the joy of the needle

Have you ever thought of the effect of quilting bees on happiness. Do you think that quilting bees have gone the way of the Dodo? I remember going to Amish Pennsylvania about 10 years ago and wandering up to the second floor of a quilting/fabric shop. That floor was set up for with several quilts on quilting frames with long slats so the frames were big enough to hold a king sized quilt. The quilts were basted onto the frames along the edges. They were marked with the quilting designs and with pencil much to my surprise since I had beentold not to use pencil as it does not wash out. I guess the Amish women were so sure of their skills it did not matter to them.  These racks were just waiting for theladies to come and work on the quilts but in my imagination I could see them surrounded by quilters all having a wonderful time chatting , laughing, telling tales of their day and stories of their children or grandchildren. I imagined all the happiness these ladies would be surrounded by. It was a beautiful thing. Throughout the course of that day I saw the most beautiful quilts in the shops that had been created by the women that worked upstairs in that room.  Where has all that gone? Not very far I think.
Today we quilters meet in our churches to hand applique or to quilt with our sewing, to embroidery by hand or machine g machine and to sew down bindings on quilts that we usually don't sell but do contribute to various hospitals and places where our quilts are honoured and needed. We meet on line to talk about our quilts , to chart our course and chat about our lives, find information on the hundreds of places we can find new patterns and designs.
We still enjoy the quality of life and happpiness that the Amish ladies of that past enjoyed around their quilting frames.  After a day of  taking a class or working in my group at the church or at Community Quilts I am infused with a sense of joy. My daily chats with friends around the world  is an important presence in my life. So we have not lost the quilting bee it has just altered a bit. The energy of the bee is still with us as is the joy of the needle. :>)
That being said, today my granddaughters Meg and Katie along with Meg's husband Lewis and Carla my DDIL came for dinner . They are on their way over to Sechelt for Mac's memorial service tomorrow.  We did have a lovely visit, I made chili , we had buns , cucumber and tomato in vinegar and olive oil. Tasty!! Lewis said it was marvellous.
Nuff for tonight....
Have a great evening!!