I have to say that I am so glad I was able to find a group of people locally who like to quilt. I have never been part of a quilt group before and I didn’t like the formality and rigidity of a guild when I visited. This group of ladies meet regularly, do challenges and have fun. We met last fall and did a collaborative quilt challenge. I talked about it here so you could read about the rules of the challenge. It was one of the more difficult challenges I have been a part of and maybe that’s why I feel it is so good. And I am really attached to it.

Stats: It is 60 x 60.  It has quilters dream batting. Shot cotton, solids, cool prints and a batik were chosen to work with. Golden colored thread from Superiors Sew Fine was used in the long arm quilting.

This quilt is finished. It will be donated to raise money for to a local group that wants to keep a skate park in our little town. The parks property sold and the equipment must be moved and set up again, all costs money. . I hope that we can raise some money. Lots of money,  I am so in love with the quilt that I had a hard time seeing it leave my house once I took it off the long arm frame. I have to say this quilting was done after my 100 day project and I think this is probably really the culmination of all the skills I was working on for the project. My nearly wholecloth quilt was a little practice quilt that prepped me for this one.

So the group saw the finished project tonight for the first time. Everyone was so happy to be a part of it, the sum of all the parts made one great finish! I think that is why I like being a part of a group that gels well together. It reminded me of when I was able to play violin or bass in the orchestras back in the day. Playing solos are ok, but to be part of a large group and literally make beautiful music together is a special feeling. The sum of all parts makes something together that is greater than each component. And that is how I feel about this quilt.

I am also happy to have found my people, my tribe locally. I have some of these people virtually but it isn’t the same. I am really crazy about quilting and they put up with me. They liked my show and tell. They thought the scrap vomit quilt turned out well. We weighed in on lots of topics on quilting and art and family and controversies and life. We sip a little wine, share about how to make quilts but so much of that all applies to life too…. Looking forward to our next meeting.

Vicki