I was driving on the back streets of Shipshewana, Indiana when suddenly I was ambushed by a surprise drive-by quilting. Thank goodness had my iPhone and could snap a pic. Lois Dunten has attended my retreats in Colorado and has a quilt featured on my Kool Kaleidescope DVD. Linda Maether is a big fan and is an enthusiastic member of The Quilt Show.com. She recently told me that she enjoys my music, quilt patterns, and especially my hand dyed fabrics. Linda is on the left, Lois is on the right.

Linda says:

Ricky was the featured speaker for the Shipshewana Quilt Festival and was with a fellow employee sight- seeing between engagements.  We had heard of drive by quiltings that Ricky had enjoyed and wanted to create a surprise for him. We only planned this the evening before, so had to think fast!

We stood in the drive behind Yoder Department Store going up to the Elementary school. We knew he had to got hat way and would be driving slow so he would be able to see us and our quilts.  It was a surprise and hopefully a good memory of his visit to Shipshewana, Indiana in June 2012.  Whoo Hoo!!

About the quilts:

Lois was holding 2 quilts, the first was a patriotic table runner from a “Pieces from My Heart” pattern by Sandy Grevais #335, “Pride and Glory”  made in 2006, it measures 20 ¾” x 40 ¾”.

Lois's second quilt is a fall wallhanging that she made as a possible quilt for Joen Wolfrom’s latest book “Adventures in Design.” However it was not included in this book.  Joen has written Lois that she wants to include it in the revision of her color book instead.  The two block quilt was made using public domain blocks-Fifty-four Forty or Fight and four patch blocks within a nine patch block.  It measures 37” square and was made in 2011.

Linda was holding a “Kool Kaleidescope“ quilt top using Ricky Tims’ fabric “Oodles of Doodles” by Red Rooster .  The kit was purchased at Spring Market, 2010.  It measures 25” square.  Linda had Ricky autograph it and will machine quilt it. It was made in 2012.

The second quilt that Linda displayed was a variation of “Tuscan Moons” pattern by Kelly Cobridge and hand dyed fabrics by Cherrywood.  Linda also added Prairie Points to the border using Susan Cleveland ‘s techniques.  Susan was a guest on The Quilt Show.  Linda used the circular attachment on her Bernina to do decorative stitches around the circles and it was also machine quilted.  It measures 39”square.  It was made in 2012.