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Friday, April 29th, 2011

This morning, the world’s eyes were turned to a notable event: a wedding! Kate Middleton was gorgeous in her lace appliquéd wedding gown to go with her very pretty face, and of course, William was dashing in his military garb. What a nice change of pace to view happy people. I hope that the couple remains as joyful in their choice of life partners as they seem to be today.

My exposure to world events is usually limited the “Nightly News” on NBC. At least they try to insert a tiny bit of good news each night with some heartwarming story at the end of the broadcast. On other news channels, I quickly get tired of the rants that are full of misrepresentations and the coverage of potential candidates who are essentially “nut-jobs” who think that their wealth can buy the highest office of the land. Can it? Scary thought!

I like reading about historical events. Those are finished and fixed in time. They cannot be altered. The conclusion to any story is already decided and it is up to the reader to try to make sense of the facts or to reinterpret them, perhaps.

In order to keep any sense of wholeness, it seems that artists need to isolate themselves and concentrate on enjoying the beautiful. That includes even the most common, ordinary events such as a flower blooming, or the pose of a dog, or the look on a child’s face. I suppose it is good to be aware of the horrible tragedies that happen to other people. Most of them are outside of our control and most of them have no direct impact on our own lives.

You know, I can’t take “the world!” I can only look into the face of my true love and know that everything is okay. If you have the love of even one other person, you are blessed beyond measure. If you enjoy the friendship of others, then you have a very rich life, indeed. As we see on the news, life can change in a moment: a fire, a tornado, an earthquake, a son killed in action, a child gone missing, the awareness of a life-threatening illness. etc. changes the playing field. Bad things happen to good people. But while we are still here, let’s take time to really enjoy the “good things.” Wealth can only be measured by inner peace and an appreciation of all that we already have.

that describes the making of Catherine’s wedding gown.

Patricia Cummings

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Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Award-winning Artist Mary Stoudt Chosen for Ohio’s Prestigious “Quilt National” Show from May 28-Sept. 5

Her colorful and contemporary work also in upcoming shows at some things looming and the GoggleWorks in Reading, PA.

City View
“City View”

Reading, Pa—Award-winning contemporary quilting and fiber artist Mary E. Stoudt () will be part of three major national and regional arts shows being held throughout spring, summer and fall 2011.

They include the prestigious Quilt National exhibit at the Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio; the national juried “Size Matters” Show at the some things looming Fiber Arts Gallery and Studio, Reading, PA; and the “Inside Outside: A Broad Interpretation of Space and Place on the Edge and in Between,” Reading, PA.

Since the 1970s, Stoudt, a former art teacher, has been stitching, weaving, making paper and creating mixed media to create diverse works described by critics as “whimsical and spiritual.” She has a studio (#314) in The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, PA 19601.

Village Dreamscape
“Village Dreamscape”

She said, “In 2003, I started layering fabric in a grid fashion. Simply put, I visualize the quilt’s composition, its colors and forms and than—as I move through the process—I improvise on the details. For certain pieces, I make an actual size pattern as I move through the creation process, but I introduce new elements while using the patterns. “I love the warmth, the flexibility, the play of color and the textures of quilt making.”

Wool Meets Cotton
“Wool Meets Cotton”

In addition to her colorful one-of-a-kind original contemporary quilts 3 x 5 feet and larger, Stoudt creates quilted-based beaded and embroidered necklaces, painted 100 percent one-of-a-kind silk scarves and other pieces. Her art has appeared in invitational and juried shows throughout eastern Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic States, other states and other countries.

• The 17th biennial juried exhibition of contemporary art quilts, “Quilt National,” will be on view at the from May 28 through Sept. 5, 2011. Stoudt’s quilt “Equilibrium” will be included and was also chosen for a special award. Quilt National demonstrates the transformations taking place in the world of quilting. Its purpose is to carry the definition of quilting far beyond its traditional parameters and to promote quilt making as what it always has been–an art form.

• “Size Matters” will run from May that will run from May 7 through June 18, 2011 at , 526 Washington St., Reading. It will incorporate original work representing any and all techniques in fiber and textile arts. The right size is 12” square for two-dimensional work for “Size Matters.” Three-dimensional work can be freestanding or must fit on a 12”x12”x12” pedestal. Stoudt’s “Pipes 1, 2 and 3” were selected for the show.

