Arnprior & District Quilters' Guild Newsletter - November 2022
President's Message
November is quickly passing and I am still trying to wrap my head around Christmas gift giving quilting plans. We have been so fortunate to have a warm fall so far, but the clear cool days and nights are sure to arrive shortly. This season always allows me to spend more time in my happy place sewing away!
Our first Social Sew Day was held Thursday, November 17th in Fitzroy Harbour. Thanks to Gwen Pennings we had a great Xmas gift idea skill share presentation/demo of a journal cover for those who wanted to follow along. I hope you hear some good feedback from this event and plan to join us at our next one. If you have any ideas or small project that you could share with us at the next social day, let one of the executive know. We will be planning our next social sew day in the new year, watch for it in our activity calendar.
Making notebook covers - Gwen, Nancy, Vickie
Quilt Show - as you know preparation for the our quilt show is well underway. So please remember to keep any quilts till April that you possibly can, or borrow them back from their owner if you are able. It is important for us to have as many of our beautiful quilts that we can for a successful quilt show. If you are new to the guild you can show any quilts you have made. For members and returning members you are only able to enter quilts that have not been shown in a previous show before.
Good news! Our charity "Out of the Blues" raffle quilt is now on display at Sew Inspired, and tickets are sold there as well. Tickets and bookmarks are available at each meeting. Rennie, our treasurer, will be sitting next to the membership table to help you sign out books of raffle tickets. The expectation of the Show Planning Committee and the Executive is that each member could sell at least one to three books each to help our the sales. You can also hand in money with sold books and even sign out more.
If you are going to a retreat, or other event remember to pick up some bookmarks and tickets ahead of time to share them with your friends.
Hope to see you at the meeting, Wednesday, November 23rd.
This will be our Charity Night Workshop. Marilyn has it all planned so we can get most of our Charity drawstring gift bags and placemats completed by working together at the meeting! No worries, there will be plenty of time for socializing, library, show & tell and draws.
I will also be announcing a fun Christmas party activity for a gift exchange that shouldn't cost you anything! Sound interesting, stay tuned.
See you soon, and always try to do a little bit of what you love each day,
-- Vickie MacNabb, ADQG President
Good news! Our charity "Out of the Blues" raffle quilt is now on display at Sew Inspired, and tickets are sold there as well. Tickets and bookmarks are available at each meeting. Rennie, our treasurer, will be sitting next to the membership table to help you sign out books of raffle tickets. The expectation of the Show Planning Committee and the Executive is that each member could sell at least one to three books each to help our the sales. You can also hand in money with sold books and even sign out more.
If you are going to a retreat, or other event remember to pick up some bookmarks and tickets ahead of time to share them with your friends.
Hope to see you at the meeting, Wednesday, November 23rd.
This will be our Charity Night Workshop. Marilyn has it all planned so we can get most of our Charity drawstring gift bags and placemats completed by working together at the meeting! No worries, there will be plenty of time for socializing, library, show & tell and draws.
I will also be announcing a fun Christmas party activity for a gift exchange that shouldn't cost you anything! Sound interesting, stay tuned.
See you soon, and always try to do a little bit of what you love each day,
-- Vickie MacNabb, ADQG President
November Meeting
Covid-19
Ontario's current Covid-19 Public Health Measures and Advice can be found here. Guests We welcome guests to our meetings for a $5 guest fee. |
Charity Night Workshop
This meeting should be a productive and enjoyable evening. We’ll be ready with tables set out so all can participate in the comradeship of sewing, cutting and the finishing of Christmas drawstring gift bags and placemats. For this workshop, please bring any you may have at home, they will be given to our respective charities in the next week.
During this meeting, one of the tasks will be to cut battings for preemies and placemats. If you need any, this is the time to pick those up. There will also be Preemie and placemat backings to choose from. Lots of cutting!! Speaking of this cutting, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along your rotary cutter, a mat and ruler. We have people designated to bring those items but may need more. Thank you for that. See you on the 23rd.
