July 2023 - Virtual Meeting

 Happy July! I hope you all had a wonderful celebration last weekend (excluding the smoke, rain, and tornado warnings.)

This months Tip comes from Chris Mitchler. 

l do freezer paper thread basting for hand applique.  After l've thread basted applique pattern pieces, l spray pattern pieces with either a water mist or unscented Best Press starch with a hot dry iron until dry.  l remove thread basting & freezer paper ready to pin to the project.  l find the pattern pieces sit very flat.

So, I "asked the audience" where you could get freezer paper. Chris buys hers from Connecting Threads. Many of you said you get it from Amazon. However, the most convenient source was suggested by Barb Karim. Paisley's Quilt Shop, off the Carp Road between Stittsville and Carp, has it. They are currently closed for a summer break but they will reopen next week. 

If you have a tip for next month, or a question to "ask the audience", please send it to me for the August edition.

Anita starts our show and tell this week. This is a 3 yard quilt that she made for Victoria's Quilts.

Carol McFee finished this little hooked rug that she says she started in 2017.

Dianne Watchorn completed 2 quilts for Victoria's Quilts.

Helen Anderson has her first great nephew on the way, so she has been making baby things.

Judy Emond has also been making quilts for Victoria's Quilts.

I have been making dog bandanas. I did 24 last week, two for my dog and the rest as gifts to doggie friends and family.

Since summer is a great time to get Christmas sewing done, MaryAnn has been working on Advent Calendars. She is making 2 train calendars and 48 little bags to hide surprises in.

MaryAnn also sent pictures of her lovely garden, which seems like a nice way to close this month's Show and Tell.

Next month, our Show and Tell will be August 14th, because of the long weekend. Until then, stay cool.

Kate

June 2023 - Virtual Meeting

 Our Virtual Show and Tell continues. 

After the hot weather, I spent a happy afternoon in my sewing space, playing. I remembered to spend a few minutes cleaning my bobbin case and changing my needle. It is amazing how much quieter the machine runs after you do that.

MaryAnn says that she has not spent any time sewing this month, instead, she has been enjoying working in her lovely garden. So she sent us a picture of the quilt of plants and flowers that are currently adorning her yard.

Anita sends us a couple of pictures. The first is going to Victoria's Quilts.

This second one she completed awhile ago, and her husband recently quilted it for her on the longarm.

Barb Karim bought this quilt when she was in Cairo.

She also sent a picture from Cairo of old applique panels used to cover a demolition sight. 

If you want to learn more about how these are made, look up "The Tentmakers of Cairo" on YouTube.

Carol McFee finished a wool Christmas mat and advises that it is a good time to get Christmas projects done when there is much less pressure.

Cathy Simpson's granddaughter is graduating from High School, so Cathy made her a twin bed size quilt.

Connie Telford finished this baby quilt in time for a baby shower for her nephew and his wife. The baby is due in August.

And I, of course, made a new purse. This is a Lemonza Phone Wallet, by Country Cows Designs. I needed to make a new bag to fit my new phone. 

Doreen gave me the lovely fabric that became the lining.

There has been a request for a new feature, that will make its way to our web pages, when they are redone. That is the Tip of the Month. So, this month, I have the tip.

The Ottawa Public Library has quilting and sewing magazines that you can borrow in digital form, on the Libby App. The App is free and is available for Apple and Android. I did a search today and found 16 digital magazines about quilting. They can be borrowed for 3 weeks, and there is no limit on the number of people who can read them at one time. You can also set up a "smart tag" so that you get a notification when they receive a new issue of a magazine.

I found these titles, there are probably more I didn't find.

Quilting Arts

McCall's Quilting

Quilter's Companion

Quilting Arts Holiday

Quilts from Precut Fabrics

Pro Guide for Quilters

Quilts for Today

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting

Weekend Quilting

Inspired by Vintage Quilts

The Quilting Book

Quilts From Around the world

Quilter's World

Today's Quilter

The Ultimate Quilt Block Collection

Quilt Sampler

Okay, now it's your turn. Does anyone have a really great tip for next month? I want to hear it.

Our next Show and Tell will be July 10.

May 2023 - Virtual Meeting

 It is May, and May means a Quilt Show.  The Ottawa Valley Quilters Guild will be having their show May 12-14. Details can be found on their web page.

https://ottawavalleyquiltersguild.org/page-18696

The flowers are starting to peek out, and we have had a few warm days, so maybe we really are in spring (though this week looks like you might want to stay in and sew.) Before you do, I have some lovely pictures for you.

