Meet my Wonderful Friends

I always look forward to Tuesday because that's the day our CQ group meets and stitches all day. We have eleven members in our Bee and everyone is an accomplished stitcher. For years we met from 10 am until 12 noon. Last year we decided to extend our day so we stitch until 4 pm. There are times we aren't ready to leave then. I'm very blessed to have such a special group of CQ sisters.

These pictures were taken yesterday at our meeting. Sitting around the table from left to right
are Dolores, Lynn, Julie, Chris, Jan, Melanie, Linda and Lynnis. Jan is responsible for creating the CQ addicts that we all are. Each one of us, except Lynn, took her class in crazy quilting and followed up by joining the Bee. We met Lynn in a local beading group and adopted her. She does beautiful beaded jewelry and scarves on the knitting looms.

Lynnis is making a book cover to give to her granddaughter (picture on the left.) The book is one she received as a child. I know this will be a special treasure and heirloom. Lynnis is known for her hollyhocks, roses, and chrysanthemums. She refers to herself as "bigfoot" since her motifs are sometimes large. They may be large but they are also stunning!

Lynnis is also an avid beader and has some fabulous pieces of jewelry and cabochons.

Jan is our esteemed leader. She has done some wonderful quilts and won a number of ribbons at our local quilt shows. She organized our Bee and I will be forever grateful to her for introducing me to all these wonderful ladies. I've chosen a block she has made for our silk book project. In 2005 we decided to make 2 pages for each member in our group and then exchange. You can read more about it and see the pages I received in the January issue of CQMagOnline due out by the end of this month. I've called the article "Forever Friends."


Julie, known as Jules to most of you in the blogging world, is a wonderful artist and so creative in what she does. She is also my "partner in crime" at the Houston International Quilt Market and Festival. I've chosen one picture to post but invite you to check her blog, Creative Blessings of Joy" for all her other wonderful projects. Her blog is creative, informative and inspirational.

Chris is our newest member and has completed her piecing on the first project which will be a needlecase. I don't have any pictures but will take one when she has finished.

Linda has been with our group for over a year. Her husband says she is a "collector of inventory" rather than a crazy quilter. This isn't totally true - she does some beautiful work. This is a block she created for a wall hanging we made and presented to Premier Estates. We hold a retreat here several times a year and it is perfect for our needs. We are scheduled for our next one the first of February and we're really looking forward to it.

Linda is also an avid beader. I've seen several of her oil paintings and she is a great artist!

Dolores is a wonderful seamstress, crazy quilter, and beader. I've chosen the page she made for me in our silk book project I mentioned earlier. Notice the antique buds and bows trim(picture on the left.) She used it on my block because I really love that trim. She found it at one of the nearby antique shows. I've looked for this trim for years and have never found it.




The picture I've chosen from Melanie's work is the tree she made for the Texas Wall hanging project. She dyed many yards of 2mm silk ribbon to make all the French knots. Isn't it great! Her husband wanted to keep the block and was a little upset that she donated it for this project. I can only imagine the time it took to make this tree.


Maureen's work is always so delicate and detailed. She has designed several wonderful projects and we are always thrilled when she has a new one to show us. Pictured below is the page she made for me in our silk book project.





Claudette is another member of our group and best known for her Brazilian Embroidery. Julie did an article about her in one of the back issues of CQMagOnline. Her work is so creative and we are always amazed with her beautiful projects. This is a mouse pin cushion she made. I love the embroidery she has done on this. I believe she found the pattern for this project from a magazine article.

I've told our group that we could publish a book with all the crazy quilting we have done. Our group is definitely productive. I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of their beautiful work.

Below is the Texas Wall Hanging we did for Premier Estates. We finished each block and then I tied them together with an authentic hangman's noose. Very Texas!