Paper Piecing in May

 

 Greetings Fellowship Quilters. We did paper piecing in May and Judy came up with a fantastic little pattern that turned out wonderful as you can see by the pictures.  Joy has a very colorful block as does Vi below.  Thanks to Judy for her knowledge and teaching of this quilting skill.
We had a good turn out for the program as well as the business meeting.  The weather is improving but we still feel the cold and damp....more reasons to stay in our sewing room!
We took a love offering for the Grand Traverse Baby Pantry and collected $219.00 for the diaper drive.  Sally was overwhelmed and so grateful for our generosity.
Our end of the year picnic will be at the Yacht Club (thanks to Della) and the committee divided up tasks..more later but save the date...June 14th.

 We had many many quilts for show and tell this month...I can not get all of them on the blog...sorry.  It limits me at a certain point.  Lynn once again wowed us with her creative abilities to use color and her stash to make quilts!! When asked the name of the quilt pattern  below she said "pretty"!

 The quilt below is called  "bars and four patch"  Really Lynn??  It came from the Missouri Star web site and looks like a great one to use up those four patches we are all saving.

 Ruth got these blocks from Barb and with some work put together a wonderful looking quilt!

 I would not of believed it if I was not there but this is a panel that she hand quilted.  It looks so real!  I had to get up close to believe that all those hexagons were not real. 

 Connie made this tuffet and we were so impressed.  It was a class she took and she said she uses it all the time.  Beautiful!

 What great colors!

 Sharon made this over a 2 year period.  It has civil war fabrics but she tried to pick the bright ones for this scrappy saw tooth  pattern to give it contrast.

 The Jelly roll quilts keeping popping up and here is another one...great job Pat.  It is a wonderful way to use up scraps and left over material from a project.

 Shawn has another quilt we did last fall and looks so good with the contrasting colors.

 Here is another jelly roll quilt but this is for the  veterans at Pats church.....thanks so much Shawn.

 Sue was on a mission to use up her flannel and produced many more quilts than I could show.  All of them beautiful and very warm!!

 Jackie made this geometric table runner that I would love to have on my table!  Great shape.

 This is a green and white quilt...even though it looks black.  Beautiful and lots of work!

 Vi made this quilt with pictures in the big squares...this one has pineapples!!  Very striking.

 Joan showed this small quilt from her son Bob.  Her daughter in law saw it and Bob made it!!  Very cute.

 Barb is recovering from her knee surgery and showed this blue snowball quilt.  Yeah Barb!!  She will be exploring more charities we can place our quilts with...Thanks for all your work Barb. 

 Karen is back from her winter in Texas.  She takes all kinds of classes and brings fantastic projects when she returns.  The table runner below is a curvy log cabin put together a different way.  So many options with that pattern.

 There was lots of interest in this wall hanging...a process called mock mola.  Mola is a Vietnamese craft involving curves.  Lots of interest so we may have a program by Karen next year.

 Ruth and I are making some more quilts using Ruth T's fabric given to us after her passing.  This is a pattern called Quake that uses 5 inch strips sewed together then cut into 2 1/2 inch strips.  I am making a green one.  It was fun to make and I know Ruth  T. would like to see her fabric used for a good cause.

 Ruth made this cute baby quilt with the airplane!

 Della made this fishing themed quilt to give to the Kingsley Adams  Fly Fishing Festival as a silent auction item.  The festival benefits the Kingsley Library.

 Della has been busy this winter.   She is doing season themed wall hangings so is all set for next winter with those cute snowmen.  She also did several jelly roll quilts and made them bigger.  and uses up lots of fabric. 

 Tracey and Jacky made this autograph quilt for a fundraiser for the skating rink.  It has signatures of many Red Wing hockey players.

Tracey made this eye popping quilt and I think she said the pattern was Whimsical and was from Fons and Porter.  We discussed next years program ideas and have some volunteers to work on next years programs.  Thanks to all because we could not be such a dynamic group with out every one participating.  

