Friends

Every Monday night I get together with friends.  The group itself has been together for quite some time.  I don't know the exact number of years but I believe it's been at least 12 years.  Some of the faces have changed as people come and go but the group has remained the same in its premise.

I was lucky enough to have an invitation extended to me over two years ago.  I had been laid off from work and feeling kind of low when one of my guild members called and asked if I'd like to join her group.  I knew some of the members from the guild and from one of the local quilt stores but there were a few people that I didn't know.  I was nervous as first because I'm actually quite shy around people I don't know and rather quiet.  I'm sure those of you that know me in person are shocked to know this about me as I'm quite talkative and quite fresh after I get to know you.  

Mr & Mrs Rabbit guard the wine

The night starts at 7:00 with a bottle of red and a bottle of white. Dessert is served at 8:00 and the night pretty much ends at 9:00.  I'm always nervous when everyone comes over to my house because I get so caught up in the conversation that I'm afraid I won't remember to serve dessert until it's time to leave!  Some nights it's a full house, other nights it could just be three of us.  However it goes, it's very low key and no pressure.  

It's usually a mad dash before everyone gets there with me running around making sure the machine is off the table and all the projects are shoved upstairs, the ironing board is stored away along with the iron.  I won't even go into the amount of dusting I do the day before and the yelling I have to do to get the rooms vacuumed and looking partway decent.  It's certainly one way of getting the house clean!

My youngest daughter likes to call it the Sisterhood of the Traveling Needle and Thread.  She's not far off.  Each week is held at a different person's house and we all bring our hand work.  One person might be working on a knitting project while another traces for an applique project while someone else might be going through magazines and a fourth person works on a binding.  We have a great time talking and laughing.   

I've never really cared for applique.  Back when I first started most of it was Baltimore Album style.  Although I appreciate the symmetry of the blocks and the workmanship of each block, it has never been my style.  Having said that, I love the new styles that have come out since then.  The Halloween Baltimore Album blocks, Christmas, Star Spangled, etc.  Love them all!  Because these ladies are so talented with their applique, I've picked their brains for techniques and watched how they make their points and the various ways they've chosen to applique.  Although I'm not anywhere near the levels these ladies are I do feel that my technique has improved.

This past Monday night only three of us were able to gather at my house.  I had some of my Easter decorations on the table that I've kept over the years.  Needless to say we had some fun with them.  

I thought it was supposed to be a race between the tortoise and the hare

It was hard getting this picture without getting a flash in the mirror

Tomorrow I'll be at MQX (Machine Quilter's Expo) in Providence, RI.  This will be my third time going.  As much as I love quilting, shows like this make me want to go home and throw my machine out the window and wonder why I ever started in the first place!  These quilters are so talented, I can only dream about having a quarter of the talent of these artists.  I will take as many pictures as I can and share some of my favorites with you.  I will be sure to charge my battery and bring a back up tomorrow so I don't miss out on anything!