Baton Rouge MQG ~~ March

As the coronavirus begins it's march through Louisiana, I've been thinking of several things. I have friends in every corner of the state, most of whom are my age or older, and it's a bad time to be 60+. 

Most of those friends are quilters who live in the Baton Rouge area. I hope that all are well and I will get to see them at the next BRMQG meeting. If you are in the wake of COVID-19, please be safe. If you're lucky, as my family are, keep the world in your prayers.

These pictures are from our March meeting. Aren't my friends talented!

Stay safe, everyone!

Cotton Quilters' Guild - February 2020

Welcome to the February meeting! We have lots going on. I have no idea how Maggie managed to get all this into one meeting. It was definitely fun! We started off by taking care of the business end of things but soon moved on to our January challenge. Each member got to choose a magazine from a couple of stacks that were passed around. Then we were told to turn to page 44. I'm calling it the Page 44 Challenge. Just because, there doesn't seem to be another title. On page 44 we were to find something that could be rendered into a block. (Turn the page if you have absolutely nothing.) I am not participating as I ended up with a mag that didn't spark my interest. I'm a little ashamed but I'll try to contain my regret. Time is too short, don't you think?

 These are the pictures I was able to get. 

Two of our members are participating in block of the month challenges. Irma is on the left and Pam to the right. They caught us up on their progress. 

Our February BOM is the busy bee block. 

And here is something that we're trying in an effort to get some of those UFOs out of the closet and finished. Members were to bring an unfinished project to the meeting, show it, and tell the rest of us what she challenged herself to do. I, for example, brought in the the Sherry Lynn Wood pieces that I wrote about here, explained what it was, and told them my challenge to myself is to return with a completed top. It's possible that some people will get farther than their challenges (I could have a completed quilt) but we encouraged each other to make the challenges possible goals. 

Of course, we had a learning presentation. Irma showed everyone how to make the fat quarter bag, which holds two regular-sized quilts. It uses six fat quarters, two yards of coordinating fabric and heavy elastic. I really want to make one, but where I'll find the time, I don't know.

And we moved on to Show and Share. Some of these may be tops that people brought in for the UFO Completion Challenge. So you may see them again. Can you tell which ones are quilted and bound? 

GSQA -- Go Lori!

My friend Lori Steib from Baton Rouge is the new president for the Gulf States Quilting Association (GSQA) and presided over her first meeting last Saturday. She's a natural! Here's a picture of her (on the left) presenting a quilt to the outgoing president.

The meeting was interesting and there are many happenings going on. The biennial quilt show is in early April and seminar will be early 2021. There are meetings, classes, Pursuit of Excellence events and so on. I've found a very active group of like-minded people. My goal is to attend as much of these events as possible. I'd really like to attend the meetings, despite that some are out-of-state. We'll see.

The speaker for this meeting was Teresa Duryea Wong, author of American Cotton: Farm to Quilt. You can find her website here. After hearing her speak, I want to find a copy of her book. It just seems interesting to find out more about the fiber that makes the fabric that we love. She also shared vintage and antique quilts to show and used them to explain how cotton and quilts were made before machines took over the world.

In addition to the business of the meeting, we saw quilts during show and share, heard several announcements about upcoming shows and events, and ate delicious goodies. Best (for me) were the door prizes. I won the grand door prize of a Bernina 125th Anniversary quilt kit. 

Cotton and I enjoyed opening the box and petting the new fabrics. These, I think, will be perfect for some zippered bags for the girls. There are several with metallic gold designs, which the girls seem to love. I'll leave you with pictures of a few quilts shown at the meeting.

 

Baton Rouge MQG November meeting

I am still playing catch-up for last week. The BRMQG had its November meeting with several show and share ideas. Also, a treat for me, the president brought in a guest from Germany. Bridget and Marquita met in an airport. One had a quilt sticker on her luggage and the other saw it. Of course, they struck up a conversation.

Yvonne's take on a women
in history challenge

 Bridget decided to attend the Houston Quilt Fest and contacted Marquita (they've kept in touch) and the two decided to make a road trip. One from overseas, the other from Louisiana. Awesome, right? 

Also, Marquita has a long-arm and invited Bridget to spend a few extra days at her house and quilt some of her tops. Bridget obliged and came to our modern meeting. 

Sharon's butterfly quilt, made for a friend

Isn't this a great story? I love that quilters are so caring and giving. 
Anyway, the story spoke right to me. You know I approached Bridget after the meeting. She showed me some photos of her work and we "chatted." Another five minutes and I'd have asked her to send them to me so I could share them with you. (I'm perhaps a little bold.) 

The top that Bridget completed while
in BR...or maybe Marquita's

Bridget's sampler quilt

 But I didn't have those five minutes and there was a bit of a language barrier. Bridget speaks English with an accent, but I hear with a country girl, Cajun ear. We made it work, but we struggled. And laughed. Besides I was trying to see as much of her work as the few minutes allowed. I didn't get to the request. There I was, flipping pictures on her phone, asking way too many questions, and then asking her to repeat it. Because, you know, I'm a nut. Do you think she left thinking she was lucky to get away from a fanatical, raving lunatic? (No, really. I read the paragraph. I think I'd be scared of me.)

Lori's most recent finish

Lori's block for a new quilt

Wouldn't you have loved to be there? Even knowing there was a lunatic in the house? 

Cotton Quilters' September meeting (in pictures)

I can't believe that the month is almost over and I still haven't mentioned the Cotton Quilters meeting. Here are a few pictures, but I suppose that there's little to tell because we spent our time discussing the upcoming show. At this point in time, that's only a week away!

Quilters' Guild Acadienne Show

Logo from Guilters' Guild Acadienne

I have been running around this month doing all manner of quilting and quilt-like things. All manner of fun quilty things. Let's see, there was the retreat at the beginning of the month. I wrote two additional posts about it here and here. 

Known by Ange Riehl 

Fiddle Stix by Elle Caillouet

Then Richard and I went to the CFAL exhibit at the State Archives. There were so many quilts it took a second post. We beat it to the Quilters' Guild Acadienne show in Lafayette on the same day. 

Granddaddy's Quilt by Betty Lowry

Finally I attended the GSQA meeting with Lori last weekend. Yes indeed! July has been good--too hot, extremely wet (25 inches of rain so far) and QUILTY. Can you guess which has been my favorite?

Tree in the Mist by Joan Schroeder

The Swamp Tree by Joan Schroeder

All of the quilts on this post are from the Lafayette show. It's being held in the Acadiana Center for the Arts, which is near the library. 

Carlie's Campfire by Carlie Duhon Bumgardner

Summer Days by Kelly Broussard

All of the quilts on this post is from the Acadiana Guild's show. 

Tree of Life by Barbara Wells

Star Gazing by Gerry LeBlanc

North Star by Shelly McCoy

Tulips Around the Cabin by Phyllis Tabbert

What quilty fun have you been up to this month? 

Swimming Blue by Nadine Cain