Arnprior & District Quilters' Guild Newsletter - February 2020
President's Message
Frank with Charity fidget quilt
Welcome to February! The shortest month of the year (haha). It never seems so short as it's in the midst of winter weather (yuck) and shorter days (although they are getting noticeably longer).
I was feeling so good about all the quilt shops that Paulette and I visited last year. Then I was reading about the challenge that a Facebook Friend of mine had (he owns a quilt fabric company) to see how many quilt shops people would visit in 3 months (90 days). The winner last year visited 48 shops. The winner this year visited 219. Wow!
I've been busy making my first bargello quilt top (using only 3 fabrics) - it was a lot of fun. Did you ever have one of those patterns that was written very poorly? Luckily a friend explained it and then it made perfect sense, but if I had to follow the pattern without her I'd still be lost.
So now I"m working on my President's Challenge and my Black and White Challenge for Quilt Guild. I hope everyone is making progress and has found some flash of inspiration. See you all at our monthly meeting!
-- Frank McCarron, President
February Meeting
Our February meeting is on Wednesday February 26 at 7 PM, with doors open at 6:30 PM. Location and more
At this meeting we will have an Iron Challenge - an actual sewing competition, just for fun!
We will have 10 teams. Members will be assigned to a team as they arrive. The goal is to complete one quilt top. First team to finish will be declared the Iron Challenge Champions and will be awarded prizes.
The patterns/kits will be revealed at the same time. Each kit will contain enough material to complete 1 quilt top, and the pattern/instructions. Each kit contains precut material to make one 12.5 " block. The team will have to cut the fabric for remaining blocks.
Each team will discuss amongst themselves their strategy and assign roles...example sewer, cutter, pinner, ironer, runner, coordinator, etc.
We ask those who offered to bring their sewing machines to please bring filled bobbins, thread and needles too.
We are asking all other members to please bring rotary cutters, pins and small scissors.
-- Anne Cruickshank, Program Committee
You Sew Girl BOM
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Your You Sew Girl Block-of-the-Month completed items or (unfinished blocks) are due at this meeting. There's still time to make this fun block. Refer to the Block-of-the Month page for details. Do bring along your own mug for coffee or tea during the break, and indoor footwear. Sue Shute will have a table at the meeting with odds and ends left from her former Quilting Quarters shop in Almonte. Sales will be cash only as she no longer has a debit/credit machine. There will be NO SHOW AND TELL at this meeting because we'll need the whole evening for the Iron Challenge. We'll have to patiently wait to see your new quilts in March! |
Upcoming Workshops
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Saturday April 4 - Big Bag by guild member Johanne Vajda Thursday April 23 - Double Disappearing Nine Patch by Bill Stearman, who will be our guest at our April 22 guild meeting. This class has been offered at many guilds in our area with outstanding approval. Thursday May 28 - Borders and Bindings by Patti Carey, Vice President, Public Relations for Northcott Fabrics and a pattern designer, who will be our guest at our May 27 guild meeting. Patti’s patterns have often been featured in quilt magazines, and she has been a popular guest at our guild in the past. Patti’s Northcott Bio For more information see Workshops. You can register for workshops at the Activity table at the guild meeting. ***** You can see the full schedule of guild activities anytime ***** And be sure to check out January meeting Photos on the Blog |
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Program Line Up
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March
Guest speaker Beth VanWyngaarden will give a trunk show and talk about how important quilting has been in her life. All of our speakers come recommended by other guilds. April Bill Stearman. This gentleman will also give a trunk show and presentation, and will offer a class on his “Double Disappearing 9 Patch” . This class has been offered at many guilds in our area with outstanding approval. Check him out on line. May Patti Carey. Patti is a Vice President – Public Relations for Northcott Fabrics. Check your quilt magazines and you are sure to see her work. She will give a lecture and also offer a class on Thursday. Her class is on “Borders and Bindings”. You can visit her blog at pattispatchwork.com. June Closing pot luck. All the challenges: Presidents Challenge and Black & White Challenge are due. Prizes will be awarded. Extra!! Next year's program is already in the planning stages. Debbie Soll, the Sashiko Lady will be here in September and Irene Lafleche will be here in November and will offer a class “Quilting with your Walking Foot”. -- Joyce Murray, Activities |
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January Retreat
Our retreat in January was once again a big success. We always seem to come away with more knowledge and a sense of having accomplished either some UFO’s or gotten a new project started. I was asked to teach some of the ladies how to make three dimensional Christmas trees with fairy lights in them. The technique is the same as the jelly roll rugs I make. On the Saturday afternoon we had a massage therapist come in and give to those who wanted, a back massage. It fells so good that it makes you want to go and have a snooze afterwards. It is such a treat to have our meals prepared for us and they are always delicious. We do enjoy getting together at the retreats. It is something I and others look forward to twice a year. More photos on the Blog --Joanna Vlaming, Retreat Coordinator |
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Charity
3 new tactile quilts
Our fourth charity sew day was Saturday February 15 at Island View Retirement Residence in Arnprior. We had lots of visits from residents, including Jude and Elizabeth, former quilters, who visited and then returned to donate some of their cherished materials for our charity projects. We made three additional tactile quilts, and sandwiched two star quilts. Please consider volunteering to machine quilt these star quilts, as we will be looking for volunteers at the February guild meeting.
