Quilt Guild Rewards!

Do you belong to a quilt guild?

I know there are many complaints 

about guilds (cliques, not enough volunteers, etc),

but what about the positives??

I work from home and my only other

real human to talk to is my husband.

I adore my husband and he listens to all

my quilting whoas but not with the

same empathy and sympathy

that a fellow quilter hears them!

I can't expect him to:)

My biggest positive for being 

a member is all the HUGS!!

If you aren't a hugger, I am sorry!

You are missing out on a quintessential 

human experience that I revel in.

There is an endorphin rush that we

humans need for survival and I get mine

from hugging whenever appropriate.

This month I was recovering from a cold

so no hugging-WHAAAAA!

Where else can you go and share a story

about a stupid thing you think only you did

and have a room full of people giggle and

acknowledge most of them have done it too?

That feeling of inclusiveness and not 

being alone is also necessary for our 

mental survival.

How about joining a guild in your 40s and 

being at least 20 years younger than everyone?

Time to be amazed by these women IF you 

take the time to listen and get to know them.

Being in your 70s is so different 

than a few generations ago and 

their vibrancy is very inspiring!

I have been the leader of my guild off and on for 

4 years now. It has truly been an honor getting

to know them, laugh/cry with them, teach/learn

from them, share moments with them.

There is a community there that is crucial

to my well being and I do hope they have 

received some of the same from me.

The picture at the top of the post shows my spoils 

from the lovely 'Thank You' gift card 

they gave me for being in charge this year.

They have no idea how much fun I have being up

in front and making them laugh!

I look forward to being their dancing monkey

again in the future:)

THANK YOU HIDDEN STITCHES!!

Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com 

for more blogs to follow.

ROUND ROBINS

First let me say that I have NEVER done or participated in a Round Robin for this reason, I am a Control Freak!  The idea of putting some fabric in a box and letting someone else make my quilt decisions for me and add other fabrics just makes my brain seize up. I have seen some lovely ones and some not so lovely ones too.  The idea intrigues me and seeing the reveals is inspiring but the need to be involved hasn't taken root.

Then I read somewhere about a controlled one and that made me want to do one:) Since I initiated this in my guild, I made up the parameters as shown in the first image print out.

I will say that participants didn't want anything

 too large so that limited my round sizes.

Here were the rules in case you want to do something similar in your own guild.

-This is a Round Robin personal challenge where you will make your own individual quilt using specific parameters given in 5 rounds

-Play along to make a gift for a friend, a charity donation, or just because it is fun to be a part of something and be challenged a tiny bit.

-There will be 5 rounds with one and two given together so that it will run for 4 months.

-Techniques will include applique' (by hand or fusible) and piecing with the finished size being roughly 48" square.

-Make it any color way that you love so that you will be excited to work on it.

Round 1: A 12" (finished) block with any applique you choose. 

I chose the tulip logo of our guild, Hidden Stitches.

Round 2: A 2" (finished) border to your center block. 

Border must feature at least one applique element from the center block. You can use any element, more than one, repeats in any way you choose.

Round 3: A 4" round of any pieced blocks.

Round 4: An 8" round with ANY triangular element (flying geese, half-square triangles).  Any combination of piecing and applique.

You can see that my big red tulip 

blocks will be cut to triangles.

Round 5: Another 4" round of any pieced blocks. The 4" was a minimum and they could go bigger if they chose.

You can see by my sketch that I made it way too complicated even though it is way cool (especially on a small computer screen:)!!

You see how far I got:)  I loved doing the applique but also became extremely busy in this time frame so the piecing was put on the back burner so to speak!

Now some of these ladies may hate me for posting these pics when I didn't catch them smiling and I can only hope I am forgiven when I say how much I LOVE THEM!!

They are members of my first 'Applique' guild, they are quilters, they share their stories and lives with me, and they are my friends and I love seeing them every month.

Lastly, they let me experiment on them when I have a new technique or Round Robin idea:)

My life here in Florida wouldn't be the same without these Amazing women!!   

We didn't all finish but the starts are pretty cool too! 

Cindy S. Love her flower and can't 

wait to see the rest.

Pat O. That birdhouse is darling!

It makes a sweet small piece the way it is.

Marva G. does amazing applique' work!

Again this could be done the way it is.

Jean R. used a block we had experimented with

 in a meeting and used it as her start point!

