Miss Hattie's Hat Challenge

Pine Belt Quilters 2008 Fiber Art and Quilt Show will be held at Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on October 10-11-12. We had outgrown our former location in Downtown Hattiesburg and needed a larger venue. We are fortunate to be working with The Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau to make our expanded 12th show the best it can possibly be.

Hattiesburg's logo is a large hat. The Convention and Visitors Bureau has suggested that we have a challenge category at the show called “Miss Hattie’s Hats.”

Here are the Guidelines: Make a finished quilt 24” x 24” square. The quilt must have a 4" sleeve. Use any pattern or design. Find ideas in pattern books, on the Internet (copyright free), or design your own. Use any materials. Embellish if you want to. Your quilt can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, but it must fit the definition of a quilt (three layers with quilting stitches). Just have fun and use your imagination!

The quilts will be judged in a separate category at the show. The Hattiesburg Visitor’s Center will display some of the quilts after the show; the Visitors Bureau will award a $250 purchase award.

For information on entering the show, see Pine Belt Quilters' website; categories and information will be posted soon on the Fiber Art and Quilt Show page.

Joan Alliston Presents Trunk Show

Pine Belt Quilters' January program was a feast for the eyes—a trunk show by Joan Alliston, accomplished and prolific quilter from Brandon, MS. Joan showed her quilts as well as many she collaborated with her sister and mother to make. Joan inherited many tops, unfinished projects, and a huge fabric stash from her sister and described the many good times her family shared through their mutual love of quilting.

Joan is a retired biology teacher, a daffodil flower show judge, quilt teacher, former president of Mississippi Quilt Association, and quilter extraordinaire! Her cheerful spirit and positive attitude as a cancer survivor and one who has lost a sister to cancer were inspiring to us all.

New Officers for 2008-2009

President - Barbara Peters
Vice President - Shirley Wiltshire
Treasurer - Sharon Harris
Newsletter Editor - Debbie Davis
Membership Director - Sherrie Tate
2008 Quilt Show Chair - Jo-Ann Evans

Pictured (l. to r.) Debbie Davis, Sharon Harris, Sherrie Tate, Barbara Peters, Shirley Wiltshire, and Jo-Ann Evans.

It takes many people to keep a vital guild such as ours strong. We have dedicated members who work as leaders of the 11 Contact Groups, Children’s Quilts Group, Boutique Group, Workshops, Historian, Courtesy Chair, Door Prize Chair, Friendship Block Chair, Librarian, and Program Committee.

Our membership keeps growing—156 as of our January 2008 meeting, and we welcomed several new members at the meeting. The officers have a great year planned, with preparations for our October 10-11-12 Fiber Art and Quilt Show at Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.

We have completed and are selling tickets on our donation quilt--"Sunflower Blues"--an 88" x 101" beauty.