March Meeting

We were few in number at our March guild meeting but there were still a few show and tells.
Misty recently returned from a quilt retreat and showed us her cute reversible tote bag.

                                             Notice the fun moustache fabric for the pocket.

Gale brought her version of a chevron quilt this month.  She made hers a bit differently than Jana's from last month.  A quick and easy Halloween quilt all ready to go!

Gale also brought her beautiful BOM from Common Threads in Evanston.  Beautiful paper pieced  batik quilt!

The pattern can be found in this book.

Our demonstration was also presented by Gale.  She has made several mini blocks and quilts.  It is hard to realize how small these are in the pictures but this block is in a 5x7 frame.

Incredible work!  Again these blocks are also in a 5x7 frame.   Made just like a regular size block with 1/4" seams!  These were hand pieced by Margaret, another member of our guild.

Different block patterns sewn into a tiny quilt!

The mini Americana pattern was designed by Marguerite Shattuck and pieced by Gale.  The star blocks are all individually pieced.  You can see how small some of the fabric would be to work with.

This log cabin was designed by Mary Hickey and pieced by Gale.  The camera didn't capture how pretty the colors were together.

A couple of years ago Gale made the Valley Fabric Quilt Shop's BOM.  She finished her quilt with mini quilts and aprons hanging on a clothesline.  

Here is the full picture of her award winning quilt!  So cute!

After the demo, we exchanged "ugly" fq's. 

 

 

We also brought fabric or 6" squares to exchange with one another.  Our challenge this month is to bring back a 10 1/2" block to our April meeting made with the fabric we have picked sight unseen.  Some of us will have more of a challenge than others, I think!  We can add one more color/fabric to make our block.  This will be another Humanitarian quilt we give away when completed.

 

 

 

 

A question was asked on how we get our quilts to hang straight or lay straight.  Several ladies had some good advice.
1.  To keep square, measure down the middle of the quilt instead of the sides and use that measurement to add your borders to your quilt.
2.  Use a walking foot for sewing anything larger than a block.
3.  When sewing on your borders, sew with the border fabric on the bottom and your quilt top on the top of the fabric.
4.  Use an old record album or something else that is large, even your large square rulers, and square up the corners of your quilt top with it.
5.  Steam, then press....NOT.....steam, then iron.  Make sure your aren't moving the iron but are pressing your seams so you don't stretch the fabric.
Thanks ladies for the tips!

++Our guild meeting for April will be on Thursday, April 18 at 6 p.m. at Valley Fabric.  Invite your friends to come join us!  Dues are $20/yr but are prorated.
++Holly is in charge of the demonstration.
++Bring another UGLY fq to exchange.
++Don't forget to bring your 10 1/2" block that you made with your 6" squares.
++We are also sewing after Saturday Sampler (April 13) at the quilt shop.  11 a.m. till ???  Bring a dessert to share while we sew.

February Quilt Guild

This month Geralyn presented a demonstration on how to make Flying Geese.  She showed us the traditional way but then presented a much quicker way and one that would make 4 units at a time.  Here is one very short video I found if you want to see the method again.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOoB3CWsR6M


Thanks so much Geralyn!

Jana brought her fun Chevron quilt for Show and Tell.  Made with a layer cake, it sews up quickly.  

Sallie showed us her beautiful hand appliqued, hand quilted quilt that her mother made for her.  This is one that you really need to see in person to appreciate the gorgeous work that went into making this masterpiece.  Definitely a heirloom quilt!

Sallie also showed us her queen size quilt she made for her own bed.  Love the colors in this one!

Holly is making cute applique shirts for her children based on cartoon characters!  I'm sure her kids will be  very excited to wear these!

Margaret was very generous in bringing several pin cushions that she had bought several years ago to share with some lucky ladies!  Names were put in a bowl to be drawn to take home a fun prize!  You can tell Janice, Ellen and Holly were pretty excited to be winners!

We are hoping that we now have enough blocks to make Holly's charity quilt.  Several yellow/aqua blocks were added to what she already has at our meeting.  Since we hopefully have enough blocks for that quilt, Hailey presented a new block/pattern for us to start another humanitarian quilt.  The 12" block pattern is called Friendly Hand and can be found at http://www.quilterscache.com/F/FriendlyHandBlock.html if you didn't get the pattern at our meeting.  We will be making it in the reds/tans combo.  Bring your block to our March meeting to give to Hailey.  You can make as many blocks as you want.

At the end of the evening, everyone who brought a fat quarter was able to exchange for a new FQ.  This night was suppose to be us exchanging the kind of FQ's that you would like to receive for yourself.

Next month we will be exchanging 1 FQ that you DON'T like.  Ohoh!!!  Could be interesting and fun to see what everyone gets!

Also at our March meeting we need to bring 3----6" squares of different fabrics.  We will put them all in a bag and pull out 3 different squares.  We will then be able to take them home and with only being able to add 1 more color, we have to make a quilt block with the fabric.  Should be fun!

Next meeting will be March 21st at 6 p.m. at Valley Fabric Shop.  Don't forget to bring your ugly FQ and your 3----6" blocks.  Also bring your Show and Tells!  It's so fun to see what everyone is working on!

January Meeting 2013

Welcome to the new ladies that joined us tonight!  Hopefully as the year progresses, we will see more and more quilters join in the fun!