As you may know a lot of effort goes into into the planning of these events, securing a location, creating communications, and collecting sufficient tactile items for the project. Generally only two or three members turn out to help with the charity sewing. We would like to know how to increase attendance/involvement in these activities, if you have any suggestions that you believe could help, please drop by our table to share.
More Sew Day Photos on the Blog
The guild has received two very nice thanks you cards in the mail. These notes thank you for all your beautiful bags and place mats made and donated to the community before Christmas.
Pick Up Sticks blocks
Good news! With no further delay, we will be introducing out new "Pick up Sticks" charity block. Here are the instructions for this simple colourful block.
Note: do not attempt to sew any blocks until you pick up the cream on cream background blocks which will be waiting for you at the charity table.
Please drop by and pick up a couple of 12.5 " blocks and have fun using up some of your colourful scraps to make this blocks .
The idea behind picking this block is it is simple, fast to make, and you are able to use up one inch scraps to enhance the blocks. These blocks will look quite striking with all the same background and each block a different colour. Don't forget to bring the leftover scraps back with your sewn blocks, so when the quilts are put together, the outer border will be made of a keyboard with all the colours found in the quilts blocks. It should be lots of fun!
-- Vickie MacNabb, Charity Projects
Note: do not attempt to sew any blocks until you pick up the cream on cream background blocks which will be waiting for you at the charity table.
Please drop by and pick up a couple of 12.5 " blocks and have fun using up some of your colourful scraps to make this blocks .
The idea behind picking this block is it is simple, fast to make, and you are able to use up one inch scraps to enhance the blocks. These blocks will look quite striking with all the same background and each block a different colour. Don't forget to bring the leftover scraps back with your sewn blocks, so when the quilts are put together, the outer border will be made of a keyboard with all the colours found in the quilts blocks. It should be lots of fun!
-- Vickie MacNabb, Charity Projects
Kory's New Quilt
In last month's newsletter we shared the story of a new "big boy" quilt for little Kory who had received a premie quilt from our guild as an infant several years ago. He had lovingly worn out that quilt, and a replacement premie quilt that we provided in 2016. Brigid, who was guild president in 2016, constructed the latest bigger quilt top at the January retreat, then promptly layered it with the requested orange flannel backing, quilted it, showed it to us at the January meeting, and then passed it along to me to finish. It was a treat for me to bind it (and marvel at Brigid's fine work), and attach a label. I still had some leftover space-themed fabric from Premie #2 so I incorporated a little of that into the label.
I was delighted to finally meet Kory and his amazing family when I delivered the new quilt to him at the end of January. He was very surprised and thrilled to receive it and full of thanks. Kory continues to face health challenges and finds comfort in the quilt and its soft flannel backing. His mom Gwen subsequently reported that he was carrying it around in a ball from room to room and showing his "best surprise" to any visitors. I was very touched by this experience and so pleased to contribute to this new quilt for Kory.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications
In last month's newsletter we shared the story of a new "big boy" quilt for little Kory who had received a premie quilt from our guild as an infant several years ago. He had lovingly worn out that quilt, and a replacement premie quilt that we provided in 2016. Brigid, who was guild president in 2016, constructed the latest bigger quilt top at the January retreat, then promptly layered it with the requested orange flannel backing, quilted it, showed it to us at the January meeting, and then passed it along to me to finish. It was a treat for me to bind it (and marvel at Brigid's fine work), and attach a label. I still had some leftover space-themed fabric from Premie #2 so I incorporated a little of that into the label.
