So many things are found on display at a quilt show. The quilter's muse can be found at a quilt show. They, those sisters of art, are alive and well abiding in and around the beautiful quilts on display, ready to ignite our passion of this beloved art form. Friendships old and new are also on display, as you walk among the quilts and share admiration of fine workmanship. Stitching by hand that looks so precise a machine could not compare or stitching by machine, with stippling so tight no human hand would dare. Vendors with wares so wonderful the nesting instincts in all us women, take hold and we buy, buy, buy and this makes us happy.
Competition was stiff at this show, past Paducah Quilt show winners won no prizes here. Paducah, Kentucky's quilt show, is arguably one of the premier shows in the country, drawing quilts from all over the wold.
Whole cloth quilts are making a come back, having several entries in this show, including this whole cloth white quilt that later was painted to perfection. 
The Indiana Heritage Quilt Show is a fine road trip for quilters.
Happy quilters what/where do you find your muse?
The wonderful world of blog has all kinds of information and opinions. Some you like, some sound vaguely interesting and some are filled with kindred spirit information that connects to us and compels us to put ourselves out there, for the world to see...literally.
On one such blog, and I wish I'd copied it, there was mention of a book called Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. 
The person writing said she tried to check it out at the library and it had 23 holds on it already, so she purchased it and liked it. I read it and it's a good read. It's about growing old and life on a traveling circus.
The next item I found on a blog, Inside the Black Apple, was a movie called Grey Gardens.
This is a fascinating look at Jackie Kennedy's Aunt on the Bouvier side. It's a documentary about Jackie's cousin and Aunt that live together. These destitute women and their codependency on each other is what the movie is about. Great, Great, Great. Last, but maybe least, depending if we are kindred or not, is my recommendation for something odd and good, that being a movie called Brideshead Revisited. It's about life in England at Oxford and stars a young Jeremy Irons, John Gielgud and Sir Lawerence Olivier. This was a PBS television series that aired in the '80s, I think. It is based on a book written by Evelyn Waugh. Great, Great, Great, Great, Great. It is a 4 disc set.
I like to use old handkerchiefs or doilies for my labels. They are so pretty and usually just the right size for putting all the information I like to include.
Your quilting legacy must begin with making history.
That means, put a label on your quilt. I can't tell you the times I've been to a flea market and found a beautiful quilt in a booth and know one knows anything about it. The quilt might be a wedding quilt, or one that someone made for their son or daughter to take to college. This type of information is so valuable to future generations. Enough about my soap box stand on labels, here's an idea for making one.
Chelsea finished sewing the blocks for her Quarter Fat Quarter quilt. It is called that, simply because you take your fat quarters of fabric and fold them into fourths. Next you iron them folded and use your cutting wheel to cut off the scant edges of the quarter folds and there your have 4 blocks cut and ready to sew. This is my own block design, feel free to use it. It is the best pattern to use for a new quilter because it's instant gratification-big results quickly. Of course I machine quilted it and used a lite polyester batting and 100% cotton thread.
On the back in the right corner is where I like to apply my labels,using a whip stitch to attach the hanky. I found this delicate hanky and ironed it. I would have used starch if I had any, it would have helped hold it taught while writing.
Using an archival quality pen, an 08 size is easier to read, like the scrap book people use, hold the material taught while you write. You could use a fusible interfacing on the back, but, I didn't want that wow brightness of yellow with the added white on the back, so I left it bare hanky.
Name your quilt-you created it, give it a name. Quilts do become like our children and that causes problems-you don't want to give it away or you have spent a lot of money raising it...smile. After naming your quilt, put all information you think might be valuable to future generations: for whom was the quilt made and why was it made for them? was it a wedding quilt?
Where was it made? 
Album quilts were more valuable if they were made in Baltimore. If the area you quilt in becomes popular for a particular style of quilt making, someday, that may add to the value of your quilt.
What is the fabric made of? 100% cotton, silk? This will be a valuable asset when it comes to cleaning the quilt. You probably don't want to wash a silk quilt. If you have any buttons or beads on the quilt you might want to explain where they came from. Quilter's were the first recyclers. They used up material from dresses and shirts more often than buying new material, in the old days, unless it came in the form of feed sack material. If you are using a treasured dress from childhood, include that information on the label.
Of course date the quilt and put the maker's name on it.
This is just one quilter's suggestion for labeling a quilt for your legacy.
Competition was stiff at this show, past Paducah Quilt show winners won no prizes here. Paducah, Kentucky's quilt show, is arguably one of the premier shows in the country, drawing quilts from all over the wold. 
