The Quilters Come Marching Two by Two Hurrah, Hurrah

The quilters come marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah...some far, some near, but all here on Saturday for the quarterly gathering of the Bayshore Longarm Quilters.

This is an informal guild made up of quilters who have a longarm, shortarm, midarm, quilt with their home sewing machine on a frame or just wanta'bees...the one thing we have in common is our love of quilting and finishing a quilt on a machine, either hand guided or computer guided. We recognize and celebrate it all, including hand quilting, quilted purses, wall quilts, bed quilts, show quilts, charity quilts.... just any thing quilts!

Our group is made up of many members at various stages in their quilting passion. Generally our gatherings are just an organized show and tell, although at times we have had guest speakers or a general topic of discussion. But mainly...we love show and tell and the opportunity to ask questions.

We go around the room, introduce ourselves (always new members, and due to distance some aren't able to come all the time). As a way of introduction we usually share what type of machine we have (or if we are still in the research and planning stage), whether we quilt for hire, or for just ourselves and perhaps a few friends and family.

Members are encourage to bring show and tell and sometimes will share a quilting tip or a new gadget they have found as we go around the room with our "introductions".

The talents of our group is amazing. I love seeing different colors, different styles of not only piecing but how something was quilted.

It's so much fun to get to exam the quilts up close and personal.

To be amazed at the custom work, to see a new panto design and ask "where'd ya get that?" And always the request "we want to see the back!" Yes, after we have admired the visual impact of a quit, longarm quilters really want to see the quilting and generally the back is where that shines!

Sometimes we don't all have show and tell, but we still share the laughter, the ohhs and ahhs, and the community spirit. I always love having my quilt-ie friends over, many I only see at the gatherings or our annual pilgrimage to the Houston International Quilt Show.

As mentioned, many of our members drive an hour or more to join us. Several make a day of it, some planning lunches together afterwards and more times than not, a shop hop to this area's fine quilting establishments.

We are blessed to have several award winning quilters in our group who share their talents and wealth of knowledge with us, as well as our "resident celebrity," Tom Russell. Tom is the most down to earth celebrity I know (and he's going to fuss at me for calling him a celebrity), we all just love him. He speaks words of wisdom encouraging us to all be the best we can be, to take time for our own quilting (and not just focusing on our customers for those of us with customers). And he amazes us with his creative mind. His quilts are simply amazing, many having won awards in national shows, and one that will be published in an upcoming book on Texas Quilters...

In the above two photos Tom was sharing an inherited family heirloom that he will one day quilt. Then he surprised us with blocks from a current project...one that he has shared photos on his blog...if you aren't already subscribed to his blog, then you need to be! What inspiration! Tom Russell Quilts

Nothing like see works of art in person and still on the "design board" - Tom, we can't wait to see the finished quilt - but as you have taught us, the process is the true journey.

After everyone had their turn it was my turn, and my show and tell was my newly remodeled studio...

It was sooo much fun to share my joy! My only regret is that I didn't have personal one on one time with all the attendees. Ah, but as they say, the road to a quilting friend's studio isn't long....

After everyone had headed out to lunch or the area quilt shops I asked Tom if I could pick his brain...I had a project that needed help...

I'm putting together a sampler quilt using the Block of the Month patterns from AccuQuilt for an upcoming class...I knew I wanted batiks, but other than that I just pieced, didn't really take into consideration the color flow, etc.. Tom is a master of color...

And he matched my room! Don't you think he just belongs here? Oh I can only wonder what creations would come out of my studio if I had Tom as an in-house mentor (grin).

I pulled out my stash of batiks and then we started playing. I am sooo glad I listened to him and my friend Dianne Anderson of The Quilter's Cabin about adding a design wall to my newly remodeled studio...even if it's a design DOOR to my laundry room ...

This is my 8 blocks before Tom came...I knew something just didn't feel right...and I needed a little help from my quilting buddy...

He suggested that I take out the lower block in the 6 o'clock position and helped me pick out new colors to replace it...

Then I asked him to help me with the center blocks colors...I wanted to try my hand at applique, not something I do, and something Tom is a master of...Okay, so I'm "cheating" I am doing all my blocks with the AccuCut Go!Cutter, but it's a start... Armed with instructions I pulled out the fabric and Go!Cutter after everyone left and had that machine a humming..

Taking advantage of my new design wall I auditioned the background fabric we had picked out..

Hum...

I didn't care for it as much with the cutouts on it as I had thought I would. If I'm going to try my hand at applique it's going to show up by golly!

I liked this much better, so now the little parts are all fused down and I don't know what to do with them (grin)... but look Tom! I've actually almost made an applique block!

So here's the design wall by the end of the day....the 6 0'clock block position has been reworked and I have a new center block...Stay tuned for the finishing setting solution!

I plan on having it ready for the next Bayshore Longarm Quilter's gathering!