In the weeks and days leading up to Event 01: Eugene, the Quiltfolk team was buzzing with anticipation and excitement about our first-ever in-person event. Final details filled our daily conversations—double-checking that we had ordered all the necessary signs, confirming quilt measurements, deciding which products to have available for sale, working through presentation formats, and coordinating the final preparations.Â
On the day before the event, our team arrived at the venue and began setting up. From the methodical process of hanging quilts to the creative question of how to set up our welcome table, everyone was busily bustling around the venue—and occasionally jetting off to pick up last-minute necessities or to shuttle presenters from the airport to their hotel.
On the morning of Day 1, the Quiltfolk team and our amazing local vendors all met at the venue to make sure everything was ready. We wanted everything to be perfect and everyone to have the best possible time, and subconsciously, as we waited for the first attendees to arrive, we worried about whether we had done enough. But soon, that was all forgotten as one, two, 10, 20 people entered through the glass double doors and lined up to get their name tags and swag bags. Before we knew it, the grand hall was filled with people grabbing coffee, chatting, and waiting for the Event to officially begin. After opening remarks by Mike, which included a trip down memory lane sharing how Quiltfolk began, a Quiltfolk cover trivia contest had each table pooling its collective knowledge in an attempt to win the prize!
Next, Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh took the stage and were greeted with excitement from the audience, many of whom had been watching the dynamic duo in our online education programs for years. Their fun and simple hand-stitching project set people up with an activity to keep their hands busy for the rest of the day. During the lunch break, attendees broke off to look at the quilts in the grand hall brought by presenters and filed into the exhibit hall where our three curated quilt shows were on display. Cats & Dogs exhibited a selection of quilts featured in our two special editions, Quiltfolk Cats and Quiltfolk Dogs, and the Patchwork & Prose and Break the Rules exhibits displayed quilts made by participants of the two Quiltfolk Block of the Month programs of the same name.
The afternoon took attendees behind-the-scenes with a writers panel and a chat with our guest mentors for two of our past Block of the Month programs. Plus, our first speaker, Sujata Shah, inspired the audience with a talk about her quilting journey and how her experiences have shaped her work.Â
At the end of Day 1, the Quiltfolk team breathed a sigh of relief—the day had gone by with no major issues, people were having fun, and everyone was excited to come back for more on Day 2! And, to our delight, the second day was a success as well. With more incredible speakers, including Marianne Fons and Carolyn Ducey, Day 2 brought with it surprising connections and a deep well of inspiration.Â
Beyond the impressive presentations, there was a collective feeling of belonging over the two days. Whether walking through the exhibit hall, where attendees were marveling at the creative compositions and technical mastery on display, or chatting with people in the lobby as they perused past issues of Quiltfolk, it felt as if everyone who walked by was an old friend—someone you knew shared a love of that thing that brought us all together: quilts. Â
Our in-person event brought together quilters from 27 states. It gave us a chance to connect, in person, with the people who make what we do possible.Â
On the last day, I walked through the quilt gallery wearing white gloves, ready to show attendees the backs of quilts—many of which were just as incredible as the fronts—and overheard a few people in the next aisle chatting, remarking on how glad they were that Quiltfolk put on this event and saying that they hoped there would be more in the future. In the lead-up to the event, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to do it all again—the planning, the quilt-handling, the scheduling—but after two days together, I can say definitively that I, too, hope that we will find another opportunity to gather together in person with our incredible quiltfolk.
Emily Pillard joined the Quiltfolk team in 2021 and has worn many hats over the years. She is now the marketing coordinator for the magazine.
The images above capturing our event were taken by Azuree Holloway, Quiltfolk‘s official editorial photographer, and Breanna Briggs, Quiltfolk‘s editor-in-chief, who is also a talented photographer.
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