Quilters Learn About Tiny Babies

Pine Belt Quilters first program of 2009 featured Terri Daniels of Forrest General Hospital and University of Southern Mississippi with information about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Forrest General and how this special facility cares for premature babies struggling to survive. Terri is showing two diapers to illustrate the difference in the size of the NICU babies and a full-term baby. Pine Belt Quilters is starting a project to make isolet covers for the hospital's new unit. The inside of the covers needs to be a gray fabric to give the nurses a more true coloration of the babies' skin. The outside can be a cheerful print to give a less clinical atmosphere for the parents. Something colorful can help soften the harshness of the tubes and equipment and frightening aspects of the medical challenges facing these babies.

Leola's 100th birthday; more Children's Quilts given

Our member Leola Kriegbaum was honored with a 100th birthday celebration at our November Children's Quilts meeting. The two Chinese mothers and babies who received her quilts were present, also.

In addition to our party, Sherrie Tate and Clara Oakes delivered 35 quilts to Wesley Medical Center and Forrest General Hospital. Pictured below is the Forrest General Neonatal ICU staff graciously accepting the quilts. They asked if we could make a pattern and construct some covers for isolets in the new wing for preemies.

Children receiving quilts

Chaplain Malin lost no time in getting the quilts to the families. Look at these happy little fellers!

Quilts for Mississippi Guard 168th Engineer Brigade

Chaplain (LTC) Don Malin received 40 quilts to be given to children of his unit (168th Engineer Brigade) before the troops are deployed to the Middle East for a year. His unit will arrive at Camp Shelby December 6 for training and will be shipped out soon after Christmas. The quilts were stacked into his car in every available inch so he could give these to the families before they leave home.

Quilters work all year to furnish quilts to comfort children in hospitals, shelters, and in the homes of our troops who are leaving for overseas duty. It is the hope of our guild that our efforts will express our gratitude to these brave men and women who sacrifice for us all.

Viewers' Choice Winner; Who Won the Quilt?

Carolyn Kimble's "A Southern Garden" was the winner of the Viewers' Choice when the votes were counted at the end of the show. It also won the award for Applique Artistry.

Anna Darby from Columbia, MS, was the lucky winner of the raffle quilt "Sunflower Blues." Bobby Thornton sold her the winning ticket.

Awards and Sponsors - Winners

Pine Belt Quilters Fiber Art & Quilt Show Awards and Sponsors
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
October 10-11-12, 2008
See our website www.pinebeltquilters.com for complete list of awards, sponsors, and category winners.

Pinebelt in Bloom Quilt Exhibit

Hattiesburg, Mississippi---The Area Development Partnership in association with the Pine Belt Quilters on September 18 launched the first of five painting, photography, sculpture, and fiber arts exhibitions as part of the civic beautification project Pinebelt in Bloom announced earlier this year. Each of the five exhibitions will utilize the theme of trees, shrubs, and flowers as the subject matter for the artworks. Pinebelt in Bloom is a major civic beautification project for the Greater Hattiesburg Area which encourages individuals, businesses, civic institutions, and other entities to contribute to improving the beauty of the area through the planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers and incorporating outdoor sculpture, clocks, benches and other artistic elements into the landscaping.

The Fiber Arts Exhibition presented by the Pine Belt Quilters organization features the works of local and area artists including Mary Nell Magee, Judy Spiers, Jo-Ann Evans, Gloria Green, Ella Lucas, Doris Dunn, Betty Tudor, Deborah Davis, Barbara Parker, Rhoda Libiez, Dorothy Aultman, and Martha Ginn. All of the works are quilted either by hand or machine.

Martha Ginn, chair of the exhibition and a member of Pine Belt Quilters, stated, “Pine Belt Quilters is honored to display a sampling of our quilts and fiber art as a part of The Area Development Partnership’s Pinebelt in Bloom Project. Flowers and trees are a favorite theme for quilters, and we have on display pieces from 20-inch art for the wall to 94-inch bed quilts that are works of art themselves. Many of us have fond memories of mothers and grandmothers quilting on a large frame that dropped down from the ceiling. Although we still do hand piecing, hand appliqué, and hand quilting, we also take advantage of new technology and tools to push the limits of our craft into the realm of fine art when we create works to decorate our tables and walls.“ Ginn further added, “For years we have made quilts comfort children and have donated to hospitals and children’s shelters in our area, so we are pleased to share some of our best works with Forrest General Hospital employees who work in the new Support Services Building and the general public.”

“The Pine Belt Quilters became members of The Area Development Partnership earlier this year, and it is exciting to be able to utilize the talent and creativity of this dynamic organization as a major asset and contributor to the success of the Pinebelt in Bloom project,” said Jack Kyle, director of cultural development for The Area Development Partnership, “and the public is in for a treat when they see the beautiful creations of these very gifted artists. This is a wonderful event to contribute to the quality of life of our community.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public Monday through Friday beginning September 19 and continuing through October 2nd. Exhibition hours are 9am through 5pm in the Lobby of the new Support Services Building of Forrest General Hospital located at 125 South 28th Avenue.

Two additional Pinebelt in Bloom exhibitions---an exhibition organized by the South Mississippi Art Association and an invitational painting and photography exhibition organized by Jack Kyle and Brent Wallace, president of the Cameraderie Photography Society---are slated for October openings. The fourth Pinebelt in Bloom exhibition is a photography exhibition organized by the Cameraderie Photography Society scheduled for presentation in November. The fifth exhibition will be a sculpture exhibition presented in the Oasis created by William Carey University scheduled for next Spring.

Sponsorship and other assistance are provided by Visit Hattiesburg and Women’s Services of Forrest General Hospital.

For additional information about the Pinebelt in Bloom visit The Area Development Partnership’s website at http://www.theadp.com/ or http://www.pinebeltinbloom.com/ or call 601-296-7500.