Thursday, March 19, 2009

National Quilting Day this Saturday and my Second Blogaversary!!

So, what are you going to be doing to celebrate National Quilting Day on March 21?


Oh! Did you not know that there is a national holiday for us quilters? Bonnie Browning, the Queen of Quilt Shows for the American Quilters' Society, has an explanation of how National Quilting Day began and you can read it here.


I didn't know about National Quilting Day until I moved to Kentucky almost 13 years ago. Quilting is really big here and is a big part of Kentucky heritage. When I first moved here I joined a Quilt Guild, of which I am still a member. Quilt Guilds all over our state celebrate National Quilting Day. Some of them host pot lucks, some go on shop hops, some get together and sew quilts for charity, and some of them gather with other guilds to have a big celebration, which is what my Guild does.


For the past 18 years my guild, the Raintree Quilters Guild in Evansville, IN, and the Patoka Valley Quilters' Guild in Jasper, Indiana get together and have our own Tri-State Quilters' Day. Each guild takes turns hosting the event. This year is Raintree's turn. Quilters from Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana join with us and have a great day shopping with vendors, enjoying our guest speakers, and sharing ideas with each other through our Show and Tell session.


I am the chairperson for our guild, which is sort of the reason I haven't blogged since the beginning of March. (Well, that and cleaning out a room which got other rooms messy, discovering Facebook (thanks to Pat Sloan) and Twitter (thanks to Kimberly Jolly), exercising and dieting (thanks to Sharon)my husband working from home after working out of state and out of the country for the past 7 years while flying home every other weekend, quilting, and...need I say more?) It's just been busy around here!


Here's what's planned Tri-State Quilters' Day. My favorite part about Quilters' Day is the shopping, of course! We have 10 vendors. Six of them are quilt shops. My favorite quilt shop will be there (Hi, Betty!!) We have a woodworking business that builds all sorts of ways for you to display your quilts, such as ladders and quilt racks. There will also be sewing machine dealers, and, if you're wanting to try out or buy a long arm quilting machine, a Gammill dealer will be there, too!


There will be quilts on display from all three guilds. There will also be a special quilt display of 20 quilts to commemorate President Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. These quilts made their debut at the Quilt Show I chaired this past summer, and they have traveled all over the state of Indiana. On Lincoln's actual birthday they were at the Indiana state house right outside of Govenor Mitch Daniels' door. The ladies who made them were so excited.

If you want more information about Tri-State Quilters' Day, please e-mail me. And, if you live close by and attend, please find me so we can meet! Connie W. lives close by, but she has to work on cleaning up her Kentucky house from ice storm damage. Maybe we can meet another time, Connie!

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The second part of my title mentioned it being my Second Blogaversary. It doesn't seem like 2 years, but it has been. I have enjoyed every minute of every hour (many, many hours) that I have spent blogging with all of you. I have laughed, cried, and learned so much about quilting, crafting, and decorating my home. All of you have been a blessing to me. I love you all!

Since it is my 2nd blogaversary and I'm going to be shopping with quilt shops on Saturday, I thought it would be the perfect time to have a giveaway to celebrate!!! Leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw a name Monday morning.


What are your plans to celebrate National Quilting Day?


Edit: Comments to enter the drawing are now closed. For those of you who entered, I bought 3 prizes!!! Check back later to see if you win!

48 comments:

  1. I really liked this post...it was very informative...and I'll definitely make time for quilting this Saturday!

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  2. I will plan on getting some quilting done! Thanks :)

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  3. I always enjoy your comments on Kim's Big Quilting Adventure blog. I feel like I know you. Love your latest picture with your cookies, mug and cute apron. Yes, you are a busy quilter, etc., etc., etc.! Congratulations on your 2nd year anniversary in blog land.
    What am I going to do to celebrate on the 21st - Nat'l Quilting Day? Going to the last class in a series of three (one a month) Fabric Economics 101. It is offered at my local quilt shop, Bearpaws and Hollyhocks, where Kim teaches. It has really opened my eyes to organizing all of my scraps and stash. My goal is to finish all the clearing the "decks" and start off with a new found energy now that I have the mess and piles organized. You, know it has been a hard thing to accomplish but now that I am almost done I am so excited. What a way to celebrate - a nice fresh start.

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  4. Mmmm had no idea it was such a special day tomorrow! Luckily it is my quilting / stitching groups monthly get together so I will celebrate with some quilting. I have a quilt that needs finishing! Congratulations on your blogoversary!!

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  5. Oh, please enter me in your drawing! What am I going to do to celebrate on Saturday? Well, I suspect I'll be doing some quilting, of course! I need to get busy on a quilt I'm planning to teach in a couple months, and the shop kinda would like something to show the customers--LOL!

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  6. Have fun-- sounds like a great day.

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  7. Sounds like you will have a fun and busy day. Enjoy!!

