Club Notes - April 28, 2021

 We had a great time this afternoon, with 15 members attending.  I was thrilled to welcome back several members who have been absent for a while.  Nita Hand arrived early to help me set up.  I think it's been at least 2 years since she has been able to come to a meeting.  Then Annette Reddy came in.  She has been a part time resident of The Villages for years and now has finally retired and moved here for good.  Marty Rhyne was the next one to surprise us.  She has been self-isolating but is now ready to return to our club.

Last week we put together the gifts for 9 graduates of the Florida Sheriffs' Youth Ranches.  I delivered them to Skip Brian, then checked to see if there were any last minute additions.  We found out there are 2 more girls who fulfilled the requirements and will be graduating in May.  I reached out to Ellen and Mic and they scrambled to get 2 more duffel bags and name tags to me.  I added quilts, pillowcases and zipper bags to the duffels, so they are ready to be delivered to Skip next week.

Show and Tell:

Mic Pickard and Ceal Pedersen have been working together on patriotic dryer sheet blocks and they showed their progress.

B.J. Herter showed the outer fabric of the tote bag she is making using the pattern I showed last week. She is making hers from flannel.

Ellen Hein showed two quilts she finished the binding on.  The blue one is one that was designed at a club meeting.   

 

 

The green one is made of nine-patch blocks.  Pat Pipa made the first half and I made the rest.

 

Charlotte Cecillio came with 2 more stuffed dinos.

Pat Pipa made several tote bags and a zipper bag.

 

Marty Rhyne showed 2 quilts, just waiting for the binding, one for herself

and one for her granddaughter.

I showed 3 drawstring backpacks and 4 tote bags.  One tote was made with last week's pattern and the other 3 used some dryer sheet blocks that were in our stash waiting for the appropriate project.

Carol Riggs showed a place mat she made for a friend.

Deb Chapman forgot to show the purse she made during show and tell because she was actually using it.  She let me take a photo later in the meeting.

Diane Placek brought 2 lovely green pillowcases that she didn't want to show.  They went right into one of the duffels for a graduate, along with the green 9-patch quilt.

***********************

For the rest of the afternoon most ladies worked on various projects.  Deb Chapman, Diane Placek and I sorted the 3.5" squares by color.  Deb put some black and white 9-patches together for Ann Knoff to sew together.  Diane selected some squares to use in a bow-tie quilt she is working on. 

In an attempt to get things back to normal, I re-established 2 of our activities.  First, we restarted our 50/50s to support our parties and any charity supplies we need to buy.   Second, I have restarted our activity/demo calendar.  I have committed to lead one project each month to make something for ourselves. As we did before COVID, anyone who would like to show the group how to do a project can sign up on the schedule.  I'd like to see us getting back to teaching each other.

Next week we'll be making the "You Are My SUnshine" place mat.  The project requires 2 copies of a paper-piecing template for each placemat, so I will be printing these out on Carol Doan Paper for those who signed up.  I will send out a separate email reminding everyone of who signed up for this project.  If you did not sign up yet and want to make these, please respond to the message on this that I will send out separately.

Hope to see you next week.

Club Notes - April 21, 2021

 What a great afternoon.  We had 14 members in attendance (all vaccinated BTW).  I was happy to welcome back Carol Riggs and B.J.Herter.   Audrey Phillips has also been coming for the past few weeks and it is great to see her out and about.

Our regular reporter, Michael Fortuna came as promised, and brought a photographer as well.  They apologized for the fact that the Daily Sun doesn't want to use group photos, but they did take a bunch of photos of the quilts.  They also interviewed me and I directed them to interview Ellen Hein as well, since she makes all the duffel bags.  Michael stayed for the beginning of our meeting as well to see what we do.

In addition to the quilts, pillowcases and zipper bags I brought back in, we received a donation of completed totes and zipper bags from Anne Knoff's friend Cindy Jin.

Show and Tell:

 

Pat Pipa shows a couple of tote bags she made from fabric squares 

and some zipper bags.

 

 

Deb Chapman showed a quilt top she made, starting with some of our orphan blocks.

Ceal Pedersen showed a red and green quilt she made for a family member.

Diane Placek made a drawstring back, with an old owl puppet as the front pocket.

Mary Ellen Boutin made her first walker bag.

Ellen Hein showed the latest completed quilts.

 

Mary Ellen created this quilt top.

 

Deb Chapman made this quilt top, I added the border and quilted it, and Ellen added the binding.

One of our new snowbird members, Pam Thompson made this quilt top, which I quilted and Ellen added the binding for.

