Hi everyone, mind if I pop by for a few minutes? I’ve just spent the loveliest day. I began a hand piecing class about 10 weeks ago, started with four ladies, but one dropped out and that left three. These three ladies are the loveliest people, and we all get along so well. Isn’t it incredible the capacity we have as women and as quilters to make friendships of enormous quality? These three women and I are from different walks of life, with different stresses in our lives, and yet have such a lot in common when it comes to quilting. I’m sorry to see the end of this class – I truly hope our paths will cross again as we continue on this journey. I’m far richer for having known these wonderful ladies.

I wonder what sort of friendships you’ve made whilst creating quilts and other wonderful stuff. Have you any interesting stories to tell about your friendships and how quilting keeps them going? I’d love to hear from you. I’m beginning a forum subject after I post this newsletter so there’ll be a spot for you to comment if you wish to. Here’s the link: http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=43

My article posted last Sunday is the Quilt Block for the State of South Dakota. I had a lot of fun creating the instructions and diagrams for this state. Now, on to Tennessee – which is tricky to say the least. Hopefully I’ll have it up and running in a few weeks for you. Here’s the link to the South Dakota block. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25567.asp

PLEASE NOTE: After receiving some emails from readers with suggestions about the location of the State Blocks, you may have noticed that I’ve moved them to the “home page” of Bellaonline Quilting. Just scroll down the subjects on the left hand side and you’ll come to United States Quilt Blocks (the subjects are alphabetized). Hope this makes it easier for you to find these blocks. I’ll be doing likewise with the State Capitals that Start in January 2009.

So now, on to my little gift for my subscription readers – a couple of great quotes about friendship.

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival."
- C. S. Lewis
"Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's success."
- Oscar Wilde
"One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives."
~ Euripides
"Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours."
~ Ludwig van Beethoven

Well, that’s all for now everyone, I do hope this newsletter finds you all safe and well, especially my lovely readers in the south of the US, coping with all the bad weather. We’re thinking of you.

Cheerio for now
Judie Bellingham, Quilting Editor
http://Quilting.bellaonline.com

One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com