Sept newsletter 2008

Hello Everyone!  I hope everyone is well this holiday weekend.  Oh no, I just dropped a little sliver of paper into my keyboard.  Does anyone know how to get it out??  Yes, I tipped it upside down and tried to shake it out.  It's still there.  I was trimming photos while downloading.  Now is that dumb?…right next to my key board, and me who always has a cloth over it to keep the dust out.  Well, it seems to be working so until then, let's get going on this newsletter.   To those without email, I sent out the news that Barb Cozby has breast cancer and asked members to send her a card or a quilt block 6 inches finished size. Her address is 36704 Venado Drive, Coarsegold, CA 93614    From  Barb Cozby.  "I want to thank you and others from the guild who have sent me quilt blocks. I start chemo August 25th and go every two weeks, then radiation.  Thanks for the  encouragement from Q.  It has lifted my spirits."   I am sad to tell you that Reba Jones also has cancer.  She started her chemo August 13 and it will go until Nov. So far she is not sick from the chemo and plans to work on her round robin blocks.  GO Girl!   If you have a chance to send her a card or maybe a quilt block  to let her know you care about her. Reba Jones Box 172 Okanogan, WA  98840.   Judy Rockwell's husband is in a wheel chair now so they won't be able to come to Q. this year.  We will miss her and all  her lovely quilts.   I wanted to put a list of classes and fabric requirements.  That's just the kind of person I am, so that I can start packing.  I leave Minnesota the last week of October, but don't arrive in Q until about the 10th.   So I guess this is the best I can do.  Bring your stuff and some extra stash. This is all I have; T shirt with Quartzsite Quilters lettered on it.  Nancy will teach you how to iron  fusible letters cut from fabric. Then with a piece of stabilizer underneath you will be able to zigzag or straight stitch the letters.  Bring your own shirt, Nancy will have the stabilizer if you don't have any.  These shirts are so great because you never have to worry about what to wear to class. Plus you will look great! Silk Ribbon Embroidery II.  Janice did such a great job last year that we have asked her to do it again!  Bring what you have, Janice will have supplies that you may purchase if you need something more. Slash your stash.  It is so fun and easy.  This can be turned into a crazy quilt too if you would like. I think we did this class 2 years ago.  I missed it. Stack and wack; have 8 fabric repeats 12 inch in size and fabric to coordinate. Marilyn is taking some machine quilting classes with the Utah Guild.  Is anyone interested in a class on whole cloth quilting? Marilyn also has a fun pinwheel block that would make a great baby or larger quilt that she would share with us. Bring your own ideas to share       Demonstrations:  Janet and I will show you how to do a couple of fun things. Because we have so many feather weight owners in our group (including me), Janet will show us how to use some of our attachments.  I was trying to use my narrow hemmer and found out the hard way that it was meant for light weight fabrics rather then my calico.  Much of this may overlap to other machines.  Janet says, "If you have a MYSTERY attachment for your machine, bring it with and we will try to figure out how to use it." I am doing some pin weaving.  This would be a fun way to use up those extra, long scraps from your string quilts.  Bring your scraps and we will use them up one way or the other.  I will be using wonder under or steam a seam 2, crochet thread and fancy yarns or ribbon too. It's me again.  I took a class using paint sticks.  I make a stencil from freezer paper and stencil on the fabric.  Liven up a quilt that just didn't make the grade or do it on purpose.  Bring paint sticks and stencil brushes if you want to paint along.    Don't forget: Charity quilt Louise challenge block, 12 ½ inches using challenge fabric. Items to sell at the craft table.  If you are coming late they can be mailed to Barb Mitchell for the first sale in November. Raffle block if you are making one.  Nancy will be in Q. in mid Oct. to get started. Antique item to display at the quilt show in February. Items for the quilt show in February.  Remember we have more classes. Have you finished the block for our out-going president???  Don't forget.  Natalie asked for a friendship block with our name in the middle.  Use white muslin in the center to write on.  The unfinished size should be 10 ½ inches, any pattern, any color. We can still use more classes so bring ideas and patterns. Also bring your show and tell items.   Zelia (Zee) Still, just sent me a picture of my quilt. For those of you with internet, it is on the blog.    She  has a long arm and quilted it for me over the summer.   WOW it looks great.  Now where did I put the binding?  She has a long arm and is in Quartzsite almost full time.  You may want to bring her some quilting when you get back to town.       Committees:  Barb W., Icky, and Louise will be making the ribbons for the show this year.  I am sure we could use help.  We will try to do this at a meeting, otherwise at my place.   Enclosed is a website with a  check book cover pattern.  I thought this might be a great item for the crafts sale.  Of course I would imagine everyone would want to use a quilt block.  Mine will be embellished with scrapes of fabric and yarn.  I just got home from JoAnn Fabric where I bought fusible web and yarn for this project.  The web address is http://sewing.about.com/od/bagstotespurseproject/ss/checkbookcover.htm.  If you can't get it I can try to email it to you as a attachment.  Let me know.  Mine turned out very nice.      Here is something to do with your extra cucumbers.   Directions: To make the dressing, in a large bowl, combine sour cream, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Refrigerate until the salad is ready to serve. Peel cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove seeds; cut them crosswise into thin slices. Thinly slice onion. Fold the cucumber and onion into the dressing. Spoon the salad into a serving dish, and serve immediately. This recipe is from CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com Creamy Cucumber Salad   Serves/Makes: 4    |    |   Ready In: < 30 minutes Ingredients: 2 large Cucumbers, chilled 1/2 small Yellow onion ***Sour Cream Dressing*** 1/2 cup Sour cream 1 teaspoon Dill weed 1 tablespoon Cider vinegar 1 teaspoon Sugar 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/4 teaspoon White pepper       Remember the blog address is quartzsitequilters.blogspot.com. See you soon. Barbara Williams

