Tuesday's Orts/Long Beach International Quilt Festival

It is still Tuesday here on the west coast for an hour, so I'll just squeeze this in...it is a subject-specific running of the orts, a recap of our weekend trip to the International Quilt Festival, Long Beach edition.

• My friend Tanya drove, which was good for our four person party since she has a lead foot, lots of L.A. freeway driving prowess and is not a pokey wimp like me.
• With the two shorties--Tanya and her mom--in the front seats of the car, my mom and I could stretch out.  However, both of us having hearing problems and their being soft-spoken made the phrase "I can't hear you" come out of my mouth frequently.
• Traffic rant:  LOOK before changing lanes.  We were nearly rubbed out by someone who didn't!
• We met up with a friend of Tanya's unexpectedly in the lobby of the Convention Center.  She was also with her mom.  Do you sense a theme?  Later we lunched at California Pizza Kitchen with them, and as we did last year, scored the first table by getting hungry early before the hordes of quilters descended upon the restaurant.

See the hordes?

Another picture perfect day in So Calif.  I know you're jealous!
• I also ran into a friend at the show, Lani, whom I met in person in April.  She was considering a show special purchase on a Gammil longarm machine--as a special gift her DH could buy her for an important birthday.  Way to go, Lani!
• I got separated from my peeps after getting stuck in a long line at a vendor booth.  While I was wandering around alone I found a booth selling fabric for $7.  There was a bin full of smaller cuts of fabric for 75 cents each and I was pawing through it when someone appeared at my elbow wanting to get in the bin too.  I scooched over and then looked at the person, who suprisingly turned out to be my blog friend Tanya from Japan.  We could certainly not have planned that "cute meet" ourselves!  Too funny.

Tanya's SIL Marcy took our picture--the photo on Tanya's blog is better than mine.  We had a lovely chat and catch up and it was nice to meet Marcy.  Tanya was looking for tools and gadgets and I only bought fabric.  See you next year, Tanya!

• My mom found her favorite non-quilting vendor, a jewelry seller who has amazing antique as well as newer pieces of all sorts.  She purchased a gorgeous amethyst and silver pendant and matching drop earrings to wear at the wedding.  I told her both my girls would be eyeing that set for "later".
• We looked at most of the quilt exhibits and especially enjoyed the Baltimore Quilt display.  No photography was allowed there but I took exactly two  three photos of other quilts. 

I loved the exuberance of this one.

Oops, the flash glared out some of the description, sorry!

I recognized this as a Ricky Tims quilt before I read the label. 

I know Ricky Tims hand dyes his fabrics and they have that sueded texture that is really irresistible.  My friend Tanya had to be warned to restrain herself from touching it. Ricky does all his own quilting.

• Traveling home, I spotted a car license plate frame that had an unusual college association.  Instead of the common "Alumni" and college name, it read "Dropout--Cal State".  Funny!
• Purchases were a lot less this time--since I already went to the Cincinnati version of the Festival and spent a lot of my pennies there.

Two one-yard cuts of neutrals and an array of browns, teal blue, burgundy and cream will become Bricks & Stepping Stones for my last remaining quiltless brother, Ted.  The small rolls of fabric were in the bin I was pawing through when the other Tanya and I bumped into each other :) 

We had a great day and plan to attend again next year.  Maybe next time I will take a class, who knows?