WebmasterTim
02-08-2006, 07:49 PM
Original article at http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1211&dept_id=169689&newsid=16044052&PAG=461&rfi=9
Curt Habraken/The Mountain Press
PIGEON FORGE - The women of Old Time Quilting Bee club are bringing the community together one stitch at a time.
Sponsored by the Pigeon Forge Community Center, the quilting bee is the project of Agnes Bradley, Christine Rhey and Kitten Rice. The three women meet each Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to practice the art of quilting and enjoy some lively conversation.
Rhey, a Sevier County resident, has been a quilter for a long time.
"My momma started me when I was about 6 years old, learning to quilt, knit, crochet and all that good stuff," she said.
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Although there are only the three regulars in attendance, the conference room seems filled with quilting supplies. Product in various states of completion is thrown over several tables.
"This is for the men," Bradley, a Pigeon Forge resident, said, picking up a particularly rugged specimen of quilthood. "See - denim pads. They don't like lacy stuff."
Bradley shows off another partially completed quilt.
"This one is for the nursing home," she said. "We took leftover scraps and put this one together."
The club began in September.
"We've only got one (quilt) completely done and it is upstairs (on the walking track wall)," Rice said. "We keep jumping around. We want to make a quilt that reflects Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains.
"This is our next big project. It will probably take us a year. We're hoping they'll allow us to enter it into the fair. We'll take elements of the attractions around Pigeon Forge, maybe put a log cabin in the corner of one. We want to put everything we can in the quilt about Pigeon Forge. Talk about a challenge!"
Bradley enjoys creating novel and imaginative quilts.
"We come up with some really weird ideas," she said. "At least I do. The girls are more conservative than I am."
The process of quilting is quite involved, taking a great deal of preparation before sewing can begin. As for the actual sewing ...
"It depends on how intricate you are," Bradley said. "It can take up to a year."
The bee also gives the three women an opportunity to practice a skill that is being lost.
"None of my daughters-in-law know how to sew," Bradley said.
"They don't like to stick their fingers," Rhey said.
More than practicing a rare skill, however, the quilting bee seems to be just plain fun.
"We like to quilt," Rhey said. "It gets us out into the community for a while. Everybody needs a couple of hours away from home."
Rice praised the Pigeon Forge Community Center for supporting the club.
"I wanted to start a quilting bee, but I never had a place to put it," she said. "We're really appreciative of the community center for the opportunity to have a place to quilt."
The only improvement for the experience would be to draw more quilters - potential or experienced - into the fun, Rice said.
"Gents, if they want to come," she said. "Anybody that wants to learn to quilt. We're not prejudiced against any age group."
* jwdavis@themountainpress.com
ŠThe Mountain Press 2006
Curt Habraken/The Mountain Press
PIGEON FORGE - The women of Old Time Quilting Bee club are bringing the community together one stitch at a time.
Sponsored by the Pigeon Forge Community Center, the quilting bee is the project of Agnes Bradley, Christine Rhey and Kitten Rice. The three women meet each Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to practice the art of quilting and enjoy some lively conversation.
Rhey, a Sevier County resident, has been a quilter for a long time.
"My momma started me when I was about 6 years old, learning to quilt, knit, crochet and all that good stuff," she said.
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Although there are only the three regulars in attendance, the conference room seems filled with quilting supplies. Product in various states of completion is thrown over several tables.
"This is for the men," Bradley, a Pigeon Forge resident, said, picking up a particularly rugged specimen of quilthood. "See - denim pads. They don't like lacy stuff."
Bradley shows off another partially completed quilt.
"This one is for the nursing home," she said. "We took leftover scraps and put this one together."
The club began in September.
"We've only got one (quilt) completely done and it is upstairs (on the walking track wall)," Rice said. "We keep jumping around. We want to make a quilt that reflects Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains.
"This is our next big project. It will probably take us a year. We're hoping they'll allow us to enter it into the fair. We'll take elements of the attractions around Pigeon Forge, maybe put a log cabin in the corner of one. We want to put everything we can in the quilt about Pigeon Forge. Talk about a challenge!"
Bradley enjoys creating novel and imaginative quilts.
"We come up with some really weird ideas," she said. "At least I do. The girls are more conservative than I am."
The process of quilting is quite involved, taking a great deal of preparation before sewing can begin. As for the actual sewing ...
"It depends on how intricate you are," Bradley said. "It can take up to a year."
The bee also gives the three women an opportunity to practice a skill that is being lost.
"None of my daughters-in-law know how to sew," Bradley said.
"They don't like to stick their fingers," Rhey said.
More than practicing a rare skill, however, the quilting bee seems to be just plain fun.
"We like to quilt," Rhey said. "It gets us out into the community for a while. Everybody needs a couple of hours away from home."
Rice praised the Pigeon Forge Community Center for supporting the club.
"I wanted to start a quilting bee, but I never had a place to put it," she said. "We're really appreciative of the community center for the opportunity to have a place to quilt."
The only improvement for the experience would be to draw more quilters - potential or experienced - into the fun, Rice said.
"Gents, if they want to come," she said. "Anybody that wants to learn to quilt. We're not prejudiced against any age group."
* jwdavis@themountainpress.com
ŠThe Mountain Press 2006