So the question is what projects do I take to work on this year? For previous retreats, I filled a very large suitcase with dozens of projects. But last year, I didn’t finish a single thing. The drive home was very frustrating. When Dave asked for a show and tell when I arrived home, it was sort of embarrassing to have nothing to show for four days away from home.

This year, I thought it best to approach this in an organized and thoughtful way and identify some criteria to guide the packing process.

• Maybe only projects that need “tweaking” (aka UFOs)?
• What about new projects that I am inspired and motivated to start and hopefully finish?
• Do I want to practice a technique or learn something new?
• What about people or events I want to do something special for?
• How many projects? Ignore this … when the suitcase is filled I will re-evaluate and repack. I expect this will happen three or four times over the next four weeks.

Where to start? I decided to go through all my boxes and all my “idea” books and see what might work. Step one was to pull out boxes from my “quilting project closet.” Of the 12 boxes, only three were even remotely interesting and inspiring. Then I went down to my sewing corner and went through all the project boxes downstairs. Want to take a guess on the number of boxes I pulled out and how many binders I flipped through? Of the 36 boxes of different shapes and sizes, I pulled 12. Finally I went through my binders of patterns and in search of ideas – another 15 projects.

So what did I find – things that would motivate me, skills to develop, quick things to finish and something for friends and family. Next step was to go to the Etobicoke show to see if there was some inspiration there. The outcome, use the retreat to build skills and try new things which would of course include quick things, being motivated and friends/family. After spending $125, I was no further ahead, but I do have a new book to inspire me, new thread to practice my machine quilting and new fabric necessary for those projects that inspire me.

So my project for today is to start a list and pull projects together and then use my tired and true priority setting strategy. I flip a coin – heads it goes to the retreat, tails it stays home. But … if my gut tells me this is a mistake, if I start to feel really sad, if I start to fondle the fabric, well all bets are off and it goes to the retreat! Stay tuned to see how many projects and if I need 2 suitcases for fabric!

There is a dream I have had for a long time. One where my family would listen intently to my stories about my quilting life, rather than dozing off. Where they would be eager to know what my next project was and ask questions like “mom what are you working on” or “love those blocks on the wall”. I am looking forward to the day when my friends don’t burst into fits of laughter when they see my quilting room and the six rolling drawer storage units full of fabric and the 40 plus rubbermaid boxes of UFOs (I haven’t told them about the boxes in the cupboard and the cart in the laundry room). But most of all, I dream that one day my daughter will take up quilting. The dream may become a reality; last year she decided to make a quilt for a wedding present. Today, I am quite sure that most of those dreams will never be reality for me but I think my daughter might have the right DNA.

But first some background information of another sort. One of the hot new “things” going around the internet these days is “what I do” picturamas. There are six pictures each with a caption like, “what my family thinks I do” or “what society thinks I do” and they always end with “what I think I do” and finally, “what I really do.”

When I opened my email this morning there was a message from my daughter with a link to a website she had found about “what she thinks I do”. Take a look and see for yourself (if you click on that black box with the photos you get a larger version). http://katiesquiltsandcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/quilters.html To paraphrase Sally Field “She gets me, she really gets me!” It was even more ironic because of all the old photos and stories we saw on the poster boards of the guild anniversary dinners.

Jane

Martha Schellingerhoud’s trunk show at our February meeting was spectacular. I was proud to have finished a 500 piece puzzle I received for Christmas, but to learn that Martha used over a thousand pieces in one of her miniature quilts, shows true commitment to her craft.  The oomph from my puzzle was replaced with excitement to be attending her workshop, I could hardly wait.  I actually signed up this time as a participant, Martina was to convene.  The day of, I arose late. While loading up the car with all the supplies for the day I suddenly remembered that we were holding the workshop in a new location, the South Common Community Centre. Due to the large number who signed up, we needed a larger room.  I thought it best that I turn on my GPS, or Chuck as I call him, and headed west in the snowstorm.  I’m probably the only MQG member who lives in Scarborough.

