Sunday, March 8, 2020

Sunday Sew and Sews--a Tribute

In December 2016 I started a small group I called the Sunday Sew and Sews since Sunday was the only day I had available for a monthly gathering.

I had been asked by a couple students about the upcoming 2017 Block of the Month quilt on The Quilt Show--Sue Garman's Halo Star Medallion. We planned to meet once a month for a two hour lecture/demo at  my home to work on that quilt. Starting with my guild, the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville, I asked if anyone else was interested, expecting 5 or 6. At 15 I said "that's it!"--I just don't have room for more.

Little did I dream how important these women would become to me and each other. They look forward to the gatherings, support and care for one another and all have grown in their quiltmaking skills a LOT! It is a joy to see.

The December gathering is a potluck--I love those! Here is the photo from this past December, 2019:


We are now in the fourth year of this group, still centered around the Block of the Month quilt from The Quilt Show. The group expands and contracts each year--those who don't want to make that quilt drop out for a year, then come back if the next quilt is more to their liking.

At the end of the first year, I was presented with a wonderful gift--a quilt top made from all the fabrics those Sunday Sew and Sews had used in their Halo Star Medallion quilts. Here is the top in December 2017:

This week I quilted it so I can take it to the first Joyful Journey Retreat next week where I will sleep under it at night and stitch on the binding during the day. So I have been thinking about these women all week:





Two of the original members made Halo Star Medallion quilts that are so good they have been exhibited at AQS Daytona Beach recently and are going to to AQS Lancaster this month and AQS Spring Paducah in April. Several won ribbons at the HQH show last October for quilts from this group.

I have written about this group before:

hereand here. as well as a few more times.

We recently lost one of our founding members, Janet Noever. who died suddenly from a stroke at age 82. Her death came as such a shock to us all. It also made us aware of how important our relationships with friends really are.

Like most groups of women our age, we have shared joys and sorrows. Kids getting married, new grandbabies, job successes, medical issues, divorce, death of family and friends. The Circle of Life kinds of things. Just being with our "tribe", those who get us, is important.

Janet was one of the few I asked to help make the Afternoon Delight quilt a year ago. She is second from the right here:


Always calm and quiet and pleasant, Janet was eager to share her talents with the group when she thought it would help. She loved Seminole piecing and incorporated that in her Halo Star Medallion, replacing blocks she didn't care for. Her Halo Star Medallion was my most favorite, I must confess--it has so much life and wonderful color sense. Sue would have loved it too:


I loved it so much, I asked to take it the taping of The Quilt Show last August when we made the 2020 Block of the Month show and did a little "Salute to Sue Garman" as part of that. 

Janet's obituary taught us so much about her that we didn't know. Her professional accomplishments were many--as a professor, Dean, author, college administrator. Her love was American History and Women's Studies--before that was cool, I'm sure. She was looking forward to the Centennial Celebration of women gaining the right to vote this August, 2020. I will raise a glass to Janet to celebrate myself that day.

At our gathering this Sunday, the first without her, we are sure to tell a few Janet stories and there may be a few tears. She will be missed.

For me personally, Janet always took time to email me after a meeting. if she had learned something especially important. She took time to say "Thank You" for creating this group and let me know how much it meant to her. That is a good lesson for all of us--take the time to tell special people in your life that they make a difference to you. Tomorrow is promised to no one. I often say "I am not going to live forever" and someday that will be true, for all of us.

Thank you--to those of you who let me know this blog is helpful to you on your quilting journey--it means a lot.

Let's quilt.

Barbara



17 comments:

  1. Sweet tribute to Janet. She was a lovely lady and I know she'll be missed by many. Your gift quilt looks terrific, Barbara! The quilting on it fits it perfectly! :)

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  2. What a wonderful group you have! I am sure you will all miss Janet and her helpful ways...nice tribute...hugs, Julierose

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  3. it sounds like you have a great group of friends - I would love to have that experience and don't have it. Your quilt top that they gave you will have special memories in it and sorry you all lost a great friend

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  4. A sweet tribute to a lovely lady. Janet will be missed, while quiet and unassuming she was very generous. I learned a lot from her, especially Seminole piecing. Barbara I am blessed to be a part of the Sew and Sews and thank you for your generosity of knowledge, time and heart.

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  5. What a wonderful tribute to a friend. Hugs as you mourn her. Yet, you keep her with you in remembering her and how she affected your group and you.

    I love your blog! I check every day for a new post. I followed your Halo Medallion group. Because of ya'll, I ended up ordering the kit. I have not started it yet but I will be coming back here for your help along the way!

    Happy Sunday to you.

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  6. Thank you for sharing Janet's story with us. What a lovely tribute to her. We need to value the gems in our lives. Love your blog, keep up the good work!

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  7. I moved from Virginia to Portland Oregon, 3 years ago. I have yet to find or establish my "tribe." For that reason, I have been looking online. I found the Quilt show and I found you! For the last several weeks, I have been reading your blog and improving my quilting. Now, I "100% ruler check" everything. What an improvement in my quilting. I thought I was a good quilter, and now I am better for finding you and your blog. I also, want to the best I can. I work full-time, so it is harder to find quilty friends, however, I am going to continue to try (hard). Thanks for your blog, I look forward to each post. Thanks for teaching all of us former 50% quilters.

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    1. Shelley, thank YOU for these kind words! This is exactly why I write the blog--to encourage and teach those who want to improve--to find the "fastest method that gives YOU the result you want". And I know there are others in your area that long for a group too--it just takes someone to say "would you be interested?" If there is a local quilt shop, ask there if you can post a note looking for others. Or a guild--small groups within guilds are the lifeblood of quilting everywhere. Good luck and in the meantime, I'll see you next week!

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  8. Thank you Barbara for your blog. I have learned so much from you since I began following you. I look forward to each and every posting. I wish I lived closer so that I could participate in some of your classes. I look forward to future postings.
    Maureen in Ontario, Canada

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  9. Sorry for your group's loss and sorrow in losing one of your treasured members! Sending all of you healthing thoughts and prayers! On a happy note, I love the quilt the Sundays made for you!

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  10. You are so fortunate to have such a special group of friends.

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  11. This sounds like just the sort of group we used to have in my community. I wish we still had it. DH's aunt taught us a new block with new skills once a month. We so enjoyed those associations for 2 or 3 years until her health required her to stop and we lost her about 10 months later. She was our leader and our group dissolved when she had to quit.
    Those 15 ladies are so very lucky to have you!

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  12. My sympathy to your entire group. Janet will be sorely missed. Peace to you and "the tribe".

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  13. Thank you for sharing this touching story. I'm deeply sorry for the loss of the Sunday's Sew member and friend.

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  14. What a beautiful tribute, and thank you for sharing her with us. I can only hope to be the kind of friend she was, and you are as well. Sending you my sympathy at this time.

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  15. Barbara, your tribute to your friend is wonderful, and obviously heartfelt.
    My friend Eileen (yes, same name as me) and I started a monthly sewing group several years ago. We started with 4 and are now up to 8.
    You're absolutely right; these relationships need to be cherished.

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