Behind the Scenes of the Sisters Oregon Outdoor Quilt Show

I stayed with my friend Susan while I was in Oregon. Susan works in the quilt show office doing a variety of jobs and is also in charge of coordinating the annual Quilt Block Contest (QBC). While I was there, I volunteered a bit here and there, although there were always plenty of volunteers helping to perform various tasks and that's so awesome because it really takes 1,000's of hours and hundreds of volunteers and staff to put together this one day show. I will share a bit of what I saw and learned that happens behind the scenes at the annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

Each year the quilt show needs to find a large space in order to house the 1,000+ quilts that they receive for hanging in each years show. This year there were 1401 quilts that were hanging in the show. They rented a large warehouse building where they set up an office for receiving the quilts. When the quilts come in there is a lot of computer data that must be entered for each quilt. They need to create a barcode for each quilt, and print out all the information onto a paper tag that hangs on the quilt in the show, plus attach a green tag to that tag if that quilt is offered for sale. All quilts also receive a participant ribbon and if it's a special exhibit quilt, then they receive another ribbon indicating it's a special exhibit.

Then the quilts get stacked into piles. Next comes the quilt sorting crew who arranges the quilts into new piles in which they try to choose similar quilt styles, colors, themes, etc. so they get hung together on a particular building. All this happens while they also have to keep in mind the quilt sizes (which the measurements are printed on the paper tags to help them) so they know there will be enough space to hang those particular quilts in the space that is chosen. Wow what a lot of work and what a great system they have for keeping it all together! Once the quilts are chosen for the location in mind they all get put into a large black plastic bag with the information of the location written onto masking tape that is on the bag. Those bags get stacked along the wall awaiting quilt show hanging day. The photos I took here were the last few quilts that needed the final sorting. Most of the quilts for the show had already been grouped and bagged.

These quilts are stacked here for the Special Exhibits, as the sign indicates.

The tables are where the volunteers and staff  add the labels, fold the quilts, etc. You can see the piles of black plastic bags that are filled with quilts waiting to hang on quilt show day in their location against the back wall.

Getting closer to quilt show day there are only a few quilts left. Before I arrived for my visit, Susan told me there were rows and rows of quilts stacked high. As you can imagine how much space 1401 quilts take up, even folded.

This is how the QBC works and the fabrics that were chosen for 2014

QBC blocks laid out on the lawn for the teachers to vote for their 5 favorite blocks. The teachers teach the week before the quilt show day. Jean Wells invites the teachers to dine at her home one night and that's when they vote for the blocks as they arrive at her home.

I liked this block with all the embroidery.

This block was very sweet and it was one of the honorable mention winners.

This block was also an honorable mention winner.

I liked this block a lot too. It didn't win though. Oh and I see she lives in Leavenworth where there is a terrible fire burning. My sister was going to go to Leavenworth last weekend and they couldn't because of the fire. Gosh I wish I knew her to see if she's alright.

This is the front door to Jean Wells' house. Isn't it incredible?

Love the view from the side of her house of the Sisters Mountains.

Nearby we saw this deer snacking on the shrubbery.

Because the weather was so hot they set up the dinner for the teachers inside the garage rather than in the backyard. I love the pretty sunflowers on the tables and the quilts covering up things around the garage.

I got a peek of her door on the inside as the teachers entered the house. It's all carved with animals and just as beautiful as the outside.

This quilt was hanging inside. I have seen this one in the Stitchin' Post before too.

Close-up of the carved birds.

This is the quilt that Jean designed and made which was the inspiration for the door of her home. It's hanging in the Stitchin' Post. Gorgeous isn't it?

Then of course there's more work to be done on quilt show day which is hanging the quilts, not to mention taking them all down again 7 hours later. More volunteers are needed to do the quilt hanging. More about this on another posting.
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Art Quilts by Cindy O' Neal from Oregon

There were so many awesome quilts to see all week long while I was in Oregon. Some quilts were hung inside local shops/restaurants in Sisters and Bend, plus the small quilt show at Black Butte Ranch with stunning views of the mountains, and of course the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show itself, which is the largest outdoor quilt show in the world! That's pretty amazing considering the quaint little village of Sisters, Oregon is quite small.

Here are some amazing art quilts, by Cindy O'Neal, that I just loved that were hanging upstairs in Quilt Works in Bend, Oregon.

Well of course I loved the moon on this quilt! But the tree and the swing and the colors were all fabulous!

The little swing.

The blocks surrounding the central masks are 3-D folded log cabin blocks. 

This was my favorite one. Just look at the details and the colors!!! Plus the fringe at the bottom is so perfect. Amazing!

Those eyelashes are perfect.

Look at those eyes! They look right through you, don't they?

The colors are great and again so many fantastic details in this one.

Love the hair and the glasses.

Gorgeous flowers and basket too.

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Sisters, Oregon 39th Outdoor Quilt Show (2014)

I was in beautiful Sisters, Oregon for the 39th annual Outdoor Quilt Show last Saturday. There were 1401 quilts on display outside and in some inside shops and restaurants. I took over 1700 photos! I visited 5 local quilt shops and took photos there as well. I also helped out in the quilt show office and volunteered to hang the QBC (quilt block contest) blocks and quilts made from last years winning blocks, on quilt show morning. I had my finished quilt from last years QBC hanging in the show and this years QBC block that I made hanging with the other 2014 QBC blocks. I didn't win the QBC this year. There were quite a few really great blocks submitted this year. I had a total of 4 quilts in the show and wanted to sell 3 of them. I did sell one quilt and the Sisters quilt I made from winning the QBC blocks last year I sent to my sister.

