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.

March Meeting in Review

I was unable to attend the March meeting, so I don't have a lot of text and narrative to add.  Hopefully the pictures will give you a good idea of what happened in March at the Tooele County Quilters Meeting!

(Thanks to Brigid for taking photos for me this month!)

The Daisy block was taught by Kaye Hammond:

Judy Petersen introduced 3 more Civil War Blocks to be completed before next month's meeting:
Little Blue Basket
Star of the West
Port & Starboard

Mary and Eileen showed how the Saltbox Sampler blocks look all sewn together.

Beautiful, don't you think?

Rhodie always has at least a few charity quilts to show.

Thank you to everyone who helps piece the tops, prepare the backs, and tie and bind the quilts!

It is a group effort, and we couldn't do all this work without YOU!

Show & Tell with the Tooele County Quilters is ALWAYS a treat!

Michelle always has a fun way to encourage us to get a Round Tuit!

2013 Raffle Quilt

Originally, Michelle made this quilt to be sold at the Wild Horse Festival.  However, because of federal budget cuts, the program has been cancelled.  Instead, we will sell the quilt later in the year through a raffle.

Isn't this quilt gorgeous?  Thank you, Michelle, for donating your time and expertise on this project!

National Quilting Day

National Quilting Day is Saturday, March 16, and you can celebrate with the North and South areas of the Utah Quilt Guild!

FUN, FRIENDS, FOOD, and of course. . . QUILTING!

 Open Sew- Bring your UFOs…work on some, or swap with others

 Power cords, extension cords and surge protectors most welcome

 Demos:
Patty Paulson: ‘Learn Maintenance’ for a Featherweight
Carol Cook: 10-minute Table Runner (bring 2 fabrics- WOF 12 inches/WOF 18 inches)
Caryl Jensen: Disappearing 4 patch

WHERE: St John the Baptist Gathering Place, 300 E 11800 S, Draper- lot to EAST

TIME: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

LUNCH: Potluck- Bring your favorite dish (enough to serve 8 and serving utensils)! Plates, utensils, napkins provided. What a great chance to ‘field-test’ a new or share a favorite ‘old’ recipe. Your last name starts with:

A-G- Finger Foods 

H-O Casseroles 

P-Z Desserts 

Questions? 

Carol Cook @ savvyquilts2@aol.com or 801-414-8426 or 

Caryl Jensen @ caryla2290@msn.com or 801-897-5334

February Round Tuits and Show & Tell

Did you know that quilters are extra-"straw" kissable?

Deonne (top), Cynthia (bottom left), and Teresa (bottom right) all got around to finishing a few projects.  The picture of Deonne's cross-stitched cloth does not do it justice!

And check out all the eye-candy we enjoyed this month during Show and Tell:

*Note that the very last picture (bottom right) is a panel quilted by Crystal's 10-year-old daughter!

February Meeting in Review

Announcements:

• March 7: Utah Quilt Guild Area Meeting
• March 16:  National Quilting Day (Sew-In, Luncheon, & Demos from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at St. Johns The Baptist Gathering Place - 300 E 11800 S, Draper)
• March 19:  Tooele County Quilters monthly meeting (remember to bring your  completed apple, birdhouse, bee, beehive, and embroidered blocks for our "All Things Utah" quilt)
• June 6-8:  Wild Horse Festival at Deseret Peak (please donate home-made items to sell; more information will be provided soon regarding the quilt show and prizes available at this event)
• October 8-12: Quilt Fest at the Zermatt in Midway
• November 4-8:  Holiday Quilt Show at Little America (where our "All Things Utah" quilt will be auctioned)

Library Book of the Month:  

Patchwork Sassaman Style:  Recipes for Dazzling  Quilts

Tips of the Month:

Pilot Frixion Pens:  The ink is thermo-sensitive, and is removable by erasing/friction (because friction generates heat). The little nubs at the end of the pens are the erasers. The marks will re-appear when put into the freezer, but will wash out easily with a light hand-washing using a little bit of liquid hand soap or dish soap.

Pressing vs. Ironing: "Pressing is using the weight of the iron and its heat to remove wrinkles and flatten seams.  Ironing is moving the iron back and forth.  Pressing is lifting the iron up and down. Pressing is for quilters!" (Sew, Mama, Sew!)

Civil War Blocks

to be completed by March:

Underground Railroad

Log Cabin

Salt Box Sampler:

Complete through page 10 by the March meeting. The question came up of how to "pop" your seams for pressing (also called "spinning").  Here's a good tutorial from Perkins Dry Goods blog.  Also mentioned were two useful rulers for squaring up blocks:  

• The Square Squared Ruler by Deb Tucker (click HERE for a great youtube video of Deb Tucker, herself, explaining the ruler), and
• The Pineapple Ruler (click HERE for a great youtube video explaining how to use the ruler).

Disappearing Four-Patch:

The Many Ways to Use Squares by Verneal Lowry

Thank you, Verneal, for a wonderful and informative class on a variety of ways to use squares to make beautiful quilt blocks.

1. Sew 2 sets of contrasting squares together. 

2. Sew the sets together into a 4-patch.  

3.  Cut the 4-patch, using the center seam as the guideline. 

4. Now you have a 9-patch. . . flip the middle piece in the top and bottom rows and the outside pieces in the middle row and sew back together!

Or, cut the 4-patch on the diagonal.  You must have two 4-patch blocks to rotate the pieces for a windmill.  Cut and rotate the windmill block the same as the 4-patch block in the first sample.

Variations:  use 4 different colored squares; assemble blocks in a variety of ways to achieve the look you desire.

Next Month: Daisy Block

For each block, bring:

• One 6 1/2" square of background fabric
• Two 2 1/2" x 5" rectangle of background fabric
• One 4" x 5" rectangle of fabric for daisy
• One 1 1/2" square of fabric for daisy center

Civil War Fabrics on the Cheap?

Some of you may have heard me mention that I found a fat quarter bundle of Civil War fabrics on ebay (from Frank's Bargain Center) for $1 each.  Shipping was $5 for 40 fat quarters.  Before purchasing, I read some reviews on a few quilting forums that mentioned Frank's Bargain Center that said the fabrics were of good quality.

When I got home from January's meeting, the bundle of fabric was waiting in my mailbox!  Here's what the bundle looks like (I ordered 40 fat quarters):

Not one of the selvages had any identifying information, although I was told that the manufacturers included Moda, RJR, Northcott, etc.  Also, more than half of the fat quarters had the selvage completely removed.  After reading Judy's Civil War handouts (the page about Chain Store fabrics vs Quilt Shop fabrics), I have come to the conclusion that these fat quarters are most likely from the beginning or end runs of a fabric print, where colors may be slightly off or the weave may be crooked.  Is this purchase a complete waste?  No.  I think I will still use these fabrics for either the Civil War quilt along, or even the Saltbox Sampler.

Here are 4 fat quarters out of the bunch that I wonder whether they are really Civil War reproduction fabrics:

Anyway, that's my review of the fabrics I received from Frank's Bargain Center.  CLICK HERE to see the fabrics Frank's Bargain Center has available.  Just remember that you'll probably be getting beginning or end runs of a fabric print.  I'll bring my fabric next month so you can feel it and see it.