february 2008 meeting

Harriet brought three tops that were pieced together with Chinese Coin craziness. They are bright and quite suitable for young men--which could help with our Youth Forum needs this spring. We need to discuss how best to finish these up.

Mary, who has been busy at the QFC pharmacy, brought her quilt-as-you-go project. She commented that working on small squares makes for a lot more work with the long pieces (sashing?) that pull it all together.

Janet let us know that she is caught up with a long-standing, hand-quilted project at home. It is all one huge piece of white (beige?) fabric that is finished with just hand stitching. Hopefully she will bring it to our next meeting to show us her progress.

Miriam, our oldest quilter, brought a fluffy and fun baby quilt for a Plymouth baby. We learned that Miriam likes to get up early in the morning and quilt for about three hours, often by hand, before she gets started on her day. Tremendously prolific, Miriam admits that she was born with a sewing machine in her arms.

Patricia showed progress on her YF quilt that is made with bold pieces of South African fabric. So far she has finished freestyle quilting half of that quilt-as-you-go piece. On the side she has been making a "quilted afghan" for her living room. Composed of graphic squares of green, gold and brown fabric, Patricia showed strips of piecing ready to sew into the final top.

the founding of piece makers

Maurine in Ohio with a quilt she made with vintage squares, 2009.

Maurine Noble, a nationally recognized quilter and teacher, founded Plymouth Piece Makers in 1989. Its initial focus was to make quilts for new babies born to church families. If enough quilters joined the group, Maurine hoped that quilts could also be created for the new House of Healing ministry. An ad was put in the Herald newsletter, inviting quilters and would-be quilters to join the group.

Participants in early meetings included: Emilie Adams, Sue Bechtold, Rosetta Elliott, Inge Freund, Helen Gorsuch, Shannon Kahn, Ruth Kiemle, Maurine Noble, Diane Roubal, Caryl Trager, Sally Wagner, Susan Underwood, Marcia Almquist, Karen Gwilym, Jane Alley, Julie (does anyone know Julie’s last name?), Bertha Hanson, Jackie Mampel, Joan Davis and Carol Fick.

days of creation banners

In our Chapel hangs a series of 5x10 foot banners depicting the Genesis story. Maureen Noble, Sally Wagner and Dana Taft were the key creative women who, in the late 80’s, bought $100 worth of sportswear fabric and worked for months on the six banners. Each scene includes freemotion stitching of the bible verses around the binding. They are very impressive modern-day tapestries in a house of worship.