It's a New Year

Can it be almost 1 year since I last posted on our blog????
Well, I am back and have lots to report.
Our guild has been very busy - we had:
-A Bee Night where Gloria showed us how to make place mats. Thank you to Gloria and Ronit for all their hard work in making the kits for us and assembling the beautifully wrapped packages of placemats and pillowcases for residents at Maison Shalom.These packages were donated to a member of the executive of Maison Shalom at our Holiday dinner. We were priveleged to view a video about the residents and it was a very moving experience for those of us at the meeting. It was wonderful to see photos of the residents receiving their gifts at their Chanukah party.
This year the monies we collected went to JWIC, and they were very appreciative of our donation. The non perishable food items were picked up by MADA. Thanks to all of our members for their participation in our Community works.
-We had demo by me on Trapunto by hand, by Gloria on Celtic quilting, and by me on needle turn applique.
-We had a Bee Night where we "played" with our Bingo game blocks and cut them down to size to assemble into a quilt for Quilts of Valor, an organization that collects for, and distributes quilts to, returning military personnel. The blue sashing fabric offsets the scrappy blocks beautifully (thanks to Roz for choosing the sashing fabric).

The rest of this year looks like it is filled with some great activities!! We have a Pizza Dinner on Jan 30. During this meeting we will be discussing fabric postcards, and we will be seeing some from members who have received and made these little works of art. A full day workshop on fabric PC's will follow on Feb 4, at the ACC.
We have a meeting planned for Mar 5 entitled "Gab Fest" - here we will share tips, horror stories, learn how to make bias stems, ruched flowers, and give and receive help with UFO's.
On March 17 it is IQD, a day filled with lots of fun, friendship, and food. Participants will share more than just quilting, I am sure.
May 24-27/12 is CQQ's Salon 2012. There are some incredible teachers giving fabulous workshops. Here is a link to the workshops being offered: http://cqq.ca/workshop/
For general info about the salon: email:salon2012info@cqq.ca website:http://cqq.ca/salon_en/
I guess that's it for now.
Please leave a comment, share this with your quilting friends, send me anything you would like to post on the blog related to Loose Threads, etc.
Stay warm and safe.
Sharon

Game Night

Tonight was our guild's Game Night, and thanks to Randi for some inventive thinking, a great time was had by all. Lots of great prizes - everyone went home a winner! Thank you Randi, for the fun games, and thanks to Joyce Ireman, our new bingo caller :-)

Our Community Project, being co-chaired by Gloria and Ronit, is underway. We will be making pillowcases for Maison Shalom, which has approximately 20 full time residents, and several respite care residents, at any given time. At our next meeting, we will have another demo for those who may have missed it the last time. Several members have already made pillowcases for donation - thank you!! And after the demo, there will be a Bee Night in the early fall, so that we will have the pillowcases for Chanukah.

At this time, Tuesday quilting is on hold, due to a commitment Roz and I have.
If someone else would like to take over the responsibility for organizing the Tuesday get togethers, please email me privately.

At tonight's meeting, I again put out the call to you to consider stepping forward to assume a position on the executive, as life has thrown some of us a few curves we were not expecting. Please think about how you would like to help us out and keep the guild the vibrant group it is.

I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of Barbara, Roz, and myself, to wish everyone a healthy and joyous holiday, whether it be Pesach or Easter. May your family gatherings be filled with wonderful times, great food, and the making of wonderful memories.

International Quilting Day 2011

Today was International Quilting Day and Loose Threads once again did a great job of hosting this fun-filled day of quilting, sewing, knitting, chatting, and noshing :D
Ably co- chaired by Randi and Vikki, the day saw aproximately 35 participants from our guild and 2 others, West End Quilters and Cuilte Montreal, enjoy themselves immensely. The room was set up with a cutting station, ironing stations, a fabric sale table, and a seemingly endless snack table.
All of us left with a loot bag filled with goodies such as fabrics and threads. Six lucky participants each won a fantastic raffle basket.
Everyone brought non perishable food items for our guild to donate to MADA.
Wendy Foster, a quilter from Ottawa, was the guest speaker. Wendy sells threads and brought a vast selection for us to purchase........so many gorgeous colors to choose from!
After talking about the different types of theads for machine use, Wendy gave a splendid trunk show, highlights of which were her art pieces, fish purses and quilted clothing. She is a very talented woman!!
A big thank you to Randi and Vikki for their organizing of this day, and to the many other Loose Threads members who helped make it such a success.

