Getting ready for 2012

It was a good year for quilting; looking back on 2011, we donated a total of 269 children's quilts, 41 stockings, 87 fleece blankets (for Honduras mission trip). Outgoing officers Shirley Wiltshire, Frances Good, Linda Lowe, and Sharon Barnes led us through interesting programs, workshops, and activities.

We surprised Shirley with a quilt (after letting her open a large box and finding it full of fabric scraps). She loves to collect scraps so much that she was actually pleased with her "first gift."

New officers for the two-year term of 2012-2013 have been elected. They are:

Betty Allen, president; Donna Crager, vice president; 

Linda Lowe, secretary; Margie Hancock, treasurer

December Quilts and Stocking Gifts

At our December 21 meeting (and delicious lunch buffet), we were pleased to have guests to receive our gifts. We placed 113 quilts with seven agencies. We also gave 41 stockings and a table covered with children's and mothers' gifts to Domestic Abuse Family Shelter. Quilts were also delivered to Wesley Medical Center.

Marilyn Howell and Becky Sims are always happy to have stockings and gifts to use for the shelters in Hattiesburg and Laurel.

Tangela Boutwell (Forrest General Hospital)

Below: Natisha Polk (South Mississippi Children's Center), Kim Newell (Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention), Sarah Hoda (Judge Mike McPhail's Family Court), Courtney Gates (Forrest County Department of Human Services), Becky Sims and Marilyn Howell (DAFS)

Quilts made by Betty and Joe Bingham and a receiving blanket made by Paula Jones were delivered to the Center for Pregnancy Choices in Laurel at their open house and ribbon cutting in December.

More Than a Thousand Pillows!

We have been making and stuffing pillows to be given to children who are taken to the hospital. This is a traumatic time for any child, and PBQ members are happy to offer some comfort with these pillows. Recently we were notified by Joan Stevens, Coordinator of Volunteer and Guest Services at Forrest General, that since June of 2009 FGH had received 1,150 pillows. These are given to children in the ER and on the pediatric unit. In addition to the pillows placed at FGH, we have also supplied Wesley Medical Center with pillows but do not have an accurate count.

 

More Soldiers' Families Receive Quilts

 Mrs. Jennifer Smith, Brandon, mother of SSgt Jason Rogers (USMC),

who died in Afghanistan in 2011

 Mr. Eddie and Mrs. Kathy Self, Pearl, with daughter Kim Shull; 

lost their son and brother SSG David Self in Afghanistan in 2011

Mrs. Deborah Heidelberg, Quitman, mother of PFC Damian Heidelberg,

who died in Iraq in 2003; pictured with James Robinson, SOS Support Coordinator

Fallen Soldiers' Families Receive Quilts

James Robinson, SOS Support Coordinator, Army Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) Program,  has presented three of the quilts we donated this summer to mothers of fallen soldiers.

Mrs. Jane Green, Gautier, honoring her son MAJ Michael L. Green, who was killed in 2008 in Afghanistan.

Mrs. Dianne Newman, Waynesboro, honoring her son SGT Melvin L. Henley, who died in Iraq in 2007.

Mrs. Nadine Henley, Jackson, honoring her son SPC Melvin L. Henley, who died in Iraq in 2007.


A certificate was presented with each quilt, reading:
We are proud to present quilts to the families of
Fallen Soldiers who have given their life in service to
our country. These quilts are made with love and
compassion and are our way of saying thank you for
your dedication and sacrifice to keep our country free.

Gail Bachorik Trunk Show

 Pine Belt Quilters were treated to a delightful trunk show by guest fiber artist Gail Bachorik at our November meeting. Gail lives in Milton, FL, where she creates her original designs.  Her favorite subjects are flowers but she also often includes fish, lizards, squirrels and butterflies in her realistic works.  She usually works from her own photos to arrive at her design. Sometimes she manipulates the pictures to create a more abstract piece. She meticulously gathers her fabric to achieve the exact colors she wants and might use up to fifty different fabrics and a hundred thread colors in a piece. She constructs her works by machine using raw-edge appliqué, thread-painting, and free-motion quilting.

 

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Betty Tudor Trunk Show at Mobile

Pine Belt Quilter Betty Tudor was the guest of Azalea City Quilters Guild on November 8. Betty went to present a trunk show of her masterpiece quilts, and five other PBQ members went along to enjoy and help out. After seeing pictures on the PBQ blog about Betty's program earlier this year, the Mobile quilters invited her to bring her quilts to show their guild. Betty is known for her flawless applique and her hand quilting, but she is versatile in her techniques and subjects for her creations.

 

 Helping hold quilts is Ella Lucas (left of quilt) and Pat Faulkender (center); looking on is Lynn Gregor, Azalea City program chair. Betty says her favorite color is purple.

 Betty made a series of hexagon quilts using the English paper piecing method. She designed this quilt to show her house and grounds in hexagons.

 Ellen Hall, Ella Lucas, and Pat Faulkender are holding Christmas quilts.

Mobile quilters were interested in seeing the quilts up close and asking questions. Betty quilted all of the large applique quilts by hand while sitting up in bed at night, using a round wooden hoop . She began machine quilting some of her later small pieces.