The road to Sisters detours through Yam Camp
July 14th, 2011
So this last weekend was the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. The Portland Modern Quilt Guild had an exhibit. And the Sweet Hot Yams set up camp… Yam Camp. This should be a 10-part post, but I’m too lazy so I’m doing a two-parter. This post is more for me than anyone else (I had such a blast I want to remember every second), but should anyone reading enjoy my ride with me… pull up a chair and buckle up. Pour yourself a G & T.
Sunny and gloriously arid Sisters made me forget all about putting sunscreen on my “sisters”, but luckily I was so proud of my SOQS name tag and ribbons that I snapped a self-photo of them. Showing my ta-tas on a post about a quilt show? Gravy.
And so it began. Violet, Heather, Traci, Irene, Joan and myself head up to Sisters. Elizabeth, Kristin and Gibby will meet us up there later. Sadly missing at Yam Camp was Mo, Jen, Shelly and Sally.
Violet makes a final shove at the fabric, sewing machines, clothes and *special quilting gear*.
We pass Detroit Lake on the way to Sisters, one of my favorite places on earth. Maybe even the universe.
Yam Camp! We unpack our priorities and our *special quilting gear*.
Then some of us go for a run, some of us pretend to go for a run and some of us photograph runners. Then we rest… photographing runners while sitting on the porch with a Sangria is E X A U S T I N G.
Dinner at Three Creeks Brewing, right next to the beautiful Sisters Movie House. (I’m so enamored with this movie house!)
A little beer tasting - and color inspiration. I see solids and I’m suddenly hungry for Autumn.
After dinner, our new Friend of The Yammies and dinner guest, Rob Appell invites us to see what’s in the back of his truck… QUILTING TOOLS - and he had prezzies for all of us. Confession: I’m totally name dropping and bragging that Rob had dinner with us AND he had treats for us. Double the treat factor.
Things Violet says, “I want a donkey and ride on it to my mailbox”. I did imaginary cart-wheels when I spotted this hood ornament. After dinner we head to the grocery store, with Traci as our official cart driver - we spend more time admiring the quilts than shopping. Quilts are hung EV. ER. Y. WHERE in Sisters. Before and after the show, there’s no shortage of quilts. Sisters is a well hung town.
The next day Elizabeth arrives, and that night Kristin arrives. Gibby will arrive on show day.
The floor is slowly disappearing and the fabric piles quickly growing. I make my Pick a Pocket purse for Violet with her gorgeous new Peacock Lane fabric; Irene succumbs to sewing fraught…
… and I crank out two FWQAL blocks. Block 7 I loved, Block 8 had me dropping a lot of F-bombs (especially after the block finished smaller than my other blocks). My extreme ultimate super dislike for templates is substantiated.
And then Bari and Tula arrive at Yam Camp for a few hours of yammy good times.
We hit Three Creeks for a second time, this time Bari and Tula joining us. Bari waves hi to Pam and we WYWH’d her, Elizabeth and I split a beer sampler and Traci orders some ranch dressing on the sly to sneak some of Irene’s fries.
After dinner we hit the Stitchin’ Post - one of my favorite quilt shops on the planet. Elizabeth spots the Bari display; Violet spots her petal purse pattern (and just so happens to be using the purse!); Elizabeth, Traci and Violet spot Lizzy’s new book.
“OMG, Elizabeth… is this your book?!”. Ok, I was a little loud, but to pipe me down Elizabeth modeled with her book for me. And suddenly more hootin’ and hollerin’… Valori pops in the store. And as busy as she was, she stopped to take some time with us. LOVE. HER.
Next post quilt show pics…
Posted in I Heart Oregon, Field Trip |
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
I so wish I lived near you all and could be a Sweet Hot Yam. If I ever move to Portland….
July 14th, 2011oh, I’m so jealous! What a great time you gals had!! Thanks for allowing me to live vicariously….♥
July 14th, 2011Man oh man, can you guys have a good time or what?!
July 14th, 2011Thank you so much, Monica, for sharing the fun with us! I feel as though I was really there at Yam Camp with you all! Looks like you all had a blast!
July 14th, 2011BEST. TIME. EV. ER! Love my Yammies!
July 14th, 2011Love your post Monica.! Captures our awesome Yam Camp perfectly. Can’t wait for next year! Heck, can we go again next month?!
