Quilts for Parkinson's Project

Disappearing 9 Patch quilt pieced
and quilted by Lynn Wheatley using
a multitude of fabrics.

At any one time, there are approximately 100 members of the Northern Lights Quilt Guild. I've been a member since 2007 and at first, it was a little intimidating.

I only started quilting in 2005 and many of the creative women in my guild have worked in this incredible craft for far longer than I. It took me quite a while before I'd get up during show and tell to display my own work.

I hear from other members of the guild that they felt the same way. But it's really the most amazing support group you would ever want to know.

About ten days ago, I received an email from a member that I didn't know—yet. Lynn Wheatley said she had two quilts to donate. Did I want them for my talk last Saturday?

You bet.

I met Lynn at our guild's quilt show yesterday when she came up, introduced herself, and we both enjoyed a big hug. She told me how she is learning to free form quilt and just bought herself a longarm machine. For those of you visualizing a giant with a needle and thread, a longarm is a sewing machine with which you can quilt large quilts. Some longarms and longarm practitioners use computer generated design to quilt. Others, such as Lynn, eschew the computer in favor of their own creativity.

The bright, colorful quilt above is one of the two Disappearing Nine Patch quilts that Lynn donated. You can see the second below. These two pieces are her first longarm efforts and they are wonderful! I finally took pictures of three of the quilts I've made to show you too.

As an aside for the non-quilters among you, Lynn's two quilts were pieced using the same pattern, and look at how different the results are when you change fabrics. This is what fascinates quilters about what we do.

My guild's quilt show was magnificent with everyone who could pitching in to get everything done, and done well.

I'm tellin' ya, men would be far smarter if they just left us in charge.

Disappearing 9 Patch quilt pieced and quilted
by Lynn Wheatley using only three fabrics.

Autumn colors quilt, one of the very
first tops I ever made. It's been in my
UnFinished Objects box for quite a while.

Scrappy Diamonds quilt that I made from
blocks left over from a Friendship Star quilt
I made for my sister.

This is a mild-mannered Four Patch quilt for those who
wish for a little calm in their quilts.