QuiltCon: Unexpected Encounter

QuiltCon was full of interesting and fun people.  I met a woman from Canada who had been hit by a car while riding her bicycle just a few months ago.  She made the journey to QuiltCon alone and fought through some painful days of walking and sitting just to enjoy the experience of this inaugural event.  I can't remember her name and I regret not getting her contact information.  (If any of you out there know of whom I'm speaking, please forward this post to her.  Thanks!)

I was also very impressed by Casey York.  Casey and I were in a lot of the same lectures and I had occasion to hear her conversations as groups of us stood around talking in between lectures.  There's definitely something special about Casey and I believe she's one to watch.

Then there was Amanda of The Cozy Pumpkin.  I met her in the lecture hall on Saturday.  She made my insides giggle.  She was so full of energy and made everything seem bright and shiny.  It was Amanda that encouraged me to spread the word about my blog and said that she would be bugging me via email if I wasn't posting on a regular basis.  I sure hope I don't disappoint Miss Amanda.  :)

Now, on to one of the biggest and most unexpected highlights of my trip.  I met Jacquie Gering of Tallgrass Prairie Studio. 

Jacquie's blog was one of the first that I found when I started quilting.  Her quilt entitled "Tin Roof" was part of the inspiration for the design of my "Affirmation".  Jacquie was also the first blogger that actually responded to a question I asked.  When I contacted her back then, I had no idea that she was one of the giants of the industry.  I just knew that I liked her work.  She was so thoughtful and encouraging in her response to me.  It's something I'll never forget.

Jacquie was the speaker right before Denyse Schmidt's keynote address.  She spoke for an hour and made us cry no less than four times.  She spoke so lovingly of her family and how they influence her work.  She was real and spoke in terms that I could relate to.  She impressed my soul.

I was thrilled that I was able to have a brief conversation with her after her speech to tell her how meaningful her response to me was back then.  She was gracious and kind and allowed me to snap a few pictures.  If you're interested in hearing Jacquie's speech, you can watched it for free on Craftsy.

The experience of QuiltCon has left an indelible mark on me.  I am hoping that what I gained while there will last until the next convention in two years.

My next (and possibly last) QuiltCon post will be about the quilts that were on display that inspired me.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!