In 2005 someone suggested to me that I enter my latest quilt in VQF.  “VQF?”  “What’s VQF?”, I asked.  I did take her advice and entered my very first contest quilt in the Vermont Quilt Festival.

Every year since then, I’ve had a quilt in the contest.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have my name on (drum roll, please) **** THE INSERT SHEET of AWARD WINNERS**** three times since then, a thrill each and every time.  I’ve been awarded the Most Whimsical, the Best Use of Theme and the Best Machine Embellishment Awards.

Imagine my shock when, last August, I received a call asking if I would like to be an instructor at this year’s festival.  I was certain they had called a wrong number.  Me, an instructor at VQF?!?!  Yikes! Happily, it was the right number, and, after much hesitation, I agreed.  It was one of the better decisions I’ve made in my life which left me pinching myself for months.  Me, teaching at VQF.  Unbelievable!

Not only did I survive my three days of teaching full-day classes, I actually had a wonderful time.  I guess my students did,too, because when I turned in my classroom key, I was asked by the powers that be if I would like to teach again in the future.  They want me back! This time, without hesitation, I said “Yes!”

Lesson learned…It’s never too late to achieve a dream, even if it seemed too unattainable to be on your bucket list.

The registration form has been on my To Do list for a while now. Yes, I do know that the entry due-date for the Vermont Quilt Festival is February 1, the same as last year. Yes, I still have nightmares (3 p.m., Feb. 1, 2012) of last year’s entry being taped to a wall, no sleeve yet, to be photographed so that the form could be mailed, with that all important post mark, before the Post Office closed at 5:00. Why then, with this memory haunting me, am I once again in a mad dash to meet the deadline? I should know by now that a piece which I predict will take a month, will actually take two because I am so darned anal. Thanksgiving, then Christmas, which occur every year, always seem to get in the way of my best laid plans. From past experience, I am acutely aware that creating for family takes precedence over show quilts. Always has, always will. “Mom, could you? Nana, would you?” “Sure, no problem.” Eyes are older, hands are older, days, weeks seem to be passing faster than ever. So near, and yet so far. Better find the tape.