Great time with great Friends, from near and far!

Yesterday, May 26th, at the Morganville Community Center........

Look who was here!  

Right in the middle of the picture resting her head on her hand..

BONNIE!

What a great turn out with the weather and work week.

In this picture above are some ladies from Linn/Palmer.

And ladies from the Morganville Friendship Group and the Piotique Quilters Guild.

Bonnie called me at 6 am this morning to tell me how this gathering will be a treasurered memory for ever and she wanted all the ladies that were able to attend, to know how special you all made her feel.

Here's the gang all here.

And Lisa from the Morganville Cafe did finally get a chance to see and talk with Bonnie for a minute.

After lunch, Bonnie started us off  with Show 'n Tell -- Walter was surprised when he found out that one whole suitcase was just quilts.  But what a blessing to see what Bonnie has been doing.

She said that she had a lot of scraps that she thought people had taken home with them during the original packing from Clifton.

When she got to Utah - there they were.

So she has been doing charity quilts with them.

So much fun with scraps and a little bit of yardage.

And her quilter out there is fabulous - does such a good job for when Bonnie decides she will have someone else run them up.

One of the ladies mentioned that they had always shied away from brights, but after seeing what Bonnie brought - she thinks she will give it a try herself.

I liked the tilted ones the best.

And some of her greens - wow, how they made things stand out.

And the black helps tone down a few really - really bright wild frogs.

Okay, long distance telephone calls can be confusing.  Bonnie brought this one to show Vevia what she meant by a vertical quilt.  Oh My!   Vevia told her she thought she was saying Vertigo quilt.

No wonder communication is always better face to face.

So simple and so pretty when it is done.  Bonnie did these with the umpteen million 2 1/2" blocks she has collected through the years.

And of course, once a teacher, always a teacher.  Bonnie brought samples to show us how you can do this "VERTICAL" quilt if all you have is 2 1/2" strips.  Thank you Bonnie.

Out at St. George, Utah - Bonnie said they are more artists then quilters - so she has upped her game on her labels - a little more fancy with a little bit of embroidery.

This one is marvelous.  Take a bunch of 4 patches and 9 patches and join them together with plain squares.  Bonnie told us that she came across this box with the light tannish fabric - it was all triangles.  She could not figure out where she had gotten them, but she sewed two together and made the squares.  Deb T. reminded Bonnie that it was from a sale in Concordia from the Mother House.

Not sure why someone had cut all of those triangles, but now Bonnie has put them to good use.

Loved the simple way of quilting this quilt.

Bonnie also brought along her mascot - isn't he cute?  Some of the ladies said that they had seen similiar stuffed dogs, but not with the tongue and ears.  Always something interesting to use your scraps on.

Then it was our turn to Show 'n Tell to Bonnie.

Deb T. brought in this quilt that she is trying to finish from a Round Robin that the Morganville Friendship group did back in 2009 or 2010.  Look at those corners on the border - aren't they darling.  Deb shared that they are from her mistake.  She made the dresdan plate for the middle, but her first attempt was too big, so she had to do it over with smaller blades.  No use tossing out the larger ones - into the corners and what a finish it gives the quilt.

Esther brought in hers that she is trying to finish also.  There were 9 ladies that worked on this project.  Each lady provided her own fabrics in a pizza box, then passed the box around to the others and they made a block for you. 

Shirley has her quilted (by Susie) and just has to put the binding on it.

Darn, some of the ladies said they should have brought theirs too.  Bonnie was trying to remember where hers was and if it was done.  Bonnie - send us a picture when you find it.

Janet H. got the bug to make this quilt with such contrast

After seeing Hayley B.'s.  Remember this one that took top in 4-H and a blue at State.  Well it had to come to see Bonnie as she was so much involved with it's making.  Bonnie went around finding scraps for strips so that Hayley could make it.  

Leila made this Hunter's Star quilt all by hand and then quilted it by hand.  So many scrap pieces and so perfect on the corners.

Carol S. brought in her quilt that Lynne Hagmier from Kansas Troubles  had modernized from the Hunter's Star pattern.  Both Carol S. and Janet H. have been working on these quilts.

You do half square triangles and then raw edge applique on the diamonds, etc.  Looks great - both ways.

Carol S. also brought in her flower garden quilt to show Bonnie.  She heard a few what?  We haven't seen that one........from a few others.  hahahaha  Whether we have or have not - what a gorgeous quilt to see again.