Marach Madness

 Greetings Fellowship Quilters.  I am sure you are all very surprised to get this blog so promptly after the last one was so so late!  I am becoming more competent on my new computer and therefore wanted to get this out ASAP!
We had 31 members here for the meeting today on a still cold March day.  We are bracing for another storm over the next few days so all you ladies in warm weather areas stay put!
The blocks to the left are the block of the month blocks from Vi which we did over several months since we had such a low attendance due to weather in January.  Fun block to make!

 Pat has been making "little quilts" and had another one to show.  I am sorry I must of missed editing this picture.

 She also made a sewing machine cover out of recycled material for a family member who likes to recycle stuff...she even put lace on it!

 The project for today was making the wool dryer balls.  So here is the goofy pic of the day.. "Judy and Joy with their balls"  Ha Ha.  Fun project!

 Sue made these two blocks at the workshop last weekend.  Many of us went to the Trunk Show that was held the Friday before.  Beautiful Quilts and blocks made from scraps and recycled cloth.

 Claudia is sewing for Easter with the bunny basket and the spring bow basket.

 Jackie showed some of the finished wool Easter eggs she made...the project from last month.

 The pictures got out of order so here is Pat again with this adorable paper pieced project for the laundry room.  The pieces are so tiny!  Great work Pat!

Donna continues to make her calendar blocks.  The adorable Easter bunny is not quite done but is so cute.  She said she has a book with blocks but is also taking ideas from elsewhere.  We are such a creative group!
We had a long discussion about program ideas for next year.  A list has been started and members are asked to make some notes on cards or paper of ideas over the next few months.  We will have index card available next month to collect your great ideas.  Donna is on board for teaching  a salvage project...a pillow for example.  If you want to do this you need to be saving salvages cut with about
1 1/2 inches of material also included so you can see it on your project. 
We are also looking for a team of members to get the ideas, teachers and programs coordinated for next year.  Talk to your friends and put together a group!  It is not that hard to coordinate and only takes a few times getting together this summer.
April is diaper month for the Grand Traverse Baby Pantry and we had decided to take a $$ collection as Sally can buy diapers cheaper than we can in the local stores.  We started the collection because some members will be gone next month and already have over $100!!  So bring your cash to the April meeting.
The June 14th picnic will be held at the Yacht Club with help from Della.  It will be a potluck as before with members bringing their own table service.  There was discussion of making place mats that could then be donated to the Meals on Wheels program after we laundered them. So make a place mat if you desire.   Kathy

FINALLY February

 I have finally gotten this new computer to work like I need it to but it was a struggle.  Thanks to daughter in law Casey for helping me figure out a few things.
It seems like forever since we had our February meeting and I now need to see if my notes are good enough to comment on all the pictures and projects.  I ask for forgiveness ahead of time if I get things wrong.
Our program was so fun...making the felted wool eggs you see below.  Claudia did a wonderful job with the materials and the directions for this fun project.  I have almost finished my less than perfect first egg and now know what I will do different with the next one.   Thanks to Claudia and her helper teachers for their patience!
The pattern to the left and the cute duck below are patterns that they created for us.  Sooo cute.

 These are some of the more perfect eggs that Claudia brought to show us.

 Barb has a great little quilt that I think was from the work bee.  I did not take any  notes on this one!

 Chris brought this stunning blue quilt that is made from 10" strips and 6 inch blocks.  Pauline brought her log cabin quilt below that she made for herself and quilted in a crosshatch pattern.

 Connie continues to wow us with her wool quilts.

 Ruth has made several baby quilts for friends and this is an adorable blue one.

 Joan continues to make quilts with son Bobs block patterns.  What a talented son!

 I made this quilt with my daughter in law Casey to help her learn how to piece a block and make a quilt.  It is made from scraps from my stash, except the black, and really turned out wonderful!  The pattern is called Baby Bricks and came in several sizes.  This is the larger size block

 This is a block of the month that Della did last year...really eye catching!

 Della also did another bargello that we did last fall...great colors.

 Vi made this for her daughter in law and even used some of the blocks for the back, below.

 Barb has been busy with baby quilts and gifts and this is only one of many she showed.  She has been busy busy busy!

