A visit from Alex Anderson

The Passion of Quilting (and Alex Anderson!)

by Lori D.

Like a preacher delivering the faithful, Alex Anderson came to Concord recently to spread the "passion of quilting." About fifteen members of the Cabarrus Quilters Guild, along with another 40 or so from the public, spent two hours with Anderson during a tour stop at the Concord Mills store Bernina Says Sew. "It's my life," said Anderson, the quilter, author, and television host of HGTV's Simply Quilts. The tour stop included a welcome from Concord Mayor Scott Padgett, a slide show presentation, reception and book signing.

"Quilts are far more than pieces sewn together," she said, describing the old-time, hand craft of piecing fabric into squares and shapes and sewing it into a quilt. She said the process of making a quilt has feeling and reflects into the quilter's soul - creative, unique to a period of time and filled with memory.

Calling herself an "ambassador" for quilting, Anderson spent most of the time telling personal stories and narrating a slide show titled, "Behind the Seams." The presentation was the humorous, inside story of how she set out to be a professional quilter and teacher 25 years ago. "I didn't know I had to have experience," she laughed, talking about how fate soon landed her the starring role in Simply Quilts. With help from crew members, many of whom she recalled affectionately and by first names, Anderson said she learned about studios, cameras, microphones, and the all-important roles of the make-up and clothing people. Fifty or so people are actually at work behind the scenes during the show's taping, she says. Usually they will shoot up to four shows a day. "You learn to trust these people," she said, calling them professionals who feel like family to her. Every single shot is directed and pre-determined, according to Anderson. Work tables are pre-set with materials for a particular shot or segment and are wheeled in and out on the set.

Anderson, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area, recalled memorable guests on the show. A lot of the guests are friends, she said, and a lot are new to me. One guest, Jinny Beyer, she called "my quilting hero." Like Beyer, she said she spends much of her time quilting by hand so that she can travel easily with her work.

In coming episodes, Anderson says she wants to incorporate more on-camera segments such as "Ask Alex" and tips. She also promoted her web site as a way to stay connected with her and her busy schedule. The site address is www.alexandersonquilts.com. The current Bernina tour, which coincides with the promotion of a new Bernina machine sporting her name, has been a great opportunity to visit with other quilters. Due to unpredictable television taping schedules, she says she finds it hard to commit otherwise to appearances. "This is the community that is dearest to me," she said of the quilters gathered before her.

Following the 10 a.m. stop in Concord, Anderson planned an afternoon appearance in Gastonia. She was hosted by Doug Harrell, who owns several area Bernina stores, along with his wife.

The Cabarrus Quilters Guild has about 55 members and meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Concord, N.C. The group is planning its largest ever Quilt Show Oct. 2-3, 2004, at the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center, Hwy. 49 North in Concord. The show will feature more than 100 of our finest quilts on display, plus vendors, quilts for sale, drawings for door prizes, demonstrations and more. For more information, contact show chairperson, Nancy P.

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