Loose Threads Quilt Guild

It's a New Year

2012-01-26T16:00:00.004-05:00

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

2011-04-04T22:38:00.002-04:00

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

2011-03-19T21:08:00.002-04:00

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

2011-02-08T11:27:00.007-05:00

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

2011-01-31T22:43:00.004-05:00

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

2010-12-06T13:09:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-29T22:40:00.006-05:00

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

Welcome to a new season of quilting

2010-10-24T20:32:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone! It has been way too long since I have posted, and as long since I have quilted. Family issues, good and not so good, have kept me from my needle and thread, but now I am back!!!!
Loose Thread's Guild meetings are also back in full swing after our summer hiatus and the High Holidays.
We have a couple of new members and continue to welcome any quilter who might like to join our group.
Last meeting we had Phyllis Moody come and give a demo on the Accuquilt cutting system - I know she has whet some appetites in our membership to purchase one of these systems :-)
Phyllis will be back on the 29th of October to talk about "Quilting the Quilt" - it should be a most informative evening.
Please remember to post your comments and ideas here. I am always eager to hear back from you.
Just one more thing - Roz received this from someone she contacted re: gifts for IQD. Please take the time to visit this site - thanks.
creativeoptionscrafts.com and also their blogspot: creativeoptionscrafts.blogspot.com

Until next time, happy quilting
Sharon

International Quilting Day

2010-03-21T10:36:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was IQD and Loose Threads hosted its annual event for the 6th year. It was another wonderful day of being with friends, laughing, and sharing.
34 quilters were in attendance and everyone was busy chatting and sewing and visiting from 9-4.
Andrea Torrens was our featured guest this year and she demonstrated how to make a "Hidden Wells" table runner from striped or border fabric - it is such a cool technique. And Andrea is a great instructor!
The rest of the day people worked on their projects, visited with one another, and helped fellow quilters with their work. There was a sale table with wonderful fabrics!
Thanks to the generosity of companies contacted, everyone went home with a door prize and a loot bag - I have so wanted a bobbin tower for the longest time!!
The food table was laden with lots of yummy home baked goodies, as well as lots of other good eats :-)
Thank you to those who brought in non perishable food items for us to donate, and a big thanks to that generous person who donated money in lieu of canned goods.
Here is an email I received from a first time attendee, Marijke:

International Quilt Day with the Loose Threads gang is an experience I enjoyed more than I realized I would. As I left the house before 9 a.m., my husband asked me when I’d be home. My response was “it depends on how much fun I’m having.” Since I didn’t get home until well after 3 p.m., it’s probably safe to say I had fun.
As a quilter who didn’t know a single person who quilted when I began over 20 years ago, getting together with women who share the same passion is a delight. Spending the day with these women is a blessing, a breath of fresh air.
Despite our hectic lives and the time we need to spend on every day things, to see the beautiful pieces of work that we all manage to put together is awesome, in the true sense of the world. You can’t rush a quilt, because it will show that it’s rushed, so quilting is a great way to force yourself to slow down.
For the day, I shared a table with Joyce, Denise, Betty, Debbie and Flora (I hope I got the names right!) and the conversation flowed, ideas were shared and laughter was not far away. I also have something for my birthday list now – a needle threader. I’d never tried one before but once Flora showed me how to use hers, I wanted to walk away with it.
As I wandered around the tables and saw the different projects, I was taken with a desire to try so many different things I’d not tried before – in particular, turning a photograph into a quilt. Our guest speaker inspired me to try new designs for table runners and the door prizes that those around me won showed me new gadgets that I’d not tried before. But seeing them used made me realize that some of these gadgets are pretty cool. Of course, I won a super prize myself that will be used well.
Thank you Roz for contacting me time after time to remind me of the guild. Thank you to everyone for being so welcoming and kind, and you’ve all gotten me hooked on International Quilting Day. See you next year!

Look for photos and other comments about IQD in the very near future.

And at this time, I would like to take the opportunity, on behalf of Barbara, Roz, and myself, to wish everyone a very happy Pesach and Easter. May your holiday be filled with family and friends and peace.
Sharon

last meeting

2010-02-07T20:02:00.001-05:00

great job updating our site, Shar. Thanks so much. Looking forward to our meeting with Diane Shink speaking, as well as our upcoming International Quilt Day.

