Written by Burlington Carousel Quilters guild met on August 9, 2022 at Northside Fellowship Church.
Program: "Alamance Rose"
Michelle Owens was our guest speaker for the evening. She lives in Greensboro and is a member of the Piedmont Quilt Guild. She shared her vintage quilts with us, starting with the Alamance Rose, which started her down the path of doing a research project on Alamance yellow. She has been assisted in her work by Neva Hart, who appraises vintage quilts.
The Alamance Rose quilt was made mainly in Alamance, and in the Gibsonville area of Guilford County by local ladies using Alamance Yellow as the background fabric. Nancy S. Spoon Shoffner was one of these ladies. In 1921 on the N C Weekend show featured an Alamance Rose quilt on a bed in Manteo, NC
Michelle told a very entertaining story about how she found an Alamance Rose quilt on www.EstateSales.net and was able to purchase this quilt in May of 2022 for $25.00! Georgia Russell McBane is possibly the one that made this quilt between 1910-1920. Possibly a summer quilt because it has little to no batting in it. It also has very little quilting and looks like it was quilted by several different quilters. Before Michelle found it in the online auction, it had been owned by Ann McBane Vaden, who was an antique store owner.
Michelle asked the guild to help her with more information on her research project in searching for Alamance Yellow. She passed around a clipboard for members to write down the information that they knew or sources that might be helpful.
More Vintage Quilts
Michelle had more vintage quilts to share! Next she showed us an 1890 Star of Bethlehem quilt which was a raffle quilt for the Piedmont Quilters’ guild.
Her Granny Gant (Lizzy Lee Grant, born in 1905) purchased this Churn Dash quilt for $15 in a church fundraiser! Michelle remembers that when she and her cousins were sick, they were allowed to sleep under this quilt. (So it’s probably full of germs!) Fond memories!
Next was Granny Gant’s orange quilt. Her mom said that when a baby was born, she would wrap it up in this quilt. It was made sometime in the 1950’s. Orange and pink flowers!
After she had shared all her vintage quilts, Michelle opened the meeting to questions from members.
Getting Down to Business
Ann and Mary started a short business meeting
- Quilt Show – A vote was taken to partner with the Alamance Piecemakers for their 2023 quilt show. 19 members voted to participate. This was a majority vote for the members present. Rheta and Debi R. volunteered to co-chair the committee for our guild.
- Quilt Raffle – A vote was taken on Ann A. being made the chairperson for the 2023 Raffle Quilt committee. Motion passed by majority of member votes.
- Membership chair Debbie H. welcomed new member Betsy Hubble. Mary did the drawing for the Name tags…. Winner was Teri Gary.
- Retreats – Enola talked about the fall retreats at Denton and Lake Gaston. There are open spots available for both trips.
- One-Day Retreat – Sept. 26th will be a day local retreat lead by Rheta. Hours are 9-2. She calls it “Get-R-Done 2.0.” Flyers were placed on the tables for those interested.
- Boutique – Kathy R. offered some new patterns for the boutique, and invited members to take one of the panel kits she and Sheila had prepared. Our first fall fundraising event is the Mebane AutumnFest on October 1st. Still need several items.
- Hospitality – Gail vH. announced that pre-packaged snacks will be available at monthly meetings.
- Charity – Amy announced that she will be keeping the count for NICU quilts taken to The Mill. Saturday Sew Day will be a sew day for pillowcases. Just bring machine and thread. Catherine O. is providing kits. Still need placemats for Meals on Wheels.
Show and Tell
New members Barbara S. and Teri G. both brought fabulous quilts to show (made by Judy Neimeyer’s paper piecing techniques). Teri made her “Cosmic” using Tula Pink fabrics. (We hope to see these again at the quilt show next spring!)
Barbara S. also showed us a paper pieced tree skirt. It was so much work to make it that she decided not to split it (for a tree skirt) and instead uses it as a table cover for the holidays!
Vernette made a scrap fabric quilt from scraps from the Mill. She also finished her Mary Pixley quilt that was all hand quilted.
Mary W. and Lisa Jones made a sewing caddy together. Each one of a different fabric. Lisa Jones made an ABC quilt.
Amy made quilt from fabric her sister sent her from Hawaii.
Helen made a quilt for Crossroads. Tumbler block pattern using fabric from the Mill.
Many more great projects were shared (that did not get photographed). I hope you got to see them all in person!
- June Elliott showed us her first quilt that she ever made.
- Ann Loy completed a quilt that Joyce started. Kathy S. quilted it.
- Kathy and Sheila made 3 Snowman table runners for boutique. Sheila made a Halloween table runner with glow in the dark thread.
- Catherine made a quilt from a panel from the Mill.
- Phyllis made 3 sewing bags for Enola. Ann A. and Lisa.
- Hexagon Magic was a quilt started in 2006 for a granddaughter. (Granddaughter is getting married on Oct. 1st.)
