A quilty visit to Victoria BC

I just came back from a whirlwind week end to Canada's other coast.  Although the main purpose of my trip to Victoria BC was on the account of my other another passion - the "Running" part of the Running Thimble - there was certainly a lot happening in the "Thimble" department.

An infinity scarf started the night before my departure with fabric purchased at my LQS Patch Halifax was finished on the plane.


I wore this every day!

A few weeks before my trip, I had contacted MQG Victoria to find out about local quilt stores.  The President, Nicole, replied to me with more than a list of stores...  she offered to gather a couple people and meet me for a little shopping spree.  How nice is that? 

But before I could meet them up to let the quilt stuff begin, I had to first pick up my race package at the Victoria Marathon Race Expo.  Very un-quilty, right? I laughed when I came across this booth and had to snap a picture...  The day was starting on a bright note!

Running and quilting go well together!

I did eventually met with some Victoria Quilters... here we are at Satin Moon.

Stacie, myself (with scarf), owner Linda, Nicole and her sweet girl, and Judy

Some fabric was purchased there...

See? "Quilters Energy Bars".  You know I needed one of those!

More fabric was purchased at Gala Fabrics. Great prices... it was hard to resist some $6/m cotton, cheap laminated fabric or a 50% sale on voiles...


Don't you just love those sharks?

I see more infinity scarves in my future...

Here is a gift I made for Nicole.   I wish I could have had a gift for everyone who helped made my week-end memorable.


Also finished hand stitching this on the plane

And that is not all.  MQG Victoria member Stacie took me to Cloth Castle to meet yet another MQG Victoria member, Bryan.  So more fabric had to be purchased...

Bicycles, sewing machines, vintage kitchen things... I was feeling retro!

And since I was thinking more "Running" than "Thimble" when I packed, I had to buy another one of those to finish a project I was working on...

Best. Thimble. Ever.  And they are not paying me to say that.

The said project was a fleece blanket for the family friend who was hosting me for the week-end. I ran out of time and did not finish it before I left, but it got done on the long flight back.  It's a 2m piece of polar fleece that I finished with a simple blanket stitch with embroidery floss. It's hard to get a good picture of a fleece blanket, but you get the idea.

Not quite as good as quilts, but these are great TV blankets

When I was working on it during my last guild meeting, I had joked that I was working on a gift for someone who was not quite "quilt-worthy".  As someone who struggles to finish 3-4 quilts a year, I have to pick and chose who I give quilts to, right?

Well to set the record straight, my host ended up being totally quilt-worthy: picking me up and dropping me off at the airport, driving me places, cooking thanksgiving dinner, and - you will all appreciate that one - acting as a quilt holder!   Yes, a real quilt was also finished and delivered and pictures were taken... but that is a story for another day.

At times like this I wish I had time to make more quilts!

And in case you are wondering about the other part of my trip, I will simply tell you this:  The running was even better than the quilting, and I would not trade it for all the stash in the world.

Do you have another passion?