Carol Riggs showed 2 completed place mats from a set she is working on.

 

I showed a tote bag I made from 6" squares and shared the pattern for this easy project.  I have attached the Pinterest pattern that I got the idea from to my email.

 

 

 

Note:  there are 2 differences between the Pinterest pattern and my version.

1.  I used fewer blocks (14 instead of the 19 in the pattern) since the shelter we make them for wants narrower tote bags.  The pattern looks like this, with each X representing a 5 or 6 inch square:

XXX

XXX

  XX

  XXX

  XXX

2. The other difference is that I don't use piping or binding.  I put the outer fabric inside the lining, right sides together, pin the handles in between the layers, and sew the lining to the outside along the top edge, leaving an opening for turning.  Once turned right side out, the lining tucks inside and it just needs a top stitch around the top to close the opening and finish the bag.  This bag is easy and can be finished in under an hour.

 **************************

After show and tell we got to work sorting the quilts and pillowcases into piles for boys vs. girls.  The group then put a quilt, a pillowcase, and 2 zipper bags into each duffle bag.  The nine bags then went into my car for delivery to Skip Bryan.

The rest of the afternoon was spent working on various projects.  Several ladies collected squares to make the tote bags I demonstrated.  A few took other size squares for future quilts.

 

Next week we will get back to making dryer sheet blocks and designing quilts.

I sent out the list of past projects in an email a few days ago, asking if anyone wants any of the projects repeated, but I haven't heard from anyone.  Even if you are a snowbird and would like to see one of these projects, let me know which one and when you think you will be back and I will try to schedule it for a week you will be here.  Starting in May, I am hoping to have at least one non-charity project each month. If there is something you'd like it will take priority in the schedule.  Otherwise, you will be at my mercy as to what projects I will subject you to. 

Hope to see you next week.

 

Club Notes - April 14, 2021

Today was a major sorting day.  We got 2 more boxes of 5" squares that needed to be color sorted and merged with the ones we already had, Thanks to all the help, they are all now organized by color, so I can bring in only 1 box at a time for quilt designing. 

We also sorted a box of uncut fabric into cotton and flannel.  I will add the flannel to and existing box of flannel and bring it next week. I know at least one of our members likes working with flannel.

We also received some sewing notions from a knitting group that meets at El Santiago on other days than us.  These were free to anyone who wanted them  Almost everything found a home.

Currently, we have 1 box of 3.5" squares, 1 boxes of 4" squares, 2 boxes of 4.5" squares, 3.5 boxes of 5" squares, 1 box of 5.5" squares, 1 box of 7.5" squares, and 1 box of 8" squares.  There is also a box of 10" squares that Mic took home to make tote bags from.  We also have 5 boxes of uncut fabric scraps that I am slowly working through and several boxes of thicker fabric waiting to be used for zipper bags, tote bags, walker bags, backpacks, or anything else you can think of. 

Any of the above can be used to make any items we can donate to local charities.  You are also free to take any of the fabric we have to make items for yourself or your family.  We have SOOOO much, I just want to see it put to good use. I'm also thinking, if you want to make items that we can sell to raise money for batting and such, we can do that too.  I think there will be an event we can get a table at in October.

On Monday I delivered 7 quilts, 6 pillowcases, 13 drawstring backpacks, 2 stuffed dinos, and 10 tote bags to the Ocala Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center.

********************************

Show and Tell:

Ceal Pedersen took some blue 3.5" squares home last week and made a pile of 9-patch blocks.  She is planning to make enough for a quilt.

 

 

Ceal also showed a dinosaur quilt she made for her grandson.

 

 

 

 

Charlotte Cecillio completed a patriotic quilt top 

 

 

and several dinosaur toys. 

 

 

Deb Chapman showed her latest completed block of the month.

 

Mary Ellen Boutin took some brown 3.5" squares home last week and made a pile of 9-patch blocks, which she turned in.

 

Pat Pipa made a fidget walker bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellen Hein made some patriotic dryer blocks.  

 

She also showed 2 pillows she made for her daughter-in-law.

 

 

Ellen finished the binding on 4 of our quilts.  The first one is a patriotic quilt that Pat Pipa made the top for. 

The other 3 are a mystery.  I have searched our photos back through last September and can't find who turned them in.  I suspect they were placed on my donation pile without being shown at show and tell.  If you recognize any of them on the blog, please let me know who made them so I can update the blog appropriately.

 

 

**********************************

Next week we will be packing up the gifts to give the Sheriff's Youth Ranch 2021 graduates.  Ellen will bring the duffel bags, Mic will bring the name tags, and I will get all the quilts, pillowcases, and zipper bags to fill the bags with.

