|
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER President's Message Hello fellow quilters, Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love getting back into the swing of things and hoping for cool crisp weather, I know, I'll have to wait for that. We have an exciting year planned. Of course there is the quilt show which needs the support of every member to make it a success. There are opportunities for each of you to contribute . Please sign up to help in one of many ways. Working together is spirit building as well as getting to know others in the guild. For the last show I helped set up the boutique and got to see all the great items that had been made, and went shopping there at the first opportunity I had hoping to buy my favorite items. Before the show I helped with the judging and learned a great deal about the art of judging and the things to be careful of when submitting quilt in a show. I also spent time each day at the ticket table and got to see and greet the people who came, including the lady who didn't want to pay because she was just looking at the quilts! Soon after that is the holiday dinner which is being planned as we speak. Then after the first of the year is the winter retreat and Sandi has lots of fun ideas and ways for you to spend your time while at Dayspring. Details will be forthcoming at the September meeting. We are going to have some interesting speakers to look forward to at the meetings and classes are being scheduled . One new thing we are going to do is to have the show and tell quilts displayed at the back of the room so that members can see them up close before the meeting. In the next few months our web site will have some improvements so stay tuned for that.See you at the meeting , Gayle Rudacille.......................................................................................................................................... Birthday GirlsJenny Bruggerman Sept. 21 Janelle Gallaher Sept. 25 Cathy Higginbotham Sept. 28 Shelley Harrell Sept. 17 Karen Housel Sept. 24 Helen Keen Sept. 5 Cathy Rebhun Sept. 4 Gayle Rudacille Sept. 30 ....................................................................... Is This You????? Someone bought the BIRD pattern from the Blissful series at "Sew Worth It" in Sarasota during our last retreat at Dayspring. The designer has since come to the store and told them there is a cutting mistake in the pattern. The pattern was displayed near the cash register and looked like a Pennsylvania Dutch Pattern. If this is you, please contact the store. Quilting Tips To stabilize your finished quilt top prior to quilting , stitch a scant ¼" around the edge of the quilt top. To dispose of old or broken pins and needles safely, put them in old prescription bottles or use the plastic gum containers such as "eclipse" brand. ..................................................................... Thank You!! I sincerely want to thank all the guild members for the beautiful inscribed Gingher scissors given to me at the Upcoming Workshops October 30, 2010 - "Piccadilly" with Claudia Ingram & Nancy Mitchell Cost is $15.00 and you can sign up at the Sept. 13 meeting with Beverly Higgins, Workshop Chairperson. ....................................................................... Sunshine News from Aveline Kennedy All members are to bring Sunshine blocks for Cindy Parker to the Sept. 13 meeting. Please let Aveline know if a member needs Sunshine, Farewell, or Sympathy blocks. ...................................................... Things to Bring to Guild Sept. 13 - Membership renewal check $25. - Sunshine block for Cindy Parker - Retreat Deposit check $50. - Workshop sign up check $15. - "Secret Sister" sign up form - Show & Tell - Your Printed Pages from the Website for the Sept. Program on Batting. Please look at the website under Monthly Meetings/Programs and you will find the pages to open and print which you are to bring to the meeting Sept. 13 .................................................................................................................................. Favorite Blog and Websites Let me know if you have a favorite and want to share it. Here's a couple to check out. Carrie Nelson visited us last February and did classes and a program for us. She also has a blog at http://lavieenrosie.typepad.com Some of our members are big fans of Bonnie Hunter. She will visit us in June, 2011 and will have classes and a program with us. Check out her website at www.quiltville.com
................................................................................................................................... Save the Dates!! Retreats for 2011 will be held on January 13 -16 and August 11 - 14. At the September meeting Sandi Pratt, Retreat Chairperson, will begin collecting the $50. Deposits for the January 13-16 retreat at Dayspring. The semi-private rooms in a cabin are $90./per night. The dormitory is $60./per night. Each dormitory can hold up to 8 persons. We will be in the newer large facility located near the dorms. You may stay 3 nights-4 days arriving on Thursday leaving on Sunday, or stay 2 nights-3 days arriving on Friday and leaving on Sunday.Please see Sandi at the meeting for more information. .................................................................... Saturday Sew - Sept. 18 Please come join us from 9-3 in the Social Hall at the church and help us make things for the Quilt Show Boutique. This month we will be making Santa Paint Brushes, and Walker Caddies. You will need to bring the usual sewing supplies and small pieces of Christmas Fabric. We will have fabric & batting for the Walker Caddies. We have a lot of fun so come play with us. Judy & Jayne ................................................................................................................................... Getting to Know You!Our new guild president, Gayle Rudacille, was born in Virginia and lived there until she got married except for 2 years when her family lived in Ohio. She has lived in Florida for a total of about 40 years, but says she is still a Virginian. She has a daughter who lives in McKinney, Texas with her husband and a son and a daughter. She also has a son who lives in Brandon with his wife and their 2 boys. Gayle loves to read but says quilting takes up most of her time. Her sewing began at the age of 13 when she started making some of her own clothes, and she was introduced to quilting by a friend who showed her a cross stitched quilt that she had made. Gayle made one also, and then started a cathedral windows quilt which was to be a queen size bed quilt. It has not been finished but Gayle says it makes a nice but heavy tree skirt. Her next project was a queen size storm at sea which was made before rotary cutters. She has been quilting ever since and likes all kinds of quilts but her favorites are hand appliqué, elegant or folk art types. ................................................................................................................................... QUILT SHOW INFORMATION Small Quilt Auction Info Hello Everyone!
Boutique Buzz
Be sure to bring your items for the boutique so you can get tickets entered into the "Bountiful Boutique Bucket" as we will be having a drawing Sept. 13. We are now accepting quilt books & magazines to sell, and would also like to have leftover blocks, unfinished quilt tops, etc. to sell also. We will be needing "worker bees" to help set up and work during the show so be thinking about that also.
August Newsletter
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE See you at guild, Judy
GUILD NEWS As the guild has not yet selected our donation recipient for this year, we will have a vote at the August meeting. The amount budgeted is $500. And the board has 4 recommendations for the recipient. Please take some time to read up of these recommendations. They are as follows: WORKSHOPS BOUTIQUE BUZZ SATURDAY SEW
July Newsletter
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FOR JULY At our last meeting, Corky Arkovich who is our Community Projects Chairman, said that Brandon Hospital was in dire need of 24” square quilts for their NICU(ICU for newborns with problems or born early). She also reported that a lot of our members have not yet turned in a charitable quilt for this year which is something that we ask of all our members. So I am issuing a challenge to ALL our members to make and bring to the July and August guild meetings, as many 24” square baby type quilts that we possible can make!! One of my Bee groups has been busy making some and they are so cute, and are so quick to make that you really can make a couple in a day. So please support our guild and the Brandon NICU and get busy! While I’m taking about Charity quilts, please also remember to finish your quilts. In the past we did accept some quilt tops only that were completed by some of our members, but we cannot and should not expect the Community Projects Chairman or others to finish our donation quilt. So please turn in only quilted and bound quilts for your charity quilt unless the chairperson tells you otherwise. So again, my challenge to the guild is to make 24” square quilts for the Brandon NICU and bring them to the July and August meetings and let’s see how many we can finish in a month!! It’ll be a lot of fun and rewarding too. See you at guild, Judy QUILT COMMITTEE UPDATE The Quilt Show Committee are asking that we decide on what charitable organization is the recipient of the monies from the Red, White, & Blue Quilt Auction, and the small quilt auction. Suggested organizations so far have been The Wounded Warriors Foundation, and the Athena Program, which is a program for homeless female veterans and Tampa. Please learn about these organizations so that we can decide at our July meeting. Web site for Athena Program is www.tampacrossroads.com, and for the Wounded Warriors it’s www.woundedwarriorproject.org. If you have other suggestions, please bring information to share with our members. The Quilt Show Committee also are planning 6 Themed Raffle Baskets and will gladly accept donations for these baskets. They will be providing us with the Themes and offer suggestions for the baskets. If you have items that didn’t sell at the guild rummage sale last month and still want to clean them out of your sewing room, the item just may work in one of the Raffle Baskets so talk to the Committee. Help is needed by the Publicity Committee to take Quilt Show Flyers to local quilt shops and talk to quilt shop owners about giving our our flyers. It is extremely important to get out information on our quilt show, so be ready to help in this manner. We need everyone’s help!!