I was delighted to finally meet Kory and his amazing family when I delivered the new quilt to him at the end of January. He was very surprised and thrilled to receive it and full of thanks. Kory continues to face health challenges and finds comfort in the quilt and its soft flannel backing. His mom Gwen subsequently reported that he was carrying it around in a ball from room to room and showing his "best surprise" to any visitors. I was very touched by this experience and so pleased to contribute to this new quilt for Kory.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications
Delighted Kory with his new quilt
Kory's completed big boy quilt
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Kory with his fraying premie #2
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Library News
Spring is in the air! March is just around the corner and Quilt shows will be popping up everywhere.
Only 6 books were signed out last month so please drop by the Library and take a few books home to browse, you might find a new pattern or a great idea!
Scrap Explosion Quilts , (St 16), Simply Modern Patchwork (N2) and Striking Strips Quilts (N25) might have some ideas for you who are doing the Presidents Challenge, ways to use up all those different coloured strips and patterns. 😀
“The Versatile Nine Patch” , by Joan Ford is the new book of the month. It contains 18 new designs for that wonderful quilt block and could also be useful for the President s Challenge.
Before you leave the library remember to “Guess the Pages“. You might be the winner and find new ideas for 5 inch squares. The draw is always after our coffee break .
There will also be a for sale table with a number of magazines.
A little quilting humour
“ I am a Quilter and my life is in Pieces!!”
See you at the Guild!
-- Lucy and Nancy
Upcoming Quilt Shows
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Location |
Dates |
Guild |
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Etobicoke ON |
March 27-28 |
Etobicoke Quilters' Guild |
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St. Mary’s ON |
April 23-25 |
Huron Perth Quilter's Guild & The Stonetown Quilter's Guild |
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Peterborough ON |
May 1-2 |
Kawartha Quiltmakers' Guild |
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Ottawa ON |
May 8-9 |
Common Thread Quilt Guild |
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Mississauga ON |
May 8-9 |
Mississauga Quilters Guild |
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Ailsa Craig ON |
May 18-23 |
Ailsa Craig Quilt and Arts Festival |
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Brockville ON |
May 22-23 |
Thousand Islands Quilters' Guild |
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Pelham/Fonthill ON |
May 29-31 |
Niagara Heritage Quilters Guild |
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Edmonton AB |
June 18-20 |
The Canadian Quilters' Association |
For more information about these quilt shows, refer to the Upcoming Quilt Shows page.
CQA
Did you know that you can sign up to receive monthly newsletters from the Canadian Quilters Association (CQA) even if you are not a member? Get on their mailing list here. Or you can become a member and enjoy all of the benefits of membership.
The CQA web site is full of interesting information. This interesting article provided by the Kingston Heirloom Quilters is just one example.
Quilt Canada 2020
Meeting Notes
Cancellation - If a guild meeting is cancelled due to inclement winter weather, guild members will be notified on the day of the meeting by email. Also, a cancellation notice will appear on the web site Home page by 12:30 PM. If you are unable to access email or the internet you can phone a friend who does have access, or Janet Brownlee at 613- 623-7948 to determine if the meeting is cancelled.
Parking - Please DO NOT park in the church parking lot that is adjacent to the hall. Our lease does not include the parking lot - it must be available for church-related activities. There is plenty of on-street parking nearby.
Cancellation - If a guild meeting is cancelled due to inclement winter weather, guild members will be notified on the day of the meeting by email. Also, a cancellation notice will appear on the web site Home page by 12:30 PM. If you are unable to access email or the internet you can phone a friend who does have access, or Janet Brownlee at 613- 623-7948 to determine if the meeting is cancelled.
Parking - Please DO NOT park in the church parking lot that is adjacent to the hall. Our lease does not include the parking lot - it must be available for church-related activities. There is plenty of on-street parking nearby.