I am a big Eleanor Burns fan, so when I heard that she was hosting a Historic Bed Turning and Tea event, at her Quilt in a Day shop in San Marcos, I knew I had to go! 🙂
I bought some cup of tea and teapot panels, some coordinating tea cup fabric, and made her a little wallhanging. I am still new to appliqué, so as I was sewing the letters on, I was so nervous to not mess up! That’s Eleanor Burns!! Lol but it turned out very nice! I was uber excited to give it to her! I was so excited I couldn’t sleep the night before!

Early that morning, I got ready to go, and as I drove south , the sunrise was beautiful! Then I started to head into San Clemente and those little places, and it was SO foggy!! It looked cloudy with a chance of meatballs! Lol and there I was turning my heater on, because it was so cold! And then as I drove into San Marcos, the sun came back out, it was like something from a movie scene!! Lol

Based on my last trip to San Diego, I estimated a two hour or two and a half hour drive; To my surprise, I made it to San Marcos in about an hour, leaving me with an hour to spare until the shop actually opened. I snapped some pictures of the building, and the Quilt in a Day sign, can you believe El’s parking spot!? 🙂 isn’t that the cutest thing!?
I definitely don’t want to be “stitched in the ditch”!! Lol
I stopped at a local Starbucks to have a little bite to eat, as well as work on my blogging! 🙂
As it reached opening hour, I drove back to the shop, and as I get ready to get out of the car, my stocking TEARS!!! Ahh!!! How do you repair a torn stocking in a moments notice? Lol
I pulled them up a bit and pulled my dress down and was able to hide! Phew! How embarrassing would that have been, meeting Eleanor with a hole in my stocking?!

As I made it into the shop, I was so excited to give Eleanor the wall hanging I made her that I didn’t browse the shop yet. I was determined to meet and greet her before the webinar. And I did! 🙂 I walked into their classroom, which is huge by the way, and there she was! 🙂 She saw me from the moment I walked in, and as I approached her, she said “well hello there, how are you? I saw your face when you came in and it looked like you had something neat to give me!” As I showed her the wall hanging , she gathered the ladies close by and said “oh isn’t this wonderful!! Thank you so much, look , ladies, what Diana made me, isn’t this nice?!” Oh, I was so flattered! She then started to walk into the studio and said she wants to hang it on the wall for the intro of the event!
As we walked into the studio, I was introduced to her son, director and camera man, Orion Burns. They are all just such kind, down to earth people, as you would imagine! It truly was my pleasure to have met them and be a part of this Historical Bed Turning event!
I was able to get my book autographed by Eleanor and I was so excited about that!
I also bought an 8-pack of fat quarters, a goodie bag with some patterns, AND a signed copy of Eleanor’s newest book , Quilts from El’s Kitchen that I will be giving away! So do continue reading for more details on that! 🙂

While waiting for the event to begin, I perused the shop, trying to not miss out on a good seat. Luckily, I made a friend, Michelle, who invited me to sit with her! 🙂 that was very nice of her! Thank you again, Michelle!

With everyone settled, some tea and cookies, we were ready to see Eleanor’s amazing historical collection of quilts and patterns and so much more!!
I didn’t take many pictures in the beginning of the show, but you can view the ENTIRE event on Quilt in a Day USTREAM live here! The first 24 minutes is a still screen, and some background noise of the set up, but mainly music. So do fast forward that, unless you’re curious as to what we were talking about behind the scenes.. 😉
I was beyond excited when, once the recording began for the webinar, Eleanor gave me and my sweet baby Ray a little shoutout while showing my wall hanging!

**I added some quotes and excerpts from the event throughout this post; you can view the event on ustream, but the links/highlighted times you will see after a quote will send you to the video on youtube. I was able to link up until it was about an hour into the show, but I will still post the time where the quote or excerpt was mentioned for you to see! 🙂 I do encourage to see the whole thing, as I mentioned, I do not do this event any justice, but I am still doing this post to share with you as best as I can! Eleanor is incredible! **

If you go to part 28:05 of the video, El introduces my wall hanging, calls it a “collectors item” and says hello to me and Ray, who just absolutely loves watching her show!! 🙂 she also mentioned doing more Bed Turning events to show the wall hanging!
I was so happy she liked it enough to mention it on her webinar!
Thank you, Eleanor! 🙂
I will now post a collection of only SOME of the vintage and antique quilts she talked about during the event; Some quilts she has purchased or were given to her during her travels, and some were recreations or her own take on some original vintage quilts! 🙂
I couldn’t explain the entire event as well as Eleanor did, so I leave it to you to watch her explain and show her extensive and amazing collection of patterns, books and nick-nacks she’s collected over the years!
Click on the highlighted “here” a couple paragraphs above, or simply go to youtube and type “quilt in a day bedturning“! Enjoy!!