• “Inside Outside” is the 2011 juried show at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, which runs from May 13 to June 19, 2011. Stoudt’s “Vintage Gold Circle,” a mixed media work of fiber and papier mache, has been selected for this show.

For further information on her work and the three upcoming shows, visit Mary Stoudt’s website: www.marystoudt-artquilts.com, e-mail her at , or call 610-507-1815.

# # #

Mary E. Stoudt: Artist Statement

Mary Stoudt

“I create my art quilts looking through a lens informed by decades of experimenting with a wide variety of art media, namely, photography, printmaking, ceramics, weaving, collage, and sculpture.

“To begin an art piece, I imagine a basic composition in my head, concentrating on color and form, and then work intuitively through each piece. As I progress through the quilt, I improvise, perhaps like a jazz musician would.

“Sometimes, I give myself assignments such as, ‘See how big you can make a quilt,’ or ‘Use wool and cotton together,’ or ‘ See how many layer you can add.’ Some of my quilt creations could be put in categories such as color studies, storytelling, or optical illusions.

“I am influenced by a variety of artists, Here is my short list of favorites…Hundertwasser, Red Grooms, Audrey Flack, Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, Lee Krasner. If I made a list of favorites a month from now, I would probably add more names. Visiting an art gallery or art museum is my idea of a good time.”

Mary E. Stoudt Invitational Group Shows:

Pennsylvania Art Educators, Harrisburg
Artists’ look at Y2K, Penn State, PA

True Stories/Waking Dreams, Florida Craftsmen, Inc.

Without Restraints, Allentown, PA
New Arts Program, Allentown, PA

Yeiser Art Center:
Quilt National 2007 

“Up in Stitches,” Penn State Berks 2008
Art of the State, PA (1ST Crafts – 2008), (2nd Place – 2009 & 2010)

The Natural World, GoogleWorks Art Center (1st Place – 2009)

Allentown Art Museum Juried Show (2nd Place – 2009)

Amazing Art Show SAQA 2008

Paper and fiber-Museu Da Praia- Maragogi, Alagoas, Brazil- 2009

“More than Fiber,” GoogleWorks Art Center 2010

“Collective Thread,” University of Central Missouri Gallery of Design 2010

“Works on Paper,” Reutlingen, Germany 2010

The Art of Jazz Frank Scott Memorial Art Show- 1st place 2010

Concordia College- N.Y. Sew New 2010

Reading Public Museum-”Art of the Craft”-2010

Quilt National 2011
“Size Matters,” some things looming, Reading-2011.

SHIRKcommunications

HOME OFFICE:
The GoggleWorks
2nd & Washington Streets
Reading, PA 19601
(610)736-9223
Fax: (610)736-9224
Alan Shirk
alan@shirkcom.com

SATELLITE OFFICE:
105 Willow Glen Road
Morgantown, PA 19543
(610)286-1977
Cell: (610) 574-0295
Mike Shirk

This press release sent by Alan Shirk: , 610-736-9223 is brought to you courtesy of

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Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Last night, wanting to watch something on television with some substance, I changed the channel to PBS only to find a documentary film that outlined the persecution of homosexuals in the United States and the decision of some of them to fight back. The year was 1969. I was just ending my high school career and making plans to enter the university. I don’t recall seeing or hearing anything about the events depicted, at the time, or even later. It was a shocking commentary and one in keeping with other happenings of the time.

A concerted effort was being made by those charged with law enforcement to follow men and catch them doing “lewd things in public places.” Once arrested, some of them were sent away to mental hospitals where they received electric shocks while being shown pornography, a method to dissuade them from their perversions, the film stated. Others were not so lucky. One doctor thought that the only “cure” was to perform a lobotomy (in which a portion of the brain is removed).

The footage centered on one particular club, a “gay bar,” that was packed. The six policemen who were charged with confronting the gay men and supposedly, scaring them off, failed dismally and were soon surrounded. They had in essence incited a riot, the first time that homosexuals really had stood up for the right to their own identities. Why, indeed, should the government have any say, whatsoever, in whom anyone loves or with whom anyone associates? Bullies can prevail only as long as they are allowed to do so.

