Turtle Creek Shoppers Guild!

What a great pre-holiday meeting today!!  Nancy Ball, one of our members and founder of an online quilting business TodaysQuilting.com spoke about how she started her online store and the "real dirt" on running it.  She gave us a lot of insight into how she does it all, from dealing with the large fabric designers, to shipping, to  promotions, and she still finds a little time for her own work.  I was very impressed!! 

We then had the opportunity we were waiting for  - we shopped until we dropped! Nancy brought beautiful merchandise including layer cakes, jelly rolls, books, gadgets, and more.  I think we are all ready for the holidays (I bought several gifts just for me), and our block of the year project. 

Thanks so much Nancy!
 

February Workshop with Rayna Gilman - Cinderella Blocks - Reinventing the UFO

I am pleased to announce that we will be having a workshop and lecture with New Jersey quilter and teacher, Rayna Gilman.  She got rave reviews from the other Guilds that attend MAQNET.  The workshop she will be presenting will demonstrate how to take your "orphan" blocks  (you know, the ones that are left over from projects or those that you ended up not liking...... I have plenty) and transform them into beautiful new projects. 

The workshop will be February 18th from 9:30 to 4:30.  The tentative location is the Switlik Center.  The cost is $60.

Here is a link to her website. http://www.studio78.net/ 

Playing with Paintstiks

I spent the morning working with Shiva Paintstiks to make a border for a quilt I am working on.  I am enjoying using the surface design techniques that I learned in our workshop a few months ago.  I sometimes find it difficult to shop for fabric that is really going to satisfy what I have in mind for certain projects.  Instead of going to five or six quilt shops looking for something that I like, I find it easier just to make something.

Here is a photo of the border (its not sewn on yet, this was just a mock up until the fabric dries).  In several of the blocks, I used other techniques that I learned including silk screening and dye discharge. 

I'd love to hear what others are working on - please feel free to comment or post.  If you have questions about how to do it, please email me.

Teddy Bear Quilts

Thanks to Betty Acree for photographing the window in Allentown that showcases the teddy bears and quilts made by Turtle Creek for donation to the Salvation Army.  We made 178 quilts this year - a record!!  Good job everyone.   

Patchwork: from folk art to fine art at the Newark Museum

Hi,

I know some of you have been up to see this show at the Newark Museum.  It is up until December 31st.  I see that they still have a few more classes and events coming up especially on December 3 and 4th.  Several New Jersey Guilds are going to do demonstrations that weekend. 

I am interested in getting a group together to go up that weekend.  I would try to get a private tour with the curator.  Let me know if you are interested.

Rita

http://www.newarkmuseum.org/museum_default_page.aspx?id=12132 

Guild Retreat at Olde City Quilts

Well, it was sad when 2:00 rolled around today and our retreat was over.  I think everyone agreed that it was an extremely fun and productive weekend - one that we will all remember.  Most people arrived Friday afternoon and after getting settled in their rooms went to a long arm demo over at the store.  Everyone who wanted to got to try their hands at free motion quilting. 

After that, a sumptuous dinner was served and then we all spent the evening socializing and working on projects.  It was a great opportunity to get advice, give advice, admire our fellow members work and get help  from the ladies from the shop who were always available to assist and brainstorm.

The next day a continental breakfast was served at 7 AM.  Some members were up and working before that!!  I was impressed.  We worked and shopped through the morning.  Judy offered attendees a 20% discount for the entire the weekend.  In the afternoon we had a lecture and demo of machine quilting.  Judy gave a us a lot of great tips and techniques for quilting on our regular machines.   The rest of the day and evening were spent eating (of course) and really getting into our projects!  I can't believe how much everyone accomplished. 

On Sunday morning, we continued to sew like crazy.  The ladies from Olde City served a home cooked brunch.  Several of us started to discuss having another retreat.  Everyone was very enthusiastic about that idea.  We will talk about it at the next meeting. 

Speaking for myself, I can say that the weekend was beyond my expectations.  It was so nice to get to know my fellow members better and share and learn from one another.  I rarely have that much time to concentrate on my quilting work.  It was so nice to not have all the competing demands of a regular weekend - no cooking, social obligations, etc.  Just sewing!! 

I want to thank everyone who came and made for a great time.  The ladies from Olde City were amazing at making everything perfect for us.  I am really looking forward to the next one!!            

Surface Design Workshop

Today (October 15th) we had our Surface Design workshop taught by Betsy Yocum.  We had 8 participants, several were non-guild members.

Betsy explained several different fabric painting and embellishing techniques in the morning, and then we spent the afternoon experimenting with all the techniques.  We tried foiling, dye discharge, silk screening, paintstiks, and embossing on velvet.  Everyone's results were so different.  I was very impressed by all the attendees creativity and willingness to delve into the techniques.

Betsy will be giving a lecture and trunk show at the Guild meeting on Sunday the 16th.

 

Happy July 4th -- !!! This is a good day to sew or not.

I decided to make today my "Independences Day". Which translates to, a good day for finishing up some projects that have been patiently waiting for me. I have already finished two Q4k -- which needed binding. My goal is four project done for today.
Here's hoping you enjoy this beautiful day -- wherever it takes you.

Joann

Quilting is good for your health article

Hi Everyone,

Check out this article!  I think quilting has been good for my health.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002862/Why-quilting-uniquely-good-us.html?ito=feeds-newsxml


Rita

Quilts for kids Workshop

Hi All,

Denise and I attended the MAQGNET meeting yesterday.  This is a group of Education Directors for Guilds that gets together to discuss instructors and workshops.  There are over 50 Guilds represented from about 6 states.  Denise and I saw presentations by two instructors and got a lot of good ideas for future programs.   It was really nice to talk to other Guilds about programs that they had and enjoyed, and other initiatives that are successful for them. 

I gave a presentation on the possibility of having the Gee's Bend quilters coming up and doing a workshop.  I am pleased to report that about 6 other Guilds would be interested in participating with us!!  This may really happen after all.

I will be presenting some of the ideas that Denise and I liked for future workshops and lectures at the next meeting.

Rita        

Sashiko workshop with Susan Faeder

Today we had our workshop with Susan Faeder. I think everyone who attended had a great time. She started out with a discussion of the history of sashiko in Japan. It originated on the northern islands where fisherman's wives stitched their husbands' cotton indigo jackets to repair them and to add extra layers of warmth. Susan showed a beautiful sample probably pre World War II. She talked about how it has evolved to current times where it is used to embellish everything from hanafuki (a cloth used to protect teapot and tea caddies) to quilts. Susan then had us choose a piece of had dyed indigo and thread, and after a brief intro to the mechanics of stitching, we started to stitch a straight line and geometric shapes. Everyone's style was so different. We then learned to trace stencils, and continued to experiment. I know I was pleased with all I learned, and can't wait to continue working on my sampler. My goal is to incorporate it into a quilt.

State Guild Meeting

Last weekend, a few members of our Guild and I attended the meeting of the State Guild.  Geri Wolf is very active with the group.  They had a general meeting, show and tell, and a lecture by Lizzie B Creative, a two women team who do workshops and publish books on their own unique method of creating quilt patterns.   They brought some beautiful samples, and did a great slide show.  Very inspiring!!!

I had the opportunity to meet several people from area Guilds.  I also did a presentation on my idea to do a workshop with the quilters from Gee's Bend, and asked if there may be interest in another Guild co-sponsoring them.  I did make a connection with a woman from Berry Basket Guild, in Medford, who said that they may be interested.  I am hoping we can manage to pull it off!!!

I recommend that anyone who is interested try to attend a meeting.  It really seems to be a nice group.