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??
19 comments:
Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos Bonnie. Living in Australia, I am not sure if I will ever get to see these shops in person.
I am amazed how large that antique quilt is... wow and to think the traditional ladies who hand pieced and quilted those massive quilts. wow.
I can't believe I live 4 miles from this shop and didn't know you weren't coming! I absolutely love following your blog and would have LOVED to be part of this weekends activities!
Cindy
snoflaks@embarqmail.com
What a gorgeous shop. I"m putting this on my list.
I am with Joan, Mary's is going on my "quilting bucket list". What a great place to peruse all the fabric and quilts to boot. Have a great weekend. I am spending this weekend helping a 7th grader make her first quilt, a pinwheel with piano key border made with 7 different fabrics. Having a wonderful time!!
Faye in Maine.
How cool - I love the idea of a Bonnie Hunter Club!! :) that shop looks fantastic. I love quilt shops that turn out to be much bigger and lovelier than you think it will be from the outside - looking at the photo you wouldn't think that shop was so big - I love wandering room to room looking at the fabulous fabrics and books.
Karen
I sure love "traveling" with you via your blog. You find and share such wonderful places. I am doing Randy's sow-a-long and was wondering what color I will sash the blocks with...green will be in the running! Amy in Wisconsin
I know how you like showing these old quilts, but I would love to see the quilts actually inspired by you. You must see them at every show and tell you go to.
What a wonderful quilt shop! Bonnie, do you know the name brand/color of the green paint you show in your photos? I hope your back is feeling better. Keep the ice going. It really helps.
Lovely shop. I'm a fan of this green as well. It's the color of the door to my quilt studio. I also love the patriotic quilts. Can't ever get enough of flags. Thanks for sharing your travels.
What a beautiful shop. Living in SW Pennsylvania I am definitely adding this one to my bucket trip. Emailing my quilting buddies about a "road trip" real soon! Thanks for sharing and LOVING that green ... it's the "new" black ;-)
Mary's shop is a gem. I stopped at it a few months ago while on the road and had a great time talking to Mary and choosing some pieces from her fabric selection. I will definitely stop there again when in the area.
What a great shop...adding it to my road trip list! A Bonnie Hunter club aye - does it have a secret handshake and T-shirts? Just wonderin.....
Well, my bucket list is getting longer and longer too! I had already told my husband that "one day" I wanted to go to the Sisters quilt show and now I must add Mary's Quilt Shop! A Bonnie Hunter Club is an excellent idea. I think we should get more quilt shops across the country to have them!! Need to find out from Mary all the details! I would love to start one in my area! :)
Oh how I want to visit this shop! Those samples and antiques are amazing. 'That Green' is very similar to what I painted both of my studios, I have no idea why I gravitated to that color of paint, but I picked it out twice. Yes, it really does show off quilts.
I would love to visit quilt shops like this. But I can't, so I really appreciate your sharing so many pictures with us. I almost feel as if I've been there.
--C.B.
Wow, Bonnie - that's a brilliant idea of Mary's - having a Bonnie Hunter Club. You have surely become a legend in your own time !! Your scrappy quilts, storage system, and leader and enders are really so great - it's no wonder you have so many "followers" and "advocates", worldwide, of your style. All the best - hope you get a break soon to rest up your back. You've only got the one - look after it! Margaret (in South Africa)
Cindy, I agree with you. Wondering how many are in the group that made 200 quilts. That is just amazing. We have a small group that meets once a month to sew for Project Linus. Would love ideas to increase our productivity. Rita in Missouri
Love the shop and the antique quilts and the history. Can you ask Mary what that shade of green is like what brand of paint and the color name or number. I'm redoing my kitchen and I think I need to have this color in there, if the DH approves, of course.
A Bonnie Hunter Club...I should live near this shop because I would surely be a member! Maybe I shall have to set up a club in your name here! SMILE!
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