Debbie Davis presents program on foundation piecing

Debbie Davis presented an informative program on Foundation Piecing at the Pine Belt Quilters February 20 meeting. She demonstrated several methods for this accurate technique and showed examples. Debbie will teach a paper piecing workshop to members next week.

Fifteen members brought in entry forms for the Juried Quilt Exhibit at the Lucile Parker Gallery at William Carey University in Hattiesburg. Opening Reception will be held March 27 at 5:00 PM. The show will continue until May 1.

A report of the Mississippi Quilt Association Fall Gathering in Natchez was given. Many of our members are making plans to attend the Annual Educational Seminar and Show in Baton Rouge sponsored by Gulf States Quilting Association March 13-16. 2008 Seminar teachers are Jackie Robinson, Sharon Schamber, Harriet Hargrave, Charlotte Angotti, Mary Stori, Mary Sorensen, Mary Ellen Kranz, Judy Spiers, Judy Holley, and Lucy Landry.

Pine Belt Quilters Website updated February 2008

Our 2008 plans are now posted on our updated website. Programs and special events are listed in addition to those all-important forms for the 12th Biennial Fiber Art & Quilt Show on October 10-11-12 at Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.

We've grown to a three-day event featuring lectures, trunk shows, fashion shows, a thread bar workshop, boutique, vendors, and lots more exciting things. We are pleased to have Flavin Glover as our judge and also trunk show presenter; Linda Schmidt of Dublin, CA, with her award-winning fashions from past IQA shows; Judy Spiers, PBQ's own member and recent winner in Paducah and Houston; and Kathy Ward of Superior Threads with a thread bar workshop.

Make your plans now to enter your quilts in this show. Mark your calendar to attend.

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.

Quilt for Outgoing President - Jo Morton's Hattiesburg Collection

Pine Belt Quilters' outgoing president Gloria Green received a surprise gift at the December Christmas Luncheon meeting. Gloria's four years as treasurer and two years as president were commemorated by the guild with a quilt titled "Friends Who Meet in Hattiesburg." Our members live all over South Mississippi and a few out of state. Gloria is shown opening the box and displaying the label. Paula Jones talked until Gloria quit crying.

Jo Morton , quilt teacher and fabric designer for Andover Fabrics, has a line called "Hattiesburg," and these fabrics and color scheme were used for the quilt. Members made signature blocks, Paula Jones assembled the quilt, Diann Loper quilted it, JoAnn Keeney embroidered the label, and Mary Nell Magee bound it, all as a complete surprise to Gloria. She was speechless and very touched.

A long-standing tradition at our December meeting is bringing gifts for mothers and children at the Domestic Abuse Family Shelter. We brought 25 stockings and a table full of gifts to share with this agency. Becky Sims, director, and her daughter, Priscilla Sims were there to receive the gifts.

Mary Nell Magee and Linda Basden help hold one of the full-size quilts Linda Basden made for the shelter.

We also collected $580 in cash to donate to Christian Services. Quilters love to share!

Pine Belt Quilters in Houston

We are proud of our member Judy Spiers for her blue ribbon for "Mississippi Backroad Treasures" in the Innovative Applique category in Houston Oct. 30, 2007. Judy (in center with white gloves) is pictured with other Pine Belt Quilters Paula Jones, Shirley Wiltshire, Elaine Magee, Elvia Edwards, and Mary Nell Magee.