Many of you have made the pilgrimage to the "mother of all quilt shows" the International Quilt Festival Houston. I've been to Quilt Market, the show for shop owners and buyers (thanks Nadine), but this will be my first Quilt Fest. I want you to join me. If you've been before, please leave a comment about what is not to be missed. If you've never made the trip and want to know all the happenings, leave a comment; tell me what you want to know. Let's go together. And, if you're heading that way, let me know so we can meet up. 

I'll make every effort to write a blog post every night and post to my twitter feed so be sure to follow along @lisysykes and @uhuruquilters.

Where did the summer go? As I write this it feels like fall outside, the kids go back to school in the coming weeks, and the grill is out of propane. There are at least three quilts on my “to make” list this summer, but sadly, I only have half of one on my design wall. I shall not despair, I won’t count summer over until it’s meteorological end on September 22nd. I’ll strive to have a few quilt tops to show at our September meeting...I’m not so ambitious as to think I’ll have them quilted too.

Deb’s ugly fabric challenge is still alive and well, so if you have a piece of that “ugly” fabric, don’t forget we can’t wait to see what you've done with it, we know it will be beautiful. As we head into autumn how about a new challenge? This year we acknowledge three significant civil rights anniversaries, the Birmingham bombings, the March on Washington and the Lunch Counter sit-ins. So in the spirit of quilters and Uhuru, let's acknowledge these events through quilting. We challenge all of our members to interpret any or all of these events through a quilt. This quilt can be any size, postcard to king size, it can be embellished however you choose, made in any style or colors of your choice. There is only one requirement; if the quilt you submit is larger than a postcard it MUST have a hanging sleeve. This challenge quilt should be submitted at our January 2014 meeting. I hope you will see this as an opportunity to try something new, highlight a challenging technique, and most of all, express your view of our country's civil rights history.

Enjoy these last few weeks of summer, be safe, do good.

Cheers,
Cornelia

Imagine my surprise when I sat down Sunday morning to read the latest Quilter’s Newsletter and saw our former member, Valerie White, profiled in their “Meeting Place” feature. The first line of the article reads “It was the support and friendship of members of the Uhuru Quilting Guild of Fort Washington, Maryland that provided her encouragement.” She spoke specifically of our wonderful, Jennifer Morris. If you haven’t read your issue yet, or don’t have a copy, please make sure to pick up a copy of the August/September Quilter's Newsletter and read more about how Valerie has developed as a quilter and artist.

Two of Valerie’s words really struck me: “support and friendship." For almost twenty years the ladies of Uhuru have given each other, and our community, “support and friendship.” Valerie’s memory of us finds me proud to be a member of Uhuru and especially honored to be your  Coordinator. Many of us have close friends in the guild; others may only see or talk to one another once a month when we meet. However, when we meet, we all share the “support and friendship” Valerie speaks of and that is truly wonderful. When I put on my coordinator’s mantle and think about how to better serve you, I brainstorm many thoughts and ideas. I realize today, however, that if we each come away with “support and friendship,” we are all well served.

Cheers to Valerie and all present and former Uhuru Members,
Cornelia

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!

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