Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Maricarmen Ashmore

Maricarmen grew up in San Leandro and is of Spanish descent. She now lives all the way down the road in San Lorenzo. All her family comes from San Leandro and has a strong affinity for that community.

She’s been quilting for 30 years – making Holly Hobbie pillows for her kid’s beds. She found them after years and admired how lovely her tiny stitches were. Her quilt projects are mostly small patterns that she can do by hand.  After finishing a hand-quilted queen sized quilt for her cousin she swore she’d never do that again!!! Maricarmen was taking classes from Linda Cumming and when her kids went to school, she had to move to evening classes.  She took classes from Kathy off and on from 1981. 

Juanita Jones told Maricarmen about the Pieced Together Quilters. These ladies are childhood friends and were schoolmates at Fairmont School on 150^th Ave.

Cooking, gardening, reading (decorating – novels) are Maricarmen’s other hobbies and she just finished reading Barbra Streisand’s book about decorating her home.  She loves tea parties and collects tea cups and tea pots. We share the philosophy that tea (or coffee in my case) tastes best out of a thin tea cup. This past year she decorated her Christmas tree in tea cups. Isn’t that adorable?!

Married for 40 years in June “To the best guy ever!” They  have known each other since Maricarmen was three – because Bill lived across the street from them. They have two daughters but no grandchildren yet. She hopes her girls find a great guy like their dad.

A little know fact about Maricarmen is she wanted to be a singer and piano player but the piano was hard to learn – like math. Still she thinks it would be a fun way to make a living.  Isn’t she sweet?

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Connie de Villiers

Connie was born in Johannesburg South Africa and has lived in England, Germany and the United States. Our little world traveler has children in England and South Africa. She has four children – a matched set of two boys and two girls. One of the boys is a game ranger in South Africa. She has one and ¾ grandsons. (One boy, Daniel, is due the end of February). She will be in England to help her daughter, Nandi, (which means sweet in Zulu. The Zulu king Shaka’s mother’s name was Nandi) when the baby comes.

Married for 35 years to Johan. It was a holiday fling in tiny hamlet in South Africa. It wasn’t  love at first site, she said yes to the date when he called because she though it was his friend also named Johan. She was able to see the sights because he has such an interesting job as Financial Advisor with a South African chemical company.

When Connie moved to England in 1997 she was lonely and depressed so started quilting. She had been a dressmaker so thought quilting would be fun. She has been quilting ever since and never made another dress.

Bettie Collier and Connie were in Bible study together and Bettie introduced Connie to San Lorenzo Adult School. She met Kathy only once, when Kathy attended the classes to tell us she had cancer but was doing much better. Connie had classes with Linda Comming then Jan Steinhoff.  Bettie again brought Connie to Pieced Together Quilters when they were meeting in the Library.

Cooking is one of Connie’s favorite hobbies but she so enjoys reading, and her children. If only they lived closer. She plans to retire in England to be near them.

A little know fact is, with all the recipes on-line, Connie hordes Cook Books! She says she reads them like story books and plans great escapades in cooking. Also, she can’t even ride a bike!!!! She likes her tea the proper way with a teacup and a pot and and strainer and loose tea. Isn’t that just too cute?

I love listening to Connie. Her accent is so elegant.  Connie’s first language Afrikaans so English is a fun conversion from British English to American.  Thank you Connie for sharing your story with me.

Who’s Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Carol Strawn

Carol has been quilting FOREVER!!!! Beginning in 1983 she took Linda Cumming's day class – maybe a teacher before Linda – and then she had her first grandchild in 1983. Her first quilt was for the baby and she make little animals and tied the quilt.  She and Heidi Spedowfski met in quilt class and have been fast friends since.  She actually knew Sandy Gard before Heidi. Their kids all played baseball together.

After a couple of years, Carol switched to Kathy’s Tuesday class. (This is where I met Carol).  After Kathy Honeycutt passed away, the Tuesday evening class wasn’t the same and Kristy Hanson announced she would not return to San Lorenzo Adult School. This prompted most of the Tuesday night group to move to Pieced Together Quilters.

Married to her High School sweetheart for 54 years, Carol married him after four years of dating. They have three sons, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  She grew up in Oakland and now lives in San Leandro. Can we say she really traveled the world to get back home?

Her other hobbies are cooking, gardening and sewing and kitting and quilting and going to cross country quilt shows.

A little know fact is Carol roller skated all through High School. She was a competitive skater and met her husband at a roller rink in Oakland. It was love at first split!