She even used the tulip as her 

quilting in the outer border.

Barbara D. did an amazing job! 

There was that sound in the room 

when people are impressed.

Lynn T. did the cutest kitty quilt and off setting 

border fabrics gives so much movement!

Then we come to our overachiever, Miss Liz M.

Above is the back of her quilt:)

Below is the front!

And I thought I had designed a lot 

of tiny bits for my borders!

THANK YOU all for being such great sports about trying out my Robin's Round Robin!!
I loved seeing every one of these and hearing about whether you loved or hated the process.
~Keep stitching

Day 7: FRIENDSHIP

Today is my annual Quilt Guild Christmas party!  They have been my friends for 7 years now.  Hard to believe I have been in one place that long!

Am I super close to all of them? No, but they greet me warmly and I want to hug each one of them when I see them and my day is much happier when I am around them so they are my friends!

I haven't been to guild in 2 months due to travel which will make this meeting even more joyful.

Who is your group that makes you happy?

Pop over to see who else is blogging...

http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/the-2018-31-day-blog-writing-challenge/

CHARITY AUCTION

I know the title, CHARITY AUCTION, isn't very exciting and naming is NOT a strength of mine, but it is exciting if you are a quilter and like to get caught up in the action of a good deal:)

When I moved to Florida (almost 7 years ago now-WOW!!), I joined a guild named Hidden Stitches.
I loved the name and that it is an Applique guild...How exciting is that!  Then I learned that their philanthropic outreach is for a program that one of the members had founded and once a year they hold a Live Quilt Auction and Luncheon to raise their yearly funds. 

Live quilt auctions are a hoot!  Our auctioneer, Brenda, is Fantastic and watching the bidding wars can be hysterical.  I myself have been involved in one or two:)  You can't help but get caught up and the money goes to a great program for disadvantaged children.

There is also a boutique where fun things (sewing and non-sewing) can be found.  This year we are doing scrap grab bags...Say that 3 times fast:)  Who can resist a mystery bag?  My daughter used to spend her allowance on the ones at Claire's Jewelry in the mall. She would be so excited to see what she got in her bag and it would crack me up!

So here are my donations to this year's event which will be held this Saturday (24th) in Largo, FL. Christ the King Lutheran on Oakhurst Rd. Come join us!
Tickets are $15 and include lunch and more entertainment than you are prepared for:)
I know we have seats left if your calendar is empty and you want to come see what we are up to.

 Autumn Vines is a lap quilt for the

Live Auction that features one of my pumpkin designs on it.

 

This is the March basket designed by Sue Garman 

for her design named, Bouquets for a New Day.

I hand appliqued this before machine quilting it.

Lastly, this sweet little piece is named, Winterscape. 

I know people are over winter but next year this will look

darling in someone's home with original, 

hand embroidered, snowflake corners.

 

The last 2 pieces will be part of the Silent Auction. 

Hope to see you there.

Charity Quilts

I know I am not alone in our quilting community when donating time and talent to worthy causes.  I usually hesitate to make full on quilts after hearing how some organizations don't do our donations justice.  However, the guild I belong to is aligned with a charity that does such a great service to underprivileged children that I am proud to donate lovelies.

 

Every spring the COC along with Hidden Stitches (my guild) puts on a huge luncheon and quilt auction.  We have over 300 people attend the lunch and so many quilts for auction that we have added a silent auction as well so everyone's bums don't go numb during the bidding:)

 

As I contemplated what to do for 2015 an estate sale of a quilter came to the guild's attention.  

 



I found 6 machine embroidered Sun Bonnet Sue blocks for $6...I knew I could come up with something:)  The one missing will go into a small pillow done in peach because she was the one NOT like the others in colors.  After adding some nine patches and a border, I had it machine quilted by a lovely woman in our guild who will quilt our charity quilts for free once we supply the backing/batting which is more than fair!!

After I received it back from Toddy, I added the floral applique to the borders for an adorable baby quilt...I just love the red and white!  The floral applique mimics a floral design in the embroidery of one of the other blocks.

At the estate sale, I also found these 16 completed kaleidoscope blocks ($8) and the gold fabric yardage that matched perfectly. What to do..... There weren't enough for a whole quilt and if I separated them, then you would lose that cool purple square between them.  I decided to just put them together and add a bigger header and footer for a lap size quilt.