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  8. Wow! You are a busy lady -- chairing the quilt show and National Quilters Celebration all in the same year! Wow is about all I can say!

    I'll be working on Spring! by Kim at Kim's Big Adventure. Hopefully top will be almost done by then.

    Congratulations on 2 years of blogging! Fabulous! I've just found you via Kim but I am happy I did so! B.

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  9. I am celebrating with a good friend and a local guild quilt show...AND SHOPPING!!

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  10. I've been reading about National Quilting Day but didn't realize that there was a fun event nearby. I'll be attending my monthly BOM meeting at my LQS, but your guild's day sounds like a lot of fun. Hope you have a great turnout!
    Congratulations on you 2nd Blogaversary! (please enter my name in your giveaway:))

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  11. Happy Blogaversary! It sounds like you have a very full and fun day planned for National Quilting Day. On NQD, I am going to be attending a virtual quilt retreat with quilting friends that I have met on the Internet. We each are picking a UFO that has been around a while and we are going to move it forward to the completion stage--at least that is the plan! LOL

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  12. Congratsulations on your 2nd blog anniversary. Sounds like you have a full and fun day planned for tomorrow. Winona

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  13. I didn't know it was National Quilting Day. Happy 2 year blogaversary. Please enter me in your drawing.
    Have a fun National Quilting Day.

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  14. happy blogday! Thank you for the reminder about quilting day, hmm I'll have to do some sewing to commemorate :) xoxo melzie

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  15. Wow, I didn't know it was National Quilt Day tomorrow...better get my Kenmore dusted off & set up today! I didn't know last Saturday was Pi Day either & that's a biggie apparently.
    Have lotsa fun tommorrow...hopefully in addition to sewing Thangles I'll be planting some Spring flowers since I didn't plant bulbs last Fall I cheated & got the sprouted ones from Lowes ;P
    Please enter my in your drawing :)
    Smiles, DianeM aka basketblessed@yahoo.com

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  16. Happy Blogiversary and Happy Quilting Day!!!!! Wish I lived closer to you so I could participate in the fun!

    What am I doing on Quilting Day??? Well, my Turkey (hubby) is going turkey hunting and I'm going to sew, sew, sew! I can't wait!

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  17. Wow, happy anniversary. Time goes so fast. I will be definately sewing tomorrow and going to 1 quilt store. I will celebrate by doing what I love. Fun.

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  18. Happy 2nd anniversary! I'll be going to my guilds quilt show on National Quilting Day, and also a local thrift shop who holds their quilts until the quilt show weekend to sell them. There is always a mob scene!!!
    Thanks for entering me in the drawing!

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  19. A lot of you sound like me...I didn't know there was a National Quilting Day, either, until I moved here. However, by reading your comments, I can see that we don't have to have a National holiday to celebrate our love of quilting. We do that every day!

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  20. Dear Amanda,

    Happy Quilting Day, and Blog Birthday! I didn't realized that you started your blog right before we started ours. Lots to celebrate! Have fun tomorrow at all your festivities.

    Cherri

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  21. Hey Amanda !! Congrats on the 2nd Blogiversary!!! hmmmmm.....you know what? I just realized I must have just passed my 2nd blogiversary too since we started at a about the same time .... DUH !! It's been fun learning blogging along with you ... although I must say you have far exceeded me figuring out sidebars, headers, etc .... I bow to you oh blogging genius!!

    Have a great time this weekend with your guild's National Quilting Day event ... sounds GREAT! And it sounds like you've been working very hard to get it together! ENJOY !! (pick out something fun for your giveaway!! :)

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  22. Happy Blogaversary Amanda! I too feel like you - laughed, cried, learned.... smiled, shopped, stashed, sewed... AND SPRAY PAINTED! Hugs and thank you for all the joy, friendship and inspiration!

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  23. Yes, Cherry and Mary Anne, I hope to stiumlate the economy of the vendors that are there tomorrow. We have to support our local quilt shops!

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  24. I am for sure going to get some quilting done...Need to work on my challenge quilt.

    Hope you have a fun time on National Quilting Day - it sounds like it will be great!

    And, a most happy Blogaversary!!!

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  25. Amanda,
    Thank you for the reminder about National Quilter's Day! I just finished my latest projest, so I will have to come up with a new one! Maybe your little giveaway will inspire me!
    I enjoy your blog!
    Have fun tomorrow!
    Mary Beth
    marybethporch@yahoo.com

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  26. Contrats on your 2nd anniversary. I am just into my 3rd month so I have alot of admiration for you. And thanks for telling us about National QUilter's Day. I had not heard about it. Please enter me. Thanks!

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  27. Amanda, have lots of fun for all of us who can't attend. Me? I'll be sewing. I can't get enough of my weekends. I live for them and the chance to sew. Congrats on your 2 yr blogversary. I just started blogging this year. It's great to meet people and see what they are doing and what makes them tick.

