Creative Stitches -- A Report

Wow! It was a great day Friday, spent at the annual Creative Stitches and Crafts Fair at the Round-up Centre, Stampede Park. Even better than last year, I think!

I started bright and early at 8 a.m. with a class with Shirley of Lori's Country Cottage in Sherwood Park (near Edmonton). It was a demo of the Square-in-a-square ruler, using it to make triangles...flying geese etc. Fun!

My next class wasn't till 11 a.m., so I used the next 2 hours to browse the merchant mall. My first stop was the Beehive (Calgary) -- where I got hooked on some more Boa and Snowflake Chunky, with which I'll be making Boa Boots for both my mom and my godmother (elderly ladies with constantly cold feet!) for Christmas.

After that, I drooled over several more booths, buying little, but making many mental notes!

My second class was also with Shirley, this time demonstrating the use of "Quilt Smart" printed fusible interfacing. I'd seen this briefly at Heritage Park earlier this summer, but didn't bite. Now, however, I have a reason for wanting to do a Double Wedding Ring -- without tears! I bought 3 panels at the Country Cottage booth, and have started work on a little table runner as a shower gift. Amazingly, all is going as easily as Shirley promised! :-)

After this class, I met friends from my quilt group for lunch, and we played show and tell. S. had bought penny rug supplies; the others were being parsimonious and hadn't fallen pray to temptation yet!! They'd all done a 'make and take' -- a coaster -- and had another planned for 1 p.m.

Sue and I cruised some shops; turns out the Country Cottage is a favourite of her mother's, so we went back for another good look!

I left her after that, and cruised some more, finally getting my first close-up look at Noro Kureyon -- and wishing I'd brought a pattern with me! This was at the booth from Pam's Woolly Shoppe, Stony Plain (also near Edmonton) -- no website, though. She carried the lovely Koigu PPPM too...oh my!!! It was love at first sight!!! Now both are on my Wish List! :-)

My 2 p.m. class was crammed full with gals wanting to learn tips for easier applique from Joan Statz. What a great speaker -- and a class that convinced me I could try this at home. I found her booth, and bought a small kit to try -- fabric, Stitch Witchery etc.

At 2:55 I raced along the hall to my last class, "Magic Pillows, Hidden Quilts" with Kathy Holt of My Sewing Room. What a neat type of quilt! The patterns were developed by a gal from the UK, and include a wrap pillow as well as a 'quillow' type. I long to do one for my nephew's birthday next July. MSR has 2 classes on this in the next 3 months -- one later this month and one in December -- but I think I'll wait till closer to the B-day...if I can!