It is hard to know where the strength of the reaction emanated. Was it from a long period of derision, hated-filled messages, and mistreatment at the hands of “professionals?” Or, was it inspired by the concurrent wave of the Black minority populations refusing to sit at the back of the bus, or use separate rest facilities or drinking fountains? In watching the film, I realized how far we have come. By comparison, the 50s and 60s seem like the Dark Ages: a time when we were afraid of a nuclear attack by the Soviets, a time when the issues of puberty were never discussed, and a time when racial prejudice was the norm rather than the exception.

Why do people hate and fear those who are different? Perhaps it is because they do not bother to know individuals but rather just look on “groups” of people and decide they are inferior because they don’t meet a certain standard. I, for one, am happy that today’s society is more liberal in its thinking. We have come a long way, which is not to say that we should not still develop more tolerance, more understanding, and a more open live and let live policy. I am glad the 1960s are over, with its Vietnam War, its flower children, and its shrieking musical performers. I’m also happy that films can remind us of where we’ve been so that we never think of acting that way again.

Patricia Cummings

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Sunday, April 24th, 2011

In 1972-1973, I had the unique opportunity to study Spanish Art at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. As part of my coursework, I studied the great Spanish painters and on winter break, I was able to travel to the central and southern parts of Spain to enjoy seeing some of the works we had viewed in slides. On this Easter Sunday, my thoughts turn to the many religious images found throughout Spanish Art and Architecture.

El Buen Pastor

One of my favorite Spanish painters is Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682). Among other works, he painted “cialis prices costco” (“The Good Shepherd”). There are many written references in the Bible and in hymns to Jesus as “shepherd.” A popular psalm, often used at funerals, begins, “The Lord is my shepherd / I shall not want [..]. Christians speak of Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” In the Old Testament, lambs were often the victims of sacrificial offerings. Why is the image used a lamb? In considering why a lamb might be chosen, the thought of its appealing innocence comes to mind, as well as its trustworthy nature.

John the Baptist

In the painting above, the seated figure is that of St. John the Baptist who is clutching his heart as if seeing a heavenly vision. The lamb he is tending could be representative of Christ himself, as symbolism goes. We cannot ask Murillo his intent and as with any art work, especially of a deceased person, we can read as much or as little into it as we might wish.

Christians sing a song about being “washed in the blood of the lamb.” Of course, this is figurative speech only. No one kills a lamb with an intention of taking a bath in its blood. There are many such references to lambs, flocks, and shepherds in Christian literature.

Velazquez

Another famous artist, Velazquez (1599-1660), gets a little more graphic in his painting of “cialis prices costco” (“Christ Crucified”). This image shows a dying Christ, a thought that is an integral part of the faith model of anyone who calls himself a Christian.

On Easter, Christians celebrate Christ’s triumph over death and his resurrection against all human odds. We share in the joy of his “overcoming” death itself. My late brother Steve always told me that one should be an “overcomer.” He said that if Christ could overcome death, then, by his way of thinking, we could overcome anything that is dished out to us in this life. That is a good thought to keep in mind. We all face obstacles to our own happiness.

Today, I wish you joy and peace and a sense of new beginnings.

Patricia Cummings

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Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

On April 18, 1908, someone sent an Easter greeting to his/her grandmother via a postcard which was cancelled in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and addressed to a street in Clinton, Massachusetts. It took just a one cent postage stamp to wish her a Happy Easter.

postcard for Easter
Easter postcard featuring the Easter bunny in a cart pulled by two lambs

It would an interesting study to learn when bunnies first entered the Easter holiday theme, or how they came to deliver Easter baskets full of chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and now “peeps.” My mom, playing the role of the Easter bunny, would always gather up many goodies and place them in a big woven basket covered with colored, transparent wrap. She seemed to love to engage in this activity and the basket was so large, it was difficult to think of new places to hide it. Where did this tradition originate?

