A Good Kind of Exhaustion

If you have ever helped put on a major event you’ll understand how one feels joy and exhaustion at the same time. Joy that so many visitors and participants come together to experience quilt making and fiber art, and exhaustion for being part of, in this case, an all volunteer organization in an almost 55,000 square foot room! Thanks to the quilt makers who entered their quilts for display, without whom there wouldn’t be a show.

The 35th Annual San Diego Quilt Show was the event and I was fortunate to be asked once again to display my Photograph of Fiber series. I’ll share photos of my exhibit and more quilts in future posts. I was also the chairperson for the Quilt Sales booth where we offered quilts: old and new, tops and blocks, along with other quilt or fiber related creations.

2016 sdqs quilt sales booth west
2016 sdqs quilt sales booth east

Being a bit of a control freak, I set the booth up by myself (with some help from my Mister). Plenty of people offered to help but nooooo! So I’m still feeling tired but very pleased with the booth. Many visitors purchased quilts for themselves or gifts for someone they love.

I’m amazed that some of our members are fifteen plus years older than I and they worked their butts off, had fun and stayed positive… I think there may have been a lot of coffee involved! I also discovered that being on the receiving end of hundreds of kind comments can be exhausting too!

It was a beautiful show and the volunteers who helped to make it happen are awesome and should be proud. I’m looking forward to next year when San Diego and postcards will be the theme. So if you are reading this and participated in the 2016 show (especially in the Quilt Sales booth)… Thank you and I hope to see you next year!

By Ann Scott

I started sewing and designing using fabric, thread, and paper when I was a child. I taught myself to make quilts, at first not following the "rules," then watched some experts, learned the rules, and made many hand quilted and appliqued quilts. I spent years focusing on miniature landscape quilts. Now I am a fiber and mixed media artist and that encompasses everything I have a passion for. I have taught, lectured, and my work have show nationally and internationally, some pieces have been published.

4 comments

  1. It’s great when something you worked long over comes off well. However, there can sometimes be a letdown post-event. I hope that doesn’t happen. I’ll be somewhat involved in a regional quilt show in October, mostly for quilt intake and judging. After that I plan to enjoy seeing the show.

  2. Thankfully I had an opportunity to quickly walk a couple through the show and later judge, otherwise I wouldn’t have even seen the general display quilts! Today I finally have my energy back. As with so many all-volunteer groups, we need more people who can truly commit more time to planning and being there the duration of the show.

  3. I thoroughly enjoyed your Photograph of Fiber at the SDQS. And, if my schedule would work, I’d definitely be interested in taking a postcard class with you. I’m wondering if it might help ultimate attendance at the 2017 show, as well as participation in this challenge, if you might be able to teach such a class at each quilt shop around the county? Maybe the class could be marketed not just to learn to make a postcard, but also to increase awareness about the challenge for the 2017 SDQS. Just a thought…..if I can help to promote such a class, as well as work with quilt shops to encourage scheduling, just let me know.

    QuiltShopGal
    http://www.quiltshopgal.com

  4. Kudos to you for all you did to make your booth, exhibit and encouragement. I will be looking forward to working with you on your booth next year.
    and
    Yes, I’d be interested in a postcard class.

Comments are closed.