Arnprior & District Quilters' Guild Newsletter - April 2021
President's Message
President's Message
Sue W's March Show &Tell bargello quilt
Welcome from inside Lockdown #3!
The good part of lockdowns is that there are fewer distractions to keep us from our Quilting (although the weather is getting nicer and our gardens and backyards are calling). We've been working on various quilts - attic windows and one-block wonders among others. Lockdowns cut into the road trips to various quilt shops that Paulette and I love to make. We are suffering a bit from "withdrawal".
I hope you all read my email about the upcoming "Elections". Even if you don't want to lead we need volunteers to be part of the team that keeps our Guild active and alive. We need people to volunteer/step forward to be Secretary, Programs and Membership. Without an Executive our Guild would fold and we all know that wouldn't be a good thing! So PLEASE think about it and step up so we can keep going after June! We've already got volunteers who have stepped up to be President, Communications, Treasurer and Library.
And we've already had Tina Matte step forward to be our new VP! Congrats Tina and welcome to the new executive! And Tina will need some help with the Charities piece of her VP role. Any volunteers?
We also want to announce that our meetings will be on Zoom at least until the end of the year. We are hoping to find a way to do an "in the park" meeting in June and/or in September but who knows what direction our province's fight with COVID may be going at that time. Time will tell!.
Because we are still in Zoom we have decided to also make visitors welcome at all of our Zoom meetings - there will be no charge for visitors to attend, but they will also not be eligible to win door prizes. When regular meetings resume visitors will once again be $5 but they will also be eligible to participate in door prize draws.
I hope this newsletter finds you all healthy and we look forward to seeing you on Zoom on the 28th at 7:00 p.m.
-- Frank McCarron, President
Leadership Team
Would you like to guide our guild forward? We'd love to have YOU on our leadership team next year!
Please refer to our Guild Constitution and Executive Position Descriptions documents for more information about the leadership positions, and let us know if you're interested in joining our leadership team.
April Meeting
Library Draw Prize
Our April guild meeting is on Wednesday April 28 at 7 PM. We hope you'll join us on Zoom. Watch your email a day or 2 before the meeting for instructions for connecting to this meeting.
This month we have quilter/teacher Elizabeth DeCroos with us. Elizabeth’s studio is called Epida Studio where she makes beautiful things and helps others make their own. She shares project ideas and tutorials for quilting, pojagi and embroidery.
The name Epida comes from Yehpidah which is a Korean word for beautiful. Pojagi is a traditional ancient Korean textile art form done by making wrapping cloths. Some were custom made with special cloth and others were pieced together with scraps left over from sewing cloths. Epida is a tribute to the influence of Pojagi and Korean design in her work.
Elizabeth offers courses and workshops. Courses are pre-recorded so you can learn on your own schedule. The workshops are online live.
Check out her website at Epidastudio.com, it is most informative.
The meeting will also feature draws for "door" prizes, and a prize provided by Nancy on behalf of the Library team which this month contains 2 magazines and 2 pattern books.
-- Sue Hodgins, Program
Our April guild meeting is on Wednesday April 28 at 7 PM. We hope you'll join us on Zoom. Watch your email a day or 2 before the meeting for instructions for connecting to this meeting.
This month we have quilter/teacher Elizabeth DeCroos with us. Elizabeth’s studio is called Epida Studio where she makes beautiful things and helps others make their own. She shares project ideas and tutorials for quilting, pojagi and embroidery.
The name Epida comes from Yehpidah which is a Korean word for beautiful. Pojagi is a traditional ancient Korean textile art form done by making wrapping cloths. Some were custom made with special cloth and others were pieced together with scraps left over from sewing cloths. Epida is a tribute to the influence of Pojagi and Korean design in her work.
Elizabeth offers courses and workshops. Courses are pre-recorded so you can learn on your own schedule. The workshops are online live.
Check out her website at Epidastudio.com, it is most informative.
The meeting will also feature draws for "door" prizes, and a prize provided by Nancy on behalf of the Library team which this month contains 2 magazines and 2 pattern books.