Quick business announcements for the month:

The Veteran's Hospital in Cheyenne accepts twin or lap size quilts.  They prefer them to be in "Patriotic" colors.

The guild will meet each month after Saturday Sampler at Valley Fabric for a sew day.  Our first one will be  February 9th at 11 a.m.  Bring your sewing machine, supplies, project to work on and a Potluck dish to share.  Come and stay as long as you want!  Will be a fun way to get to know each other better!

Fat Quarter Exchange next guild meeting.  Bring a FQ (one that you wouldn't mind receiving) wrapped up.  Everyone that brings one will exchange with someone else.

Hailey Lamb is in charge of the demo for February.

Holly is still collecting blocks for our first Humanitarian Quilt.  Refer to December's blog post for details as to what colors to make the block.  You can also find the link to the pattern there.  Bring your blocks to our February meeting.

Now on to the Show 'n Tell!
I think I am going to have to tell the ladies to smile more.


Everyone was very serious during the business portion of the meeting!

Misty gave a fun demonstration on Suzanne McNeill's technique for a 10 Minute Block.

So clever!  There are several videos on You Tube that show you how to make these.  Click here to see one of them.  Love the fabric Misty is using to make her quilt!

Pat is welcoming a new granddaughter soon.  She is using the centerpiece of the pattern Rodeo Gals with plans to put the baby's name, etc. on the side of the quilt.  So cute with the silhouette of the cowgirl.

Cherie brought two finishes to show us.  First a beautiful Fall quilt.  

And this gorgeous "Sidelight" quilt.  You are looking at a panel that Cherie embellished and quilted!  I had never heard of this kind of quilt before tonight but you can google the word and find other quilts similar to this one.  Actually I think this one is better than the ones I found.  I wish I had gotten a close up of the "sparklies" on it!  Beautiful!

Linda spoke to us about weighted blankets.  Her grandson asked her to make him one and she has already mailed it to him but she was able to bring a weighted bear she has also made.  It is quite the science to make one of these blankets since you take the weight of the child then divide that into each "channel" that you fill with pellets so the weight is distributed evenly.  

Geralyn also has been busy and shared two quilt tops she has been making.  This one is for her sister and in colors her sister choose.  Very pretty!

Very fun quilt for Geralyn's grandson!  The center is a panel then she appliqued jars in the corners.  So cute!  Her grandson will love looking at all the bugs in the jars!

Gail shared some of her paper piecing creations.  First she showed us a few small samples.

Then she pulled out the big guns!  The quilt started as a BOM from a few years back with our LQS.  Gail finished it by paper piecing each of the rows in between her large blocks.  It is gorgeous!

Have to share the bottom of the quilt too!

Another fun quilt with paper pieced hearts.  Click on the pic to get a better picture of how scrappy they are.  Just so fun with all the bright colors!   Gail also shared how she sometimes uses fabric sheets as her quilt label to put on the back of her quilt.  I learned so many new things tonight at our meeting!

Next Guild Meeting will be February 21st at 6 p.m.
Hope to see you there!
Invite your friends to come too!

December Meeting and Party

Last month nine local women meet together to form a new quilt guild for the area.  This month we met together for the first time on December 20, 2012 to get to know each other with a pot-luck dinner and pot holder exchange!

 Valley Fabric is gracious enough to let us meet in their classroom for our meetings.  Thank you ladies!

First order of business was dinner!  Lots of yummy and delicious food was brought by everyone!
 

 

Charla demonstrated how to make some cute and easy scarves to wear.  First wind a new bobbin with stretchy, elastic thread.  Also turn the bobbin screw 1/4 to make it sew looser.  With the popular ruffly fabric that is in fabric shops these days, sew three straight lines down the center spacing the rows about an inch apart from each other.  As you sew, the fabric will gather itself.  Make sure not to sew the ruffles down on the fabric.

In front of Charla are several of the scarves she has recently sewn.  Quick and fun way to dress up your wardrobe!


After Charla's demonstration, we had a short Show and Tell from several members.

Misty showed us her fabulous 307 quilt she made for her brother.  307 is the area code for Wyoming.

Janice recently finished her bright and cheery quilt in remembrance of her mother who loved the color red.  The colors were gorgeous in this quilt.  I wish the camera could have caught it better.

Dawn's quilt top was beautiful with the mosaic fabric that she featured in the center blocks.  

Gail finished a bright and fun Dr. Seuss quilt top that any child would love to have!  

Holly presented the Guild with their first Humanitarian quilt project.  She picked the 9" Eccentric Star quilt block and challenged each of us to make at least one block and bring it back to our next meeting.  Colors are to be similar to the ones Holly used.  Yellow, white and turquoise.

 

To end our 1st meeting, we had a pot holder exchange.  Many of us had never made a pot holder before so it was a good challenge.  The ladies were all so creative!  I don't think there were any two alike!
  

 

Next meeting will be held on January 17th (3rd Thursday of each month) at 6 p.m. in the classroom of Valley Fabric.  Anyone is welcome to join!  Dues will be $20/yr to help offset the costs of batting and other essentials for our Humanitarian projects.  You don't have to live in the Valley.  Whether your a beginner quilter or a seasoned veteran it doesn't matter...we would love to have you join us!