Happy Halloween!

Halloween block by Carol Dennis

Now Showing!

Martha Jane Pettway
Housetop variation, 1920
Wood, corduroy and cotton 72 x 67 inches
Collection of the Tinwood Alliance
Photo: Stephen Pitkin, Pitkin Studio, Rockford, Il.

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is now exhibiting seventy quilts from the Gee's Bend collection. The exhibit opened on October 8 and will run until December 31, 2006. We'll be watching a documentary film on the quilts and the women who made them later this Spring.

October Guild Meeting

Alaine Baugher will be presenting the October 19th guild meeting. Alaine will be showing us how to hand dye cotton fabric. She will be providing enough supplies for each of us to try our own "hand" at dyeing. All you'll need to bring is a white T-shirt and/or a piece of white fabric, up to one yard. Both need to be 100% cotton and both should be washed before you dye them. If you need a T-shirt, Ted's Shirt Shack has a variety of sizes.

One of Alaine's tie dyed t-shirts...Grooooovy!

Alaine has been dyeing shirts with her children and their classmates and has perfected some strategies that make it easy enough for a five year old. We all love the story of Alaine's business venture. She has sold large, hand dyed pieces of cotton to photographers to be used as backdrops. Better yet, this busy mom uses her children's swimming pool as the dye vat! What a great example of using available materials!

A backpack Alaine made to match her daugher's swimsuit

Weather permitting, we will be working outside at Curtis Creek. To take advantage of the available daylight, we will be starting the meeting early: the October 19, 2006 meeting will begin at 6:00 pm.

See you there!

Quilting with the Historical Society

Arlene Calaway, Connie Franke, Pauline Retzinger, Ann Titus and Avery Titus have been volunteering at the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. Each year, the Historical Society invites third graders to the Log Cabin, located just to the east of the John Wood Mansion, to learn about pre-settlement life along the Mississippi. This year the students have been learning a little bit about quilting. Many thanks to Arlene, Connie, Pauline and Avery for their participation!

Avery Titus in her "prairie" dress

It Takes All Kinds...

It takes all kinds of quilters to make a successful guild. Each member brings her own style, expertise, and interest to the group.

For example, our guild has the OVER ACHIEVERS: the people like Margie Bernhardt who starts a project one month and brings it completed (or nearly completed) the next month. They encourage us all to get busy and find the time to finish all the projects that we start.

Margie showing the quilt top made from her Four Patch Kaleidoscope

And then we have the RESCUERS. Doris Wierschem found the kit for this dogwood applique quilt at a garage sale. RESCUERS remind us to never throw anything away!

Doris and her Dogwood Quilt

We mustn't forget the INNOVATORS. Here is Lois Hendrickson's quilt, using digital images printed onto fabric sheets. INNOVATORS encourage us to try new techniques and to stretch our imaginations.

Lois made this wall quilt from a digital image
she captured in the Rocky Mountain National Park

And finally, we have our TEACHERS. They are the members who generously share their knowledge and skills. At the September meeting, Margaret Brunier presented a wonderful lesson on making three dimensional flowers.

Margaret holding her fancy bag, cinched with two fashion belts

Hmm, wonder what the OVER ACHIEVERS, the RESCUERS, and the INNOVATORS will do with the lovely roses that we made? Thank you, Margaret!