Sunday, June 22, 2008

Lessons from the Best

You're never too young, too modern or too high-tech to learn an old technique!
The famous Quilters of Gees Bend graciously shared their quilting knowledge with this young Selmian at Artisans' Day on Saturday. The event was sponsored by Easter Seals West Central Alabama Rehabilitation Center, and proceeds helped fund SPEC (Special Education Preschool Center). Numerous arts and crafts were for show and sale, and along with the quilters, other demonstrations included pasta art, basket weaving, percussion techniques, wire art and pottery. There was a silent auction and plenty of hamburgers and hot dogs enjoyed beneath the shade trees.

(These are the same quilters who recently were visited by presidential candidate John McCain during his Time for Action Tour. You can view that video HERE.)

10 comments:

Jilly said...

What a great photo. I've always been fascinated by quilters and you've so captured the essence of the work and the friendship between them.


Apologies for lack of comments recently. I'm in America at the moment. But slowly, am getting back to commenting a little more regularly.

Anonymous said...

I do visit and I do comment and I was here. I did look at your picture(s) and I did read what you wrote about them. I could say how great you are and how beautiful your work is but alas I would soon run out of things to say on the next blog I visited, so I just left this to prove I stopped and said a few words on Sunday.

My Rheumatoid Arthritis hurts so I am using the same message for all.

Virginia said...

I would LOVE to meet the Gees Bend ladies! I have admired their wonderful quilts for years. Lucky you.

Chris said...

My mom quilted. I do wish I had the patience for it, but, alas, patience is not a virtue of mine. ;-)

I also like the art from yesterday, as well as SkyWatch. Sorry I haven't posted comments. . . a lot of stress here lately. Hopefully it will resolve itself this week.

Janet said...

Thank you all for commenting!
Virginia, as close as I am to Gees Bend, I have never been there, so it was a treat for some of the quilters to come to Selma.

You will have to come down sometime, visit the quilters and take a trip on the Gees Bend Ferry.

Chris, my mother-in-law made many beautiful quilts, some of which I use today. She liked to piece the quilts in summer and do the quilting on winter nights.

Marie said...

Yes, that is really a great photo. I love it when I see that people want to keep their traditions alive.

Fabrizio Zanelli said...

I love quilts and this photo is wonderfully coloured by them.

Steve Buser said...

looks like a lot of fun. I like how they have quilting clubs and lessons -- it seems a very social thing.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

Beautiful!! My grandma does a lot of that -- my mom used to do that, too.

Troop 1309 said...

Nice photo. It's always fun to learn something new.