Making Chenille and Using your Old Table Cloth

Susan Wood gave a presentation at the Shelly Library on making and using chenille. It was so fun to see what she did with this art form. It is a sure bet that many of us went home and really did give it a try.

Her little quilt was just so cute and for those who were fortunate enough to attend, she offered a free pattern of the quilt shown here.


Susan Nelson also shared many of her great ideas.....
She took a vintage table cloth, added some borders and ric rac and made the cutest little quilt you may have ever seen. Susan and her sister have published several books, all of which are very good.

This charity will pull on your heart strings

Here is our friend Dawn Ramirez. She is sharing her quilt from Heartstrings. Heartstrings is an online group of quilters who have joined together to make and donate String Quilts to local charitable organizations.

You can make one block and send it to them or you can make a top and send it. If you are really feeling the love make the entire quilt and send it.... everyone needs a warm quilt. If you know of a person who is in need of a quilt you can contact Mary and she will help you out. You can send Mary money for postage as she does all of her angel work at her own expense. Visit her blog you'll enjoy the read.

One last tip from Dawn. Cut your scraps into strips of any width. Then cut a bunch of muslin squares, set one next to your sewing machine along with a bag of scrap strips. Each time you sew off, don't use that little that little fabric piece, instead, sew another strip onto your string block. You'll finish a block before you know it and you won't waste ANY thread.

Scrap Management

As Dawn Ramirez told us in her presentation at the Shelly Library, scrap management is always a big problem.

Undoubtedly the QUEEN of scraps is Bonnie Hunter. You will love reading about her adventures and you will get so inspired by all that she does. When you have finished reading her blog, go to Bonnie's website where you will find the best FREE patterns for using up those scraps you have hanging around. You will find her patterns accurate and easy to follow. Next let's talk about getting a move on in regard to that stash that is taking over your life. Bonnie has some great ideas for you to check out.

Bonnie tells how she folds her fabric (brilliant).....

What I do....is take the fabric...and fold it selvege to selvege..the way it comes off the bolt at the store. Bring the folded edge to the two raw edges so it is in half again, and do it once more so the length of fabric is only about 6" wide.

Measure the depth of your shelf and subtract an inch or two. This is the measurement that you are going to use to fold your fabric into "mini bolts". With my cabinets, I fold my fabric over at the 15" measurement. I just lay a yardstick on the table, find where 15" is, measuring that from the left end of the folded fabric piece towards the center of the length. Begin to fold over and over and over at that measurement until the fabric is in one small bundle.

It doesn't matter how many yards are in the piece. The fabric "mini bolts" will end up being the same depth and width on your shelf, even if longer pieces of yardage are thicker. You can still see by looking at the stacked fabric, just exactly what you have on your shelf. All raw edges go towards the back of the shelf so all you are looking at is neatly folded fabric! It is really easy to pull ONE stack out, get the fabric you want out of the stack, and slide the stack back in place. Try it!

New at Moda

Moda Bake Shop is available on line and has a bunch of new items coming out, as well as free patterns. Read the blog created by the pattern designer for the quilt shown.

We all know about fat quarters, charm packs and jelly rolls. Guess what? There soon you will be able to purchase dessert rolls, honey buns, layer cakes, sweet box, turnovers and scrap bags.

They have many free patterns at this site as well as a bunch more here.

Blackbird Haven gave a great demo at the Shelly Library and Debra has a 20% off your entire purchase coupon from Blackbird Haven. The coupon expires Feb 28. If anyone wants it just call her and you can have it.

We will miss you!

Jean called this morning and due to circumstances beyond her control she is going to sell her HQ 16 longarm. It comes with a laser light, base, one groovy board, bobbin winder and half dozen bobbins. The machine does not have a stitch regulator but one could be easily added. Jean is asking $4500.

In addition Jean is leaving our little group. We will not have the meeting at her house in February. Look for more information on the meeting place and the February agenda.

If you have any questions or know of anyone who is interested in purchasing this machine, please drop me an email victoriandiva at hotmail.com and I'll let Jean know immediately.

Quilt Show

Shelly Library Quilt Show

If you want to car pool to the show please post in the comments which day and classes you are interested in and then we can see if we can get a bunch of girls together (this could include people not in our longarm group) to carpool to Shelly.

