May Busy-ness

After the excitement and enjoyment of the four-month exhibit at OLLI, May seemed a good time to step back and savor the remarks and visits about the quilted pieces. Thinking about the art that found new homes makes me smile. 

People ask, "What are you working on now?" "What's your next project?" I must admit that more down time is needed, and the cats and I are reading more than we used to. There are always simple stitching projects to work on, such as these little swaddle bands Forrest General's NICU asked for. Sometimes a baby will be more comfortable if he can move his hands with some limitation, so these simple 4" wide x 20" long bands were made.

Swaddle Bands

I also enjoyed repairing and extending the life of a treasured family quilt that was being passed down. It was made in the 1940s and had some worn-through fabrics in spite of having been well cared for. (See the red check patches marked with safety pins.) These and others were covered with hand appliqued patches of feed sack or other vintage fabrics.  A label was made to document the quilt's story from grandmother to mother to daughter. 

The next Meistersingers concert will be Sunday, June 1, at the beginning of FestivalSouth. What a follow-up to our Beatles music! This is called Majesty of the Opera, featuring soloists for arias and the chorus for some favorites like The Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore, Toreador from Carmen, The Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly, and The Triumphal March from Aida. It's a ticketed event at 3:00 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church.

May flowers are opening and are so welcome. We've had enough rain that watering has not been necessary yet. I had my yard guy plant caladium bulbs around May 1, so they will be my reward when the ground gets warm enough.

Creeping Jenny (common name)

Gerbera Daisies

Hydrangeas, side yard

Hydrangea, back yard

Gerbera Daisies

Butterfly bush

April and End of Exhibit

Spring is in the air and Holy Week and Easter services and pleasant temperatures help take my mind off the troubling political climate. These yucca plants rode in my car for several days until I got someone to lift them out. Now to get my yard guy to plant them. 

I've enjoyed more recitals and concerts at USM. The last symphony of this season will be this week, along with a production of Sense and Sensibility by the theatre department. Dr. Gregory Wolynec, newly appointed Director of Orchestral Activities and symphony conductor, presented excellent mini-seminars at OLLI as previews to enhance our appreciation of the programs. 

With Daniel Margueles after his recital

Dr Gregory Wolynec, USM Symphony Conductor

Having Linda's and my quilt and fiber art exhibit at OLLI for these four months has been an ongoing pleasure, sparking many conversations and shared family quilt stories. We also taught another class we called "Round 3" to add to the other two we taught last year. Several pieces will go to new homes when we dismantle the exhibit next week.

Linda drove us to Dallas for my son's retirement party. It was fun getting to see five granddaughters and their husbands and children--ten, I think. Sewing has been mainly making small projects like flannel blankets for Southern Pines Animal Shelter, zipper bags and walker totes. I took a stack of the little zipper bags for the girls. These are such fun to make and I have fabric of every imaginable theme.

Walker totes

Zipper bags

My outdoor kitty, Lacey, was very affectionate this afternoon when I was in the yard. She got on my lap and accepted lots of petting and scratching before settling down for a short nap. Elizabeth had walked out to join me but was quite unhappy to see Lacey on my lap. She gave a hiss and glare before going back in.

Music, Music, Music, and the Best of the Beatles

 March was alive with Music! The Meistersingers presented their spring concert March 2, "The Best of the Beatles." My granddaughters get a chuckle thinking about me learning and singing Beatles songs!

The Best of the Beatles concert

Then the March USM Symphony program featured some outstanding students, winners of the annual William T. Gower Competition. See Daniel Petrocelli, guitarist, after the flower pictures. 

Nick Ciraldo and the Guitar Studio at USM held a Screamin' Eagles Guitarfest with lots of impressive talent on display. Many performers enjoy activities and Wednesday night potluck suppers at University Baptist Church, and these talented students presented a Thank You concert in Back Door Coffeehouse fashion. 

Several students held recitals this month in fulfillment of requirements for degrees. I attend as many of these as I can, and am so grateful for the privilege. 

USM Symphony

The Thank You Concert Team
with David W Walker and Linda Ginn

L-R Joao Vitor Gonzaga, Sofia Araujo, Renata Andrade,
Gabriel Barros, Marcus Silva

L-R Joao Vitor Gonzaga, Sofia Araujo, Renata Andrade,
Gabriel Barros, Marcus Silva

The azaleas are blooming, making any driving in town pure pleasure. My front porch is a great place to read or eat breakfast. We have had a couple of rain days, which beats down the blossoms, but more come to take up the show. 

