Aug 30, 2014

sew-in's and quilt groups

Each quilt group has its own unique blend of attributes, it would seem.  Some are guilds so they are run by the Roberts Rule of Order and parliamentary procedure; others are more informal.  Some have outside speakers or imported talent, with slide shows or trunk shows while other the programs or demos are done by group members.  Some are hands on and others just talk about quilting.   Some you get stuck on some committee and going to endless board meetings or quilt show meetings until you swear you are going to have your eyes roll back up into your head retreading the same ground over and over.   Some are more into community service projects and others are more into workshops, field trips and traveling to quilt shows hither and yon.  Some are different just because of who makes up the group.  Some I know would not be a good fit for me and no way will I ever darken their door.  Still, you learn something from every group of quilters that you are involved with.  It is our nature to share and do what we can to preserve the art of quilting and pass it on.  That should be the goal of any quilt group, in my humble opinion.

Personally I love hands on, the sharing and collaboration.  Friendship Quilters is a guild and I think I mostly go for the sew-ins.  I was an officer (secretary) for two years and now do the website and newsletter.   I know practically everyone in the group, and they know me.  Good bunch!   So, in spite of the fact that I had a lot of catching up to do when I got back from my week away Jane, Aline and I were off to Pell City on 22nd for one of the sew-in days.  This one was the Christmas in August one so Loretta and Lorri had some projects lined up.  Friday some of the ladies were working on cute holiday aprons.  Another day hanging towels and then double ended oven mitts using  THIS  site as a jumping off point.   Some of the materials were provided for the "class" if you signed up.  We were not sure which day we were going to be there so just asked for the pattern.    They were doing it on Saturday so Loretta gave us the link and the insul-bright.  I'm not quite ready to play with it yet.

I was working on assembly the blocks for the happy couple's tree skirt wedding present.  No, I am still not going to show it to you as it is going to have to be one of my See You in September Hop items (I'm due up on the 16th),  I had all the rows completed by the time I left though there was one more Joing seam required.   Tuesday at Belles I got the sections joined and bordered.  Thursday I got the backing and batting prepped and went back over the church to pin it.  I'll be quilting once I update the blog with this post.

There were door prizes, gifties, gift bags and smoked chicken for lunch courtesy of one of the member's husbands.  We have been brown bagging it or running out for something this year instead of having a hospitality committee provide the food as we had in the past.  You bring something to share or snack on and that arrangement seems to be working.  Friday was more like a potluck meal then.  They also had quilter garage sale items set up.

This was the swag in my bag though I wound up with two magazines and/or patterns.   Sarah who I had been sitting by at lunch had gotten the book  you see below in her bag....... and she had donated it!!    I swapped her my Quilter's Newsletter magazine from mine.  Jackie said we did not empty out the old magazines even when they had dropped the price to 10 cents each so they put them in the gift bags instead, LOL.  The pattern was one that Celisia got but she didn't want to swap for the book.


I got these for half off the marked price at one of the girl's tables.  A set of Quilt in a Day fussy cut rulers and the other is a Magic Square ruler for marking, cutting half square triangles.  I liked the idea of the slotted lines on the ruler as the quick quarter thing I have while it works fine, I have lost one and snapped another in half like a twig when I got hung up with it somewhere.  We'll see how this does.  To avoid her having to make change I also got a package of magnetic clasps like you use on a purse, not shown.




This little present came with a caveat "don't get excited about what the box says as that may not be what is inside"  Sounds like home and the growing up years, LOL.  Loretta's mom lost her husband the week after I lost my DJ.   Because of structural problems to her home, she has moved in with Loretta till they can build her a mother-in-law spot.  Miss Annie Laura is really having to downsize.  Earlier she donated quite a bit of her sewing materials to the group and for the sew-in some of her Santa collection.  This is the Santa that came home with me.  He will hold a cheese ball inside his belly area with a matching knife.  Oh and you should have seen how cute she was all dressed up like Mrs. Claus!  That is one lady who really gets into Christmas, I tell you.  LOL


A fun day!  I mostly worked on the newsletter on Saturday as the girls were giving me stuff to include in the September addition.  I figured I was less likely to misplace some of the papers or omit something if I got started with it while fresh on my mind.  That was a good plan actually as I was able to get it out a few days earlier than usual.

As I said I finished up the sewing on my tree skirt on Tuesday at Bama Belles.   There were just 6 of us there this time.  I showed Bev how to use the twister ruler to make the wreath we had explored in the past.  I gave mine to my niece/god daughter last year and half thought about doing it again.  Bev had her base already pieced so it was just as matter of giving her a few hints.  Like cut all the in the same direction either up or across.  Pin the sections to a piece of batting so you can keep them in order for sewing.  Mark a dot on the ruler with nail polish or something so you consistently put the ruler in the same position when you line it up over the seam cross sections.   Though I had brought my revolving mat in case she wanted to use it, she and Donna teamed up with Donna standing on the other side of the kitchen "island" cutting the other side so neither one had to be a contortionist.   BTW, the pattern is just two pictures essentially on the quilting board site   http://www.quiltingboard.com/pictures-f5/twister-t74576.html

Lois had some neat tops to pin and did so with help from Donna.  Janet and I consulted about how to cut more 4 patch posie blocks from her fall themed fabric---the "notes" had gotten cold, LOL.  Bev got back to the quilt finishing she was working on as that Lick Skillet Quilt show is only about 12 days away.  Most of the group belongs to more than one quilt group and this is their first ever show.  Valera wanted some opinions about which inner border fabric to use on a large Christmas project she has been working on.  She also had a scaled down version of that ubiquitous 10 minute table runner that seems to have made the rounds not only on the net but here locally.  I love that small one!
I know that the guild members have each had to make and donate 5 items for the guild country store.  Maybe these were her items??  They went off to lunch while I had brought something and I intended to get my sewing done before I went home--and accomplished my goal.  I had not brought my backing though and then wished I had!