The event was filled SO many historical facts and information on the history of quilting! I urge you to watch the event online(here), learn about Marie Webster, the mother of quilting, look at Marie Webster’s first quilts, books and patterns. Eleanor shows so many of her antique patterns, newspaper clippings, books and quilts she’s collected throughout the years! She shared a whole stack of quilts, each with a story worth listening to! 🙂
Did you know that Ruth Finley wrote the second book of quilting? (Marie Webster wrote the first book of quilting.) She wrote , in 1929, about patchwork quilts and the women who made them; as she drove through the back streets of the country, when she spotted a quilt out on the line, she would go up to the house, knock on their door and ask for a glass of water. After being invited in and given a glass of water, she asked about the quilts hanging in their yards and documented the stories of the quilts she’s encountered! And she quotes “The water that I have drunk, in the pursuits of quilts, would sink a battleship!” (47:14) Some of the things that Ruth Finley has said, I really enjoyed and got a kick out of it; Ruth says “NEVER begin a quilt on Friday, you will NEVER live to see it completed! “(58:28), she was very superstitious about Christians cross, as well as Friday being hangman day! Ruth also says “Never quilt on Sunday or you will have to take it out with your nose on Monday “(59:20) Some say that if you have a thimble, you can QUILT in Sunday, because the thimble will keep you from harm!
Isn’t that something!
🙂
I am telling you, these are only FEW examples and INTERESTING FACTS that Eleanor talks about!! I do it no justice trying to explain it in quotes! Watch the video by clicking on the highlighted links throughout this post!

This “Double wedding ring” quilt was one with many superstitions! For example “A girl who begins piecing a quilt will not marry until it is finished! When the quilt is first taken off the frame, throw it at the first single man she sees to charm him into a relationship”(1:08:50), can you believe that? 🙂
I may get started on my Double wedding ring quilt now!! Lol I want to marry before I end up old and lonely!
Oh and don’t forget!! “DO NOT make a wedding quilt in the pattern of “Wandering Foot” , as it will cause the husband to stray from the marriage bed”!! (1:11:38)
Ok, noted!! Lol NO WANDERING FOOT PATTERN!!

Eleanor took us through all the famous quilt makers, starting with Marie Webster and so many more , I just cannot list them all! 🙂
Please forgive me about that!!
I do hope you watched the video on Quilt in a Day’s Ustream.tv and really enjoyed the event!
The last quilt she talked about was her very first quilt, the Log Cabin, which is not finished yet! This quilt is what started it all!
(2:00:00)Eleanor talks about how, at one point, she had put her log cabin quilt top in a garage sale; Her son, Orion, saw El’s quilt top and grabbed it, giving it back to his mom saying “Mom, you might become famous one day!”
Low and behold, Eleanor is now a quilting legend! 🙂
Self-published her first book “Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern” in 1978, and after that became a prolific author, teacher trainer, tv personality, and a role model in the quilting world!
As of 2012, she became an Honoree at The Quilter Hall of Fame!! You can view her Hall of Fame page here.
Isn’t she just an inspiration!! 🙂

Please visit her Quilt in a Day website and shop, where you can ALL of her books, patterns, fabrics and so much more at quiltinaday.com here.
You can read and follow her blog stripquilter.com here, as well as her Facebook here, her quilt in a day Facebook here and her Quilt in a Day Instagram here.

I was beyond excited to have met Eleanor and attend her event! “for Diana and Ray, Cook where you Quilt, Eleanor Burns 2013” is what El wrote in my book! Something that Raymond and I will always cherish! Thank you again Eleanor, you are amazing! 🙂

Now, that giveaway! 🙂
This is an over $75 value goodie bag containing an AUTOGRAPHED copy of Eleanor’s newest book, “Quilts from El’s kitchen“, three Eleanor Burns Signature Patterns : Piece of Cake, Zig A Zag and Hole in the Wall, as well as a clear zipper tote that says “Eleanor Burns made a stripper out of me!”, a booklet of recipes for a variety of pastries from El’s kitchen and a cute 8-pack of pretty pink fat quarters! You have UP TO 6 possible entries for this giveaway! 🙂
This giveaway is open to EVERYONE!

**HERE’S HOW TO ENTER**
– like and comment on this post about what Eleanor Burns pattern(s) you have done, or which pattern you would like to try (one entry)
– follow my blog , and if you are already following my blog, leave a separate comment that you are already following me or just started following me (ADDITIONAL entry )
– follow Eleanor’s Instagram , Facebook and/or blog , leaving a separate comment for each action (up to 3 ADDITIONAL entries)
– help spread the word!! share, repost, reblog this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest,etc. leaving a separate comment letting me know that you shared this giveaway! ( one ADDITIONAL entry)

The winner of this AMAZING goodie bag will be announced on the 19th of October, that day will be Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day’s 35th ANNIVERSARY !

Thank you so much for reading, let me know if I’ve made a typo, have incorrect information, or the clickable links are faulty. Positive comments, feedback, your story on how you met Eleanor Burns, your favorite Eleanor burns patterns and books and anything you’d like are definitely welcomed as well! 🙂

Toodles for now,
Diana and Ray<3