BOUTIQUE BUZZ This month at Saturday Sew we will be working on pet items - catnip toys, cat pin cushions, pet scarves, etc. WE NEED SEWERS!! We have fabric for projects but if you have cute cat/dog fabric and want to do use it, that’s great too. Also, suggestions for pet items to make would be helpful. We will only have 3 more Saturday Sews and if you have not made anything yet for the Boutique, it’s getting closer, so come out and sew with us and help make this Boutique as successful as the last one! Remember, it’s a big money raiser for us!
ALL SPRUCED UP CLASS – AUGUST 30 There’s still room in the “All Spruced Class” by Shari Gillis on Monday, August 30. Shari is a certified instructor in the “Square in a Square” technique which is very accurate and easy too, and the class for us is only $15. You will need to have the ruler but Shari will have them to sell at the class. Sign up with Cindy Bailey at our meeting and you will be given the supply list. You will be sorry if you miss out on this class!!
If you are going to attend our August retreat on August 5th through August 8th, please remember that our official time to start on Thursday is 3:00 p.m. (or Friday at 3:00 p.m. if you are only staying 2 nights), but you can come as early as 8:00 a.m. for the additional $10.00 pavilion fee (many of you have already paid this). On the first day you arrive, your first meal will be dinner, but there are many places to eat nearby for lunch or you can bring your own. I have also called all the quilt shops in the area and will pass out a sheet with any specials or discounts they may be offering as well as directions to each shop. Remember to bring your guild membership card, as many shops require this to get your discount. Please call Shelly Harrell at 651-1978 if you have any questions. Things to remember for Retreat: Cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter If 2 or 3 people have a large cutting mat to share, it would be appreciated. Irons, ironing boards, large cutting tables and extension cords are supplied by DaySpring (individual irons cannot be used due to them blowing fuses) We will have special tables for you to bring any quilting books, patterns, ufos, etc. that you would like to sell or give away. If you wish to sell the item, please mark it with your name and the price you want to sell it for. Directions: Go south on I-75. Take Exit 224 (US-301, Ellenton, Palmetto). Turn left onto US-301. Proceed for about 2 miles and turn right onto 80th Ave. (BP gas station on that corner). Turn left onto 25th St. East, and then turn right into DaySpring Conference Center. There will be signs directing you to our building (Pavilion A). Please note that this is not the pavilion we are usually in. This is the smaller pavilion which is across the road from the dining room
June Newsletter
President’s Message We have just over 5 months to our quilt show and if you want to make a special quilt to put in the show, it’s time to get started. I definitely have to pick up the pace on a quilt I hope to finish in time for the show. I’m also getting more excited about the show as I see plans coming together. As we get closer, the Quilt Show Committee will be asking for members to sign up for committees to help with various aspects of the show. It really does “take a village” to put on a quilt show, and while it is a lot of hard work, it’s also a lot of fun. It’s one more way to enjoy the fellowship of other guild members and maybe get to know someone new. I understand that I missed a great salad supper at last month’s meeting, and that the food was even better than usual. Congratulations to Cathy Rebhun on winning the Opportunity Quilt drawing – I was hoping she would gift it to me but she already has it hanging in her house so I guess that won’t be happening. I had a great time in France, bought just a little fabric, but came home sick. Oh well, the trip was worth it! See you at guild, Judy Hope everyone is planning their summer vacations and also planning their quilts for the upcoming Quilt Show. November is right around the corner so don’t delay – quilt away! Which reminds me, as a longarmer, I think I speak for all longarmers in the guild when I say November is RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. Please contact us NOW to hold a spot on our calendars for your quilt show quilt. Many of us already are working on quilts for the show, and if you want your quilt to be machine quilted by one of us, please let us know soon. Quilt Show Silent Auction –We will be holding a small quilt auction at our 2010 Quilt Show just like we did at the last show. It was a great success and people really look forward to them (I know I do). As before, all proceeds will be donated to charity. It would be wonderful to have a large selection of small quilts for our eager bidders to choose from. Therefore, I am asking everyone in our guild to consider donating an item or two to the auction. It is a great way to stretch your creative wings; you can try a new block, practice a technique or test a different color range without committing huge amounts of time to a large piece. It is also a great way to find a home for a stray block or UFO. Finish them off and we will send them out the door with a happy auction winner! Please make your small quilt at least 10 x 10 but there is no upper size limit or shape restriction. If you want to donate a queen size quilt we will be happy to take it. Please keep the small quilt action in mind as you plan our your next project or sort UFO’s and remember that the proceeds of your efforts will go to a worthy cause. If you have any questions or would like to help with the auction, please contact Michele Soptei at home 813-655-1615 or at work 813-248-1978 (ext 0). (Email is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) Rummage Sale – Don’t forget June’s meeting will be a guild rummage sale, so bring your donated items to the Social Hall before the meeting and make sure to price and mark the items. Any large donated items will be auctioned off at the meeting. Please contact Claudia Ingram if you are interested in renting a table for $10 or half a table for $5.
