It was a lovely day to be decorating the Blue Ridge Library display case. Four ladies arrived bright and early and had a good time placing the items volunteered by Guild members at the last meeting, as well as items they brought. Be sure to take notice of it next time you enter the Library !
Wow, what can I say about our meeting last night? The weather was super cold and very windy, but still 15 members attended, and 25% of those had sewing machines ! Way to go, ladies !
First was the Round Robin introduction and surprise exchange of blocks. There is a picture nearby of each participant holding their initial block. We stood in a circle and passed the bags to the left, to the left, to the left, to the left . . . getting dizzy here ! Each participant will take the bag they got and add a border to the block. Then, next month bring the bag back and place it on a table to be exchanged again. This will continue for 3 months, and in May after 3 borders have been added, the bags will be returned to their original owner and all will then be revealed.
Round Robin blocks – BEFORE
The Round Robin bags go around, and around, and around
Then we had Show & Tell (see pictures nearby).
Barbara Cline Star – Loretta Twiford
Barbara Cline Star – Jo Bell and Carolyn Zaleski
Original BRQG name tag – Dorothy Atkins
Pieced and hand quilted by Cynthia Luedtke
And then got right down to business with Tina Dietz explaining about constructing Falling Triangles blocks for the Community Quilts that the guild will be making through the year. You can make the blocks at home with your own fabrics (please use light or white or white on white background fabrics and any color/pattern for the triangles) and turn them in each month at the meetings. It is an easy block to make; you need a 9″ square of color fabric, a 9″ square of background fabric, a 6″ x 2.5″ strip of background fabric and an 8″ x 2.5″ strip of background fabric. Easy peasy. You should have received an email with attached instructions as well as a link to Missouri Star Quilt Company’s You Tube tutorial. Remember, Jenny Doan is using 10″ blocks and the Guild blocks are 9″.
We had folks sewing, folks ironing, folks cutting – what a busy group. But, I guess because of the weather, the meeting began to break up and by 8:15, the place was cleared out !! Some ladies took advantage of Tina’s 9″ squares and 6″ x 2.5″ and 8″ x 2.5″ strip supply by taking some home to get a head start on making more blocks.
If you have items you would like to have included in the Library display case, you can bring them by the Library on Monday, February 29th by 10am. And you are more than welcome to stay and add your talents to the display case, as well as join in for lunch afterwards.
Hope to see everyone next month, if not before.
ps – Thank you Kathy Woods and Janice Taylor for the photos !
Welcome new members and visitors
Joining us in January were Lori Bier, Betty Luba, Jean Dittmann and Janet Martinez. Welcome ladies; don’t be strangers.
From the Treasurer:
If you missed the January meeting, please bring cash or a check made out to “Blue Ridge Quilters” to pay your 2016 dues. $20 covers a whole year of speakers, supplies for projects, and quilting inspiration with your friends. Thanks to everyone who paid last month!
We are still in need of an Historian, someone to take photographs each meeting of Show and Tell and any speaker events so these pictures may be included on the website.
Upcoming programs
February – Round Robin will begin at the February meeting. Anyone who would like to participate needs to bring: a center block, a quilt label with your name and room for 3 more names, and any special instructions (ex. I plan to make this a wall hanging. Please do not make it larger than 48”x 48”.) All these items are to be brought in a non-see-through bag. Remember the original owner of the center block must not see it until all three rounds have been added and we return it to the May meeting. Aw, come on . . . it will be fun !!
Also in February – We will begin piecing our community quilts, Falling Triangles (BRQG’s 2016 Community Service Project). We will be using February’s meeting to launch into and start sewing blocks for this year’s BRQG Community Service Project. Tina Dietz will introduce us to the “Falling Triangles Quilt” and teach us two different techniques for making the half-square triangles needed for the quilt’s blocks. She’ll then guide us in how to construct the blocks themselves. The goal is to use February’s meeting to have everyone learn how to make these simple but fun blocks, then afterward for everyone to make a few blocks at home each month and bring them to the meetings throughout the rest of the year.
We will be collecting and displaying the Community Service blocks at the guild meetings each month so we can see our progress, and also so everyone can see what fabrics are being used and have a better idea of what to use from their own stashes. Sometime in the Fall we will have a “sew-in” independent of a guild meeting, where those who wish to will gather to help assemble the blocks that have been collected into the actual Community Service quilts,eat snacks and fellowship. Who will be the recipients of these marvelous quilts? We will be discussing that during February’s meeting.
The background fabric for the community service quilts is being generously donated to us and is a white on white stripe.
Need to bring to February meeting:
SUPPLY LIST FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT:
— Fabric: a fat quarter or 9″ square of fabric*. If you have a 6.5″ Easy Angle Triangle, you could bring a 6″ x 18″ strip of fabric instead. Bring more fabric if you would like to! (Please make sure whatever you bring is colorfast!)
