quilts and friends go hand in hand

A year ago today, I hopped on a plane for Salt Lake City to attend Sewing Summit. At that time I had no idea that I'd make a few really great friends. Sure I thought I'd meet some people and become part of a larger community, but I had no idea what I was in store for.

I roomed with Bianca of Sweet Diesel Designs  we had been online friends since January so it was such a treat to meet her and spend some real time together. Along the way we met Nydia the ADD Crafter and her roomies Sarah and Sylvia. Suddenly the five of us were inseparable. For the rest of the weekend, if you saw one of us, the other four were nearby. Then, we hatched a plan.

We decided we should make traveling quilts. Each of us would start a quilt, with a block, or a row or a panel and then send it on to the next person for them to add to it. The rules were fairly simple, we mostly had generous leeway to be creative and add what we thought fit the feeling of the quilt and the recipient's style.

When we started, I had no idea that I'd end up with a quilt so pretty and so exactly what I've been dreaming of. I'm so very overwhelmed by how much was put into my quilt.

I started with a panel that I made with an EZ Dresden ruler. Simple, basic and as it turns out, lots of possibilities.

From that simple panel came this amazing quilt.

I had no vision for how I thought the quilt would turn out. I wanted my friends to have total creative freedom to add whatever they wanted to the quilt. It couldn't have turned out better.

So thank you friends for this beautiful quilt and a fantastic memory. You guys rock!