September

A quick post to catch up.  We were sitting around the kitchen table, which turns out to be our favorite spot to hang and catch up on hand work at Syd's.

Dianne did bring the baby quilt from the last post to finish the binding.  It's a really clever use of the print.  The print on the edges made up the border and the center was used for the background.

M.A. is working on the many, many circles from the Marshall QAL.

Syd's finishing the binding on her quest to turn all those unfinished tops into quilts.

Lynn was showing the neatest paper pieced Halloween quilt.  We even liked the back!

I was doing some counted cross stitch.  What was old is new again.

 And Gwen's got another LTG block done.

Later!

I

If It's August it Must Be Amish Land

 

The Diva's headed back to Amish land for their semi-annual get together. The weekend went by quick, and I procrastinated putting this together, the details are going to be a bit fuzzy.

Jan's tried and true way to measure the triple four-patch blocks to make sure the quilt is long enough. This block is her signature design. I think we are up to six rounds of friendship blocks.

Lori was with us. Her work schedule coincided perfectly (and the rental car didn't misbehave). The LTG blocks were turning out really well and I was impressed on her box of neatly cut strips.

Fran was also working on LTG using her stash of 30's fabrics on a muslin background. This is going to be one sweet quilt. And she might be the first to finish.

Syd was giving up tips on the Atomic quilt.  A couple of us have the pattern and she found a better way to paper piece.

And got this one put together.

Kathy was busy with getting her blocks together into tops and pulled off a charity quilt too.

Lynn had many blocks finished before the weekend was over.

Dianne was working on another quilt in the baby series. I thought I had a picture of the complete top but alas . . . . Maybe she will be binding at the next together so I can capture the entire quilt.

And our angel was with us.

M.A. and Gwen were working on a Deb Tucker ruler Wildwood class project.

Divas feel free to add what was missed.

Later!

July

We were hiding out from the heat around Syd's kitchen table.

Dianne, Fran & Lynn had other plans so, of course, we talked about them! 😇

Kathy finished her "Gifts So Special" for the Wildwood Quilt Show in November.

And M.A. was finishing up the binding on hers while Gwen was embroidering away - she didn't want it photographed until it was further along.

Syd and Jan were doing the hand sewing on one of Syd's jelly roll race quilts.  Syd's on a mission to finish those tops.

And M.A. made these Sew Together Bags with Gwen being gifted one of them.  Since M.A's got these figured out we volunteered her to make all the Diva's one!

More progress on LTG.

 

Kathy let me know if missed anything.

Later!

We're Back!

After a short hiatus we got back together in June to share a toast and catch-up on what everyone was up to.  Progress was made on some LTG blocks.

Dianne was making another baby quilt in her on-going series.  And this one was reversible too!

And best of all we surprised Gwen with a gift on her very special birthday.

 Later!

Sigh

Well, crap, just crap.
This Diva group is an interesting animal. Believe me it lives and breaths, at times, as one being, on heart, head and pair of hands. All together.
 I don't think it's like too many other quilt groups or guilds. Some of us have know each other all of our lives, sisters from the same mother; some of us have know each other for almost 40 years and have dragged each other along, kicking and screaming into all sorts of adventures, Adventures that usually were based around fiber of some sort. The group itself came together via interaction at Erie Street Quilts. Working there, teaching and taking classes, the Friendship group that some of us dragged others into, the Quilter's Development group. But there were a lot of other people around that are not part of this group. This bunch. We found each other, spotted each other and came together. We knew each other before we knew each other. The tribe. Sisters. Not all of us have birth sisters but in this group we found real sisters with all that entails. The harassing, The supporting. Growth and change. Challenge. Laughter and tears and Candle Salad. Thick and thin we have been there for each other. And we know it's special.
 And now we are one  fewer.  The light of that Candle Salad has flickered out.
 Our Judy is gone. I call her Our Judy because a couple of years ago, when cancer moved in we, of course made her a quilt. All of us. I tried to pay Laura for the quilting but she said, " No, it's for our Judy". That quilt was a riot to make. First we decided to take a bunch of stuff we had already cut and sewn to make a disappearing 9 patch. Ruth made us start that back when we were still in the basement. Syd dragged out the pieces, told us what we needed to bring to add to it and we gathered at one of our retreats. But we had to work on it after Judy went to bed. She usually went to bed early but not that year. We sewed like maniacs. Syd had old blocks from something that we knew we had to use in sort of an asymmetrical border. It was up and down from the design wall many times when a lookout would call, " Judy's coming, quick, hide it". We finally gave it to her and of course she loved it, it was so Judy. Then her eyes light up and she said she knew something was up and had been feeling sorry for herself because she hadn't been included. She knew those nights we seemed to want to get rid of her. But we only wanted her gone, peacefully sleeping, those nights.
 So, her body has left us now. We are weaker than before but we will heal and be stronger. Her laughter and insight will be missed but we will always know what she would have done or said. Or wonder. " I wonder what the heck Judy would think of this". She was such an artist.
 She was a person that was "game" for anything. Always there, always pitching in. I don't know who is going to help Dianne load the dishwasher now. I know it won't be me. We will still have food art, I am sure because it is so much fun.
 Judy was part of a lot of groups. She was a joiner. They will miss her too.
 But not like we will.
 A light is gone from us but I know a brighter light is shining someplace else because of her presence there.
And damn, I missed my first walking dot of the day. I know that would make her laugh because she thought I was nuts.
  And I am.