The 10th Annual Quilt Spectacular Open House will be held :

Tuesday January 27th from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and
Wednesday January 28th from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

• Quilts on diplay, old and new
  Quilt books to check out, door prizes for class attendees

There will be a block contest. There are two catagories (1) pieced and (2) applique. Your block must measure 12 1/2 inches square. You can make ANY block you choose, HOWEVER, you must use Black fabric, White fabric (not cream or off white) and one of the following colors: Bright Yellow, Red or Purple. Turn in your blocks by Wednesday morning.

If you want to display your quilts old or new, bring them to the Shelly library Monday, Jan 26 between 4 and 6 pm or Tuesday, Jan 27 from8 to 10 am.

• Demonstrations Tuesday
  11:00 Working With the Pre-Printed--Julie Sangendorf
  How to use panels, cross-stitch, embellishments, and hand quilting. See how cute!
  11:30 Heartstrings and Crumbs--Dawn Ramirez
  Using scraps, see the myriad of ideas and quilts.
  1:00 Kitchen Quilts--Susan Nelsen
  Using your leftovers in the kitchen. Lots of things to see.
  1:30 Chenille It!-- Susan Wood
  Decorate all those projects with homemade chenille. Easy......
  4:00 Machine Quilting---Ginny Dredge
  Tricks to quilt your projects, using your own home machine. Save money
  4:30 Cut It Again, Sam--Kaylene Christensen
  Cut traditional blocks and then resew for complicated looking blocks.

• Demonstrations Wednesday
  11:00 It's Not Food!--Blackbird Haven, Brenda Randall
  What to do with the jelly rolls, layer cakes, sweet rolls, and turnovers(fabric)
  11:30 Make it, Take it, a "Make-Do" Embroidery Project--Dalene Kohler
  A folksy embroidery kit to add to a table topper. Sign up at the library. Limited supply
  1:00 Ta-Da! Making half-square triangles--Sheri Bear
  Find a method for you and see all the quilts to use them in....
  1:30 Q E C Receiving Blankets--Rose Scholes
  (Quick, Easy, Cute) You will love to make dozens of these.
  2:00 Accurate Paper-Piecing--Susan Wood
  See all of Susan's cute patterns, and learn the joy of this method.
  2:30 Anounce block contest winners, and draw for the gift basket. Be Here!
  4:00 Cut It Again, Sam--Kaylene Christensen
  In case you weren't here, this is a repeat class, and worth it. Don't miss it.

Making Plans

It is time to start making plans for HMQS

If you haven't received your catalog for the Home Machine and Quilting Show in Salt Lake City, please visit the HMQS website for more information. The variety of teachers, many of which are nationally know is just amazing.

You can listen to an interview with Ann Collet of Home Machine Quilters Quilt Show by going to the HMQS website , look to the right side and click on Listen to Interview about HMQS 2009. You can also look at the winners of last years show by clicking on View Winning Quilts. Our very own Kat Blakley was a 1st place winner.

The theme for this year is "Pump up the color." Every year the show sponsors a charitable group. This year the charity to be serrved is Kwoyo Kochia village in Kenya. This village is in desperate need of a well to provide clean drinking water. Ann Collet wanted to have the theme be relevant to this important charitable contribution.

HMQS is the premier consumer exhibition and educational conference for all machine quilters and embroiderers! Featuring 100 classes taught by national instructors, a judged quilt competition with $23,000 in awards, hundreds of machine-quilted quilts on display, fantastic special exhibits, and a vendor mall with 175 booths.

The deadline for competition entries is April 1, 2009. If you want to hand deliver your items you have until April 18th. You can get your entry form from the catalog which can be mailed to you or online at the HMQS website. Ann Collet will gladly answere any questions you have, really she will, just give her a call.

Some recommended teacher would be: Pam Clark for beginning quilters. She is a wonderful teacher and she will give you more confidence than you could ever imagine. Linda Taylor is a wonderful teacher (her hands on class are a little pricey, however, everyone I know who has taken one just loved it). Karen Mctavish is an internationally know teacher and is very entertaining to say the least. Renae Haddin will really get you thinking if you are an advanced quilter. Please look through the catalog and make comments on teachers you are familiar with.