When the German settlers settled in Pennsylvania, becoming known as the “Pennsylvania Dutch,” they brought many rich traditions with them from Europe. During the late nineteenth century, they were the first to make chocolate Easter bunnies. The oral tradition that depicts the Easter bunny as bringing eggs arose in the Alsace region. It may be based on the work of Georg Franck von Frankerau titled cialis prices costco in the 16th century. The “cialis prices costco” (a term that has various spellings) actually means “Easter Hare.” Rabbits are prolific breeders and can be interpreted as a symbol of fecundity. The same goes for hens. In the spring, when we celebrate the renewal of growing things and life itself, both animals are symbolic of life’s continuance.

Easter hats are another matter. Their importance, again, is steeped in tradition. Now, (at least when I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, hats were an important commodity to wear to church). If you are familiar with the musical “Easter Parade” (1948), it would be easy to see the importance of Easter hats. To catch a glimpse of the show and to hear the song, “Easter Parade,” just key in the words: “YouTube Easter Parade,” in your search engine. Long before women strove to keep the milliner’s in business by buying extravagant head gear, children prepared their own hats, lining them with straw, in anticipation of the “eggs” they would receive, which at one time, were a forbidden Lenten food.

I love to know the history of traditions we take for granted and thought you might, too. It was fun finding an Easter card written in German as it ties right in with this post.

Wishing you a very a happy and blessed Easter weekend! It is snowing in New Hampshire!

Patricia Cummings

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Monday, April 18th, 2011

My book, cialis prices costco, features two pages of information plus one full page color photo of a quilt block design that she called “Abraham Lincoln’s Mother’s Quilt.” Nancy Hanks Lincoln died in 1818. The original quilt in question may be a myth. No one has ever seen it, documented it, nor located it. Anne Orr published a similar design but in pink and white in a magazine in 1933. Yet, no one can find the actual quilt, or written reference to it, nor determine its whereabouts. How odd! To me, this seems to be another quilt myth. Where there is no smoke, there is no fire. Now, if someone wanted to create a tribute quilt to Mrs. Lincoln and use this design, that is fine. Just be able to tell the difference between fact and fantasy or wishful thinking. To read more, view the pages of my book.

My best,

Patricia Cummings, quilt historian

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Monday, April 18th, 2011

PRESS RELEASE
Monday, April 18, 2011 9:12 AM
Great Lakes Seaway Trail President and CEO Teresa Mitchell, 315-646-1000 x202
Publicist Kara Lynn Dunn, 315-465-7578,

War of 1812-Like Quilts Wanted for Bicentennial Event

Sackets Harbor, NY – It’s “a once-in-200-years” opportunity. The Seaway Trail Foundation is asking quilters and non-quilters to make quilts with War of 1812-era colors and patterns for the Great Lakes Seaway Trail 2012 War of 1812 Bicentennial Quilt Show and Challenge event.

Organizers are reaching out to American history enthusiasts and re-enactors, children and people of all ages from the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Native nations, and internationally to enter and attend the commemorative event to be held March 17-18, 2012 at the Great Lakes Seaway Trail Discovery Center in the War of 1812 heritage community of Sackets Harbor, New York.

Guidelines for making “cot to coffin”-size (30 inches x 70 inches) quilt using a variety of fabrics, including cotton, linen, silk, wool and linsey-woolsey, and patterns common to the 1812 period are online at

Entries must be committed to the show by January 15, 2012; quilts must be completed by March 3, 2012.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail 2012 War of 1812 Bicentennial Quilt Show and Challenge guidelines suggest studying the research works and books of noted quilt historians Barbara Brackman, Anne Orr and Pepper Cory.

Brackman of Lawrence, Kansas suggests that a quilt in medallion or strip format would be a good patchwork design for the historical era. Brackman says:

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Brackman has designed a reproduction collection of prints from the era for Moda Fabrics; the “Lately Arrived from London” collection should be available in quilt shops by the end of the summer of 2011.

The Seaway Trail Foundation is sponsoring the event as part of a host of for tourism, cultural heritage and military history programs in 2011-2014. The March 2012 show will be the kickoff for a traveling educational exhibit of the War of 1812-like quilts.

