Julie Greenwalt
The Material Girls celebrated the season with a Christmas luncheon at the Robson Ranch clubhouse. The program was centered on celebrating the blessings we have shared as a group this past year. The festivities kicked off with each participant selecting a homemade Christmas ornament, artfully crafted by Mrs. Kathy Wilson and hung on a tree adorned with garland, candy canes, and sporting a heartwarming star as its crowning glory. The ornament was then used for each participant to select a gift from the table. The gifts were primarily repurposed sewing items that are to be enjoyed by each new recipient. Each attendee was also provided with a handmade Victorian tea cup made into a pincushion as a party favor. Each participant was also provided with a new, unique quilt pattern.
The festivities continued with caroling to traditional Christmas tunes, accompanied by Mrs. Terri Miller, a distinguished pianist. Selected tunes reflected the atmosphere of the day, with such tunes as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Joy to the World,” and “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Following a robust sing-along, a hearty meal of serve-yourself salads was enjoyed with camaraderie and fellowship under the direction of Tom Maxwell, the Robson Ranch host. During the meal, a program was shared that showcased various quilt patterns and quips for entertainment.
Raffled items were shared throughout the meal. We thank our local quilt shops Box Car Quilts and Minding My P’s & Q’s for sponsoring many of the items. The meal concluded with a story of the poinsettia—originally attributed to Pepita from Taxco, Mexico, but attendees also learned about the influence of Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist, politician, and diplomat who helped cultivate the poinsettia and who is also credited with co-founding the Smithsonian Institute, while the guests enjoyed Christmas cookies, coffee and tea.
The club’s efforts are centered on quilting, embroidery, and handwork with fabrics. Their talent is primarily focused on quilting for charity, family, and friends. This past year the group provided more than 300 stockings to charitable organizations that serve children in need in the Denton region. Additional items that are offered to various organizations are baby quilts, burp cloths, and wheelchair quilts. Members have also quilted for soldiers and veterans in our locale.
The club is comprised of members of all skill levels, making this a comfortable environment. Active mentoring is the operation modus of this group. Beginning on Jan. 9, an introduction to quilt making will be taught by Mrs. Sharon Westbrook on Thursday mornings. This will be a six-week course where each participant is assigned a mentor. For more information, contact Mrs. Sharon Westbrook at [email protected] to enroll in the class.