-- Marilyn Erskine, Charity
This meeting should be a productive and enjoyable evening. We’ll be ready with tables set out so all can participate in the comradeship of sewing, cutting and the finishing of Christmas drawstring gift bags and placemats. For this workshop, please bring any you may have at home, they will be given to our respective charities in the next week.
During this meeting, one of the tasks will be to cut battings for preemies and placemats. If you need any, this is the time to pick those up. There will also be Preemie and placemat backings to choose from. Lots of cutting!! Speaking of this cutting, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along your rotary cutter, a mat and ruler. We have people designated to bring those items but may need more. Thank you for that. See you on the 23rd.
-- Marilyn Erskine, Charity
Program Notes
December meeting
We are looking for volunteers to help out with the Christmas Party. The party might be scaled down if we don't have members who will help lay out the potluck meal, and clean up the kitchen afterwards. If you and/or your friends can help with these tasks please let me know by email or sign up at the meeting.
Workshops
If you have any workshops or teachers in mind that you would really like to have this season, why don't you consider planning one workshop? We have the venue (if local teacher), you would just have to contact the teacher set up a coordinating date via zoom or in person(if local). Then relate this information to the executive via email, and show up to help out introduce the teacher at the event. If you would like to sign up to help with one, sign up at the meeting or let me know by email .
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A huge thanks to those of you who have volunteered to make our guild season great so far, keep up the good work! We hope that everyone can enjoy a beneficial time together by helping out wherever you possibly can. Remember it doesn't have to be a big task, but if we work together it becomes less onerous. -- Vickie MacNabb on behalf of the Executives |
Mystery Quilt and Challenge
We hope you will give the Mystery Quilt a try. It is a small project and is suitable for all levels of skill. The final set of instructions will be published in December, giving you plenty of time to finish the Quilt, and the associated challenge project, for the April, 2023 Quilt Show.
Challenge - Keep all the extra pieces from the Mystery Quilt to make something else - a table runner, table topper or wall hanging.
We would like to see the finished Mystery Quilts and Challenge Projects displayed at our April, 2023 Guild meeting.
Challenge - Keep all the extra pieces from the Mystery Quilt to make something else - a table runner, table topper or wall hanging.
We would like to see the finished Mystery Quilts and Challenge Projects displayed at our April, 2023 Guild meeting.
Block of the Month
October BOM blocks
From the feedback we have been getting from Guild members, it seems that a lot of you are participating in the Block of the Month. Hopefully you are learning some new techniques while making the blocks. As always, if you have any questions about techniques used in making the blocks, please send us an email, give us a call or speak to one of us at the meeting; we would be happy to help you out.The last set of instructions blocks will be posted in January. This will give you enough time to make a lap (or other size) quilt for the Guild Quilt Show in April, 2023. The quilts will be displayed at our April meeting where members will vote for their favourites and prizes will be awarded.
The two October blocks are pictured in two colour variations.
For anyone who doesn't have access to a computer, we will have printed instructions available each month for both the Mystery Quilt and the Block of the Month.
-- Emma Russell and Mary deVries, BOM & Mystery Quilt Coordinators 2022-2023
The two October blocks are pictured in two colour variations.
For anyone who doesn't have access to a computer, we will have printed instructions available each month for both the Mystery Quilt and the Block of the Month.
-- Emma Russell and Mary deVries, BOM & Mystery Quilt Coordinators 2022-2023
October Guild Meeting
We had a fun evening learning about 5 types of appliqué from 5 of our own very knowledgeable and talented guild members, and we finally wrapped up our last year's 2021-2022 Block of the Month program with a display of the quilts and voting for our favourite.
For more photos and more information see the October Meeting Blog post and the BOM Challenge Blog post.
We had a fun evening learning about 5 types of appliqué from 5 of our own very knowledgeable and talented guild members, and we finally wrapped up our last year's 2021-2022 Block of the Month program with a display of the quilts and voting for our favourite.
