Arnprior & District Quilters' Guild Newsletter - January 2025
President's Message
First, on behalf of our entire executive, I wish all our members a Happy New Year! May it be a year of health, happiness, serenity and of course, a lot of sewing time. May there be opportunities for togetherness, and for solitude, inspiration and creativity.
As a guild, we had a fantastic year in 2024. We hosted fabulous speakers, held virtual sew days, and shared our love of quilting with each other. I can only hope the momentum continues as we glide into 2025, and I have every reason to believe it will. Our executive members are so willing to put time and energy into their respective areas. Each member brings different skills and experiences to our guild. It is lovely how everyone supports each other so we can all build on our skills.
Most of all, I hope that you find the guild a place to laugh, chat, build friendships and share your quilting experiences with others who enjoy the art of quilting as much as you do.
Cheers to 2025 my Quilting Friends!
-- Anne Cruickshank, Co-President
As a guild, we had a fantastic year in 2024. We hosted fabulous speakers, held virtual sew days, and shared our love of quilting with each other. I can only hope the momentum continues as we glide into 2025, and I have every reason to believe it will. Our executive members are so willing to put time and energy into their respective areas. Each member brings different skills and experiences to our guild. It is lovely how everyone supports each other so we can all build on our skills.
Most of all, I hope that you find the guild a place to laugh, chat, build friendships and share your quilting experiences with others who enjoy the art of quilting as much as you do.
Cheers to 2025 my Quilting Friends!
-- Anne Cruickshank, Co-President
December Potluck meeting
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January Guild Meeting
When? We hope you'll join us on Wednesday January 22 for our first meeting of 2025, via Zoom. The meeting begins at 7 PM with "doors opening" at 6:45 PM Watch your email a day or two before the meeting for the Zoom link to connect to this meeting. How? A basic familiarity with Zoom is required by meeting attendees and can be acquired in advance of the meeting using the Learning resources on the Zoom website Visitors We are welcoming visitors to our Zoom meetings this year. Guest Speaker
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Cyndi McChesney
Cyndi McChesney of Cedar Ridge Quilting
Title: Panel Palooza
"In this informative and entertaining trunk show I'll show you how to take that panel you fell in love with and turn it into something truly unique. You'll experience my good, bad and AH HA moments as I learned how to work with the different styles of panels and how adding interesting block treatments and borders and filling those pesky open spaces with patchwork or applique results in a truly special quilt or unexpected project."
Cyndi McChesney of Cedar Ridge Quilting
Title: Panel Palooza
"In this informative and entertaining trunk show I'll show you how to take that panel you fell in love with and turn it into something truly unique. You'll experience my good, bad and AH HA moments as I learned how to work with the different styles of panels and how adding interesting block treatments and borders and filling those pesky open spaces with patchwork or applique results in a truly special quilt or unexpected project."
Love and a Dog by Cyndi
Beach Day by Cyndi
Show & Tell
We'd love to see what you've been working on at our virtual Show & Tell.
This is also an excellent time to show photos of quilts that you gave away between meetings and didn't have a chance to show us in person.
To share your work at the meeting please send a photo of each item AND indicate if you would like to:
Please send the photos to the guild email account arnpriorquilters@gmail.com by 12 noon on Tuesday January 21. (Any photos that are submitted later will likely be shown the next month.)
After the meeting the photos will 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 posted.
We'd love to see what you've been working on at our virtual Show & Tell.
This is also an excellent time to show photos of quilts that you gave away between meetings and didn't have a chance to show us in person.
To share your work at the meeting 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).
Please send the photos to the guild email account arnpriorquilters@gmail.com by 12 noon on Tuesday January 21. (Any photos that are submitted later will likely be shown the next month.)
After the meeting the photos will 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 posted.
December Show and Tell
Programs
Tinners
Tins at the December meeting
Tinners participants can exchange the tins during the winter Zoom months, January to March.
-- Joyce Murray, Tinners Co-ordinator
- If you live in the Arnprior area you can exchange your tin through me, Joyce. Phone 613-623-5513 to be sure I am home. You can also just exchange with someone if you are able.
- In the Renfrew area you can contact Sue Hodgins at 613-432-2704 should you need assistance.
-- Joyce Murray, Tinners Co-ordinator
Block of the Month
Block of the Month will continue through the winter months. The draws for all of the December to March blocks will be at the April meeting so please hang on to them until then, and there will be a lot of winners!