— Sewing Machine (and extension cord or power strip if you have one. Be sure you bring along your machine’s power cord, foot pedal, etc!)
— Acrylic rulers: 6″ x 24″, and a 12.5″ x 12.5″ square ruler (if you have one.)
— white or light neutral colored thread
— A sewing stiletto (That Purple Thang, the tip of seam ripper, or whatever you normally use for the purpose will work)
— Cutting mat, rotary cutter
— All of the usual sewing accoutrements: straight pins, seam ripper, scissors, etc.
— A couple of irons and ironing surfaces would be helpful if anyone would like to bring those. Tina will be bringing two of each.
March – Bring in a favorite tool and share how you use it and why you love it.
Also in March:
The Guild decorates the Library Display Case for March’s National Quilting Month. So, please bring some small items (pincushions, pattern books, quilting books, table runners, tools, small statuary, etc.) to the February meeting for the purpose of being on display for March. If the February meeting is cancelled due to inclement weather (see below), items can be brought to the Library by 10am on Monday, February 29th.
Summer – Silent Auction
Date to be determined – Field Trip !! It could be a Saturday trip to Boones Country Store in Boones Mill and The General Store in SML.
Borrowed from Star Quilters newsletter:
Groundhog Day at the Virginia Quilt Museum
The Virginia Quilt Museum will re-open for this year on Groundhog Day (February 2nd).
Two new exhibits will open. There will be live quilt conservation demonstrations in the new “Conservation Lab.”
You can bring in a quilt from your collection for a “Talk About Quilts” assessment (no appointment necessary).
Children will have a Groundhog Day quilt block activity.
And for our movie buff guests, a free VQM pen or magnet to anyone who can tell us where in the movie “Groundhog Day” there is a special quilt sighting! A free guest pass is also yours if you can tell us what pattern is on the quilt in that scene!
* * * * *
Anyone who has a postage stamp quilt is invited to bring it to show when Kyra Hicks talks about “Franklin Roosevelt’s Postage Stamp Quilt” on Saturday, March 12, at 1:30 PM at St. Stephen’s Church, 358 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, VA.
Ongoing:
Don’t forget there is a daytime handwork Bee at Carolyn Zaleski’s on the first Wednesday each month and newcomers are always welcome. Bring your handwork and your lunch and Carolyn provides dessert which is always something yummy. See Carolyn Zaleski for directions and further details and mark your calendar !
Upcoming shows and events:
(1) 2016 Quilt Show hosted by Patches & Pieces Quilt Club will be held on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20 at Holy Cross Regional School 2125 Langhorn Road, Lynchburg, VA. Think about carpooling so you and your quilting buddies can enjoy a day of Magic of Fabric & Thread, this year’s theme. There will be over 300 traditional and contemporary quilts on display, as well as plenty of items in the boutique, door prizes, raffles, vendors and interactive hands-on activities for children to enjoy! Donation $5.00, students 12 and over $3.00, under age 12 free.
(2) April 1 & 2, 2016
Lake Quilters Guild Quilt show “Celebrating Quilting 2016”
Come join the fun and vote for your favorite quilts! Members will provide technique demonstrations and displays. A drawing will be held for two beautiful raffle quilts: “SML 50th Anniversary” and “Something to Cherish”. Door prizes will be announced every hour.
Trinity Ecumenical Parish, 40 Lakemount Drive, Moneta, Virginia.
Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission is a $5.00 donation. Children under 12 are admitted FREE.
(3) Also, Loretta will be conducting a 2-part One Block Wonder class at Creative Quilting Connection on Friday, Feb. 19th and Friday, March 4th from 10am to 3pm. Call or go by the shop for more details (540-774-1540) and a supply list; there are OBW quilts hanging in the shop. This is a surprisingly easy quilt to make with no Y seams, and each block is an adventure and each quilt quite unique.
In Closing:
Be sure to check the website, http://www.blueridgequilters.wordpress.com, for pictures and a recap of recent meetings and Show and Tell. If you click on the little blue box in the lower right corner and fill in your email address, you will receive an email any time the site is updated so it will be easier to keep up to date with what is going on if you are unable to attend meetings or when you are away.
From “Shine On, Beautiful Soul!” a book for friends.
Friendship is the fruit gathered from the trees planted in the rich soil of love, and nurtured with tender care and understanding.
Alma L. Weixelbaum
IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER:
In accordance with our By-Laws: In case of inclement weather we will follow the closing schedule of Botetourt County Schools. Missed meetings will not be rescheduled.
Newsletter Editor, Loretta Twiford
Blue Ridge Quilters 