It was about 97 degrees on quilt show day and so needless to say it was hot and my feet were tired walking so much all over the cute western town of Sisters, Oregon. The day before the show there was a small outdoor quilt show at nearby Black Butte Ranch. I took several photos of the stunning Sisters Mountains there too, which I added to a second album on Flickr where I added flowers, trees, mountains, sculptures and other photos, if you are interested in looking at those too. Go here to view that album.

This is my Happy Flowers Quilt that sold in the show. A woman from Texas purchased it. Yeehaw!!! It hung in front of the Log Cabin Furniture store on Cascade Avenue, which is the main drag in Sisters.

Be sure and check out the photos I posted on Flickr for tons of eye candy and inspiration! Enjoy the show!

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Weekend Link Party # 15

Welcome to Weekend Link Party #15. Link up anything you would like to share. And help spread the word by adding my button on your blog. Thank you! I encourage those of you who link up here to write a really good descriptive title so that we know what you are linking, since there are no thumbnail photos. If it is a quilt, please use quilt in the title. If it is a bag, use bag in the title and so on. That might help those who are looking to click on the titles that might interest them. Thank you so much!

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<a href="http://www.patchouli-moon-studio.blogspot.com" title="Patchouli Moon Studio's Weekend Link Party" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s362/PatchouliMoonStudio/6fa4ed6c-636e-4287-adae-f51b08e9553a_zpsbac2a9c4.jpg" alt="Patchouli Moon Studio's Weekend Link Party" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

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Small Savannah Bag #4 & Brookfield Bag

I made 2 bags recently on a commission, one is a small Savannah Bag, which is a bag pattern from Chris W Designs that I reduced in size and added a zippered pocket under the flap and eliminated several of the other pockets that weren't needed for this smaller sized bag.

The second bag is the Brookfield Bag that is a a free pattern from Sew Sweetness. I made some changes on this bag too. Funny thing is the instructions say to use 1/2" seams unless otherwise noted on this bag, yet on each step you were instructed to sew a 1/4" seam or 1/8" seam and there was not one time when you even sewed a 1/2" seam! I guess no one caught that when testing this bag, lol!!! I really like this small bag and it will be perfect for a young girl. It's a gift for a 10-year old girl, from the woman who commissioned it.

Baseball fabric was requested for this bag as it's a gift for someone who loves baseball. I didn't have any baseball fabric so I had to purchase some. I found this fabric with the baseball bats and balls and it has a retro feeling to it. I made a magnetic closure for this bag instead of the swivel hook closure. It makes it easier to open and close the flap.

The back of the bag has a zippered pocket.

Inside I added slip pockets on both sides of the bag, one with a pen pocket in the center. I also added a swivel hook to hold keys.

I added a swivel hook to hold keys inside the bag.

I made 2 zipper pulls, one for each zippered pocket.

This is the Brookfield Bag that I made. I used a magnetic snap for the closure of the bag and I used D-rings, but no swivel hooks. I don't like to use swivel hooks on straps. I guess I don't see the point unless there is a reason to remove them. The kind of swivel hooks that I have can get caught on knitwear too if you are wearing a sweater. But the nicer swivel hooks like the kind that most bags makers use don't have a little latch thingee on them like mine do.

This lining fabric is actually a sage green, but looks gray in the photo. The purple accent fabric is much brighter in person too. Royal purple never photographs true, even in the viewfinder of the camera it looks more blue than purple! I didn't make the pocket with elastic as the pattern calls for. I made slip pockets and added a pen pocket in the center of one. I also added a purple trim to the top of the pockets.

This is the back of the bag.

I cut the strap of the bag down quite a bit as it was too long. So I made a key ring fob with the extra strap fabric that I cut off. 

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I'm still in Sisters, Oregon

I am still in beautiful Sisters, Oregon and will return home Tuesday evening. I attended the annual (39th) Outdoor Quilt Show last Saturday. With 1401 quilts hanging in this year's show, there was quite a lot to see and photograph. I will certainly be busy loading photos in the next few days. I will post them on Flickr and have a link to that album when I get them uploaded. I also visited a few quilt shops in nearby Bend, Oregon as well as The Stitchin' Post in Sisters. Oh my so many lovely things to see. I only purchased a couple of small things. I had one carry-on bag, and it's full, so I couldn't get too crazy making purchases. I will share those with you when I return too. So many ideas are swimming in my head right now that I don't know what I will start on first. See you soon.
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Weekend Link Party #14

Welcome to Weekend Link Party #14. Link up anything you would like to share. And help spread the word by adding my button on your blog. Thank you! I encourage those of you who link up here to write a really good descriptive title so that we know what you are linking, since there are no thumbnail photos. If it is a quilt, please use quilt in the title. If it is a bag, use bag in the title and so on. That might help those who are looking to click on the titles that might interest them. Thank you so much!


 

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.patchouli-moon-studio.blogspot.com" title="Patchouli Moon Studio's Weekend Link Party" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s362/PatchouliMoonStudio/6fa4ed6c-636e-4287-adae-f51b08e9553a_zpsbac2a9c4.jpg" alt="Patchouli Moon Studio's Weekend Link Party" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

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