Last week I had the pleasure of driving just over the border to South Carolina to visit the Landrum Quilt Guild and do a program for them. The guild selected Decisions Decisions for their program, so I brought a small quilt show to illustrate the concepts in addition to my projector slides. I set up the quilts in the order they were to be shown, then we improvised a screen with a sheet and some music stands for the slides. I still had about 15 minutes to circulate around and chat with members, such fun!

It is a delight to see show and tell at a guild meeting, such creativity and amazing projects. I wish I had gotten a photo of a quilt one lady did of her family, with a bride and groom in the lower left representing her grandparents, and figures of their children, spouses and grandchildren across the quilt towards the top. It was brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed, and I truly hope she will enter it in Western NC Quilt Guild’s show next May. I’d love to see it again and be able to really look at the details.

After the meeting and a short break, I began my program. I really enjoy this interaction, answering questions as the program went, and watching the surprised faces when I showed some of my favorite tips. I love hearing a bit of laughter at my jokes!

We broke for lunch, then 9 quilters stayed for the afternoon class on Pin Weaving.

There was such a fun variety of colors and prints.

The ladies worked diligently, all while we chatted and laughed.

One of the program chairs, Debbie, brought in the magazine that has my first published pattern and asked me to autograph the page. Oh, my!! I’ve never been asked that before!! I don’t consider myself anything special, so this took me by surprise. Truly, I am just a person who likes to cook and quilt, and who writes a blog some like to read. The magazine is Quilts and More Fall 2021 issue on magazine stands and in grocery stores now.

We kept at it for a couple of hours, having fun and weaving the strips.

When the strips were woven and pressed with the fusible to batting, decorative stitching began. The ladies had fun with using stitches they hadn’t tried before, or well known stitches they knew would work. I left them with full instructions on how to finish their totes, and a link to my Pin Weaving tutorial in case they needed it.

I remarked at the beginning of the program that the colors were at their peak coming down the mountains on the way to the meeting place and I had wished for some photos, but I was driving and the camera was in the trunk. On the way home, I couldn’t resist just pointing the camera at the road without looking at it and snapping off a few shots, hoping that one or two would come out in focus. I promise, my eyes didn’t leave the road. A couple of the photos actually did come out in focus. It was foggy going up the mountain on what the locals call Saluda Grade, a steep climb into North Carolina.

Near Green River Gorge, gorgeous color is seen all along the roadside.

This is the last in-person event I have scheduled for this year. I’ll be doing several Zoom presentations over the next few months. My next in-person speaker events will be in May 2022 at the Durham Orange Quilt Guild on Monday May 16, then Wilmington NC for Quilters By the Sea Guild on May 17.

I am willing to come to your guild if you are within a half day drive distance, and I also can do programs on Zoom. See my Speaker Programs page for more information. There is space available in my stand alone Well Loved Quilt Repair program on Zoom December 6 at 1 pm Eastern. I will cut off registration at 15 participants for this class to allow class interaction during the program. I will keep a wait list if class fills up and do it again in January if there is enough interest.

Are you back to in-person meetings at your clubs?

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