There will be no apologies for this sudden need to create collages. As I review the photos from last year, I can't help it. Know that it will pass by the end of January. Bear with me.
These are some of my adventure partners from the last year. Definitely part of what made 2018 sparkle and shine. As we speak dates are being penciled in for a future meeting. It's like adding a holiday to the calendar in my book. Who couldn't use more of those in their schedule?
The next time you get together with your maker friends, I am going to respectfully suggest that you begin the day like this.
You can come to Alchemy Coffee and Bakeshop on Mass street in Lawrence, or get a slab of dense pumpkin pie with a thick graham cracker crust topped with freshly whipped cream, served alongside a flat white at your favorite neighborhood coffee and bakeshop. After all, it is November.
Maker Mary Joan brought her table runner, started at our last meeting, now completed except for the quilting she decided to add. In a gesture of generosity and kindness she gifted it to me and I will show the whole thing when I have finished the hand quilting. It's lovely. Somehow I missed getting pictures of Ann's table runner - which she added a cool edging to, and Pam's - which she embellished with stitching. Photos will be taken at the January meeting.
We usually start the day at a coffee shop so we can get important jabbering time in before we get to any projects that might require intense concentration. We also needed to check out the latest trunk show at the Yarn Barn downtown. Three of us may have purchased patterns for new sweaters. More on that later.
"Winter Squash" soup was served for lunch. I changed the name because in addition to using one small butternut squash, I used 2 small buttercup squashes. Is the plural of squash squashes or squash? It looks funny.
I have provided this recipe before. It is a keeper and works as well with the buttercup/butternut combo as it does with butternut alone. Click on the picture to make it large enough to read. Also, do NOT leave out the cayenne pepper, it really makes the soup. I use between an eighth and a fourth of a teaspoon. More on the fourth side. What is 3/4 of 1/4 teaspoon anyway? I was never good at math.
When the Prairie Makers met at Mary Joan's house recently we got the chance to examine this treasure made by her great aunts Emma Dunagan-Thompson and Martha Dunagan-Thompson. They lived in Georgia and were of English/Irish descent.
We have all seen Crazy Quilts, right?
And I think we can all agree that this is ABOVE and BEYOND what is normally thought of as a crazy quilt.
Such attention to detail, even on the back.
All the fine hand embroidery, variety of stitches, and consistency in the repetition is simply remarkable.
Truly a museum quality treasure. Beyond compare.
Mary Joan was given this by her Aunt Eva Barker. Who, in a very smart move, pinned this note to the back of it. In the event that it would somehow end up in the hands of someone who did not recognize the true art that it is. Bravo Eva Barker!
