3-Patch Block

 

August meeting announcements

The August meeting is tomorrow,  Tuesday, August 11 at 7pm at The Montpelier Center for the Arts. Dawn Burnett is going to entertain us with a presentation on "A Brief History of Quilts."

We will also have the monthly show and tell and pinwheel block exchange. 

There are also a lot of veterans quilts ready to be picked up for binding.

August sewing days are Wednesday and Thursday, August 19 and 20. The doors are usually open by 9. Come whenever you want, work on whatever you want and leave whenever you want.  Just come and have fun.

July Meeting Roundup

Tuesday's meeting was a huge success. Margaret inspired everyone with her trunk show of scrappy veterans quilts.

I was completely gobsmacked to bring home 23 finished veterans quilts! Many of these were from Margaret's trunk show.

I also brought home 10 quilt tops ready for quilting. These will add to 3 that I already had a 3 or more that Brenda took home.

We will be very busy quilting the next few weeks.

We also had a successful drive for WHEAT  and received this note from Cathy Williams. 

I collected in the WHEAT Food Drive last night from CSQ a generous portion of canned tuna, canned chicken, canned tomatoes, some wipes, canned corn. Thank them for us. You are always generous. And $645.00 in checks and cash which we will spend buying fill-in items for our food pantry.

Thank CSQ for helping out needy neighbors in Western Hanover County with the basic necessity of food.

Thanks, Cathy Williams, Food Assistance Coordinator, WHEAT and CSQ member

July meeting and sew days!

 Our July Meeting is this coming Tuesday, July 14 at 7 pm at the Montpelier Center. Our program is being presented by Margaret Griffiths. She will share a trunk show of a lot of veterans quilts that were made using crumb blocks and scrap fabrics. You will be awed and inspired by all the new veterans quilts that she has made.

We will also have our annual July collection for WHEAT. Cathy Williams will be in the parking lot before the meeting to accept the donations. Donations can be product or monetary/checks. For a list of current needs, check out their pantry page here.

Our sewing days are July 15 and 16, this Wednesday and Thursday. The Montpelier Center is having summer camp this week so we will use the old library space for our sewing space, this same as last month.

Generosity Delivered

Thanks to you generosity, we delivered $675 to the Montpelier Center from our collection at the June meeting! The new director,  Ryan, was excited to receive it. 

This week I also delivered 30 more veterans quilts to our contact, Jennifer. The Interventional Radiography department at the Fredericksburg center still isn't operational so she is splitting the quilts between Richmond IR and Fredericksburg for general use. She reports that both facilities are thrilled to have them.

Our total for the year is 69!

Sew Days - Change of location!

Because of summer camps at the Montpelier Center,  we will have sewing days in the former library. The AC is better in that space too!

Opportunity to try an Accu Cutter!

 Annette has an Accu Cutter and lots of dies, which she plans to bring to sewing days next week.  This is your opportunity to try out the cutter – bring your scraps or bigger pieces of fabric that you’d like to cut.  She will be there both Wednesday and Thursday.

Thanks, Annette!

Chandelier Quilt Instructions

To go along with the June program on quilts set on point, I've written cutting instructions for one of my favorite veterans quilt patterns.  Sharon Gustafson introduced me to this when she made several veterans quilts a few years ago. I make at least one a year now. It comes together very quickly.

(I don't know why Blogger insists on putting this photo sideways.)

Even if you don't like this particular block, you can substitute any 8" block and use the side triangle cutting instructions in the pattern.

Download the instructions here.

June Program and sewing days

 The June meeting is this Tuesday at the Montpelier Center for the Arts at 7pm. Becky is going to present a program on designing on-point quilts and I (Vicki) will have instructions for the easy and popular chandelier quilt in veterans quilt size. Don't forget to bring show and tell!

We will also take up our annual collection for the Montpelier Center. We pay very little in rent to meet at the Center in addition to providing them with a quilt each year for a raffle fundraiser. Some members wanted to donate more to the center and we all agreed that the best way to do this was through an annual collection for anyone wishing to donate extra. We are blessed to have such a nice place in our community to meet and we can show our appreciation through extra donations. We will have an envelope for anyone wishing to donate.