After a cautious drive I was about 10 minutes away when Martina called me on my cell and offered to meet me out front to give me a hand.  I arrived but she was nowhere to be found.  A kind elderly gentleman offered to help me into the building with my cart full of supplies and my sewing machine.  Once inside it took me only a moment to realize that I was in the wrong place.  This same wonderful gentleman helped me back to my car, he even loaded my containers.  I thanked him and drove to the lot next door where Martina and Elizabeth were waiting as promised.  Even after I unplugged him, I could hear Chuck spouting “after 80 metres, turn left”.  I locked him in; I had finally reached my destination.

I may have been 15 minutes late, but not my fellow quilters, they were already set up and raring to get started.  The room was bright with many windows and plenty of room to move around.  And that we did. Elizabeth started the coffee, Martina set up the irons, and I made my apologies for being late and started to unpack.

Martha introduced herself and gathered us around a large table on which she had a selection of her beautiful quilts, all of which were created using her methods for “Quilting in Sections“.  She explained how we would spend approximately 2 hours each on the 3 methods and started by showing us her samples for method one, joining blocks using sashing on the front.  We headed back to our machines and began.  Martha worked the room, making sure everyone was following along correctly.  I didn’t realize that I had cut my sashing wider than noted on my supply list, Martha caught me.  She had eyes on all of us.  She showed me how to revise my stitching to fit my mistake.   A note to self, don’t wait until 11:45 the night before to do my homework.

Martha kept us on track, 2 hours later we gathered back at the large table to visit method 2, joining blocks without sashing.   It was nearing lunch, I chose to stick with it and while I worked I ate the rest of my subway sandwich from the day before.  I was fortunate to be close to the ironing table, it’s really a good spot, you save time and you get to chat with everyone.  The positive feedback was music to my ears, both on Martha’s method and on our new found location.  In spite of the chit chat, method 2 was coming along. I put my three block sample together without a hitch, unless you count forgetting to bring masking tape.  Martha was kind enough to let me have some of hers that she remembered to bring along, and she wasn’t even sewing.

Back at the large table for instructions on method 3, joining blocks with sashing on both front and back, several of us appeared a bit confused.  However, when you actually sat down to try it, it was fairly simple. The pattern blocks were a square in a square in another square, which meant more ironing, more chit chat and more positive feedback.

I had two blocks together and was about to add the third when we were called back to the large table for a final time.  Martha showed us how to do borders and finish our quilts using her Quilting in Sections method.  We finished the day with 3 samples and dreams of finishing that stack of blocks that sits waiting, waiting…All in all it was a pleasant, informative day well spent.

Well almost!  Lucky for Martha that the Parks and Recreation people know how to boost a car, it seems she left her Chuck plugged in and he drained her battery.  As Program and Workshop convenors representing MQG, Martina and I stayed with her until she was up and running and on her way home.  If you missed out on this workshop, you have a second chance; she has agreed to come back for June’s workshop.  Martha is extremely talented and an excellent instructor.  I highly recommend that you don’t miss her next time around!

Yours in quilting,

Cheryl L.

Note: Here is a link to Martha’s website:

http://www.marthaschellingerhoudquilts.com/

Double Wedding Ring – Life after the workshop
By Janice T.

The Mississauga Quilters Guild organized a great workshop with Johanna Masko who taught techniques for the Double Wedding Ring last Saturday.  I now know how to use spray starch, parchment paper, templates and lots of other new techniques to sew curved arcs with great results every time!  I never would have attempted a pattern with curves and templates without Johanna’s class.

Patti Carrey from Northcott spoke at the Guild meeting last Thursday – she suggested that if we take a class, success will be greater if we continue with the project within three days of the class.  Well, I waited only three minutes and I would say that mantra must work!

Do you know how many of those little pieces you need to cut for a large Double Wedding Ring quilt?  Don’t ask as you may be daunted by the task.  I developed a few more techniques of my own in order to cut the 500+ pieces.  Note – these may not work for you, so read at your own risk: 

• Use water soluble marker when tracing templates – easier than a mechanical pencil and any residual not cut off can easily be sprayed away from final block
• Nest curved template against the previous one so you only have to cut once and not twice.  Inside curve is slightly tighter than previous outside curve, but I tested it on a final block and it made no difference.  Another plus is that you get an extra piece or two out of each strip!
• After marking all the curved templates on one strip, use your ruler and rotary cutter to trim ¼” outside the template cutting lines from both long sides of the strip BEFORE cutting out each template.  This will then allow you to open your scissors wide and cut each arc in only two snips – this will alleviate finger fatigue and blisters – and is better for your scissors.  Only cut the archs – not the straight sides yet.
• Gather the cut pieces and place them loosely together facing the same way.  Hold all pieces in left hand, starting with top and one-at-a-time, snip off all the STRAIGHT edges on one side of the pieces.  Turn them around and snip off the STRAIGHT edges on the other side.  This will only make sense if you have the template and know from experience how tedious the cutting is.  This quintupled my production rate.
• When cutting the corner pieces, draw the template on one (starched) strip.  Line up 2 starched strips behind, pin inside each corner piece template outline – through all three fabrics.  Cut out 3 (starched) strips at the same time.
• When placing the arcs on the background block, the corner blocks were often perfectly positioned without much tweaking of the arcs – much to my surprise, given the above short-cuts.  Then I gave the block one quick press with the iron.  This secured the pieces in place and they laid perfectly flat for sewing.  Use 4 pins for extra security and stack in preparation for machine appliquéing to the background fabric.
• Bottom Line fine thread was in my needle, with Aurifil in the bobbin and both worked well together.
• The zig-zag went very well and the walking foot almost didn’t need my guidance to stay on track.

I have to thank Martina and Cheryl who provided extra cutting and ironing support in class.  This gave me the kick-start to go from four blocks finished in class to 53 blocks by the next evening.  Anything is possible – you only need a kick-start!

Editor’s note: Johanna’s blog can be found at:

http://seamslikely.blogspot.com/

Here are a few photos of our day. Janice’s double wedding ring has certainly come a long way since Saturday – and this is Sunday evening’s picture!

My quilting 2011 was pretty amazing. I challenged myself to do things I have never done before. I took the Canadian Quilting Association judging program, certain that I would fail, but surprisingly the course instructors Kathleen Bissett and Anna Hergert continue to encourage me to keep plugging away at it. It has given me a totally different perspective and challenged me to try new things. I, the quilter who only sews straight lines and pieced blocks, took an “art quilt” class! The challenge of doing my own design just about drove me around the bend but I am in love with my work so far (note to self: UFO project to be finished in 2012). I took classes in machine quilting, colour theory and paper-cut applique (note to self: finish the class samples). Being the convenor for program and workshop was the best volunteer job ever. I started out shaking in my boots because I didn’t know what I was doing but once I decided that the goal was to offer a variety of opportunities to guild members and that I am a typical guild member, developing a program and finding speakers and teachers became easy. I learned so much and I got to know some incredible quilting artists and teachers.

I finally finished that flannel quilt for our bed – my first large bed quilt. The fabric is by Nancy Halverson and I bought it with some inheritance money in 2000 which means just thinking about the quilt design took over a decade. (note to self: need a new mantra “just pick a pattern”).  I simply adore her fabric: the colour, the design, the feel of the fabric. Did I say it was flannel? Do you know just how doggone heavy a queen sized flannel quilt can be? When I am working on the binding, Dave can lower the thermostat by 2 degrees! And it is no easy task to bind a flannel quilt by hand. There will be some sore fingers when this is done. (note to self: UFO to be finished for January guild meeting; no make that February; no make the goal to have the quilt on the bed by next winter).

