Friday 19 August 2011

Vicksburg Comes Home

At last - Vicksburg is home! WMBM is pleased. It is hard to believe that nearly a year ago Lorraine and I were lunching at the La Veta diner in Colorado and talking to two locals about the "must dos" in Kentucky.  The "must dos" included the National Quilt Museum at Paducah which followed our visit to Bardstown and several of the best Civil War museums on offer in the US. History and inspiration collided at Hancocks of Paducah where the WMBM's 60th birthday quilt was to have its genesis. Vicksburg was the historically inspired pattern from Bonnie Blue Quilts. Armed with WMBM's wish list of colours and several helpful aides the task of fabric selection was completed in only a few short hours. Mr Hancock posted everything back to Tarome which also inspired a note to self - always give advance warning of large parcels so that Kevin, our very obliging mail contractor can organise a suitable delivery vehicle. Many of you know it took some months to adjust the pattern and then piece the quilt blocks under the supervision of WMBM. I learned a lot listening to the "live" feedback throughout the project.  Eventually Vicksburg was delivered to Barb Cowan from The Quilt Connection for the magic treatment. The transformation has been nothing short of miraculous. Vicksburg has come home just a few weeks shy of WMBM's next birthday. WMBM is pleased.  A very big thank you to: Ricky and Justin for their quiet insistence and "must do" manifesto, HoP staff for their unfailing patience, Lorraine for making history come alive for me in Bardstown, and Barb Cowan from The Quilt Connection for stitching life and love into Vicksburg. Mostly it is a big thank you to the WMBM who, when asked what he wanted for his 60th birthday, simply smiled at me and said "A quilt. I want my very own quilt." WMBM is very, very pleased.




5 comments:

Judy said...

Incredibly clever on all fronts

Sue Dennis said...

Oh just gorgeous!! Hope you are entering it in the 2 quackers show in Oct? Barb is such a good quilter, but the piecing is just perfect.

jan said...

Oh its beautiful Alison - are you bringing it to 2QAQ - please.

margaret said...

I just love it! Both the piecing and quilting are fabulous. You must be pleased.

Ankie said...

oh Ali that is beautifull no wonder Chris loves it its awonderfull present xx