For more photos and more information see the October Meeting Blog post and the BOM Challenge Blog post.
Allison demonstrating her starch method
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Charity
The meeting on the 23rd of November should be a productive and enjoyable evening. We’ll be ready with tables set out so all can participate in the comradeship of sewing, cutting and the finishing of Christmas String Bags and placemats. For this workshop, please bring any you may have at home, they will be given to our respective charities in the next week.
During this meeting, one of the tasks will be to cut battings for preemies and placemats. If you need any, this is the time to pick those up. There will also be Preemie and placemat backings to choose from. Lots of cutting!! Speaking of this cutting, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along your rotary cutter, a mat and ruler. We have people designated to bring those items but may need more. Thank you for that. See you on the 23rd.
For information about making gift bags and placemats see the Charity page.
-- Marilyn Erskine, Charity
During this meeting, one of the tasks will be to cut battings for preemies and placemats. If you need any, this is the time to pick those up. There will also be Preemie and placemat backings to choose from. Lots of cutting!! Speaking of this cutting, it wouldn’t hurt to bring along your rotary cutter, a mat and ruler. We have people designated to bring those items but may need more. Thank you for that. See you on the 23rd.
For information about making gift bags and placemats see the Charity page.
-- Marilyn Erskine, Charity
Drawstring gift bags
Preemie quilts at the October meeting
Guild Projects for YOU!
My BOM Block 6
We have several interesting and fun individual projects this year, which are suitable for all skill levels.
After a late start on my Block of the Month blocks, I'm all caught up now and looking forward to 2 more patterns on Nov 23rd. My jelly roll quilt is still in the planning phase, and I'm saving the Mystery Quilt for a little later. All on track for the Quilt Show!
Our guild leadership group are hoping that all of our guild members will participate in one (or more, or all) of these guild projects this year.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications
- Block of the Month - Two blocks will be announced each month until January so you can complete your quilt in time for the quilt show
- Mystery Quilt - One set of instructions each month from September - December, and the mystery revealed in January
- Challenge - Using the scraps from your Mystery Quilt, make another small quilted item
- Jelly Roll Quilt - Make a twin sized quilt from 2 1/2" strips to donate to our Charity initiatives. Fabric kits are available.
After a late start on my Block of the Month blocks, I'm all caught up now and looking forward to 2 more patterns on Nov 23rd. My jelly roll quilt is still in the planning phase, and I'm saving the Mystery Quilt for a little later. All on track for the Quilt Show!
Our guild leadership group are hoping that all of our guild members will participate in one (or more, or all) of these guild projects this year.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications
CQA Guild Challenge
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We've added another project to the above list and it's the Canadian Quilters' Guild (CQA) Member Guild Challenge.
As a guild member of the CQA we are entitled to submit one entry from our guild to this challenge. The quilts from all of the guilds will be judged and displayed at Quilt Canada in Halifax June 8-10 2023. We hope that our guild will be represented there. Will YOU will take up this challenge? THE “SUN, SAND, AND SEA” CHALLENGE • Please choose fabric colours (plain or patterned) that include Yellow, Blue, and Sand (i.e. taupe, beige or even coral) on the front of the quilt. • The quilt perimeter is to be no larger than 72 inches. • Each quilt must be finished with either binding, facings, or enveloped pillow-case style. • There must be a hanging sleeve, at least 3 inches wide, for display purposes. • All quilts must have a label on the back with the quilt name and quilter’s name visible on it. • Each CQA/ACC Member Guild selects one winner only from their Guild’s membership, before April 30, 2023, for entry into this challenge. All details about this challenge are here. |
Note: The CQA offers additional Quilt challenges for individual quilters. Click/tap here for information about all of the Quilt Canada challenges.
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Library
What could be better than cooler days and our sewing machines ready to go!! Time is whooshing by, with Christmas nearly at our doorstep. So much to get done and, as much as every year I say I’ll be more prepared, I’m always behind my “schedule”. Maybe next year??
