I have mentioned in a previous post the St. Daniel's Quilters but I really wanted to go into more detail.

These ladies are AMAZING - not just because they sew so beautifully and devote so much time to help raise money for their church, but because these ladies are some of the busiest women I have ever met!  Honestly - I am surprised they don't all have social secretaries considering their full dance cards!  Besides quilting, they help with their grand & great grandchildren, they have monthly school reunions, play cards and work at the polls on election day.  They attend church (and a variety of church events), donate their time to various charities....some of them even have part time jobs! They are also some of the most gracious and interesting women I have ever met.



I'm proud to say my mom is a member of this group - that's her in the middle facing the camera.  The quilt they are working on was made by my friend, Tony as a gift for his wife for Yule.  He is the one who helped me put together my autumn quilt pictured below.



Aside from their passion for the art of quilting, this activity at St. Daniel's is specifically a fundraiser for the church - people hire them to complete the quilting portion (and sometimes even the binding) of their handmade quilts. I've never asked but I'm sure they have an accounting of how many quilts they have done over the years and I would guess the number is considerable.  The wedding quilt I mentioned in a previous post is in their queue and while the bride and groom may have to wait until after Christmas for their quilt (they were married this past March), believe me, it is completely worth the wait! 

Here is a quilt the ladies did for me - it is black thread on the black squares only. They did a fantastic job and my quilt is wonderful!

If you have a quilt that needs completion or if you are just interested in the efforts of these marvelous artists, please click on the link below!

Quilt Ladies of Robesonia!

In a previous post I wrote about a quilt that was being prepared for my brother's wedding.  Well, with the invaluable help from my friend Tony (yes, guys quilt, too!) the quilt top was ready in time for the wedding.  

The bride and groom loved it so much they displayed it as decor for the wedding ceremony. Here is a photo of the top.

It is a queen size quilt and has a brown border. The backing fabric is a red & yellow & green floral print that is a 1930's reproduction.  The fabulous piece in the center is from a piece of cloth my aunt brought back with her from her Peace Corps tenure in Nigeria in 1969. Due to its age and the amazing design, we were extremely reluctant to cut the fabric and were super pleased that we could incorporate it as a whole piece.

There were so many different prints and colors and yet it came together so beautifully!  Thanks again to my mom for suggesting the pattern! It really made all the difference.  If I had gone with my original concept, it would have been a nightmare of colors & patterns!

It will be getting a place in the queue with the St. Daniel's Quilters - they are currently working on their Fall Fest quilt, so we have no idea when they will be able to start this (or how many pieces are in line in front of it) but I will be sure to post photos when it is fully complete!

One of my bothers (I have 6) is getting married in March. I came across a cool idea on Pinterest and shared it with his fiancee and she liked it as well, so we are forging ahead!  It is for a quilt to be given to the bride & groom!

So when I sent out the invitations for the bridal shower, I asked the attendees to bring a 10 inch x 10 inch piece of cotton fabric. If someone RSVP'd they wouldn't be coming, I still invited them to send me a piece of fabric (and some did!). After the shower, we will take all those pieces of fabric and create a quilt top that will be finished in time for everyone to see at the wedding.  After the wedding, it will be put into the loving hands of the St. Daniel's Lutheran Church Quilters in Robesonia, PA, who will complete the quilting; my mom and I will handle the binding when it is finished.

This idea appeals to me on so many different levels - firstly, we have no idea what we are going to get in terms of fabric - not the print or the texture or anything - all of it will be a surprise and a challenge!  Secondly, I love the idea that the community of family and friends are all contributing to a piece that I hope becomes an heirloom.  Its like little unspoken tokens of love to keep them warm for years to come!  Thirdly, as mentioned in my previous post, I like making things that will be given to someone. Forth - this is the first project that I am working on jointly with  my mom (an artist in her own right as a master embroider)! Fifthly - I can once again hand over a quilt to the St. Daniel's Quilters! They quilt for hire as a fun raiser for their church and while not a Lutheran myself, I love fundraisers that don't involve a whole lot of sales on anyone's part.  (I should make a separate post about these ladies - they are something else!).

I don't have any pictures to share as yet but I will make more posts about the quilt and give you all a glimpse into the creative process!