Quilt Port USA

We are very excited about this years’ event! We have new classes, new vendors and of course great door prizes! Last years’ participants will have priority for registration but your must get your registration form in on or before December 21st. We know it is Christmas time but what a great gift this would make! Registration will open up to everyone after that. We had such fun last year that we hope you decide to join us. Happy Holidays from the Quiltport group!

Wow, what a fantastic weekend! Everyone had lots of fun sewing and shopping. Congratulations to Sue Hawks who won the Elna Fun Sew sewing machine donated by So. Portland Sewing Centre! Lots and lots of door prizes were given out. Everyone had lots of space to spread out and sewed late into the evenings.

A big thank you to Bosal Foam and Fiber, a local Maine company, for donating the Craftex and Craftex Plus. Everyone received samples of this great product in their tote bags. Thank you to Carol McLeod for coming and demonstrating how to make Flip Flops and the Biscuit Box. Thank you to all the teachers and to Jo Diggs for her fantastic lecture and the other vendors who helped make Quiltport a big success! Thank you Melly Rubins for all your help. Girlfriend we couldn’t have done it without you! Now that I’ve said all my academy award thank yous……

We are already in the planning stages for next year. We learned a lot this year planning this event and we promise next year will be even better. There will be more vendors, demonstrations and classes plus an evening hand stitching gathering and a challenge. I will post the date when the next Quiltport will be after May 10th which is when we meet again. We already have 30 plus quilters who are interested in attending next year! Hopefully this evening I will have some technical support (my husband) as we have a great slide show to post for everyone to view.

Joanne
Cotton Weeds Quilt Shop

Today we finalize the last few details with the Hilton Garden. We want to make sure everything is perfect and you enjoy your Quilter’s Spa Weekend. Betsy, Melly, Meredith and I met the other night and we filled the tote bags with lots of goodies and packaged up all the door prizes. Wow! Have our vendors been very generous! We have fabulous door prizes!

There is an updated “Schedule of Events” posted. You might want to check it out.

We are excited that Jo Diggs will be doing her lecture Friday evening from 6:30 to 8:30. You can stop by the registration desk and sign up there if you would like to come.

Melody Provost, Linus Quilt Coordinator, will be at Quiltport with the Linus Raffle Quilt. Let’s support this great organization and purchase a raffle ticket.

You’ll also want to make sure you attend the free lecture on Schmetz needles presented by So. Portland Sewing Centre on Saturday afternoon at 4:30. You’ll be amazed at the differences in needles and how they affect the quality of your work.

If you are staying at the Hilton, you may want to bring your bathing suit. They have a beautiful pool and hot tub you’ll want to enjoy after your long evening of sewing.

If you are not attending Quiltport but would like to see what we are all about, we invite you to stop by, shop the vendors and see the demonstrations! It’s free!

I’m starting to gather up my sewing necessities so I don’t forget anything! But, if you do, I’m sure the vendors will have what you need!

Joanne
Cotton Weeds

We are excited to have Jo Diggs join Quiltport! She will be giving a lecture and trunk show on Friday evening from 6:30 to 8:30. She gives a wonderful and informative lecture and an absolutely amazing trunk show. To learn more about Jo and her work visit www.jodiggs.com. If you have already sent in your registration form and would like to attend Jo’s lecture, you can sign up at the registration desk. If you haven’t signed up and still want to attend Quiltport, there is still time!

We have a few openings in Alice Koroski’s afternoon machine quilting class. We also have a few openings in Susan Pennoyer’s hand-wrapped bali bowls and Mary McFarland’s landscape thread play class.

We invite you to bring your Show & Tell.

The tote bags have arrived and they are awesome! Lots of pockets and a zipper.

The rain will stop shortly and we have a wonderful weekend to look forward to. In the meantime, it is nice to sew.

Joanne

There has been some confusion if you can still register for classes and open sew. The March 17th deadline date was for the discount rate at the Hilton Garden, not for registering for classes. There is still time!

Just 3 more weeks to go! We are very excited. We are meeting with the Hilton next week to go over final plans for the ballroom layout for open sew and to plan lunch. As everyone knows, food and fabric are my two favorite things!

Melly, Betsy, Meredith and I will be joining everyone in the evening for open sew. We are busy planning our projects and can’t wait to have some time to sew with everyone. I have two jelly rolls that I have been saving and hopefully I will finish my project by the end of the weekend.

If you have one, don’t forget your tabletop ironing mats. We will have a few ironing stations set up but if you have a mat, bring it.

Don’t forget everyone who registers for Quiltport receives a tote bag. They arrived yesterday and they are awesome.

Keep checking back!
Joanne
Cotton Weeds

AltoCut
Handi Quilter
Calico Basket Quilt Shop
Cotton Weeds Quilt Shop
Quiltessentials Quilt Shop
Checker Distributors
So. Portland Sewing Center
Lots and lots of demonstrations!

While you are at Quiltport, take a break from sewing and take a tour of Wilbur’s Chocolate Factory. They have set up three special tours on Saturday, April 17th just for us. You’ll go on a tour of the factory and make your own chocolate flower. What is better than fabric and chocolate! The scheduled tours are 10:00, 11:00 and 1:00 PM and cost $5.00. We will have a sign up sheet at the registration table when you check in if you would like to go. Wilbur’s is just 2 miles from the Hilton on Lower Main St., in Freeport.

Can I take just a class without participating in the other events? Yes, but you must register.

Do I have to stay at the Hilton to participating in QuiltPort? No, you can register for “Open Sew”, take a class, attend the lecture, shop the vendors and be a day tripper and then go home or stay elsewhere.

Can I just sign up for “Free Range Sewing”? Yes, but you must register.

Can I just come and stop by and shop the vendors and see the demos? Absolutely and it’s FREE!!

A schedule of events has been posted on the website. This will be updated as more things are added and confirmed.

It’s full but there are still openings in the afternoon class.