Sara B. also brought in Hayley's counted cross stitch picture to show Bonnie also.

Remember our 10 year anniversary?  Sara brought in her 10 snowmen to show.

And her darling chick quilt.  Love looking at all those colors and all those crazy buttons.

And then there is the Birthday Flower of the Month BOM from 2015 - Sara's is all finished and of course lovely.

Vevia got her flower quilt out also so that Bonnie could see them together.

That is the best part about quilting - everyone can start with the same blocks - and go so many directions with them.

Esther brought in her tree skirt that she had quilted as a whole cloth.

And Esther also brought in her way out of her comfort zone Bargello.  Most of Esther's work is done with pastels, though this one was definitely not pastel -  it is gorgeous Esther.  Great job.

Esther also brought the project that the Morganville Friendship group had jointly done in 2014 I think.  Each of the ladies taught a small 6 1/2" block and then everyone set them their way.  You might remember Esthers as it also has a cross showing with the light backgrounds.

Vevia had taken a class in Manhattan with Shelly Burge - Not your Grandmothers Strip Piecing.  Bonnie knows the lady and has also taken classes from her.

The Manhattan - Konza Priairie Guild's 2015 BOM was fantasy flowers from Robb 'n Graves.  Bonnie has done so many of their patterns, knows the ladies and loved the chance to see something new of theirs.

What fun to see what everyone had to Show    AND

TELL!!!!  Okay, I was probably yakking, but Deb O. had a tell, and

so did Dixie.  Sorry I do not remember enough to share here - but for Bonnie, they both had special Tells for her.  Bonnie has taught so many and I know Dixie and others of us, are glad to be involved with teaching the next generation.

Thank you everyone for coming out and seeing Bonnie and thank you

Bonnie for giving us the chance to share and enjoy your company.

You are always missed!

Yeah! Yeah! The gangs all here! (almost)

Maybe not all could make it this month, but it was a very impressive turn out.

Pat was able to swing by real quick and say hello to everyone and gave Vevia a rolling pin to make some real springerle cookies.  Okay - now how many say they are Sweedish - how many German - how many Bavaria or Austria?  Reminds you of quilt blocks - everyone has one.

This was also the month to bring in your 2009 pass the box swap project.  There was some doubts for everyone as to who made which block.  Esther is laying out her blocks here and deciding if she wants to use the hexie flowers in the cornerstone area.

Esther brought in some lovely velvet, lace and such for us to go through.  Thank you Esther for sharing.  I have mine soaking right now - a great concoction of milk, lemon, baking soda and laundry detergent and water.  Worked on some other crocheted doilies - hope it works on these also.

Deb has a couple of blocks that she is not sure who made them for her.

Deb brought in some absolutely scrumptious Rosemary Lemon cupcakes to share with everyone.  They looked like they were little cherry bombs with the sprig of Rosemary sticking up - and no, I forgot to get a photo.  Sorry!

Donnis finished her box swap in 2010, but she also had questions as to who made which blocks on a few.

Yeah!  Jan is here.  And bless her heart (and our diets) she brought doughnuts.  Yep, we're real bad, but we are good friends - we did not make her take them ALL back home. ha ha

It was fun watching everyone look over each others blocks, remembering which ones they made

and discussing who might have made others.

This one Esther designed and made for her quilt.  She fussy cut some of the fabrics and don't you just love that middle?

It was also interesting to find out that each person did not necessarily make the same style of block for everyone.

Susie said that she determined some of them by the fabric that was in the box.  Machelle joined the layout process - so many colors, so many looks.  When they are all finished - then we will have a grand SHOW 'n TELL.

Shirley brought her's in ready for Susie to quilt.  They discussed possible quilting designs and of course oohed and aahed how she sat her blocks..

After the review, it was on to the work we brought for the day.  Esther is making more hexies and Deb is quilting her bow tie quilt.  We can not get a good look at it until it is done....rats.

Leila is working on her star quilt.

And Donnis is cutting fabric...........that is, she was........Vevia brought in her sharpener and something went wrong - it dulled even the slightly okay blade.