Daniel Petrocelli (one of the William T. Gower winners) 
at the Thank You Concert at University Baptist

Pictures at OLLI Art Reception

My OLLI friends really know how to put on a reception for the art exhibits. They rotate the art exhibits on a four month basis, and a reception is scheduled sometime during the exhibit. Linda and I brought a few sewing supplies to add to the flower arrangement that was planned, and the art committee and members always bring tasty food. 

Dean Pennington prepared a slide show which ran continuously on two large TVs, showing a variety of our quilts which were not in the exhibit. Viewers especially enjoyed the videos of us doing free-motion quilting. In our talks we fielded questions about how we decided on designs (computer programs? no), how we bought and stored fabric, and some background stories.

Theresa Ratti prepared four large posters to publicize the exhibits. (Sorry for the glare from the glass.) The quilts will be on exhibit through April. The building is open Monday-Friday, 8:00-5:00. 

Family

A significant lifetime event occurred this month--the loss of my brother, John Terry Weeks, followed by the celebration of his life in Austin, Texas. He was an influential lawyer who mentored and shared his wisdom and love of life. Being the surviving sibling of this generation is a reminder of how blessed I am to have grown up with this family.

Terry, Martha, Linda

At Terry's Celebration of Life
(R-L) Niece Mandy, her husband Will Klein, and Martha

With my nephews, Russell, Bill, and Ben Woodland

I'm glad earlier this year I sent Terry one of my favorite quilts--made by our grandmother Martha Rosalie Terry Hood Hearn sometime in the 1950s while she was living with our parents. I had used it for many years and knew Terry would enjoy it. When he saw it he immediately identified three of his shirts in the fabrics, from Mother's scrap bag. This photo was taken on the USM campus and appeared in Quiltfolk magazine Issue 26--Mississippi, p. 11.

Photo credit: Azuree Holloway

February--OLLI Exhibit

The exhibit of Linda's and my quilts and fiber art is at the OLLI building (3601 Pearl Street, Hattiesburg, MS) and we hope people attending classes are enjoying seeing them. The exhibit will hang through April, with a Reception on Friday, February 21 from 1-2:30.  

We have five pieces using Katie Pasquini Masopust's Artful Log Cabin technique (ALC), with the photo inspiration for the quilts. Katie's book is entitled Artful Log Cabin Quilts; she also teaches online classes through American Quilter's Society.

Interleave Symphony, 34" x 31", Red-Green Interleave, 14" x 15"

Hector's Flower Pot, 12" x 24"

Flying Geese Over Lake Michigan, 9" x 12"
Horses on Parade, 8" x 10"
Marta Boldo, 16" x 24"
Yellow Fish, 21" x 16"
Green Fish, 20" x 19"

Finding My Way, 64" x 65"

In the Beginning, 36" x 44"

 

Artful Kitten, 22" x 26" and photo inspiration
Artful Log Cabin (ALC) technique, Linda Ginn

Caladium I and II, 12" x 15" 
Dried Caladium Leaf, stitched

Mosaic, 69" x 69", Arabian, 20" x 20" 
Linda Ginn

Twisted Tree II, 18" x 20"

City of Lights, 55" x 64"
Linda Ginn
Sunday Ties, 12" x 25"

One Day at a Time (temperature quilt), 49" x 65"
City of Lights, 55" x 64"
Linda Ginn

Leaf Study, Sycamore, 15" x 15"

Carpenter's Star. 20" x 29"
Linda Ginn

Outrageous Orange Windows, 15" x 45" - Martha
Cook Library 210AA, 31" x 37" - Linda

Mountain Snow Melt, ALC 32" x 24"
The Conversation, ALC 26" x 26"

Ireland Street, ALC 26" x 18"

Red Daylily, 20" x 20"

Black Swallowtail Butterfly ALC, Austin Market ALC 
Leaf Study-Crotons
Linda, Martha, Karrie & Dean Pennington, Theresa Ratti, Autumn Pennington

Violets, 62" x 62"
Linda Ginn