Library: Twists, Illusions, and Big-City Bags

I hope you all enjoyed the summer. I bought a few books that I thought had good ideas for Christmas gifts, such as bags, place mats, pot holders, and more! If anyone has any further suggestions for Christmas-themed books, please let me know.

I’d also like to thank everyone for supporting the library book sale in June, it was a great success.

Also, the workshop coordinator carried out a survey, and I’ve started buying books related to the most popular topics. Without further ado, here are September 2015’s new books:

1612124208-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1607059258-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1604682930-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1604684038-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1604684992-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1604682590-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1607058820-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_ 1481050133-01-_sx142_sy224_sclzzzzzzz_

We’ve also had over 20 donated books added to the library – thank you to all donators!

Workshop: Machine Quilting (Terry Grusendorf)

Terry is a member of our guild who has a lot of experience in the quilting world. Following is her biography. She will be teaching machine quilting techniques, and we will come away from our day having created a sampler.

machine_quiltingThis from Terry:
Growing up with quilts stretched on a wooden frame and my mom’s friends sitting around hand stitching the quilt layers together, it was a natural progression to become a quilter and let the creative juices flow. A professional draftsperson for over 25 years, the experience allows me to design quilts, and create topstitch patterns by hand or on the computer before free handing them on the longarm.

As the owner of 6 Ave Quilting and Longarm Service I have been able to explore many other aspects of the fabric art industry. I have enjoyed designing as well as making specialty bags, multi organizational purses and wearable art. Designing and creating has always been my passion and I am happiest with a pencil, paper (or computer aided drafting) and needle in hand (or a very large sewing machine). It is not only about holding the quilt layers together but ability to add colour, flow and enhance the quilter’s labor of love in quilting.

Before starting 6 Ave Quilting and Longarm Service 7 years ago, my passion was in creating art quilts that have traveled the world, won ribbons and kept my family, friends and clients in smiles and wrapped in warmth and love.

Teaching this wonderful craft has been a joy. To see the smiles on happy faces when they create and make that last stitch on an item that they will enjoy for many years makes the whole world a little brighter.

DATE: October 17, 2015
TIME: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
LOCATION: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1110 Gladwin Drive, North Vancouver
COST: $30.00 per person

Workshop: Shrinky, Stretchy, Pliable Patchwork (Barb Mortell)

shrinkyShrinky, Stretchy is a new course Barb is teaching. This is a class for the Improv challenged as well as the Improv experts (as if there are any!). A well designed palette of colours will help you bring many concepts of design to life as you improvise, stretch, shrink and play with traditional quilt blocks. A small quilt top will come to life by day’s end. Come to class with an open mindedness to explore and discover new design ideas. View more photos

From Barb’s website:
I have been making quilts since I took my first sampler class in 1990. That sampler was small and yellow and very bright and was my first improvisational quilt, because I’m not always good at following instructions. I gave it to my best friend when she had her first child.

It was worn to pieces by her two babies and that makes me feel happy. I’ve wandered through many quilt making styles since then, and taken many different directions. I used to make pointy points and repeat blocks in traditional styles (using not so traditional colours) but now I cut free hand and improvise my designs as I go. I used to love collecting fabrics and working with vibrant prints (and I always considered the quilts I made with these to be collaborations with those anonymous fabric designers), but now I mostly work with solid chunks of colour. I used to pay close attention to colour relationships, working out how the colours reacted together by consulting my colour wheel and studying different traditional “schemes”, but now I pay close attention to my gut reaction to colour and design. I am training my eye to see good relationships in colour, value, line and shape. It’s a hard slog sometimes, but getting the cloth to sing is what keeps me in the studio. It’s just that simple.

DATE: November 14, 2015
TIME: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
LOCATION: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1110 Gladwin Drive, North Vancouver
COST: $45.00 per person

Show & Tell: Betty Clarke

Hi Fellow Quilters… If you have not heard about the Missouri Star Quilt Company you are in for a delightful experience. It is a website which offers a whole bunch of tutorials on quilting and sewing. I have made several of their quilts: the jelly roll race quilts, the disappearing hourglass and the disappearing pinwheel quilts. And there are multiple versions of each of these.

