Dear Quilting Friend,

 

     I'm so sorry you weren't at the meeting Saturday.  The guild was buzzing like a hive of buzy bees.  The pilgrimage went very well for the guild and those that choose to dress in costume to quilt.  Many of the home owners have asked us to return next year and be a part of their tour.  The artisan day during the pilgrimage even brought in a few visitors to the meeting Saturday.     The quilt we raffled off on the last day of the pilgrimage was won by Travis Abrams who is the son of one of our members.  Rest assured the quilt will be appreciated by the owner for its beauty and for all the effort that went in to the making of this work of art.  The raffel brought in $2054 which will be split into $1540 for education and $513 for the guild.  With the money we raised for education  the guild voted to ask Dorendia Evans to come and teach the Northwind block at a future date.  We will be checking to see when and how much time she will require.  Keep in touch to see any info that might pertain to this class.

     Now let us  get to the heart of the meeting.  The committee handed the challenge  out and issued the restrictions and boy is it going to be fun.  The Block will be made from black and white fabrics only plus the packet that was purchased.  This means you will only be able to use fabrics that have both black and white in them and the fabric that is in the packet (which contained a piece of black and a colored  piece-each one different) to make a 12&1/2 inch block  that has a building and a tree depicted in the block.  Now put your thinking caps on and get busy because the block is due back to be judged July 19th.

     The Hearts and Gizzards is the raffle quilt for the guild for the next year but since it takes so long to construct a hand quilted quilt we are already thinking about 2010. We will be looking for fabric for the State Fair Sampler as some of us travel to Padacah to the AQS quilt show.   The Hearts and Gizzard quilt will  be left up at the RAC for a while so that anyone that can may go by and quilt.

     The BOM (block of the month) sampler is moving along and several members have started theirs already.  The two different samplers are really going to be spectacular when we display the at the 09 gathering of the MQA.  Judy found another BOM  pattern from Applewood farms for anyone interested in that.  The AQS magazine is issuing a mystery quilt and some of the quilters are joining that challenge. 

     Sandi held a demo on chenille and  inspired us to go home and make sampler blocks of fabric to see how easy the technique is and which fabrics work best.  Sandi likes muslin and homespun.  The fabric must be 100% cotton but you can add other bits of yarn and ribbon between the layers to add pop and sizzle to your work.  The first Sat. in May we will make a chenille tote with Sandi's help.

     The block challenge from last month (blue and yellow) yielded several beautiful samples and the next months will be a pastel palette that is to include a flower of your choice.  Lucky Linda Dawkins won this month's blocks.  We're looking to see them in a quilt very soon.

     We had several visitors and we hope Gladys, Faye, Carolyn, Debbie, and Sharon will come back and join us at our next meeting.  We learn so much from one another each time we gather that believe me even the most experienced quilters learn something from those who come and participate, especially in the show and tell.  Which brings me to the favorite part of every meeting and that's the show and tell. 

    Judy began with a chenille quilt she did for her granddaughter.  Sandi brought a baby quilt she was working on and asked for suggestions on finishing the quilt.  Julia brought a Dick and Jane quilt she made and a quilt that will be exhibited in the Harrisburg quilt odyssey where her mother, sister and grandmother have quilts hanging. (I believe I'm correct in this statement)  Annette quilted a quilt in her quilt as you go method and it was spectacular.  I hope she gives a demo on how she does this very soon as it has many of us really looking forward to how she strip pieces these wonderful quilts.  She also had a candlewick picture she quilted of some hand work her mother did some time ago and we couldn't believe she had made it in one sitting that morning.  Nicole brought a birthday quilt block she is doing for her niece but had to leave for her baby shower before we got to show and tell.  Sue Skipper brought a quilt top she made for one of her boys and it was awesome.  Sue Seymer brought a couple of the donation quilts she made from the guilds scrap box.  Lawanna showed Ebba's quilt which she said was her first and it's hard to believe that pretty top was her first try at making a quilt and if it's true I can't wait to see the next one.

    Well that about wraps it up for now and I hope I haven't left out anything.   I hope you can be with us at the next meeting.  We miss you.

                                                                               Take time to stitch

                                                                               Katie O'Possum