2015 Lodi Ag Fair

July brings one of my favorite events of the year – the Lodi Ag Fair.  The Lodi Ag Fair is also pretty much the Lodi Valley Quilter’s Guild’s quilt show for the year.  This year we had around 120 quilts hanging!  It was amazing!  And the quilts get judged.  A few years ago I went to watch the judging (which anyone can do at these shows).  I have to tell you – I will never do that again!  It is hard to watch a professional pick apart every little thing you spent so many hours working your heart out on.  But others just love it and you can learn a lot from it … I actually did quite well in this years judging.  Now remember – we had 120 quilts hanging so it was hard to stand back and get a decent picture of anything … but  managed a few shots. Crossroads took first in it’s class – Bed Quilt, quilted by other (in this case – Barb Raisbeck of Quilt’s by Barb).  I’m really proud of this blue ribbon.  That is a super competitive category and this quilt was definitely outside of my box.  It was either going to be a hit or a flop … so far so good.  Crossroads also was accepted to the Quilt Expo in Madison this September.  My pillow ‘Turning Point’s’ took home second place in the pillow category.  I am going to sound like a total brat but I was a bit disappointed.  I absolutely ADORE this pillow and I really thought it was going to take first.  It’s so weird that of everything I submitted this was the only one I really thought would get a ribbon … and it did and that’s great … it’s just not blue.  (I know – I’m being a total brat – but seriously – check out this PILLOW!)  Cedi’s heart pillow is just to the right of Turning Points!  I was so happy the girls decided to submit some of their work and show what they could do too!  I’m going to see if the girls want to blog about this on their blog … if not, I’ll do a different post on what they did at the fair.  Next up is ‘My Favorite Block’– Category Bed, Quilted by Me.  Second!  This quilt is FAR from perfect but I so love it!  Sampler quilts from quilt alongs have taught me so so much.  Different quilters have different techniques and methods and it’s always fun to try something new.  I also just love the fabrics I chose for this one and how I grouped the darker colors in one corner so it moves up into the lighter colors.  This quilt in general was just fun all around.  I hadn’t hung it in any shows up to this point and I’m really glad that I decided to put it up at Lodi. Chubby Churn Dash – Second!  I’m not sure what the category was for this one but I put it in because I just love how it turned out.  This was done with just two fabrics (super rare for me) and I designed those two fabrics myself!  This mini quilt is a pattern from one of the Aurifil designers!  Gypysy Wife – Third – with a merit award.  I’m not 100% sure what a Merit award is for … but that is a big ribbon!  I’ll take it!  Gypsy Wife will also be heading to the Quilt Expo in Madison this September.  (This one was also quilted by Barb Raisbeck of Quilts by Barb).  And finally – Dresden Neighborhood, Gardenvale – second!  I just love this little quilt and it has sort of changed my world for me.  Dresden Neighborhood is my best selling pattern on Craftsy, I’ve turned into a class I teach … and everyone’s loved, and it’s gotten ribbons in everything I’ve entered it in so far.  It’s counterpart – the first Dresden Neighborhood quilt I made is also heading to Quilt Expo in Madison this September.    And since I did show and mention Cedi’s quilted pillow above I should at least show you that Capri also put in her quilt for the show!  I really want them to blog about it though so we’ll see what happens with that. Overall – I’d say the Lodi Ag Fair was incredibly good to me this year!