NEW QUILTING TOOL

A digital scale is my new quilting tool - it was in my kitchen!  Hope this information helps you in counting quilt pieces. 

I thought it would be fun to make a very scrappy veteran quilt that would be a project that would take me longer to make.

These two blocks make an interesting design, so I started cutting pieces for 9 inch blocks.  The quilt will be 45 x 54, so I’ll add borders. Two color quilts are so much faster with strip piecing, cutting multiple layers at a time, etc., but I wanted the “scrappy” look – the more the better, right? That means getting out a lot of fabrics and only cutting several pieces of each one – pressing, cutting, refolding, putting away, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Okay, so now I have stacks of each shape. Have I cut enough? The quilt uses a total of 630 pieces and I don’t want to do all that counting so I came up with a new tool to do the work for me.  That new quilting tool is a digital scale from the kitchen.

Here's what I did:  weigh 10 pieces.  10 pieces weigh 8 grams

Then I added the 10 pieces back to the stack and it weighed 96 grams. 

So the math would be 96 g divided by 8 g = 12.  Each twelve grams is 10 pieces so 12 x 10 = 120 pieces of fabric.  A little math does all the counting.

I can stop cutting now and start sewing, because I have enough for TWO quilts!

                                          🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵

 

Red Center Quilts for Veterans

UPDATE: Quilt #3 has been added!

Thank you to everyone who made blocks with red centers. . .the blocks just keeping coming and now I'm working on quilt #5 with red centers. Here's a review of the easy block with a 2-1/2" center. (see July 8 post for more information)

The first quilt is finished. I decided to set it on-point so I trimmed the blocks to 7-1/2" - Here is the quilt and the directions for blocks on point to make a veteran size quilt. 

Here's the 2nd quilt using red centers. 

Here's quilt #3 - Brenda set the blocks together with a patriotic flag fabric. 

 

Trash to Treasure RESCHEDULED!

 While we were at sewing this weekend we discovered that there is a conflict at the Montpelier Center with our October meeting. Since Trash to Treasure is probably our most important meeting for raising funds for the veterans quilts, we decided to move Trash to Treasure to November and to cancel the October meeting.

We will have October Sewing days on the 16th and 17th, as scheduled. If you have quilt tops or quilts to deliver in October, you can drop off at sewing days or wait until the November meeting.

If you want to do something on October 8th, you can still go the the Montpelier Center and enjoy some musical entertainment.

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An update on the request for quilts to display at Verena on the Glen. I currently have the quilts that were on display at the Montpelier Center so have offered those for the 2-hour exhibit at Verena. That will be October 10. Brenda may also have another opportunity to show off our quilts at another senior living center in the area. The quilts will be included in our December delivery to the VA, but in the meantime we can use them to bring some happiness to others.

September 18 & 19 Sewing Days

The rainy/cloudy weather didn't stop us from loading up our cars and sewing for 2 days at the Montpelier Center. There were lots of quilts in progress and a few completed projects! 

When we finished sewing on Wednesday the veteran quilts were taken down and they will be shared at Verena at the Glen (retirement community) and also at Morningside Care facility before their final destination at the V.A. Hospital in Richmond. It's great to share our quilts with others. Thanks to Brenda for taking these sewing day pictures.  

Navy Band Concert Canceled at Montpelier Center

The U.S. Navy Band Concert at the Montpelier Center today (Sept 13) has been canceled due to sickness in the band. It has been rescheduled for Oct. 20 at 5 p.m.

This is the event where Country School Quilters will have a booth and give away 4 quilts to veterans. Mark your calendars for Oct 20.  

CSQ Luncheon on September 27

Join us for our luncheon this month on Friday, Sept 27, at 12:30. We are meeting at Lakeside Barbeque (formerly Virginia Barbeque and recommended by Betsy S.) at 6920 Lakeside Avenue, Suite E. 

Bring your projects for show and tell. Then let’s proceed to Quilting Adventures at 6943 Lakeside Avenue. The Quilting Adventures website states there is additional parking behind their building or in The Hub Shopping Center next door. These are the preferred spots. 

Please let Brenda know by Wednesday, September 25, if you can attend.  

Join us and find an inspiration for your next project!

Veterans Quilt delivery!

 I wasn't planning to make a quilt delivery to the VA Hospital representative until after the event this weekend, but I picked up so many quilts at the meeting Tuesday night that I needed to go ahead and move some out. I try not to deliver more than 30 at a time because I don't know how much storage space they actually have at the office. We had 30 more quilts so I asked if she was ready to receive more. She said "yes" and I delivered. We can add the Montpelier Center display quilts to the next delivery.

Out YTD total is now 129! That's 13 more than we made in all of 2023! I think we might hit 150 this year.

Well done ladies!

Invitation to show quilts at Verena at the Glen

 

WHAT:  Quilt Show

WHEN:  Thursday, October 10 2:30-4:30 pm.

WHERE:  10286 Brook Rd., Glen Allen, VA

Country School Quilters have been invited to participate in a quilt show that will be hosted by Verena at the Glen, located at 10286 Brook Rd., Glen Allen.

The event will be Thursday, October 10 from 2:30-4:30 pm. 

It will be a time to visit about your quilts with residents. 

For more information or to let her know you plan to come, please call Judy Nguyen, Life Enrichment Director at 703-362-7217 or email jnguyen@verenaattheglen.com

September meeting

Our September meeting is Tuesday, 9/10, at 7 pm. The program will be “Christmas Gifts and Decorations.” Bring a homemade Christmas gift or decoration you have received or made and tell why you absolutely love it. We’ll do this in a Show-n-Tell format. It might give us new ideas for gift giving and future programs on how to make some of these items. Hope to see everyone there!  We’ll start the holiday season early!