Try going to the website only if you have a bit of time otherwise you might be late for an appointment or you might burn your dinner. You get my drift. Have fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgcvWMEnOH8 (check out the choices in the right-hand list of videos)

Show & Tell: Sonia Milanez

Hi everybody, I hope you’re all enjoying the summer as much as I did! I’ve been sewing all summer making gifts. As you’re reading this, I’m in Brazil visiting family, so I decided to show-and-tell through this newsletter! Here are some of the quilts I’ve made. The square quilt is a queen-size quilt for my newly-married niece. This was my own design, and I got my inspiration from a Damien Hirst painting. The kangaroo quilt was also my own design, and is the second free motion quilt I’ve made. This is a gift for a cousin that lives in Australia. The heart quilt is for my brother who had a stroke several years ago. Have a great meeting, and I’ll see you all in October!

 

Blast from the Past: 15 Reasons for Buying Fabric

Reprinted from the Beeline newsletter of the Utah Quilt Guild, Nov. 1991. Also printed in the LGQG Newsletter April/May 1996.

  1. It insulates the closet where it is kept.
  2. It helps keep the economy going. It is our patriotic duty to support cotton farmers, textile mills and quilt shops.
  3. It is less expensive and more fun than psychiatric care.
  4. Because it is on sale
  5. A sudden increase in the Boll Weevil population might wipe out the cotton crop for the next ten years
  6. I’m participating in a contest- the one who dies with the most fabric wins.
  7. It keeps without refrigeration, you don’t have to cook it to enjoy it, you never have to feed it, wipe its nose or walk it.
  8. I need extra weight in the trunk of my car for traction on snow or icy roads. This is important even in Florida and Southern California – you never know when the weather will change.
  9. Because I’m worth it.
  10. Like dust, it’s good for protecting previously empty spaces in the house like the ironing board, laundry hamper, the dining room table ….
  11. When the big one comes, all the quilt shops may be swallowed into the ground and never seen again.
  12. Stress from dealing with the Fabric Control Officer (my husband) made me do it.
  13. It’s not immoral, illegal or fattening. It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul and makes me feel good.
  14. Buy it now before your husband retires and goes on all your shopping expeditions.
  15. A yard a day is all the quilt shops of America/ Canada ask.

From the President

jun2015
Krista Hennebury signing copies of her book

WOW! I was so happy and pleased to hear Krista Hennebury reflect on our guild, and highlight how we welcome quilters of all styles—modern, traditional, art, and handwork. That is what our Guild stands for, and I am proud to be its president. Let it be known that we welcome all quilters, and all skill levels. Bring on the show and tell!

The feedback I received from Krista’s presentation was overwhelmingly positive. It was certainly a lively meeting and filled with laughter. The meeting ended with lucky Sue Garries, winning $48.00 for the May 50/50 draw.

With the Executive agreement, I have now placed an order for our new wireless sound system. The new system features 2 wireless microphones, and is capable of accepting music over a Bluetooth connection. Hopefully the new system will arrive before our June meeting.

Check out the write-up in this newsletter on the Amica show spearheaded by Leslie Rutledge and a chance to show quilts you have already made and/or shown for a good cause. And start thinking about entries for our Guild show in June 2016.

Wishing everyone a great summer holiday. Do take time to smell the roses in bloom.

Bena Luxton

Community Quilts and Summer Social

This month we have 3 things going on: View Community Quilts, Play Strip Poker, and the Library Book Sale.

Remember to bring your strips for the poker game: 2 1/2 inches wide by 41 inches long (width of fabric). You need 6 of those.

September: Back to Quilting Mini-Workshops

Summer COPS Days

I had a few requests at the June Cops day for a summer Cops day in Lions Bay. So I have booked the Lions Bay village hall for Saturday July 25th from 9 to 5. The cost will only be $10 plus the usual potluck lunch/snacks. The only catch is that I will be needing a minimum of 10 people to commit and pay me before June 30. You can pay me or Dianne at the June 23rd guild meeting or mail me a cheque payable to LGQG.

Marsha MacKay

Library

Summer has arrived, and this will be our last meeting until September.

We’re not going to lend books at the June meeting, so please remember to return your books (especially overdue books!) because we’re doing our inventory this summer.

Please bring cash or cheques for our book sale!

If you have any suggestions, please send me an email, or complete our library survey at https://goo.gl/dXCIu6.

Have a great summer—we’ll miss you, ladies and gentleman!