-- Sue Hodgins, Program
Show and Tell
If you'd like to share your work at the April meeting Show & Tell please send a photo of each item AND indicate if you would like to:
Feel free to send along multiple photos of a quilt if you want to also show the back, or a close up of the quilting, or any area of the quilt.
Please send the photos to the guild email account arnpriorquilters@gmail.com by 12 noon on Tuesday April 27. Any photos received after that date will be shown at the May meeting.
The photos will later be added to the web site Show & Tell page (just like after an in person-meeting), unless you specifically request in the email message that the photo not be.
If you'd like to share your work at the April meeting Show & Tell please send a photo of each item AND indicate if you would like to:
- Tell us about it during the meeting (this is the best!) OR
- Submit a written description that we will read during the meeting - if you go for this option please include the description with the photo(s).
Feel free to send along multiple photos of a quilt if you want to also show the back, or a close up of the quilting, or any area of the quilt.
Please send the photos to the guild email account arnpriorquilters@gmail.com by 12 noon on Tuesday April 27. Any photos received after that date will be shown at the May meeting.
The photos will later be added to the web site Show & Tell page (just like after an in person-meeting), unless you specifically request in the email message that the photo not be.
Upcoming Meetings
|
Our May guest speaker is Patti Carey. Patti is a quilt designer with Northcott Fabrics. She lives in Vaughan, Ontario and has visited us twice and each visit has been very enjoyable and informative. -- Sue Hodgins, Program Upcoming Meeting Dates
May 26, June 16 (both via Zoom) Information about the meetings is always available on the Schedule page. |
|
Program Notes
|
Hi everybody. As I sit here freezing at least I have an excuse to not have to be out working in the yard. So much to do every spring, and summer, and fall…… How do we get time for quilting? Thanks to our family challenges I have been accomplishing quite a lot. We decided to do an old (started to be the oldest, but.. ) UFO. You won’t believe it but I have several. I settled on Lydia Quigley’s Simple Country Sampler which was offered as a Block of the Month by My Country Quilt Shop the first year they moved across from the town hall. I have had it for a few years. The top was complete and just needed the applique. So, I have the pieces all applied and am half way through the blanket stitching. All of us are getting a lot done. Enough about me. I am so excited to announce our guest speaker for June. We will be entertained by Joan Statz. Joan is from a small town in Alberta and operates under the title Joan's Own Creations. I have at least one of her patterns in my stash. She promises to give us some tips and shortcuts and I am sure will be very informative. You can also find her on Pinterest. And, don’t forget we still have Patti Carey for May. And, we are trying to have a few spots filled for next year as was done for us when we took over. Anyone interested in an online class? And don’t forget I still have an entire program, remember The Iron Challenge, sitting here on a shelf. So don’t be afraid to take on the Program committee. Don’t forget to check out our BOM mystery quilt. -- Joyce Murray, Program Check out the Blog for highlights and photos from our March meeting when Jackie White was our very interesting guest.
Tip: You can find a Blog post from a previous meeting from the Links page, or you can browse them from the Blog by choosing the "Guild Meetings" Category. |
|
|
|
Charity
Hi everyone! April has been a lovely month so far, except for the third wave of Covid. Oh well, looking on the bright side, it is another good reason to hibernate in our "sewing caves" a little longer! :)
Placemats for the new Grove ResidenceCharity, we have received 20 this month, with a total of 35! Please keep them coming, as our total requested need is for 96.
Preemie Quilts, we have received 9 this month, and have accumulated 28 to date. These 28 unique preemie quilts will be donated to the Special Care Nursery at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in the next few days.
Fidget quilts , we have received two more!
|
|
|
Pick up Sticks charity blocks - we have received 8 more bringing our total to 46 blocks made this season! We look forward to receiving more of your colourful blocks. These blocks will be made into community charity quilts, when it is safe to hold workshops again.
