Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show - part 5 The Teachers Tent

It was just after lunchtime - maybe 1pm when I started feeling the first drops of rain.  I made a bee-line for the Teacher's Tent so that I could see some of the 'the best of the best' quilts in the show.  As I walked I could see volunteers talking to each other about what to do if it started to sprinkle "Hold the bottom edge of the quilt under the awning to keep it off the rain."  and what to do if it started really raining "If you feel comfortable getting up there - take the quilt down, if not the quilt rescue team will come by and get it with a ladder."  Organizers on bikes with walkie-talkies on their hips were zipping here and there to make sure everyone was prepared to protect the quilts.  There was definitely a buzz of excitement rippling through the show!

Fortunately, the teacher's tent was just that - one big tent in the middle of a yard.  So the quilts were relatively well protected.

Absolutely loved the colors of this one.

So beautiful!!

The colors, the stitching, the unique shape... loved it!!!

This was a neat applique piece, with a series of proverbs written into the path.  Very cute.

These bird quilts were flat out AMAZING!!!  The fuziness of the baby birds, the reflection of the bird on the water.... just extraordinary work!

And then there was this completely non-representational quilt.... loved the change in scale, and the contrast of the colors.  Fantastic!

These were just flat out sweet.  LOVED the hippos.

Then there was this funky modern quilt... loved the curves and bold colors.

And here's a quilt from Portland's own "Oh Fransson"  It was neat to see it in person.  But no... I didn't touch it. ;)


After I adored all of these inspiring quilts (in a rather over crowded tent),the rain really started picking up and I saw folks pulling down some of the quilts.  I knew from previous years that the library at the end of town scheduled a used-book sale the same weekend as the quilt show.  So I headed down there to hide out inside until the rain passed.

That was a good idea really... I managed to buy an old quilting book for all of $3, and got to see all the quilts that were on display in the library.

These were a few from another group of book-inspired quilters.  Can't remember the name of the book though... something that took place in New York.

 This amazing crazy quilt was probably my favorite of the show.  It was hung quite high so I didn't get as good of a look as I wanted.  Still... check out the intricate embroidery stitching. 

So I camped out in the library for a good long time, flipping through the book I'd purchased.  But really it was disappointing that the rain was cutting the show short. 

Eventually it seemed to let up, so I went out side.  Most of the outside quilts had been taken down, but I figured I could shop-hop and see a good portion of the quilts that had been hung inside the participating shops. 

Mother Nature had other plans!!!  I was no more than two blocks away from the library when BA BOOM!!!!  Thunder and lightening just cracked open the sky and the rains came down like an absolute flood!  It just would.not.let.up.  I first hid under an awning...but then darted across the street to a little diner.  Then... there was nothing really to do except watch the storm.  It was quite spectacular.  Big booms of thunder and flashes of lightening that light up the cloud darkened sky.  As far as storms go... this one was one to see!  Absolute buckets of rain followed by HAIL and then even more rains!!

I just got this one quick video... but you get the idea.

Eventually the storm stopped, and I could do some shopping, and saw a few of the inside quilts.  Pretty much everyone who had driven in for the day was gone, and those of us who'd come on buses were making the best of things.  But really, to be honest, it was quite a disappointment.  On the best of days it's nearly impossible to see ALL the quilts that are up, and this time... I think I only saw about half. 

Oh well, what I saw I did enjoy... and there's always next  year.  If nothing else, this year will go down in the books as the first time in the 37 year history of the show that they got rained out, and I can say I was a part of it!!!