Quilting history- who knew?

 Welcome spring- even though winter is not giving up without a fight.  But the daffodils are in bloom, and the birds are singing, and we are enjoying some perfect spring days.                                              Our April meeting was a week early since next weekend is Easter.  Even so, there was a slightly smaller crowd- many are still hiding out in warmer climes.  The show and tell didn't suffer at all, though!

Nancy Mitchell pieced this top from a community service kit

Wendy Wilson shared her first quilt with us!

Chris Kuehl had to set this aside when her hands couldn't do the embroidery.  Recently she discovered her machine could do it!

Donna Tomski made this beauty from a kit.  Mary Lowe did the quilting for her.

Kathi Everett started doing "Kantha" stitching during the covid days.  This was one of her first pieces, which will be a bag.

This newest piece, made from Tracy Jachimowicz's scraps, will also be a bag for Tracy

This bag was also made during covid. Begun as a gift for another, Kathi made it a gift to herself instead!

Dee Waldraff made this donkey piece because it reminded her of her own donkey.  From a kit by Toni Whitney.  

The sunflower is also a Toni Whitney design, but Dee chose the fabrics from her stash.  

Mary Ellen Ames had some help at retreat to get this piece finished.  It came out different from the kit, but she likes it anyway. 

Dianne Szczupakowski  Made this courthouse steps piece for a strip challenge- using a jelly roll.

Dianne made this one from a kit which included the barn panels.

Robin Jarvis shared this community service donation quilt made by member Carol Farkas

Bonnie Dedo used this panel as a practice piece to try our the new stitch regulator she got for her domestic machine.

This piece was part of the unfinished projects left by our former member Ann Gouinlock.  Bonnie finished it, but without the appliqué that Ann so loved in the border.

John Rolle and Joann Flynt collaborated on this piece,

John made this one on his own, discovering more fabric was needed partway through, so he had to make do.  I think it looks like it was designed this way!

Nancy Schrader rediscovered the pineapple pincushion thanks to her grandson, so thought she'd share it.

Nancy was gifted sewing supplies by a friend, so she used some of it to make "Jack and Jill" quilts as gifts for the friend and her spouse.  (above and below)

Alex Hammon was happy to have finished this collage, from a pattern by Laura Heine and begun in a class at The Stitchery.  She pieced the backing (below)

Eileen Sorochty knitted some cute little critters for Easter baskets- she said the sheep are a "one a day" project.

Elaine Ross had the panel and fabric set aside for quite a while, but finally got them out to finish this beautiful piece. The metallic thread in the quilting adds just that right amount of magic!

Apologies to the speaker, but I did not get her name.  She is an interpreter at the Genesee Country Museum, working in one of the Victorian era houses. She has been a quilter for many years.  She shared some of the (replicas of the originals) quilts from the museum, as well as some of her personal collection as part of a history of quilting presentation.  

A couple of the more interesting quilting tidbits we learned from her were:

There were quilts in Ancient Egypt, and under the armor of "knights of old".

Women wore quilted petticoats in the winter as insulation against the cold.  (So they had quilted underwear!)

                                                      Showing off her winter underwear!

                                         The museum is searching for the name of this pattern

                     One of the most popular quilts at the museum. A replica Baltimore Album

                                                             Burgoyne surrounded

                                                                         Crazy quilt

                                                      Redwork, made by the presenter

                                                     The name of this is also a mystery

This one is known as an 1800s friendship quilt.  I'm glad someone simplified that block!

In May we will enjoy a visit from Barb Miller, formerly the owner of Mount Pleasant Quilting Company in York, with a trunk show for us.

It's spring! Wait, no it's not.

 

So we're in that time of year where we can have all four seasons in one day! The day of our meeting was a wonderful early taste of spring outside.  (So naturally the heat was finally on in the auditorium)

We had plenty to enjoy inside as well at the March meeting, with lots of show and tell and a great speaker, followed by a class for the lucky members who were able to stay after the meeting.

In case you missed it (or want another look).....

PS- these were all taken on my phone since I forgot my camera.  Let me know if you notice a difference in photo quality. It might be a bit easier for me this way, but I'll remember the camera next time if the pictures don't do the work justice.  

Shirley Lapp- made at retreat. This will be hanging in the Clarence show in April.

           Terry McGuire took a class online where she learned some quilt as you go techniques.  

                  Alex Hammon made a new friend at retreat.  They were called "bunnies" but Alex's is more                        of a minion.

Alex also made this yo-yo kitty for her daughter at retreat.  It's called crashbox, modeled after an unfortunate character in a book Jamie loves.  

Alex shared Kevin's latest accomplishment.  For the new people, the owl was painted on the fabric by Kevin, then made into a quilt.  Kevin will return later this year to teach another class for us!

Alex also made both herself and Kevin machine covers at retreat.  Kevin's uses the same map fabric from the owl.

Tracy Jachimowicz pieced this quilt, which she started with her granddaughter, at retreat. Mary Lowe quilted it.  It's a gift for the granddaughter's cousin.

Mary Ellen Casey used a panel she found hiding in her stash to make this door hanging as a gift for a neighbor. If you look closely you might be able to see how Mary Ellen carried the flower into the border with her quilting.  

                           Nancy Mitchell pieced these tops (above and below) at retreat.  

                    Donna Kaufman made this quilt for a new baby who lives in Arizona.

Melanie Tubinis used to be in charge of community service projects with her mom.  She saved a couple of almost finished projects to complete herself.  It's been "a while", as she said, but this one is finished!

Melanie took a class at Creekside fabrics to make this sweet little gingerbread house on the embroidery machine.  It was later on the snack table in a jar with fairy lights- just the cutest thing ever!

Elaine Ross was cleaning out her stash a bit when she ran across a piece of fabric that needed to be made into this quilt.  

Barb Sage was asked to make a memory quilt for a friend.  She used this "Picnic basket" pattern.  She said she learned a lot making this quilt. 

 

Mary Beth Letson quilted and finished this Grinch tree skirt at retreat, with a little help for the super fun bai binding.

Nancy Schrader also made a "bunny" at retreat, but hers turned out to be a gnome.

Using a small shopping bag as the pattern, Nancy made this tote bag for her grandson, using dinosaur fabrics.

Kathy Belluscio found this in a bag of donated fabric, and hand quilted it.  It's just big enough for a wheelchair quilt, so she donated it to community service.

Kathy pieced the blocks at retreat- using strips she had already mad on deli paper to use up scraps.

Liz Scott took home a couple of the kits she cut at our community service work day, pieced and quilted them and returned them today!  (the showoff :-))

Liz also pieced this quilt for her great niece at retreat, then quilted in on her longarm.

Laurie Kilbury quilted this community service quilt after last month's work day.

Laurie found several of these Celtic know panels, and made one into this quilt.  There are more panels, which will be offered as a raffle next month.

Laurie likes to make Buffalo Bills quilts. This one has fleece on the back, and os for sale (unless someone bought it at the meeting?)

Apologies to our speaker, Kelly Beckwith, of Tulip Cottage Quilts.  I usually try to get more flattering pictures than this. 

Kelly is most well known for her fusion quilt- adding crochet lace to a quilt!

                   But she is also a pattern designer, with many beautiful seasonal designs.

And now she is also a fabric designer.  This is the pattern she designed for her newest collection, called "Cottage Florals".  

There are free patterns using these fabrics at the Marcus fabrics website here

I think we'll have a nice assortment of the "fusion" quilts at our next show! (I hope)

Our April meeting is on April 12- ONE WEEK EARLY, due to the Easter holiday. Our program will be a history of quilts, from the Genesee Country Museum!