jannunes

I joined the International Miniture Quilt Exchange because I wanted to meet quilters from aroundworld, and to challenge myselft to do something outside my comfort level. I have a great story around my experience as well. I was originally paired with a women in Queensland, Australia. She was a member of a guilt there, but didn't have a computer or smart phone so couldn't communicate directly with me. One of her guild members, Caroline McGilld offered to be the link between us. Caroline, who also joined and was paired with a wonderful woman in PA, Nancy McClelland. In a very short time Caroline and I became very fast friends. Sharing all our out families and lives, not just quilting. We really grew to like each other very much. Well unfortunatly my original partner fell and had to haave hip surgery so she dropped out of the group. So Caroline introduced me to her partner, Nancy, and the two of them just pulled me into their group. And what fun we had. We shared so much and worked so hard on our mini's that we couldn't wait to exchange them. We didnt give each other pics or hints so it was a complete surprise one we sent them off. Personally I was just floored when mine came. And I got 2 since I had 2 partners! they were absoultly amazing, and they loved the ones I made for them. 

The mini I made for Caroline is a vivid colored paper pieced large quilt I reduced to a mini. It was one of the hardest project I've ever worked on. It has about 230 pieces and is 21" by 21" and I called it organized Chaos. Caroline like vivid colors and often does modern quilts. 

. Nancy's quilt is sunflowers made of 3/4 hexies. My son is a bee keeper, and sunflowers are grown in the delta near my home. I just love seeing huge fields of them when I drive out that way. I call Nancy's quilt Bee Joyful. It was all pieced by hand and I have a hole in my index finger to prove it! LOL. There are over 300 hexies in that mini. Nancy likes more traditional  quilts and more subdued colors so I tried to make something closer to her tastes. 

Caroline travels as do I. Nancy not so much. Caroline has invited me to come visit her in Queensland, which my sister and I are planning a trip this coming year. I told Nancy I'd come see her as well since I go to VA once or twice a year to visit my daughter there. Such a wonderful experince which challeged me and brought me two new wonderful friends.

Jan Harvell