Sue and Anne were both founding members of the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts. That is a HUGE deal. They travel the country (and some other countries, too!) teaching precise machine piecing, having a heck of a time along the way and leaving a wake of inspiration, enthusiasm and happy memories in their trail. At least, that was the experience that I had.
On Monday night we were treated to a Trunk Show of Sue and Anne's quilts. I really didn't know what to expect. Meredith had described Sue and Anne as the "Lucy and Ethel" of the quilting world. Now, I don't know about you, but when I think of a founding member of the New England Quilt Museum, I do not think of a "Lucy" or an "Ethel" type. I was having a hard time picturing this combination of person. As I sat there watching them give their schpiel it was so obvious these ladies love quilting. All aspects of it. Anne describes herself as a "little bit country" and Susan describes herself as a "little bit rock 'n roll" so really they are more like the Donny and Marie of the quilting world. Except they're both women. And they're not brother and sister. But other than that they are the same. Their enthusiasm was infectious and their quilts were gorgeous. They had some new and exciting patterns I had never seen before and do you know what? They were sooo funny.
The next day we had a workshop on the Batik Wedding Quilt with Lucy and Ethel...I mean Sue and Anne... at the 1812 Farm in Bristol. Is that the most beautiful place I have ever seen! Everybody I knew was making up excuses to get inside and see what it looked like and it did not disappoint. It was so gorgeous and the perfect place for a workshop. There were thirty ladies participating in the class (of which I was one) and if you think quilters are boring you don't know nothing about nothing! Those ladies were cuh-razy and ready to rock'n roll.
Here are the ladies we affectionately refer to as "The Green Team." Somehow they all managed to wear green AND sit next to each other AND get to see Anne's cutting demo FIRST (which was okay because I got to go first, too, even though I was wearing blue). Front and center is Deb, who is Sue and Anne's "Teacher In Training," whom Meredith refers to as the "T.I.T." She ain't never living that one down.
See what I mean? Don't they have that look in their eye?
Here's a picture of Beverly Slye's shoe. Beverly is the coolest broad I know and she always has the best shoes. Always, always, always. I stitched at a table with Beverly all day long and I couldn't help but snap a photo of The Shoe.
Here's Susan with one side of the Batik Wedding Quilt top...
...and here's Anne with the other.
If you think that I have a glamorous life of sitting around and sewing all day long you also don't know nothing about nothing. My job at the store keeps me so busy with non-sewing stuff, like rearranging and unpacking and ordering and banking and making sure we don't run out of toilet paper it is actually very rare that I get to sit down and sew (unless I come in on my day off and then I always end up doing one or more of the above anyways). An entire day of sewing was a true luxury for me, and I reveled in it. The sandwiches from Zecchinos and the home-made cookies didn't hurt too much, either.
It was a great, great day. Thanks, Sue and Anne for a wonderful time. I hope you come back again very soon and impart some more of your own special brand of wisdom. As a teacher myself I learned A LOT. Not just about piecing and how to use my tools but I learned a lot about how to be an even better teacher.
And if we ARE so lucky as to snag these gals to teach a class again, do yourself a favor and DON'T miss it! I can guarantee you will get more than you bargain for.
That's all for now, be back again soon!
XO,
Rhea
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