Drop off placemats and Pick up Sticks blocks at Jane Wickware's mailbox located at 97 Daniel Street South, Arnprior. And you can pick up the neutral fabric for Pick up Sticks blocks and preemie quilt batting there too. Drop off your preemie quilts at Marilyn Erskine's home, front step in her bucket, located at 261 Bell Street, Arnprior. ** Once again please let the ladies know ahead of your drop off, by sending them a quick email. Thanks to everyone for April's thoughtful charity donations, and to Jane and Marylin who have kindly collected them for us. I thought I would share this charity inspirational quote with a twist of humour. As you read it, change the word "purse" to "quilt room"! “As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled.” ―Victor Hugo Cheers, Your Charity Team Marilyn, Jane, & Vickie |
|
Library News
|
Hope everyone is well and continuing to help each other in these difficult times. Vaccinations are progressing and we hope summer will bring more freedom. I was wondering the other day where I learnt to sew and I realized it was in school. I attended school in rural Nova Scotia. The one room school I attended from Primary to Grade 10 , inclusive, had a Garment Club for the girls and a woodworking club for the boys. We began in Primary learning how to hand sew , finishing a pot holder and a little bag. I remember hand sewing the little bag which had a draw string and was to be used for our projects, it was approximately 30cm x 20. At the end of the year all our projects were put on display for our parents to see and then sent off to Sydney to the local exhibition. If we won second or first prize than our items would go to Truro to the Provincial exhibition ! This was a wonderful incentive for us to do our best ! The Garment Club and the woodworking club got taken over by the 4 H club . We continued sewing, patching , darning , making button holes sewing the buttons, and learning how to embroider. . By Grade 7, we were making skirts, and even a dress by Gr 10. At the skirt stage we were allowed to use a sewing machine if our mother had one. My did! The 4 H club provided wonderful support! The teacher did the lessons on Fri. afternoon and we were allowed to work on our projects at home. If I recall correctly the lesson was run like a meeting where we participated. Not only did we learn sewing skills but also how to conducted a meeting. The 4 H club supervisor visited twice a year providing encouragement and giving us helpful suggestions. I’m sure some of you had a similar experience. My things have changed! Another topic to share with you is: During the late winter I had my sewing room painted and I’m busy trying to rearrange it, sorting as I go. My neighbour gave me two sets of draws on wheels, a huge help with the sorting. As for Quilting I am doing a few more cushion covers for my grand girls , hand sewing a wall hanging for myself, and planning a new quilt. I’m needing cataract surgery so my quilting is slow! I admire the club to continue with Zoom meetings, I wonder how many of our members haven’t computers , are not familiar with Zoom, or have poor internet connections which makes it hard to connect. It will be wonderful when we can all meet in person. Keep smiling and stay healthy! -- Lucy (and Nancy), Your Librarians |
|
A YouTube Demonstration
Submitted by Vickie MacNabb
Tip - Do you know what to do if your needle breaks inside your machine? This video is very helpful.
Tip - Do you know what to do if your needle breaks inside your machine? This video is very helpful.
Get to Know Your Guild Member - Amanda Vajda
Here's the second installment of our "Get to Know Your Guild Members" feature in our newsletter to help us better connect with each other, especially while we are not meeting in person. This time we're hearing from Amanda Vajda who in previous years has co-run our Block-of-the-Month program, and she also buys and makes up the lovely gift baskets for the draw when we meet in person. Amanda is answering questions submitted to her by our VP Vickie MacNabb.
Q: How long have you been making quilts? Would you describe your learning process?
A: I started my quilt adventure in July 2016 after many years of admiring the beautiful work of my mom, Johanne Vajda of Jo Stitch Quilting (#notsponsored). I don’t know if I had a learning process per se. It was more of a “Hmmm this seems interesting, let’s try it” method of learning. My mom has been, and still is, teaching me and sharing her knowledge which I am so grateful for and lucky to be able to share this adventure with her. It’s a bonus that her different quilting groups have also welcomed me with open arms making it possible to be inspired by and learn from different quilters as well as inspire and teach others myself.
Q: Were there special people or circumstances that encouraged you to begin to quilt?
