PTQG Member's Meeting 9.12.15

 What a beautiful day for a quilting meeting! Today I traveled up to Augusta for our last meeting at that location (all future PTQG Member's meetings will be held at Thomas College in Waterville).

I'll start first with pictures of our 2016 Maine Quilts Raffle Quilt--it's a scrappy stunner!

 The name of the quilt is "Forever Flowers" and is 90" x 90". It was machine pieced and appliqued by Ann Hussey and Nena Cunningham, with a little help from Donna Barrett. The striking machine quilting was done by Marcia O'Donnell of Heart n' Home Quilting.

Tickets will be distributed at the January 2016 PTQG Member's meeting. If no one from your chapter picks them up, they will be mailed to you.

We also have photos of member's show and and tell quilts...

The first two are made by Carol and the cute animal quilt is made by Ethel, both of Classic Quilters.

 Our special speaker was Sue Pelland of Sue Pelland Designs. She shared with us a demo of her special rulers and tips how to best use them along with a trunk show of quilts. Her quick and easy way of cutting leaves, stems and serpentine borders will leave you with a world of quilting possibilities!

Personally, I've had her "Leaves Galore" petite template ruler for many years now and find it especially useful for another use--marking a soft curved quilting line on smaller quilts.

You can check out her website at http://suepellanddesigns.com/

If any chapters would like her to speak, please contact her. She was raised in Maine and would certainly enjoy visiting again.

Here are a few photos of her designs...

Quilting Tip of the Week 9.10.15

Remember I mentioned on using a flannel-backed tablecloth from the dollar store as a design wall?

Well, if you use one, you know that in time it begins to attract loose threads and lint. What can you use to clean it? Time to go back to the dollar store...

And try a lint roller...

Or, are you sitting down? A toilet brush. Of course, if you choose this method, you won't be cleaning any toilets with it (I hope!). These methods are also nice to collect loose threads from your sewing area.

Quilting Tip of the Week 9.17.15

Here's a tip from our friends of Fons and Porter:

When reviewing colors for your quilt borders, get out your pack of construction paper purchased at the dollar store. Just lay your finished top on several colors to determine what would work best.

Marden's Fabric Sale-$2.00/yd.

For those of you who do not already know this, Marden's has brought in 100's of bolts of fabric to each of their fabric store locations. I had to stop into the Lewiston location this week and picked up several for quilt backing fabric.

If you are going to the Lewiston store, you will find the bulk of them on the left side as you go down the ramp, but there are more in the back towards the specialty fabrics on the racks.

While it states in the ad it's all first quality, I did find one with misprints on it. Just be aware, as always, when buying fabric to check before or while cutting.

Vist with Country Square Quilters of North Jay/Wilton 9.8.15

 Today I spent such an enjoyable time with the very talented ladies of Country Square Quilters. Along with my normal visit, we had a scrumptious pot luck luncheon. If you have ever attended one of their Area 3 meetings, you know their talents aren't only with a needle and thread! So yummy! Hopefully I will get some of their recipes to pass along to you via the blog very soon. Thank you again, ladies, for your kindness and hospitality. 

Since I missed the show and tell (they had their regular business meeting prior to my arrival), I mentioned about my hexie swaps and one of the ladies pulled out of her bag--a hexie quilt! It's so bright and cheery and I especially love the color of the border.

Do you remember the funky chicken blocks from last fall's Area 3 meeting  hosted by Country Aire Quilters of Turner? Well, they have all come to roost in a colorful quilt. Doesn't it make you just smile?

Country Square Quilters plan their year's events and next meeting they will be making a roll-up checkerboard and matching checker bag. Carol Boynton will be sharing her tips for this welcomed gift.

Colette shared with me a story about an orphan quilt block. You might find this a fun project for your chapter:

"Last December, our Christmas Party got cancelled due to the weather and postponed until January to welcome the New Year.  

With hats and horns and bright New Year’s decorations, each member had brought a brown bag containing an “orphan” block (left over from some other project). The bags were placed randomly on the tables. As we marched around the tables, musical chair fashion, Sharon Huff picked the moment to blow a horn and everyone chose a bag from which she must now plan a project to include the orphan block.  These were to be completed for our last meeting on May 26th. Here is a photo of their completed projects...

When I arrived at the meeting, I was given a torn-off section of a playing card--9 of diamonds to be exact. At the end of the meeting, there was a drawing and guess who won? Yes, me! And my prize was the table decoration--Mr. Scarecrow. Thrilled beyond words, I claimed my prize. And my new man was strapped into the front seat of my car, much to the delight of the many road construction workers on the way home. Now he has a new place in the garden!

Pretty good looking, huh?

Visit with Grammy's Choice and Village Scrappers Sept 2nd

I was invited to meeting with the members of Grammy's Choice of Canton and Village Scrappers of Livermore last week. Along with the the good food and friendship, they have their own quilt show!

As I entered the building, I was ushered to the upper floor of the building where the church was located. On pew after pew, there were quilts of every pattern and color. Row after row of stunning works of art. I began flashing the camera and while I might have duplicated photos, I'm sure you will agree they are worth looking at twice!

Thank you ladies for a wonderful day and enjoy the show!