Hello from Argentina!

[Lorchen]

Hi everyone! Although I've been a member of the Quilt Show for some years now, this is my first time in the Forum. What a nice surprise! I would love to share lots of things with you. First of all, I want to tell you that in my website I also have a phpBB forum just like this one. More than 200 spanish speaking quilterss interact in it, so if you want to know what's going on in South America quiltwise, you can visit us there. Quilting in Argentina is a tough job, we don't have any quilt shops or cotton fabric, so it takes a bit of magic...
2) I got a new Bernina for Christmas!! It's a wonderful Aurora 440 with BSR and everything, I'm fascinated with it. It's my second Bernina, the first I boughtr 10 years ago and still working.
3) I'm going to Birmingham in august and I would love to meet many of you there. Anyone else coming?

[Lorchen]

I'll have to check out your website.

[Lorchen]

Teresita, I'm going to Birmingham in August too, and so are several other TQS members. I'll email you direct. It would be great to meet.

[pam7040]

Teresita, Welcome to the forum. I hope to be at Birmingham, but not 100% certain at the moment. How wonderful that you are coming over for our show.

[pam7040]

I'll be so happy to meet you ladies! A couple of years ago we went to Houston, we were a nice big group and had a wonderful time. We even met some of our American friends who had lived in Argentina and with whom me learnt quilting.
But going to England is far more expensive for us anf I don't think any of my quilter friends will be coming. I happen to be going to Europe on vacations with my family in july, and since I'm there...I've decided to send husband and daughters back home and linger a couple of weeks longer in England!
Maybe when the time comes closer we can make arrangements to meet there

[pam7040]

Teresita, My husband took me to Houston in 2009 which was amazing. Meeting other TQS members there was as big a highlight as the show. We get to know each other on the forum and through the members blogs, so to meet in person really is something special!!

[pam7040]

Oh well, I can't wait!
I have a couple of english friends whom I expect to meet too. A few years ago one of my daughters went to a school in England for a term. She was only 12, so I went with her and stayed there for some weeks. There was nothing much to do in this tiny english town in the Cotswolds, but... I found a quilting group and everything was wonderful again. It was there that I came to know art quilting and it was a turning point for me. It was also there that I realised that quilters all over the world are something like a fraternity. I remember the owner of the B&B where I was staying asking me: "What are you quilters? some kind of underground organization?"
On the other hand, I will be meeting Alicia Merrett. she's an argentine who's lived in England half her life and she will be teaching at the Festival. In 2009 the World Textile Biennal was held in Buenos Aires and with two of my friends we managed to put up a quilt exhibition (for the first time ever in Argentina!). Alicia sent us one of her beautiful quilts to help us.

[Lorchen]

Teresita, I took one of Alicia's workshops a couple of years ago at FoQ, and I'm attaching a picture of the result.

[Lorchen]

How beautiful Lorchen! What was the name of the workshop?
Alicia sent me the classes she will be giving this year and I think I would like to take at least one with her. I believe registration begins in February and I've been told you need to be fast because classes fill very quickly.
Thank you for sharing!

[Lorchen]

I can't remember the exact title, Teresita. But it had nothing to do with lighthouses. We all designed our own piece with guidance from Alicia. I quite often go to workshops and then afterwards don't finish what was started. But this one got done. Using colours to support shapes, rather than trying to keep everything 'natural' was a new experience for me.

[Lorchen]

Yes, it's wonderful how creative and artistic your work can be when you manage to step aside from the exact way things look like. It's hard work, though!

[Lorchen]

Hi Teresita... I am in Buenos Aires now. I am from NY and this is my third time and you have confirmed what I feared, NO QUILT SHOPS! Any suggestions if I want to buy a little bit of local fabric to add to my stash? I am here until Saturday morning, June 16th.

[Lorchen]

Hi Ranunculas!
Isn't it terrible to live without quilt shops around?
There isn't much cotton fabric in Argentina, but if you want to buy stuff in general (fabrics, all sorts, thread, beads, etc) at good prices, go to ONCE. It's a neighbourhood in Capital, they sell mostly wholesale but you can buy small amounts too. Just go to Lavalle and Pueyrredón, and from there start walking along Lavalle heading downtown. There are infinite shops. Every now and then walk up and down some side street or just ask if there is anything special you are looking for
Good luck! Let me know what you find!

[Lorchen]

Thanks Teresite... I should have some time tomorrow and I will let you know how I make out! Renee