Carol is a wonderfully happy lady who shared her story with gusto. Thank you Carol. 

Who’s Who in Pieced Together Quilters Katie Wishom

Katie’s been quilting since 2004. A bible-study friend showed her a project from her guild – African American Quilt Guild of Oakland . She began lessons with Joy Johnson in the evening. The quilters mentioned day classes at San Lorenzo Adult School with Kathy Honeycutt. That hooked Katie for good.

Reading, gardening and with her two new knees – Katie is back to line dancing – and listening to jazz are her other hobbies.   With her three children, two sons and a daughter – Katie has lots of other interests too.  The youngest son studies at Stanford, graduating this year with a degree in Computer Science. Her oldest son lives in Hawaii with his wife and Katie’s daughter, middle child, lives in San Leandro and has given her three grandsons. Their ages are 12, 8, and 4 so Donnice has her hands full. However – they are the love of Katie’s life.

Married for 14 years, she surprised her husband with a quilt she’d worked on right in front of him. He couldn’t believe she’d made it and he didn’t notice. He loved his new quilt and pillow that she gave to him for his Christmas gift.

As a member of  Pieced Together Quilters from the very beginning, she met at Joy’s house before they outgrew that home and moved to our current location at Faith Lutheran Church.

Katie grew up in Muskogee Oklahoma – truly an Okie from Muskogee. She is proud of her roots and happy to live in California now!

A little known fact about Katie is she has always envisioned herself a “Torch Singer” in a nightclub but her family says; “Mom dance, don’t sing.” So she limits her singing to church choir once a year at Women’s Day.

Katie – you are a “Hoot and a Holler” Thanks so much for sharing  your bio with me.           

Who’s Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Joy Vail

Pieced Together Quilters is organized by a wonderful, loving woman named Joy Vail. Joy described her role as Organizer. Her background is in Human Resources and Event Planning. Although Joy is not a professional quilt teacher, she did home school her own children for 16 years. However, the format for Pieced Together Quilters is more sharing by the ladies in the group rather than one lead or teacher.

Joy originally brought together some of Kathy’s students and met in her home in the fall of 2009. Eight ladies sat and talked lovingly about Kathy, consoling each other and acknowledging their loss. Then Joy thought it would be fun to start a quilting group. Pam Ausmus, Lorraine Ryan and Joan Penrose thought that was a great idea, but who would do it. Joy said she would. Pam laughed and said Joy had the least experience, but they soldiered on.  The group soon outgrew her living room so it moved a library meeting room, then into the Faith Lutheran meeting room. Joy described her role as organizer or facilitator. Members of the group share projects and demonstrate techniques.

Joy knows a bit about grief. She lost her husband in Feb 2003 and then her mother in June of 2007. She learned of a man in her church that had lost his wife in May 2004. Joy wrote condolences to him and shared that with a little time, it gets easier and that there is purpose in everything.  He had shared how much her note meant to him so they talked. They talked for an hour and a half the first time. It was not romantic. It was all about life, family, and grief.

 They had many more phone conversations then finally met. Just 12 days after that first meeting, Ken proposed. They were married February 5, 2005.

 A little known fact: Joy is a Wizard baker! She wants a Hobart mixer bolted to the floor so she can really mix up a batch of cookies, or bread or cinnamon rolls.

 (Editor Note: The first day I attended Pieced Together Quilters, Joy explained her background, shared her history of loss and explained that loss had taught her to cherish every moment. She said; “I get to sweep the floor today! I can clean the cat box!” It changed my entire outlook. I was profoundly changed - I am a happier person for having met Joy Vail.)

Half Square Triangles

Today I have been making lots of half-square triangles.  They are turning out pretty great!  I suggest practicing.....we will be doing at least one project with them this term, maybe two!


Here's the link to the "How-To" for the HST's.


http://quilting.about.com/od/quickpiecingtechniques/ss/halfsquaretria.htm


See you all Thursday!!!

Fabulous Friday

Okay, okay – I know – I haven’t posted ANYTHING all week – ugh!

I wish I could post five pictures of completed projects….but alas, I can’t do that either.

I have been mending…yes, mending and cleaning out old projects that I know I will never complete……or start!  Ha Ha

Here’s a great website for helping with your organization – this particular article deals with a craft room, but all of the principles can be used in any room of the house.

http://www.getcreativeshow.com/Craft_Sew_Business/Business_Seminars/craftroom.htm

Have a great weekend…..we begin classes next Thursday – looking forward to seeing you all there!

My soul is fed with needle and thread.