Graber Reunion

Life ...

We had a Graber Reunion this weekend at the school with around 75 in attendance.

Elizabeth & Maria Miller

Kelly kept the children entertained with her watches.

Sherri fixing poppers for the children.

Get ready, get set, shoot!

Jeanie sewed this comfort top together from Mom's scrap bag.

Miriam, Evie, Autumn, Josie, Bonnie

It wasn't long until we had it all completely tied.

Evie, Autumn, Maria, Josie, Elizabeth, and Dorcas

Frying fish and hush puppies for Saturday's supper.

Craig, Galen, Richard, Kevin, and Jason with Tina looking on.

I enjoyed the beautiful sunset as we drove home from all the activities of the day.

... as a Quilter

From this picture that I took of Paul's folks about a year ago ...

... I fashioned this 18"X15" quilt and gave it to them for her 80th birthday.

Let There Be Light

I finished my next Southern Fiber Artists challenge piece. The requirements were:

Size: 8"X11" portrait

Color: royal blue

Theme: light bulb

There were so many good suggestions that came in from comments on FaceBook for a title for my piece that it was hard to choose. "Frontier Cabin," "The Hide Away," "If These Walls Could Talk," and "Be It Ever So Humble" were among my many favorites. It was hard to pick a title but I finally settled on

Let There Be Light.

Detail

The back is finished with a facing, label and hanger.

It's now mounted on black mat board and ready to join the other challenge pieces.

"Light has a way of exposing what darkness tends to conceal." --Robert L (Bob) Deffinbaugh

  
 

Magnolia Sewing Circle

Our Magnolia Sewing Circle was well attended today.

Katelyn, Darlene, Erica, and Dawn start tying from around the outside edge.

Then the quilt is rolled in from the two sides so they can reach the center.

Darlene, Rachel, Dawn, and Deborah

 Angie, Edith, Belinda, and little Allison work together on this sampler.

Sheila, Rosalie, Darlene, and Loretta start tying this top.

Since school is out, Carmen got to come and sew strips together for a quilt top.

Shirlene found the floor to be the best place for her job.

We had a lot of hand quilters around the frame today. Starting in the 7 o'clock position going clockwise, Carol, Louise, Elmina, Edith, Miriam, Dawn, Belinda, Thelma, Joanna, and Vada.

Katelyn, Carmen, and Deborah pin the binding, getting this comforter ready for stitching.

 Mary cut out a few dresses.

Yours Truely

Mississippi Ag Museum in Bloom

I feel honored to be among 4 other Mississippi fiber artists in this rendition of the Mississippi Ag Museum in Jackson. I had section #4 of 5 sections and I call my piece "Small Town Mississippi." My piece measures 25"X36" and is made by fusing commercial cottons and then stitching and quilting heavily.

Small Town Mississippi

Detail

Detail

Label on the back.

The back with hanging sleeve.

This is the picture we worked from which was divided and each person was given a black & white copy of the finished size of their section.

Mississippi Ag Museum in Bloom

Starting from the left the artists are:

1. Marcus Weekley

2. Martha Ginn

3. Cathy Reininger

4. Julia Graber

5. Rita Warnock

I decided to take 'artist license' to make blooming flowers in my section to cheer and brighten it up. Now, I'm not too sure that was a good idea. They seem to stick out like a sore thumb!

  

  

Weeping Willow -- Fiber Art

This small piece measures 8"X11" and is made from commercial cottons. It is heavily stitched with Superior's variegated Fantastico thread. I'm calling it "Weeping Willow" trying to depict green and sorrow.

Weeping Willow

Detail

The back is finished by facing with hand stitched finishing.

Label

I'm finally caught up with our fiber art group's challenge. 

Blue / Bird -- A Resting Place II

Yellow / Catastrophe -- Turmoil

Green / Sorrow -- Weeping Willow