YoYos

2010-02-02T12:55:00.018-05:00

Loose Threads quilt guild meeting on February 1st found us busy at work - it was a full evening which included guild business, Show & Tell (see the pictures below) and a demo by Sharon on 3D hamentaschen (see the photo of a postcard) made from a fabric yoyo. And in addition to the fabric hamentaschen, we also made flowers from yoyos! It was a fun meeting with great comaraderie and sharing of ideas.
Last Sunday, 12 of us had the great pleasure of attending a workshop with Debby Kemball. It was a really fun day. For those of you who are afraid of applique, Debby is the perfect person to take a workshop with. A spring date is in the works for Debby to return to give the workshop to those unable to attend the first one. Her methods are very liberating! In the near future, check the links at the bottom of the guild blog home page for the list of suppliers Debby recommends. Look for photos of our member's completed, special "Seven Species" project in future posts!
We have our "Open Studio" next Tuesday, Feb 9, at 12:30 P.M. Bring lunch, a snack, a friend - invite someone who is a quilter, knitter, crafter to join in an afternoon of sharing and creating.
On Feb 15, Diane Shink will be presenting "Antique Aprons" and we hope to have members of the Co-Op Quilters joining us.
And on March 20 we have International Quilting Day.

Here are the promised photos of our Show and Tell and the postcard - enjoy!

Until next time, enjoy every moment you have and do something nice for you!
Sharon

Looking into February

2010-01-21T16:20:00.004-05:00

Well, Monday night was our last meeting for the month of January - again, I ask, where does the time go? We had a guest come to ask us our opinion about batting. The discussion was an interesting one, and the overall consensus was that we are all pretty busy with our lives and that perhaps the company would be better served hiring people to test their batting. The final outcome is that the rep will probably send us batting squares, as part of a kit, to test, and in the future, she will send us batting for our community projects.
On Sunday, January 31, some of us have signed up for a class with Debby Kemball - we will be using her new pattern, Seven Species, that Debby designed for us. I have begun a list for those interested in taking this class in the spring. If you would like to take this class, please let me know asap, as it is limited to 12 people.
On Monday, February 1, I will be demo-ing how to make 3D fabric hamentaschen. For those members who do not celebrate Purim, I have found another project that incorporates yoyos.
On February 15 we have Diane Shink coming to talk about antique aprons. We have invited the other west end quilt guilds to come to the meeting.
Have any of you thought about what you might like to see the guild do next year? Have any of you thought if you might like to take a position on the executive? Please be in touch with me or Roz or Barbara to discuss your ideas.
On a sad note, we mourn the passing of Gail Flicker, an original member of Loose Threads Quilt Guild. Gail was a talented artist and a warm, kind woman. May her family and friends be spared further sorrow and may she rest in peace.
Please leave a comment after you read this post, so that I know I do not write in vain ;-)
Sharon

International Quilting Day

2010-01-10T19:09:00.003-05:00

Hello fellow Loose Threads members.......sign up has begun for IQD, which, this year, will be on Saturday, March 20. For those of you who have attended in the past, you know what a wonderful day this is. For our new members, IQD was started by me several years ago and we have continued since, with Carolyn and Gloria following as co chairs for 2 years, and then Roz, Ruth R and I as co chairs for the past 2 years, and the 3 of us are back again for this year. We have guest speakers and loot bags and door prizes. It is a day filled with quilting, comaraderie, lots of food, and just plain fun. Imagine a whole day with no phone, no kids, no cooking - just sewing and being with like-minded friends. Be sure to let Roz know that you want your name on the list - there are only 30 spaces available, and it is first come, first served.
Also, this Tuesday, Jan. 12 is our "open" studio - we have the chalet all day. You can bring anything you want to work on. Bring your lunch and snack.......the kettle will be on.
Have a good week.
Sharon