There’s still a moment or two, though, to look through our Library and find an interesting book with great ideas. “Jewel Box Quilt” by Eleanor Burns is one that has just been returned and with a very favourable review! I can see why as there are simple and complete instructions and the author offers different options for sizes and fabrics. As Eleanor says: “The Jewel Box is the perfect quilt to make from the ‘scraps of your life’. Stitch in a treasured piece of fabric from your grandmother, or your sister or your child!” I highly recommend this book whether you’re looking for a full-size quilt or a wall hanging. It will be in the “Special Quilts” section.
We will have our “Guess The Number of Pages” ready for you win and this month there is a little additional prize included!
See on the 23rd!
-- Nancy Hayley, Librarian
There’s still a moment or two, though, to look through our Library and find an interesting book with great ideas. “Jewel Box Quilt” by Eleanor Burns is one that has just been returned and with a very favourable review! I can see why as there are simple and complete instructions and the author offers different options for sizes and fabrics. As Eleanor says: “The Jewel Box is the perfect quilt to make from the ‘scraps of your life’. Stitch in a treasured piece of fabric from your grandmother, or your sister or your child!” I highly recommend this book whether you’re looking for a full-size quilt or a wall hanging. It will be in the “Special Quilts” section.
We will have our “Guess The Number of Pages” ready for you win and this month there is a little additional prize included!
See on the 23rd!
-- Nancy Hayley, Librarian
Tip: If you're wondering if a particular book is in our guild library collection, use this web site's Search to look for the book name or author, or any other text that's in the new Library Catalog document.
Membership
We are enjoying the time to be together again and at the October meeting 33 members attended as well as 1 guest.
We will have the membership lists ONLY for those members who have agreed to share their contact information printed and available at the upcoming November meeting to share with members. These lists will not be emailed out to the members due to security reasons.
-- Martha Palmer, Membership
We will have the membership lists ONLY for those members who have agreed to share their contact information printed and available at the upcoming November meeting to share with members. These lists will not be emailed out to the members due to security reasons.
-- Martha Palmer, Membership
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Tips (and more) from Gwen
Rulers, Rulers
How many of you have rulers in your drawers or on the racks that you never use or rarely do?
Would you consider donating them to the library so others could use them and we could start a ruler lending addition to our library?
I have checked and other guilds do this. We attend quilt shows and watch the demos, buy the rulers, some are used once, never or all the time. If we share, we may find out that we would enjoy having a particular ruler in our tools and order one from your favourite store.
Rulers would only be lent out for a month at a time.
If you find rulers (with any instructions included that would be helpful) that you would like to donate, please bring them to the December meeting and we will have them ready to lend out at the next in-house meeting. It is up to the members, if this idea works!
How many of you have rulers in your drawers or on the racks that you never use or rarely do?
Would you consider donating them to the library so others could use them and we could start a ruler lending addition to our library?
I have checked and other guilds do this. We attend quilt shows and watch the demos, buy the rulers, some are used once, never or all the time. If we share, we may find out that we would enjoy having a particular ruler in our tools and order one from your favourite store.
Rulers would only be lent out for a month at a time.
If you find rulers (with any instructions included that would be helpful) that you would like to donate, please bring them to the December meeting and we will have them ready to lend out at the next in-house meeting. It is up to the members, if this idea works!
Free Motion Tip
Suggestion of places to practice your free motion: I have made many Christmas wall hangings over the years, as I am sure you have in your boxes. They were quilted with Quilt in the Ditch. Nothing wrong with that but as I looked around for something to practice my free motion on, I decided to work on these wall hanging. See before and after. Maybe you want to try something like this.
Suggestion of places to practice your free motion: I have made many Christmas wall hangings over the years, as I am sure you have in your boxes. They were quilted with Quilt in the Ditch. Nothing wrong with that but as I looked around for something to practice my free motion on, I decided to work on these wall hanging. See before and after. Maybe you want to try something like this.
