Southern Comforters Quilt Guild of Bowie will have their annual Quilt Show this weekend, March 23rd and 24th in Bowie. It is always a good show with beautiful quilts and several great demos. Let's support our fellow Maryland Quilters. And, don't forgot to try some of the great BBQ!
Practice, Challenge, Improvement Have you noticed a theme yet in my monthly messages? Certainly not my intent, just what I hope is a happy evolution. I find myself repeating the advice my dad gave me to my nine year old almost weekly... Practice, Practice, Practice, the classmate who aces the quiz or the opponent who defeats you only did so because they practiced more than you. It was really unpleasant to hear then, as I’m sure it is for my son today, but I wish I could hear those words again from my dad. My free motion quilting is absolutely awful and I know the only thing that is going to matter now is practice. And more practice. And still more practice. For example, I've seen Bernadett's long arm quilting improve over the last year or so and I’d bet a yard of fabric, she’d say that it is because she is quilting more and trying new things. I think that is the second step in improving your skills; challenging yourself. The Guild’s March Challenge, to take on a difficult block, one you have avoided in the past or wouldn't even dare to try, is a challenge to practice, to improve. I hope that you've attempted this month's challenge and learned something new...a new technique or discovered something new in you. Happy 19th Birthday Uhuru! Happy National Quilting Day! Here's to a year of practice and improvement. I’ve finally finished my 2013 Quilts to Make list and this list leaves me thinking about “inspiration”. As I poured over the project bags, boxes, books, bookmarked magazines, I pondered my criteria. Why did three wonderfully modern quilts, one really complex hand applique and several hand embroidery quilts make this year’s list? Where did this eclectic mix originate? Thus, my “inspiration” question. Do you scan Pinterest for hours? Do you clip from quilting magazines? Bookmark blogs and websites? Do you have the latest quilting book published? Are you fascinated by a favorite technique? Do you have a favorite instructor or famous quilter you are inspired by? Leave a comment, let me know. Of all these resources, I can say without hesitation or doubt my greatest inspiration, month after month, is our Show and Tell. I see the work of “My Ladies,” (my affectionate term for my fellow guild members), and I’m moved to create, repeat, try, start, or just do something with fabric. There are months when I only enter my quilt room to iron a shirt, yet I’m suddenly there on the third Saturday after a guild meeting, trying to get my bearings or start yet another new project. With all the books, blogs and and quilting magazines overwhelming my senses without fail, “my ladies” shine above as inspiration and for that I’m ever grateful. Over the last few years the Washington area has lost several quilt shops, so it is up to us, as quilters, to support the quilt shops that remain. Several shops are participating in the events of the day with sales and special happenings. Think of the small business owner when considering a fabric or quilting purchase. Local Quilt Shop Day Details Happy 2013! It is my pleasure and honor to lead Uhuru into 2013. For many of us January is a time of reflection, evaluation and goal setting; well it is no exception for Uhuru. Your Executive Board, committee chairs, and faithful volunteers have met and planned an exciting 2013 for the Guild. I can't wait until our January meeting to share the exciting details. I'll be honest, I've not yet completed my personal quilting goals for 2013, but I do know that more time quilting and with my quilting friends is at the top of my list. I've also thought of the areas where I've fallen short over the last year, and I realized that I have not done my part in community service. Several of our members are so very passionate and dedicated to the Guild's community service efforts and that passion has inspired me for 2013. Again, Happy New Year Uhuru! And if you are a quilter in the suburban Washington area, looking for a "quilters home", please join us for our next meeting. Ciao, Cornelia | 2013 Uhuru CoordinatorCornelia Carter-Sykes ArchivesMarch 2013 Categories |
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