A Quilting Gem

Tonight was the monthly meeting of the Great Lakes Heritage Quilters. Our scheduled speaker had to cancel for health reasons so our president asked a special member of the guild to present a trunk show in her place. We were so fortunate to have Aileen speak because she's a rather shy woman, plus it was remarkable that she gave up watching the Detroit Red Wings game. She's a die-hard fan and doesn't ordinarily miss a game this late in the season.

Aileen has been quilting since 1978 and she brought many of her quilts to share with us. She's a hand-piecer, hand-quilter for most of her quilts, using a floor frame to do her magnificent quilting. She has won many awards including the AQS Gingher Award for Hand Workmanship. Unfortunately for us, she gave that beautiful Baltimore Album quilt to the AQS Museum and kept the prize money! Someday I'll get down to Paducah to see it hanging there.

I snapped a lot of pictures tonight and here are a few of the quilts she brought to share with us:

Close up of the blocks:




Another close up of the blocks:


Some wallhangings:


Here is Aileen's Millenium Quilt (yes, there are 2000 half square triangles!!)



Here's Aileen's latest quilt and a close up of the blocks. Precision piecing and quilting!

Aileen was a real treat tonight after a long day at the office and then the gym. She inspires me to improve with each quilt, no matter how large or small, and to make all the details count.

I better get crackin' on that Terry Clothier Thompson 4 block quilt. But not tonight -- it's past my bedtime!

P.S. I promise to hone my photography skills. Thinking about a new camera....