For many years I have been a member of Lakeview Quilters Guild!  My first meeting was in August of 1997, they were talking about a retreat.  Sounded interesting so I signed up and a couple of weeks later I headed to Round Top TX with a new friend on a new adventure.  I was attending a retreat with 65 quilters, most of whom I had never met.  Pat and I were assigned to the 3rd floor but the a/c was not working on that side of the 3rd floor.  There were a couple of beds for us in the other house, the stairs to our second floor were the old fashioned, teeny tiny steep stairs and we both opted to stay in the other building on the 3rd floor with no a/c.  We opened the windows at night and it really was quite pleasant.  We were really lucky because future years with heat hovering in the high 90’s we would’ve been toast trying to sleep with no a/c.

This retreat holds a special place for me – it is always held the weekend after Labor day and the facility is amazing – the friendship we enjoy there is even better!  Over the years I have been able to share this special event with my sister, nieces (from GA and UT), my daughter-in-law and numerous friends.  I love to walk from room to room and house to house just visiting with friends and learning from each of them.  Sometimes I even sew!  It is always very inspiring!

I love to do block swaps and one year (2002 or 2003)  I gathered a group to swap 16 blocks, they had to make 16 beautiful fall blocks AND add sashing with a corner stone on two sides.  The rules changed and while we did make the sashing and corner stone we did not attach them.  We had 1 year to make our blocks and sashing.  We had no deadline for finishing the quilt.  I received a call in 2015, one of the group was so excited, she had finished her quilt and needed it quilted.  She used a technique by Sharyn Craig called Twist N Turn to set her blocks.

“Side Note” – Sharyn Craig was the first speaker I saw at the Lakeview Quilters Guild and her program was the best thing I had ever seen, her quilts were beautiful and she was so funny and inspiring and genuine!  When she came back to our guild several years later I was worried that she would not be as good as I remembered since that had been my first guild meeting ever!  Well, she did not disappoint the second time around, she was even better!

I have not been able to visit my old guild since I 2014 when we moved to the “country”, however, in bringing everything full circle, I will be participate as a vendor at their bi-annual quilt show May 13 & 14.  The women in this guild are the reason I am opening a quilt shop to share my passion with other quilters.  My guild is full of inspirational women that have always shared their gift and passion with me!  Thinking of them makes me smile!

So I guess you want to Cherie’s quilt now?  It is beautiful!

These blocks were amazing, Linda A. made the feathered stars, Karla made the pine-burr blocks.  Several chose beautiful blocks designed by Carol Doak.

Do you do block swaps?  I know so many quilters that don’t because they don’t get back a “perfect” block.  What I get back are memories!  That is why I love doing block swaps!  Perfection can be over-rated!

Go make someone’s day special!  Give them a smile!  It’s free and it will make you feel GREAT!

Dee