7
As we bumped along through Wyoming I had been pondering what the fifth habit of the Highly Effective Quilter would be, when we stumbled upon the Geographical Center of the Nation in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
In the park was a lovely museum and a preserved historical log cabin. Although you couldn't go in the log cabin, you could look through it's windows and see the contents. Lo and behold...hanging on the wall was a friendship quilt.
Back in the day, women worked tending the home and sewing clothing for the family. Social time with family and friends was a highlight which might include quilting. These signature quilts served as precious memories, not only for those who moved west, but for those who stayed in one place all their lives. Homesteads that were spread apart created an isolated existence, and those times when they could get together were precious.
This brought me to #5 of the 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Quilter...quilt in a group. Being part of a quilt group provides you with support, encouragement, inspiration, and friendship to keep on stitching. I know some of you are not able, either by location, availability, weather or health, to get out and gather with a quilt group...but, if you are reading this then I know you have access to the internet. One of my most precious quilts, a gargantuan king size 120 x 120 quilt with 2000 different fabrics commemorating Y2K was done with an online quilt group...there are MANY groups on line! Or as in the case of 2 friends, Ginger who lives in Cheyenne and my friend Donna who lives in Vancouver, Washington, they decided to make a quilt together by mail. There were rules decided jointly...bright colors, certain blocks...they each made 8 blocks and gave 4 to each other. Border treatments were the individual quilter's choice. The result...Ginger's quilt is a testament to the support and encouragement of quilting with a friend!
Quilt Guilds also provide a place to be inspired not only to quilt, but to embrace those early ideals of quilting...quilting for someone else or as fundraisers.
It was a no brain-er that when G and I sat down to lunch at the Bay Leaf cafe in Spearfish, South Dakota, and on the table was a packet of quilt raffle tickets from a local guild fundraiser that I was going to take my chances!
In the park was a lovely museum and a preserved historical log cabin. Although you couldn't go in the log cabin, you could look through it's windows and see the contents. Lo and behold...hanging on the wall was a friendship quilt.
Back in the day, women worked tending the home and sewing clothing for the family. Social time with family and friends was a highlight which might include quilting. These signature quilts served as precious memories, not only for those who moved west, but for those who stayed in one place all their lives. Homesteads that were spread apart created an isolated existence, and those times when they could get together were precious.
This brought me to #5 of the 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Quilter...quilt in a group. Being part of a quilt group provides you with support, encouragement, inspiration, and friendship to keep on stitching. I know some of you are not able, either by location, availability, weather or health, to get out and gather with a quilt group...but, if you are reading this then I know you have access to the internet. One of my most precious quilts, a gargantuan king size 120 x 120 quilt with 2000 different fabrics commemorating Y2K was done with an online quilt group...there are MANY groups on line! Or as in the case of 2 friends, Ginger who lives in Cheyenne and my friend Donna who lives in Vancouver, Washington, they decided to make a quilt together by mail. There were rules decided jointly...bright colors, certain blocks...they each made 8 blocks and gave 4 to each other. Border treatments were the individual quilter's choice. The result...Ginger's quilt is a testament to the support and encouragement of quilting with a friend!
Quilt Guilds also provide a place to be inspired not only to quilt, but to embrace those early ideals of quilting...quilting for someone else or as fundraisers.
It was a no brain-er that when G and I sat down to lunch at the Bay Leaf cafe in Spearfish, South Dakota, and on the table was a packet of quilt raffle tickets from a local guild fundraiser that I was going to take my chances!
Yes, I do believe in quilting with a group, whether it be physically or virtually, is maybe not technically a Habit, but it is a choice that will increase the effectiveness of your own quilting! If you need further encouragement check out my previous blog. Wish me luck in the raffle!
.jpg "2019 Sponsor - BERNINA Q 24")
I had at a guild. Why was it censored?
Not all guilds are welcoming.
I've also made 2 quilts by trading blocks with one of the other women from the swap. We have been writing every day since the swap started and that's 19 years. Quilting friends are special ones.
RSS feed for comments to this post