May Program and sewing days

 Our May Meeting is Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00 pm. Denise Zaph is presenting a program on Custom Quilting Ideas. As always, we will be collecting veterans finished quilts and tops that need quilting. We have several quilted tops to return to you. Don't forget to bring your show and tell  and pinwheel blocks to share!

Sewing Days are May 20 and 21. Bring your machine and sewing project and hang out with us. Stay for 1 or 2 days and come and go as you please. It's all very casual.

Future Meetings: We need programs for the rest of the year! If you haven't done a program please consider sharing anything that you would like. It could be a new pattern that you have learned, quilt collection to share, tips to share or even something from a different craft. We all have something interesting to share. You could even bring in a special guest. You can sign up here.

Additional notes:

In June we will take up our annual collection for the Montpelier Center. They charge us very little to rent the space for the year. Just a few hundred dollars plus a quilt. Some members wanted to donate more so we decided to do that through an annual donation drive. It's all voluntary.

In July, we will do our semi-annual food/donation drive for WHEAT. In June we will post a list of needs.

To keep the post interesting here are a few veterans quilts that have been quilted this month.

Veterans quilts and April meeting and sew days

I made our first quilt delivery of 2026 this week. There are 39 quilts ready for delivery to our veterans!

Our meeting and sew days are all next week.

The meeting is Tuesday, April 14 at 7pm. Our program is being presented by Mary Knight and she will be showing us how to make this cool quilt.

Our sewing days are Wednesday and Thursday,  the 15th and 16th. Come join us for one or both days. Bring any project that you want. 

Thank you and a Lunch Invitation

 I shall start this with a huge thank you to everyone who turned in quilt tops in January.  Your tops kept me happy quilting on the longarm while the snow and sleet ruled the lands.  The quilts were lovely and I enjoyed every moment with them. The veterans who receive the quilts must know the time and love that have been put into each one.

There were 8 tops turned in last week.  A big thank you to the person who sent 2 patriotic tops into the meeting. I don't know who did this, but they are appreciated. Vicki will get 8 tops on Wednesday, and I am looking forward to quilting them with her. She will also receive the 9 finished quilts you have turned in. 

Sewing Days will be this Wednesday and Thursday, and I hope many of you can come. Additionally, Karen A. and I are having lunch next Friday, the 27th, at Kitchen 33 at 12:30.  We are wishing Winter goodbye and welcoming Spring! You are welcome to join us.  I will make a reservation if several people plan on coming. Send me a message if you are interested.  It is time to welcome the bluebirds and sunshine!  

February program tomorrow (2/10)

 Marcy George will be presenting our February program on the Missouri Star Quilt “Waves”.

She will talk about tools, sizing, appropriate fabrics, combining the Drunkards Path and Half-Square Triangle patterns, and will provide a link to a YouTube tutorial. 

Hope to see you there!

 

2026 Block Swap Challenge

Our 2025 9-patch block swap challenge was a lot of fun with about 20 people bringing their block each month to swap. This should result in a bunch of quilts for veterans.

This year we decided to make 6” PINWHEEL blocks. We will make 4 blocks – keep 2 and bring 2 blocks each month to swap.  Colors are blue and light (light cream, light beige, off white, but not white).

It’s really making a bunch of HST and the math for making HST is finished size plus 7/8” – You can make them using any method you like. Rather than cutting 3-7/8” squares, I prefer to cut 4” squares, cut on the diagonal and stitch. I use a ruler with a 45 degree line to square them to 3-1/2” (3” finished size).

Directions:

Cut 8 4” blue squares, then cut on the diagonal

Cut 8 4” light squares, then cut on the diagonal

Sew together and trim HSTs to 3 ½”

Arrange HSTs like this and sew blocks together.

 

TIPS: Spray starch your fabric before you cut. Press seams to dark.  

Thanks to Becky Brown for the great instructions! 

 

Dues!!

 It's January, so we will be collecting dues at the meeting tomorrow. Please bring cash or check for $25.

January Meeting

Lots will be happening at our January meeting, which will take place next Tuesday, January 13th.

Since we weren’t able to do our W.H.E.A.T. collection in December, please bring your items on Tuesday.  Cathy Williams will be available in the parking lot before the meeting (by 6:45) so you can transfer items directly to her car, or you can bring things inside. The list of needed items is available in an earlier post. 

Margaret Griffiths will be helping us to celebrate Christmas in January.

Nancy Hall will be presenting a program on making a Pocket Prayer.  She will do a demonstration and provide some instructions for you to make your own at home.

Be sure to bring your Show and Tell!