I just returned from a delightful visit to teach for the Hands All Around Quilt Guild of Central, Illinois. Jenny, Linda and Debi were the program chairwomen and they were simply the best! To learn more about the guild and a great line up of programs visit http://haaqg.tripod.com/
Here are the ladies waiting for my lecture….
The guild is fortunate to have the minister’s wife of the Normal Mennonite Church among its members. The Church and all its staff are wonderful. The striking thing from my perspective were the many large quilt blocks adorning the walls of the church.
After asking about the blocks, which were approximately 32 inches square, I learned that Susan Schrag and her husband, Pastor Tim Schrag, collaborated on the blocks. She would make a block and her husband would deliver a sermon on that topic. Amazing! Here are some close ups of a few blocks:
There were 17 blocks in all and I am certain Susan and Pastor Tim are working on a new block/sermon.
While I was teaching, the guild members were diligently working.
Joe was out touring Bloomington and chatting with new friends: Four score and seven quilts ago….
The Normal/Bloomington Illinois area is home to two universities (Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan) and also boasts ten art galleries. Our favorite gallery is located at 300 East Grove Street in Bloomington. It is in a converted Studebaker car dealership with public displays on the first floor and individual artist studios on the second level. Represented in the gallery were the paintings of Ken Holder, the glass art of Michael Amis and the sculpted furniture of Amanda Pierce and Melanie Hunter. Awesome!! If you are in the area it is a must visit.
Arrived home late last evening and awoke this morning to the tapping at my back door.
Yikes!!! The babies are now full grown! And, no you may not come in!! The vultures have never come this close to the back door before this summer. As soon as they see us move inside the house, they move out into the yard.