July 14th, 2011Can YOU even believe it’s already over???? Thank the sweet baby Jesus, we’re hitting it again tonight! I can’t wait for another Yammie-Infusion!!!
Thanks for post darlin!!! xoxoxo, H
July 14th, 2011I am glad you guys had such a fun time!! We did too, the quilt show is the best :)
July 14th, 2011That looks like so much fun! I have a yam story. Shouldn’t tell it here though :) I am so glad that I am not the only F bomb dropper while sewing. Sometimes while driving too!!!
July 14th, 2011Looks like you all had a wonderful time. I’d love to go to Sisters some year. Thanks for sharing
July 14th, 2011Looks like a great time. I’m there in spirit.
July 14th, 2011I like how you’re blog now kicks me out after the comment!!! exciting.. like a ride!
July 14th, 2011OMG, you crack me up Monica! That sun burn pic made me snort my soda. : ) Looks like a fabulous time in Sisters! I have been a couple times and it is so fun! You have to go to the movies next time it is so cute inside too. Looking forward to your quilt show pics! BTW I am fine with it being a 10 part series.
July 14th, 2011FUN!!!
July 14th, 2011Don’t know what sounds better…a beer sampler (is that like a flight but not so upper class?) or the other fixin’s….my kind of people, oh and I saw fabric and chocolate too! The sunburn…priceless…heehaw!
July 14th, 2011Sangria + silly sisters = CRAZY QUILTS!
July 14th, 2011Thanks so much for taking me on your ride, I can’t wait for the next installment! So many big names in your tale, I’m star stuck!
July 14th, 2011I want to BE you!
July 14th, 2011it was a great post once again pointing up the deep dark sadness of my boring life. Mostly I keep repeating “Sisters is a well hung town”. Gawd that was funny…….
July 14th, 2011Sorry about the sunburn, but I loved the creative name tag on your skin.
What a fun time. I was pleased to see you had so many “quilting supplies” on the kitchen counter and relieved to learn that you didn’t waste any time cooking in said kitchen. Good for you for supporting the local restaurants.
July 14th, 2011Hey Sunshine (or should I say SunBURNT?!),
Thanks for sharing your great time. Looks like a ton of fun with a great group of gals.
I think you had the same trouble as I did with Block 8 - the leaf & flower pieces are flipped around. My first try finished too small as well. I had to make another one. I think my rejects pile is almost as big as my keepers!
July 14th, 2011You guys are hilarious and make me wish I lived in Portland so I could hang out with you and have hi-jinks with the gang. And I LOVE the name tag/ta-tas burn! How funny! By the way, my “special scrapbooking gear” looks very similar to your “special quilting gear” - hahaha! Can’t wait for part 2!
July 14th, 2011If you ever need another person for the Sangria Cheering Squad…give me a call. I could make it to Sisters from Boise before anyone sobers up.
July 14th, 2011What a fun post! Thanks for sharing your wild & crazy, fun trip with us. I’d fit right in at Yam Camp. :)
July 14th, 2011Ahhhh, the Sisters Ultimate Quilt Adventure Happy Zombie style. Thanks Monica!
July 14th, 2011looks like a fantastic time (so jealous!) hope the sunburn has healed (that badge is soooo funny) where did you stay - it looks really nice.
July 14th, 2011Great post and fun times. Sorry about the painful sunburn but you obviously know the remedy…alcohol!
July 15th, 2011Having girlfriends who get you and share your sense of humor; and also love to sew and create?! That’s special, ladies! You Yammies have it made!
July 15th, 2011It was a fun weekend and it’s great peeking into the Yam house. I also forgot sunscreen on my chest but the results weren’t nearly as spectacular!
July 15th, 2011What fun! I wish I had a fun-girl-sangria-on-the-porch-back-of-the-car-quilting-goodies-getaway. I’ll have to settle for you photos and a glass of wine. Sigh……
July 15th, 2011Hilarious! I nearly peed my pants checking out the boob-a-licious name tag!! Well hung town did me in - did a total snort spit take!!! Booze & quilting = one freakin’ awesome weekend!!! Major Envy in my heart!
July 15th, 2011:-D
Deanne
Aww… I wanna be a yammie! Looks like you ladies always have so much fun. I’m telling you, one of these days you may see a tiny, dark haired girl carrying a bag of scones from Puyallup (that’ll be me) as an offering to be allowed to party it up with the yams :) I lol’d at your boob burn too. Good times!
