Sylvia Stephens' quilt needs your vote

Sylvia Stephens, one of the quilters from the AUUF show, The Color of Quilting, has been invited to participate in the "Quilts for Obama" exhibit in Washington, D.C. She has submitted her quilt "'O' The Obama Logo Quilt."

The exhibit is currently underway at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. in the downtown area. The website link provides information about the "Quilts for Obama" exhibit.

The quilt is currently being voted on by the public. With your help we can vote the quilt photo to make the top 20 in the FotobamaWeek contest! Vote today for our local quilter. We are proud to have Sylvia represent our area.

Vote by Tuesday, March 31, 2009

5 Easy Steps … Takes about 3 to 5 minutes.

Renew, Recycle, Create Art

The quilter's reception will be in 4 days. The colors of their quilts, the fabrics that they work with, their warm smiles and welcoming words will be a perfect compliment for the Spring day. In Auburn we are seeing dogwoods showing out with thier colorful blooms, the azaleas bursting forth and leaves unfurling from the sleepy trees. This is my most favorite time of the year.

The daylight is longer. I ride my bike more often to squeak in a little more outdoor time. Garden tours are more frequent throughout the yard. It's almost zen-like to walk around first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee to see what is peeking through the ground.

This is a time for fellowship and nature. A friend of mine at work has brought by the most beautiful fabric to share with the quilters. Her aunt was a world traveler and art connoisseur. She left a wealth of material to share. Quilter's are recyclers. They take the fabric that they have on-hand or someone gives them. They create art. They are humble. They quilt beautiful pieces that bloom with color. Treasures live on in new pieces of art. They sing with a new song. And my friend's aunt looks down and smiles.

I hope that you all can visit with them on Saturday. It will stop time momentarily and you will be that more richer for it.

See you all there.

Quilts for the Generations

Many of us have memories of family quilts, those made by our mothers or grandmothers. Inspired by our grandmother, my sister began a Dutch Doll quilt-top when she was eight years old and worked on it for years.  Only recently she put her quilt-top into the hands of an accomplished quilter who finished it, enabling my sister to present it to her daughter.  It is heartening to see that some of the daughters (and maybe sons) of the quilters who have been part of the quilt show at AUUF are now taking up the art.  

But quilt appreciation can be passed down, too.  My grandson Nathaniel is not quite three, but he was intrigued by the colorful postcard that advertised this year's quilt show.  Even before the quilts were hung in the church, Nathaniel and I started noticing quilts--on beds, hanging on walls. When the quilts went up inside the sanctuary, Nathaniel and I went on a mission to find the quilt that is featured close-up on the back side of the postcard.  We would stand in front of each one and I would hold the postcard up to the quilt.  As we scanned each one for matching scraps of fabric, both of us would "ou" and "ah" over the pretty colors and patterns we were seeing, even if it didn't match the card!  We did finally locate the one that had been photographed, but the real pleasure of the search had been the seeking and enjoying a close look at the art and craft of each quilt.  I don't know if Nathaniel will remember this, but it's a memory I will cherish and count as a gift from the quilters and those who have brought us this show.  Many thanks!

Happy Birthday

Ruth Lockhart!

We're having a quilt raising!

Everyone knows how the Amish have their barn raisings--where everyone gets together and contributes to the construction of one barn. Well at AUUF we have the quilt raising. Now Shannon asked for some insights into the years that have gone into the quilt shows and the best I can do is talk about these raisings. And just like a barn raising, a quilt raising is quite a production. There's all sorts of work that goes on before hand--the talking to the quilters, arranging the meetings, the picking up of the quilts, and then there's the production that goes on to putting them up on the walls--the choosing of the date, the arranging of the volunteers--those who will look at the quilts, who decides which quilt goes where, the pinning of the strips on the back of the quilts, putting the supports to hang the quilts (bamboo in "old" days and lathing now) and then the climb upward. There are some stories of having the two "hangers" up on the ladders, on either side of the quilt listening to "a little higher, a little lower, a little to the left, a little to the right" to the point where it was just time to come down and go to the next one! But perhaps one of the nicest parts of the raisings was the lunch afterwards. "Back in the day" when our teens were in the single digits we also had a lunch, where Amy and Kitty and Laura and others I'm sure I'm forgetting would bring homemade soup (potato and tomato basil are two that come to mind), homemade bread, and drinks and desserts and we'd set up some long tables and just enjoy the fruits of our labor. The smell of the food with the sights of the quilts, with the sounds of the families and friends, all came together as part of the quilt raising. And as we fast forward, what has been exciting over the last few "raisings" is how Shannon, Keegan and Doug have used "modern" technology to bring the quilters' "traditional" craft, of the women--who they are, what they were thinking when they made a quilt, how they learned to quilt--to us via their photographs, emails and now blogs--a true combining of the old and the new.

Mozell Benson on Alabama Public TV

This Spring April 9,2009 Alabama Public TV will offer this two-part documentary. Check your local listings. You will see that Mozell Benson is one of the artists showcased.

A Common Thread

Everyone's stitches are different. It's synonymous to our lives. We are all different and yet all the same. We have gaps and breaks in our lives. Some of our decisions and choices are thin and thread bare, most are strong. Some need simple reinforcing. Quilting is a lot like life.

"When I am frayed and strained and drizzle at the end
Please someone cut a square and put me in a quilt
That I might keep some child warm."
-Nikki Giovanni



We are fortunate to be able and share time with these wonderful women who are East Alabama hand-quilters on March 28th. Time is fleeting but I promise it will stand still when you stop...say "hello" and talk with them.