Chris Mitchler has sent us pictures of her quilt show entries. The first is called Birdsong and Dragonflies.

The second is called Kyle's Hockey Jersey Quilt.

Jan Pound made a lovely spring dress for her granddaughters second birthday, last weekend. Her granddaughter loved the bunnies. Jan even included the pattern in case you have someone to make a little dress for.

Joy has been brightening her rainy days making quilties from her scrap box.

My grandson was invited to a birthday party for twins, with a Minecraft theme. I used some Minecraft fabric I had to make reusable gift bags for the birthday gifts. 

MaryAnn finished the Harry Potter quilt she started in a quilt along 5 years ago. The backing is Marauder's Map flannel.

Remember, you can click on any of the pictures if you want to see them in a larger format.

Enjoy the spring weather. 

Until next month,

Kate

April 2023 - Virtual Meeting

 Spring seems to be slowly creeping in. The weather is warm one day, cold the next. Of course, it is a sign of how long the winter has been when we consider +5C to be a "warm day".

I think you must all have been playing in the sunshine, this weekend, since I only have a small number of pictures, but I'm sure they will brighten your morning.

Anita has been as busy as ever. She quilted the first two quilts on her Bernina machine.

It is lovely to see your face!

There is another quilter in Anita's family.

Ivy made her first quilt, with a bit of help from Grandma.

Doreen has a new table topper quilt. 

It will come as a huge surprise that I have a finished quilt this month. I found the top, backing, and binding, neatly folded together, lost for some time, in January. Krista quilted it, and the binding is now on it. It will hang in my stairway, and has the very original name "Cat Quilt"

Finally, also in the found treasures department, MaryAnn found Quick Quilt kit she had had for many years, and when she finally made it, it was done in 2 hours. It ready to welcome spring.

I hope you all have a Happy Easter.

Our next show and Tell will be May 1.

Kate

March 2023 - Virtual Meeting

 First of all, for those who are wondering, the new organizing committee has starting talking, and they hope to have some information for us soon. Meanwhile, keep sewing.

QuiltCon 2023 is now over, but if you would like to see the winners, you can check here:

https://quiltcon.com/quiltcon-2023-winners/

I can actually now say that I had a part in a quilt that was at this QuiltCon. It may be the only time my work will be seen in an international show. 

The quilt is called "Myriad Interpretations of Language" and my block is in the off white section. The requirement was to embroider a line across the block and then embroider a second line in another colour that crosses the first line. Blocks were sent to Sam Hunter of Hunter Designs from all over the world and she completed the quilt.

Now, for this month's Show and Tell.

Anita has sent us pictures of her winter quilts before she changes them out.

Anita has also been making hot mats from her scraps, again.

Diane Hart has a quilt top that she thinks is perfect for March .

I'm sure we all enjoy seeing some green, right now.

Three of my Kanata Friends had coffee togehter recently at Doreen's house and sent me these pictures of Doreen's wall hangings.

I love it when you include your faces with the quilts.

Joanne Ritchie made this quilt pre-Covid but never got a chance to show it. The churn dash blocks are 3 inches, the orange peel blocks are 4 inches and the outer borders are 5 inches, The pattern is by Jen Kingwell.

Joy has been working away on a Minecraft quilt for her grandson. The quilt had to grow when her grandson got a queen size bed, after Joy had started the quilt.

Shirley Lambert sent a picture of her Baltimore Album. I just love looking at applique quilts and Shirley's is outstanding.

I was going to show a quilt that I had actually finished. However, somebody else had other ideas. I sew the binding one while sitting at the dining room table. since the cats tend to lay their on sunny days, I covered the quilt with a tablecloth. (You don't have to tell me, I already know that he is in charge, not me.)

I guess you will have to wait for next month to see it.

I did make a couple of bags. The first was another Project Quilting Challenge, make a quilted item based on a book you have read. My book was "The Windsor Knot" by S.J. Bennett. It is a mystery with Queen Elizabeth as the detective. So, of course, I made a handbag with a cat wearing a tie with a Windsor knot.

I also made a Retreat Bag from an African Batik.

Our next show and Tell will be April 3.  

Kate