Flashback

A walleye that didn't get away on a canoe trip in the Quetico in the 1970s.

I began going on canoe trips to the Boundary Waters and Quetico through the United Methodist Church when I was in high school. In college and beyond, I was recruited to lead the trips. On one of the high-school trips, I met Colleen, who was to become a lifetime friend. As I write this, I'm awaiting her arrival at my campsite in Florida. We'll spend tomorrow catching up.

We've seen each other about once a decade over all these years yet when we get together, it's like we've not been apart. I hope you have a friend like that.

A Few More Winning Quilts

"Amish Chow Chow" by Nancy Simmons won best traditional design at the AQS show in Daytona Beach.

Gail Stepanek and Jan Hutchison's "Spangled" won Best Movable Machine Work at the AQS Daytona show.

I thought you might like to see a detail of the AQS Daytona Best of Show quilt "Midnight Frolic" by Molly Hamilton-McNally. I shared the full quilt in last night's blog. Check it out if you haven't seen it. The blue is actually closer to a turquoise. The full quilt photo is closer to accurate for color. The quilting on this is exquisite.

Rounding the Bend

I presented my final lecture today at the American Quilter's Society show here in Daytona Beach. I spoke on "Pagtinabangay: The Quilts and Quiltmakers of Caohagan Island" to a small but enthusiastic group of women and men. I had three great volunteers who helped me set up including hanging several quilts, and most of those in attendance hung around afterward to pack up. One woman even carried some of the quilts to my car. It was a delightful afternoon.

Indigo growing at Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach, Florida.

I spent tonight packing up for my drive home but first I'm looking forward to a visit from a long-time friend. (We met on a canoe trip in high school.) We'll spend a few nights here at Tomoka State Park before we head home — her to Delaware and me to Colorado.

Interesting to those of us who love all things textiles, this park was once an indigo plantation. The hardy indigo plants can still be found around the park.

Historical marker at the park.

My day began with errands. Yes even road trips include errands. I don't remember falling asleep with my glasses on of something equally dumb but I must have done something like that because when I put them on this morning, they were way out of alignment. My first errand was to an optician. I lucked out. I randomly selected a place to go only to be helped by Amanda, a well-trained, skilled and very friendly young woman who got them back in shape. No charge.

Next was a stop at the Honda dealer. One of my headlights burned out on my drive here. I thought I was stopping by to make an appointment for Monday but 30 minutes later, I drove out with the new headlight shining brightly. Again I lucked into a young woman Manuela who really knew what she was doing and had clout with the shop to get the job done fast.

"Midnight Frolic" by Molly Hamilton-McNally won Best of Show at the AQS Daytona Beach show this week.

Some Winners

The quilts exhibited at this show are quite good. The judges had a challenge to select winners. Photos of two of the winning quilts are here. You've got to love a quilt titled "Monkeys in My Hair." Zoom in and find the monkeys plus a lot of other critters. I'll share few more winning quilts in the next few days.

"Monkeys in My Hair (Evie)" by Deborah Hde won Best Wall Quilt.

Where the Boys Are: Fun Meet-Up at the Beach

"Dandelion" by Ann Harwell caught my eye among the many excellent quilts on display at the American Quilter's Society show in Daytona Beach. Check out the foundation piecing.

Highlights of Day 2 at the AQS Show in Daytona Beach, Florida, included a meeting up with Peggy Natoli who took my "Demystifying Design for Foundation Piecing" workshop in January and her sister Sandy. We recognized each other even though we'd only met on Zoom previously. Peggy and Sandy escorted me to the booth of their favorite quilt shop — SEW-MINI Things of Mount Dora, Florida— and I introduced them to The Yellow Door Quilt Store of Nashville, Indiana. Both shops have great selections of fabrics. I may re-route my trip home to go through Mount Dora so I can see the full selection.

Why does the heading of this blog say "Where the Boys Are"? It's because that's how SEW-MINI Things, owned by two guys, promotes itself. As someone whose mother was disgusted by the ultimate spring-break flick, "Where the Boys Are," I watched it every chance I got. Who could resist a quilt shop that claims this moniker?

Table display for my lecture on Japanese fabrics.

Today's Lecture

I presented my lecture "Indigo, Taupe & More: Japanese Fabric from Vintage to Contemporary" to a great group of women at the AQS Show in Daytona today. They had good questions and enjoyed a chance to see the fabrics up close and personal before the lecture began. Everybody went home with a charm square of yarn-dyed fabric.

Congratulations Melody Maskus

A second meet-up at AQS Daytona today was with a friend of a friend. (I'm embarrassed I didn't get her name.) She told me she was from Montrose, Colorado, and had a message for me from my friend Melody Maskus, who is a fabulous quilt instructor and retreat leader from Pea Green, Colorado (near Delta, Colorado). The best part of the message — Colorado Quilting Council folks who took the Rainbow Crystal workshop led by Melody listen up — was that Melody is now a certified Judy Niemeyer instructor. The COVID pandemic had delayed Melody's certification but she was finally able to travel to do her final class with Judy. Congratulations, Melody!

Melody also teaches great classes and leads retreats during which participants create quilts using vintage linens. Check out her Facebook page.

Above, my new campsite at Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach, Florida. Below left, seeing blooms in February was a treat for this Coloradan.

A New Campsite

I'd like to tell you I backed into this angled and narrow campsite at Tomoka State Park without a hitch but I would be lying. I met my match on this one. I tried a half dozen times before I lucked out and the volunteer camp host happened by and offered to help. He tows a 70+-foot RV so my 18-foot RPod should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. It's so light weight, it jack knives quickly but on his fourth try, he found the sweet spot and it cruised into place. It's a lovely site once you're nestled in. Yet another angel in the right place at the right time.

Road Trip Day 10:

Whatcha Gonna Do?

Easy answer: Laundry. Google sent me to the Pelican Laundromat in Ormond Beach, Florida, about six miles from my campsite. My kudos to the manager, a young grandma who couldn't be friendlier. The place was spotless, all the machines working and the dryers quick without getting too hot. It was the first laundromat I've visited in quite a while that still takes quarters. I keep a large stash of them in the camper so I was prepared to feed the washers and dryers, which were more than responsibly priced. Who knew doing laundry could be such a pleasant experience? Dryer time at the Pelican Laundromat.

A Final Note for Tonight

I didn't post yesterday. I was so exhausted from my first day of teaching here in Daytona Beach, I feel asleep by 7:30 p.m. That exhaustion came from a high-energy day of teaching my "Demystifying" class then being one of eight instructors who did 10-minute how-tos for a packed house as part of what AQS calls an All-Star Review. To be on the agenda with well-known teachers like Maria Shell, Karen K. Stone, David Taylor and more was truly inspiring. So many of the teachers were so funny, the 90-minute program flew by. Karen K. Stone and David Taylor are definitely ready for prime time on the comedy channel.