January 2013 Meeting Highlights

There were 16 members present for our meeting on January 3rd meeting.  Here are the things you may have missed.

Lori demonstrated the first set of instructions for the "Double Trouble" mystery quilt.  Sewing is not hard, but will take a little bit of time.  If you need fabric requirements or the instructions please contact me at nlsuss   @ mymts.net.

One of the ice cream cone block tops is ready for quilting.  It is a baby sized quilt, so perfect to practice your free motion quilting on.  There is no deadline, so please consider the project.

Have you...

• made a name tag for the May meeting?  Here is one example.  And some inspriation.
• made some "Sweet Charity" black and white blocks for our comfort block on the month?  Instructions here.
• taken a digital picture of your work space/fabric stash etc.and sent it to Dawn?
• worked on the challenge kit you purchased that is due in May?

Don't forget our next UFO Day takes place in Ochre River on January 19th.  The is a great time to get advice, opinions and just spend time with people who "get" your hobby.  Sherry is also willing to help teach people to make fabric bowls.  She has more info on the supplies you will need. Cindy, Sherry and Karen have generously offered to provide soup, buns and dessert for lunch, please join us.

Here is the show and tell for the night.  I left my camera at home, so these pictures taken with my phone will have to do.

Reneta brought two really cute quilts to show us. This baby quilt is a "10 minute" block quilt.

 This Christmas tree quilt was just darling. Sorry I don't have the actual pattern name for this one.

Dawn showed the serene piece that she put together at the cabin over the summer in her own free form way.  She isn't quite finished with it, but hasn't decided on the final embellishments yet.

 Karen was under the weather but left these quilts for us to enjoy.  The first is "Market Fresh" from the book Urban Country Quilts.

A close up of the quilting on the front.

And the back where you can see a little more in this picture.

And her Fireside Log Cabin that came out a workshop she participated in at Quilt Canada in Halifax.

Hope to see you all on the 19th!

Lori

Sweet Charity Block -- oh so simple!

Cindy demonstrated the new charity block and it is a simple 1/2 square triangle.

You need two squares of fabric each 14 inches square. One is to be black on black, drk grey on black, tone on tone black, mottled or even white on black but must be mostly black and the other square is to be white (either solid or tone on tone or white on white).

Put both squares right sides together, draw line in pencil diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner and then stitch 1/4 inch on each side of line.

Cut on drawn line and you will end up with two squares.

We are asking each person to make 4 squares if possible in order to have enough for a queen size quilt.

It's that easy! 

See you on January 3rd at 7pm for our monthly meeting.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Quilters! Don't forget that our meeting is this week- January 3rd. Cindy has said she will be sewing in the fireball all day, so please feel free to join her for all or part of the day to start the new year off right working on some unfinished projects!

The first set of Double Trouble Mystery quilt instructions will be handed out during the evening meeting.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Lori

Crocus Quilter's Christmas Party

It was a great meeting on December 6.  We had a fat quarter swap and we shared potholders (which I should have photographed to share) and had some great appetizers while we watched a video of the beautiful quilts at the Houston Quilt Festival.  The year ended off on a great note with a binding up of lots of loose ends.  We are very prepared for a exciting "quilty" year.  We are hosting the guild wind-up in June, and are thrilled to announce that our Quilt Show planning is well underway.  Make sure you mark your calendars for September 28 & 29, 2013.  You will definitely want to be at the Watson Arts Centre in Dauphin, our first show in 2010 was great -- and this is going to be even better! 

Here are a few of the photos that were taken during the show and tell.

Gloria N. volunteered to do the binding of the Friendship Star Charity Quilt, Lori S. finished the top stitching and it looks beautiful.

  Bev. P made this huge and cozy flannel quilt for her husbands 60th Birthday.  I can't remember the exact name she gave it but I think if I say "the Beast" would be close enough.  Bev has vowed to never do another flannelette quilt again, in her life!

 

This is Dawn's Christmas Quilt, it is very bright and festive.  Lori S. did a lovely job at the top stitching. 
The flannelette backing will be very cozy.

Marion is almost finished with this beautiful picture quilt from far away the image of her "grand puppies" is perfectly clear.  Now, take a look at the close up below.  There are probably thousands of tiny 1/2 pieces of fabric making up this cute little image.  Way to go Marion! 

Cindy is almost done with this gorgeous diagonal cut strip pieced quilt.  It is hard to see it in this photo but there are strips of red piping placed between the seams of the diagonal cuts.  So far this is looking like a stunning quilt, cant wait to see it finished.  

Merry Christmas Every one!  Our next meeting is on January 3.  We are planning a Superior Thread DVD presentation.  Try not to miss this it is going to be full of valuable information! 

Light, Hope & Opportunity Challenge: Empowering Women through Clean Energy

Quilters are invited to create and submit art quilts that address the issue of Energy Poverty. Participating quilters can highlight an aspect of energy poverty, for example, its effects on daily life, physical safety, health, access to education and information, and economic challenges posed to those who live without electricity; income and development inequalities faced by people who live in areas without steady sources of power; and the role of solar power and other alternative energy sources in mitigating the effects of energy poverty, indoor air pollution, isolation and limited economic development created by a lack of electricity.

“Light, Hope, Opportunity” is a juried challenge. Selected quilts will be included in a traveling exhibition that will open in June 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland, at the United Nations’ European headquarters, and then tour at various quilting venues in North America through 2014.

Submitted quilts must address the theme of “Light, Hope, Opportunity: Empowering Women through Clean Energy.” A strong artist’s statement is crucial, explaining the concept of your quilt, linking it specifically to the theme of the challenge and sharing your inspiration for the quilt, techniques and materials used, etc. Please limit your statement to 150-200 words.

• Each quilt should measure 24 inches high by 24 inches wide (60 cm by 60 cm).
• Sew a 5 inch (12.5 cm) sleeve with a ½ inch give sewn on the back and mount the sleeve 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the top edge of the back of the quilt to enable a uniform display of all the quilts in the exhibition.
• Photographs: We can accept digital photos only. Images must be of completed work – not work in progress. Images will be chosen on the basis of artistic merit as well as photo quality.
• Each entry will require two digital images; one showing the whole quilt including the edges; the other showing an area in detail.
• Jurors reserve the right to refuse any quilt that differs significantly from the image submitted.
• $ 25 entry fee


Quilt for Change will contact selected quilters no later than April 1, 2013 to complete the exhibition logistics for the June 2013 opening at the United Nations’ Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Deadline for mailing finished quilts is April 20, 2013.

Quilters have the option of donating their quilts to Quilt for Change for sale in support of Solar Sister’s activities.

For planning purposes, we suggest you email us at quiltforchange@me.com with your intent to enter and provide a general description of your planned quilt. This is not required, but advised. We are happy to offer feedback and answer questions. A general description of your planned quilt and/or digital photos of your work in progress would be greatly appreciated.


Downloads:
Submission Requirements
Entry Form


Complete details available on website including the history of Quilt for Change: www.quiltforchange.org

Volunteer Needed

Our friendship star quilt has been quilted as is ready for binding.  If binding is a job that you feel you could help with, please let Lori or Dawn know and we will get this lovely quilt into your hands for finishing.  We don't have a definite plan for this quilt yet, so there is no rush to have the binding done.  After Christmas would be just fine.

Loads of free patterns

Looking for some free quilting patterns?  The Fat Quarter Shop had a great page that links to free pattern from 20 different fabric companies, as well as some Fat Quarter shop exclusive patterns.  You might want to make a cup of tea before you head on over here......