Things to bring to the meeting: Farewell blocks for Claudine Hampton, and Michelle Forsyth Retreat Payment Class payment "All Spruced Up" using a "Square in a Square" technique with Shari Gillis on Aug. 30 Items for Rummage Sale Items for the Boutique Library Books
See You Next Week - Cheryl Irvin
Proposed Slate of Officers/Committee Chairs for 2010-2011
Voting Positions/Elected President Gayle Rudacille VP Jane Beck Secretary Cindy Petersen Treasurer Debbie Williams Parliamentarian Nancy Mitchell Membership Andrea Wolper Newsletter Judy DePaul Workshops Beverly Higgins Board of Directors Judy DePaul Claudia Ingram Candace Klein Carol Menard
Non-Voting Positions/Appointed Bus Trips Jayne Torres Challenge Quilt Committee Catherine Fulton/Diane Forrest Community Projects Pat Dunlap Concierge Janelle Gallaher Historian Jenny Bruggerman Hospitality Turkey Creek First Baptist Posse Librarian Jan Cole Monthly Raffle Lucy Chiacchia Opportunity Quilt Committee Chair Kathy Coryn Quarterly Block Dani Sawtelle Retreat Committee Chair Sandi Pratt Sunshine Avaline Kennedy Webmaster Kim Brewer
May Newsletter President' Message for May
This month will be the salad supper and the Challenge Quilt Reveal. Since I entered this year, I got to go to the Challenge Quilt Tea and preview the quilts. You will be amazed at the wide spectrum of design, and impressed by the talent and skill demonstrated! I was not only impressed by the quilts though but also the Challenge Quilt co-chairs Catherine Fulton and Diana Forrest. They did a superb job putting together this challenge and the tea. Great food, beautiful presentation, and all the little details that they did themselves were truly wonderful. Kudos also to Mary Ann Metz, who helped with the tea. Thanks ladies, you are a great team! I will be with you in spirit this month but will actually be cruising down the Rhone in France. So if I win the Opportunity quilt drawing, someone will have to babysit the quilt till I get home. If I could just be that lucky. Anyway, I’ll see you all at the June Meeting when we have the rummage sale. Au revoir, Judy
Hello everyone…I feel like we skipped spring and headed straight into summer. I want to apologize for not posting the newsletter sooner. Did you know cats teeth are strong enough to bite into a computer router and interrupt the wonderful electronic waves they send? Well I have proof if you need to see it. I hope Judy is enjoying her vacation, she left me some notes to cover. Claudine Hampton and Michelle Forsyth will be leaving our guild so if you would like to contribute a Farewell block, please bring it to this meeting or the next and we will see they receive them. Our next Saturday Sew is scheduled for May 15th. We will be making notecards. Please plan on joining us. Reminder this month’s meeting is the May Salad Supper which starts at 6:30 pm and is held in the Gym. Please bring a salad to share and arrive a bit early so we can start on time. Kim Brewer is looking for some volunteers to help her. Our June Yard Sale is coming together, and there are still tables available for rent. Claudia Ingram will be collecting money and taking reservations. Full tables rent for $10 while half will be $5.
We still have 13 openings for our summer retreat at the DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center in Ellenton, Florida on Thursday, August 5th through Sunday, August 8th. You can stay either in a dormitory which sleeps 8 for $60 per night or a cabin which sleeps 2 for $90 per night. The total amount needs to be paid by the July meeting. If you have questions, you can contact Shelly Harrell at 651-1978.
Corky Arkovich asked me to add the following. Wounded Warriors and Athena House are two charities that have been considered for our Charity Quilt project. Their links are listed below. I also want to mention quilts are being made for "The Kids' Place" and Brandon Hospital NICU (neonatal care unit), "Joshua House" and Hillsborough County Sherriff's Department substation on Bell Shoals, south of Bloomingdale. Approx. sizes of the lap quilts are hno less than 36 " x 36". Lap quilts that are 42" x 42", or 60" x the width of fabric are also very welcome. For the Brandon NICU, blankets of 24" x 24" are the requirement. http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org http://www.tampacrossroads.com/default.asp?url=programs/athena.htm
Don’t forget to bring: Salad to Share - Farewell Blocks - Money for Summer Retreat – Library Books Cheryl Irvin
April Newsletter PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – APRIL, 2010
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed some great meals and family. Spring is finally here and that means spring cleaning...of your sewing room of course! Now is the time to gather items to sell at the June Yard Sale. Hope you have taken advantage of the extra month to complete your Challenge Quilt. They are due at the April meeting. In the meantime, read on about the egg-citing events going on with our guild! Cheryl Irvin
President’s Message for March Its turning March so let’s hope that we return to our normal nice spring Florida weather and put the cold behind us. I know that some of you are venturing north to the AQS show in Lancaster, PA later in March and you will encounter some colder weather there. Just be sure to only bring back fabric, patterns, pictures of quilts and fond memories but please leave the cold weather up there! Speaking of quilt shows, our own quilt show committee will be having more info for us in the coming months and soon we will be signing up for the various committees. Please remember that this is a guild effort and we need everyone’s input and help both in preparation, participation, set-up and take-down. There will be a meeting at 5:30 before the March general meeting for advertising for the quilt show. We all know that this is such an important area so please come offer your ideas and assistance! Jayne and I have other projects planned for future Saturday Sews – we are NOT just having bags so check out the list on the website. Remember to check out the upcoming workshops that Cindy has planned, and the Mystery Bus Trip will be fun too!! Speaking of checking out things, have you looked at Carrie Nelson’s “Miss Rosie’s” web site? She also blogs on her site and mentioned being at our guild last month. Does that make us famous or infamous? See you at guild, Judy Well it has been a very busy winter and there is much more planned to keep us busy till spring arrives. Our March program will be the Singing Quilter. The Quilt Show Advertising committee will be holding a meeting at 5:30 pm just prior to our general meeting on March 8th. Anyone interested in helping is invited. Kathy Coryn will be assisting us in making aprons at the March Saturday Sew (date here). You are welcome to bring your own pattern if you like, or Kathy has patterns listed and fabric information on the Saturday Sew section of the website. March 20th is the Machine Quilting Class with Cindye Baily. I took the wool class this past Friday with Donna from Quilts on Plum Lane. It was wonderful and we had a great turnout! Thanks Cindy for all your hard work in planning it. Hopefully there will be many finished candle mats for Show and Tell.
FABRIC, FOOD, FUN ON THE PRESIDENT’S MYSTERY BUS TRIP….Join President Judy DePaul on April 10th as she takes you on a fun day with fellow quilters. The cost is $27.00. The bus departs the K-Mart Shopping Center on SR 60 & Lakewood Road at 7 a.m. and will return about 7 p.m. You may also signup a non-guild member buddy. Box lunch or bag…this year you may order a box lunch for an additional $10 which must be paid in cash at the March meeting. The menu includes a choice of 3 sandwiches and 2 salad entrees. Check at the Bus Trip table for more information. BOUTIQUE BUZZ - We have new projects planned for “Saturday Sews” for the next couple of months so look at the list under Saturday Sew on the website. This month on Saturday, March 13 we will be sewing aprons with Kathy Coryn. Kathy has patterns that we may use or you are welcome to bring your own pattern and fabric. We will have some fabric available for you for the boutique aprons. Remember that when you come sew for the boutique, you make one (or more) items for the boutique, get a ticket in the bucket for each item, and then you have the pattern to make your own if you wish. It’s a win-win for all! We are open for suggestions and encourage you to “do your own thing” for boutique items also. Turn in your completed items at the entrance table and get your tickets in the bucket for the next drawing in April. In case you missed it, last month Audrey Gantous won some longarm quilting from Carol Ethington, and previous winners have been Sarah Nelson - longarm quilting from Joanna Smyth, and Jackie Waters won a free President’s Mystery Bus Trip. What will YOU win?? Don’t forget *** Challenge Quilts*** are now due at the APRIL meeting.
Cheryl Irvin
February Newsletter PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I want to thank all of you who responded to our recent email regarding changing the dates for our November 2010 guild show. When the original quilt show dates were chosen we were not aware of the other local quilt show, or that it was the same time as Houston Quiltfest. One might think that the Houston show wouldn’t have major impact on our show, but we found that some quilt stores stay after market for the quilt show. Those of you that responded to our email agreed that it seemed best to change the date so that we can secure vendors for our quilt show. After all, we like to see the quilts but also like to shop. The board felt that we could not wait to discuss changing our dates at our next guild meeting as the advertising committee had planned on advertising at an area quilt show the week-end prior to our meeting. I think we all agree that advertising is essential to our show and some of you have offered good suggestions. I hope that you will talk with the quilt show advertising committee and give your help and time. I know it would be appreciated! So we will move our quilt show to November 19 and 20. These dates were chosen after taking into account the holiday seasons, the arrival of “snowbirds” which we hope will come to our show, and the availability of the judge for the show, and the dates of other local quilt shows. I can tell you that Jayne Torres, our Vendor Chairperson, has already been spreading the word of our date change and has verbal agreement from several vendors now. So now we need to work together to make this show a success. We need EVERYONE to help on a committee, enter your quilts, make items for the boutique, and offer positive support for the show committee and chairpersons. See you at guild, Judy BOUTIQUE BUZZ The Saturday Sew project for February will be purses with Cindy Petersen. We need sewers!! We will supply most of the fabric (velvets & “fancy” fabrics). We will have samples to show you at the guild meeting and are looking for lining fabrics. We are also hoping for donations of fusible fleece in ½ - 1 yd. pieces. Some of you have asked for suggestions of what you can make for the boutique. This month at the meeting we will have some kits and patterns for you to take home, complete, and return the following month to get your ticket for the “Bountiful Boutique Bucket” drawing. See Jayne and helpers at the entrance tables for the kits and patterns, and to turn in your completed items for the boutique. Get your items in before the meeting if possible - WE WILL HAVE A DRAWING THIS MONTH FROM THE “BOUNTIFUL BOUTIQUE BUCKET” for another wonderful prize!! If you want to make something on your own but need suggestions, here are some ideas. Seasonal Items for Fall and Christmas: Children Items: Sewing/Quilting Items: Personal Items: We also encourage you to “Slash Your Stash” and can donate your orphan blocks, or orphan quilt tops. Start saving your magazines and books that you no longer want and we will collect those at a later date. Check the web site for future Saturday Sew projects – coming soon!! Thanks for your help, Judy & Jayne President Judy DePaul cordially invites you to participate in her Mystery Bus Trip! Date: Saturday April 10th Departure: 7:00 a.m. Departure Location: SR 60 & Lakewood (K Mart) Arrival Back In Brandon: Approx. 7:00 p.m. Bus Transportation Cost: $27.00 Reservations with payment at our February meeting. See Bus Coordinator Jayne Torres On February 9th, Miss Rosie will be teaching her quilt pattern “Storyteller”. The cost is $35 plus the pattern. Miss Rosie will be our February guest speaker. On February 26th, Donna Lillibridge, owner of Quilts on Plum Lane (Dade City) will be teaching a small wool applique project (from a kit that will be provided by Donna). This is a great opportunity to learn new techniques with wool without great expense. The cost is $35 plus the kit (price to be determined). April 24th Leslie Hickland will be teaching a beginner needle turn appliqué workshop. Please see the website for more information on these wonderful classes.
January Newsletter
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Happy New Year to you all!! The time really went quickly this past year and I’ve made my usual resolutions for the New Year and have already started on them. I’m sorting through my quilting supplies and reorganizing – just hope I can remember the new system. I’ve started a pile of patterns and supplies that I will donate to the guild “garage sale” which we will have in June, so keep that in mind if you are also going thru your stuff. Old magazines will be collected later this year for the quilt show also. Speaking of the quilt show now is the time to get working on quilts to enter in the show. We have many talented quilters in our guild and I hope that all of you, whether beginner or experienced quilter , will enter quilts as it is not only a great learning experience for yourself, but also raises awareness of quilting in our community. Claudia and Cindy have many wonderful programs and workshops planned for us this year, and later this month we will have our winter retreat. Sadly I will be missing it this time but it will be for a good reason – a new grandson is scheduled for delivery on January 22 and I need to get his quilt finished. I’d like to extend a special invitation to new members of our guild. Please try to come to a Saturday Sew, or a workshop, or retreat as it is much easier to meet and talk with other members than at the monthly meeting. We’d like to get to know our new members and want you to feel welcome and included. Don’t forget that we moved January’s Saturday Sew to the 9th, which is the week-end before our next meeting. Hope to see you there and also as guild, Judy I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday. We will be kicking off the 2010 year with a terrific guest in January. Cindye Baily of Sarasota will be joining us for the January program. Cindye works magic on quilts with both her Gammill and regular sewing machine. (I’ve asked her many times if I can borrow some of that pixie dust she must use and she has never shared.) I know everyone will enjoy seeing her work. She will be selling some hard to find items after the program so be sure to come prepared to shop. Don’t forget we will be meeting in the Chapel. Congrats to Kim Brewer for doing a fantastic job for the December dinner. It was delicious and I know everyone appreciated her hard work. Speaking of hard work and appreciation, the Sheriff’s Department was thrilled to collect 127 stuffed stockings from our guild. Thanks to Audrey Gantous for her commitment to this program. What are you doing next Saturday? Well we hope you will join us for the Saturday Sew. The date has been changed to January 9th. Please see the website for additional details and supply lists. It is difficult to spend much time at the meetings getting to know our members, and this is a great laid back time to do just that. Hope to see you there! Judy
The Quilt Show Boutique Committee will again be collecting your donations before our meeting and you'll want to get your ticket in the "Bountiful Boutique Bucket" as we will be drawing another winning ticket for a wonderful prize! Shelly Harrell has asked me to add some information regarding the upcoming retreat. The January retreat will be held on January 21st through January 24th. Our official time to start on Thursday is 3:00 p.m. (or Friday at 3:00 p.m. if you are only staying 2 nights), but you can come as early as 8:00 a.m. for an additional $10.00 fee (many of you have already paid this). Our first meal will be dinner, but there are many places to eat nearby for lunch your first day. I have also called all the quilt shops in the area and will pass out a sheet with any specials or discounts they may be offering as well as directions to each shop. Remember to bring your guild membership card, as many shops require this to get your discount. Please call Shelly Harrell at 651-1978 if you have any questions. Things to remember for Retreat: Cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter If 2 or 3 people have a large cutting mat to share, it would be appreciated. Irons, ironing boards, large cutting tables and extension cords are supplied by DaySpring (individual irons cannot be used due to them blowing fuses) We will have special tables for you to bring any quilting book, pattern, ufo, etc. that you would like to sell or give away. If you wish to sell the item, please mark it with your name and the price you want to sell it for. Directions: Go south on I-75. Take Exit 224 (US-301, Ellenton, Palmetto). Turn left onto US-301. Proceed for about 2 miles and turn right onto Wellon Ranch Rd. Turn left onto 25th St. East, and then turn right into DaySpring Conference Center. There will be signs directing you to our building. Looking forward to seeing you on the 11th! Cheryl Irvin
