Mary’s From Every Angle --

Our lecture was such a great experience last night.

I have to say that I’m very honored that one of the clubs at Mary’s Quilt Shop has dedicated themselves to making charity/donation quilts using the Scrap User’s System and can boast of the fact that they made over 200 scrap quilts to comfort others in the past year. TWO HUNDRED! And their oldest member is a spry 91.

Y’all. They have a BONNIE HUNTER CLUB. Which I find completely hysterical…..you should have seen my face when I walked into the shop for the first time and saw this sign?!

I mean, what would you do if you walked in somewhere and your name was all over the place announcing a club in your name?

When they first asked/told me they were going to do this I said it was a great idea and they could use any of the stash organization ideas, and any of the free patterns from the website as that is what they are meant for. I spent many years in several guilds throwing myself into the charity quilt arena. That’s where my heart is at --- and if my day job suddenly stopped, that’s where I’d be happiest. Back at the machine sewing my brains out on scrappy charity quilts for those who need them.

Here the quilts all find a home within the county, either with policemen, firemen and other rescue services who give them to people in need, or a local hospital where they comfort and warm chemo patients receiving treatment. I love stories like this!

But a Bonnie Hunter Club? My family cracked up and said “REALLY!????” Well, stranger things have happened!

I posted a couple of pics from my phone the other day, but I wanted to give you a better tour of this quaint and delightful shop! Bedford is steeped deep in history – George Washington actually slept here – yes I know, the guy slept EVERYWHERE, but Bedford is a very historically significant town and proudly has many wonderful colonial buildings right on its main streets. History is EVERYWHERE in this place!

Remember “THAT GREEN” I told you about? Look at the check out counter, and check out the fat quarter bins! That green goes with EVERYTHING! And it sets off the beautiful antique green in the quilt hanging behind the cash register. Want a closer look? OOoooohhh…I had to get up right close and personal to it..it’s a doozy!

Lest you think “Oh, that’s such a nice small wall hanging ---“ THINK AGAIN! Look at the size of my books right beneath the quilt…now do you have an idea on the SCALE!? 1800s quilts were often quite large, and 1830s buildings had high enough ceilings to display such graphic quilts on the walls ----Oh, I love this quilt!

Antique quilts adorn many walls, as well as newly-made-to-look-old reproductions, as that is what Mary specializes in – her lines of reproduction fabrics are found in her shop! I love the scalloped edge and the deep blue of the sashings and border on this fan quilt! I also find the blue sashing that matches the 1/4 circle at the center of each fan makes for an interesting secondary design when set with the white cornerstones…..do you see Dresden Plates first? Or 4 quarter fans in a block? This one could fool ya at first glance!

Everywhere you turn bolts of Mary’s yummy fabric beckon to be unwound and petted! This cabinet holds an array of reproduction patriotic fabrics.

As a colonial landmark, you will find flags a-plenty on the walls.

((Oh yes, and the soft green looks great with those too!))

Quilters tools of the trade are readily available near other sample quilts ready to inspire!

Fat Quarters & Kits above – Browns and Pinks below…yes please!

Come prepared to spend some time. The staff is friendly and engaging and will make you feel right at home!

Today is our Jared Takes A Wife workshop –and we’ll be down at the American Legion Hall because we need the extra room for 27 students, more than the shop classroom can hold. I’m looking forward to today, especially on the coat tails of last night’s lecture. It feels good to be up and at it again after a couple weeks off with the Family Reunion and the trip to Sisters for the Quilt Show.

Have a great Saturday everyone! Where DID this week go anyway??