Visiting Martha!

Karen, Sue, Sara, and Susan ... and Emily (Sara's GPS) made the trip to Arlington to attend the Martha Pullen Sewing Market in May. What a great time we had!  We shopped, went to classes, shopped, ate and shopped... I think we even got together a few ideas for our group to look at in the fall.

Besides that, we had our picture made with our new best friend Martha...

She sends you her best!!

We saw some ideas for sweatshirts and other kids' stuff:

We saw the most fabulous crazy quilts.

As Martha says, "Gloria McKinnon my very dear friend from Australia shared many gorgeous silk ribbon techniques from her fabulous crazy patch quilt."  Her work was unbelievably gorgeous.  Here are some samples:

 

Gloria attended with a broken arm.  Here she shares her work on a pillow sham.  Another close up view of the sham:

She also shared a bed throw for the end of the bed:

She said this was actually three larger blocks that had been cut into smaller blocks to make this bed throw.

Gloria said that making this throw for the end of the bed was much less intimidating than making a whole quilt.

The handwork on this quilt is magnificent.  She also used machine stitching.

Also a crazy quilt in black and white:

A quilt made of ties:

And on the back...

A tie, of course!

A beautiful quilt with the Godey girls prints on fabric.

A close up of her work.

You can actually get this quilt as a "block of the month" for a mere $55 a block!

Gloria also taught some techniques for adding flowers to your crazy quilts:

And another flower.

And another flower.

Such beautiful work!

We saw some machine embroidery...

Even some machine embroidery on cards!

We had a wonderful time. Thanks, Karen, for being the designated driver!  Thanks, Sara, for coordinating the reservations!

Scattered Leaves in Progress

At our April meeting, we each brought scattered leaf blocks to share, and at the May meeting, we signed those blocks with our names and a special Bible verse.  Each block is so unique and beautiful...such a reflection of the different ladies who made them.  Below are the blocks and the Bible verses before they made it to individual quilts.

Sue Golden - Psalm 121: 1 - 2

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2. My help [cometh] from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Marilyn Shine - Jeremiah 33:3

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Susan Swindle - John 15:12

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Sandy Collins - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

3. Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Sara Hector - Proverbs 18:24

A man [that hath] friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.

Margaret Leigh - Psalm 103

1. *[A Psalm] of David.* Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. 2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8. The Lord [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9. He will not always chide: neither will he keep [his anger] for ever. 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12. As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13. Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 14. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we [are] dust. 15. [As for] man, his days [are] as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 17. But the mercy of the Lord [is] from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; 18. To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. 19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 20. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21. Bless ye the Lord, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

Grace McDonald - John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Melva Hobbs - Psalm 23

1. *A Psalm of David.* The Lord [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Karen Coats - Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

Grace Whitis - Numbers 6:24

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.

Joycelyn Miller - I Corinthians 12:9

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

These blocks are so beautiful and different, and every quilt that is made from them will be a treasured memento of the friends we have in this sewing group.  What a blessing each and every person brings to every other quilter in the group!  Thank you all for participating!

May Quilting

Grace McDonald hosted the quilters for the May meeting.  Everyone truly enjoyed being in her home. She provided a delicious breakfast of  juices, coffee, some delectable cinnamon rolls, pigs in a blanket and rosemary cookies.

Some beautiful projects were shared during the "sew and show."

Sue shared a lovely purse with cool grommets, but she would not let us auction it off. She also shared a crocheted "trivet" that she said we could all do it in 30 minutes! (Ha!Ha!)

She also had two quilt tops in progress for her grandchildren.

Carol brought some lovely cross stitch pieces.  She does such amazing work:

Margaret was working, but she had found in her mother's things a very special friendship quilt, which Melva brought to share. 

What was so very interesting and unique about this quilt is that Melva's mother had signed one of the blocks. 

Sue and Karen worked on a "jelly roll" quilt pattern that is a modified log cabin with some very cool blocks. Grace McDonald has a box of Christmas Jelly rolls and coordinating fabrics [Mary Englebright]...many projects to come. The rest of us enjoyed visiting.

Lunch was fantastic  thanks to Grace for all her hard work!We feasted on chicken spaghetti, fresh green beans, garlic bread and PECAN PIE something or other that was unbelievable!!!

And, of course, we traded our blocks from last month! Can't wait to see how those beautiful quilts turn out!
Thank you to everyone who participated and to Susan for the idea.

Thanks again to Grace for having us in your home and for providing such a delicious meal!