July 15th, 2011I’m sitting here trying to hold back my tears. There’s a knot in my throat. I wish I was there with you. I miss Oregon. I miss you and your boobies. I miss Sisters Quilt Show. I cannot wait to get HOME! BUT…I’m super duper glad you had such a great time with your quiltysisters. :)
July 16th, 2011Great post Monica. Can hardly wait to see you quilt photos!
July 16th, 2011Awwww! I miss the yammies already!
July 17th, 2011so funny~clever name tag~you ladies are the best!! ~xo~
July 18th, 2011What a fun time! I will be in
July 18th, 2011Sisters next week. They are always recouping from the quilt show when I am there. One of these days I need to be there the same week of the show.
You gals were so fun! And I loved meeting you MSS! And Violet. And Bari J. and Elizabeth. It super duper made my entire day! xoxo your fan, Pam in Chico *BIG SMILES* p.s. a couple cute pixs of y’all on my “lob”. That’s “little ol’ blog” !!
July 18th, 2011LOVE your pictures…wish I could have caught up with you ladies, as I did look but I really did get to see some bonafide Bari J quilts and some Monica quilts in the “tent” on Saturday … I flew into Redmond @ 11 p.m Friday night, flew back out at 1 p.m. on Sunday, so consider myself lucky to have seen anything of Sisters’ show. Thank you so much for showing me there’s actually a grocery store there … never new that :)
July 18th, 2011I
NEED
…. really NEED
… a VIRGINIA Branch of the Sweet Hot Yams!!!!
What do you think? Want to come to DC to start one? Want to franchise that baby?
July 20th, 2011I am green with envy and not just of your Ta-Tas! Your trip is many a ‘crafting girls’ dream, you lucky bunch. Thanks for sharing! X
July 20th, 2011Loved this post! Read it a couple of times and then showed my husband. Some day I am going to go on a great sewing trip like this and laugh laugh laugh as I imagine you all did. Right now I’ll sttick to being happy with reading about the good times.
July 21st, 2011I just bought my two yards og Happy Mochi Yum Yum though!
How fun!! Thanks so much for sharing! It was so great to meet you last night! Thanks so much for welcoming me to the guild! :)
July 22nd, 2011Oh my goodness….I would so fit in with this group……..wish I was there.
What is not to love? Great ladies, Great food ( no cooking) and sew till your brains fall out …I can’t wait to see the quilt picture.
Happy Sewing
July 25th, 2011Hello from Montreal (Quebec) Canada.
July 25th, 2011Wow you have a nice blog, thank you for sharing :-)
Hi Zombie,
July 27th, 2011This was the first time I visited your blog after seeing that article in AP&Q. I was having a blah day, and I laughed out loud at the comment about showing a pic of your ta-tas and it being gravy. Ha! I don’t do a ton of blog reading, but this post left me with such a smile on my face that I will be coming back in the future. Thanks for cheering up my yucky Monday. :)
Fun! Just wanted to say congrats! Saw the Fall issue of APQ today and your article. Way to go (once again) Monica!
July 30th, 2011Monica! You made me so homesick for the Sisters area! About 11 years ago, my husband built his dad’s house down in Camp Sherman, while WE camped in a TENT TRAILER for 10 months! What wonderful memories we have of that area and the people we met! You’d be proud too, b/c I had a short debut with a quilting group, the Pine Needlers, who were so nice and welcoming! I still have quilts they made me when they found out that I found out I was pregnant WITH TWINS! Memories abound! Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Karen
August 1st, 2011Hey - I know this is not related to your sisters post, but…..I opened my APQ magazine today and guess who I saw?? Congrats on the article! It’s all pretty freak’in fabulous and you deserve it! ;-)
August 2nd, 2011Road Trip! Gotta love the report and rapport! Thankyouverymuch for the blow-by-blow!
August 4th, 2011Special quilting equipment? And here I thought it was only me ;). Seriously, we need some new catalogs with a section entirely dedicated to SQE…
August 7th, 2011Monica, you crack me up! Thanks for sharing your scrapbook memories with us from Sisters. My fave is the sunburn tattoo you earned with your ribbons. If I get to Sisters next year, I’ll look for the Yammies and we can share a G&T. A gal after my own heart. Keep stitchin’.
September 26th, 2011Keri in CA