A: I'd been providing my mom with (unwanted) fabric selections, (outrageous) pattern suggestions and general opinions since she’d started quilting in the early 2000’s. Shockingly, she rarely decided to make quilts based on *my* tastes and was consistent in saying, “If you want it that badly, make it yourself”. So that is what I did (and I even started a blog to keep me on track).
Q: What are your feelings about quilt making compared with other household activities?
A: Depending on the project I’m working on, sometimes I’d rather do an entire deep clean of the house! You know those projects you start then end up disliking or nothing seems to be going right and you would rather do anything else…or is that just me? lol
Q: How do you decide on the colors and fabrics that go into your quilts? Do you ever use the colors recommended on patterns that you buy or see in books?
A: I would consider myself a “modern traditionalist” so I use plenty of solids, usually Kona. I also like to think I’m an amateur interior designer, so I enjoy browsing different colour palettes websites for unique colour combinations. Depending on different factors like the pattern, the space I envision the quilt in, or who I’m making the quilt for, I’ll either come up with my own colour/fabric choices or use the recommended colours - or something similar and use that as a starting point. Like most people, when I first got started quilting, I would buy fabric because it was pretty, so I’d end up with a meter of this and a meter of that and none of it went together. Scrappy quilts are not a thing I do. Now that I’m a more experienced quilter (lol) I’ve started only buying the fabric I need for a quilt once I’ve decided on a colour scheme or just buying the kit - those are the fabrics that caught my attention in the first place, so why not?
Q: Would you rather create your own pattern and color combinations or have a pattern to go by?
A: I don’t see it as a ‘this or that’ option. I started by making my own patterns, but I’ve also made quilts following a pattern (mystery quilts, quilt alongs, etc.) I like being creative and coming up with something that’s never been done before, or at least try to but sometimes it’s just easier to go with a pattern where someone else has already figured out all details.
Q: What part of the quilting process do you like the best? For example, piecing, appliqueing, hand quilting, machine quilting, etc.
Q: What part of the quilting process do you like the best? For example, piecing, appliqueing, hand quilting, machine quilting, etc.
A: Buying fabric would be the best if it didn’t cost anything! I enjoy piecing, quilting, and doing the binding although bringing an idea in my head to fruition is the best part of the quilting process for me. That is one of my favourite things about quilts – every quilt was just an idea in someone’s mind that they brought to reality. It’s so inspiring seeing how creative and unique everyone is. Alternatively, cutting is the worst – I would pay someone to cut fabric for me!
Q: Do you put quilt labels on all of your quilts?
A: Of course! A painter always signs their masterpiece, why wouldn’t you?
Labels seem like such an afterthought for some people, so much so they forget about them completely, but I think a cleverly designed label can also be a design element in your quilt. I love trying new ways to label quilts, but I always start by designing it in Photoshop then printing it on fabric. At the moment, my “go to” label is a foldover label printed on white linen with the quilt name, my name, year and pattern name/designer if applicable.
Q: Do you keep all your quilts? If so, how do you use quilts in your home?
A: The majority are made for someone, so my quilts have gone to their adopted families to be cared for. The ones that I’ve made for myself are used to stay comfy when watching tv or as an extra layer of warmth on a bed…or put away for storage because in a house with two quilters, there is no lack of quilts around!
Quilt Canada 2021
The Canadian Quilters' Association has announced a virtual event on June 16-19 to replace their usual in-person Quilt Canada 2021 conference.
And what better way to celebrate 40 years than to invite quilters from across the country to join in the online party.
Watch this page for more information or click/tap on the poster.
Advertisers
Thank you to our 2020-2021 advertisers! Your support funds our Communications budget which includes the hosting of this web site. We are very grateful for this financial support.
To our guild members, please support our advertisers. You can click/tap on any of the advertisements in this newsletter to access the vendor's web site. These vendors are also listed on the Links page.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
An invitation...
Do you have a story or a tip you'd like to share with us? Just send it along and I'll be delighted to include it in a future newsletter.
And a VERY BIG THANK YOU to Amanda for participating in "Get to Know Your Guild Members", to Frank, Sue H, Joyce M, Vickie, Lucy, and Nancy for their guild updates and other news this month.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor