Raffle Quilt Design Contest

We are trying something new for 2011 – we’ve just announced a design contest for next year’s raffle quilt.  The details of the Raffle Quilt Design Contest are on our website. Beginning with the end in mind, the winner will receive a free Quilters Affair (one-day) class and two tickets to the picnic in the park dinner on Friday night.  They also get their name on the pattern that the Stitchin’ Post will sell.  We have selected the Tree of Life (or Pine Tree) pattern or block as the basis of the quilt.  In a quick Google search I found alot of different interpretations, including some VERY interesting ones based on an applique pattern.  All are fair game!  We also want the quilt to incorporate a theme of renewal or regeneration.  Shouldn’t be too hard with a tree theme – right?  Some of my favorite Tree of Life patterns are on this page – the applique ones!

Sally Sundsten, our designer (her business is Ideas to Inks – cool name, huh?), has just finished the design for this year’s Around the Block Fiber Arts Stroll & Quilt Walk poster. We try to incorporate bits and pieces of images from all the artists who will be in the art stroll.  If you’re one of them – I hope you can find a little snippet of your work in the finished poster.  I realize this image is pretty small.  We’ll post it on the Fiber Arts Stroll website in April when we announce this year’s artists.

S’all for now – gotta go feed the corgis.

Posters and T-shirts are here!

Just last week we got in the posters (they’re fabulous!) and t-shirts with this year’s poster image.  I’ve already got mine and its been worn and washed!  I know I’ll be wearing this one out.  The poster image, in case you haven’t seen it, is made up of Jean Well’s quilts from the early days through her new, contemporary designs.  Jean is our Featured Quilter this year for the 35th Anniversary Show, her work will be featured in High Desert Gallery and then, like two days after the show, she’s being inducted into the Quilting Hall of Fame.  Big year for us and our founder.  Oh – there WILL be a long sleeve t coming later (my personal favorite).  you can check out the Stitchin’ Post site for a description or to buy any of our official show merchandise. A portion (a BIG portion) of the proceeds from sale of show merchandise goes to support the show, so buy early, buy often!

What else this past week?  Registration forms are flying back in here.  Good to re-connect each year with our regular exhibitors and it’s always fun to see some new ‘faces’ pop up.   Those limited sale entries aren’t even close to full yet, so keep ‘em coming and don’t hesitate to request forms if you’d like to enter.

Tomorrow the documentary film crew is coming to my (home) office to do my on-camera interview.  They’ve been busy filming all around town.  Jean and I got a preview of the script and I have to tell you in reading the closing section, I got chills (from the script!).  I’ll have to tidy up my office a bit, but not too much.  If any of it appears on camera, I wouldn’t want to leave a false impression about how neat (or not!) my office really is.

One last thing – our Quilt Block Contest packets are extremely popular this year.  They’re only $8.00 and anyone who enters has a chance to win enough blocks for a whole top.  Here’s a link to the place on our site with pics of this year’s fabric choices and complete instructions.

Its going to be sunny and in the 50′s this week in Sisters.  I’m getting the tire fixed on my mountain bike today and will see if the corgi’s can keep up!

This was a GOOD week!

A few months back our board of directors had a day-long retreat to do some long range planning for the show & events.  They created a plan for funding the show that included a Presenting Sponsor – an organization that would have their name attached to the show in advertising & promotion.  We thought it might take a year or two to find that sponsor – but WAIT – not so!  I’m thrilled to announce that The Roundhouse Foundation, located right here in Sisters, is the new Presenting Sponsor for Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.  And you heard it here first!  Kathy Deggendorfer manages the foundation and we’ve had a great relationship with Kathy for years.  Kathy was our poster artist in 2007 and the Foundation has funded other projects for us .  We are honored to have them associated with our events.  The mission of Roundhouse is to encourage community enrichment and economic development through the arts in Central Oregon.  How perfect is that?  Thank you Kathy!

Speaking of projects Roundhouse has funded for us – the Wish Upon a Card project is one of those.  This fundraiser for local charity is aiming for $10,000 this year and we need lots of postcards to sell and silent auction.   Time to get going on a fabric postcard or two.  4″ x 6″ – pretty small!  Just put a little stabilizer in between the front and back – we usually use Fast-2-Fuse from C&T, but batting works too.  Just like a tiny little quilt.  And if its selected for framing – you’ll be AMAZED at how your little card becomes instant artwork – no kidding!  We want 1,000 cards so pass this on to all of your friends.

It’s been an absolutely beautiful late winter/early early spring week in Sisters.  Tons of sunshine and shirtsleeve weather.  The corgis and I discovered a big cave in the rock wall just below our house.  There was a pile of deer bones in it and you just know that deer didn’t die in there!  We’ve had several cougar sitings in the neighborhood – could one be just under our noses?  hmmmmm

Oh – I almost forgot (sorry Susan!!).  Our Quilt Block Contest packets are going fast but there are some left.  We’re still waiting for one last fabric to come in, but we should start mailing those out in a couple of weeks.  This year’s fabrics are all black & whites and you get to add one color.  Its going to be a really cool display and everyone who returns a block has a chance to win enough blocks to make a quilt top.  Full instructions here to get a fabric packet and instructions.

Have a great week!!

Is it February already!?!

Time is just flying by as we’re heavily into planning this year’s 35th Anniversary show.  I’ve been meeting this week with our production company, Expectations Pictures, to sketch out the script and theme for our special retrospective DVD.  Its going to include stories, old footage, pictures – really fun!  More on that next week as we’ll be asking for your stories, photos, etc. and I’ll have a special email address for sending those things.  The Quilt Show Office team – Candy, Susan, Daisy, Joey, Liz, Tammy and I had a fun lunch this week and started our planning & scheduling for manning (woman-ing?) the office this year.

Today our IT manager (also known as Clyde, my husband, the uber-volunteer) will be officially launching our blog, Facebook page, Twitter and other ways for us to stay in touch with you and you with us.  Also coming out – hopefully next week – are this year’s registration forms to enter quilts in the show.  If you haven’t requested entry forms yet, you can do that any time.   You’ll find the complete entry information here.

I’m spending alot of my time developing sponsorships.  Sponsors provide over half the money we need to put on the show.  Its been especially difficult for our businesses these past couple of years but they sure come through for us.  We’re happy to welcome Wanderlust Tours as a new sponsor this year.  They are offering three fabulous day trips during the week prior to Quilt Show.  There’s something for everyone so if your family is coming to Sisters with you or you just want to get out for a beautiful hike, check out their offerings on their website.

That’s it for today – believe it or not we’re seeing the sun for only the second time in about a month.  Off to the creek for a hike with our corgis!

Our New Blog!

Thank you for visiting our brand new blog.  We are super excited to add this method of keeping people informed and involving them in the largest outdoor quilt show in the world.  Momentum is building for this year with an exciting array of new events and activities that you won’t want to miss.  To keep up on all the latest news please check back here often.  Or better yet, subscribe to our blog either by e-mail or RSS simply by clicking on the buttons in the column on the right.  We really look forward to your participation.