I am a member of an online group, Sunshine. We support two programs with quilts for kids. A large percentage of what I make goes to the Sunshine programs. The needs are on-going, so there is always a quilt in the works. I just made this quilt top. The crumb blocks were made by another Sunshine member, Lois, and I added the whites and put it together in this zipper pattern.
I am a member of a local guild, Minnesota Contemporary Quilters. There are many very talented artists in this group, and it is a good challenge for me, attempting to stretch my wings and try some art quilting.
MCQ encourages small group participation, so several of us started a new group called Loose Threads. We've been together about two years now. We try to create challenges, attend classes and lectures, learn new techniques, share information we learn in other venues, sometimes we have sewing days together, and always we include going out for lunch. We have such fun!
My cousin and I got connected to a quilt group that meets at my other cousin's church. They meet once a week, but because it's such a long drive from us (40 min. for me, an hour for cousin).. we don't make it there every week. This group is called Stitch 'n Rip Quilters. The picture below is one of the members, Rita, who already made a quilt top from some of the blocks being posted by Pat Sloan (Solstice Quilt).
Another small group which we call Cute as Buttons has only three members. We started it kind of on a whim. We have done a couple of challenges with each other, and we always go out for lunch. Picture below is Beth and Kathy, holding a round robin we all worked on. This one belongs to Kathy.
I started a once-a-month sewing day that meets at my church. It's a loosely formed group of friends who enjoy getting an uninterrupted time for sewing and enjoying group camaraderie. We call ourselves Orange Quilters. It's kind of weird to name our group, because several of us overlap membership in one or more of the above groups, but it's just fun to have a name for who we are on that monthly gathering.
Once I consciously thought about all the groups I'm in, I realized why I feel so busy. On top of this, I need time at home to sew the projects I work on for the above groups, and I do volunteer work through my church and other organizations. Sometimes I babysit for my "bonus grandson." I also still work part-time, but luckily it is very few hours. So life is full, and I always have things to work on and practice my creativity. Life is good!
2 comments:
Hi Carol, I find that belonging to a group is very therapeutic. Thanks for sharing your groups! Karen.
Sounds like life is very good and full and encouraging.
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