August 2024

 We met today at Joan’s house at 130 on a bright sunny day.  Mindy was the only one who was not able to come but hopefully she will be able to make it to the next meeting.  We are trying to find the best date so everyone can make it.  Next months meeting will be at Mary’s house on September 9 Monday at 2:00.  Hopefully the later time of half an hour will help.  It’s much more fun when everyone is there and we can all catch up with what is happening.  I know I learn so much from just listening to the stories that people share.

Joan

Joan was the first up because she was so excited to share her new book.  The books proof just arrived after years in the making and it is something to be proud of.  This will be printed in a limited run for family members.

Sandy

Sandy made the long drive to the Bay Area and we were very glad to see her.  She wants us to think of what our next group challenge will be.  She needs a kickstarter and hopes this will get her mojo back

Deanna

Deanna has been busy. She brought three projects and a box of books some from 1974 when she first started quilting.  Wow.

The first quilt was made of 10 inch squares of Maria Horner and Kaffe Fassett fabrics paired with leftover backing grunge fabric.  The fabrics were so beautiful and it went well with the grunge.

The second quilt was made with a layer cake from Betsy’s stash.  Deanna thinks that Betsy must have first picked the central fabric and then added the colors in that 1 fabric for all the other colors.  She made the patch by putting two 10 inch fabrics right sides together.  Sew around the four ends and then cut on the diagonals to end up with four half square triangles. Genius.  The placement of the patches made for a beautiful composition.

The third project was the Mandala dyeing kit from Cindy Lobeck.  She had 12 fat quarters which she folded in 6 sides then each tied with 3 rubber banks.  She picked her 3 colors yellow, blue and magenta. Soaked her fabric in soda ash, mixed the dye with urea, soaked it, iced it, rinsed and washed in hot water then tada it’s done.  Lots of work.  It came out beautifully.

Thank you Deanna for your tips on going to Jenny Lyon’s newsletter about the basting spray which is now available as a glue stick.  Finding petite thimbles at Dick Blick. Sharing your vegetable fabrics and oldies but goodies books.

Mary

Mary also had three projects that she wanted to share. The first two are donation quilts which she used to practice her free motion quilting. Instead of circles she is doing free hand continuous loops and flowers.  Good job. Your confidence in free motion quilting is inspiring to all of us.

The third quilt is one of her UFOs started in a 2002 Angie Woolman class on basic blocks.  Her daughter wanted her to make a tshirt quilt and this was the perfect class to get her started in quilting.

Arleen

I had 2 quilts to share.  

The first is a quilt top made with scraps from old recycled kimono and silk ties from the tie factory.  I saw a quilt pattern that I liked from Quiltcon 2024 and drafted the pattern on graph paper.  This was supposed to be just a study so I did not even back the silk with interfacing.  It came out so well, I’m going to try and finish it.

The second quilt is the Gay Parker quilt top.  I decided to make it bigger by adding a border so it would be able to use as a foster youth or twin size.  I found a golden yellow fabric and just sewed it straight on the sides of the top.  When I started quilting it, I realized the border was stretched out in places.  I should have stopped then and taken out the border and redo it.  But I just went ahead and kept going. Mary suggested I first measure and then cut and pin.   She is right of course.

Bobbie

Bobbie made two pillows to go with her new bedspread she made.  She is also on the lookout for patterns to make two quilts for her grandsons who are getting married in the future.  She has drafted some patterns and will probably use those but also wants inspiration.

Marty

Marty had two quilts and a book to share.

The first is a children’s quilt that she pieced and quilted.  Good job.

The second uses 2 packs of 5 inch black squares paired with 84 bright color squares.  This was enough to make 168 half square triangles which she made into this beautiful quilt.  She doesn’t normally use black, but after this it may change her perspective. This is improv.  Do you see the heart at the top.

The book she shared is a treasure.  Youngmin Lee The Art of Korean Textiles.  It is a treasure.  Thank you for sharing it with us.

Joan made a lovely peach cake with vanilla ice cream. Yummy.  She also made a pitcher of iced tea with mint and lemon. So refreshing after a long day.  It is so inspiring to see all the beautiful quilts and projects that our group of friends are making.  I know that I have been inspired and have gotten some good ideas that I want to try.  Hope you have too.