling and talking. Two things we do really well! We have been spreading the virtues of Quilt Camp in the Pines and Quilting in the Desert to quilters in New Mexico and Colorado. Not to all the quilters (we only wish!), but to those in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Durango. We are having a ball! In between talks, we are visiting any quilt shop we can find... and we can find almost every single one in the area. And... you know what happens when quilters visit quilt shops... Yep! Shopping, shopping, shopping! We are planning on returning to Sedona tomorrow (Friday) before we are totally out of money. I am thinking I am pretty close to that now! But... I have many treasures. Fabric, patterns, ideas... all to get busy on. If you have heard Audrey and me give our talk... you would know that we hardly have any time to do any quilting. Too busy with Quilt Camp and Quilting in the Desert. But, that shopping therapy... it's great!

Happy Election Day!

2008-11-04T14:41:00.005-07:00

I Voted... Did You?
Hope so. I voted by mail and sent it about two weeks ago so it's among those that will be counted today. Those who send for their ballots by mail and then don't fill them in have to take them to their polling place and they won't be tallied until mid week. It might count in the final numbers but by then, the decision will already have been made. At least, we hope it's over by then! Shades of long ago with the hanging chads, etc.

Hope you all have selected the project you will be working on tonight during the returns. I can't bear to watch TV without something in my hands. And... I'm ready for tonight. On our cruise through the Mediterranean, we learned a technique called "boutis". It's very much like trapunto by hand but different. Doesn't that make sense? Ha! Two pieces using this technique won awards in Houston. Beautiful...

And, speaking of awards... if you haven't already checked out the winners, you really must. Here is the web page where they are all shown. http://www.quilts.com/fqf08/enVivo/ Click on Quilts: A World of Beauty.

The big winner... Sharon Schamber! Yep... our Sharon! This is the quilt that she first showed at Quilting in the Desert 2008. She then entered it in the AQS show in Paducah where it took the top machine quilting award and then in Houston where it's the Best of Show! And... you better believe it deserves that award. That piece if fabulous! The photo is amazing but until you see it up close... you can't imagine how incredible the quilting is. If you haven't already signed up for one of her machine classes, you will be sorry because they aren't far from being filled. The stippling classes are already closed. So... don't procrastinate! Do it now!

Happy day.

Good News! Supply Lists Online...

2008-10-30T22:50:00.005-07:00

Whew! The supply lists for all the classes are now on the web page underneath the description of the class. Just in time too. I'm off to Laguna Woods, California, to join my family in celebration of my Mom's 90th birthday. Such a wonderful time for all of us. The big party is a brunch for all the family and her friends on Sunday morning... 70 in all... and it promises to be rowdy and loving all at the same time. Maybe I'll even post a photo of us when I return.

In the meantime... don't forget to send in your registrations for Quilting in the Desert. Gosh, I hate to hear from someone, "I just didn't mail it in time and now, the class I wanted is closed." Don't take the chance... register now!

News from Houston!

2008-10-26T19:30:00.004-07:00

Wild, tiring days. In the morning, we are up early and tearing off to classes in order to find the teachers that we think will be fabulous for either Quilt Camp or Quilting in the Desert. It's a good chance for us to "audition" teachers we haven't met before. We want nothing but the best for our campers! Of course, we see old friends at every turn in the hallway, so it's like a family reunion all day long.

After poking our heads into the classrooms, we're off to the showroom floor. We want to see what's new and who's new. Have to plan ahead for 2010 and 2011. That's how far ahead we schedule our teachers.

I keep promising myself that I'll sign on in the evening before going to sleep and write a post on the blog. Problem is that I get the sleep and the posting backwards. Falling asleep in front of the computer before I can type anything. We finished earlier this evening and I wanted to send a message before heading off to bed. I figured it was better to sleep in bed than in front of the computer. Anyhow... the early morning seminar today... was on blogs! Seems as if I really am getting in the groove and will become a true blue blogger.

For those of you who have asked... I apologize that the supply lists are still not up on the web page. I really have been working on them and will try my best to get as many up during this week as I can. At least the ones that I already have from the teachers.

The days are exhausting but exhilarating. It's hard to get settled down and off to slumber-land before the next long day. Show closes tomorrow at 4 and we're on our way home on Tuesday talking about everything we saw, all the new teachers we have discovered and all the old friends we've seen. And it's all filled with promises to meet again next year!

And... before I think any more about next year... I'll just continue planning for tomorrow!

We're On Our Way!

2008-10-21T21:39:00.003-07:00

Speaking of “on our way”, Audrey and I are off to Houston on Thursday to International Quilt Market. It's different from the Festival in that there really aren’t the hundreds of vendors with all the fabric, necessaries, books, quilting tools and anything else that would satisfy a quilter’s addiction. Market, on the other hand, is for the serious side of the quilting business. But... we get to see the newest stuff that you will see in the shops soon, the latest fabric, and, of course, all the new teachers that we will find to bring to you at either Quilt Camp in the Pines or Quilting in the Desert. Not a bad way to spend a week! Oh... I almost forgot (NOT), we get to see all the fabulous quilts that will be shown at Quilt Festival before the awards are handed out. It's fun to try to guess who the big winners will be and then change our minds and then change them back! Unfortunately, we always have to come home before the winners are announced. We’d stay longer but, there’s always work to be done.

It's all news... and new!

2008-10-18T21:36:00.002-07:00

We're finally making the jump to blogging. So strange... we can organize the Quilt Camp, create web pages, travel the world on our fabulous quilt cruises but blogging? Shouldn't seem scary but it just does. I hear all the news people on the TV talking about their blogs and quilters talking about theirs and then I think about ours. As soon as I post this first message, we’ll be on our way. We'll have new info about Quilt Camp in the Pines and Quilting in the Desert and, of course, our cruises and tours. Hope you enjoy crossing that threshold into “blogdom” with us.