Virginia Quilt Museum

Well, it started out as a favor to our daughter. Their three boys were spending a weekend 3 1/2 hours away at the other grandparents. It was spring break. 

On Tuesday April 5 they were to return but with both parents working that is a bit of a challenge. The transfer of the children is always done halfway and we have "retrieved" them once before. It is usually done around Waynesboro. I suggested to James that we should make an outing out of this for us.

The Virginia Quilt Museum just had 3 exhibitions showing which would be well worth seeing. It is located in Harrisonburg which is a bit far but combined with this reason a good idea. And combined with the prospect of lunch in a well-known German restaurant in the same town sounded even better. 

It was a rainy day but that didn't matter. The first stop was the quilt museum and of course it's all indoors. Oh, the eye-candy!

We were told when entering that we were allowed to take photos but not to post them on social media. The quilters might not like it. I contemplated this for a long time (5 weeks?) and decided to show just a few. 

A) I am not sure whether blogs are social media.

B) I really would like my quilting friends to know how well-worth a visit to this museum is.

C) One of the exhibitions is called "Inspired by Endangered Species" and I was quite sure that a German Quilter I sometimes exchange emails with would have something in the exhibition. It can be seen until July 15.

I think the first photo should definitely be allowed because it advertises this museum program. I searched through the website but could not find out more about it and just now wrote to them. Seems such a good idea (gifts shop fundraiser for the museum).

This was the first quilt we saw (not in an exhibition I think) and it is stunning. The next photo discribes it.

But the "Inspired by Endangered Species" really peaked my interest. I think there were a total of 180+ (?) little quilts. 

There was so much to see. We finally resorted to search in ring book which listed them all and we found Regina Grewe. I had seen a piece from her before (see here). That exhibiton was all about USA National Parks. And yes, I had purchased that book then.

Regina has a website well worth visiting. HERE! It is in German but you can change the language (on the left side). She has wonderful patterns and some are free. Right now she is posting a free challenge which looks like a lot of fun ... if you like paperpiecing (which I do but I still have to find the time). I always have to admire her designs.

Number 172.

The plan had been to have lunch at the German restaurant we had heard about supposedly very close by. Well, as luck had it Mondays and Tuesdays they are closed. But the museum lady knew of another German restaurant, a bit out of the way but doable. So we went to the "Edelweiss" in Staunton. 

We had fun but the cooking was not what my mother would put on the table. 

 Then off to the meeting place to receive/collect the three boys and back home until Mommy came to pick them up.

My little Round Robins

I have previously blogged about my 4 little wall quilts. See the side panel "Cotton Robin". 

They usually hang (mounted with magnets) in that corner next to my bed but this is how it looks at the moment:

My favorite quilt group The County School Quilters (meet monthly in Montpelier) had agreed to a quilt exhibition at the brand-new Hanover Museum of History & Culture. Of course members where asked to participate and lend something they had made I offered my 4 little 'Round Robins' and the curator really wanted them. 

Of course I wanted to see the exhibition and suggested to James the outing. It is about a thirty minute drive each way and as we both had cabin fever we were soon on our way. Besides he could try out his new car, ha-ha.

We did not know what a historic place this little town was. The new museum was just established last August in the historic courthouse because the County is celebrating the 300 year anniversary. We had never been in Hanover and had not realized how much history there is.

We were very impressed with the museum and the exhibition. Of course I have seen many of my quilting friends' works at the meetings but we were the only visitors and could take our time. Such incredible work. And here are only a few photos.

Of course I have more photos but here are those of my 'minis'.

Some more eye candy. The exhibition was so well done.

Another of the historic buildings across the green. There were signs were we could read about some of the history and we had a good time. Glad we went. 

 I felt so inspired but unfortunately right now I have other things I need to do. Sigh.

Finished!

Yeah! I am so happy! I was worried because of course there was a time issue. 

I have written about this before but here it is in a nutshell again. After all, all three are totally different. Each on is special.

It's a third Advent Calendar of this kind I made for my church St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA. The church ladies (ECW) is going to raffle it off. I think 1 ticket is $5 or 3 tickets are $10. 

Every day you choose one Chrismon to add for the day starting December 1. I think it is a German thing because I grew up with having an advent calendar every December.  It's the count down to Christmas. In my childhood time of course it was just a paper one with little doors to see a picture behind.