Oh what kind of a name is "Lick Skillet",  you might wonder? It is the original name of Oxford, Alabama, back in 1830 .  Oxford  is more of an upscale sounding name and it was renamed 22 years later when the town was incorporated.  You can read one version of the story behind the unusual name on the city pages HERE while wikipedia relates another.

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You may recall my saying that I had mailed a box of stuff back to myself from my folks?  It arrived.

I was doing a bit of knitting on the trip as I need some replacement dish cloths.  This is the 2nd one and I following the directions on it, LOL.




Mom likes these crocheted ones that I think you use a knit-crochet type deal on.  That is not the right name but the right name is not coming to me at the moment.  I've got one but never used it and she sent this one with me so I would see how they assemble.  I made the first dish cloth super huge on the way out to Denver mostly because I couldn't get up and get the instructions out of my bag (1st row, seat belt light on) to start the decreases, LOL.  Looks like it is on steroids.  I boogered up one corner of it too.  I think I started INCREASING again as it almost looked like I was making a handle for it instead of decreasing to 4 stitches and binding off.  Talking with my family and not paying attention!!!  The other pile is some pineapple log cabin foundations stamped on muslin, from Alice via Warren.


  This is that packet of half yard Civil War prints I mentioned in the last post.  Again from Alice via Warren.


She was exploring curved piecing.   The blue and white mini piece was made from a large polka dot fabric while the other one looked as though she was trying her hand quilting stitches.  There are a boat load of the red and yellow blocks and a boatload more cut out.  Not entirely sure where this was headed but it will show up in donation quilts.  Play with them and see if a pattern emerge, I guess.


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On the home front,  it is looking like it might pour any minute after being overcast most of the day.  Weather dude said it might by evening hours and into Sunday.  Looks like that might be spot on.  We are presently about 3 inches behind on our normal rain for which is a departure from last year and being about 12-14 over that.  The yard looks dry again and only the weeds---and the kudzu, of course---growing.  The kudzu will slow down after it flowers but a good bit of it has returned in that strip I had cleared off earlier this summer.  As long as it is not trailing along the ground I will probably leave it alone.    I am on deadline for the hop after all and not willing to go roast outside in the 90-95 degree temperatures at this point to beat it back.

It gets this hot and humid and it is all I can do to want to walk my dog out in the lane.  We go into the city park daily and do about 2 1/2 laps.  They have just completed a project on the park and along the Chief Ladiga Trail to open up the back of the park that faces west  so you can view the trail better  I hate that they took those trees down but I am like that about any tree, really.  They probably have their reasons and some plan that I am not aware of.   It will reduce the shade along the trail more than the park but not so much the time of day that Oscar and I go.  Yesterday they were blowing straw bales over the freshly graded dirt so we gave them a wide arc.

We also have a new neighbor at the end of the lane loop.  The house had been empty since before Christmas anyway.  Looks to be a retired couple.  I see them outside on the porch when Oscar and I have been out walking in the lane and have spoken to them, wave as I go by but so far I have not made any baked goods or formerly introduced myself.   Maybe once it cools down a bit and I don't mind turning on the oven.  As new folks come in another couple will be leaving.  Robbie, Glynda and Robert's son and his wife just closed on a house and will be moving about 10 miles or so from here.

This holiday weekend is going okay so far.  DJ and I had no traditions as might have previous ones.  I might cook out, I might not.   Didn't go anywhere.  I probably should have put the flag up but didn't mostly that was because of the forecast.  I might have to get up on the ladder in the pouring rain to retrieve it.  Anyway, I hope that you have a happy and safe holiday weekend.  I know folks around here are just happy to have college and high school football back.  Alabama is playing in the Georgia Dome I think but Auburn vs Arkansas game may be a little dampened.

THX for stopping by---------I'll be posting the See You in September blog hop schedule soon as it starts on the 3rd  (Wednesday!)  and runs through the 16th.  No way am I ready for my day either. gotta hit it!





4 comments:

  1. My, you've been busy!! And such FUN goodies!! - ;))

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  2. look forward to your creations over what seems a busy time personally and socially....

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  3. well, I have read back and feel pretty caught up with you! thanks so much for all the fabulous photos, baby and wedding and quilt related...all wonderful !!! And, it was nice to see you holding Lily...a real treat! glad you are home safe and sound and enjoying working on the next quilt project.

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  4. I absolutely love making those dishcloths! I have a big stack at home, but every time I go to Wal-Mart I am eyeing the cotton yarn. Looking forward to your bloghop post!

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