Secret Santa

Before Carmen left to Spain, we had our Secret Santa. I was so excited, thinking of what I was going to make to my secret Santa. I know the girls, they are all very creative and I was curious to see what they would make.

We had a great time, of course!! As you imagine, all the gifts were so beautiful! And we know each other well, it was not hard to come up with a present. It is very inspiring to be in a group like ours. I really cherish our friendship.

I took Flor. I made her a small black purse, a head band, a pin cushion and a small Christmas tree wall hang.

Pilar got a notebook from Camila. It had a nice quilted cover.

I got the most beautiful Christmas ornaments from Claudia.

Claudia also made a small ornament for all the girls. She is so sweet.

I wish you all a great Christmas.

No more hidden business

Hi There!!

Now that we don't have any more secrets to hide from Carmen, it is time for us to start posting about our Sunday meetings. It is holiday season and many of us are traveling or busy, but one can always count on Pilar! She never forgets to get the keys of the commons! Thanks!



Flor never told us she is a professional seamstress. Here is the outfit she made for her son's baptism. Without pattern!! Using a sewing machine from 1949! (I can't tell you where she got it!!). It looked amazing!! Very very beautiful!! I wonder what she will make next.


Amisha is back knitting.

We had a guest, Paz. Can you guess who her sister is? She came all the way from Chile to surprise Pilar, who opened the door yesterday and almost had a heart attack to see her sister. Isn't a great Christmas present?


Here is our key master. She finished her baby quilt. It is gorgeous!

Have a great week! 

Brand new

Hi Everyone,
This is my first posting to the blog. Thank you Carmen for your invitation. It came at a time when I needed to see a "spring" in the desolate desert.
I had a really bad accident on my bike last week. I suffered a mild concussion. I went to Shands and they gave me a brain scan. I hit pretty hard. And, unfortunately, I did NOT have my helmet on! I will forever wear one now. It was a difficult lesson. Now, when I look at all the riders without them on the streets... today I yelled, "Please wear your helmet!" But, I'm afraid, no one will listen. They have to learn their own way.
Thanks again for the invite. I am computer iliterate, however learning my way now! Thanks to you I can blog. This week is the first time I put together a powerpoint. I have done three of them now! (It's been a busy week!) I hope all of you have a blessed and wonderful holiday season. I hope you make lots of wonderful homemade things that bring joy to all.
All my love in quilting,
Teri

Las Mosqueteras

This is a picture from the day we gave the quilt to Carmen.

(Carola is not in the picture because she was in Brasil with her family)

It is realy nice be part of Minerva's Circle.

We have a lot of fun: yesterday we have our

Secret Santa game and everybody got amazing gifts!

Thank you for all these wonderful Sundays!

And thank you to everybody in this world for all the nice comments you leave in our blogs!

Thank you very much for all your support!!!

We wish you all the best for the New Year to come.

Happy Christmas!

Las mosqueteras : )

Amazing Friends

I have often mentioned about my quilting group of friends here in Gainesville. We are like magnets and attract each other despite of our many cultural differences. We enjoy and respect each other and we have built up an amazing friendship. Something very special.

He mencionado varias veces sobre mi grupo de amigas de costura aqui en Gainesville. Somos como imanes y nos atraemos unas a otras a pesar de nuestras diferencias culturales. Disfrutamos juntas y nos respetamos y hemos conseguido crear una amistad increible. Algo muy especial.

After the terrible event of losing my husband over 3 months ago, our group became even stronger. We were all hit by sadness one way or another and what my friends, not only this group but from all over the place, did during those days, weeks and months was an amazing demonstration of friendship. This group of friends got together the Sunday after my husband’s bike accident in my friends home, and I made the effort to get out of my home to get away from the phone and visits coming to my house. It was such a nice and warm environment. We all talked about our crafts, listened to each other and enjoyed desserts as usual. I also poured out my pain and they listened. The following day a group of us went to the fabric store to buy fabrics, all of this helped me keep my feet on the ground during that first week.

