Mariners Compass

Not too much quilty going on here - so I'll tell you an old story. A couple of years ago, I was president of our local guild and trying to get something going to get members excited. One of the things I tried was having a NAME quilter come do a trunk show, a first for us. I was so lucky to find Judy Mathiesan (of Mariners Compass fame) who happens to live not too awful far from here. Judy is delightful and no differant than any other prolific lady in your guild, just a sweetie. She brought a huge collection of fabulous quilts, including 'Nautical Stars', voted Best in Show at Houston, and one of the 100 Best Quilts of The 20th Century (cover of the book) by the International Quilt Association. Ya'll, I got to hold this quilt!!!

As Judy unpacked her bags before the meeting, she was piling quilts in the order she wanted them shown. This quilt came flying thru the air at me, along with a quick - "Here, hold this". I almost stopped breathing. She made this one with all little calico prints, most purchased from the cheapie folded goods table at the old Sprouse Reitz store. That really surprised me and goes to prove you can work miracles with any fabric. Those are teeny little pieces. It is stunning -- it glows. During her talk I was so priviledged to be a holder, along with my tall friend Chari. We got to see what most people don't, the backs! We checked out the quilting, the pieced backs, read all the labels and generally had a blast. She adds labels as the quilt ages, noting awards it's won, which shows it's been in and any other information picked up along the way. What a great idea! It made for really fun reading. All of her quilts are incredible, and she has the cutest doggy quilts I've seen. If you ever get the chance to see her or take a class, go for it - you won't be disappointed.