Before
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After
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Walking Foot Tip
We all use masking tape to quilt in a straight line. Frog tape is available to use as painter's tape and works well to quilt a different pattern. It comes in different patterns. Sue Cleveland introduced me to Frog tape. I used it here on a preemie quilt, which will be on the charity table at the meeting.
Sue Cleveland web site
We all use masking tape to quilt in a straight line. Frog tape is available to use as painter's tape and works well to quilt a different pattern. It comes in different patterns. Sue Cleveland introduced me to Frog tape. I used it here on a preemie quilt, which will be on the charity table at the meeting.
Sue Cleveland web site
Try one or both these tips this month!
-- Gwen Pennnings
-- Gwen Pennnings
Fun Quiz!
The National Quilter's Circle is offering a quiz: Which Quilt Pattern are You?
Take this quiz to find out which quilt pattern matches your personality and download your free pattern at the end! There's also a link for more free patterns.
Click here to start the quiz.
Thank you Vickie for this great suggestion.
I just did the quiz and I was given this lovely Country Star pattern.
-- Janet
Take this quiz to find out which quilt pattern matches your personality and download your free pattern at the end! There's also a link for more free patterns.
Click here to start the quiz.
Thank you Vickie for this great suggestion.
I just did the quiz and I was given this lovely Country Star pattern.
-- Janet
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Quilt Shows
In person quilt shows have started again!!!
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. See our Upcoming Quilt Shows page for more detailed information for each of these 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. See our Upcoming Quilt Shows page for more detailed information for each of these shows.
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Location |
Dates |
Guild |
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Lowell MA |
January 17 – May 9 2023 |
CQA at the New England Quilt Museum |
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Arnprior ON |
April 29-30 |
Our own Arnprior & District Quilters’ Guild |
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Kingston ON |
June 2-4 |
Limestone Quilters' Guild /Kingston Heirloom Quilters |
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Halifax NS |
June 8-10 |
Quilt Canada by Canadian Quilters Association |
Tips:
- You can find the up-to-date quilt show information from anywhere 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
- Browse the CQA Events Calendar for information about quilting events across Canada by province, territory, or date.
-- Janet Brownlee, 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 Charity Pick Up Sticks quilts being assembled and finished off, Blocks of the month, completed mini-maker cases from a workshop, and much more.
Tina is doing a fantastic job of monitoring and facilitating the activity in this group. Thank you Tina for this wonderful guild initiative!
Hope to see you there soon. Click/tap here to join the group now.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications
Tina is doing a fantastic job of monitoring and facilitating the activity in this group. Thank you Tina for this wonderful guild initiative!
Hope to see you there soon. Click/tap here to join the group now.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications
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:
To our guild members, please support our advertisers. To access a vendor's web site you can click/tap on any of their advertisements in this newsletter or on the links above. Our advertisers are also listed on the Links page.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
- Auntie Em's Scrapbooking & Quilting in Cornwall ON
- Bytowne Threads
- Paisleys Quilt Shop near Carp ON
- Quilters Curve quilt shop in Combermere ON
- Textile Traditions fabric shop in Almonte ON
- Sew Inspired quilt shop in Arnprior ON
- Watergirl Quilt Co quilt shop in Prescott ON
To our guild members, please support our advertisers. To access a vendor's web site you can click/tap on any of their advertisements in this newsletter or on the links above. Our advertisers are also listed on the Links page.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
THANK YOU to Gwen, Marilyn, Nancy, Martha, and Vickie for their guild updates and other news this month.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
I am still not so patiently waiting to restore our guild web site to its usual look-and -feel once a glitch in the underlying technology is repaired.
-- Janet Brownlee, Communications & Newsletter Editor
I am still not so patiently waiting to restore our guild web site to its usual look-and -feel once a glitch in the underlying technology is repaired.
Our next meeting is on December 14th