Q: How do people find out about The 70273 Project?
A: Through high tech social media and good old-fashioned grass roots spreading and every way in between.
Jeanne and Bethany with her first quilt. She had to borrow a sewing machine and rotary cutter. We’re talking total novice, y’all.
So once upon a time, there was a lovely lass named Bethany, a newspaper reporter on assignment. When Bethany commented on the lovely quilts, the tables were turned and she was asked if she was a quilter. Her answer that day was no, but soon enough, our Bethany took the advise of the woman she was interviewing and signed up for one of Denniele Bohannen’s classes, and the rest, as they say, is her story.
Then the day came when Bethany landed a job just over yonder from me in North Carolina, and today she and Chris brought the camera and microphone and spent the morning in The Dissenter’s Chapel & Snug (my studio) looking at The 70273 Project quilts, asking good questions, and listening to my answers and stories. I don’t know when I’ve had so much fun, y’all.
In her star quilt, there were bicycles for her mother, an avid cyclist . . .
and a nod to science (atoms) for her dad . . .
and newspaper for journalist self. I see a theme in Bethany’s quilts: black and what and read all over. Or for those of you who don’t remember that childhood riddle, journalistic communication. It’s part of Bethany’s life, and it’s part of her quilty signature.
Bethany and her Churn Dash quilt she made in another one of Denniele’s classes. Note the backing fabric. Just sayin’.
And you know what else? Bethany brought a suitcase filled with her beautiful quilts and treated me to a private showing-for-one exhibit of her quilts. Pinch me.
Chris wanted to get a shot of me making blocks on my sewing machine – a 44 year old beauty The Engineer bought for me with proceeds from winning two radio contests the first year we were married. Now for all you eagle-eyed stitchers and non-stitchers who like finding bloops in films, if you see this story on the WXII web site, you’ll chortle when you note that I ran out of thread before I’d stitched a single leg of a single red X. “Keep stitching,” Chris said, so I stitched and stitched and stitched some more . . . without any thread in the bobbin!
You’ll be hearing more about Bethany and Chris in another blog post coming later this week, so stay tuned. Thank you, Bethany and Chris, for this wonderful opportunity to let people know about The 70273 Project. It was so much fun, and I’m serious about y’all coming back with your families for a weekend. I’ll leave the light on.
What a thrill to see you two together!!! I knew it would be a great day for you both!!!
It was wonderful through and through. And your ears should’ve been burning. Thanks for being the conduit and the kindling that made this happen.
Oh My! When I scrolled thru your blog & saw the Elna sewing machine, I had to enlarge and do a double take! I have 2 machines (one mine & one my mothers) almost exactly like yours. Mine are from approx. 1965. I need to get them out & see if they still work. BTW – all the quilts you post on this project are awesome.
Hey Pam- what fun! My Trusty Elna was given to me in 1973. She’s got a little age on her, but she still does everything I ask her to do. My Morher-In-Law had one like this, too. Let me know if yours still work. Bethany’s quilts are awesome, aren’t they?