Many may not know Florence, "Flo," Marion, but those in the Southern Comforters Quilt Guild do! You see, Flo is a 93-year-old busy bee who is still driving and can get down on the floor and get up like a five-year-old. She is my heroine! She sews like the dickens with beautifully crafted quilts. She has played a large role in Community Quilts (our in-house guild outreach program serving cancer kids, veterans, and disaster areas nationwide). She is a force to be reckoned with, all done with a smile, her gentle demeanor, and her deep commitment to any cause she could provide help.
Dodd's Hall in Bowie, Maryland (CCPC church) was filled with other Flo followers - and wishing her well as she and her daughter moves out of Maryland to be closer to family in New Hampshire later this summer.
Sew, what do you think the proper send-off gift would be? If you silently thought, a quilt — ding ding ding, that is the correct answer! We all may signature blocks in Flo's favorite color combinations thanks to Wendy Allen and her bee: Sew Be It! They got the fabric rolling for as many members to contribute to the quilt as possible in the last few months; its unveiling was last night, with Flo looking on.
Although I've been in the guild with Flo since 1999 (Flo said she joined in 1992-1993), it was when we were bee mates (BeeAtitudes) for ten years that I got to know Flo! She's been a friend, mentor, and a strong presence in the guild for three decades.
We all wished her well last night, knowing it's the move she needs to make.
Here are some photos from last night's "surprise moving away party - complete with orphan blocks to throw Flo off the scent of what was really happening!
bSoleille!
Terri
1) Flo and her new quilt from SoCo; 2) Orphan blocks 3) Flo showing the back of one of her quilts for Show-n-Tell.