“The Great Lake Seaway Trail 2012 Quilt Show marks our 12th year of shows that celebrate the themes that attract domestic and international visitors to our National Scenic Byway. We are excited about the potential of the 1812 Bicentennial Quilt Challenge cultural and heritage theme to draw diverse interest groups to the Seaway Trail region,” says Seaway Trail Foundation President and CEO Teresa Mitchell.

The 518-mile Great Lakes Seaway Trail along the freshwater coastline of New York and Pennsylvania is a National Scenic Byway offering authentic American travel experiences.

###

See their blog:

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Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Recently I read a quote that said, in essence, that a person is wise in what he/she chooses to overlook. If someone is running a popularity contest, surely it is a good idea to overlook the shortcomings of others. It is also a pretty “wise” idea to overlook the incompetence of a boss, that is, if a person favors the continuance of a paycheck. Likewise, it is “wise” to not to criticize a spouse or loved one, if a continued relationship is desired. Tact is the name of the game.

a beautiful creature
Photo by James Cummings

However, what if the mistakes that someone makes have an impact on others? What if the errors result in a faulty product that is being sold? What then? Should a person just say nothing?

My first impulse is to look away. My first guess is that someone is working to the best of their ability. My strong urge is to mind my own business. The game-changer for me is when I have purchased a product and have believed the information it contains is correct. After I’ve gone ahead and shelled out money for fabric, threads and batting and spent a lot of time to create an item (a quilt), only to find out that the wrong dimensions were given, cialis prices costco, that is where I draw the line at remaining quiet. Against my better judgment, I let a fellow professional know that the instructions provided were simply wrong, wrong, wrong. The response of anger was predictable, as were the excuses.

I should have trusted my own best judgment when faced with illogical directions, but did not. I fell into the trap to which many people succumb: “If it is in writing, it must be correct.” Okay, the bottom line is that now I have a quilt that is “less than” what I expected to have in the end. The good thing is that now the quilt has a story of its own, of how it was birthed, and how it is “different” from all others. I like to be different and so… not all is lost. By my speaking up, perhaps this inferior pattern will not be inflicted on others. At least temporarily, it has been pulled from sale. I’m not naming names, so don’t even ask!

In life, it matters not what happens. What matters is how we deal with it. At my age, I am far from “retiring” in nature, nor am I as quiet as a church mouse. As a writer, I record my experiences if only for my own satisfaction, at any given moment, and then, in reviewing what I’ve said, to perhaps come to a greater understanding of a situation or my reaction to it. I’ve decided that as a born teacher, my first reaction is always to correct and set matters straight. I’m sorry if that hurts anyone’s feelings. I truly don’t mean to be offensive, and I know that speaking out gets me in trouble. Furthermore, I probably will never stop.

Patricia Cummings

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Friday, April 15th, 2011

brochure cover
The brochure cover that shows a partial view of the Munroe Family Quilt made for a four-poster bed. It is attributed to Emily Wiley Munroe, Lynnfield, MA, circa 1865. Her brothers served in the cavalry during the Civil War.

Yesterday, April 14, 2011, was the opening day of a new exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum, the work of Pamela Weeks, a New Hampshire resident and quilt appraiser who since 1999 has been fascinated with quilts that were constructed one bound block at a time and then sewn together. The idea of making a quilt in this manner makes sense particularly when a group of quilters was making a presentation, autograph or family quilt. Almost forty quilts are on display as well as a display case of Civil War textiles and artifacts.

The International Quilt Study Center, the Brick Store Museum, private collectors and quilters, and people who own historic family quilts all contributed to the success of this exhibit and supplemented the quilts that the curator herself had collected. This is truly a stunning collection and one with variety. I was smitten by the Red and White quilt with unusual appliqué designs; the earliest example of a so-called Potholder quilt (1837) with an unusual cialis prices costco figure on an appliquéd block; and the quilt given to James George, a convalescing Civil War soldier.

If you are at within driving distance of Lowell, please take the opportunity to see this wonderful exhibit. After you view these stunning quilts, you will surely want to view all of the enticing items in the museum gift store, carefully and tastefully gathered. You’ll see old sewing tools, new quilts, books, handbags, jewelry, magazines, books, fabrics, embroidery packets and more! A new line of reproduction fabrics by, based on quilts in the NEQM collection, are on sale.