Welcome 2010

2010-01-05T14:09:00.003-05:00

Are you as surprised as I am at how quickly time is going? Even as we begin our meetings again for the second half of the 2009/10 season, the executive of Loose Threads is already planning for next fall - wow! We have some fun ideas brewing and are ALWAYS happy to have suggestions from our members. As a matter of fact, the exec would be thrilled if someone would like to take on programming for the next season.........any volunteers??
In spite of the cold and yucky weather, the turnout for our first meeting of 2010 was well attended. We had some beautiful show & tell, which is always inspiring. Most of those in attendance worked on their own projects, and some of us worked helping others.
The sign up sheet for International Quilting Day, which is March 20 this year, was passed around. Please be sure to let us know if you want to be included in this fun-filled day. Space is limited to first come, first served.
We have some very interesting meetings coming up. We have a rep from a batting company coming to talk to us and my understanding is that we will be a "test" group for the product. Diane Shink will be coming to give a talk on aprons......now, I can hear some of you asking how much can there be to say about aprons, right? Well, the feedback from people who have heard this talk is great and they have raved about it! Do you have any old aprons?? Please bring them to the meeting to share with all of us. We invited the members of the Co Op Quilters to join us for this special meeting.
I am in the process of working on teachers and dates for next fall for workshops - is there a teacher you would like to have come to Montreal to share her/his expertise with us? Please let me know and I would be happy to make the contact. So far I have Elaine Quehl and Lonni Rossi in mind. We could always ask Sharon Stroud to come back up - she is so much fun! Google any of these 3 women and check out their sites.
Please remember that you can always call or email me with any ideas or suggestions or comments you might have about the guild.
Stay warm and tread carefully out there - it is slippery (hope your back feels much better soon, Barbara).
Until next time, happy sewing.
Sharon

Holiday Greetings

2009-12-15T19:38:00.004-05:00

Last night we had our Holiday Dinner! What a wonderful evening filled with friends and delicious food. We collected $300 for Mitzvah Meals and bags and bags of kosher non perishable food items for Mada.
We had show & tell of the fruits of our labours from the 3 demo evenings we have had since the season started - our appliques, our 3D dreidels and bells, and our surface design evening. Really nice work by everyone - and lucky recipients of the gifts made of these projects! Below are some photos of the projects.

Our schedule for 2010 looks like a lot of fun.
We have 2 guest speakers for meetings, we have a workshop with Debby Kemball at the end of January, and more demos of different techniques.
The workshop with Debby is especially exciting because she designed a special pattern for our guild - The Seven Species! If you were not able to get into the Jan 31st workshop, we hope to offer it again in the spring.
On October 6 we had Elaine Quehl come to give a workshop on Surface Design. 14 of us spent a creative day learning to use Shiva paint sticks, waterdolor pencils, how to make our own stencils - it was lots of fun. Pictures of those projects to follow at a later date.
We hope to have Elaine come back to Montreal next fall for a couple of workshops - she is a fabulous and giving teacher, and you should try to take a class with her if you ever get the opportunity.
On behalf of the executive of the guild, I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season. I wish everyone the best of health and contentment for 2010.

Painting / Coloring on Fabric Demo

2009-11-30T21:10:00.004-05:00

Thank you to Vikki for a fun and well organized demo. Vikki showed us how we can design on fabric using stencils, pages from coloring books, or our own design and then color the design with paint, crayons or colored pencils, and glitter glue. So many ideas!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone made something, ranging from sports theme to flowers to Judaic designs. The guild now has stencils and other supplies in our cupboard for members to use at the guild. Also, the Dollar store is a wonderful place to purchase so many art and craft related items.
For those of you registered for Elaine Quehl's workshop, it will be held in our regular meeting place on Sunday, Dec 6 from 10:30 - 4:30.
Tuesday, Dec. 8 is our Tuesday Open Studio, from 9:30 - 3:30. Remember to bring your lunch/snack.
Our next regular meeting is on Monday, Dec.14 and it is our Holiday Dinner. Please remember your non perishable food items and your monetary donation.
So, now we have had 3 demos for our Calendar Series and people have been very creative! What projects might you like to see after the holidays??

3D Holiday fun

2009-11-17T10:20:00.006-05:00

Last night was Part Two of our Calendar Quilt Series.......Randi and Roz gave us a hands on demo on how to make 3D dreidels and bells for the holidays.....we had fun! Thank you to them for helping us to get a head start on our holiday decor ideas. There really is so much we can do to embellish these little pieces of art. As with any project we make, we are only limited by our own lack of imagination. So, go for it - daydream and produce!!
At our next meeting, Vikki will show us how to use crayons on fabric, and we can embellish these pieces as well. The guild has purchased stencils and glitter glue and other "stuff" to create our masterpieces :-)
Don't forget about our "Open Studio" once a month, on a Tuesday. The next one is Dec.8th. These get togethers can be used for mini workshops, if you would like that. Roz has been asked to show how to make the travel cutting mat/ironing surface that she demo-ed a couple of years ago.
Several people took black wool to make caps for Israeli soldiers. And some of the colored wool went to members of a knitting club to make items for other donations.
Our Holiday dinner is not too far away. Please be in touch with Roz with what you plan on bringing for our dinner. And to our members who are on sabbatical, we want you to be there, too! Just let Roz know what you'll bring. Please do not forget about the non perishable kosher food donations and the monetary donation. To explain to our newer members, we ask you to bring in nonperishables to donate to Mada. The money we donate is what we would have spent on each other for a gift exchange. In the past, we would spend $15 on a gift for a member whose name we pulled from a hat. We realized that most of us had more than enough quilting stuff and that the money would be better used, and more appreciated, going to charity. So, after putting it to the group, it was decided to put the $15 ( or whatever amount you are comfortable with) in an unmarked envelope, collect the envelopes, and donate the total amount to our chosen recipient. As I mentioned last night, this year the money will go to the Meals On Wheels program at the Cummings Senior Center. If you cannot be at the dinner, please bring your donation(s) to the next meeting.
Please let me know if there is any news you would like to share with the other members, or if you have a tip or site you like. I found a new site the other day - http://daystyledesigns.com/ . It really has some great tips and techniques.
Well, I think that's it for now - remember to take care of yourselves!

Great site

2009-11-13T10:10:00.003-05:00

Check out this site - it is really good! So many wonderful hints.....
happy quilting :-)
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/articles.htm

Busy season

2009-11-07T12:21:00.005-05:00

It is hard to believe we are almost at the holiday season - where does time go? But we certainly have been busy at the guild.........
We had Stephanie and her mum from Quilte Classique come and talk about new products, shop classes, and we even had a demo of a nifty new notion. That same night we had some members from West End Quilters join us for the evening.

We had Debby Kemball, an award winning quilter, give a fabulous trunk show! We were all so blown away by her work and her engaging personality that we have asked her to give us a workshop. Debby was so impressed with our guild she has designed a pattern in honor of Loose Threads, incorporating the Seven Species. The first workshop (already full!!) will be January 31/10.....the second will be after the spring holidays, giving the snowbirds (lucky ducks) a chance to participate.

We had an Applique Demo night - I showed how to do needle turn applique - that evening was the first in our calendar Quilt Series. Congrats to everyone who has finished their piece :-)

Last week we had our first Bee Night - we had fun piecing and ironing and oohing and aahing as the tops came together!

Next meeting, Nov.16, Randi and Roz will demo the 2nd part of our Calendar Quilt - 3D dreidels or bells.

There is a show in Shelburne, Vt next weekend.

Quilter's Pleasure Weekend is scheduled for February. I have been checking to see if the class schedule is up yet, but it is not.

Remember to check out the fabulous classes being offered at Salon 2010......go to http://www.cqq.ca/ to see the list of teachers and their workshops.
I think that's it for now.
Remember to check back to see what is new in our guild's world.
Sharon

Bee Night

2009-11-02T21:51:00.004-05:00

Can you believe it is already November!!??!! Brrrrrrrr (ugh).
Tonight we had our first Bee Night and there was a great turnout. 6 members brought their machines and those who did not have their machine helped pin and iron. It worked VERY well and we have 4 tops completed!! Thank you to everyone. YAY us!!!!
We are planning our Holiday dinner - the list has begun! Please let Roz know asap if you cannot be at the dinner (December 14). Also, you can let her know by phone or email what you would like to bring (remember, dairy or pareve, no meat).
Look at your emails for the supply list for the next meeting on November 16 - Roz and Randi will be showing us how to make 3D dreidels and bells - too much fun!
Tuesday, November 10 we have our Open Studio from 12:30 - 4:00. Bring lunch or a snack - the water is on for tea :-)
Pam has received a batch of skeins of black wool for soldier's caps. If you would like to make a cap or two we will have the wool at the guild. Also, Dena has wool in other colors, so if you want to knit scarves or mitts or afghans for us to donate to Auberge Shalom, you can get that from us.
Remember to take your H1N1 flu vaccine, and, as much as we want you to come to every meeting, please do not attend if you are not feeling well(cough, runny nose, nausea, fever).
Some of the members have completed their "Applique Apple" block......Joyce Ireman made a really cute tote bag and Debby Soll made a lovely pillow cover....Flora completed her block, as have Lyn, Roz and Sharon......any one else finished theirs yet?? Let's bring them all to the Holiday dinner for a photo op and I can put the pictures on the blog ;-)
Looking forward to seeing everyone next time.

If you are off to warmer climates, have a safe and wonderful winter.

"Calendar Quilt"

2009-10-25T21:11:00.002-04:00

Last Monday evening was the first in our Calendar Quilt series.....this is the series where we will make a 12" (finished size) block with a theme incorporating a holiday or season. The first holiday/season was Rosh Hashonah or autumn..........we did an applique of an apple and leaves.
The next in the series will be in November and the theme is Chanukah or Christmas - we will be making 3D dreidels or bells.......it will be great fun to see the finished pieces at the end of the guild year!!
We are having Elaine Quehl come to teach a class in surface design in December. At this point the class is full, but you can put your name on a waiting list.
In January we hope to have Debby Kemball teach a workshop. Keep your eyes and ears open for that - it is sure to fill up quickly!
Next Monday, November 2nd, is our first Bee Night of the year..........Barbara and Vikki have put together kits. If you would like, you can have a kit to work on at home. Just let us know.
Wishing you a wonderful week.
Happy quilting.

QPW in Cornwall

2009-10-24T12:21:00.004-04:00

Hi - just a note to let you know about a really nice weekend coming up in February. It is called Quilters Pleasure Weekend and it is held at NavCan in Cornwall. There are classes, a show, and vendors.
Check the site out. http://www.quilterspleasureweekend.com

printing on fabric

2009-10-23T23:07:00.002-04:00

I found this tidbit of info when I was looking at the Quilt University newsletter for November. Thought it might interest some of our members.

TIP FOR PRINTING ON FABRIC
Cindy Thury Smith, our talented Crazy Quilt teacher, writes "I NEVER print fabric on freezer paper anymore. I tape my fabric (using double stick tape in certain places) onto heavyweight matte printer photo paper. It is stiffer than freezer paper and is designed to feed through the printer very smoothly and incrementally. I rarely get a misprint plus it is MUCH quicker. I just rip the fabric off, stick another piece of fabric on and am ready to go again in less than a minute.

"I've found you can feed the same piece of matte paper through the printer at least 10 times before the edges start getting a little soft. Then I use it for its intended purpose which is to print a photo. I just trim it slightly so the photo has to be smaller than 8x10. I can print entire pages of print onto fabric this way. If you are not going to wash the piece of fabric (such as a notebook cover or a fabric bracelet), I don't even use BubbleJetSet. "

Quilt thought for today

2009-10-23T14:03:00.002-04:00

I had a thought I would like to share with everyone - when you are taking a class, bring your "good" fabric - don't take stuff you don't like, thinking "oh, it's just a practice piece" - if you do not like what you are working with, you probably won't like the project and will never complete it.
Just my thought.
Have a happy day.
Sharon

fun site

2009-10-23T12:29:00.004-04:00

Hi - if you go to the website www.hp.com and click on Explore and Create, there are some great projects and tips and hints for using your printer in your quilting.
Have fun!
Happy creating.

toiletries for Auberge Shalom

2009-10-22T19:28:00.002-04:00

Please remember to collect those little shampoos and soaps when you travel and bring them to Vikki - we donate them to Auberge Shalom.
Thank you.

thank you

2009-10-21T20:46:00.002-04:00

a huge thank you to Sharon for setting this up - hope we can keep the blog very busy. Let's try to remember to take pictures at our meetings, workshops, and events. Enjoy!

Guild Blog

2009-10-21T20:44:00.002-04:00

Loose Threads Quilt guild in Cote St. Luc is about to have its very own blog!!
It will be a place to post ideas and happenings and share quilting news amongst ourselves and with the quilting community.
Stay tuned for more info and news.