mqx experiences

[KathyA]

Wonderful 5 days in Providence - so I'm already looking forward to next year. For those that attended can you share your experience? It really helps when we make decisions for the next year.

I had the pleasure of attending Judy Woodworth's hand-on class and within the first half hour my chant became "I'm in love again". It was wonderful. I plan to book classes with her next year.

Attending the ice cream social on Tuesday night is well worth it. Not only is the ice cream & toppings just GRAND but you get to hear from the instructors and many introduce their products that are 'new' and 'available' at MQX. I don't think I would have known about Deloa's new rulers if I hadn't gone to the social (and now I have them all and am ready to dance with my machine tomorrow). Karen McTavish discussed her new 'Curves' book that was HOT HOT HOT off the presses too. Attended Karen's and Deloa's classes - 2 of my favorite inspirational instructors.

Did take an IQ class as someday, maybe next year, I'll take a leap - who knows.

Those are just a few examples. Hope many will chime in and share so we can jot down the teachers to explore next year. Bummer I won't make Portland - but I will look forward to hearing about your experiences - and now I have 12 months to play with all the ideas dancing around in my head and all those gizmos purchased - tough to get to sleep tonight.

[Guest Linda S]

Kathy - I missed MQX East this year for the first time in six years! I'm so glad you got to enjoy the experience. It's really special, isn't it? I'll be at MQX West with bells on!

[Quilting Heidi]

Kathy,

I just got in from MQX tonight. Had a great time. I had fun working in Deloa's booth to help her out some and loved, loved, loved playing with all her new rulers. Ropes will never get easier than this and making hearts and circles on the same side of the hoping foot without have to move your hand around a template is just fabulous. Of course I'm not surprised because of all the rulers I own Deloa's are by far my favorites and I use them all the time! I had class with Renae Haddadin and it was just awesome. I also took a machine applique class and it was fun. I don't know that that will be my favorite method but I took it to try it out. I actually almost got my block done so maybe I can get it quilted up and have some fun with it. I enjoyed Fire and Ice and meeting so many forum gals. I really enjoyed being away from MIL for a few days. It did me lots of good. Only 2 weeks to go and I'll have my home back. MQX was slower this year but I sure hope it picks up again next year because it is really wonderful to have a show so close to home. I will not miss listening to the elevator outside our bedroom though!

[Butterfly]

I drove home all day yesterday, the whole time wishing I was still at the show. It was the first big show I had ever attended and the first classes I had ever taken. I can't even tell you how much fun I had and how tired I am. Today I spent the day connecting all the lines I had drawn in Karen McTavishes wholecloth class and I just love it! Hope to get it on the frame sometime this summer. We'll see.

Renea Haddadin's class was amazing. She is terrific and terrifically tallented. I will be taking a class from her in the future for sure! Great teacher!

Those were the only two quilting design classes I took. I also took the maintenance class. Those three were plenty and then I shopped till I dropped. I'm still pooped. I feel like there are other teachers and techniques I still want to take next time. But I'm tellin' you, three pooped me out.

It was so wonderful to meet the other forum ladies I see on here every day. Everyone was so friendly and I wanted to spend more time. But, time is fleeting at a quilt show. I do so hope to see you all again another time.

Jess

[kloar]

I drove home most of the day too (in severe winds and pouring rain)but not before I had DeLoa's class on her rulers on Sat. morning. Great class and I came home with a bunch of her rulers with still more that I want. Amy's maintenance class rocked- full of great info- and was probably the best one I took as a relatively new longarmer. Dawn's tension class was full of great info too and she's such a good teacher! I had a bunch of classes and without listing them all, I learned a ton and she is such a great teacher. A couple of my favorites besides DeLoa, Amy and Dawn were Karen McT and Judy Woodworth. How inspirational!! Took pages of notes!

The Ice Cream social was a lot of fun as was the banquet. The guest speaker at the banquet, Charlotte A., was soooo funny- had us about in tears.

It was so much fun to get to meet other forum ladies and dinner was wonderful at Fire and Ice.

Glad to be home to play with all my new goodies and toys. So exciting!! I ordered the lights for Millie from Dave Jones and he is coming Friday to install them.

Hope I can go next year!!

[CWBowser]

It was a nice show. The attendance seemed to be down. I took 3 classes. One with Kim Brunner, one with Sue Patten and one with Renae Haddedin. I worked in DeLoa's booth much of the time to help her out since she was teaching her own classes and some of Gina Perkes who couldn't be there due to a family emergency. The Quilts were great. Some of our friends here at the forum won show ribbons or teacher's ribbons.It was great for shopping to not have the massive crowds but I felt bad for the vendors who have to put so much time and money into vending at a show like MQX. I hope next year will be better. Charlotte Angotti had us laughing so hard. But the best part was going to dinner with so many friends from the forum.

[KathyA]

I think I'll do 2 classes a day next year, unless I have a hands-on and then I'll limit it to one. I really need to get in a Kim Brunner class. Hope to hear how the Lion Tamer class went....

And yes, I agree that it seemed like attendance was down? I wasn't sure if it was because aisles are wider than in Manchester and the room was so much larger that it gives the appearance of not being as busy....

[The Crafty Unicorn]

I didn't get to take any classes but spent a day and 2 halves (Thurday pm and Sat am) shopping and gawking. It diddn't seem as crowded and I wonder if it was because the classes were two floors up. I saw very few people with student bags or badges. The students and the non-students just didn't seem to mingle. I saw very few teachers on the show floor and have seen many in the past. It was almost like there were two related but seperate events.

Just my thoughts.

[Primitive1]

I enjoyed my first year at MQX so much! I took Deloa's class, Amy's maint class, and Renae's class...I learned so much and now am tweeking my machine before I play a little before I get back to customer quilts. I ordered the up front stylus for the CL and think I will use it more with those, I also carried home lots of books with freehand ideas, 4 of Deloa's rulers and 3 pantos with 3 more comming in the mail...so exciting!!! What a great week! And we got home just before all of the bad weather came through, we had to install a new router today so I can get back on line now....just hate it when I can only check on my little phone...

Besides all of the great classes and wonderful jawdropping quilts to look at, the best part was meeting all of you in person!

Well, have a great week everyone playing with your new toys!!!

[LibbyG]

I limited my classes this year, so I could spend more time at the vendor mall studying quilts. However I took two of Judy Woodworth's classes and she is a MUST for everyone. I haven't been quilting very long, but her ideas were inspirational and she said anyone in her class can email or call her at anytime for help.

It was great to be able to put faces to names on the forum. I didn't meet a gal I didn't enjoy talking with. It was a great experience. I did hear many vendors complaining and saying they weren't returning next year. So I hope opening a show in the west isn't hurting us. Even though it's an eight hour drive for me, it's the closest machine show. I'd hate to see it go and hope it's just a matter of the economy being down. The teachers won't be able to come if their classes aren't filled because it's a huge expense for them. I hope MQX West is a huge success for them as they work really hard.