Introduction
Master quilter Rhonda Blasingame is no stranger to quilting apprenticeships. She has instructed numerous students over the past 20 years, sharing her deep knowledge of quilting techniques and traditions, and participating in 8 previous MAC Apprenticeship Programs. In fact, it was through a Mississippi Arts Commission grant that she first met Hazel Gaines 11 years ago. Hazel’s church had received funding to start a quilting group, and Rhonda was brought in as the instructor. What began as an eight-week commitment quickly evolved into a lasting community known as S.E.W. (Sewing Every Wednesday). “…I came, and I had so much fun that I never left,” Rhonda recalled. Hazel was one of the original members, starting as a beginner, and over the years, her skills grew. Now, Rhonda felt she had reached a point where she would truly benefit from a one-on-one apprenticeship.
This is my Wednesday church. I do not plan anything on Wednesday mornings.
Master Artist: Rhonda Blasingame
Rhonda learned to sew and quilt from her grandmother and great-aunts, but she continued to refine her skills over the years with guidance from other textile artists. While deeply rooted in tradition, she specializes in art quilts, pushing quilting beyond functional bed coverings and into the realm of creative expression. Inspiration is everywhere for Rhonda—she sees potential quilt patterns in everyday surroundings. “You can look at anything and it can be a quilt,” she says, referencing a tiled floor. “That is a very common, very common inspiration for, you know, tiles, church windows, and all that sort of thing.”
Above (main image): Rhonda Blasingame (left) and Hazel Gaines
Left: Rhonda points out the quilting supplies at the church, most of which have been donated.
All Photos by Emily Bryant, courtesy of the MS Arts Commission.
Rhonda exudes creative energy and enthusiasm, making it easy to see why she has been so successful in teaching others the art of quilting. She has taught throughout the Southeast, but it’s clear that the S.E.W. group, which meets most Wednesdays from 9:30 to noon, holds a special place in her heart.
“This is my Wednesday church,” she says. “I do not plan anything on Wednesday mornings.” Over the years, the group has grown into more than just a quilting circle—it has become a tight-knit community. Members celebrate birthdays together, attend each other’s family weddings, and stand by one another in times of loss. Many find comfort in simply being there, even in the midst of grief.
Right: The mural across the street from the Pearl Street African Methodist Episcopal Church that quincidentally evokes a quilt-like pattern.
“It’s more a community than it is a group,” Rhonda explains. “Because there are many days… we don’t do squat. We come in here and drink coffee and eat Little Debbie’s, and talk and then say, ‘Oh, is it time to go home?’ Yeah, yeah.”
Apprentice: Hazel Gaines
Hazel Gaines is a retired nurse and a dedicated member of the Pearl Street African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the S.E.W. quilting group meets each week. Though quilting came later in life, sewing has long been part of her story. “I actually did quite a bit of sewing for me and my two daughters before I started quilting,” she says. Hazel first learned to sew while attending nursing school at St. Dominic School of Nursing in Jackson. “A classmate taught me how to sew—she had learned from her mother—and we had sewing machines at the school for us to use.”
With quilting, it’s like having a big coloring book, putting colors and shapes together
Right: Hazel poses with her folded quilt she made during the apprenticeship.
Growing up, quilts were simply practical objects—a cover for warmth on the bed—but today, Hazel embraces quilting as a creative outlet. “I enjoy quilting because you can be very creative with colors. I have always liked to color, even now,” she says. “With quilting, it’s like having a big coloring book, putting colors and shapes together.” She especially enjoys making baby quilts, appreciating their versatility and the shorter time they take to complete. “Sometimes I make a quilt that looks challenging just to see if I can do it.”
Hazel’s family is central to her life, particularly her five grandchildren, who range in age from 5 to 26. The youngest, coincidentally, is also named Hazel. Her love for children extends into her community involvement—she serves as a Book Buddy for third graders, teaches the beginner class in Sunday School, and leads a Daisy/Brownie Girl Scout Troop.
Left: The Pearl Street African Methodist Episcopal Church where S.E.W. meets for quilting and community.
The Apprenticeship
The massive quilt that Hazel created for the apprenticeship unfurls across the tables in the activity room where S.E.W. meets each week, a striking patchwork of blue, gold, and ivory. “Isn’t this beautiful?” Rhonda remarks. “And when you step back and look at it as a whole, you can see the secondary and tertiary patterns on the quilt.” She confirms with Hazel that it’s king-size, to which Hazel responds with a laugh, “Yes—and I’ll never do another one.”
Above: Hazel's beautiful king-size quilt
Begun in early fall, the quilt is nearly complete by mid-December, with only the final quilting stage remaining. This last step, in which the batting is stitched between the patchwork top and the bottom lining, requires the use of a special long-arm sewing machine that will be completed by a professional.
