A Colorful and Inspiring Day

Friday was a road trip day...and thank goodness...I needed it even more than I thought! My dear friend Lorrie and I made a trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the 4th Annual AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Unveiling event...and we had a FABULOUS day. We left Des Moines a little before 8:00 and made it to AccuQuilt a few minutes before 10:00...perfect timing, as the festivities started at 10:00 AM. We were greeted with a very warm welcome from Steve Nabity (CEO), Linda Pumphrey (National Sales Manager), Lynn Gibney (Director of Marketing), and all my favorite AccuQuilt staff members...seriously AccuQuilt has the friendliest staff around...and they were all outside to greet us! Once inside, I couldn't wait to meet the special guest Ricky Tims (woohoo!)...he was kind enough to autograph my GO! Arabesque #3 die (one of his designer dies for the AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter) and pose for a couple photos (here is where I thank Lorrie for taking the photos of me with Ricky Tims). I was also thrilled to see a bunch of familiar faces from last year...always so much fun to see quilting friends from across the country (and Canada)!

After meeting celebrity quilter Ricky Tims, we entered the AccuQuilt Quilt Gallery (always worth a visit if you are in the Omaha area) where some of his AMAZING quilts were on display...they were breathtaking...I mean SERIOUSLY incredible! I managed to get most, if not all, of them photographed for you...even with the hoards of people crowded in for viewing..click on any image for a larger, more detailed photo...

Asternoon Delight
Year made: 2009 - 36" x 44"
Created by Ricky Tims

Bears in Bertie's Log Cabin
Year made: 2004 - 53" x 53"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Dad's Lone Star
Year made: 2002 - 92" x 92"
Pieced, appliqued, and quilted by Richard Tims and Ricky Tims
(Father and Son Quilt)

Viva Violetta
Year made: 2007 - 58" x 58"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

New World Symphony
Year made: 2002 - 90.5" x 90.5"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Time Warp
Year made: 1999 - 82" x 82"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Self Portrait
Year made: 2012 - 22" x 22"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Bohemian Rhapsody
Year made: 2002 - 88" x 88"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Simple Gifts
Year made: 1996 - 88" x 88"
Pieced and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Lifelines III
Year made: 2012 - 50" x 50"
Pieced, Embellished, and Quilted by Ricky Tims

Next we entered the AccuQuilt Dream Studio, where attendees of the event were busy making pillow cases  for American Patchwork & Quilting 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge...it was insane in the dream studio (as you can see from the photo) - wall to wall people busy sewing pillow cases...it was almost overwhelming just to walk across the room!

Our next stop was the AccuQuilt warehouse where there was shopping...yes, I said shopping! AccuQuilt had set-up a merchandise area with all sorts of goodies for sale...including "gently used dies" at greatly reduced prices...and how could I pass that up...both Lorrie and I found several dies we *had to* have!

We then made our way outside to the where Ricky Tims would be making his presentation to a tent full of enthusiastic quilters...and what a marvelous presentation it was...thoroughly enjoyable. Ricky is so down to earth...and listening to his life story was inspiring and uplifting...

Next was a performance by "Steve and the Stitches"...and to say it was amusing would be an understatement...the whole entire crowd was smiling, clapping, and enjoying the entertainment!

It was then time to reveal the 2013 Barn Quilt Contest winners and unveil the grand prize winning block...I must say it was sad to see a new 17' x 17' block in the place where my winning block has been for the last year, but Sue's block definitely looked FABULOUS on display and I was so excited for her!

After the unveiling, it was time for lunch...and barbecue really hit the spot...but more importantly,  it was time for door prizes! Lorrie and I had a conversation about how we never win drawings of chance...it just doesn't happen...and we watched quite a few happy quilters take home some stellar prizes. When Linda held up an adorable pink GO! Baby Fabric Cutter Tote, I leaned over to Lorrie and said "you could use that" and her response was "yes, I could"...and guess what, they called her name...we were dumbfounded....and SO excited!...I was just thrilled for her to win a prize to take home. Then the most incredible thing happened...as they called names for the last few prizes, I heard my name too....what?!...this never happens... My door prize the coolest thing ever...the book "Japanese Quilting Piece by Piece" by Yoko Saito (it is a DELIGHTFUL book) and an assortment pack of SCRUMPTIOUS AURIfil Threads (so totally awesome!). WOW, WOW, WOW...what a perfect treat for our trip...

After saying goodbyes and gathering our purchases and winnings, we headed off to one of our favorite quilt shops...The Quilted Moose in Gretna, NE...this shop is a must visit whenever we are in the area! We managed to find just a few a TON of marvelous things to take home...yes, we did some power shopping...in fact, time flew by while we were in there...and although we had plans to possibly visit other shops in the area, we knew we had a two hour drive to get home (and I had an anxious puppy in the kennel that I knew needed dinner and a potty break)...so after enhancing the economy of Greta, NE, we headed for home.

So, there you have it, my day at the 4th Annual AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Unveiling event...it was a perfect day - I couldn't have asked for more - time with a dear friend was just what the doctor ordered (all the quilty goodness was a bonus!).