December Newsletter Well according to my Facebook Christmas Calendar – there are 13 days, 17 hours and 22 minutes till Christmas. OK, I admit I thought I had everything under control about a month ago…and then suddenly, somehow, Christmas has snuck up on me. Does this sound familiar? Well I hope you are preparing for the holidays and can still find time to finish some of those quilt projects/gifts that need to find their way to the finished pile. Last month, the Nametag Police were once again spotted, and wrote citations for a few of our members. Wearing your nametag is a great way to get to know our members better. Also, concerning the November meeting, a vote was taken for the permanent meeting location of our guild, and the Chapel has won. So from now on, we will be meeting in the Chapel…well except for this month. The December holiday dinner (and May Salad supper) will still be held in the gymnasium. At last count, there were 83 tickets sold for the dinner. (You must have pre-purchased a $10 ticket for the dinner to attend.) Note that dinner will be SERVED at 6:30 p.m. by Macaroni Grill so please plan to arrive early (6 p.m.) to complete your business and social activities prior to the start of the dinner. Kim Brewer has been working hard to prepare for us and I am sure she won’t let us down. Here are some reminders about upcoming opportunities in education. On February 9th, Miss Rosie will be teaching her quilt pattern “Storyteller”. The cost is $35 and INCLUDES the pattern. Miss Rosie will be our February guest speaker. On February 26th, Donna Lillibridge, owner of Quilts on Plum Lane (Dade City) will be teaching a small wool applique project (from a kit that will be provided by Donna). This is a great opportunity to learn new techniques with wool without great expense. The cost is $35 and INCLUDES the kit. Please see the website for more information on these wonderful classes. The Quilt Show Boutique Committee will again be collecting your donations before our meeting and you'll want to get your ticket in the "Bountiful Boutique Bucket" as we will be drawing another winning ticket for a wonderful prize! We will NOT have a Saturday Sew this month - we all can work on finishing our own Christmas projects and will pick up again in Janurary. Watch the web site for the list for January supplies & also the date will be changing for that month. We are still looking for vendor ideas for the upcoming quilt show. If you have any suggestions, please see/call Jayne Torres. Corky Arkovich has asked me to reminder everyone that turns in quilts for our charity project, to pin our name onto the quilt somewhere so she knows who it is from. Additionally, she is looking for “quilts gone wrong”. Those might be items you started and as the name states…didn’t work out quite the way you thought they would. She is looking into some charities that might like those items (i.e. dogs). If you haven’t already signed up for the January retreat at Day Spring, December will be the last chance to do so. Payment must be paid in full, please see/call Shelly Harrell. During the meeting/dinner we will also be collecting filled holiday stockings for the Sheriff’s Department. Hats off to Ruth Mahoney who won BEST HANDWORKMANSHIP at the recent World Quilt Show in West Palm Beach. Items to bring: Quarterly Block, Nickel Nuts, Boutique Donation Items, Library Books, Nametag, Prefilled Stocking and TICKET FOR DINNER. Cheryl Irvin
November Newsletter
Can you believe that it’s about to be November? It doesn’t feel like it weatherwise, but the calendar says so. It’s time to make plans for Thanksgiving, and then to start all the Christmas preparations. But before you get caught up in all of that, take time now to plan some quality quilting time for yourself. We still have openings in the Jodi Barrows classes Saturday, November 7 and Monday, November 9. The big thing about these classes is that you will learn a technique that can be applied to your future quilting so it’s just not another project. In fact, with the Saturday class you will probably get it completed! How great is that! Also, take time now to plan ahead for the retreat in January. That would be a great vacation after the holidays. Please give some thought to our guild meeting room. We have been “trying on” the chapel to see if it worked better for our meetings, and now we need to make a decision. We will be asking you to indicate your preference when you sign in at the meeting November 9. I know there are pro and cons to both rooms, so give us your opinion and we’ll go with the majority. See you at guild and don’t forget your name tag, Judy
Did you know Jodi Barrows will be joining us for our November 9th meeting? During her visit to our Guild, she will be teaching two workshops. The first is Saturday, November 7th. Jodi will be teaching her Constellation pattern using the square in a square ruler concept. Monday, November 9th Jodi will be teaching Prairie Claw also using the ruler. There are a few spots remaining in both classes. Class fee is $35 and more information can be found on our website. If you are interested, please contact Cathy Rebhun ASAP. The classes start at 9 a.m. and doors will be open at 8:30 a.m. Our holiday celebration will be held December 14th. Kim Brewer has planned a fabulous meal for us from Macaroni Grill for only $10. However, tickets must be purchased in advance. Kim will be selling tickets at the November meeting and will accept payments until December 1st. Please contact her if you have any questions, or can’t come to the November meeting. Kim is also looking for volunteers to help her with setup prior to the meeting. PLEASE REMEMBER that dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. in the GYM and you MUST have a ticket for the dinner. We will be making stockings again this year for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office to distribute to kids in need. We will not be giving prizes this year, so just give for the warm and fuzzy feeling of doing good work. Please bring your filled stockings to the December dinner. For questions or a pattern if needed, see Audrey Gantous. Once again, we will be meeting in the Chapel for the November meeting. Hopefully the temperatures will be cooler, but in the meantime to help keep it cooler in the Chapel, please only use the front entrance located on Knights Avenue. When you sign in at the meeting, we will want you to also indicate your preference for our future meetings location - either the gym or the chapel. The Name Tag Police were spotted at last month’s meeting. Please remember to wear your name tag or be prepared to deposit $.50 into the Guild’s bank account. Additionally, Claudia Ingram, has informed me that our June program will be a rummage sale, and our July program will be a lecture/trunk show by Linda Rauld of Purse-O-Nalities. Please remember to visit our website for information on retreat, challenges and upcoming events. Judy and I try very hard to keep the site updated and we sincerely hope everyone takes the time to check in often. Which reminds me, that the supply list for the Saturday Sew to be held November 14th is on the website. Cathy Coryn will be helping us to make aprons. Shelly Harrell will be collecting retreat payments for the upcoming retreat. The dates are January 21st – 24th at the Day Spring Episcopal Conference Center in Ellenton. Payment must be made in full by the December meeting. More information can be found on the website or contact Shelly Harrell. The Quilt Show Committee is working hard preparing for our 2011 quilt show. They will be holding a meeting at 5:00 p.m. prior to the December holiday dinner meeting. If that date does not work for your schedule, they will also be meeting the 4th Monday of each month at the Panera located on Lithia Pinecrest Blvd in Valrico at 5:30 p.m. They would love your input so please come join them. Contact Candice Klein for more information.