Again I sent it off to Toddy and her husband, Ray, to quilt it for me.  Once it came back, I added the purple flower garlands to the top and bottom borders.

I machine appliqued the flower garlands and then replicated the quilting details into the flower heads.  If you look at the photo below, you will see that the applique flowers mimic the quilting.  This is a great way to add more detail and keep everything cohesive.

The joy is knowing someone will LOVE these and the money they spend on them at the auction will go to help kids that just need a little bit of attention so we don't lose them.
I am not one to shout my good deeds to the world but I thought this was a good way to show how orphan blocks at yard sales, thrift shops, etc. can be of use even if they aren't necessarily your style.
I don't do Sunbonnet Sue or purples/golds but someone will love these and it didn't cost me all that much other than my time.

What are your charity projects for the year?

HIDDEN STITCHES challenge and TO MARKET:)

After long months of crazy creativity, frustration, excitement, and pure joy at finishing in time; the Hidden Stitches 2013 Paint Chip Challenge is revealed. OH, and I am going to Spring Market:)

 

Funny how the feelings are the same. I have been working feverishly to get my Market samples completed, written, tested, photographed, printed, folded and packaged.  The time is now as I fly out on Wednesday for Portland, Oregon where I will meet new shop owners and see old friends!  When I get home, you will get your own private show here so check back after June 1st.

 

In the meantime I leave you with the amazing creativity of my sweet guild friends!

 

As to our challenge, I believe we had 6 months to decide what to do with the paint chips we were blindly given.  The size was no more than 100" (all four sides added together) and you had to use the chip colors as your primary focus.

I brought my racks and drapes so we could hang them all for voting.  They are all so different!

 

Laura Raczek

Mary Lou Wechter, Winner of Best Design.

There was a lot of discussion about Mary Lou's because the left side is all 3D woven and the flowers are 3D as well.

Marva Gurley, winner of Most Whimsical

This is my Mango Mambo.  Not only do I love the color of Mangoes but since moving to FL. I actually like the flavor too.  The little orange ones are delicious!! The pic below is it hanging in my home and you can see the quilting a bit better too.

Brenda Grampass

Lynn Tinley

Mary Ann Braithwaite, winner of Best Use of Color

We were all very impressed with how she used colors that all of us would have cried over!

Diane Dormer

Carol Flomp

Liz Mann

                                                

Lynn Woods

Pat Osinga

Bernice Frederick

Karen Barrie

Barbara Leonard

I am so impressed with how creative they all were with what colors they had.  There were some color selections that would have driven me over the edge:) but they were able to make something wonderful!
Until June....

Hidden Stitches Musical Moments

Welcome to some of my Hidden Stitches applique group.  I joined this group shortly after moving to Florida last summer and they have been very friendly and inviting and even LET me be the leader of their group:)) 

Recently the challenge of Musical Moments was put forth to the group: Be inspired by a song title or line from a song and it couldn't be more than an 80" perimeter (which leaves a lot of leeway:).

Here is what talent sung out:)

  

Liz M's  "I'll Fly Away", a hymm.

Her eagle's name is Spirit.
  Her wing applique uses different fabrics

for a wonderfully realistic feel.

                                               Barbara H's "There's a Hole in the Bucket"
                               There really is a hole too with a drop of water coming out:)

 Carol C did a Beatles Tribute and my pictures won't do it justice.  There is so much handwork

detailing each song and then there are more titles embroidered in the pink border.

 Here Carol holds up Barb L's "Daisy Daisy".

The reverse applique here is great because of the
pieced background.  The butterfly is 3D as well.

 Diane D's "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend"

Simple, Sweet, and great graphically.

 Pat O's
"Teddy Bear"








We had an Elvis thing going here and lots of reminiscencing!  Pat had the cutest album pin that was perfect for the bear's belly. 

Lynn T's Elvis Tribute and I am pretty sure the look on her face

says it all about how Elvis made her feel:)))

 Great appliques representing different songs and don't forget those "Blue Suede Shoes" !

 Marva brought us another eagle for "Wind Beneath My Wings".  This is another great technique for adding texture and movement to an applique-choose a wonderful print!  

Lynn W's "Tea for Two"

Paper piecing and the tea bags are adorable!

Carol Q's rendition of "Daisy Daisy"  So sweet!