Channeling Our Inner Goddess

We've been busy in the studio lately! Quilting quilts, making quilts, and also creating these awesome goddesses...

And they're not just fabulous...there's a story:

In 2005 five diverse women - Michelle Cook, Lynn Eisenberg, Sarah Holthouser, Mary Jamis, and Janie Wilson - came together with a vision to make a difference in the lives of women and girls in the Forsyth county area. After much thoughtful planning, in 2006 The Women's Fund of Winston-Salem was established as an advised fund of The Winston-Salem Foundation.

The Women's Fund offers membership to women and girls from all socioeconomic backgrounds and beliefs, and provides financial grants to local organizations of all sizes who work to develop and improve the lives of women and girls in Forsyth County, NC. In 2010 they also released Through a Gender Lens: The Economic Security of Women & Girls in Forsyth County,  a research study that draws attention to "the individual, social, and systemic issues and barriers to economic security faced by women in our community." 

From 2007-2009 Lisa Alley served on the Board of The Women's Fund. Impressed with their mission and inspired by their logo she created a large quilt incorporating the goddess logo for the Board to use in publicizing and promoting the organization. Since that time she has had requests to create smaller wall quilts by some of the Board members. 

Which brings us to our current mission...

Since 2006 The Women's Fund has held an annual luncheon to celebrate it's mission and award grants for the year. The seventh annual luncheon is approaching, to be held on November 28 at the Benton Convention Center from noon-1:30.

Here's the cool part... Sew Sisters is creating these individual goddess quilts to help raise funds for the Fund! We will be selling them at the luncheon...so if you are local please consider coming out to support this worthwhile organization. Anyone can attend...you do not have to be a member of The Women's Fund to come. The keynote speaker is Michele Ozumba, President and CEO of the Women's Funding Network. Click here to order your tickets to the event.

The walls quilts are approximately 11 x 24 and come in a wide variety of colors, celebrating all women. The price is $45 with $10 of each quilt sold going back to The Women's Fund for their ongoing work.

We hope to see you there!!

Busy Little Trolls

Time really flies when you're having fun!

Here's some sneak peeks into the studio.

We've been making samples and writing patterns...

...and quilting our own samples of those patterns we're writing...

...and quilting some wonderful quilts for new clients...

... and making kits...

... and charm packs...

...and making BIG retreat plans...

We've been so busy, poor Shelby is pooped!

SQUIRREL!

This little beauty just came off the machine. I LOVE the fabrics...especially the border...a squirrel in my favorite color!

Thanks KB for choosing Sew Sisters to quilt this for you!

Our First Retreat

I have had EQ7 for about a year and have messed with it just enough to be dangerous.  A few months ago at the North Carolina Symposium, I took a class by my fellow board member, Cindy Williams.  It was fabulous class on pieced borders.  It was obvious from her class and the equally fabulous book she's written that she knows more about EQ7 than anyone I know.  So I asked her if she'd be interested in teaching a class.

Well, of course, she would love to do that.

Could we turn it into a mini retreat...say somewhere wonderful like Montreat?

Even better!

So, after a little planning and coordinating, a small group of us met at the historic Assembly Inn in Montreat, North Carolina.

Yesterday afternoon, Karen and I anxiously awaited our guests in the lobby of the Inn.

We then went into town and ate way too much at the Black Mountain Bistro.  When we got back to the inn, some turned in for the night but some of us stayed up doing hand work and telling stories.  My cheeks still hurt from laughing!

Saturday Cindy got us started early and by mid-afternoon, we were all designing quilts and blocks and feeling all powerful with our new skills.

I believe our first Sew Sisters retreat was a roaring success.  Everyone was giddy and seemed to have a great time.


And you better believe we schemed all the way home about what we can do next...so stay tuned!!!

Under the Needle

It's been a binding sewing kind of day at Sew Sisters.

Kicked back in a chair, feet up, hand sewing binding.  I think every Monday should be binding day, don't you?

On the Frame Today

Look!  Monkey feathers!

We're having a blast checking out our new pantos.  Cute, huh?

Bonding with ....

Hmmm....need a name...what to name our new best friend?  We need to contemplate.

In the meantime, I'm getting a little machine bonding time in.

Ta Da...our first quilt quilted on our new baby!