Quilting With Strangers

 

So, my daughter asked me, "What are you doing this weekend?"

And I told her, "Quilting with strangers!"

Out in Lancaster County, the family that owns one of the largest, most popular, most affordable fabric stores also owns three (there may be even more) houses that have been converted into retreat centers for groups of quilters. Each house has many bedrooms, almost as many bathrooms, a magnificently appointed kitchen, and a humongous work room with a bazillion outlets, good-sized tables, a couple of design walls, and pre-designated ironing stations. And each has a minimum number of guests required.

Mary Ellen, my machinist, had invited me more than a year ago to go away for a weekend with a group of her friends. It seemed they were looking to expand their number in order to make the minimum needed for their retreat house of choice. My buddies Judy and Helen were able to join them that time, but I wasn't. And the same thing happened the next time. But what do they say? "The third time's the charm!"

And what a charm it was. 

The early birds arrived at two o'clock on Friday afternoon and the rest straggled in over the next couple of hours, some of them exhausted from shopping. My age and infirmities (the first {and probably only}) benefit of a newly replaced knee qualified me for one of the two downstairs bedrooms. We unpacked and settled in. And began to sew. There were ten of us: Judy, Helen and me and Mary Ellen, plus six strangers. 

And, truth be told, they were no stranger than most of the other quilters I know. They were welcoming, generous, incredibly well organized; they were superb cooks and tellers of very funny stories. And there was no judgment when I declined the invitation for an early morning hike.

I had seen and purchased the Jen Kingwell pattern "The Avenue," and decided this would be my project of choice for the weekend. I also purchased a couple of FQ packs of low volumes for the backgrounds. For the trees, I raided my William Morris collection (be still, my heart!) in preparation for a quilt called "Bill Goes to Paris" because the designer was hoping to evoke memories of Parisian boulevards, etc.

I made twelve of the needed twenty-four trees and am smitten once again with Bill's versatility. 

I also got the binding purchased, made, and machined onto Pick A Petal.

Most of the group is staying until noon on Monday, but I needed to leave this afternoon due to another commitment. 

I had a wonderful time with this inclusive group of women. I can't wait to join them again. 

And that's the full report on Quilting with Strangers New Friends!