quilts for companions

left: Gees Bend top that Janet is finishing, right: Miriam’s bargello top

Plymouth House of Healing needs four twin-sized quilts by mid-November. Responding to the call, Pris instantly agreed to make one. Janet plans to finish a Gees Bend top that Maurine’s friend Martha made. Flora is going to finish a top made by Jeanne. And Miriam has already started on a top in the “bargello” style that Flora showed us last year.

august 10 meeting

Our group met at Flora’s home, outside on her patio for a warm summer night. Fruit, chips and homemade salsa awaited us.

We talked about the need of four tops for Plymouth House of Healing. Over the course of the evening, the Piece Makers answered the call. (See our blog.)

Show and Tell
Diane made a gorgeous jacket for Maureen which she presented at the beginning of the meeting. She also brought books and grids for whomever could use them.

Maurine is heading toward back surgery—titanium rods will be screwed to ten vertebrae to make her a bionic woman. So far she has lost 10 pounds to get ready. More on plans and dates later. Still busy making her fantastic batik tops, Maurine brought the one she’s making for a neighbor’s daughter in S. California who’s graduating from high school this coming year.

To cap her summer vacation, Janet attended a week-long dyeing workshop with Susan Nylander in Sequim. (See our blog for pictures of her projects.)

Patricia brought a little girl’s dress made with vintage Japanese yukata cottons. It’s a sample that will be used at QuiltWorks NW to promote her trunk show in late September. Sarah is talking to Patricia about scheduling a similar show at Fabric Crush this winter for those who don't want to cross the water.

Miriam entertained us with two whimsical stuffed cats. She has made so many patchwork golf caps for her male family members that she’s lost count. (See the photo of our group modeling the caps.) Visit our blog for the quilt top she is making for Plymouth House of Healing.

Diane brought a set of bibs that she's cross-stitching. This summer Diane went to N-Sid-Syn twice—once for Emily Hanson’s wedding and once for Family Camp. Other news: her oldest son Russ, a recent college graduate, is about to buy a home in N. Ballard.

Flora’s friend Celine shared a remarkable quilt made by her grandmother, culturally a Spokane Indian. The quilting on the rustic 95-year old blanket was made with many colored threads, expertly stitched together.

The previous night Flora stayed up until 4:30 to produce a dreamy composition entitled “The Great Red Road.” She also showed us a pinwheel top she started eight years ago, labyrinth quilts that made order out of chaos, and her organization of vintage 2"squares.

welcome luka

On August 1, Luka Dean arrived to the delight of Tricia and Andy Seery. To show our care, a Piece Makers quilt was delivered to the sweet little one.

Our group loves to stock the Baby Quilt Closet for Plymouth’s littlest ones. More babies please!

july 10 meeting

A small group of us met at Maurine’s home on Thursday night to share quilt projects and, surprisingly, celebrate Patricia’s birthday.

Earlier in the day, Harriet took a special trip to Trophy Cupcakes at Wallingford Center to pick up the pretty little cakes. While there, she stopped by Fabric Crush and saw owner and Piece Maker Sarah.

The sweet cupcakes, replete with candles, were delicious. Thank you Harriet!

Show and Tell
Maurine showed us the batik quilt she made for her red-headed daughter-in-law with luxurious Minkee backing. The quilt design is one that she's perfecting, with a total of six—complete, in process or in planning. To help others make the same design, Maurine gave us a little lesson.

Harriet continues to make charming country-style quilts. She showed us two new ones and a doll-sized scrap quilt. Plus Harriet some added hand stitching on the youth quilts she displayed last month. To expand her skill set, Harriet is attending fiber art classes at Grunewald Guild, near Leavenworth, next week.

Patricia showed her newest quilt made of yukata fabrics (see her yukatacraze blog) with white wide-wale corduroy on the back.

Janet has been enjoying summer holiday time with her two sisters and ignoring her quilting interests. She displayed a fun set of fabric slippers she bought as a hostess gift as next week Janet will be in Squimm for a week-long fabric dyeing workshop.

june 10 meeting

Once again we had a Summer Soltice meeting at Harriet’s home. For those of you who haven't joined us in the past, Harriet lives in a fairy tale log home in a wooded area north of Seattle. The house is remarkable and the landscaping is gorgeous--especially the flower groupings.

We meet at Harriet's in June so we can make our way down her short dirt road while it's still light outside. Robert was our chef, cooking up salmon filets for our small group. All the food of our potluck meal was perfect.

Show and Tell
Patricia displayed her full-sized stuffed dachshund. She found the pattern online and made it out of fabric she dyed at Pat's Goldendale home last year (see okanarts.blogspot.com). Patricia also updated us on the biennial Japanese show opening on June 30 at the La Conner Quilt Museum. The show will be going until late September and there was a little buzz about a Piecemakers group taking a field trip in August.

Janet showed us a gorgeous quilt that she has been working on for a few years. The ample-sized quilt has a shabby chic look and is completely hand stitched.

Harriet cut into some of the flannels she has picked up on her travels. The youth quilts she produced for her grand nephews are cosy in two ways—the soft hand of the flannel and the delicously puffy batting.

Miriam has quilted longer than any of us and now admits that she's never made a nine-square quilt. So she has gotten busy producing her first set of nine-square blocks.

Flora outdid herself again. She relayed the story about receiving thousands of 2" squares of cotton from the 1930s that she has begun to sort and dream about. The pink ballet top she made for a young dancer is now complete as a gorgeous quilt with a matching pillow case. A baby-sized quilt she made with some designer fabric gave her some trouble on her long-arm machine. Her resolve of the problem was flawless and a funny story. Lastly she sent some novelty fabric around the circle that she picked up on the internet for us to enjoy.

Maurine made a subtle yet dramatic quilt top out of batiks. We are quietly planning to tuck that quilt into our gift closet for a future need. She also displayed the king-sized quilt she is making for her son Lee and wife. Three years in the making, the huge production has hundreds of different fabrics in purples and rusts.

Brave and bold, Ingrid has intrepidly kept working on her sewing skills. She bought an intermediate Fons & Porter quilt kit and finished the top beautifully. She conferenced with Maurine to get tips for sandwiching and stitching this ambitious project that she hopes to give to a star teacher next Tuesday. Ingrid also displayed a colorful photo quilt with images of her family and pets. Her final show & tell was the quilt top she's finishing with girl scout fabric.

“sole bouquet” quilt

The Piece Makers started on the quilt for Cory Maclay, departing youth minister, in early March. We shopped at the newly opened store, Fabric Crush, and purchased bright cottons recommended by owner Sarah for a great discount.

Kits of fabric were handed out at the March meeting with simple instructions to create a bold 16" block. Ten quilters created 12 blocks in time for the April meeting.

Harriet , Shannon and Diane quilted the blocks and Harriet completed the production with the pale blue connectors. Then it was back to Diane for the beautifully embroidered label on the back.

yf quilt celebration

Above: Four happy recipients with their youth minister, Cory. Left: Maurine, Piece Makers founder, and graduating senior, David.

For one year Plymouth Piece Makers kept a focus on making eight quilts for the graduating high school seniors. Today we wrapped these youth in love and quilts, to remind them of whose they are and who they are as they go out into the world.