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  28. What an excellent reason to quilt tomorrow and not clean my house, again, lol!

    What a great post. I'll have to remember National Quilting Day next year!

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  29. Congratulations!! I am planning on spending the day sewing with my best friend....... YEAH!!!!

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  30. Congrats!! I plan on spending the day working on a few WIPs I have going at the moment and really taking a chunk out of them. I also have to go to the LQS and of course stock up on more fabric!!

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  31. Unfortunately I have to work. Wish I could quilt with all the rest of you

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  32. Your post was my first introduction to National Quilters day. I aspire to make a quilt someday. I have a antique store quilt that is perfecte except for some pieces that have disintegrated. Perhaps I will have a go at repairing it. Happy Blogaversary!

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  33. Happy blogoversary! Blogging has certainly enriched my life as well, and I've only been at it six months or so. National Quilting Day - love it.

    Have fun!

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  34. I mentioned on facebook that I had gone to 3 quilt shops and might go to another today..besides that...I will likely be with my hubby gaming in NY NY casino. I'd rather be sewing. I'll tell you...you'd never known by the way the quilt shop owners act here, that there is a National Quilt Day today or that they even cared I was in their store to buy. I would have spent big $$ at one store..but they didn't even speak to me...so I bought 1 charm pack.
    I'll stop complaining now haha...
    Congratulations on your blogiversary!!

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  35. Congratulations on your blogiversary and thanks for the chance for a giveaway. I spent today visiting some fellow guild members at their retreat -- I wasn't able to get away for the whole weekend with them, so I just stopped by for an hour to take some photos and to get some inspiration.

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  36. Hi from Canada--where NQD isn't even mentioned! However, I am quilting today--I try to quilt a little every day; it makes me a much happier person! Happy blogversary!
    Lurking Linda

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  37. Congrats on 2 years. It is amazing how fast it goes by. Also have a fun weekend, sounds like you will. I am busy this weekend but hoping to fit in some sewing tonight or this coming week. I am working on my first quilt so it is a slow, learning experience. ;)

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  38. Happy Blog-aversary!!!! Don't you just love blogs? Today was wonderful. I spent most of the day sewing with my quilting group. Hope that you enjoyed your day! Hope you found some special treasures just for you to enjoy at the quilt shops.

    Take care!

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  39. I believe this is my first visit to your blog and I absolutely adore the picture you use as your masthead! The colors are so vivid and it just makes me want to hug it and wrap up in it and take a nap.

    To celebrate Quilting day I went to Hancocks to shop for fabric and this evening I'm going to put the binding around a baby quilt.

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  40. Amanda, congrats on your milestone of 2 years! I spent the day finishing an Easter table runner and a Spring wall hanging for the front door. Brought the "Easter" plastic tub up from the basement and now this afternoon will spend time cleaning and decorating.

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  41. Congratulations on your 2nd blogaversary! Time flies, doesn't it?

    Unfortunately I spent National Quilting Day on the couch with the flu. :( I did a lot of dreaming about quilts though! :)

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  42. Congrats on your anniversary and thanks for all the help you have given me with MY blog. I had the daughter and granddaughter here for the weekend so, unfortunately for the "holiday", I didn't do a single stitch. I thought about it, though. (I though I had already commented here, but don't notice it when I look through the list.)

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  43. Congratulations on your Blog-aversary! Unfortunately, I didn't get to quilt on National Quilting Day so I'll have to make up for it later. I did spend a nice weekend in the NC mountains though. Hope your event turned out great!

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  44. Happy 2nd blogaversary! I enjoyed your description of National Quilting Day and how your group and others celebrate. I didn't know before reading your post about the special day, but I will probably remember it well, because it is the day I bought a long arm machine! It is an appropriate way to celebrate, don't you think? I'm looking forward to delivery late this coming week. I've really enjoyed reading lots of blogs by lots of creative gals and how they quilt, carry out other hobbies, care for their families and homes, and grow friendships through blogging. Thanks for your contributions in all these areas!

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  45. I went to the local quilt show in Monroe WA on Saturday with a couple of quilting buddies! Had to doing something quilty. We had a great time and saw lots of great quilts and came away inspired. Love your blog and hope you had a great weekend also.

    Laura T

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  46. Happy Anniversary!
    I spent Saturday with other guild members sewing and having fun. We ran it kind of like a scrapbooking crop. We started at 1 p.m. and went until 11 p.m. It got lots done and enjoyed the company of friends interested in the same things I'm interested in.

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  47. Oooh...thanks for the reminder! :) I suppose then, that there is nothing else that should be done on Saturday than quilting, which is fine by me!

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  48. Oh, am I too late to enter? Love your blog! Hugs, Mary

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