I got to thinking about this today because I am without a car and have to miss ‘quilting’ tonight. I’m in quite a few quilting circles and I enjoy being in every single one for different reasons and *hate* to miss anything.
The first quilt group I was in was the Goldfields Quilters in Castlemaine, Victoria. I was one of the founding members and it was 1992 (or might have been 1991). We meet twice monthly and we’re still going strong. That’s the one I have to miss tonight, “bah humbug”.
However I still have this Friday night’s 6 to Midnight at Threadbear in Castlemaine, better not still be sans voiture then. That group meets about every six weeks and is a lot of fun too. There’s only nine of us in that little group and we also manage to get away for a retreat once a year together.
I’m also in another group of nine, this one we started out calling ‘Love and Friendship’ because the reason for getting together was to spur each on in making Linda Franz’s Love and Friendship Quilt featured in her book ‘Quilted Diamonds’. We have been meeting for eighteen months and I have made 3 blocks. However 3 is all I’m going to make because I decided that whilst the quilt is very gorgeous… it’s just not for me and it’s too much work not to be totally in love with it. Six other members decided pretty much the same thing too but we still love getting together and so we still meet once a month, taking turns to host. And besides, we might just pick up Linda’s quilt again.
I took some photo’s at our last Saturday session and I should also tell you we quickly dubbed the group ‘Looove and Friendship’ because we’re a bit silly like that and then whilst emailing a memo, Rose did a ‘typo’ and called it Love and Feindship’, that kind of stuck…so here is our last ‘Loooove and Feindship’ sit and sew…
Jean is staying 'true' and making Quilted Diamonds but she's using the English Paper Piecing Method
Jean’s blocks all look fabulous, she’s using all 1800’s Repro blues and lights. After starting out hand piecing she’s switched to Paper Piecing and finds that’s working perfectly.
Wendy's Dutch Treat, and she's still doing Quilted Diamonds!!
Wendy is one of the most prolific of our group…we probably all start as many projects as Wendy does but Wendy actually finishes them.
Wendy's Phebe Quilt
Wendy does a lot of Di Ford’s classes and quilts, Phebe (above) was just waiting her final border but is now finished…yay. Now she can concentrate on (among other things) her Ann Daggs Quilt, another of Di’s gorgeous quilt patterns.
Irene (Irene Blanck) was working on a border for her newest quilt and pattern…it’s to be called Eva in honour of Irene’s Mother-in-Law.
Irene's pretty new quilt, Eva.
I was chipping away at the Morrell quilt, more Broderie Perse, and in the photo you’ll see some of Lynn J’s work…she’s a fan of using selvages and I’ve been the lucky recipient of her talents a few times.
Another Morrell block and some Selvage goodies.
Tracey was sewing the binding to her latest quilt. And Denise, Rose and Lyn R had all flown North for the Winter…I hope they took their sewing.
In addition to those three groups I’m also in TAS (The Applique Society), in Castlemaine we have the first Australian Chapter of this long standing American based guild and we meet four times a year. And I’m also in a group called Farm Day, which is a day combining ‘Quilt History’ in the morning and ‘Sit and Sew’ in the afternoon.
But for tonight, it’s another evening with some hand stitching in front of the fire.
And just because I don’t think I’ve put enough photo’s up today… here’s another of Wendy’s Phebe Quilt. A close up this time so you can see how clever she is.
Detail of Di Ford's 'Phebe Quilt' sewn by Wendy.
The Phebe Quilt is one of my many UFOs…but I’ve got to concentrate on the Connecticut and the Morrell.
OK…dinner…then sewing…
Thanks for visiting.
this just won’t do! how about one of the girls pick you up?
really enjoyed reading the groups you belong to margaret – got me thinking how many i belong to and i am shuddering!
this quilting business has very little to do with needle and thread, and so much more to do with the uplifting and nurturing of women – so as to remain strong and full of grace!
thanks for sharing margaret and great pics too x
Hello Margaret, Thank you so much for your comment, and for including your blog address. I LOVE your blog, and will be following from now on. You were so fearless to cut into your Den Haan panel for Broiderie Perse! I feel much better about the panel since I have read the comments posted. I don’t really know what I expected, but just need to adjust to the softness of the colors. I first saw the panel on the SSS blog, in Di’s Burnt Quilt, and the colors looked more vivid in the photo than in real life. Did you happen to go back and see my version of Phebe, which I did using Broiderie Perse? I know it’s different from Di’s, but I am quite pleased. Please visit me again, won’t you? I look forward to reading back through your older posts, and seeing all the goodies. Michele
Makes me feel really lazy and unproductive – what lovely work from everyone. There is something special about quilting and the friendships we make though, so it’s quite possible that you can never belong to too many groups!
Hi. Good to see you last night
And…welcome to Blogland…how fun to be able to see what gorgeous quiltyness you’re up to without waiting for the next 6-12. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts this morning, a lovely accompaniment to the morning coffee. Hugs.