Club Notes - August 19, 2020

 This was the largest group we've had in a while - a whole 8 of us!!  We are allowed up to 24 but I'd prefer a limit of 12, 1 per table.  That seems safe for now.  I have been watching the COVID stats and it appears that Florida hit a peak in July .  It looks like it is trending down a bit now.  I am praying this is true.

Today I did a repeat demo on how to pin a quilt top, batting and binding by rolling the layers onto  pool noodles with PVC or curtain rod inserts for stability.  Marti Rhyne worked with me to learn this method.  By the end of the afternoon I pinned 4 quilts.  I hope to have them all quilted and turned over to Ellen for binding by next week.

Bev Minnerly and Diane Placek sorted through a box of fabric that came from the Pillowcase dress ladies.  

Ellen Hein and Debbie Chapman got to work laying out 8" squares into quilt designs.  They completed 3 and Ellen took them home to sew the tops.

Deb McCuliston helped B.J. Herter pin her Baltimore quilt.  After working on this for a very long time, she is now close to completing it. She was planning to enter this quilt in the 2021 Quilt Show, but the show has been cancelled.  Hopefully she will be able to enter it in 2023.

Show and Tell:

 

Bev showed some more completed doll clothes 

 

and a bunch of completed drawstring backpacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ellen took home the box of 6.5" squares last week and turned in 3 quilt tops today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ellen also showed the dust mop she made from leftover fleece.

 

 

I took a break from charity quilts and finished my 2020 row by row quilt.  Since COVID has put a damper on shop hops I looked at all the quilt shop patterns around the country and decided to order row kits from Alaska.  I showed the finished quilt.

 

 

 

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I gave 4 quilts to Ellen for binding today, so we'll probably see them completed next week. 

 

 

Last week  I attempted to inventory all the items I have in storage waiting to be donated. I counted 15 throw quilts and 31 that are about twin size. There were 8 drawstring backpacks, 10 stuffed toys, 45 zipper bags of various sizes.  I didn't get a count of pillowcases but know there are 2 bags full in storage plus 7 that are matched to large quilts.  This doesn't count what was turned in today. There are at least a dozen more quilts in progress. I am still waiting to find out what the Sheriff's Youth Ranch needs but I have faith that we will find places to donate all of them.

Hope to see you next week.

Lois Rose

Club Notes - Aug. 12, 2020

 We were happy to welcome Ellen Hein back to the club this afternoon.  She and her husband both tested negative on Monday, so she is able to be out and about again.  Ellen told us she spoke to B.J. Herter and B.J. has also received a negative test result.  It's great to know our 2 friends are well again.

Show and Tell:

 

Charlotte Cecilio left a bag by my door on Monday.  In addition to the patriotic dryer sheet blocks (a photo of which was included last week), she made a bunch of masks.

 

 

Bev Minnerly was busy this week.  First she showed a bunch of patriotic dryer sheet blocks she made.

 

 

 

Next she showed her latest batch of doll cloths.

 

Finally, she completed a bunch of drawstring backpacks with outside pockets.

 

 

 

Mic Pickard has been busy working on a t-shirt quilt and pillow for her granddaughter.  She finally finished them and was able to join us and show the results.

 

 

Ellen Hein attacked her supply of fleece again and completed 12 of them.  She brought one to show us.

 

 

 

I brought the latest completed quilts. 

 The first 6 are ones I designed and Diana Gosselin sewed the tops for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found a bunch of star and half star embroidered blocks in the donations.  Deb Chapman put them together in this lovely quilt/

Deb also put this one together and donated it to our charity effort.

A few weeks ago this quilt was designed at one of our meetings, using 10" squares from our donation stash.

We found a bunch of blue and white 9-patch blocks in the donations, but there weren't enough for a quilt. I matched up some more blue and white 3.5" squares and gave some sets to Diana and some to Deb to make more.  I found 4 classic art squares of the same size and incorporated them into the design.

 

I quilted them all and Ellen added the binding for all of them.

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For the rest of the afternoon we worked on various charity efforts.  I had 2 dryer sheet quilt tops that were 40" x 48".  Since the Honor Flight committee is asking for 40" x 60", we need to add another row.  Ellen took the blocks I got from Charlotte and added them to one of the quilt tops.   When she was done with that she laid out the design for a quilt top from the 6.5" squares and took the whole box of 6.5" squares home to work with.

Mic brought in a box of fabric scraps from Busy Hands and Deb Chapman sorted through them to find what we can use.

Bev Minnerly went through the boxes of red and blue strips to find some for more dryer sheet blocks.  She also pulled out any that were 2.5" wide for Ellen to use on quilt bindings.

I worked on cutting and sewing together fabric for a couple of quilt backs.  Mic ironed them and another quilt top and back I had.

It was another very productive day. 

Club Notes - August 5, 2020

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all staying well.

This week it was just Bev Minnerly, Diane Placek and me at El Santiago.  Debbie Chapman stopped in to drop off a stack of 9-patch blocks she put together and to pick up a few more 3.5" squares to make some more.

Ellen Hein sent me a photo of a bag she made for a friend of her daughter-in-law.  The fabric was from the lady's favorite skirt.

Charlotte Cecillio sent me a photo of her latest work in progress.  

When I got to my cart at the end of the meeting I found completed pillowcases that Laura Tomich left me. 

One of the rec center staff, Rose, also came and offered us an afghan, a quilt that needs some minor repair, and a quilt top, all made by her mother. I asked her to put them in my cart as well.  They can all be donated to the Ocala shelter.

Diane Placek came with a project she needs help with.  The Lion's club has requested masks for people who need to have their mouths visible for lip-reading.  They sent a pattern for a flat mask with a anti-fog plastic window.  Diane found several problems with the design and is looking for help, both with ideas to make the masks better and for help in fullfilling the request for 120 masks.

The instructions were to mark the square on each piece, draw an X and cut the fabric back for the place the plastic will go.

She made several variations including one with darts.

We suggested a couple of modifications - using a larger fabric and darts or pleats on the bottom so the mask tucks under the chin and elastic along the top to hold it closer to the face above the nose.  Other suggestions are welcome.  The Lion's club will supply materials.  If you have suggestions or would like to help make some of these, contact Diane.

At our last meeting we matched pairs of 8" squares to make sets of half-square triangles.  Bev and I each took a bunch home to stitch.  Bev came back with hers ready to go.

During the afternoon Bev and Diane took some of these and laid them out for a quilt top design.

I was glad I decided to bring my sewing machine this week because I was able to sew this quilt top together while they went to work on another quilt top design, using the 6.5" squares I brought. 

On Monday I stopped at Ellen's house and did a quilt swap with her, adhering to social distancing.  She left the completed quilts at the edge of her garage for me to pick up and I left her 7 more to add binding to.  Here are the latest completed quilts:

I will continue to host meetings every Wednesday for anyone who would like to come out and work on charity projects.  As always, if you want a project to keep you occupied at home, just let me know and I will either deliver supplies to your door or you can pick them up from my cart with no contact on Wednesday afternoons. Whatever you decide, stay safe.