The New England Quilt Museum is well worth the trip. Surprises await at every turn! Pam will be giving talks and classes throughout the length of the exhibit. The opening reception and talk by Pam Weeks will occur on April 16 at 1 p.m. Enjoy! The event is sponsored by .

This announcement is brought to you as a courtesy of .

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Saturday, April 9th, 2011

For your enjoyment, I have created a Civil War crossword puzzle.

The clues can be found here:

The puzzle solution is here:

Enjoy!

Patricia Cummings

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Saturday, April 9th, 2011

2010
The Buskers playing at the NH League of Craftsmen Fair in August 2010. photo by James Cummings

Last August, when Jim and I attended the annual League of NH Craftsmen Fair, the overall ambiance of the event was enlivened by a musical group called “The Buskers.” Group members include Richard Danahy who sings, and plays guitar and harmonica; Kathy Zimpfer who sings, and plays fiddle; and Craig Jaster who sings, and plays bass, accordion, mandolin, keys and recorder. Together, they make such sweet music, I had to purchase their CD!

The Buskers Poster
The Buskers Poster

The Buskers have just announced their May 2011 schedule.

The Buskers (Craig Jaster, Kathy Sommer, Paul Hubert) cordially extend you a muddy
New England Spring invitation to catch one of our shows next month – if the snow has melted by then:

MAY 6. SO. WOODSTOCK, VT. Community Party & Potluck. Corner Rte.106 & Morgan Hill Rd. 6-9:30 pm.
MAY 12. CONCORD, NH. Capitol Center For The Arts Spotlight Café. 7:30 pm. w/ Tim Gilmore on drums.
MAY 14. ESSEX, MA. One World Coffeehouse 8 pm. (978-768-3690)
MAY 29 & 30. BALLSTON SPA, NY. GottaGetGon Festival. Performance & two workshops.

For links to venues and more info, visit our website

“Folk impurists” with a smart, distinct voice and a kitchen sink
repertoire of influences from jug band to jazz to roots rock.
“See this band if you get a chance… I’d even call them luminescent.
As well as versatile, passionate and funny.”
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We, at Quilter’s Muse, are happy to bring you news of this group!

Patricia and James Cummings

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Saturday, April 9th, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Pass the fun and creativity of sewing on to a new generation!

Do you have children or grandchildren who would love to learn to sew? Are you looking to spend some quality time with them that isn’t just another mindless couple of hours at a movie or in front of a television? Would you like to help them learn new skills that will last a lifetime?

Join Collections Assistant Brianna Martineau this spring and summer for learn-to-sew classes at the New England Quilt Museum. These fun classes are aimed at beginning sewers and their older helpers. Each one teaches a particular technique and allows students to take home a project they’ll be proud to show off to their friends.

Space is limited, so call today to sign up: 978-452-4207, ext.16.

Class Schedule
LEARN TO SEW WITH BRIANNA

“Westward-Ho!” Apron Workshop
Tuesday April 19th: 10pm-1pm
Skill level: Beginner. Recommended for school-age children 6 -12 accompanied by an adult who sews.
Skill addressed: Clothing construction
Time: 3 hrs
Fee: $50 (includes fabric and thread). NEQM Members receive a 10% discount.
Please bring your own sewing machine, scissors and pins.
In this learn-to-sew class, we will make an antique style single pocket apron out of the New England Quilt Museum’s reproduction fabric line from the 1840s. We will study a few of the Museum’s collection quilts and talk about what it would have been like to be a child living in the 1830s and 40s.

Making Potholders
Wednesday April 20th: All-Day Drop-In
Skill level: Beginner. Recommended for school-age children 6 -12
accompanied by an adult.
Skill addressed: Weaving.
Time: All-day drop-in activity. Plan on ½-1 hour.
Fee: $10 kit fee. No other materials required.
In this Spring Break drop-in activity, we will use a simple traditional hand loom to weave cotton loops into colorful potholders. This is an historic pastime that dates from the 1930s, when children used cut-off strips left over from hosiery and sock mills to weave bright potholders.

