Process not Product

Look at this intricately sewn quilt. I have had this quilt photo for at least two months. Originally, I wanted to use the image to begin a conversation about how each of us works in different ways. However, the conversation did a dramatic turn today. I was reading an email posting by Stephanie Friedman for nicenews.com. I find “nicenews” helps balance the not so nice news. Friedman was writing about Martha Beck, a Harvard sociologist. Beck has written a book published last month entitled “Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity,and Finding Your Life’s Purpose.” I was into it. And then Friedman quoted Beck. “Beck said to use ‘sanity quilting’ when you can’t drop everything to create.” What? A three Harvard degreed sociologist used quilting in her tome? Beck said, “Don’t think about your own happiness. Instead make a creative activity that you love the first priority for your time, then add on another piece, and then another piece, and then another piece until your whole life time frame is filled with things you love.” Now if that doesn’t make you pick up your needle and stitch, I don’t know what will. We are all fortunate to have found something that we love to do. And when the going gets tough, we are encouraged by Harvard to sew.

Janice

Agenda for Meeting

Show and Tell

Susan Barrett: Mini Trunk Show

Kathy Ingmundson: Ways To Hang Art Quilts: see description below

Linda Barron: How to use ICD for Member Information (see guide linked below)

Spring Retreat Planning

March 11 - Follow up on Improv Quilting Workshop and Spring Retreat planning (see agenda above)

April 7-11 Spring Retreat

May 13 - Making Quilts with Silk Ties by Jan

June 10 - Follow up to Silk Tie workshop

July 8 - Surface Design Techniques by Susan Barrett

August 12 - Follow up on Surface Design work shop

September 9 - Study in Black by Janice

October 7 - Follow up on Study in Black and Fall Retreat planning

November 10-14 Fall Retreat

December 9 - Christmas Party and Kiss it goodbye

Quilt team: Melinda, Carol, Vicki, Kathy and Alene. Will be quilted by Alene.

I will be teaching a rope Bowl class at Quilt N Kaboodle on Thursday, March 13th from 11:00 AM

to-?. Cost is $30. Class size will be between 6-8 people. Here are some of the type of bowls I'll be bringing in.

Contact Quilt N Kaboodle to sign up and supply list is on their website.Linda Coulombe lacoulombe@yahoo.com

407-678-3495

Oakely Gallery

OCC Antiques & Interiors - "Out of the Cedar Chest", 300 Northside Dr, Gainesville, GA 30501, USA

Link to sign up for her first class….

https://out-of-the-cedar-chest.square.site/product/slow-stitch-collage-workshop-w-geri-beam-fiber-artist/5?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

April

3 April:

Sat 4/5 GB Scarf Dyeing all day 10:30-4:30

June

4 June:

Sunday 6/8 GB Summer Splendor - Mixed media collage 10:30-1:30

ScanNCut ScanNCut 2:30-5:30

August

5 August:

8-3 Sun GB Botanical Printing all day 10:30-4:30

October

6 Oct:

Sat 10-4 GB Spooktacular Boxes 10:30-1:30 and

ScanNCut ScanNCut 2:30-5:30

November

7 November:

GB Sat 11-1 Personal Treasures Necklace all day 10:30-4:30

December

8 December:

Sunday 12/7 GB Last Minute Gifts Stamping on Wearables 10:30-1:30 and

Same class second session 2:30-5:30

Sautee Nacoochee Center

Visit snca.org for more information about upcoming classes and events

Slow Stitch Collage with Geri Beam

2 Sessions on Friday, May 16:

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

as part of our FiberFest 2025 Event

11 February 2025

Attendees : Silke, Melinda, Carol, Janice, Nina, Lynda Doll, Susan, Vicki,

Jan Pitman, Linda Barron, Bev, Alene, Kathy Igmundson, Gini

Janice opened the meeting at 10:20am

SHOW AND TELL

Melinda and Vicki - Pomegranates

Bev - wool floral, QOV Potato Chip, QOV panel, Wool tool kit

Susan - kimono

Alene - wool handwork : Sue Spargo inspired

Janice - critique on 3 figures

(photos submitted)

DISCUSSION ON AMBASSADOR SIGN UP FOR EXPO

Please let Janice know if you can help as ambassador or selling tickets in the booth

10:45am Silke Presentation of Improv quilting

many examples, no preset pattern, no rulers, freehand cutting and sewing

Kawandi quilts we did are a good example

Gees Bend quilts - used what they had

Maria Shell - composition and balance with solid fabrics

Nancy Crow - example shown

Chistella - looks like weaving

Bobby Bough - FL workshop 22 Feb on "Composition"

WORKSHOP

Silke supplied white squares and coloured strip to "flip and stitch" improv blocks

Lynda doll won a little pin cushion tea cup and saucer

9 members completed their blocks and Kathy Igmundson volunteered to assemble them

into a donation quilt with extra fabric supplied by Silke.

Lunch was shared and discussions on several topics were discussed

Janice presented the pincushion from Spoonflower printed miniature Opp Quilt fabric.

Meeting was informally adjourned

Respectfully submitted by Gini Cawood

https://www.ctpub.com/ultimate-value-tool/

https://nancysnotions.com/add-hand-embroidery-to-clothes-and-shoes-its-easy/

How to Have More Meaning Conversations About Quilts

By Frances O’Roark Dowell

https://www.quiltingdaily.com/talking-about-quilts-how-to-have-more-meaningful-conversations-about-quilts/

Quilting Arts (Where We Work):

https://www.quiltingdaily.com/where-we-work-quilting-arts-podcast

New Haptic & Hue podcast link:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/haptic-hue/id1530400722?i=1000682370590

Podcast with local flair:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-thread-podcast/id1508572777?i=1000663499933

Her upcoming book is: Marking Your Time by Tommye McClure Scanlin

Marking Time with Fabric and Thread: Calendars, Diaries, and Journals within Your Fiber Craft https://a.co/d/71Q7u8N

Podcast on Tales of Textiles:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/haptic-hue/id1530400722

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/haptic-hue/id1530400722

Need the password for member section for the guild (www.mlqg.org) website? Contact Linda Barron (linda.barron@gmail.com)

Silke uses Superior thread 100 weight (micro quilter)-blends in well.

Kathy I. uses 100 weight silk thread by Yli (order from Amazon or another vendor online).

https://www.janedunnewold.com/resources/critiques

One is a checklist that can be used as a guideline when looking at a quilt - this is published on her website as part of her creative strength training class.

The second is a detailed essay she wrote concerning the process.

I hope that these documents will help the Bee Artful group conduct critique sessions that are productive.

As February slides into history we have seen some spectacular spring days recently. I am torn between wanting to be outside with my hands in the dirt and inside with my hands in some fabric and thread! Our February class was a big hit with Silke's improv class. Instead of everyone going home with an orphan block, we decided to make a few more to then have a comfort quilt memory to bestow on someone in the future. I would love to see that become a regular way to use our creations. We have another meeting coming up where we will look at how members hang quilts, talk about our April retreat, and, see some lovely creations by Susan Barrett. Looking forward to spring.

I am happy to convey all of these wonderful "goings on" via this newsletter. Try to get things to me in advance of the end of the month via email (mandmoliver@gmail.com) or text. If you put the word "newsletter" somewhere in the message line I will be able to find it easier (if using email). See you soon.

Melinda