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October 2017
Gretchen Gibbons Is our guest speaker for our October meeting. Gretchen is an avid quilter, designer, teacher and author who lives with her husband, Neil, in the historic village of Hartsville, Pennsylvania. Her six children and seven grandchildren are scattered across the country in California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
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After working on and off in the medical field and raising her children, in 1988 Gretchen began taking quilting classes. For the past 27 years Gretchen has worked as a sales associate, designer, and teacher at local quilt shops. Over this time period Gretchen designed a number of “Block of the Month” projects for these shops. Some of Gretchen’s other quilt creations have been photo, art, pieced, “Round Robin”, watercolor, reproduction, and her most favorite, appliqué.
The first “Block of the Month” quilt Gretchen designed was called "Celebration of Life" and became a basic theme that runs throughout all of her creations. When Gretchen searched for a meaningful identity for her start-up quilt pattern company, she adapted the familiar, comfortable name "Celebration of Life Designs".
Lately Gretchen’s interest has been combining wool and cotton in a new, fresh but traditional folksy sort of way. Embellishing the quilt with embroidery and beads has added to this new look. Nature is another theme that runs throughout Gretchen’s quilts and her life. The beauty of our natural surroundings has always brought her happiness and peace.
Gretchen's first book, "Pennies from Heaven", was published by Martingale in 2010. Her second book, "My Enchanted Garden", was released in February, 2014. Both books were on Martingale’s “Best Seller” list of books on appliqué. These books demonstrate her love of appliqué designs that combine cotton, wool and nature.
Some of her other interests are watercolor art, folk art, history, cooking, gardening, and flower arranging. When she’s not designing for her pattern company, teaching a class, quilting, or indulging in her other interests, Gretchen loves visiting with all her children, their spouses and her grandchildren and continuously celebrating life!
The first “Block of the Month” quilt Gretchen designed was called "Celebration of Life" and became a basic theme that runs throughout all of her creations. When Gretchen searched for a meaningful identity for her start-up quilt pattern company, she adapted the familiar, comfortable name "Celebration of Life Designs".
Lately Gretchen’s interest has been combining wool and cotton in a new, fresh but traditional folksy sort of way. Embellishing the quilt with embroidery and beads has added to this new look. Nature is another theme that runs throughout Gretchen’s quilts and her life. The beauty of our natural surroundings has always brought her happiness and peace.
Gretchen's first book, "Pennies from Heaven", was published by Martingale in 2010. Her second book, "My Enchanted Garden", was released in February, 2014. Both books were on Martingale’s “Best Seller” list of books on appliqué. These books demonstrate her love of appliqué designs that combine cotton, wool and nature.
Some of her other interests are watercolor art, folk art, history, cooking, gardening, and flower arranging. When she’s not designing for her pattern company, teaching a class, quilting, or indulging in her other interests, Gretchen loves visiting with all her children, their spouses and her grandchildren and continuously celebrating life!
Workshop Information - Wednesday, October 4, 2017
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Gretchen Gibbons is presenting a wool and cotton applique class titled Purdy Purdy.
The kit fee will be $21. |