Best Friends Forever - CQA/ACC Member Challenge - Winter 2014

This challenge brought in a variety of interpretations of the theme - mostly people who have been friends for a long time, some who are missed, as well as animals.These amazing quilts made it a difficult job for our judge, Elizabeth King (CQA/ACC Apprentice Judge) to select winners.Thanks to Elizabeth for helping with this task.
Also a special thanks to Susan Aylesworth of Quilting Confections of Windsor, ON for her donation of 3 fabulous prizes to go to the winners of this challenge.





This piece entitled “Memories” was created to honour my best friend Sandy A. She will remain my Best Friend Forever because she introduced me to quilting shortly after starting our quilt guild and shortly after that she passed away. The pictures taken with cameras of her, her work and the workshops and techniques she inspired us to try, are all we have to remember her now. She was a quilter’s best friend. 
Pat Golem








 
Having lived, all of my life, on a farm I have noticed new and odd friendships blossoming. A new born calf and a week old foal became the best of friends, which was to be a friendship forever. For many years they looked out for each other and were never far apart.
This is a 22 1/2" x 28 1/2 " wall hanging, using applique and free motion, that I designed myself except for the shapes of the cow and horse that I borrowed from a twenty year old coloring book that I had saved for a someday project.. I painted the facial expressions to suit my hanging. I have used real hair for the mane and tails, artificial nails for the cows' teeth, hot glue for the cows' horns and specialty buttons for other embellishments. The background animals are fussy cut from fabric and the quilt on the barn is painted. 
Linda Hatten

 




Friends of all ages are drawn together to sit and chat. This is from a commercial pattern which I have since lost so don’t know who to credit. It was fun to create 3-D hankie and belts.
Susan Wilson

 

Susan's third entry is whimsical, three friends playing in winter. My own design based on a Christmas card. I tried using Texture Magic and embellished with beads and buttons. It was quilted with the words Let It Snow and snowflakes.
Susan Wilson





 

The quilt I have entered was completed with thoughts of my sister. It hung in her room at the Palliative Care Unit for 11 weeks. She was such a awesome and strong woman. She lost her battle with cancer and now has her wings. She was my sister, my best friend, my mentor and my mother in many ways.
Quilting was also one of her many passions.
Unfortunately due to renovations I have misplaced the pattern with the name, but I do know the pattern was designed by a quilter in Brockville, Ontario.
Helen Lane

 

This is Keeta - Bill's best friend for 16 years. Bill is my brother-in-law. Keeta is starting to show a little grey on her mussel so I wanted to do something special to keep her around for many years to come. She also happens to be my dog'grandmother.
Sue Scott
 

Penpals -I have been penpals with a woman for the past almost 48 years...we started writing to each other in grade 6...February 1, 1967 was my first letter to her. Over the years we have shared many "best friend" experiences...each other's weddings, each other's daughter's weddings, births of grandchildren, taking motorcycle trips together along with our husbands, and eventually sharing a love of quilting (me first, then I got Peggy involved).
In March 2011, I suggest to by BEST FRIEND, Peggy, that we make round robin quilts. Attached is our story and a photo of my quilt. These quilts are our own design. (I didn’t attach this as there were names and is very lengthy - but if you wish, I can)
Mary Weber

 

This challenge was certainly challenging! Which friend? What to quilt? Finally I went back to the basics – my family. Mom, dad, 2 sisters and 1 brother – best friends in the blood. And this quilt displays an oft repeated scene lately – I arrive to visit my mother just in time for tea. I make tea and put out a treat (usually Christmas cake) then sit and chat with my mother and 2 sisters (one doesn’t drink tea and one only drinks Moroccan mint green tea!). We catch up with our brother’s latest phone call and updates about his family (hockey playing daughters in Calgary) and then go on to talk about the books we are reading.
Lauren MacDonald
 






This is me and my oldest best friend, taking selfies in the mirror, after we discovered we both had felt winter hats. 
Laine Canivet