I had the extreme pleasure of visiting a quilt shop in Golden, Colorado the other day, and imagine my surprise (and delight!) to discover my Palette of the Season pattern, Present Company, quilted up and hanging on the wall.
I typically never introduce myself when I visit a quilt shop—an old habit from my years and years of owning my own shop. Back in those days, I was traveling around the U.S. quite a bit with my hockey playing son, and I had the opportunity to visit quilt shops in any town that had an ice rink. I liked to browse around, peek at prices, see what they were stocking and possibly borrow more than a few display ideas. Unfortunately, if my mother-in-law (a.k.a., President and founding member of her grandson’s fan club) was with me, no matter how much I coached her before we entered a shop, she would always blow my cover by blurting out, “My daughter owns a quilt shop!” Granted everyone was always super nice to me, but it did make price comparisons and my surreptitious snooping rather awkward.
Anyway, yesterday was quite the exception. As my friend and fellow pattern designer and I approached the shop, she asked if we should strike up a conversation letting the staff know that we are both pattern designers, and she’s also a shop owner, author, fabric designer and creative guru. (My words, not hers.) Of course, we decided to be incognito so we could snoop, I mean browse, comfortably.
That is until I discovered THE QUILT on the wall. I immediately had to have my photo taken in front of the quilt. Had I known it was there I would have called in hair and make-up for my close-up. Next, I had to make sure that anyone within hearing distance knew that it was me, ME! who had designed the quilt. In case that they weren’t sure from all the squealing in the first place.
I also have to mention just how thrilled I was that someone besides me had made my pattern, and that no one had called or emailed me to curse my instructions. That really was probably the most exciting thing!
We were almost late for our lunch date since I was reluctant to leave, extremely content to spend the rest of the day standing in front of said quilt. I may or may not have had to be forcefully ejected from the premises.
Anyway, thank you Golden Quilt Company. You made my day, my week and probably my year!
Until next time,
Karen