Scrumptious Christmas Meeting!

Bless Susie for her connections with people all over the map and for her shop dropping in and coming out with something new.  The morning was full of new project ideas to keep us busy during the holidays.

Remember all those political propaganda junk mails that we were hit with this year and that Susie told us to save and bring in?  (If you forgot yours - bring them in for January and you can cut them then.) Well - what a wonderful demonstration on what to do with them.  Barb had sent Susie 3 sizes of Friskar's hexagon cutters from California, they work wonderfully on those slick cardstock papers.  

After you cut them out, use the glue stick - that's right NO sewing basting stitches - to turn the fabric over and presto - you are ready to get going.  Susie gave us the tip of punching a hole in the middle of the hexagon template for easier removal later.  The slickness makes it easier for the glue not to penetrate the card stock so that the templates will last longer.  Sorry, the cutters do not cut fabric.  However, if you know someone that has a quilt cutter of the various models, they do have dye's for hexagons.  Even some quilt shops have them.  And, MODA does have a large pack of lazer pre-cut hexagons.

But wait.........let's not stop there - what about this hexagon flower?

Susie got a new book about piecing your hexagons.

She even picked up the 5 Acrylic Templates to help line them up to cut.  What a wonderful idea.

But wait........that's not all.  What about starting with a circle, folding here and there and coming up with a hexagon that you have finished the back right along with the front?  Susie took it a step farther and cut batting to go in the center and aid with the folding.

Here's a look at one of the quilts you can make and the book that the idea came from.  Remember, click on the pictures to make them come in bigger so you can read titles and who wrote the books.

*********

We had a wonderful time hand working and talking the morning away.

Donnis is crocheting head warmers for babies, preemie's and cancer patients.

Don't you just love what she carries her yarn around in?  Has a hole in the top - keeps the yarn clean and safe and did not cost extra.  Great recycling idea.

Everyone either had something to work on - Deb hand quilting - 

Judy sewing on binding - embroidery, hexie work, or looking through the magazines that Susie brought in - or just enjoying the chatter and exchange of ideas and news.

*****

Someone suggested that we do our Show 'n Tell before lunch.

Donnis showed her finished block from last months 6 1/2" block presentation 

A couple of hot pads

Cute, cute Christmas wall hanging

A lovely Christmas table runner - Donnis said she needs to make something new, she is losing her interest in this one.

Do not remember when Donnis said that she made this - but WOW!!!!!  Don't you just love the dimensions in this wall hanging?  Great study in colors and what they can make your eyes see.

Had to take a close up - those are pies.  Striped triangles with the colors in just the right places - fantastic.  Thank you Donnis.  

Deb took the multiplying 4-patch and with the same 4 fabric colors for each block, cut away, twisted and sewed - to come up with this beauty of a game throw.  Because it is expected to be washed over and over, Deb used a low loft polyester batting.  Makes it light, yet still warm.

Deb saw this in the closet and decided that it was a great time to bring in this family quilt. (oops - forgot who made it).  All those pieces are hand appliqued on. Each and every flower petal, leaf, etc.

The itsy bitsy tiny blanket stitches that hold the pieces down are so perfect that someone in the past tried to say that it must have been machine done.  Nope - all by hand.  And look at that quilting.  Gorgeous family heirloom.

Machelle was showing off the book that she is passing around to those that want to read it.  It is full of recipes AND stories.

Years ago when Jane left, the ladies had bought her a "quilt in a can" going away present.  Machelle loved it and was able to find one for herself.  This is the wall hanging that it made.  It goes well with Machelle's decor at home.  

Behind this awesome double wedding ring table runner is Shirley.  It is always a pleasure for ladies to bring in items that they made before - many of us have never seen them (or like a few of us, forgot we had).  This one is done with Christmas fabric.

The sampler that was given as a BOM at the Piotique Quilters Guild in 2008 by Marcella - Shirley had planned with Christmas fabric.  Wonderful setting.

Judy is working on place mats.  Seems one of her granddaughters is a little jealous - SHE doesn't have place mats for every season.  So Judy has been real busy trying to amend that statement.  The one's she is holding above have owls in them, her granddaughters favorite.

Then of course there are the Christmas ones, and.......

why not make some round/ ball shaped ones for the center of the table.  Judy said it took her a bit to come up with the perfect size.  Good thing Judy knows how to make bias binding.

Vevia showed off her "Out my Window" BOS (Block of the Season) that she gave at the Clay Center Piotique Quilters Guild for 2014.  Each season was done with a different technique.

We all had to get a look at Deb's quilting hoop.  It is a Jasmine Heirloom hoop that she got when Clay Center guild had Malia Webb in to give a workshop on hand quilting.  Deb said it was worth every cent it cost.

Machelle almost forgot to show us the case that she had made years ago for her weaving group.  Carries easily with it's handles, and

The inside covers (both front and back) have pockets to hold her pencils, pens, rulers, etc for easy location.  Her patterns, notes, hand outs and everything are all in one place.  Perhaps we all should make one for our Friendship Group info we get.

******************

After Show 'n Tell we dug in to a feast of taste bud delight.

And NO Virginia - you can never have too much dessert!

Merry Christmas to everyone and have a safe and happy New Year !!!!!

See you all in 2015!