It’s clear that the two women share a comfortable working relationship, one that has grown from the close-knit community of quilters at the church. While Rhonda does most of the talking, Hazel is quieter—yet her sense of humor shines through in the sparkle of her eyes.
The quilt’s pattern, “Road to Oklahoma,” was originally featured in a quilting magazine. “I actually wanted to do a double wedding ring,” Hazel says with a laugh, “but Rhonda told me it would take a year. So this was my next choice—I just liked the pattern itself.”
Right: Hazel displays the quilting magazine's "Road to Oklahoma" pattern that inspired her project.
Rhonda describes “Road to Oklahoma” as relatively simple, though it appears far more intricate. “It looks very complicated because of the use of color,” she explains. “You’ve got good contrast, a strong variation in color values—going from dark to very light, then a medium light, and then a medium. And the way they’re combined is what creates the pattern.”
Hazel’s color choices closely followed those in the magazine but feature richer variations. Rhonda notes that this is common among her apprentices. “They almost always gravitate towards the colors in the picture because they can visualize it,” she explains.
Above: Rhonda discusses the effective use of color in the pattern.
“It kind of saves your brain, you know,” Hazel adds. “And then, when we got to the fabric store—”
“That’s my favorite part with an apprentice!” Rhonda excitedly cuts in. “We’ll spend two hours laying fabrics on top of each other, stepping back ten feet to look at them. We check the variations in color and tone—you know, some lights, some darks. And we probably picked up a bunch of different fabrics—”
“Too many,” Hazel interjects in the background.
Rhonda laughs and continues, “—and we’d say, ‘Okay, these two look great together, but they don’t work with this one…’”
…I came, and I had so much fun that I never left.
The pattern itself specified blue, brown, and cream-colored fabric, but Hazel felt the original shades of blue and brown were too dark for her taste. She and Rhonda decided on a brighter blue, and instead of brown, they opted for a deep, goldenrod hue.
“And I like this color,” Hazel says, pointing to the rich gold blocks.
“That’s the one—tell her,” Rhonda prompts.
“Is that the one I didn’t like too much?” Hazel asks, laughing.
Rhonda nods. “She didn’t like it. She called me up after we bought all this fabric and said, ‘You know, I’m just not happy with this one, I just don’t like it.’ And I told her, ‘Hazel, put it together and see...’”
As it turned out, that goldenrod was essential. “It needed that strength of color for what I call the rows,” Rhonda explains, referring to the diagonal lines of gold squares that cut through the overall pattern.
While the two women met weekly at the Wednesday S.E.W. sessions to work on the quilt, much of Hazel’s progress happened at home—often with Rhonda’s remote guidance whenever she got stuck. This is where cell phones became an essential part of the process.
“If she had a problem, she would call or text or send me a picture, and I’d say, ‘Okay, let’s work through this—try this or try that,’” Rhonda explains.
One of the trickier parts of the quilt involved its only real mathematical anomaly, which had to do with the half-square triangles, a new quilting element for Hazel. “You have to cut some squares at three inches and others at three and a half inches,” Rhonda says.
Left: Rhonda and Hazel discuss the mathematical quandry of the half-square triangle.
Hazel chimes in with a laugh, “And sometimes you’ll find out that your little square that’s supposed to be three and a half is not three and a half—it’s not even three! And you think, ‘What happened? Somebody else cut this, I didn’t do it!’”
Even when the measurements were right, precise placement was critical. If the small blocks weren’t turned correctly, the pattern wouldn’t align properly—another moment when the cell phone proved invaluable.
Rhonda pulls out her phone. “Okay, I’ll show you. This is one of the ‘Help, I have problems’ texts I got from her,” she says, scrolling to an image. Hazel is laughing as her friend holds up the phone.
As Rhonda points to the picture, she explains, “See here? Some of the squares weren’t turned all the way, so the pattern wasn’t coming out right. They needed a full turn, but they only got a half-turn.”
“We did a lot of this,” she says, scrolling through more messages. Reading one aloud, she laughs, “‘Good morning, I have a problem. Help!’”
Right: Hazel laughs as Rhonda shows one of the "Help I have problems" texts that she received during the apprenticeship.
Conclusion
She’s just like a member of the congregation, so we have really enjoyed her. And I mean, she takes the time with us.
Hazel’s glorious blue and gold quilt is a testament to her commitment to the craft, and it’s clear that Rhonda—and the steady support she offers to everyone in the S.E.W. community—played a meaningful role in her success.
“She shows up every week unless something’s going on—you know, she’s sick or whatever,” Hazel says. “She’s just like a member of the congregation, so we have really enjoyed her. And I mean, she takes the time with us, ’cause you know, sometimes we can get way off of this sort of thing.”
Even as attendance declined after the pandemic, the spirit of the group remains strong. “People come and people go,” Hazel adds, “but most of that original group that’s still alive stuck with us.”
Left: You can tell that these two women truly enjoy each other's company.
