One of my favorite aspects of technology is getting to meet so many people, and often becoming friends. In 1995 when Internet technology was still new, through an quilting chat group called "Kaffee Klatch" I was fortunate to make friends with "Quiltsundmehr" Edith, a lovely quilter from Switzerland. After several years of swapping emails, we met in person in 2000, and since then have been together on three occasions, both here and in Switzerland.
In 1997-1998 row quilts were newly popular, so we decided to swap rows with a patriotic theme. On this occasion of our country's 235th birthday, here are a few pictures ourPatriotic Quilts
The scanned photo is of both quilts, hung together at the 1998 Des Moines Area Quilters Guild quilt show.
The following pictures are of my quilt. Somewhat hidden at the top is my hand-appliqued row of Celtic bars and knots with firecrackers between the knots. You can't miss Edith's row with Swiss flags, and the Alps. She made the mountains, complete with a Swiss cottage, from a tablecloth!
Further down is Edith's row of bank buildings (Get it? Swiss banks.) Each building has "bank" embroidered above the door. My Iowa-themed row is ears of corn, and hogs.
The bottom row is edelweiss blocks that Edith thread painted. Sad to say, she made this row two times because the first one was lost in the mail.
We named our quilts "Red and White Over the Blue," with each of us writing that and "A quilting friendship between two continents," in English and German, on blocks for one another's quilts.
Thanks for your friendship, Edith, and this wonderful keepsake.
And to everyone...
Happy Independence Day!
I am so taken by this idea.Hmmmm... food for thought. You've both done a great job and what wonderful keepsakes you and Edith now have of your friendship!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea and very special quilts! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat way to pay a quilter's tribute to July 4th!! Love your row quilt. I've been brainstorming one in my head for a few days, now, as a stash buster. Although their popularity has come and gone, I'm still quite smitten with them! ~karen
ReplyDeleteso good to see and read about our quilts. They are wonderful and I remember the excitment when the mail arrived with another row from you as if it has been yesterday. Such a great memory. Thanks for reminding it.
ReplyDeleteEdith
When i scrolled down your post to read it I had to take a double take! The Swiss flag together with the American flag! Of course I wasn't surprised to see the American flag, it was 4th of July yesterday after all, but to see the Swiss flag, was! As a Swiss living abroad for more than 25 years it is lovely to see that quilting is "alive and well" there too. What a fantastic collaboration! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure! and to think you still have local friends who aren't into technology when you were such a trend setter!
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