Instructions for the Eight Point Star block that Martha introduced at the December meeting are available on the Block of the Month page.
Block of the Month will continue through the winter months. The draws for all of the December to March blocks will be at the April meeting so please hang on to them until then, and there will be a lot of winners!
Instructions for the Eight Point Star block that Martha introduced at the December meeting are available on the Block of the Month page.
December 8 Point Star block
Brenda will be presenting the January block at the guild meeting and instructions will be available shortly after the meeting.
She brought her Potato Chip block samples to the November meeting so we could see them in person.
-- Janet Brownlee, BOM Co-ordinator
She brought her Potato Chip block samples to the November meeting so we could see them in person.
-- Janet Brownlee, BOM Co-ordinator
Brenda's Potato Chip blocks
Nametag Challenge
At our November meeting Lucy issued a new challenge to us - to make our own nametag. In response to the rapidly increasing cost of the magnetic nametags, Lucy invited us all to design and make our own nametag to wear starting when we meet again in person at the April meeting.
Upcoming Guild Events
Winter Retreat
Our first Quilting retreat of 2025 starts January 27 and we are planning out all the projects we promise to work on during our stay. Aren’t we? I am asking everyone to bring their own placemat. Then at each meal you will sit wherever your placemat is set. It is a great way to meet all our fellow quilters and make new friends.
Plans are underway for other Sew Day options.
-- Sue Hodgins, Retreats coordinator
Our first Quilting retreat of 2025 starts January 27 and we are planning out all the projects we promise to work on during our stay. Aren’t we? I am asking everyone to bring their own placemat. Then at each meal you will sit wherever your placemat is set. It is a great way to meet all our fellow quilters and make new friends.
Plans are underway for other Sew Day options.
-- Sue Hodgins, Retreats coordinator
February Guild Meeting via Zoom
February 19 *** Note the date change
Our guest presenter will be Bonnie Rankin, a CQA/ACC Certified Quilt Judge, and the National Juried Show Coordinator for this year's Quilt Canada in Toronto in June 2025. Bonnie lives in Ottawa.
In her presentation Bonnie will show and discuss the winners of the 2024 National Juried Show, outlining what judges are seeing at all levels of quilt shows. She'll also point out the most common problems quilters encounter, and provide some tips on how to prevent them.
February 19 *** Note the date change
Our guest presenter will be Bonnie Rankin, a CQA/ACC Certified Quilt Judge, and the National Juried Show Coordinator for this year's Quilt Canada in Toronto in June 2025. Bonnie lives in Ottawa.
In her presentation Bonnie will show and discuss the winners of the 2024 National Juried Show, outlining what judges are seeing at all levels of quilt shows. She'll also point out the most common problems quilters encounter, and provide some tips on how to prevent them.
March Guild Meeting via Zoom
March 26
Our March guild meeting will feature a 2 hour Preemie on-line sewing challenge for each of us to make a Preemie quilt during that time.
Cutting is allowed to be done ahead of time.
Guidelines for Preemie quilts are:
Sounds like fun, see you there!
-- Marilyn Erskine, Charity Co-ordinator
March 26
Our March guild meeting will feature a 2 hour Preemie on-line sewing challenge for each of us to make a Preemie quilt during that time.
Cutting is allowed to be done ahead of time.
Guidelines for Preemie quilts are:
- Use 100% cotton or flannel fabric
- Flannel makes a soft, cozy backing
- Size: 24” x 24”
- Minimal quilting to keep the quilt soft.
- Use cotton thread.
Sounds like fun, see you there!
-- Marilyn Erskine, Charity Co-ordinator
Donated Preemie quilts at the December meeting
* * * * * * Schedule of Guild Meetings and Activities * * * * * *
Check out our Blog for posts (and lots of pics) about these recent guild meetings.
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Sew Day
Our December 15th virtual Sew Day was a pleasant and relaxing break from the busy days leading up to Christmas.
Our December 15th virtual Sew Day was a pleasant and relaxing break from the busy days leading up to Christmas.
Membership
We had 32 members attend the meeting on December 11 and all enjoyed joining in the potluck and gift exchange activity that evening. We have had one more member enroll to bring our membership up to 74. We continue to encourage registration for membership in our guild.
