More from St. Mary's

Below are some of my favorite views of the quilts on display at the second annual quilt show held in St. Mary's Church in Plantersville, Texas in April of 2016.  

I have included historical information about the church (with links).

The land that the church stands on was purchased 

for $30.00 on 

February 2, 1894.

According to Diocesan records, St. Mary’s official name is 

Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Immaculate Conception, 

Plantersville, Texas.  

Click here to read more about this church's history.

Once a year, every pew in this small church is covered in quilts, all on loan from quilters in Houston, The Woodlands, Katy and many other towns and cities nearby.  

The beauty and diversity of the numerous quilts truly enhances 

the loveliness of this historic painted church.

St. Mary's interior had been painted over many years ago.  A restoration project began in 2003 to painstakingly return the church to its original hand-painted glory.  Two years later, the church re-opened in stunningly colorful splendor.  Ten years after that, the quilt shows began. 

Click here to see more photos taken during the restoration.

 

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary's original name) 

was struck by lightning 

and burned to the ground in 1917.  

Within in the year, the current building was built to replace the  original church.

 

St. Mary's Church building became a registered Texas Historic Landmark in 2001. 

I hope you've enjoyed wandering through this lovely free quilt show held at 

St. Mary's Church in Plantersville.  

(located at FM 1774 & St. Mary's Drive)

8227 County Road 205, Plantersville, TX 77363

 

The church website is http://smsj.org/  

The website for the quilt show held here is http://www.stmarysquiltshow.com/ .  

There are links to professional photos from the first and second quilt shows on the show's website.  

Head's up: The Third Annual Quilt Show is scheduled for Friday, April 28th and Saturday, April 29th, 2017.  Just like the previous two shows, this one is open and free to the public.  Donations are graciously accepted with the proceeds being donated to the St. Vincent DePaul Society of St. Mary/St. Joseph.  For further information, look at the quiltshow website listed in the paragraph above.

St. Mary's Quilt Show

In one month I was fortunate to visit two quilt shows displayed in two lovely (and very different) churches.  The first was the 26th Annual Quilt Show and Sale at the United Church of Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois held on April 15th and 16th, 2016.  The second was the St. Mary's Quilt Show held in the beautiful historic painted church in Plantersville, Texas on April 29th and April 30th, 2016.

Below are photos from the St. Mary's Quilt Show:

 St. Mary's Church in Plantersville, Texas

 After parking your car and before entering the show, you enter this open covered-patio area where an entire red-n-white quilt exhibit is waving from above, hanging in the rafters.

Surprisingly, this is NOT the quilt show!  It is only one small extra for the day! 

I am inspired all over again to make and build my own collection of red-n-white quilts.

There are tables and chairs set up.  

Many people are enjoying picnic lunches in this uniquely special setting.

 One enters the quilt show from this side of the church.

Once you enter, you are swept away!

Quilts from all time periods are draped over every single pew in this teeny, tiny lovely church.

 Viewers walk up the far left side of the church,
then down the center aisle ...

 and back up the center aisle again
to then walk down the far right side of the church,
admiring quilts everywhere and
the wonderful details embellishing the interior of this sweet church.

 It is peaceful and quiet as everyone is respectful and in awe of the beauty of the quilts on display as well as the beauty of this historic painted church.

There are so many quilts, that some are draped over the choir's balcony!

This is the Second Annual "St. Mary's Quilt Show".  

The Third Annual St. Mary's Quilt Show is scheduled to be held April 28th and April 29th, 2016.

Check out their website: http://www.stmarysquiltshow.com/

Stay tuned for more photos to be shared soon.

United Church of Hyde Park's quilt show

On a recent visit to Chicago, I was able to attend the 26th Annual Quilt Show held in the United Church of Hyde Park, located at 1448 E. 53rd St.  It was my first time to attend a quilt show held in a church and I was enthralled by the setting as well as by the beautiful quilts on display.

This annual Quilt Show was open Friday, April 15 (noon-6pm) and Saturday, April 16 (10am-4pm) with a $6 entry fee.   The idea for holding the quilt show "originally came from a church newsletter in Rhode Island about how they had draped quilts over the pews" said Lampkins, a co-chair of the Quilt Show. Thus the tradition began to raise money for the benefit of the pipe organ and capital fund for the church.

The beauty of the church's interior is a lovely setting for displaying the quilts which varied from traditional pieced and appliqued quilts to modern quilts, art quilts and even one or two that were almost completed.

 A printed program gave the particulars of the quilts which were draped in numeric order (perhaps the order in which they were submitted?).

Viewers were free to wander up and down the aisles to look at the quilts draped over the pews.

On display at the front was this quilt, made to celebrate someone's 50th anniversary.  The photos covered many ages and stages of their marriage with charms added as embellishments.

Pipe music filled the church - adding more wonderment to the setting of this show. 

Photos can't quite capture what a spectacular setting for a quilt show this was.

I hope to see future quilt shows held here, perhaps during a parent visit (my sons will begin their college studies at the University of Chicago and Lake Forest College this coming fall....)

All dressed up

My sons are Seniors in high school .... so many memories being made this year, including the tradition of Prom!

Eli is ready and waiting ....

 

and then his date arrived -- I love her smile (& that she's the driver)

I believe they had a grand time.

Meanwhile, Isaac had spent the day at San Jacinto College, performing in Holy Day at the UIL One-Act Play Region level of competition -- two of the six plays performed this day advance to UIL State Competition.  The theatre team knew it could be a long wait for the awards to be announced, so they changed from thespians into prom-goers at the college as they waited to learn if their play would be advancing....

Here is Isaac with his date, a member of the Creative Team of Holy Day.

 

In case the medal he is wearing doesn't give it way, the grand news of the day:  Carnegie's production of "Holy Day" by Andrew Bovell took the top honors and is advancing to State!