See, see - another friend.  Was great to see Judy and of course ....... great to see the lemon orange cake she brought also.  You may not believe this, but usually we have nothing so special except for Christmas.......until this month with THREE kinds of treats.  Wow!  and ugh on the scales  later.  Thank you Jan, Deb and Judy for loving us all soooooooooooo much!  hahahaha

Machelle was working on the binding for a Birthday gift.

Also forgot to get a picture of the tea pot pin cushion she made for Vevia.  Mind must have been so rattled by the great turn out.  Sorry Machelle - and you did such a great job.

Machelle was working right along until she went to help Donnis clean up Vevia's mess.

Here's Leila and Judy discussing every day things and what Leila is making.  You do not have to bring work along with you - time fellow shipping is just as good.

Remember that hand quilting class held in Clay Center a few years back?  Deb got one of those lap hoops and just loves it.  Could not find a name on it, but we have not seen too many like it since.

Had to look over this gift that Susie got.  A friend made her this great notebook case, and look at the pocket inside for a pen.  Very cute and usable.

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Ta dah!  Time for Show 'n Tell after a great lunch.

Judy brought in her disappearing 9-patch/tossed 9-patch.  Susie had quilted it.  Love the colors.  Judy picked those to go with her couch.

The back is very nice and could be used reversible.  (click on the picture to have it get bigger so you can see the leaf design better.)

Donnis wasn't sure if she had brought this in last month - doesn't matter, several people were not here so it was great to see it again.  Donnis does so many things out of "just books".  Her daughter Jan quilted it for her.

Deb was in the right place at the right time.  She found all of these 9-patches that used the gold fabric in the outside corners and the middle.  She took out the middle and replaced it with a red and then made the blocks into disappearing/tossed.  Put them together and took all of the center gold fabrics and made the sawtooth border with them.  Talk about energetic!  Fantastic Deb.

And the back is a plaid that matches all the front fabrics.  Looks great both directions.  Ann H. did the quilting.  It is done with rows of waving mountain ranges.  Went perfect with this quilt.

Can't remember the exact story, but all of these blocks were in a box and somehow Deb got them.  They have the names of people that several of us know or remember.  Deb put it together with the Country Jacobean fabric and Susie quilted it.

Had to get a close up of the quilting and the fabric.  The dotted fabric, Deb thought matched the dots in the background of the Country Jacobean.  We also found out that some people call it Jacob-ean, and others Jac(k)-obean.  Another one of those which region are you from.  Led to quite a discussion of karhs or cars.  haha

Machelle almost finished the binding.  This is a birthday present for her daughter.  Course we had to ask her which year it was for.  bad us

Susie finished her 2014 UFO - that's when we each taught a block at our monthly meetings.  We need to bring these all in when everyone is done also.  Great to see the difference in lay outs.

Susie also had this finished quilt to show.  Frances B. had given her the dresden plates and Susie looked through her fabric to find the perfect fabric to blend with what was in the plates.

We think she did a great job.  Looks like it all goes together.  Quilting did not show up as well as I would have liked in this picture, but you can see the sewing in and around the plate.  Susie said that she likes the look of using the embroidery thread. (click to see larger)

Vevia had seen this quilt at Leila's house and begged Leila to bring it in.  Diamonds and baby blocks or tumbling blocks - but look at how it shows up as stars surrounded.  All in the color placement and of course with the labels that Leila added on.

Leila had made three full size quilts similar to this out of jeans and corduroys that she had around.  This one was from left over's.  Leila has such an eye for colors.  Corduroys are almost extinct....but back then, it came in so many colors.

Vevia says never go to an auction to where you donated something - yep, she bought it back.  Sometimes you do something that is really great to your eye.  Remember all those quilts for others that you decided to keep and make that person something else  :)  We all have done it.  But paying to keep it, duh!?!

Okay - what is the game plan on the swap exchange?

Ten of us decided to go for it (Pat we included you - so Deb owes you an outing for fabric).

We each make 100  -  4-patches and give away 90 of them.

Begin with 2 1/2" squares, or strips. 

Put 4 squares together and end up with a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" - 4 patch.

Put 10 in each of 9 bags to swap

at the November meeting.

Gives everyone lots of time and then we will have the winter to put them together.

Do scrappy in all 4 places, or .........

It is your choice.

Looking forward to seeing what we each have to swap and then

Ta Dah!  The settings are always interesting.

Have Fun!

And fun is what we had at this meeting with so many of us able to come.

Hopefully we will see everyone back again next month.

From Bruce.