Clear out that Clutter: Get Organized Now!

Was being more organized one of your resolutions for the new year? January is a great time to organize your quilting space. Pick a cold, gray Saturday afternoon, put on some jazz and dive into it. Going through all of your things and storing them where you can find them again will greatly increase your productivity throughout the remainder of the year. Plus, if you're feeling broke after Christmas, organizing your quilting space will definitely turn up some fabric you forgot you had.

A new book call Creating your Perfect Quilting Space by Lois L. Hallock has lots of ideas to get you started.

Martin's Dream

Martin's Dream, 2002, hangs in the Fulton County Attorney's office. It hangs in honor of Judge Linda Walker, the first African American county attorney for Fulton County. The border depicts black and white boys and girls holding hands. The black, white and red color theme represents the struggle of the Civil Rights Movement.

Reflect on Martin's Dream

Martin Luther King Day should be a day when we pause to reflect on how far we have come. After I passed the age of 50, I began to realize that I am a walking history book. My daughter cannot imagine a world where segregation was legal. She cannot imagine a group of friends all one color. She cannot imagine packing chicken in a car for a long trip. She cannot imagine a world with boundaries. Each day I thank Martin for that.

I think it is important to remember, reflect and re-focus. Born in 1954, the first six grades of my education were spent in segregated schools. I sat in the balcony at the movies. I drank from colored water fountains. I thought all white people were smart. I lived in colored town. When I reflect, I realize how much positive change I have seen. Thank God for Martin!

Last year I took a step toward preserving a small part of that history by creating the Clara Ford Foundation. The Clara Ford Foundation celebrates quilts that were made in colored town. It celebrates making something beautiful from scraps. It celebrates finding joy in the midst of despair. It celebrates knowing that you and your craft are worthy.

Recently, I took a step toward spreading that history to future generations. I spoke to my daughter's civics class. She happens to be the only African American in that class. I spoke to 14-year-olds about how it used to be. I challenged them to do their part to make the world better. Later in the week, I went with my daughter's basketball team to see the recently released movie Glory Road. Glory Road celebrates the determination and spirit of the first basketball team to start five black players in the NCAA tournament. What seems so common now made the earth move in 1965. I hope my daughter and all children understand that they stand on the backs of others who came before. I hope they realize the importance of standing up for good -- even if you are the only one standing.

These are my reflections. Take a moment for yours. Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Life's Twists and Turns. c. 2003. This quilt was made in a twisted bargello class taught by Vicki Clark at the Quilts 'N Fixins quilt shop in Jonesboro, GA. 

Beginners Quiltmaking Class

If you are a beginning quilter or even a wannabe quilter, I highly recommend an upcoming class at Intown Quilters in Atlanta, GA. http://www.intownquilters.com.
The class description is as follows:


Beginners Quiltmaking Class
1/14, 1/28 & 2/11 Saturdays 1-5p OR
2/18, 3/4, & 3/18 Saturdays 1-5p $85
Learn to make a Rail Fence lap size (42 inches X 54 inches) quilt from beginning to end. In this class, the intimidation of quilting should be eliminated. You will be taught many techniques and rules, such as cutting, strip piecing, seam allowance, pin-basting, quilting, binding and more. The class is taught in 3 sessions (4 hours each) and requires homework and a sense of humor. Taught by Maxine Moore.

Maxine Moore taught many of us in the Brown Sugar Stitchers Guild how to quilt. You can’t go wrong with this class.

Check out one of Max’s personal masterpieces above. This one was raffled off as a fund raiser at the Brown Sugar Stitchers’ Quilt Show.

Learn Something New This Year!

© 2006


The Christmas tree is packed away until next year. The last champagne toast welcoming the New Year has been made. With all the celebrations over and all the traditions observed, it’s time for the sobering task of taking stock of where you are and where you plan to go in the new year.

Many of us will resolve to lose weight -- to finally begin to exercise and eat right. Others will resolve to go to church more regularly and to try to be better people. These are all noble ambitions.

Hopefully, you will also add “learn something new” to your new year’s list. It is so important that we as quilters continue our education. Here are some suggestions. Read a book about quilt history. Take a quilt class. Join a quilt guild. Visit a museum for inspiration.

All local quilt shops have classes for beginners and experts. If you can’t work it into your schedule, check out www.quiltuniversity.com. You can learn in the privacy of your own home.

Local quilt stores have lots of interesting quilt books. If the selection is not to your liking, there’s also the vast universe of www.amazon.com.

Museums and quilt shows inspire us. Get out of the house and soak up some inspiration.

It may be true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but we’re not dogs. We’re quilters!