I recently completed my final trip for the year to the Dallas, Texas area. I visited four guilds in the area, Granbury, Fort Worth, Arlington and Parker County where I presented a lecture and workshop for each. It was a busy week, but a really wonderful week too. It takes some organization to put all the pieces together for four guilds and the unsung heros are the Program Chairs who do a wonderful job of organizing events. Here I am with Heather from the Trinity Valley Guild in Fort Worth just before presenting my lecture. Speaking of lectures, I was so sincerely moved to receive standing ovations after presenting my lectures. Wow, what a great way to end the year!!!
The students in the Perfect Points class had the opportunity to show their finished projects from the class.
Everyone was all smiles!
In Granbury we did the Simply Sensational 9-Patch Stars class. Here one of the Granbury students is tickled pink with her first block.
I also am delighted to receive photos of finished projects from workshops long after the workshop is over. This “Fire and Ice” quilt was made by Dottie Szypulski, who took a workshop in Canton, CT. Dottie put a little twist in the outside corner blocks. I love to see students add their creative ideas.
And sometimes students take off after a class and work on new projects. Barbara McCarty wrote: “I took a workshop from you with Wayside Quilters in Massachusetts a few years ago. I just completed a queen size quilt using Rhonda’s block and variations. I love the different patterns that form. I hope you enjoy the quilt pictures!”

Sometimes, I never actually meet the quilters who share their creativity with me. Cheri’ Radliff wrote: “I have to tell you, I have held on to the January 2003 edition of The Quilter Magazine since November of 2002 in hopes of building up to your pattern. I began quilting in 2000. After doing 13 quilts I decided it was time to try. I hand quilt all of my quilts so I don’t pump them out as fast as others can. Here’s a picture of my version of your spinners quilt pattern. I just LOVE patterns that intermingle from square to square so I absolutely enjoyed this pattern. I know it’s not perfect since some of my green squres are a little lopsided. Oops! But overall, I am happy with how it turned out.
Thanks for sharing your creativity. I’m now looking for a pattern for my next quilt.”

But today, I received an email and it reminded me why I do what I do:
It is being shared with Mary’s permission:
Dear Carol,
I simply had to tell you again just how much I enjoyed your class. When you discussed color and showed us how to arrange the samples to decide the best ones for the project, I thought to myself–that was worth the price of the class! Then when you showed us how to line up the sections of the block and random sew to make sure it fit–again I thought, Wow, that was worth the price of the class! Then you showed me–the practicing to be a novice–quilter how to cut properly with mt lefthandedness–one more time, I thought, well, that was worth the price of the class! As the day progressed I would think that phrase over and over. I learned so much from your class and feel SO much better about my quilting efforts, I have promoted myself to novice quilter!!!! Thanks so much for your expertise. I loved your methods (that’s plural!) because I learned SO much from you other than paper piecing–but, by golly, I learned that too!
Many thanks,
Mary Wimberly, Trinity Valley Guild Member, Fort Worth

When I read Mary’s comments, I smiled with such satisfaction. You see, I really enjoy making quilts and I love to show others methods that will add to their enjoyment of making quilting. It was a wonderful reminder of why I do what I do.
All the best,
Carol

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