Sad to say, I didn't get to attend International Quilt Festival in Chicago last week and I won't be in Paducah this week for the big show.

But I'm still up to eyebrows in quilts and quilt news. And I did get my quilt exhibit fix this month at the Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey, which is showing art quilts from the collection of John M. Walsh III. The show is breathtaking and the most fun part was dragging along a friend who never heard the words "art" and "quilt" in the same sentence. She was mostly speechless, but finally uttered the words, "I had no idea."

DID MARK LIPINSKI REALLY DO THAT?
I've been friends with Mark Lipinski, who is sometimes known as the "bad boy of quilting" for his blunt honesty and outrageous humor, for several years. I've always admired his sass, smarts and productivity. But I didn't realize how brave and extraordinary he was until now, watching him cope with a devastating medical diagnosis. For those who haven't heard, Mark announced early this week that he's suffering from polycystic kidney disease and will need a kidney transplant or dialysis in the near future. Right now he feels fine, but he knows he's got a rough road ahead. In the age of social networking, maybe it isn't unusual to announce something like this on Facebook, but Mark didn't just post about this to attract the sympathy vote. The guy needs a kidney, and he's using his FB page and his blog to ask for one, listing his blood type.

I think it's a touching testament to how fervently his fans feel that more than a few of Mark's "cupcakes" have actually offered him a kidney, or at least inquired about how they can be tested for compatibility. I was thinking that if Mark finds his donor on FB that would be a first. However, the Wall Street Journal reports that several people have already found kidney donors using Facebook and Twitter. I pray he joins their ranks.

Right now, the most remarkable aspect of this whole thing is Mark's attitude. I've seen Mark get more stressed about the wording of his editor's letter than he has been about his kidney disease (so far) and it sure demonstrates the value of a sense of humor. I love someone who can laugh at such a time and invite others to laugh along. Mark has been posting pictures of kidney pie and kidney beans on his blog. But I really loved when he posted a photo of lemons, followed immediately by a recipe for lemonade.

If you want to read more, go to Mark's always-entertaining blog at marklipinskisblog.wordpress.com. Leave a message to help keep his spirits up. If you have type O blood and a kidney to spare, you may have to take a number!

SPRING QUILT FESTIVAL MOVING TO CINCINNATI
Quilts Inc., the Houston-based outfit that runs International Quilt Festival, announced recently that its spring quilt show will leave Chicago and set up shop in Cincy.

Festival director Karey Bresenhan said in a press release: "We're all about trying new things and after eight years in our current location, we're happy that we will be able to act on many of the suggestions made on our recent attendee surveys. These include such things as providing easier parking, more accommodation options, and access to a great variety of restaurants at all price levels. All will be available when we make this move."

Next year's show will be held at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati, within walking distance of shopping, eateries and other amenities. There was an outpouring of messages on the Festival's FaceBook page this week from quilters in the Chicago area disappointed that the show is moving 300 miles away. But over the years, Quilts Inc. received many complaints about the location in suburban Rosemont, Illinois.

"There is nothing within walking distance of Rosemont," says Bob Ruggiero, a spokesman for Quilts Inc., "And if we moved to one of the few locations big enough in downtown Chicago, we'd have to hike the price for both attendees and vendors by a lot. Also, we never got many regular people coming out to Rosemont, the general-interest person who is not a quilter." There is hope that the new location will bring in plenty of Midwestern quilters, but also tempt some not-yet-quilters.

"We wanted to keep a show in the midwest, and we have Texas and California," Bob added. "Now we just have to launch an east coast show....." Sounds good to me sitting here in New Jersey!

Next year's spring Festival will run April 8 to 10, 2011. Hotel information will be listed next month at quilts.com, and the class catalog will be out in December.

OBAMA QUILT BOOK IS OUT NOW: YES, THEY DID!
Even if I had not written the foreword to Carolyn Mazloomi's handsome book on Obama quilts, I would still be grabbing total strangers and telling them to buy this book.

Journey of Hope: Quilts Inspired by President Barack Obama is a beautifully produced showcase for more than 100 Obama quilts of every shape and style you can imagine. The photographs are first-rate and each quilt is shown with an artist's statement. This hardcover book sells for $24.99, much less at Amazon.com, and makes a great gift.

GOING TO PADUCAH? HELP MAKE A VIDEO FOR HOLLIS CHATELAIN
The amazing thread-painted masterpieces of Hollis Chatelain are well-known to quilters. After all, she has won top honors at numerous quilt shows, including Quilt Festival in Houston. Now Hollis and a cadre of passionate friends and quilt world luminaries are working to prepare a major traveling exhibition called "Imagine Hope" which combines some of her major works like "Precious Water" with photographs that depict major global issues.

As a fervent supporter of Hollis and this project, I urge you to learn more by checking out a new YouTube video about the project and visiting the website, imaginehope.org. There are many ways you can support this, including buying notecards, tee shirts and other merchandise on the Imagine Hope site and selected quilt shops.

Here's a link to the video.

But if you are in Paducah in the near future, you can do more. First off, the Imagine Hope exhibit recently opened at Paducah's National Quilt Museum and will remain there until May 25. If you go during the AQS show, you also have a chance to make a few stitches in a special Imagine Hope quilt: the quilting by many hands is being videotaped and will be used to promote the exhibition.

MY LATEST QUILT IS MADE OF VOICES
I wanted to do something memorable for my husband's milestone birthday this month and when I heard about Voice Quils, I signed up right away. The idea is to get a bunch of people to call a toll-free number and record a message, recalling favorite memories, telling stories, offering blessings. The organizer of the Voice Quilt (me, in this case), arranges all the messages, like a playlist, adding a greeting and ending message.

Those on a budget can simply get the messages burned onto a CD, but I paid extra for a beautiful wooden keepsake box that works like a music box. When my husband opens it, the messages will start to play. It comes with a printed list of names but he'll know who's on it, because most of the 14 people will be at a family party next weekend. Playing the whole recording, about 25 minutes, will be part of the evening's entertainment.

The website is great for explaining how the process works and supplying sample messages. Every time someone left a message, I got an e-mail so I could keep up with the project's status. I can't wait to watch my husband as he listens to everyone from his 2-year-old granddaughter to his 95-year-old godmother. I'm going to pass out Kleenex for sure!

I think this is a great idea for lots of celebrations but I also know someone who plans to make a Voice Quilt for her mother, who is in the early stages of dementia. She will have a comforting box of memories to hold on to, and can listen to her loved one's voices and stories whenever she wants. For more, go to voicequilt.com (and for the record, I have no affiliation except as a customer.)

Enjoy this glorious season of new growth, and many, many quilt shows. I'm going to spend the next week making a Quilter's Mojo doll. The pattern is in the April-May issue of Quilter's Home magazine and if you send in a photo of yours by May 1, you can get in the next issue with me.

Quilt on!

love, Meg