My daughter Elaine’s “this is your life quilt” was also finished. She is going to graduate from university this spring and it started as a high school graduation project. Every month I would find a new novelty fabric that was just so “Elaine” – the bikinis and flip flops, the New York subway, the sudoku puzzles, the goldfish and the Beatles – and the quilt simply kept getting bigger. I finally stopped at a double bed size but have enough fabric for another quilt. So the next challenge was to make my son Joe a new quilt. Decided to use a couple of jelly rolls (Christmas present from Dave last year), signed up for a strip piecing kaleidoscope class and bought a fancy new ruler. Made one block, got all the strips sewn with the exception of one. Seems I have lost a strip (note to self: raid the batik stash and put this on the quilt retreat project list). Do I dare promise Joe this will take me less than five years?

The guild retreat in April was amazing; four full days and every night I closed down the sewing room and I didn’t finish a project. This year, I am changing my approach. One project for every day instead of a suitcase full of fabric with no quilting plan. Maybe I should start packing now.

After a guild meeting that focused on organizing your sewing space I went home and carved out a corner and devoted one entire wall of the family room just for quilting. I managed to put the rolling fabric drawers under a table that now is devoted for cutting, at least when it isn’t overflowing with fabric and supplies. All the thousands of pages of magazines that I have been ripping out for the past decade are now organized in twenty binders. I need to move the computer to another corner of the room so that the bookshelves and drawers are closer to me. I love my design wall, a piece of white flannel 10’ by 10’. Now all I need to do is learn how to use the new machine I bought a year ago, lessons start in February.

All this thinking has my brain swimming with project ideas and I think I need to hit the sewing room. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day for planning.

Here’s hoping everyone had a great holiday and maybe still enjoying some time off to sew.

For those who are signed up for the Double Wedding Ring with Johanna Masko, please note that you should all have your materials list by now. One of the participants has inquired about preparing the background blocks in advance, to which Johanna replied that we should ”cut them 8 1/2″ square (raw measurement) so they finish 8″.  (There are 16 blocks with a finished size of 32″.)

Don’t forget we’ll be hosting Patti Carey from Northcott next week as she discusses ”Finishing School” - how to finish our quilts in preparation for our quilt show in 2013.

Some updates:

At our March meeting, we will host two past presidents who will give their reflections of the Guild, and will talk about some of their favourite quilting projects.

And …Heather Black will be doing an applique workshop for us in April. Stay tuned for details!

Check the Programs tab for a quick view of our programs and workshops for the year. Narrative will be updated as it becomes available.

Happy New Year!

mw

P.S. Here is the January workshop supply list:

Double Wedding Ring Workshop Supply List

The quantity of background fabric in the list will give you a section of Double Wedding Ring that will measure about 32” square (16 blocks). Since this is a technique class, students may want to aim for a larger finished patchwork. Students interested in larger quilt tops may either e-mail me to ask about their requirements, or they may wait and ask me in class.  The 1 metre of background fabric listed is plenty to work on during the workshop. The quantities given for the Fat Quarters will be enough for larger quilt tops and don’t need revision unless students plan for a queen or king quilt. I suggest doubling the amount of Fat Quarters in that case.

All fabrics should be quilt-weight 100% cotton.

Supply List-

1 metre background fabric (fairly plain and contrasting with rings) (this is for the 16 background blocks)

12 different Fat Quarters assorted prints (and solids if you wish) for arcs and corners

Thread to blend with background fabric

Thread to blend with arcs and corners

Spray starch (Easy On starch from the grocery store- blue or purple can)

Non-stick baking parchment

Template plastic

Scissors for both paper and fabric

Rotary cutter, 6” x 24” rotary grid ruler and cutting mat

Mechanical pencil (and also a thin white or light-coloured marking pencil if your arc fabrics are dark)

Sewing machine in good working order

Walking foot for the machine

Pins, pin-dish/pincushion, seam ripper, snippy scissors, etc…