Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Gilbert Historical Museum Quilting


As you know, Kim Maples and I are quilters at the Gilbert Historical Museum. The museum is open from 9am-4pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Quilting goes on during those times as well. We have two old traditional quilting frames set up in what is called the Home Life room. Each frame can accommodate 6-8 quilters. We are always looking for additional quilters to join us. You do not need to be an experienced frame quilter to be one of us. We have several quilters who just walked in to the museum one day and said that they weren't quilters but had a desire to be one. The ladies are very welcoming by saying "Come here, sit down and we'll show you how to quilt on a frame. We realize that there is a learning period and we will give you all the time needed to feel comfortable doing so. There are no 16 stitches to the inch (or even
14 or 12) among us quilters. Come with a comfortable fitting thimble too.

We have all become good friends because we have a shared love of quilting. My first quilting teacher always said, "There's a lot of good woman talk that goes on around the quilting frame." and that is certainly true there. We solve the problems of the world (and
ourselves) and have lots of wonderful laughs that mostly only women can understand. If you've gone to quilt camp you'll know what I mean.

I always say that I think I should pay the museum for the privilege of seeing some of the wonderful old (and new) quilt tops that are brought in to us. And the stories that come with some of them are wonderful too.
I know the spirits of those long ago quilters are heaving a sigh of relief that their quilt top is FINALLY being quilted. All of us can relate to that!
You don't have to quilt every day or for long periods of time. It's whatever amount of time you have to give. I've ran down and quilted for an hour just to have some quilt therapy time.

The Museum will be having its 3rd Quilt Show, starting the first week in March until Memorial Day. We would love to have Nimble Thimbles members enter your quilts in the show. Kim will have paperwork available for you to fill out if you are interested. If you have a quilt in the show you will not have to pay the museum admission fee.
The quilts in the show are enjoyed and admired but not judged.
Hopefully your experience will inspire you to enter your quilt in upcoming Arizona Quilters Guild shows where they will be a part of the judging process which is meant to help and support you not discourage you.
--Darlene Reid

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