July 2008 newsletter

NEWSLETTER FOR JULY 2008 (at last)

Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July! I still have grandkids here, maybe for the whole summer.
Barb M is loving the 112 degrees in Q. It finally rained here in Alexandria MN. No we are not flooded here.
I just took a class making a convergence quilt. If the kids will ever let me get back to my sewing machine, the second part of the class will teach us how to decorate with paint sticks.

From Janet Nieuwenhoff; Please change my phone number in your book to 508-277-3737. By the way did you change my (B W)cell phone to 320-760-1078? The line phone is still the best to use anyway.
Need something to do this winter? Check this out : Quilting at the Lake, “Quilters Gone Wild”, hosted by The Havasu Stitchers January 8,9,10, 2009 Featuring classes by National and Local Teachers www.havasustitchers.com (under Odds N Ends) for those with internet. If you want registration blanks Barb Mitchell has some she can send you. Just give her a call. It sounds like lots of fun, plus it is close to Q.
Remember your charity quilt. I will gather the material and make mine in Quartzsite in November because it sure doesn’t look like I’ll have time here in Minnesota.

Right now I’m thinking about making my second quilt for Quilts of Valor. My guild here in Minnesota had a speaker on this subject. If any one is interested the minimum size is 50 x 60. If you make a top there are lots of long arm quilters that will donate their quilting for you. For more information, visit www.govf-um.org.

Puzzler…. If you have nothing to do while sitting in the shade drinking your ice tea, think about this. Janet has started another quilt with a zillion pieces. The finished size of the quilt will be 63 x 49 inches. Each piece will be cut 7/8 of an inch and finished to 3/8ths. She already has 36 squares done, just 64 to go. How many total pieces will she be sewing? Email your answers to me or mail or call them to her. She will have the quilt ready for our show. The answer will be posted this fall.

Presidents’ quilt. As you know Natalie’s term as president is coming to an end. It is our tradition to each make a quilt block for her. Natalie said she would love a friendship block from each of us with our name in the middle. Let us all make a block for her 10 ½ inches unfinished size. The center should be made with white muslin and have our name and what ever else you wish to add. Use what ever pattern or colors you like. Of course you know Natalie loves color.
Class schedule. .....I have none at this time.
Abbie I am working on an idea to use up all the little snippets of fabric that we have been saving, so keep saving them. I will let you know in the fall newsletter about September. I hope to list fabric requirement at that time.
From Janet Wickell, on www.about.com Your Guide to Quilting. Say Goodbye to All Those Strings if you Prewash your fabric. The only thing I really dislike about prewashing my quilting fabrics is all the strings that come loose during the wash, wrapping themselves in knots around the yardage. The threads twist and pull at the fabric when they get tangled up in the wash--and you have to remove them before they go into the dryer so that fabrics come out wrinkle-free. Neglect to lose the threads and you'll see oodles of accordion pleats when you take fabrics out of the dryer. It's easy to eliminate nearly all of the strings. Just clip off a little triangular section from each corner of fabrics before you wash them. Try about 1/2" or a little less. You'll still see a bit of fraying, but not enough to create bunches of knots.
Give it a try the next time you prewash your quilting fabrics--that little snip really makes a difference.
From Alice A. , HERE IS A WEB SITE FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH COMPUTERS....THAT YOU WILL LOVE....ANIMAS QUILTShttp://www.animas.com THEY HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL PATTERNS....AND ARE THE MOSTHELPFUL PEOPLE....NOT ONLY THAT THEY HAVEFABRIC....WONDERFUL DESIGNS. GO TAKE A LOOK AND BE INSPIRED....HAPPY QUILTING TO ALL MY WONDERFUL QUILTER FRIENDS....LOVE ALICE
I do like to send out greeting when ever I have a minute. July Birthdays are: BJ, Julie, Mabel, Margaret, Jean, Nanci C., Marce, and Sparky. August Ella, Reba, Evelyn, Jan, Ethel, Phyllis, Donna P., Arlene, Marylee, Barbara W., Rose C., Sandra. Happy Birthday also to anyone that I omitted or missed in June…sorry.

Happy Stitching. Barbara Williams