The Jacaranda Quilters

Today I managed to make it to the Pretoria Jacaranda Quilters meeting. I missed the meeting February. Meetings here are a little different. They are large gatherings several months apart. A place to meet, shop and share. I think it’s mostly about the shopping…. just like in the US. I went for several reasons. I wanted to see some quilts made by South Africans. The Guild has a small quilt show. Maybe about 30 quilts on racks and hung over the pews. Some the quilts on the pews were there for the best part of a Guild meeting, the SHOW and Tell. (the pictures are the best I could do… I did not want to take a large camera and flash.

The quilts on racks were made by some of the small groups called home groups, and what we would call a ‘bee’. One of the themes for the year was Round Robins, most of the quilts were from the same group, and some were really quite fun. My personal favorite was the bright giraffes

and the viewers choice was this one.

One of the members Danel Muller, created a fabulously beautiful piece of art. A well known South African painter, Pieter Janse van Rensburg, asked her to recreate one of his pieces in fabric. It is stunning in person!!!

Of course I shopped and bought some fabric… mostly South African Da Gama cottons, (not the Shwe Shwe made by the same company),  that are designed for quilters of soft cotton and soft colors.

Some of these will be making their way back to the US via swaps, trades or gifts.

I also picked up 2 pieces of South African hand dyes,, (the colors are off a bit- the yellow not quite so bright and the blue not so washed out) and a piece of US fabric, (the red/pink marbled one), which I don’t recall ever seeing in the states. Also picked up the floral batik.

Of course I picked up a few more of the embroideries that are made by local women to support their families.

There were a few new designs this time, a gecko, basket, a tree and a woman with a basket on head and a baby on her back. These also make their way back to the states as gifts or swaps. The overall size is about 3 x 5 and would make a great Needle Case cover or the center of a throw pillow.

While shopping, I was flagged down by a friend and told about another American that came to visit the meeting. The world is indeed small. It turns out we are living in the same neighborhood, and our paths have come very close to crossing in the US, (specifically Nebraska!) and I may know one of the cousins… in Grand Island. Several of the quilts on the pews are ones she has made, and brought to Show and Tell. Nancy and her husband (a pastor) are here visiting children and grand children that are working with a church/school. She will be leaving at the end of July, going home to Montana. They have been here since January.

I had a very enjoyable day with the ladies and October is a very long way off - which is when the next meeting will take place.

On another note my DH is home, and will be here for a bit (I hope). He was lucky the dogs remembered him and let him in!

As always… … More LATER!

Beth