QUILT GUILDS

I belong to three guilds:  Orange Grove Quilters Guild, in Garden Grove, California, Quilters by the Sea, in Long Beach, California, and Flying Needles Quilt Guild in Niceville, Florida.  This week I was able to attend both the one in Garden Grove and Long Beach.

Annie Smith was the guest lecturer at Orange Grove Quilters Guild.  You can find out more about this dynamic quilter and her wonderful use of color here.

 

Anelie Belden was Quilters by the Sea guest lecturer.  You may know her from her wonderful book Thoroughly Modern Dresden.  Visit her website here if you want to learn more about her wonderful approach to quilting.

 

I love the quilting community and all it provides, including knowledge, activities, and most important wonderful friends who get you!  If you haven't joined your local guild, look into it.  You may find it a very gratifying experience.

I hope you are enjoying your week.

Quilt happy,

Marilyn

QUILTERS BY THE SEA

Last night Quilters by the Sea Quilt Guild held their general meeting.  Our guest speaker was Leora Raikin.  What a great evening that seemed to fly by.  Leora not only showed us her fabulous African Folklore Embroidery; but, in her wonderful South African accent, explained her journey into this fabulous craft.  In addition, we learned some fascinating facts.  For instance, the hippopotamus is not a cute animal.  It is a mean animal that drowns its victim and then doesn't even eat it because the hippo is a vegetarian.  So, don't imagine them smiling.  Seems as if they are rather grumpy.  (Sorry, my pictures are not great.  I forgot my camera and had to use my phone)

To learn more about Leora and her craft visit her at: http://www.aflembroidery.com/

Quilt happy,
Marilyn

X Block Workshop

I took a workshop yesterday with Patricia Pepe (http://www.patriciapepe.com/ ). She is the Queen of the X-Block. It was an amazing workshop. This one block, and the tool she has invented, makes it a fast, fun and easy block. It works into so many variations it is mind boggling. And, she is able to convey it to the student without a lot of head scratching. And beleive me, that is a talent.

Here are a few of the ways to twist and turn the blocks to make each block look like something different.

Aren't they all great?

Just take a look at Kasey's in the center there. Doesn't is look complicated? It's not. It is still just a 9-patch turned in a few directions. Of course, it too was cut using the X-Block. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. I hope you take a look at Patricia's site to see some beautiful quilts.

Happy quilting,

Marilyn

Norah McMeeking at Quilters by the Sea

Last Thursday, April 8, Norah McMeeking was the guest speaker at my local quilt guild, Quilters by the Sea. She wrote the quilt book Bella Bella Quilts http://www.bellabellaquilts.com/home.html

Norah's first life was as a graphic artist who worked on book jackets, and magazine ads. Then she went to Italy and discovered the gorgeous church floor tiles.

And the rest is history. Aren't they fabulous and inspiring? Norah is a gem among quilters and while I couldn't attend the workshop, I hear it was great! Thank you Norah for enriching our lives.

Quilter's By the Sea

Last night was our local quilt guild meeting in Long Beach http://www.quiltersbythesea.com/ . We were most fortunate to have Velda Newman http://www.veldanewman.com/gallery.html

as our guest speaker. And just look at these quilts. She is amazing. Her work, her art, is a combination of piecing, painting, bleaching, and quilting, some by hand and some by machine. She first shared her journey with a slide show. As you can see, her pieces are very large and the slide show worked very well in this instance. Then she shared four of her quilts so we could view them up close and personal. Special thanks go to Susan Contreras, our Programs Chair, for bringing Velda to our guild so we could all witness this exceptional talent.