Despues de los momentos tan terribles al perder a mi marido hace mas de tres meses, nuestro grupo se hizo aun mas fuerte. Todas nos llenamos de tristeza de una manera u otra y lo que mis amigos, no solo este grupo sino que de todas partes, hicieron durante esos dias, semanas y meses fue una demostracion impresionante de amistad. Este grupo de amigas se junto el Domingo despues del accidente de bici de mi marido en casa de mi amiga, y yo hice el esfuerzo de salir de mi casa para alejarme del telefono y de las continuas visitas a casa. Fue una reunion muy agradable. Hablamos de manualidades, nos escuchamos y disfrutamos de los postres como siempre. Tambien solte mi pena y me escucharon. Al dia siguiente unas cuantas nos fuimos a la tienda de telas a comprar telas, todo esto me ayudo a mantener los pies en el suelo durante esa primera semana.

Then I went for a month to my sister’s home. I needed to be somewhere else, with my family for a while and I enjoyed some days of peace and quiet. I came back and my friends were here ready to take me out to lunch or to come to entertain me and my son. Then it came Sunday. Our weekly meeting. Exciting because some of the girls had been out of town, and also because Yanina and Camila were celebrating their birthdays. And so we got together at Clara’s home and we had cake opened presents and then the BIG surprise.

Entonces me fui un mes a casa de mi hermana. Necesitaba estar en otro lugar, con mi familia durante un tiempo y disfrutar de algunos dias de paz y tranquilidad. Volvi y mis amigas ya estaba dispuestas a sacarme a comer o a venire a entretener a mi hijo. Entonces llego el Domingo. Nuestra reunion semanal. Muy emocionante porque algunas del grupo habian estado fuera, y tambien porque Yanina y Camila celebraban sus cumpleanhos. Asi que nos juntamos en casa de Clara y comimos tarta y abrieron regalos y luego llego la GRAN sorpresa.

They had all come together, while I wasn’t around, to make me what I think is the most beautiful present I have ever received. An amazing quilt made by 11 amazing friends. I couldn’t believe all that work was there in front of me, to cover me every night and to make me remember that I have all these wonderful friends here to make sure that I don’t feel lonely. And of course the quilt is so beautiful. It was made with 12 blocks (3 x 4) out of which one was made out of stripes with the signatures of each one of them. Those stripes also match with the block that each of them made. I had the task to find out who made which and I did pretty good because I know their styles and taste by now. But it is so beautiful, I can’t stop saying that, because each block is so different but they are all very well coordinated, and combined. And then when they described to me how they got organized to do this, how excited they all were, how they had to get together everywhere possible during weeks, how they exchanged so many emails to decide on details about it, how they picked the quilting, how they learned about each others machines, how they took several hours to decide which color to pick for sashing…then it even made it more beautiful. All is left to say is take a look and you will understand a bit of what I’m talking about. Thank you my friends, I love you all very much.

Todas se habian juntado, mientras yo no estaba por aqui, a hacerme lo que pienso que es el regalo mas bonito que jamas he recibido. Una colcha incredible hecha por 11 amigas increibles. No me podia creer que todo ese trabajo estaba delante mio, para cubrirme cada noche y para hacerme recorder que tengo todas estas amigas maravillosas aqui asegurandose que no me sienta sola. Y por supuesto la colcha es tan preciosa. Esta hecha de 12 bloques (3 x 4) de los cuales uno esta hecho de tiras con las firmas de cada una de ellas. Esas tiras tambien coinciden con el disenho del bloque que cada una de ellas hizo. Tuve que averiguar quien hizo cada bloque y no me fue mal porque ya conozco sus estilos y sus gustos. Pero esque es tan bonita, no puedo parar de decirlo, porque cada bloque es tan diferente pero todos estan muy bien coordinados, y combinados. Y luego cuando me describieron como se organizaron para hacer esto, lo emocionadas que estaban, como se habian juntado en todos los lugares posibles durante semanas, como se habian intercambiado tantos emails para decidir cada detalle, como habian decidido como acolcharla, como habian aprendido mas sobre las maquinas de las demas, como les llevo varias horas para decider de que color hacer los bordes y entre los bloques…entonces aun se volvio mas bonita. Lo unico que me queda decir es que lo veais con vuestros propios ojos y podreis entender un poco de lo que hablo. Gracias amigas mias, os quiero a todas mucho.