Always a Blast!!!!!!!

Before the meeting started - we had the opportunity to view this lovely quilt that was being picked up.  The lady on the right, Nancy, made the quilt, Susie quilted it and Leila put on the binding.  Nancy embroidered the blocks as she was traveling.

Fortunately we were able to get a good picture of some of the quilting Susie put into this quilt - aren't those butterflies darling.  Susie had to take the quilt out and turn it around to get them going the direction she wanted them in.

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Our meeting started out with Shirley giving us a "Song and a Dance"!  Okay, she only did the dance part, but it started everyone out in the right mood.  Bless Esther for jumping right in there.

Shirley did a great job showing us how our fabric was going together today - the hard part was picking what name you wanted to call this block.  We all have heard of Churn Dash, Monkey Wrench and Hole in the Barn Door - But Shirley's block was called Sherman's March and someone else saw it called Dash Away.  Regional, family, etc - names are plentiful.  Want to check out some more - get Barbara Brackman's book "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" - now that is a book that will drive you crazy.  She also has one out for applique patterns.  Maybe everyone that already has her book should bring it in next month so that others can see if that is something they want to add to their library.

Regardless of what you call the block - what colors you use - how many colors - and where you set them = all mean a different block is possible with the same directions.  Your pink and gray is really starting to grow on us Shirley.

Bless Shirley - she decided to show us what you could do if you change the middle out to a pinwheel.  Missouri Star Quilt Co. has it on YouTube (click here)

The ladies went right to work putting their blocks together (above and below)

Results were fabulous - here are Judy's

Vevia's at the top and Donnis'

Deb's at the top and Esthers

Machelle did two blocks also, she liked the three colors so much that she wanted to check that style out.

After the blocks were finished, everyone went to work on the projects they had brought.  Donnis is making this wonderful table runner.  Her daughter has one that Donnis admired - so..........Suppose to be a mistake on it - duh!?!  We don't see it Donnis.

Susie working on her applique

Judy and Leila looked at books and magazines, talked to everyone and helped out those that needed it.

This wonderful display was sent in by Iowana.  She could not be with us; however, she wanted each of us to know how much the time she has spent with everyone at Morganville Friendship Group has meant to her.  She had Susie bring these in for each one of us to have a pick of what we would like to have from Iowana.  What a blessing !  Below is a picture of each of the ladies that were at the meeting and the items they picked.  Many of them said thank you Iowana while their picture was taken - this was such a special gift of friendship.

Again - Thank you Iowana and thank you Susie for doing this for Her and us.

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During Show 'n Tell, Lorraine showed us the blocks that she is working on.  She hopes to do two quilts and is working out the time period for Susie to quilt them.  Quite a bit of discussion was held regarding making pinwheels, bias edges, do two at a time, four at a time and even eight at a time.  We might have over whelmed Lorraine a bit - please forgive our exuberance over YOUR new project.  It is so fun to see others at work - gives each of us many ideas.  Like that fabric - wow!

Deb made the quilt below with a layer cake of Moda's "French General" and a bit of yardage for sashings and border.

Don't you just love the way it all came together?  Okay, who is carrying that fabric in their store right now?

Esther brought in her mother's sewing machine and Susie had a look at it.  Because it was making some wrong "moves", it was suggested that Esther take it to the Elna guy on Poyntz in Manhattan.  The compact look is just so cool - and it does zig zags too.

Deb was working on some "Redwork", cute little baskets with flowers - however, what everyone really latched on to was the little bag that she was carrying this project in.  

Missed those that could not be with us - looking forward to the next gathering.  Love the food tips, the pickling ideas and the friendship.  Thank you Machelle for the apples.  We really must think about having lunch later so that we don't leave so soon.

Lorraine good luck on the job - though we really would like to keep you for ourselves.

Till next month  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  ;)

Good Friends = Good Meeting

We had a wonderful turn out for our meeting.  The date had been moved to the first Tuesday of the month JUST for July, as the library has a reading program in July that meets on our regular meeting day.  We got a great look at some of the books and activities that the library has planned - looks to be a lot of fun.  Check with the Morganville Library if you have children or grands that you might like to bring to the reading program.

