A Downton Abbey High Tea Party - With Quilts!

photo by Theresa Nielson

The Clawson Quilting Sisters include some die-hard Downton Abbey fans. In celebration of the Downton Abbey movie release, they held a high tea at the community center.

Members contributed a block to make the teapot quilt below and they had a chance to win the quilt.

Note the real tea bag labels on some blocks!

Lucy Lesperance organized the quilt making and set the blocks together. Barb Lusk donated her skills and time to machine quilt it. When Esther's name was drawn she broke down in tears of gratitude and told me she felt blessed.

Esther with the Teapot quilt the group made

We shared tea-related quilt projects for show and tell. The quilt below used the Downton Abbey fabric line created some years ago.

Below is my mini quilt, "Tea, Earl Gray, Hot" inspired by Jean Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The ladies did an amazing job decorating the tables! Flower petals and sprays of ferns were the centerpieces. We had cloth napkins and name placards.

 Members contributed teapots. Everyone brought their own teacup and saucer.

photo by Theresa Nielson

The finger sandwiches and desserts were amazing! The display could have graced any article in a glossy magazine story.

photo by Theresa Nielson

Many of the ladies dressed for the occasion.

We had displays of teapots and teacups and tea sets and more!

I wish I knew the stories behind all of these beauties. Below is Barb Lusk's grandmother's teapot with hand-painted gold trim. The green Depression Glass, circa 1920, sugar and creamer were collected by my mother.

The creativity and attention to detail by the team of ladies who organized the event was on full display. 

My husband and I saw the Downton Abbey movie and it was jolly good fun!