June Sewing Days are the 17th and 18th. The room is open by 9. Bring your sewing project and machine and spend some time sewing with us. This time is for you to work on any project that you wish.

Upcoming:

We need someone to volunteer to provide the program for July and we will do our annual collection for WHEAT in July as well.

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!

Tomorrow's meeting is cancelled

 Hanover County schools are closed tomorrow, so our meeting is cancelled. :-(

Cathy Williams says we can bring out WHEAT donations to the January meeting.

Next week's weather looks a bit better so sewing days are still on for Wednesday and Thursday, December 17th and 18th .

Happy holidays! 

December meeting and sewing days

Let's start with Sewing Days. Our December Sewing Days days are December 17 & 18. Take a break from Christmas madness and join us for a couple of relaxing sewing days......or just one, if that's all you can spare. 

Our meeting dates for 2026 are listed on the right side of the website.

The December meeting is Tuesday, December 9 at 7pm. Ann Webb is coordinating our meeting this month and the program is holiday show and tell. 

The holiday season is starting.  As you pull out your Christmas decorations, think about what you would like to share at our next meeting.(December 9th)  It can be quilted or maybe just a sewing project. Maybe you made it or it was a gift from someone. I loved seeing everybody's ideas from last year and hope to get some new ideas this year.

We will also do our regular collection for WHEAT. If you want to participate, you can make a donation of needed items or money. They appreciate anything! 

Here's a list of items that WHEAT has ongoing need:

• Boxes of breakfast cereal
• Boxes of instant oatmeal
• Oatmeal
• Pancake mix with syrup, some low sugar or sugar free
• Boxes of mac and cheese
• Any size/type of tomato products
• Boxes of spaghetti noodles
• Ramen noodles
• 16 oz jars of peanut butter and/or jelly
• 6 oz cans of tuna
• cans of chicken
• other canned meats
• canned vegetables
• canned beans and pork and beans
• dried beans, black and pinto
• pound bags of white or brown rice
• cans of fruit, some low sugar and sugar-free
• any soups
• any type of one-dish meals like Brunswick stew, beef stew, chicken and dumplings
• Dried milk in 1 quart envelopes
• Dried instant potatoes
• Dressing mixes
• Mel starters, like hamburger helper
• Paper bags
• Hygiene kits in a zipper bag containing soap, shampoo, hand towel, wash cloth,comb or brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, 5 bandaids, deodorant

Last Veterans Quilt Delivery

We weren't expecting another quilt delivery in 2025. The 23 quilts I have were going to be delivered in January.  But our contact had a special holiday request.  One of the nurses that Jen worked with in Richmond is part of a group that "adopts" 20 veterans in the VA nursing home for Christmas.  Jen asked if they could have 20 quilts for "their" veterans. 

I happily delivered these 20 quilts Tuesday.  That brings our 2025 total delivered to 123! Great work everyone!

Two Super Easy Veterans Quilts

 These are "instructions" to go along with the program from Tuesday night. I had cut these quilts out prior to the weekend but I got both pieced in one weekend amid house chores and visitors.

This one was created to use up backing fabric cut-offs and small bits of scraps from some patriotic quilts. It's made from 30 blocks that finish to 10" square.

It starts with the centers. Cut then any size you want. I tend to keep mine 2 - 4" x 3 - 6". You need 30 of these.

Next, cut pieces for the frame of the block. You can measure and cut perfect sizes or, do as I do, just cut pieces that you know are bigger than what's needed. I make this quilt from backing scraps so I just cut chunks and I stack them in block "kits".

I trim as I go. First I sew the center and trim up the edges.

Once my block is sewn together it looks a bit messy.

Just trim it up to 10.5" square. Lay them out 5 blocks by 6 rows for a quick quilt.

The second quilt is one that I've made at least 6 times. The original one was designed to use up a stack of plaid squares. It's based on a 4" grid and starts with 104 squares. It's another great use for scraps. You need about 1.5 yards for the two solid borders.

Start with the center made 4 squares by 7

The first solid border is cut 4.5" wide. The side pieces are cut 28.5". Top and bottom are 24.5"

Next add 2 rounds of 4.5" squares

The final border is also 4.5". Sides are cut 52.5", Top and bottom, 48.5"

Easy!