-- Martha Palmer, Membership
We had 32 members attend the meeting on December 11 and all enjoyed joining in the potluck and gift exchange activity that evening. We have had one more member enroll to bring our membership up to 74. We continue to encourage registration for membership in our guild.
-- Martha Palmer, Membership
Martha's December Show and Tell
Visit to the Quilt Guild of Renfew and Area Meeting
On Tuesday afternoon, January 14th, 15 of our guild members attended the meeting of the Quilt Guild of Renfrew and Area, at the Horton Community Center just outside of Renfrew. Several of us had been at a meeting there last winter and we were looking forward to going back again, and joined by others in our guild. Their guild meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month.
The meeting started at 1 PM and the first order of business was to announce that 50 of their members were present and 12 from our guild. (I counted 15 of us - likely we didn't all sign in!)
This was followed by the 50-50 draw which was won by a Renfrew guild member. Our Johanne was sitting beside me and holding a ticket only one number away from winning.
This was followed by the 50-50 draw which was won by a Renfrew guild member. Our Johanne was sitting beside me and holding a ticket only one number away from winning.
Then came an interesting talk by a Renfrew guild member on how to best prepare your quilts for a longarm quilter. She had a lot of interesting tips, many of which were also useful for anyone preparing to quilt their own quilt.
Their guild member Helen talked about an upcoming workshop to make a Super Star paper pieced block using an innovative strip piecing method. I think it's the middle block in the top row of this quilt. Our visiting guild members were included in the invitation, and Helen indicated that she would also be interested in delivering the workshop to our guild at a different time.
Signe, their president gave an update on quilts their guild members had made and donated to residents of Jasper Alberta who were displaced from their homes by the devastating wildfire in July. Individual guild members made a remarkable 17 quilts which were mailed off to Klare’s Korner Quilts ‘n More shop in Airdrie Alberta who collected the quilts from all across Canada. They made regular trips to Jasper to deliver the quilts to a depot full of donated items for the affected residents. Signe was able to visit the shop during a recent trip to Alberta to personally thank them for their efforts.
Phyllis Moody from Mad Moody Quilting Fabrics in Pincourt, Quebec talked to us about several of the Creative Grids rulers that she had brought along to the meeting. These included little rulers for Log Cabin and Pineapple blocks. Her well stocked pop up shop was a compelling and busy spot before the meeting and at the break.
Phyllis Moodie chatting with ADQG shoppers Wendy and Vickie
The Show and Tell quilts were very nicely displayed throughout the meeting, hung on a line along a wall. For Show and Tell time it was just a matter of turning our chairs around to see and hear about them. Here are a few of the quilts.
Show and Tell also featured a couple of fascinating 4 in 1 placemats. I didn't manage to capture them in a photo but they are reversible with 4 sides! Made like a 4 page book, they feature 4 different fabrics, have no batting, and when laid on a table are 4 layers of fabric. We were generously provided with the 4 in 1 Placemat Instructions. I invite the meeting attendees to consider giving this a try and then show it to our guild members. These placemats might be candidates for our Christmas placemat charity donations.
Break time featured yummy refreshments which their members sign up to bring. It was also a great time to check out the Mad Moody Quilting Fabrics pop up shop and for some social time. We were happy to catch up with former ADQG members Winnie and Chris G who now prefer day time guild meetings to avoid night driving, and Sue H who is a member of both guilds.
After the break we had the choice of watching one of 3 different demos by their guild members.
These included:
These included:
- Preparing borders and bindings for quilts going to longarm quilters
- The Super Star block that will the featured in the upcoming workshop.
- Different methods of machine stitched bindings.
I opted for the the latter which was ably given by our friend Chris Gordon. Here are a few photos of Chris' many samples that Martha took as the samples were passed around. And here are Chris' Notes that describe the methods she used, including faux piping and incorporating decorative stitches. Thank you Chris!
We were very grateful to have the opportunity to attend this very fun and interesting guild meeting. A big thank you from us to the members of the Quilt Guild of Renfrew and Area for such a fun afternoon.
ADQG members at the January 14th meeting
You can see photos and read about our previous visit in the March 2024 newsletter.
-- Janet Brownlee
-- Janet Brownlee
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CQA Activities
Photos of the award winning projects from Quilt Canada 2024 can be found here.
Click/tap on a photo for details about the maker and the project.
You can monitor the evolving plans for Quilt Canada 2025 here.
The Canadian Quilters' Association is very active on social media and you can follow along on Facebook or Instagram.
