April Meeting in Review: Put a Label on It!

Verneal's Tip of the Month:  When using Wonder Under or Heat and Bond for applique, sometimes the quilt top gets really stiff.  Instead of using Wonder Under for the ENTIRE shape you will applique, cut the center of the shape out, leaving 1/4" - 3/8" around the edge of the shape. Finally, to remove the paper side of the Wonder Under, score it with a pin or other sharp object, and pull the paper off from the center of the shape rather than the outer edge of the shape.  This method keeps the raw edge of the applique shape clean and crisp.

Civil War Blocks:  During the coming month, complete Louisiana and Yankee Puzzle (one of two versions).

Quilts for Cops:  If you'd like to participate in this service project, please make a quilt no larger than 45x60.  Be sure to use thin batting, as the finished quilt needs to fit in a 2-gallon ziplock bag.  Bring your finished quilt to next month's meeting.  The quilts will be given to Tooele Police Officers to use to comfort children as needed.

Block of the Month (Saltbox Sampler):  Complete through page 34 by our next meeting.  Mary gave an excellent demonstration on paper piecing (video is available online at ??).

Round Tuit:  Beyonce sings, "If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it!" in her song "All the Single Ladies."  Don't you love how creative Michelle and Katie are when they plan the Round Tuit?  This month's Round Tuit trinket was a ring with a little piece of fabric for a label.  The tag said:

- All the Quilting Ladies -

If you liked it then you shoulda put a label on it!

Show & Tell:  Each project has a story behind it. Quilts for granddaughters, in memory of grandmothers, in honor of breast cancer survivors, in honor of Tooele County pioneers, friendship quilts, for medical research foundation, yard-sale finds, and lots of firsts (first quilt, first free motion quilting, first long-arm quilting, first paper-piecing, etc.).  To me, the quilter and the story behind the quilt makes each quilt extra beautiful.

Put a Label On It:  Michelle carried her Round Tuit theme through her presentation on the how, why, what, where, and when of labeling quilts.  Include your full name, rather than just initials and whatever other information you want to include. . . who the quilt was made for, who designed the pattern and what the pattern is called, who quilted it (or if you quilted it yourself), the amount of time it took you to complete the project (or year started and year finished), special notes, etc.  Embroider the information, applique the information, use a fabric pen and write the information, print the information on fabric transfer paper using your printer.  It really doesn't matter HOW you label it. . . JUST DO IT!

Here's hoping Marilyn's examples will inspire us all to label our work!

May Meeting:  We're excited to have Andrea Cox return and teach us Amazing Grace. You will need 1/4 yard straight cuts (not fat quarters) of thirty fabrics (prints are best) to make a 57"x83" lap quilt. You can make this a controlled scrap quilt, a one color quilt, two colors, or three, or be as wild as you like. The important thing is that you can make six sets, having five fabrics in each and ranging from light to dark. The easiest way to choose your thirty fabrics is to find a "focus" fabric that you like for your border and sashing that has at least four different colors in it, then pull your strip fabric colors from that.  You will need 1 1/4 yards border/sashing fabric, 1 1/3 yards dark fabric, and 1/2 yd of a stripe or "punch" color. If you wish to bind the quilt in any of the fabrics you have already chosen, buy another 2/3 yd of it.  You will also need a 60 degree triangle ruler.  Prior to the May meeting, please cut five strips (1 3/4" x WOF) from each of the thirty 1/4 yard fabrics. It is very important to straighten the fabric first and along the way.