The cross-stitched Chrismons were all stitched by my sister-in-law Jane in Windsor, England. Great big Thank-You to her!

Each Chrismon has its explanation on the back. Yes, Jesus is the reason for the season! The idea is that each family member can have a turn to pick the one for the day. May be there can be even a little discussion about the meaning of it?

Want a ticket? 

And now on to the next thing on the to-do-list!!!

Quilting club BOM

You think retired people have nothing to do but somehow it seems that I don't have that much time for my hobbies. Of course I do admit that I have too many (hobbies) but this blog is a little about sewing.

Once a month I spend a couple of hours at quilters' meetings. The WE Quilters (West End) meet on the 3rd Tuesday in the morning. When the pandemic situation got better we started meeting again. At our first (new start-up) meeting we all decided to have a BOM (Block of the month).

* * *

Here are the rules:

At the May 2021 meeting is was decided to begin a BLOCK OF THE MONTH PROGRAM.

-   Each member who wishes to participate should make two blocks (set) and bring them to the meeting. 

-   Blocks will be collected at sign-in, one to be used for charity quilts and the other to be raffled off.

• For each two blocks (set) a participant brings she will receive a raffle ticket.
• Of course you can bring only one and add it to the charity pile. No raffle ticket. 

-   These are volunteer hours.  Please keep track and record on our sign-in sheet at each meeting.

* * *

This was the write-up for the first one:

Blocks to bring to the June 2021 meeting: 

Size: blocks should be 12" finished (12 1/2" unfinished). 

Pattern: any of your choosing

Colors: background should be pure white or white-on-white 

with blue and yellow fabrics 

If you need help to find a pattern: google on free 12 inch quilt patterns 

One of those free pattern places:
https://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/12-inch-quilt-block-patterns.html has a lot of samples. If you scroll down far enough you find sections 3x3 and 4x4 etc which is interesting. 

Here are some samples: 

https://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/susannah-quilt-block.html 

https://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/evening-star-quilt-block.html 

* * *

It was a great success. We had enough blocks to make two quilts. Friend Janet (also a member) sewed the blocks together with sashing. Here they are unquilted:

I had volunteered to head this program. Meeting is at my church now and sponsored the raffle tickets which we needed.  

I like to come up with the next "pattern" and write up the directions. June and July we had verbaly agreed on in May and it didn't need much writing. 

Here is July.

Again we had enough blocks donated for two quilts and Janet sewed them together again. One with blue sashing and one with red sashing.

All quilters do not work the same. Some like to be creative and some just would like the pattern and do it. Picking out the fabric is enough creativity there and some didn't like to have to search for the pattern. So for August I wrote directions for cutting and all. I designed it to be a 14 inch block finished so no sashing was needed when making the quilt top.

Again we had a great response. We had 22 blocks in the charity pile. Of course there is almost the same number in the raffle pile. Some members are choosing to only make for the charity and don't want to participate in the raffle (which is very nice I think!).

So I crawled around on the floor and laid out the two quilts ... and changed them around ... and changed again until I liked it. You see the 2 missing. I could now pick colors which would fit best into the places out of my stash. Hubby is holding up the two finished quilt tops. I might take them to the Stitchers Group (they are the recipients and will quilt/finish them) and add a border around them to pull everything together, probably with fabric of the back and binding. Will see. Happy that I got so far.

At the August meeting of course was given out the September meeting. Autumn is coming so I thought this might make nice quilts. Again it is a 12 inch (finished) block. I made two blocks and used those to create the second page how the whole quilt might look like. The creative members have the option to make just a 12 inch leave block without the "logs" which could make the quilt even more interesting. I look forward to that meeting.

Nashville grandson started 6 grade couple of weeks ago and needed more masks. What does he like. Fitting? We should have done that when he was visiting in summer. Sigh. The apple one could be a gift to a teacher?

My quilters group in Montpelier is a once a month on the second Tuesday evening group. This month' lesson was on EPP (English paper piecing). It was very well done by member Liz with demos and even a kit for everybody but I can't see myself doing that anytime soon. Handsewing is not really my preferred way of doing this. It was very interesting though. Look at the tiny pieces she had made!

And now it is time to get back to what keeps me from sewing. Sigh.