Quilts and Friendships

Four years ago this past December, Connecting Threads began a web page called Quilt With Us.  I happened to get an email announcing the launch of it and decided that I should check it out.  Looked like a fun place where I could get chance to maybe learn a few things.  So I began searching for quilters in the tri-state area thinking that I may even make some new friends that share my passion for quilting.  I have my non quilter friends, but they just are lost on my addiction.   I was in need of some quilt peeps. 

Now I had tried the quilt guild thing here in town, but found that they seemed to not have room for a novice quilter in their guild.  Surprised me greatly.  I'd always thought that quilters were such friendly people.  So in search of my place in the quilt world, Quilt With Us seemed to be the answer.  After meeting and chatting on line with new buddy in particular (Jackie) we tossed around the idea of starting a group called the Iowa Quilters and started inviting others to join us.  We are now well over 100 members.  Now not all our members are from Iowa.  We have adopted several from other states.  You can't blame them for wanting to be Iowans, right?

This is quite the diverse group and I can honestly say that it seems like we have been good friends for a lot more than 4 years.  It's amazing how a group that spent their first year only chatting over a computer could become such great friends.  We have little get togethers now through out the year and our big outing in the fall at the show in Des Moines.  Here's a picture of a group of us from AQS in Des Moines.


Good friends and quilts.  What a combo!

 We have shared so much together over the last 4 years.  Births of babies and grandkids, kids leaving for college or moving overseas, deaths of our loved ones, moving away to a different state, retirements and everything in between have been shared.  We have celebrated birthdays and anniversaries.  We have our own resident therapist, a cheerleader, a batik queen and a feather queen.  We have an adopted Oklaiowan (that's a combo of Oklahoma and Iowa, it's a new state now in case you hadn't heard!) that can always make you laugh.  So many personalities all with something wonderful to give each other.  Oh, did I mention that once in a while we even talk about quilting???  I'm fortunate to have an adopted member from Ohio who was a 2011 Scrap Squad member, so I can get advice when ever I need it!  Lucky me.

Yes I am lucky to have these quilters, all of them in my life.  We share our love of quilting as well as our love for each other.  How lucky it was that I opened that email over 4 years ago and decided to check it out.