“Star Over New England” Doll Quilt
Saturday May, 14th: 10pm-1pm
Skill level: Beginner. Recommended for school-age children 6 -12
accompanied by an adult who sews.
Skill addressed: piecing
Time: 3 hrs
Fee: $50 (includes fabric and thread). NEQM Members receive a 10% discount.
Please bring your own sewing machine, scissors and pins.
In this piecing-for-beginners class, we will piece and quilt a 14″x 14″ doll’s quilt containing a historic block based on a quilt-as-you-go technique (“potholder style”). As part of the class, we will walk through the gallery and look our current exhibition, One Foot Square, Quilted & Bound­­–quilts constructed with that technique, several of which were made for wounded Civil War soldiers.

1840s Doll dress (for an 18-inch American Girl type of doll)
Saturday June 4th: 10pm-1pm
Skill level: Older beginner: school-age children 6 -12
accompanied by an adult who sews.
Skill addressed: Clothing construction, hand piecing
Time: 3 hrs
Fee: $50 (includes fabric and thread). NEQM Members receive a 10% discount.
In this hand piecing for beginners class, we will learn to sew without a sewing machine! Students will assemble a shift dress for their 18″ doll and learn the skills needed to make more doll clothes at home. As part of the class, we will walk through the gallery and discuss our current exhibition of quilts, several of which date from the Civil War era. Bring your buttons!

Embellished Bag Project
Saturday July 23rd 10pm-1pm
Skill level: Older beginners & teens who are comfortable with their sewing machine.
Skill Addressed: simple bag construction
Time: 3 hrs
Fee: $50 (includes Kaffe Fassett fabric and embellishing kit). NEQM Members receive a 10% discount.
Please bring your own sewing machine, scissors and pins. Bring your favorite buttons to embellish this easy tote. In this introduction to bag construction, we will look at some of the Museum’s contemporary quilts to draw inspiration for decorating your very own art bag.

SPACE LIMITED.
CALL TODAY TO SIGN UP: 978-452-4207 ext.16.

NEW ENGLAND QUILT MUSEUM
18 Shattuck St.
Lowell, MA 01852

978-452-4207

This announcement is brought to you courtesy of

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Friday, April 8th, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2011

White House, Department of Education Announce 2011 Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge Finalists

Six Public High Schools Selected to Compete for Presidential Commencement Address; Finalists Enter Next Phase of Competition Led by the Get Schooled Foundation

WASHINGTON – Today, the White House and the U.S. Department of Education announced the six high schools selected as finalists for this year’s Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. As part of the next step of the Commencement Challenge, the Get Schooled Foundation will now work with each school to produce a video for the online voting portion of the challenge.

The President set a goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020 and the Commencement Challenge invited the nation’s public high schools to submit applications that demonstrate their commitment to preparing students for college and a career. Hundreds of applications were received and were judged based on the schools’ performance, essay questions and supplemental data. The six finalists were selected for their creativity in engaging and supporting students, academic results and progress in preparing students to graduate college and career ready.

Finalists:

· Bridgeport High School (Bridgeport, Washington)

· Wayne Early Middle College High School (Goldsboro, North Carolina)

· Booker T. Washington High School (Memphis, Tennessee)

· Science Park High School (Newark, New Jersey)

· Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, School for Creative and Performing Arts (Pittsburgh, PA)

· High Tech High International (San Diego, CA)

“I want to congratulate the six finalists for all they’ve done to prepare their students for college and careers, and I want to thank all of the schools that applied,” said President Obama. “I look forward to meeting the students and teachers of the winning school at their commencement.”

“I am humbled by the hundreds of extraordinary applications we received this year and more importantly, by the tremendous work our nation’s public high schools are doing to ensure that our students are graduating ready to go on to college and careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “The Challenge continues to be a wonderful opportunity to share stories of success from our nation’s public high schools and put a spotlight on the tough and exceptional work they do every day.”

Over the next few weeks, each school’s students will work with The Get Schooled Foundation, which includes Viacom among its founding partners, to create a short video highlighting how the school best fulfills the Challenge’s criteria. The six videos, along with portions of each school’s written application, will be featured on the White House website in the coming weeks and the public will have an opportunity to vote for the three schools they think best meet the President’s goal. The President will select a national winner from these three finalists and will visit the winning high school to deliver the commencement later this spring.