Dates are June 18-21 2025. More info on our website here.
Browse the CQA Events Calendar for information about quilting events across Canada by province, territory, or date.
Click/tap on a photo for details about the maker and the project.
You can monitor the evolving plans for Quilt Canada 2025 here.
The Canadian Quilters' Association is very active on social media and you can follow along on Facebook or Instagram.
Dates are June 18-21 2025. More info on our website here.
Browse the CQA Events Calendar for information about quilting events across Canada by province, territory, or date.
Are you interested in this bus trip to Quilt Canada next June?
Upcoming Quilt Shows
I try to track down any upcoming shows in Eastern Ontario, and when requested, I publish information about shows that are further afield.
Here's a list of the upcoming shows that I'm aware of.
Here's a list of the upcoming shows that I'm aware of.
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Location |
Dates |
Guild |
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Cornwall ON |
April 11-12 |
Cornwall Quilters Guild |
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Millbrook ON |
May 9-10 |
Millbrook Needlers Quilt Guild |
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Petawawa ON |
May 31- June 1 |
Pembroke Log Cabin Quilt Guild |
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Mississauga ON |
June 18-21 |
Canadian Quilters Association Quilt Canada |
See the Upcoming Quilt Shows page on our website for detailed information about the shows listed above.
Tips:
Tips:
- You can find the up-to-date quilt show information at any time on our web site More... --> Resources --> Upcoming Quilt Shows
- If you know of any upcoming local shows that are not listed on our web site, please let us know so we can share that information with all of our guild members. We are often asked by quilt guilds from both near and far to advertise their shows and we are always happy to do that.
- Browse the CQA Events Calendar for information about quilting events across Canada by province, territory, or date.
ADQG Leadership Team 2024-2025
Co-Presidents: Anne Cruickshank & Joyce Murray
Charity: Marilyn Erskine charity@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Treasurer: Sandy Beach treasurer@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Programs: Lucy Shorey programs@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Membership: Martha Palmer membership@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Library: Jacquie Lavictoire
Communications: Janet Brownlee arnpriorquilters@gmail.com
**** The Secretary position remains unfilled and we continue to look for a volunteer.
Key Volunteers
Photographer: Emma Russell
Social Media: Tina Matte
Raffle Ticket Sales: Liz Gray & Jan Smith
Programs team: Brenda Kellar, Sue Hodgins
Co-Presidents: Anne Cruickshank & Joyce Murray
Charity: Marilyn Erskine charity@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Treasurer: Sandy Beach treasurer@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Programs: Lucy Shorey programs@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Membership: Martha Palmer membership@arnpriordistrictquiltersguild.com
Library: Jacquie Lavictoire
Communications: Janet Brownlee arnpriorquilters@gmail.com
**** The Secretary position remains unfilled and we continue to look for a volunteer.
Key Volunteers
Photographer: Emma Russell
Social Media: Tina Matte
Raffle Ticket Sales: Liz Gray & Jan Smith
Programs team: Brenda Kellar, Sue Hodgins
Communications
Guild Facebook Group
Have you joined our guild members-only Facebook Group yet? If not you are missing out on all the fun. This is a great way to get to know your fellow guild members, to ask questions, learn a new block, a new tip or trick. Last year we saw some lovely photos of the Block of the Month quilts being assembled and finished off, and much more.
Thank you Tina for monitoring and facilitating the activity in this group to provide this wonderful guild initiative!
Hope to see you in our Facebook group soon. Click/tap here to join the group.
Thank you Tina for monitoring and facilitating the activity in this group to provide this wonderful guild initiative!
Hope to see you in our Facebook group soon. Click/tap here to join the group.
Advertisers
Thank you to our newsletter advertisers! Your support funds our Communications budget which includes the hosting of this web site. We are very grateful for this financial support. Our advertisers for this year are:
- Bytowne Threads
- Happy Wife Quilting in Carleton Place ON
- Lori's Quilting Shop in Kanata ON New Advertiser!!!
- Paisleys Quilt Shop near Carp ON
- Quilters Curve quilt shop in Combermere ON
- Sew Inspired quilt shop in Arnprior ON
- Watergirl Quilt Co quilt shop in Prescott ON
THANK YOU to Anne, Martha, Joyce, Sue, and Emma for their guild updates, photos, and other news this month.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
Our next meeting is on February 19 via Zoom