 Judy brought several purses she made and this one above is the Emmaline bag...a free pattern...but she did not put in the special snap piece and felt it worked just as well.  Great job Judy!

 Pat had several items to show.  The wolf is applique and she designed it herself.  The dancing cat is so adorable and the flower wall hanging  below is stunning. 

 Bev made this unique stitch and fold wreath..actually made several this season and  finished the snow man below...an UFO which is adorable.

 Pat did a great job on this bright table runner.  Below Pat continues on with her adorable small quilts.

Feburary Fun

Snowing and Blowing in January

 The snowing and blowing of January once again impacted our Fellowship Quilt meeting.  The weather was less than ideal with an overnight wet snow (for you absent Florida people).  So we had about 15 hearty souls at the meeting.  It was a small group but it gave us a chance to talk to each other and get acquainted with members we do not know well.  So there was a silver lining in all that snow.  We had the no machine program with Tracy and Kathy presenting rulers.  We had fun imagining what we could make.
My ruler was the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star.  I am going to be making a quilt for Finnley and her mom wanted me to use this star.  I have never made it before and the points are very intimidating so I bought this ruler from the Missouri Quilt Store.  It has great instructions for a 3" TO 12" Star and a you tube video that was very helpful.   It showed the pressing and cutting instructions very clearly, especially for left and right handed sewers.  I have many more stars to go but have a good start.

 Tracy had several rulers from her Mom, a 4 patch and 9 patch ruler, that she demoed.  She also showed the blocks she is creating for some new quilters to learn quilt techniques at her church.  The blocks have religious themes to them and will make a great quilt in the end. We enjoyed her stories about each block.  She had to adapt some to make them work for her quilt.  Impressive!

 We particularly liked the block below which is called Children of Israel.  She had to change it to a 9 inch block to make it work in the quilt.  We thought this would be a great block to have in next years program so Della took it home along with the directions to make a program!! Sounds fun!!

 What an attentive group!!

 Pat brought her little/big bag that she will be teaching in in May.  Just a reminder that if you want to do this project you need 5 yards of belting and two pieces of 23x30 heavy fabric.

 Vi had the block of the month and what a fun one it is, the Z block,...unfortunately we were such a small group that she has many left over. So we moved the schedule and will do this block next month again to be able to make enough for a quilt.   I know  you all want to make it so that works out great.

 Pat made this beautiful sweat shirt jacket...a really different look with the sweat shirt showing thru.

 Shaun made these blocks from a program a few years ago.  She has lost the pattern and wonders if someone has the pattern or remembers the name and who did the program.  Great block!  It you have info let her know.

 Della made this for a soon to be born great nephew.  It is really adorable and she did a great job with the quilting and applique.  The colors are outstanding.  What you can't see from the picture is that the animal materials have patterns that give it texture.  Great job Della!

 Vi showed us several quilts...this bright one really shows off the center blocks.

 Vi said this is her favorite quilt.  It has pictures from her trip with her family.   It is a beautiful tribute to a family gathering that all will treasure.   i love the colors.

 Lynn brought her quilt of valor we did in October and she did it a bit different with cutting the strips into blocks and adding sashing and getting two quilts!  Great job!!  I know they will make someone happy.

 Barb made these beautiful place mats with pictures of flowers from her garden..stunning!!

 Barb also made the quilt below for a granddaughter..an adorable penguin applique in the center.

 I hope that all of you have been to the Dennos Musuem to see Ann Lovelace's breathtaking ...I guess it is a quilt but perhaps fiber art is a better term...and winner of Art Prize.  I went today with Della and granddaughter Frankie who loved all the colors.  It is a must see for anyone who is a quilter.  The rest of the fiber art is pretty amazing also.

We will hope to have better weather next month and see more of you at the meeting.  A quick note...we need another hostesses for the March and April meetings.  Also we need party planners for the June picnic..to do set up , provide drinks, table cloths and center pieces.  Joan let us know that we will not have the use of her community building for the June picnic.  Other options were discussed, but if available we will probably come to the church.
Safe travels to those away and those traveling thru northern Michigans winter!!  Kathy