Pillowcase Demo

Last night at our guild meeting, Gloria demonstrated how to make a pillowcase, using the "sausage" method. It was a great evening. Gloria provided a comprehensive demo, complete with a detailed handout and step by step samples. Gloria, thank you for a wonderful project demo. The guild will be putting to good use your hints when we get together over the next season for our Community Project. And speaking of our Community Project for next year, Ronit and Gloria have graciously volunteered to be co-chairs. We will be making pillowcases for Maison Shalom, which is actually 2 group homes in the community, for Jewish adults who are developmentally challenged. Details of this project will be discussed at a later date.
Our next Tuesday get together, which had been scheduled for Feb. 15th, is CANCELLED, due to renovations taking place in the chalet. Please be sure to check the emails we send you re: meeting reminders and updates, as sometimes we may have to relocate or cancel a meeting.
If you have not as yet signed up for International Quilting Day, to be held March 19th, in Chalet 1, please contact Randi or Vikki to let them know you want to participate. And remember the special guest they have lined up - Wendy Foster, a "threadologist" from Ottawa, who is a rep for Superior Threads. There are a few spots still available, and if you have a friend who you think might like to come along with you, let Randi or Vikki know. As always, IQD promises to be a fun filled day of comaraderie, sewing, sharing and snacking!!!! Look for emails regarding the day as we get closer - Randi and Vikki will be asking for volunteers who will bake or bring goodies.
I have been thinking it might be a nice idea to reintroduce the coffee break - last week's pizza dinner was a real success, and last night people seemed to enjoy the danish, and some people even made tea!!! So, if you like this idea, please respond as such and we will reinstitute the practice.
As a special request, to those members who knit and would like to make hats for the Israeli soldiers, we have black wool available. Several members have generously helped out in the past, and unfortunately, there is an ongoing need, as the situation in the Middle East escalates. Betty Goldenberg would be the best person to be in touch with re: this project.
After last week's donation of quilts to Auberge Shalom, and in conversation with Roz, I thought it might be a nice idea to make a quilt for James, our incredible chalet attendant. This idea was well received by the members at last night's meeting. More details will follow as Roz and I discuss various ideas.
Joyce Ireman reported on the latest CQQ meeting. Salon 2012 needs volunteers.......please speak to Joyce if you think you can fill a need for this wonderful event.
If anyone has thought of a position they might like to have on the "executive" of the guild, please let me know. It is a lot of fun planning the meetings and activities and special projects we do. I am sure many of you have ideas - help Loose Threads be the best guild we can be, by getting more involved in the running of the guild.
Please remember I love to read your comments of the postings.
Stay safe and keep warm.
Happy sewing.
Sharon

Auberge Shalom Donation

What a wonderful meeting we had for our Loose Threads Quilt Guild this evening.

On the agenda was the handover of the 35 quilts we made for the children at Auberge Shalom, as well as a few crocheted afghans and knitted hats, mitts, and scarves.

We started the evening with a pizza dinner, rounded out with a delicious salad made by Moishe, and wonderful baked goods from Gloria and Joyce Ireman. Also, thanks to Debby for the soft drinks, and Ethel and Joyce Yedid for the cookies. And of course, thanks to James, our incredible chalet attendant, for all his help - he is invaluable to us!!!

Diane Sasson came from Auberge Shalom and she was visibly touched by the quilts we were donating, made by Loose Threads members. The quilts were packed into backpacks, generously donated by Bentley Leather. Diane gave us a bit of an idea of the services Auberge Shalom provides to women and children in need of shelter from an abusive family situation - certainly an eye opener!!

We also gave Diane 2 large bags of the hotel toiletries we collect on our travels. Please keep collecting - Vikki is happy to deliver the articles we give her.

Thank you, again, to all the members of Loose Threads for their devotion to fulfilling our mandate of doing community work for our community. And a very big thank you to Barbara and Vikki for preparing the fabrics and making the kits for the quilts we made.

We were also treated to some wonderful Show & Tell, and Show As You Go :-) Keep bringing your work in to share with all of us - it is inspirational.

Again, we ask you to consider volunteering for an executive position. Feel free to call me if you have questions or an idea of what you might like to do.

Looking forward to our meeting next Monday, Feb 7, when Gloria will demonstrate how to make a pillowcase......

In the meantime, stay warm. And happy quilting!!

Sharon

'tis the season

Well, as winter seems to be settling in (ugh!!) it is a good time to get busy sewing!! I, for one, have just begun to redo my sewing room. I had been planning this for some time, but was pushed into doing it NOW because of 2 burst pipes behind a wall in the room I call my own.
I finally got a quilt to a longarm quilter!! Why do I love putting the top together only to have it languish for YEARS because I don't want to have to layer and baste and quilt it myself :-(
What are all your projects for the winter sewing season??
The exec of Loose Threads is hard at work planning the second part of our schedule. We will send out the meeting dates and any special notes over the holidays. Remember we are always open to ideas for programmes, speakers, volunteers for the executive, and of course, welcoming new members.
For those members celebrating Chanukah, I hope it has been a joyous time with family and friends and celebration. For our members celebrating Christmas, we wish you the same wonderous times. And for all of us, let us hope 2011 brings all of our hopes and dreams to fruition.
Now I am off to the sewing room to reorganize and do some appliqueing.
Sharon

Quilting the Quilt

Well, who would have thought a whole evening could go by so quickly listening to a talk on "Quilting the Quilt" ?? Tonight Loose Threads welcomed Phyllis Moody, a longarm quilter, to our guild. As well, we invited members of West End Quilters to the program. It was a pleasure to welcome these women to our meeting.
Phyllis spoke about how to prep a quilt top for the longarm quilter, how she chooses a pattern for the quilt she is working on, and what batting and thread she likes best. She also reminded us how to best measure for our borders!! It was most informative. And thank you to the volunteer bakers - delish, as always!! And to those who brought other goodies, much appreciated.
Our next meeting is our Holiday Dinner, on Monday, Dec.13th. As always, if you need to heat your dish, please come for 6:30. Remember to bring serving pieces should they be required for your dish. Also, NON PERISHABLE food items for Mada, toiletries for Auberge Shalom, and your anonymous financial donation for Mitzvah Meals (the suggested amount is $15, what we used to spend to buy each other gifts).
I am adding a link to Leah Day's site - she is the woman who demos machine quilting designs - a new one for every day in the year!!!!!It is on the links list, but here it is , also: http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
Some of our members have already left for the warmer climates - we wish you a wonderful winter away.
That's it for tonight.
Last thing - Tuesday quilting, on December 7th, from 9:30-3:30. Bring lunch, indoor footwear, and whatever you are working on. The coffee and tea will be ready for you :-).
Until next time,
happy sewing!!
Sharon