The Sew Whats, my quilt group, met yesterday for our annual Christmas Extravaganza and Gift Exchange - a meeting we all look forward to....and not just because of the gifts - which are always fabulous - but because once a year we award some worthy member the Golden Silver Thimble - the most coveted award in all of Quiltdom! Past winners, who still to this day proudly wear their Golden Silver Thimble around their necks, were bestowed this prestigious award for many different reasons - for example, the very first Golden Silver Thimble was awarded to someone who sewed her finger to a quilt...yes, I believe blood was shed. Another member was given the award for being the most prolific quilter during the year - making something like 50 quilts - I think she is now institutionalized somewhere in Utah. Yet another member was given the award for being color-blind! Diversity becomes us. This year, our Golden Silver Thimble recipient was given the award for making her son an "Eagle" quilt upon the completion of his Eagle Project.....the quilt, (sorry no photo!) was the most amazing thing - and the workmanship was excellent - we felt she should have earned an "Eagle" for making this quilt (and helping her son get his) but since we couldn't give her an Eagle and slap her hiney and induct her into the aerie or whatever it is that Scouts do - the next best thing was to award the Golden Silver Thimble....To Lori (the keeper of the caramels and fudge recipes....multi-talented she is!!)
Please forgive this photo....I'm still waiting on a camera....oh Santa do you hear me?!?
Lori, who shall remain headless, models her Golden Silver Thimble - notice how the gold chain glistens? And the silver on the thimble? Simply stunning....the workmanship that goes into each thimble would make Harry Winston proud....and as always, the recipient is cautioned about sticking her finger into the thimble - something about a wire that could poke her and draw blood...but really, it's a small thing. I did notice that Lori's shoulders were arched back and her chest pushed slightly forward after she put the Golden Silver Thimble on!
Now, on to the quilts! Even with Christmas around the corner, the hum of Bernina's could be heard throughout the land.....
Michelle used a charm packet to create the center of this quilt - using Moda Christmas prints - and then she put her own unique border on - so, sew cute! I'm sure it will be ready in time for Christmas...of '08.
We all agreed that we liked the borders on just two sides- and what you can't see here, which always fascinates me - is her corners all line up - perfect points!
When you need a quilt in a hurry - charm packs are the way to go!
Claudia brought in this darling quilt top - she was asking for help with borders....when you ask a dozen women for help you get a dozen different answers! Most of us thought she should put a small, narrow dark green border on first, and then add a white border - but just on three sides so the packages would be left to stand on their own....
This was from a pattern - sorry I don't know which one, but Claudia assured us that it came together easy....easy for her maybe! That would be Claudia's foot - nice pedicure!
This little beauty is also one of Claudia's - I wish the quilting showed - it is really something. Claudia just needs to bind this and then it's done. This is a Roxanne Carter pattern which Claudia said was difficult...guess I won't be doing this one!
Stephanie is modeling a bag she "won" at a service auction -it's made of wool and the lining is purple and cream!
It would be a great bag to use when traveling - I think we're going to get together sometime in the new year to make one of these for ourselves - just so we can re-new our Bag Ladies title.
This is a tree skirt....being modeled by Claudia - it's around her neck making the perfect Caroling Cape! I'm sure Claudia could have also worn this as a skirt as she is so tiny....but under the tree it will go. It was part of her gift. Which brings me to our gift exchange - the rules are simple....the item had to be hand-made....or store bought...or quilting/sewing related....I think that about covers everything - we can never leave anything to chance! This year, the most fought over item, deservedly so, was this book made by Terry:
It's actually a book cover, made out of felt and each item on the front is hand stitched. Terry's workmanship is incredible!
The pages inside the book are blank and Terry told the "winner" that she could use this book as a quilt journal....naturally we ALL wanted this....I can't remember who got it!
Terry is one of those people who never has any time to do anything because she's always so busy doing for others...and yet she always gets everything else done - plus she drives over 3 hours just to come to our meetings - she was probably hand-sewing this as she drove!
We had a great time and a great lunch... I'll share the recipes in a later post.