Christmas Food Sign up:

Shirley--Dessert
Vevia--meat -that both Deb and Esther can eat.

Each of us Discovering OUR WAY to Applique

Susie - you were missed!

Now that that is said.......

Vevia didn't do too bad of a job filling in - thanks to all of Susie's samples.

Pictured above is the Slave Chain block that Susie chose.

What is the greatest part about it is that you can put on all the pieces or just some of the pieces.

Vevia brought in the block on the right that is called orange peel, or .......... this is another block that has so many names by region or quilter.

Susie chose her 6 1/2" block from Jennifer Chiaverini's "The Loyal Union Sampler from ELM CREEK QUILTS" book. (Block I-8, page 79)  This book was inspired by Jennifer Chiaverini's book "The Union Quilters".  It has so many interesting blocks in it -  click here Amazon preview  to check out what is in some of the pages.

Vevia brought in a few different ideas for applique-ing, along with Susie's samples of the needle turn.  There were also several glues to try, straw and applique needles, freezer paper, and Susie had sent in silk, 50 wt. and a couple other different threads.  Applique is not a one stop shop-boxed in, only can do this way technique.

Here is Susie's needle turn sample

and here is her reverse applique sample Click for directions to print out.

The ladies were off and running.  No matter how involved everyone looks here, we still were able to share the news and events that had been happening in our lives.

Here along side Susie's block, is the first 1/4 of the block of Machelle's done

Judy finished one and is wondering what she will do with just 1/4 of a block.  hahaha!

Donnis tried the freezer paper technique to help her turn under the edges.  Don't think that will be a favorite for her.

We thought her work looked great and we are looking forward to seeing her finished block .

Vevia did finish one section

Deb on the other hand, finished all four.  We told her it was because she does so much hand quilting - kept her fingers agile.

Machelle did finish 3 sections and laid them out with some of her other blocks to see how they were looking.  Love her Christmas fabric theme.

Deb had made Esther's block pattern in some different fabric pieces that she had laying around.  Must say, I would probably never buy the fabric shown on the outside - however - it is fantastic here.  Who would have thought?

After lunch we had Show 'n Tell.  Donnis did not have a current finished project to show, so she brought one of her older favorites.  She uses it as a wall hanging.

AND she had hand quilted it.  Donnis, seeing this was awe inspiring.  Love it, love it, love it.  Thank you.

Judy had finished her daughters living room runners.  This picture shows the two joined squares that will be on the coffee table, and

these are the two rectangle ones that will be on the end tables.  Love Judy's fabrics and how she worked these.  

Judy has really been busy - this is the baby blanket that she has been huffing and puffing over.  Sorry the camera did not pick up the hearts too well, picture below shows them a little better.

Love how this quilt pops with color.  Baby should enjoy it also.

Susie did the quilting.  You can see some of it here on the flannel back.

Machelle had brought in this quilt for a grandson, but at that time did not have it finished.

Here it is all finished, AND Machelle quilted this huge thing all by her self on her little old home sewing machine.  Wow!  

The surprising part was realizing that this is a disappearing 9-patch pattern.  There are 9 fabrics used, each one always in the same position.  When you cut it apart and sew it back together - amazing.  Missed the pattern at first till Machelle explained what she had done.  AND there is a label on it.  Hooray!!!!! 

Vevia and Lorraine were both drawn to a bag that Deb had brought in with her hand work a few months back - Vevia had some Mountmellick work that she did not know what to do with - so - she made a similar bag to Deb's.  Added a couple of pockets inside and now it holds her embroidery work.

Susie and Vevia have been giving embroidery demonstrations to those interested at the Piotique Quilters Guild in Clay Center.  This is the last month and will include satin stitches.  They will be handing out an initial pattern to the ladies and these are the samples that Vevia has worked up to show them how they can use the stitches they have been learning and make their own one of a kind Monogram.  (The bag has a chain stitch, the book satin, and the letter E is done with flowers and leaves)

Machelle brought in her "Primitive Quilts" magazine to share.  Every page has something on it that you would want to do.  Deb brought in her new book from Missouri Star Quilt Co. She signed up to receive each new one they come out with.  Didn't know you could do that.  It is available here MSQC site to where you can sign up and receive it yourself.  (When you go to the site, look for 'BLOCK the magazine' near the top right)

Machelle had picked up these two very helpful sheets - cutting a square to cut out for bias binding

 and then the other side shows what size of a square to cut out for what you need.  Due to the color of the paper and the protection plastic - sorry, not very good pictures.

It was a great meeting - even if our numbers were low.  Had a wonderful time chatting and catching up, and learned a thing or two (remember to draw your big "chain" on the fabric BEFORE you sew on the little "chain").

**********************************

We also got to talking about next year and what we would like to do.  Machelle has several slips of paper that people have given her of ideas and we need to go through them and pick out our favorites.  As of today - it seems like strip piecing projects is in the forefront of choices.

Spring Cleaning pattern

Japanese Star Pattern

These are two patterns that Susie has made available to us.  Donnis is working on the Japanese one for a table runner.  So be thinking about January and February possibly working on one or the other, or one of your own patterns and lets see how many different strip piecings we can do.

Get with Machelle about December and what you would like to bring for the potluck.

See you then.