A 'Memphis' Story

I have a story.
 Last week my husband and I were out running errands and he told me something about his life that I had never heard.  I've known him since August of 1970 so I was surprised that there was something in his history that I did not know.  We both grew up in Memphis, my family coming from Clarendon, Arkansas by way of Basmore Road in Cordova and 1291 Pera Road in Frayser to our Whitehaven address of 24 years - 410 Bonita Drive, in 1952.  EC's family came from Coffeeville, Mississippi by way of Jackson, Mississippi for a short while, then to Hattisburg, Mississippi and finally to Memphis in 1951 to Byrd Street where EC grew up.  His Dad, Durwood Wilbourn worked for the Memphis Press Simiter down on Union Avenue.
And this is from where the story comes.
I knew I wanted to share this story when EC told me. I let him know that I wanted to repeat it.  Friday my new copy of  'Elle Decor' for April arrived and earlier today I was glancing through.  There is a story about Memphis.  It mentions the music industry roots of 'blues & rock n' roll', Sam Phillips and Sun records, and the music legends that recorded there - Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley.
This is a small story but I want my Grand Children to know about it even though they may not know (right now) who any of these people may be.
My father in law was quite a character.  He was known to take a drink now and again.  Back then if you left the Memphis Press Simiter and crossed Union Avenue and went up the hill through the park you ended up on Madison Avenue and a bar that the fella's hung out in until they caught the bus to take them home.
Durwood never met a stranger and he 'took up' with a guy he met in the bar - a good old country boy come to town to make his fortune.  He didn't have a place to stay and he told Durwood that he was going to Sun Records the next day to sing for Sam Phillips.
Well, as it turned out, Durwood's cousin, Sally Wilbourn, worked for Sam Phillips and Durwood wanted his new friend to be 'in the know' and of course told him about Sally.  Since the 'new friend' didn't have a place to stay, Durwood took him home with him to spend the night.  I'm sure my Mother in law, Jewel, was not surprised.
Since this 'country boy' would be going in to Sun Records, Durwood wanted him to make a good impression, especially since he would be seeing Durwood's cousin, Sally.  He loaned him a sports coat.
Well, that's the story.  Durwood never saw his sports coat again.  The 'country boy' did make good.
It was Carl Perkins.  The recording he made at Sun Records that day was 'Blue Suede Shoes', and he was wearing Durwood's sports coat.
I like this story, even though it is a small one.  You never know who's life you may touch or where they got the sports coat they may be wearing.
We'll talk again - - -
Carol Ann Boshers/Wilbourn - former Memphian

I've Been Busy!

I've been busy!
I finally got all the large blocks finished!

Now, all I have to do is 29 more of these small circle vines and the boarder and I'll be finished! I'm hoping this year, but you can never tell!
All the little 5" squares that cover most of the circles is the color that I have chosen to cut the vines from.
Cutting these are a lot harder that I thought.  I ruined 3 yesterday, something I have never done before, and gave up for the day.  I hate when that happens.  Hopefully I will be more careful today and find that yesterday was just a bad day for 'fussy-cutting'!
I must get busy, we'll talk later!
Carol Ann

It's Spring!!!
Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, trees are budding!  The renewing of life - it is wonderful!
I have had a terrible case of 'cabin fever'.  We have had an unusual past three months.  Cold, raining and the wind blowing.  In January we had a couple of wonderful 70 degree days, not unusual for here and I was able to be outside, got to work in my flower beds, but then the weather went back to winter.  This staying inside
has had its effect on me.  I am really ready for Spring and all the promise it holds!!!

I spent the day last Friday doing one of my favorite things - 'fussy cutting'!  One of the Quilts I am making
has a great deal of very intricate, detailed, one of a kind 'fussy-cutting.  It takes time and peace and quiet.
Friday offered that kind of a day.  I cut out three of my wonderful  'swirling vines' that will be added to this piece on which I am working.  But three was all I could manage.  I still have seven more of the large ones
and 30 of the small ones.  And I haven't even drawn the ones for the boarder!

One of the first vines I placed on one of the black blocks.

When I started this Quilt, I hadn't any idea what it would be when it was completed.  It seems, that is the way of all my Quilts.  I made 32 blocks (Thirty-two 10 1/2 inch squares. Placing two together that are a great contrast, you cut 2 1/2 inches from all four sides and lay them aside.  Then cut 1 1/2 inches from all four sides and lay them aside.  You have a 2 inch square left which becomes the center of the new block you form)  Enough of that!Anyway, they turned out to be the ugliest 32 blocks I've ever made!  Really!  I decided to try to save them several years ago so I placed a green and black fabric square of the same size on top and sewed it on the diagonal then cut it in half.  Now, it seems; I have 64 blocks just as ugly to my eye as I had when they were only 32 blocks!  Mercy!  What's a girl to do?
Last year, in an effort to salvage this growing stack of wasted fabric, I once again sewed more fabric to the blocks.  This time - Kona Black!  Resulting in 128 blocks but at least I could see salvation in this addition.
Now when I put these blocks together on point the result was a wonderful 8 1/2 inch field of black that I could work with.  Finally!
There have been many hick-ups that have caused me to add 30 batik circles to the centers of the original blocks and 49 yellow and teal small circles to the intersections of each of the blocks in order to rid myself of seam bulk!  Finally!!!!
It takes me about three hours to draw one vine and a little more than an hour to cut one out.  I really enjoy the process so this isn't a hardship.  Putting in 49 little yellow and teal circles was a hardship I am happy is finished!  Good for me.
As I mentioned, I have seven more vines to cut plus the 30 small vines for the small batik circles.
And then on to the boarder.  Ahhh, the Quilters work is never done!
But it is what we live for!!!
Hurray for Spring!
We'll talk later--------,
Carol Ann, Quilter

