club s & c l u s t e r s
The
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The Sew and Sews is a group of ladies from Brainerd, Deerwood, Crosby and Ironton who have been meeting since 1992. Many of us are snowbirds, so we meet once a month May through October at a different house, As each of us age, some have gone into establishments where they can get assisted care later on if needed, but will still attend the Sew and Sews group meetings as long as they can. Besides talking about our accomplishments, it is also a place to enjoy group therapy and sharing what has gone on in each of our lives. Our main goal is working together with our projects and supporting each other in time of need Presently, we have nine members: Barbara Abelson, Jane Dooley, and Judy Fields of the Deerwood area; Jean Braun of Ironton; Judy Johnson, Vi Klungness and Annette Olson of Brainerd; and Marilyn Landberg and Mary Severson of Crosby. Since 1992, we have lost three members who have passed (Grace Ferstle, Bettie Smith, and Ellie McDowell). There are also those who no longer attend because of other commitments or moving away, but still remain friends: Bernie Kirkpatrick, Maxine Burich, Eileen Brown and Kristy Tesdahl. We meet at a different house each month, enjoying all the flavors of each home, whether it is antiques, gardening, sewing accomplishments, decorating or reading. We have done many projects over the years such as stenciling dish towels, remodeling clothes, making purses, mending clothes, needlepoint and cross-stitch, embroidery, rug hooking, quilting, and knitting and crocheting. If someone needs help with one of the arts, there is always another to lend a helping hand to show us how to do it.
Sews
We also have gone on trips together for shopping, touring and lunch in the Twin Cities, Ely and Walker and hope to cover more territory; something that is fun for all of us even if we are unable to participate in every project. One project I engineered, was each member making a quilt block that included pictures accumulated over the years of our meetings. The quilt will serve as a mascot which we will share at each of our monthly meetings. We can see our own images in the quilt and still enjoy the comforts of our friends who are no longer with us and reminisce on good times shared over the past twenty years—years of friendship all sewn into one masterpiece.
Back: Barb Abelson, Jean Braun, Judy Johnson, Mary Severson, Marilyn Landberg Front Right: Annette Olson and Vi Klungness
by Jeanie Braun
Our ladies are from all walks of life and are a wealth of knowledge to some of the younger ones. We share a lot of laughter and recipes and also compassion in time of need. Our ventures have led us to different tea rooms, wine tasting and theaters together. Since 1992 I have organized the group after retiring from IBM in Rochester and building a home on Serpent Lake. As I lived in a rural area outside of Rochester named Pine Island, I also had a group of women who met on our days off work and did similar projects. I think my favorite was when I learned from all the Scandinavians in that area how to make krum kaka, Abe skiver, rosettes, canning and walking stones for the garden. They all had beautiful gardens which we enjoyed touring and learning new ideas. Some of the members just come to the meetings to enjoy the camaraderie and good eats but we are all still together as a unit and that is what is important. A listening heart, lending ear, or just a voice from another when you are all alone makes such a difference. I just can’t imagine one day without each of these special people in my life’s memories. I have the quilt that I just finished after six years and have the memories of all the past and present members of the previous 20 years sewn into one. As the center block of the quilt depicts the following saying: “Make new friends and keep the old—one is silver and the other gold,” I hope we can all meet for many more years and share ideas, peace, and laughter. We never forget those who have gone before us and have this quilt to remind us of them and give us comfort.
HV
Jean Braun
Jean Braun formed her own company called Byte on Time in 1995 and also worked for the Crosby-Ironton Courier. In 2004, she and her husband, Keith, moved to Ironton and Jean dabbled in antiques at the Crow Wing Antiques store in Crosby. Later, she wrote a cookbook named “Bite on Thyme.” 36
FALL 2012 | her voice