The official cast photo for Carnegie's Holy Day.  

This attire is a bit dustier and dirtier than their prom outfits.

 Thrilled to be advancing to State, but more immediate is going to the Carnegie Prom to celebrate!

One last photo of many of the seniors -- aren't they gorgeous?

This production of this play has caused quite an uproar and dialogue.

Click this and read....

And these amazing thespians plan to perform this play at the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh Scotland this August.  But they need help raising funds for this trip.  

Please support them.  

Click here to learn more and to make your donation.

(any amount large or small is hugely appreciated!).

Three .... sort of ...

I have been plugging away on my UFOs to try to finish some from my posted list of 10 for the Finish Along group and for my local groups that are also hosting UFO challenges ... as of today, April 1, I've only finished three so far ....

First up:  I finished my Owl pillow repair and it is now living proudly on my couch ... though I have notice another pillow seems to have a damaged (puppy-chewed?) corner now .... finish one UFO only to discover a new one?  Is that fair???

 poor pillow in need of loving repair ....

to begin, must first remove the mangled face ... 

one happy owl-pillow repair is complete! 

For more about this pillow's beginnings click here or to learn details of its repair, click here.

Second, I've finished one of the Silk Tie pillows, and have prepped most of the ties to slice, dice and stitch up into new pillows.

 I love this classic design (one of my own creations!)

Now I must stitch up several more -- but using square and triangular pieces.
Click here for more about this pillow.

Third, and my favorite of all, I've made four more blocks for the original 12-block Drunkard's Wife QAL and have stitche the 16 blocks into a top!  I hope to piece the back and get my favorite long-armer quilting on it soon-ish.

This is pile shows the first six blocks that I pieced.

Ten more blocks were completed, plus embroidery "Oopsie Daisy" was embroidered to the top block.

 A peek at my title block -- "Oopsie Daisy"

and some of the other blocks

and a full view of Oopsie Daisy

This quilt is PINK! and it is for me, me, ME .... (I think).

Here are some links to some of the blocks (how-to's) that are in this funky quilt:  Click here to learn how to use Thangles to make two of the blocks.  Click here, here and here to see more of these blocks.

This very pink quilt that I am making just for me is the #346 linkie of all the finishes that have been posted for this first quarter of the Finish-Along 2016.  Click here for a link to get you to all the linkies that have been shared.

Three completed UFOs ... out of ten on my official list of UFOs 

for the first quarter of the 2016 Finish Along.  Click here to see my complete list of UFOs.

Now to ponder which to finish next .... and how many other UFOs I should list on the next quarter!

These are such lofty and important decisions.

Hopefully it will get me blogging more regularly too ... could happen...

Quilt-Non 2016

QuiltCon opened in Pasadena California earlier this morning and sadly I and many of my quilting friends are unable to attend in person.  But rather than be grumpy and mopey, Julie Dueck of Intrepid Thread (a California quilt shop) came up with a splendid idea ... to come together through InstaGram and celebrate collectively from our individual homes.  She's named this event: Quilt-Non (for those not going to QuiltCon)!

There are challenges, free patterns, prizes and guest hostesses and more throughout the entire duration that the other Quilting event is taking place on the west coast.  Isn't this fun?  It began at noon today, Eastern (California) Standard Time and will end on Sunday, just as QuiltCon closes.

Quilt-Non takes place primarily on InstaGram with the first challenge of introducing yourself to the crowd.  Post a selfie (or any photo of yourself) and answer three questions: what is your name (or what you'd like to be called)?; where you are from?; and how long you've been sewing?  This challenge runs for the full duration of Quilt-Non (so if you're reading this Sunday morning, quickly add your photo and introduction with the hatchtag #QuiltNon2016).  There is a prize that will be awarded: a rainbow fat 8th bundle and a copy of Simply Moderne.  Don't you love to win prizes?

So, without further ado .... Here I am with my photo and my answers.... 

I'm Cathy.  I live in Houston and I've been playing with needle and thread since I was about 5 or 6 years old.  I made my first quilt block in 1985-or-so when the rotary cutter was a 'new-fangled-tool.'  I'm excited to be saying hello to you and everyone on IG.  I am looking forward to meeting you and joining more of the QuiltNon challenges!

Now I have lots more to share about the different QuiltNon events and happenings, and will start by referring you to Julie (aka @intrepidthread)'s blog: intrepidthread.blogspot.com.  There is plenty of basic information there or click here to get directly to the page with the info.  There you can also see the Quilt-Non sponsors, some of the prizes, and links to a few free patterns.

A reminder: all the fun is actually happening on InstaGram -- so if you've ever thought of joining IG, now's a great time to give it a whirl.  There are many photos being posted from the real QuiltCon and it is the only way to see who else is joining in the QuiltNon fun.  Once you're on InstaGram, search for the hatchtag #quiltnon2016.

As you scroll through the feed, meeting new friends and seeing what everyone is stitching on this week-end, keep an eye out for the above image.  It indicates that the QuiltNon Hostess is changing - and the next challenge or game will be posted by the new Hostess.  Look for me tomorrow morning as I will be hosting one of the challenges!  I'm sew very excited sew stay tuned ... I will tell more in the morning, promise!

Zentangling a Chamsa

Yesterday was the annual Yom Limmud in Houston.  One of my favorite sessions was an art class on how to zentangle a chamsa.  After a brief warm up using a pencil, most of us switched to the permanent Sharpies and went to task.  Here is my finished chamsa that I zentangled. 

Here is Darren's finished piece.

He used watercolor to brighten his lovely design.  I love it! 

Isn't the intricate detail in this one delightful?

I had a grand time learning how to zentangle and look forward to doing another one soon!