   

"The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword"
As I begin this blog, I'm not sure in which direction I should go.
I have been wronged and in a very public way.
And by someone I considered a friend.
However; looking back, perhaps that was wrong-headed of me.
I am a Quilter.  That is how I identify myself.  I have no formal training in my chosen field, I taught
myself.  I've always taken classes from Teachers I respect and taken advise from other Quilters.
But my work is my own. 
When I first moved to Little Rock (over 14 years ago) and made some friends here - they are Quilters and are in my Quilt Guild - we decided my little techniques needed names.  My friends Marilyn and Mary Jane and I chose "Quilt By The Mile" for one, "Jibbles & Bits", for another and "Century Log Cabin" for the log cabin block I make with at least 100 pieces.  All three of these techniques are in the green/orange Quilt that opens this Blog. And all three are mine, I made them up out of my own head.  I didn't steal them from anyone.
As time passed and others became aware of my work, I was asked to teach these techniques, at first at my Guild and our retreats and then to other Guilds and their retreats. I have traveled to other states and shared my work, shown my Quilts and told the story of how it all came about.
My Guild - Arkansas Quilters Guild - has a retreat every other year, 'Quilt Arkansas'.  I was asked to teach there and this is where I made the acquaintance of this 'guy'.  He is a friend of a friend and so naturally, he became my friend.  When he has been in town he has been to my home.  We have sewn together.  He has always been very complimentary of my work.
Once while he was in my home for a 'sew day' with a house full of other Quilters, I noticed that he was doing something similar to my "Jibbles & Bits", but is wasn't exactly like it so I didn't say anything.  That was probably a mistake.
This 'guy' lives in an area of the country that is full of the 'movers and shakers' of the Quilt world.  They are in the Guilds in which he is a member.  They are his friends.  He has become a popular new Quilter.  He is also a prolific Blogger.  I have always encouraged him and cheered him on.
Until yesterday.
I have an i-phone and yesterday it pinged to let me know there was a new e-mail for me.  I looked and there was a notice that this 'guy' had a new post.  I opened it.  I didn't have to scroll down.  There before my eyes was "Jibbles & Bits"!  Not something like it, but IT!!!  It could have been one that I made.  I showed it to EC and asked him what he saw - He said "One of your Quilts?"  No, this 'guy'
was bragging about his new 'samples' he had just finished for the cruise on which he would be teaching in the new year.
I got that awful sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.  It is one thing to use someones idea in a Quilt that you put on your bed at your own house, but to blatantly steal a technique and claim it as ones own and use it to further ones own career is wrong.  I am stunned.
I cannot imagine the nerve or the conscience of this 'guy'. 
I talked to my friend Marilyn, who also saw the blog, and she recognized it as my work as well. 
I know people who are going on this cruise to learn this "new technique". 
I don't know what to do or say so I decided to write it all down and send it out into the world. 
"Vengeance is mine" saith the Lord "I will repay".  I leave it with Him.
We'll talk later,
Carol Ann, Quilter

The Colors of My Work

Hello,Hello!

I just had a fabulous trip to Paducah, Kentucky - Quilt City, U.S.A.!!!  What a wonderful time. I went with 11 old friends and a couple of new acquaintances and by all accounts - a 'Great Time' was had by all!
For those of you who couldn't attend - Paducah is a Quilters delight!  Quilters from around the world enter their Quilts in hopes of winning the prize and honor of a purchase award - the right to have their winning Quilts hung in the Museum of the American Quilter.  It is quite an honor so a visit to the Museum is definitely a must.  It is only a couple of blocks from the Show and well worth the visit.
Also, vender's from across the country come to show and sell their wares which means shopping is a must!
I did my best! 
Hancock's of Paducah - the best fabric store ever - is there too!  The thing that makes it the greatest! is

the huge selections of fabrics.  Nine isles of Hoffman Batiks!!! Nine!!!  Overwhelming! and that is just one manufacturer.  Plus, in the back warehouse - flat folds on table after table, and a bee hive of countless women searching for just the right one or just one more piece like the one she holds in her other hand - you just have to be there!!  It is such fun.
I love fabric and I can't explain it.  I just find it wonderful.  The color, the texture, the things I can do with it, Quilts, Baskets, Pincushions, there's an endless list.  I can also photograph it. 
I was lovingly fondling my new additions and liked the colors of my 'Stash' so I pulled a few boxes and took their picture.

The first photo isn't fabric - it is thread that I found at one of the venders in Paducah.  The lady, Hope, was a needle puncher and had several examples of her work hanging on the wall of her booth.  Well, they were beautiful so naturally my friend Debbie and I decided we had to be needle punchers too!  I now have three needles and a wonderful supply of threads with which we hope to create our own beautiful works of art.  I'll let you know how that works out.
I also took photos of the collection of threads I already have - just so you know there will be viriety in any needle punching I may do in the future.  Always good to have plans - right?!!!

I have been working on my Quilt; "Leftovers".  Fussy cutting - one of my favorite passtimes is a major part of this Quilt.  This is one of the blocks - there will be 30 of them - and they are all different.  Plus there are 30 circles that I will be adding some fussy cutting to as well.  As with all my projects - it just takes time - so the endevor moves along.
Just wanted to keep you posted - I've not been sitting idle - things are moving along.
We'll talk later,
CAW