Nametag, library books, retreat deposit, money for December dinner, Nickel Nuts (squares of green Christmas fabrics), Sunshine Blocks for Jane Beck, your donation for the Boutique. Hope to see you on Monday! Cheryl Irvin
October Newsletter PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Fellow Quilters, Being a guild member also comes with responsibilities. First of course, to become a member you must pay your dues. Then, it is the responsibility of each member to make at least one charity quilt to be donated to organizations supported by the guild. Each member is also responsible for participating in the construction of the guild’s opportunity quilt, which is the main fundraiser, and for the sale of a minimum of 20 opportunity tickets for this quilt. Each member is also to wear a fabric name tag to guild meetings. There are also other important ways to support the guild. First, attend the meetings! Sign up for guild sponsored classes, which are offered at lower rates than you would find the same class offered for at quilt shows or quilt stores. Be willing to serve as an officer, or on a guild committee, and participate in the guild quilt show by serving on a committee, making items to sell in the Boutique, and by entering your quilts in the show! I promise that if every one of you support the guild and get involved, both you and the guild will be big winners! See you at guild,
BOUTIQUE BUZZ Jayne and I want to thank those of you that have been coming to the Saturday Sews and working on Boutique items. Don’t forget to bring the completed items to the guild meeting and turn them in to Jayne so you can get your ticket added to the pot as we will be having our first drawing at the October meeting and one lucky person will get a wonderful prize. If you are unable to come to Saturday Sew’s, don’t despair, you can make items and turn them in to Jayne to receive tickets for the drawings. WE NEED ALL MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE SOMETHING FOR THE BOUTIQUE!! If you need ideas, talk to Jayne or Judy – we’ll happily give you ideas! At the Saturday Sew, October 17, we will be working on pet screen bags with Aveline Kennedy. We will have pet screen but will also welcome your donation of pet screen if you have some. Also, bring cute, novelty type fabric for the bags, and decorative trims also look good. Check the web site under “Saturday Sew” for additional upcoming info and projects. Thanks, Judy & Jayne A NOTE FROM CINDY BAILEY In November, the guild will have the privilege of hosting Jodi Barrows, creator of the Square in a Square technique, for a lecture and two workshops. Jodi has been a quilter on the national scene for approximately 20 years. She has appeared on numerous television shows and has done workshops at national quilt shows. Her first book, Square in a Square, is in its 12th printing. She has published 12 more pattern books and in 2003 she introduced three new tools. In 2004, Jodi introduced a new collection including novels, patterns, and fabric, called “Leaving Riverton”. The first workshop Jodi will be teaching on November 7 is for Constellation. This is a small quilt that can be completed in one day. This class gives you the opportunity to learn the technique from the creator without having to invest in a lot of supplies and without having to take home another unfinished project. You will be making perfect triangles and perfect points while cutting only strips. This is a good project for seasonal fabric or scraps! The cost for this class is $35. You will need the square in a square ruler that can be purchased from Jodi (or bring your own). If you are already familiar with the square in a square technique, or you’re looking for a little more challenge, the Prairie Claw workshop is for you. This workshop will be offered on November 9. For this class, you will need the original ruler and a book that can be purchased from Jodi. The same ruler is used for both workshops. The cost for this class is $35. Because of the time and expense involved with bringing in national teachers, we must also agree to host workshops. These workshops are an excellent opportunity to learn from the creators at a cost much lower than one would pay at a quilt shop or national venue. Because these two workshops are not full, they are now being opened to members of other quilt guilds. More information about Jodi Barrows can be found at www.squareinasquare.com.
I hope everyone enjoyed the 20th Anniversary celebration. Thanks to Audrey Gantous, Corky Arkovich, Karen Housel, Brenda Doggett, Kim Brewer and Claudia Ingram for providing us with cake, memories and hopefully inspiration for another 20 years. There are so many things planned for the months ahead, I would just like to take a minute and remind everyone. Most importantly, we will be moving our meeting location to the Chapel effective October 12th. This is the same area where we hosted Karen Kay Buckley for her lecture. Please spread the word. Alberta Dalke of St. Petersburg will be joining us for the October program. Alberta is an award winning quilter who creates the most amazing miniature quilts. Please join us for her lecture and trunk show. Jane Beck had major surgery on October 6th. Please bring a sunshine block for her to the next meeting. Our next Saturday Sew is scheduled for October 17th from 9am – 3pm with Aveline Kennedy making pet screen bags. (The supply list is on the website.) We will be hosting Jodi Barrow for two classes in November. The class dates are November 7th and 9th. There are still openings in the classes, and information regarding them can be found on the website. Please remember to bring the following items to guild: - Name tag - Sunshine Blocks for Jane Beck - Money/Check - Retreat - Nickel Nuts - Secret Sister - Show & Tell - Charity Quilts - Library Books - Money/Check – Christmas Dinner - Quarterly Block Hope to see you all on the 12th!
SEPTEMBER PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE This month we will celebrate the guild’s 20th birthday, and we are fortunate that we still have 4 original founding members in the guild. They are Audrey Gantous, Claudia Ingram, Nancy Mitchell, and Lucelle Monroe. I hope you all come to this meeting participate and enjoy our birthday party. The Anniversary Party Committee has been working hard to make it a special meeting for all of us. You may not be aware that our guild has grown this past year to 114 members, and at the August meeting we added another 6 new members. I hope both new and “old” members will enjoy the programs and workshops that have already been planned for the upcoming year. And just what are these programs and workshops you ask?? Well, go to our web site, www.brandonquiltguild.com and check them out! They are already listed there as well as a lot of other helpful information. Cheryl and I are trying to keep the web site up to date and useful for all of you. Remember that you do have to “sign in” to see the minutes of the monthly meetings, the board meetings, the list of members with their phone no., and email, and just recently added are the guild By-Laws. Having the By-Laws available was a goal I had for last year and it took that long it to get done ( it’s not all “pretty” yet as copy and paste don’t always work perfectly) but it’s there. PLEASE check the web site on a regular basis as you will find most of the guild information available to you. We will also be putting more information on the web site about the quilt show preparations shortly. I also want to encourage you all to come to the Saturday Sews. Last month we had 22 people! It was great to see that many, but we would welcome more. Yes, we are working on projects for the boutique then, but you can also sew on your own projects, so please come and join the fun! Last but very important, we are posting the proposed budget with the August board meeting minutes on the web site and ask that you review it before the September meeting. You will have to sign in to see that information so if are unable to sign in, please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . See you at guild, Fall is right around the corner and hopefully we are all working hard on our holiday gifts. The kids are back in school and so far we have had a quiet hurricane season. Let’s hope things remain calm and we can look forward to the temperatures cooling off soon! If you have a chance to check out the website, please take a look around. We have posted upcoming workshops and programs planned for the year. Karen Kay Buckley classes are Saturday, Aug 29th, Monday, August 31st and Tuesday, September 1st. Classes start promptly at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3:30 p.m. Don’t forget to bring extension cords and Ott lights. Please bring your “best” machines for both the machine appliqué class on Saturday and the machine quilting class on Tuesday per Karen. In addition to having Karen teach, we will be hosting her for a special program Monday night (Aug 31st) at 7 p.m. in the Chapel. This program is free to our members and also new members from the August meeting. Non-members will be charged $10. Nickel Nuts will be exchanging for the last time at the September meeting. If anyone wants to continue this and will take charge of it, please contact Judy De Paul or volunteer at the meeting. The longarm /midarm quilting group will meet again September 21st at Roseanne Westenzweig’s house. Please see the website for more information or contact Roseanne for more information. Did you know we were celebrating our 20th Anniversary? Come join the fun September 14th and don’t forget to bring your “4 fat quarter cake” in a brown bag if you wish to participate in the exchange. Nancy and Claudia will be taking signups for their class to be held October 31st. The cost is $23.50. More information can be found on the website under Workshops. November 5th & 6th, 2010 the Brandon Piecemakers will be having their quilt show, “Patriotism & Patchwork”. Rules and entry categories were distributed and will be available at the next meeting. If you have ideas for suggestions for publicity, please plan on attending September 14th at 5:30 p.m. just before the general meeting is held. Saturday Sew will be held September 19th and we will be working on a different project for the Quilt Show Boutique – “Stack the Deck Placemats”. Supply list is: 4 coordinating Fat Quarters, 1 yard for backing, batting (fusible or non-fusible), walking foot, iron, sewing supplies, and machine. For the napkins: 2 coordinating ½ yard cuts of fabric. Diana Forrest will provide the freezer paper pattern. We will also be accepting fabric donations for this project (Christmas, Holiday, Fall & Children’s fabrics). Even if you don’t sew on the boutique project, we would love to have you come, sew and enjoy the fun! Please remember to bring a check or cash ($25) for dues to the next meeting (September 14th) so you can be added into the Directory. We hope to have the Directory ready for distribution at the October meeting. Keep quilting!
