SOCIAL MEDIA

Saturday, March 14, 2015

QuiltCon : Part 2 : Volunteering

If you haven't heard about it, I went to QuiltCon this year. It was surreal!

I have been a member of the Modern Quilt Guild in one way or the other right since I started quilting. The MQG has always given me a direction, first through online inspiration and assistance and now through QuiltCon. I do dream of playing a larger role in the MQG someday. But meanwhile, I decided the best way to 'be involved' was to apply to be a super volunteer for Quiltcon. And I'm so happy that I made that decision!

I reached Austin at about 2 am. I was supposed to reach at midnight, but my flight from New York was delayed. My first volunteer shift started at 8 am! Was I tired? Not at all!!!

I helped prep the lecture halls for a while before being sent to the exhibition hall along with the fabulous Kathy York (Her quilt iQuilt) won the "Best of Show). I had been in touch with her before - when I made my 3D quilt. She is a warm and a generous person. I loved the fact that everyone greeted me with a lovely warm hug!!!

I kept going for 8 hours volunteering because of the wonderful people around me and the adrenalin of being a part of this show!!!


The awesome Colleen - the lady in pink hair lying at the bottom of the stairs was the one who decided how the volunteering schedule worked! She was SUPER! Always smiling - I totally admire her strength. It was not a joke to try and make everyone work and feel like they are being given a gift! 

I also got a pat in the back from Jacquie! She is an unbelievable lady! She is the Chairman of the Modern Quilt Guild, but yet she was so accessible! She recognized me by my name when she met me! I love her!!! I got to learn so much from her. Throughout QuiltCon, there was not a moment when I saw her stressed. I know it is a HUGE task to organize a show of this volume, but this lady is a pro! Hats off to her!!!

I got to assist two workshops - the perks of being a Super Volunteer! First was Cristy Fincher. Her class was about Quilting with straight lines. And I got to learn a lot of things. Especially how to bury threads - even when they're super short!

The other class I assisted was Yoshiko Jinzenji's!!! It was amazing. The lady is an enigma! I loved her work since a very long time. But the way she played with material - ranging from sheer organzas to silks and upholstery fabrics - it was crazy awesome! She taught me to be fearless in my approach!!!



Will I go to QuiltCon again? Of course Yes. But I'll request MQG to have it at a time other than February. I cannot afford to miss my son's birthday AND my anniversary every time.

Will I volunteer at Quiltcon again? Definitely!!! It was a huge part of my experience. Everyone at MQG made me feel at home. I was not homesick for even one moment! I enjoyed being a part of the show! I am proud of being a part of Quiltcon!!!




1 comment :

  1. Thank you for your posts about Quiltcon. I'm in the US and have been thinking about attending and I think volunteering is a great way to meet people.

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