Alex Anderson Insults Sunbonnet Sue!

I subscribe to "The Quilt Show", the new quilting show on the internet. I have been enjoying the videos of quilters sharing tips, patterns and ideas. In the beginning of episode 104, Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims begin by talking about their personal discovery of quilting. They talk about finding patterns, quilts shops and guilds.


Ricky says, “I did not know about drunkard’s path or your favorite Sunbonnet Sue. I know Alex loves Sunbonnet Sue”

Alex says, “The day I make one, just check me into the home. . . sorry if I offended anybody”

"Some of them are fun, some Sunbonnet Sue quilts are really great,” Ricky counters.

They continue on talking about other things.

I don't know of any other quilt pattern that takes the abuse that the "Sunbonnet Sue" pattern takes. When I started Sunbonnetsue.com ten years ago, frankly I wasn't sure if the website would be well received or not. Of course the quilting community has welcomed our patterns and Sunbonnet Sue information with open arms.

I just don't understand why people dislike the pattern so much. You think someone who is an industry leader in promoting all things concerning quilts would be a little more diplomatic.

That's my thought for the day.

Kim Bunchuck
Sunbonnetsue.com

Quilting Bee Scheduled!

I'm so excited. I just got off the phone with Suffolk Community College and we have our Quilt Assembly Days scheduled for the Sunbonnet Sue fights breast cancer quilt.

Suffolk community College really stepped up to help our little project out. We are able to gather in one of their classrooms on the Riverhead campus and sew these blocks together. If you are a Long Island Quilter and you can donate some time to sew these quilts together, we'd love your help.

Here are the details:

Quilt Assembly Days -

When: Tuesday, July 24th and if needed Wednesday, July 25th, 2007
Time: 9am - 4 pm
Location: Corchaug Building - Suffolk Community College, Riverhead campus
Bring: Sewing Machine

We'll be sewing the blocks into quilts. If you are a machine quilter, you can help quilt some of the smaller wall-hangings.

Please let me know if you can come help us out - e-mail me

Kim Bunchuck
Sunbonnet Sue fights Breast Cancer Project.

Eastern Long Island Quilt Show

Well I did it! I vended at the weekend's quilt show and lived to tell the tale. When I signed up for a vendor spot months ago, I didn't realize how crazy things would be. I had classes to finish, little league games to attend and work. All this is not to mention the Bridal project.

Here is what my booth looked like:



It was great to see all the people and talk about quilts for two days straight. Now I have to get the books back on the shelves in my web-store at home.

The brides came to the show too, for their first public showing. Here is a close up of them on the wall:



We are sewing the blocks together in July. If you are on Long Island and can help, there will be more posted.

Whew, I'm tired...

Bridal Shower

It has been a crazy month and this is the first time I've been able to post. I am on the adjunct faculty of the local community college. We finished up the semester and I'm thrilled to have my Tuesdays free again! I just can't seem to find the time to get everything done I want to.



I did manage to get the last of the Sunbonnet Sue bride kits mailed out. Seventy-one went out. That is more than I expected, so we'll be able to get 2 or 3 quilts done. It just depends on how many of them come back as completed quilt blocks.



Some have already started coming. It is like a bridal show of block. Here is one of them:

If you'd like to see the others, here is the link: http://badsuequilts.com/brideGallery.htm

It is amazing the generosity of quilters.

There is a strange sort of footnote to this charity project. My mammogram this month turned up problems in both my breasts. I had to go back for more images (OUCH) and the doctors have decided to wait six months and have another mammogram done to see if there are changes.

Just that one little episode was pretty scary for me. I can't imagine living with it every day.

Brides Against Breast Cancer Deadline!

It's May 1st. The deadline for sign ups for the Sunbonnet Sue fights breast cancer project was yesterday. Yikes, the project took on a life of its own. Originally I was worried that I'd wouldn't get 38 women to volunteer to do a block. I shouldn't have underestimated the generosity of quilters.

We have 67 different names on the list of volunteers to make a block. We will be able to make three quilts! I'm very excited about the turnout. The bulk of the volunteers are from the USA but there are also volunteers from Mexico, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, England and Germany.

The kits are being mailed out this week. I just printed 70 copies of the instructions and created the mailing labels. The kits are an inconsistent weight (some have more beading, some have lighter weight fabrics) so I'll have to weigh each of the packages separately. I plan on sending a few envelopes each day this week.

As soon as the blocks come back in, I'll be photographing them and putting them online. It will be exciting to see all the brides!

Sunbonnet Sue Fights Breast cancer

Getting the kits ready for mailing...


I spent the day today getting the kits ready for the Sunbonnet Sue Bride quilt. It is really an exciting project. You can read about it here:


http://sunbonnetsue.com/badsuegetsmarried.htm



First I cut up all the background blocks:




They are all pink, which will contrast with the white of the Bride's dresses. It also is the color of the Breast Cancer ribbon.

Next I sorted through all the fabric from the Bride's dresses:





We got all the bows, embelishments and other pieces left over from bigger quilt projects. Since we are making Sunbonnet Sue blocks, we can use these smaller pieces. You can read about the brides' dresses to quilt project here:

http://www.makingmemories.org/quilt.html

There are some beautiful pieces of lace and fabric in this box! It was hard to cut them up.

I put one background block, some of the bridal fabric and some lace in each package.




Now they are ready to go off to the ladies (over 50 and counting) who have volunteered to make a Sunbonnet Sue bride block. I can't wait for them to start coming in.

Kim

Piping Hot Bindings Workshop

My guild, the Eastern Long Island Quilters, hosted Susan Cleveland for a lecture and workshop. Today was the workshop on "piping Hot Binding". Susan showed us the ins and out of making a binding perfect. We applied a thin piping before putting the binding on the quilt.

Susan used a digital projector and digital camera to demonstrate her techniques. We were a large group and it made everything so easy. No more crowding around a sewing machine trying to see over the tall lady! I really enjoyed it.

We put the binding on a small project. I brought a Sunbonnet Sue block to put the binding on. You can see me in this group shot of the class. As usual, I had the only Sunbonnet Sue in the group.

What was great about the workshop was the light-hearted, fun atmosphere that Susan created. She was fun, informative and really knew her stuff. I'm made four great corners on the quilt I binded, something that has never happened for me before!

Here are a couple of the samples she brought. She is very precise and has a great color sense.

It was a good day. Now I have to go dig out some of my UFOs and get the binding on them as well!