Newsletter - August, 2009
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: I just got home a short while ago from our summer guild retreat and it looked like a lot of quilting got done, and that everyone had a great time. We should see some of the results at “Show & Tell” next week. Thanks to Beverly Higgins for all her work in setting up the retreat! I thought that I would take this opportunity to respond to some questions or comments that I heard at retreat. First of all, we do have several new members to our guild and they may not understand just what we are talking about at our meetings, so please speak up and ask so we can fill you in. We have been talking about the “Boutique” lately – what is the “Boutique”? It’s the guild’s space at our quilt show where we sell homemade items that our guild members as a group or individually have made in order to raise monies for our guild. It has been a major fund raiser at the two previous quilt shows. Popular items are purses/bags, sewing items, decorative items, to name a few. Secondly, I was asked if we had a spot on the website to advertise an item that you may want to sell. The answer is yes; we can list it under the “Bulletin Board” and have a few simple rules. The item needs to be sewing/quilting related (no used cars), we will post it for 30 days at a time, you must send your info to Cheryl Irvin for posting on the site. Thanks for the great questions/remarks and now I’m going to take a nap! See you at guild, At our meeting on August 10, the new officers and chairpersons will take their posts. With Judy DePaul still at the helm, the transition is likely to be very smooth. She asks that outgoing officers and chairpersons bring any materials or notebooks with them to the meeting so they may be passed off to the new people. The first of August means the start of a new fiscal year for the guild. That also means that it's time to renew your membership and pay dues. Before you write that check, please be aware that the Board will be making a recommendation for an increase in dues to $25 per year. This will be discussed at the upcoming meeting, but the Board felt the increase would allow us to continue having 2 national speakers per year, keeping us up to speed with other area guilds. BOUTIQUE BUZZ The next Saturday Sew is scheduled for August 15 at 9 a.m. in the Social Hall. Catherine Fulton will be demonstrating a pincushion necklace, and row/block markers. Supply lists will be available at the meeting. "What quilt show?" you ask. If you haven't attended a recent meeting, you may be unaware that the guild has definite plans to produce another quilt show. The dates are November 5 and 6, 2010, so MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The theme is, "Patriotism & Patchwork." Other information, including rules and entry categories, will be available at the August meeting. Also as regards to the quilt show, two meetings will take place prior to the general meeting at 7 p.m. A Boutique committee meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. At the same time, in a different location to be determined then, a meeting to discuss publicity ideas will be open to all interested members. Come with all your ideas and help us brainstorm the best strategies to publicize our upcoming quilt show! Our classes and lectures with Karen Kay Buckley are coming up at the end of this month. Her lecture, "To Border or Not to Border, That is the Question," will be in addition to our regular guild meeting, so don't forget to come. It will take place August 31 at 7 p.m. in the Chapel and is free to members. We will be opening this event to non-members at $10 per person, so you may bring your friends if desired. The associated workshops are outlined on the website (under Workshops), so check there if you have questions, or you can check in with Jayne at the meeting. NICKEL NUTS Quilter's Workshop of Tampa is chartering a bus to the Jacksonville quilt show on September 26. If anyone would like to go, the cost is $60. That includes entrance to the show and a Panera boxed dinner for the ride back. Please contact Millie Smith if you would like to go. The deadline is September 12. Call Millie at 431-0890, or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . On a sad note, the father of our Vice President Cathy Rebhun passed away on August 1, while she was at retreat. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Reminder: Bring to our next meeting: Blank check for your 2010 dues See you next week, Debbie Williams
P.S. This will be my last newsletter. I happily pass the baton to Cheryl Irvin who will continue to keep you updated on guild activities. D.
Newsletter - July 2009 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE See you at guild,
o Seasonal Items - Fall and Christmas Items, Christmas gift ideas o Children Items - Things that grandma's would buy, kid purses o Purses/ Tote Bags o Sewing/Quilting Items o Personal Items - such as the button crochet necklaces, scarves o Orphan Tops and Blocks We also want donations. This is a good time to clean out your stash. Items we will need include: o "Pet" screen o Polyester fill o Ribbons o Zippers o Orphan blocks o Batting scraps (at least 5" square) o Fabric - fat quarters to yardage; themed fabrics such as Gator, Seminoles, cat, dog, food fabric To reward you for your efforts, we will give you a ticket for EACH item that you donate to the boutique, and we will be having drawings for some great prizes!! Please remember, we want items that you made, not purchased items. Thanks,
The Darlene Zimmerman classes are almost here! The Saturday class is at the church as usual, but the Monday class is at the Brandon Bernina Store which will open at 9:30 for us. Then the program that night will be presented by Darlene Zimmerman. Judy will have information about shirts & prices for guild members to see and order at the next meeting. Roseanne Westenzweig hosted the first meeting for Long/Mid-arm quilters on June 22. It was decided that they would meet every 3 months on the 3rd Monday of the month and will have a schedule of topics, as well as "Show N Tell." The next meeting will be Sept. 21, 2009 at 7 p.m. also at Roseanne's, but will then rotate host homes. Any long or mid-arm quilter is welcome and contact Roseanne for more information. NICKEL NUTS Remember to bring to our next meeting the "I Love Stars" block for our quarterly raffle. Don't have the pattern? Contact Claudia Ingram or Nancy Mitchell. See you on July 13! Debbie Williams
Newsletter - June 2009 At our June meeting, the nominating committee will present the slate of officers for the guild’s 2009-2010 year. I know they put a great deal of thought and work into putting together this new slate, and have recruited some members that have not held an office or served on the Board before. It’s really good to have fresh faces and new ideas and I’m grateful for their willingness to serve. It’s not a big paying job you know! I’d also like to acknowledge the outgoing slate and thank them for their time, ideas, and support this past year. These people have “bloomed where they were planted," and I think we’ve had a pretty successful “garden” because of them. We’ll be officially thanking them in August but I’m sure they would appreciate hearing a 'thank you' from you, the members. And remember, the more “flowers” that bloom, the bigger and prettier the “garden” will be! See you at guild,
There are still plenty of spaces left in the workshops to be taught by Darlene Zimmerman on July 11 and 13. Saturday's class features a 4-pointed star pattern that can be made up in any set of fabrics you desire. Monday's class will cover a wide assortment of finishing techniques that can be applied to almost any UFO you may have in your closet. Jane Beck and Judy DePaul have checked out a few companies who produce emboidered garments and the Board voted on one of them to make our shirts. There will be an initial offering of a denim shirt and polo style shirt, both featuring our guild logo. Later, you will also be able to order any garment you want, from an online catalog, and have the logo applied to it. Further information and instructions will be given at upcoming meetings. Our special visit from Karen Kay Buckley is fast approaching; there are spaces left in each of her workshops, so see Jayne Torres prior to our next meeting if you have not signed up yet. Remember, the cost will be a nominal $10. (Surprise!! Lunch will be provided by the guild on all three days!) Have you checked your profile on the website yet? Are there changes that need to be made? If you are having trouble doing so, don't hesitate to call Jane Beck, Judy DePaul or Cheryl Irvin.
