Road to California 2016 Report

Back from my annual trip to Ontario, California for a quilt conference and show.  I add mini-retreat to it by bringing projects and my sewing machine so I can sew in my hotel room.  My dear friend, Linda Kussoy usually joins me for a few days. 

Enjoy dinner with other quilter friends

A little gift for Linda from fabric that she bought for me last year

Same fabric used to make a tote for me

I managed to not fill my tote too full but I did shop the vendors over two days.  The biggest purchase was a sewing machine table for Makayla and Violet.  I gave them a sewing machine for Christmas.  I bought a bit of fabric, a stitch in the ditch foot for my Bernina walking foot, some thread....but that is about all. 
I only took one class.  The piecing was easy but the layout was a little tricky.  The class was called Incline from a pattern by Natalia Bonner in her book, Cabin Fever.  She was friendly and knowledgeable and the class was fun.  The best part was finding out I was sitting right across from a friend from Friendship Star Quilt Guild.  We renewed friendships and caught up on our lives over the last 6 years.  There was a real blizzard going on in Maryland while we were sewing up a storm in sunny California. 

Teacher, Natalia Bonner and me

Just today I finished up the squares

 My in the room project was paper-pieced stars.  I used a book from Carol Doak that had been sitting on my book shelf for several years.  In the back of my mind, I had always wanted to make a quilt with stars.  I am seeing this as a year long project to make 12 star blocks.  I'm ahead of the game with three made already.  One a month should do it. 

Two stars finished at Road.  Another one already done at home

And I did take time to actually see the show.  I am not one to take a lot of pictures.  As usual the quilts were stunning examples of the creative quilting spirit that abounds today.  So glad to have the health and resources to be able to travel to this show.  It renews my energies each year as I leave rainy, cold NoCA and travel to SoCA. 

And just for fun I wore my sewing theme PJs each night as I sewed.  They were a gift from my dear daughter-in-law, Lissa for Christmas. No picture.  Picture is on the iPad and hasn't been transferred to the computer.