Judy presented our block this month.  It is called "The Wood Box".  Started out similar to a Courthouse Steps, then with a twist for the corners.  Judy did a great job demonstrating the steps.

Ladies were hard at work putting their blocks together, or

busy on other projects they had brought.  Guess when Jan and Leila started these projects they were finishing?

Judy picked some lovely colors to use on her block to show us.

 Susy and Vevia

Donnis and Deb

Esther laid hers out so that she could see how the color scheme was coming out and to show us a pre-peek at what her quilt may look like.

Deb is using mostly fabric from her mothers stash.  Not sure, but think only the brown was bought to tie it all together.

Machelle is working with holiday type fabric that is getting very interesting as it grows.

Donnis has added a couple of different blocks to her BOM stash.  She might add more colors, she might use this, she might not. 

Looking at Donnis' extra blocks brought up some other ideas.  Click here to go to Missouri Quilt Co.'s disappearing hourglass video.  Really neat what you can get from a pinwheel also (click here).   

Susie started her color scheme one way, then added some darker fabrics and now is trying to decide whether to go back and make a block or two different as she sees how they are going together.

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After the BOM blocks were done, information was passed along from the workshop that Susie and Vevia took from Debby Maddy with the Clay Center Piotique Quilt Guild.  They showed how you could tell if a fabric was directional and how to use it when you were doing half square triangles.

CLICK HERE to go to Debby Maddy's hints and tips on how to do this.

Susie then started working on her other project she brought in, so of course we all had to go look at it and see how it was coming along.  She said something about bringing in the pattern for any one that was interested.  Please let her know if you are interested so that she doesn't make extra or heaven forbid - not enough.

Judy has been wanting to learn about hand quilting and if it was something she might want to do.  So she used her time wisely by watching Deb and asking questions.

After Iowana got to the meeting, Russ was kind enough to take a group photo of us ladies.  He did a fantastic job of getting us all to smile at the same time.  Then we all enjoyed our luncheon.  The food of course was outstanding and we had more than enough.  Thank you everyone for pitching in. Please note how  kind the photographer was - no pictures of us eating.  

After the luncheon, Machelle brought over the plants she had brought in to share.  She can tell you the names.

For Show and Tell, Shirley brought in this quilt which many of us had not seen before.  It is a stack and whack.  Not the usual kind that are squares put together - these were cut in triangles and then joined to make the square.  Very interesting to look at and got the imaginative juices of many going.

Leila had started this quilt waaaaaaaaaaaaay long ago.  And Helen G. had quilted it.  Leila decided that she needed a sleeve on it to hang, so brought it in to work on.  She finished the sleeve just in time to show us.  The border had everyone oohhing and aahhing.  Now we know Leila's secret.  And of course this was another quilt made from scraps.  Leila can get more use out of fabric scraps than I can.  

Judy brought in "Nigel" to show all of us.  She was thinking of tie-ing it, after speaking with Susie, she may get it quilted.  This is for a great-grandchild back east.

Iowana keeps busy, even when she is not feeling her best.  And of course she has the angel of a friend that helps her out.  Many of us wanted this quilt with it's blues and yellows, it is so gorgeous.  Iowana is hoping to finish a few more - she has such an eye for color.

Take a good look at this table runner.  Donnis told us that she brought it in to show us all what NOT to do.  Okay, give up?  So did we. 

She took a short cut with the border on this one and did not measure and then cut to sew on.  Instead she sewed the long borders on and then cut off the excess.  Well after it got quilted, she went to bind it and noticed the gathers.  Donnis - without telling us - we would have never known.  It is very striking and we promise not to say anything to anyone about it and yes, we will measure for our borders first.  Thank you for sharing the why's. 

Remember Deb's baby quilt?  It was already given to the new owner so we did not get to see it in person - but with the use of her I-pad - here is a picture of it.  Sooooooo Cute!!!!!!!

Great Aunt Esther is passing along the art of quilting as shown here.  Olivia was with her great Aunt for 10 days and this is the lovely quilt that was made.  Olivia did a lot of the work all by herself.  Thank you Esther for sending me the picture to pass on to everyone.

It was a good meeting of good friends.

Looking forward to next month and the churn dash that Shirley is going to do.

See you then.