I will also bring our box of flannel, the 3.5" squares and the blue 5" squares for us to design with.  If you would like anything else to work with, let me know.

Have a great week.

Club Notes - April 7, 2021

 We had a great meeting this afternoon.  I counted 13 of us.  Just a few announcements:  I dropped off 4 fidget walker bags for Helpertunity last week.  Next week I plan to make a delivery to the Ocala Domestic Violence Center.  I pulled some of our smaller quilts out of storage to give them once I wash them over the weekend.

Show and Tell:

Mic Pickard showed some goodie bags that will be offered for sale at the Busy Hands, Happy Hearts sale on Monday.  Each bag contains kits or patterns and supplies for a specific craft, such as knitting, crochet, or cross-stitch.  They  will also be selling many finished items.  The sale will be held Monday at Coconut Grove rec center's outdoor pavilion, from noon to 2pm,

Charlotte Cecillio showed a stuffed dino she made. (She handed in a 2nd one by the end of the afternoon.)  

 

 

She also completed enough red, white and blue blocks for a Cornerstone Hospice quilt and asked for the center block so she can complete it for next week.

Pat Pipa made a fidget walker bag and a zipper bag.

 

Brenda Severa and Audrey Phillips worked together on a red, white and blue quilt.

 

Ellen Hein made 2 new bags for carrying our assembly line quilts back and forth 

 

and showed the latest completed quilts. 

Ellen made this quilt top, I added borders and quilted it, and she finished the binding.

I looked through our photos and can't find who made this quilt top.  If you recognize it, let me know and I will update this entry.

Jean Piccirillo finished this quilt top before she went back north.

Eileen DiSanto showed a mask she made trying out a new pattern.

 

 

 

She made it reversible and experimented with the pattern for the rest of the afternoon, to finally make it large enough for the large man friend she was making it for.

Bev Minnerly made a walker bag 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a drawstring backpack.

 

 

Audrey Phillips hasn't been to meetings for a while, so she brought a bunch of things she has been working on.

 

First on the list was a set of Easter placemats.

 

 

Next she showed a cap she made for Angel Snugs.

Then she showed some towels she embroidered.

 

********************

 

Today I led the first demo we have had since the COVID restrictions.  This was an explanation of how we use USED dryer sheets to make simple quilt blocks. The key points:

- There are at least 3 different sizes of dryer sheets on the market.  Make sure you always use the same size/brand to get consistent size blocks. 

- Always work with used dryer sheets, not new ones.  Once they have gone through the dryer the sticky chemicals that can mess up your iron are gone.

- If the dryer sheet needs to be ironed, use a low (synthetic fabric) setting on your iron.

- You can use any simple paper piecing pattern on dryer sheets.  The advantage of dryer sheets over paper is that you don't have to pull the base (paper) out when you are done.  The dryer sheet can stay in the finished quilt and it smells nice.

- The disadvantage is that you are limited to the size and shape of the dryer sheet.  A Bounce dryer sheet is about 6" x 9".

- If you are using the diagonal strip design we have most often used at our club you have 2 options. 

     - If you want to make an X pattern quilt like we have been making for patriotic quilts, you need to decide on a standard width white strip to place diagonally from corner to corner.  The red and blue strips on either side of the white can be any width.  You need to make 2 blocks with the strips angled from bottom left to top right and 2 blocks with the strips angled bottom right to top left.  When sewn together they will form the X.

    -  If you make blocks without the white strip, sashing will probably be needed to separate the blocks, as in most scrappy quilts.

- You can also use some other simple designs, such as horizontal or vertical stripes.  I also showed an idea using a small square focus block in the center, with other fabric pieced around it to fill the dryer sheet. 

*************************

 

After the demo everyone went to work on various projects.  I brought the 3.5" squares and some ladies took some of them to make 9-patch blocks.  Some experimented with dryer sheet blocks.  

Ellen finished the binding on a quilt I made. 

 

 

I put the rows together on a 9-patch quilt top I have been working on.

 

****************************

I think we can now start having some demos.   There are some demos, like today's that can be successful while still keeping safe distances.  We are also close to the point when all the ladies who are currently coming to meetings will have received their 2nd vaccine shot.  That gives us a little more freedom.  I have another demo in mind, but will be saving that for May.  I will try to do one demo each month, but if any one else is willing to give a demo on something, let me know and I will put you on the schedule.  Remember, the concept this club was originally built on is, "No one is an expert on everything, but everyone knows how to do something.  We need to share what we know with our friends and have fun in the process."