Remember to bring to our meeting on June 8: Retreat or workshop payments See you soon, Debbie Williams Newsletter - May 2009
President's Message:
One of the benefits of being a member of Piecemaker's Quilt Guild is the classes that are offered. Some have been taught by our own knowledgeable and talented members and others by nationally known quilters that the guild pays to bring in for workshops and lectures. I've been noticing lately that area quilt shops are charging $60-$65 per class from a nationally known quilter while our guild usually charges $35. That's like using your Jo-Anne's 40% off coupon, and we all love to find something to use that coupon for! This year we have a great opportunity to learn from national quilters. We've already had Pat Speth, and now will have Darleen Zimmerman and Karen Kay Buckley for workshops. I'm surprised that we still have openings, so I'm encouraging all of you to check out the classes and to sign up. Some of the classes are technique classes so don't be afraid of ending up with another UFO. Or maybe you don't need another quilt for your house, so think about Christmas, or birthdays, or how you could use that class to make a baby quilt or a charity quilt. I think you always learn something from a class and will have a great time while doing so! See you at guild, Judy I don't know about you, but my mouth is already watering in anticipation of the delicious foods that await us at our annual Salad Supper on May 11. Each member is asked to bring a salad to share with the other members; Board members will each bring a dessert instead of a salad. If you plan to bring something unique and very special, you might want to even bring a couple of copies of your recipe in case others want to try your dish. Don't forget a serving utensil. The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. this month. That will provide everyone time to place your dish on the serving table, stop by the library to check out a book, or make payments for workshops or retreat. Dinner will begin at 6:30. In addition, the reveal of our Challenge Quilts will take place after dinner, so be prepared to check them out and place your vote. From Aveline Kennedy, our "Sunshine" chairperson: Please bring a Farewell Block for Beth Crum to the May meeting if you were unable to last month. Directions are on the website and in the guild directory. & lt;p>Time is running out to sign up for classes with our national teacher, Darlene Zimmerman. Known as the "feedsack lady" because of her love of 30's prints and feedsacks, Darlene will teach two classes in July. The first on Saturday, July 11th is "Stardance;" we'll learn Darlene's process to make a four-pointed-star quilt top. Keep in mind that you don't have to use 30's fabrics. This quilt would look great in anything. Consider batiks or civil war reproductions or your favorite color palette for a different look!
A second class, "Finishing School," will be on Monday, July 13th. In class you will make bound samples of scalloped, notched and shaped edges such as hexagon edges (as in Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt) and ice cream cone borders. You will also learn how to make (and finish) prairie point edgings, and learn how to add a flange. The class will include a professional's tips on perfect bindings and no-lump joints for a fabulous finishing touch on all your quilts! Just think, you won't come away with an unfinished project, but with ways to finish all the UFO's you already have! Both classes start at 9 am and each costs $35. We'll be opening the classes up to those outside the guild so sign up NOW by contacting Donna Whiting with your money. You can see more about Darlene at www.feedsacklady.com. KAREN KAY BUCKLEY CLASSES: There are still openings in all three scheduled classes in August/September. Please scroll down and read the April newsletter or check the website under Workshops for specifics about each class. Originally, each member was only allowed to take one class to ensure that there would be enough spaces for everyone to have a shot at a class. The Board discussed this issue and decided that interested members may sign up for as many classes as they want. Names will be put on a waiting list and a random drawing will be held at the July meeting to fill any open spots. NICKEL NUTS Our first month to trade our Nickel squares is May. Be sure to bring your 18 pairs of Moda medium/dark 6" squares to the meeting. We will trade after the dinner. Currently, there are 16 traders signed up, leaving 2 openings. If you want to play, you MUST let Claudia Ingram know before Monday's meeting because we are limited to 18 participants. For our next meeting on Monday, May 11, remember:
See you soon, Debbie Williams
NEWSLETTER APRIL 2009 President's Message: Are you hard at work completing your challenge quilt? Remember, the deadline is April 13. For details and guidelines, check the website under "Upcoming Events." Good luck! Each year at this time, we begin the process of seeking new officers for the coming year. Cathy Rebhun and her nominating committee of Cindy Bailey and Debbie Williams NEED YOUR HELP. At our next meeting, you will be given a handout listing all guild positions. PLEASE, read this over thoroughly and think how your talents and interests could be put to use helping the guild. Not all positions require a great deal of time, though some do. We are always in need of fresh ideas and new perspectives, so even if you are a newer member or haven't served as an officer or chairperson in the past, we would be delighted to hear of your interest. If you have any questions as to what a particular job entails, please ask any member or raise the question during the business meeting. ANNOUNCING KAREN KAY BUCKLEY CLASSES Saturday August 29 – Kansas Rose – Machine Applique Cost of each class is $10.00 with pattern fee extra. You may register for ONE class only. Check out www.KarenKayBuckley.com for pictures and descriptions of each class. For those participating in the Secret Sister program, the reveal dinner is scheduled for Monday, April 20th, at 6:00 PM. The location is the Village Inn restaurant, 1995 W. Lumsden Rd. in Brandon. This is NOT the same location as last year. NICKEL NUTS Pat Speth’s visit inspired some Piecemakers to start a Nickel exchange. We are going to trade pairs of six inch squares of Moda fabric. (With inflation, our nickels have grown to 6 inchers.) To prove your fabric is MODA, we are asking you to bring the selvage—this is how Pat’s group ensures the fabric traded is of good quality. The first 18 people who sign up will get to play the MODA exchange. Please bring 18 pairs of the same MODA fabric to our May meeting. To make it easier to trade the fabrics please bring them stacked Want to play?? Then we will open up the group again and choose a different brand of fabric. Make sure you bring the specified brand or you’ll be taking home your own squares! As long as the selvage says Moda and if fits the month’s color scheme, cut it up. It doesn’t have to be the latest line…search your stash. We’ll sign up at the April meeting. The workshops originally scheduled for April have been cancelled due to low participation. A workshop featuring a braided pattern has been scheduled for May 2. It will be taught by Claudia Ingram and Nancy Mitchell. Please check the website for further information and to see the latest on the Darlene Zimmerman workshops scheduled for July 11 and 13. There will be no Saturday Sew in April because the meeting room wasn't available. We will have Saturday Sew in May. See you at the April meeting! Don't forget to bring: Your checkbook Debbie Williams
|