“Providing support for students across the country is essential to ensuring the long-term competitiveness of our future workforce. At Viacom, we are proud to use our powerful brands as a platform to motivate our audiences to get involved in their local communities to help improve education. Viacom and The Get Schooled Foundation are very pleased to work with the White House again on this important initiative,” said Carl Folta, Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Viacom.

Watch a video of the schools being notified of their selection on Thursday, April 7 and Friday, April 8, 2011 at

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This is wonderful new as my great-niece is a senior at High Tech High in San Diego. Congratulations, Rachel, for being a part of creating a wonderful video!

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Thursday, April 7th, 2011

In an instance of an older woman imparting words of wisdom to her dear nephew in a typed letter, in March 1933 Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster wrote the following to Donald in concluding a note to him:

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Ellen was a very religious woman, as you can tell even from that short excerpt of her writing. She endured much and suffered much, personally, but advised others to keep a smile on their facea and not show that any troubles were obstructing any goals. Through setback after setback, her faith was steady. Even when her husband died, she did not take long to recover and begin making concrete plans to advance her own education to secure her future.

We all need words to live by and the belief that, no matter what, we will be alright. None of us understands why bad things happen to good people. Of course, bad things also happen to bad people. Why are there accidents, illness, financial challenges, or even aging? As mortals, we can never know the answers. “Slow and steady wins the race.” We plod along, like old horses, day to day, until no more days remain.

I am so happy to have had the opportunity to really “know” Mrs. Webster, although not personally, of course. She died before I was born. However, records of her involvement with quilts, education, writing, and her work as a strong community leader live on. Ephemera and material objects have surpassed her own mortality and made her an important historical figure: a woman who lived in New Hampshire in two different centuries.

This coming week, I’ll be presenting another lecture about her life and am looking forward to sharing information. As a quilt historian, I am following in the footsteps of her, another quilt historian. Her shoes are, indeed, big ones to fill.

Peace on your journey,

Patricia Cummings, author of a 355 page book: Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950).

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Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

Update sent to Valerie Hearder in Canada who has personally met Naomi Ichikawa, Editor of cialis prices costco Magazine. They have started distributing the 200 quilts they have received so far. Here is Naomi’s letter received 6 April.

Dear friends

Many thanks. We start giving the quilts to the people and they are so glad.

These are our distribution plans:

1. Working with Unicef.

2. Work with Clinical Psychologist Society.They will use quilts for comfort for the people.

3. Deliver to the temporary housing for the victims (after the end of April)

4. Deliver to nursery ,school, orphanage.

5. Hand to hand way by the local volunteers. Grass roots project, but very important.

We have already sent many quilts to the victims who got shocked very hard. This is the hand to hand way. And my sister-in-law in Sendai works very hard for us. She said they are pleased to have quilts. A family who escaped from tsunami and living temporarily at their relative’s house, but it is small. They got a big size quilt to use as a big comforter because they want to sleep all together under the quilt. And they love it. A lady who lost her father in front of her by tsunami, and her relative got a quilt. She loves it. There are so many stories.

So we should watch the situation and will deliver them maybe soon after they move to the temporary housing. It looks very slow, but we do the best to use the quilts very best way.

Everyone, I thank you so much for all of your thoughts to Japan. I would like to ask you the followings when you ship the quilts.

Please write clearly the quantity and value of the quilts. We do not want to make any problems at the customs. As for the value of each quilt, please cialis prices costco. Please indicate as relief goods for the affected people of Tohoku Kanto Earthquake. You can put as bed linens instead of quilts for description of contents.

Please send a email to me when you ship the quilt. It will make easier for us to get them.

Naomi

PS. I will be out of Japan from April 17 to 25. If you ship the quilts then,please send the message to the address (tsushin@viq.com and sales@viq.com).

Thank you very much.

Editor’s Note: Please see previous postings on this blog for addresses, dimensions, etc. by keying in the words “Quilts for Japan” in the textbook on the upper right side. Thanks! Pat