Today was my big power point presentation to the Russian quilters at the
Moscow quilt exhibition. They extended the exhibit by one day and also scheduled
a fashion show after my presentation, so it was a full day of quilts, photos and
fashion for the ladies who came from all over Russia.
Moscow quilt exhibition. They extended the exhibit by one day and also scheduled
a fashion show after my presentation, so it was a full day of quilts, photos and
fashion for the ladies who came from all over Russia.
Several of our eQuilter customers came to meet me, which was very special.
One of them was Alexandra Nikulina who I interviewed in a video at the
Birmingham Festival of Quilts in August. She brought me a good luck charm
necklace which was a tiny stuffed doll figure on a cord, which she put over my
head and insisted that I wear for the day. Several other customers brought me
gifts as well – a Christmas ornament made from eQuilter fabrics – a porcelain
"Moscow" collector thimble – a crazy quilt eyeglass case – and several ATC
cards.
One of them was Alexandra Nikulina who I interviewed in a video at the
Birmingham Festival of Quilts in August. She brought me a good luck charm
necklace which was a tiny stuffed doll figure on a cord, which she put over my
head and insisted that I wear for the day. Several other customers brought me
gifts as well – a Christmas ornament made from eQuilter fabrics – a porcelain
"Moscow" collector thimble – a crazy quilt eyeglass case – and several ATC
cards.
I thought I was totally prepared when I had the power point file not only
on my laptop, but backed up on a flash drive. Wrong! I didn't realize that the
power cord was not drawing any energy from the plug, so 30 minutes into my
presentation my laptop battery died! We got two other laptops and tried to run
the power point from the flash drive, but they only had Power Point 2003, which
was not compatible with a PP 2007 file. Rats! Finally after about 15 minutes we
got it all sorted out and found a way to resume the presentation. I showed
images of over 200 quilts from 7 different quilt exhibitions around the world.
The quilters in the audience were absolutely fascinated, and it was so great to
introduce them to so many new ideas in contemporary quilting. I look forward to
seeing what the Russian quilters will do with these ideas, in the next year or
two!
on my laptop, but backed up on a flash drive. Wrong! I didn't realize that the
power cord was not drawing any energy from the plug, so 30 minutes into my
presentation my laptop battery died! We got two other laptops and tried to run
the power point from the flash drive, but they only had Power Point 2003, which
was not compatible with a PP 2007 file. Rats! Finally after about 15 minutes we
got it all sorted out and found a way to resume the presentation. I showed
images of over 200 quilts from 7 different quilt exhibitions around the world.
The quilters in the audience were absolutely fascinated, and it was so great to
introduce them to so many new ideas in contemporary quilting. I look forward to
seeing what the Russian quilters will do with these ideas, in the next year or
two!
After signing many autographs and taking many photos with quilters and
their quilts, we settled down to watch a fashion show with lots of great
wearable art. Several of the designer-models were familiar to me …. having
seen them at the Birmingham fashion show last year. Fashion sewing is evidently
quite popular here!
their quilts, we settled down to watch a fashion show with lots of great
wearable art. Several of the designer-models were familiar to me …. having
seen them at the Birmingham fashion show last year. Fashion sewing is evidently
quite popular here!
Then my gracious hosts had to close down the show and take down the quilts.
Finally we went out to dinner with a quilter from St Petersburg who translated
for us over a Georgian meal. It is customary to order juice for the whole table
in a cute little glass pitcher. One of these pitchers was filled with a bright
emerald green liquid, but with a sprig of herbs in the concoction. They said it
was a very special medicinal drink with no chemicals – all natural and herbal.
(except for the green food coloring?)
Finally we went out to dinner with a quilter from St Petersburg who translated
for us over a Georgian meal. It is customary to order juice for the whole table
in a cute little glass pitcher. One of these pitchers was filled with a bright
emerald green liquid, but with a sprig of herbs in the concoction. They said it
was a very special medicinal drink with no chemicals – all natural and herbal.
(except for the green food coloring?)
I had some delicious Georgian bread (similar to Indian naan bread) and
several interesting vegetarian dishes. Some of the tables had couches instead
of chairs, and some patrons were smoking from hookah pipes! Smoking is legal in
Russian restaurants and the men smoke like crazy, so by the end of the evening
my eyes were burning from the smoke. My hotel lobby is full of cigarette smoke
too, so you really can't escape it here. Apparently there is some talk of
passing laws to limit smoking in restaurants here, which would be helpful.
several interesting vegetarian dishes. Some of the tables had couches instead
of chairs, and some patrons were smoking from hookah pipes! Smoking is legal in
Russian restaurants and the men smoke like crazy, so by the end of the evening
my eyes were burning from the smoke. My hotel lobby is full of cigarette smoke
too, so you really can't escape it here. Apparently there is some talk of
passing laws to limit smoking in restaurants here, which would be helpful.
After dinner we went back to my hotel via the famous Metro which is deep
underground and decorated with gold and marble and glass mosaics murals. That
was on my list of things to see, so I was glad to check that one off on the
first day out in Moscow!
