Ricky Tims and the Drive-by Quiltings!

A drive-by quilting in lovely Pembroke, New York.

I love me a crafty man. And a man who can inspire other people to love craft - well, there just aren't many blokes who can claim to be in that category (paging Kaffe Fassett!) But quiltmaker and musician Ricky Tims has spent decades teaching men and women how to quilt. And even better, he's turning quilters all over America into crafts exhibitionists!

Here's how it works. Ricky goes on tour, playing concerts and leading quilting workshops all over the fifty states. While on the road, he lets his crafty followers in on his itinerary. The goal: that when he passes through their town, they will flash him with their quilts!

Drive-by in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ricky calls them 'drive-by quiltings', but I think I prefer 'quilty flashings'. I love seeing these photos of slightly older folks with big grins, getting to show off a quilt that took months to complete. Suddenly a craft object that only their families have enjoyed is seen by thousands on Ricky's website.

A Portland, OR overpass becomes the scene of a craft event.

Go take a gander! It'll make you think twice about where and when to show off your crafty accomplishments. But don't just start hanging out with your quilt at the side of the road - go take a look at Ricky's website for more details.