Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Sept 2009 newsletter

September 2009 Newsletter


I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get back to Quartzsite and get out my sewing machine. I have so little time to do anything in the summer, Arizona is a wonderful break. And not just because I don’t waste time there cleaning house!
I did not get any reports about members entering their county fair so you will have to listen to mine. I entered 13 craft items and won 13 ribbons. 3 of the projects you saw in Q. We had great weather and a great time. I am also in the garden club so was working there too.
We have one of the few county fairs here that is actually growing. We have lots of hard working people to keep things going. This year they added an energy park. Of course I was very excited because my son was a speaker. He works for” Next Generation”, a wind turbine company in Pipestone MN. There were 6 other experts from the local power company, a regional power company, MN State Clean Air, a state rep. and a congressman. They had a wind turbine, solar panels and hybrid cars on display with sales reps to talk to.

I see a lot of us are on facebook. The funny part is that we are not talking about quilting. Well that’s okay too. We have to have some time away from our machines. But, for those of you online, www.quiltposium.com is a free on line quilt magazine starting in Sept. Check it out.

News from the President, Barb Mitchell:
• I don’t know where the summer went. It has been rather hectic with my husband’s health and all. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.
• The first meeting will be Oct. 13 9:00 AM-3:00PM. One Tuesday a month we still have to be out early for the Center’s board meeting. We will find out which one it is.
• I will be out of town on Nov. 3rd which is the first Tuesday. So the first actual business meeting will be November 10th.
• Please remember that membership of $10.00 is payable at the first business meeting Nov 10thth or the day of your first Meeting. Please note any address or phone number changes at that time. You are welcome to mail your dues to the treasurer Dee Falcon, P O Box 4821, Quartzsite AZ 85359.
• We will have many new members this year as some ladies have been getting together this summer and others from the Senior Citizen have became interested in quilting.
• Be sure to bring your new ideas and things you have learned in your quilting groups back home.
• If you have extra sewing stuff that you are tired of and want them to go away, bring them with you. I have a couple fun ideas for them. If there are any questions about this please give me a call.
• I will be talking to Bonnie (fabric lady) about coming twice this season and enough notice given so everyone will be ready. To the best of my knowledge she will not be down until after Christmas.
• If anyone has any ideas please call me or send an e-mail and let me know so that we can plan ahead. Barb M



Reminder from a Quartzsite Quilter…What do we get for our $10.00 in dues? Well Louise says in her town we would have paid $35.00 for the disappearing nine patch class that Marilyn taught us for a simple “thank you Marilyn!”
+++++ News about classes +++++
For those of you that talked with Marilyn Summers about this years quilt class. she says “ It is a Pat Sloan design. It is a good one to learn appliqué and machine quilting. ...It's just an applique'd wall-hanging that I was going to teach only if they committed to finishing the whole thing including the machine quilting. If they are interested have them call or e-mail and I'll give them the details.

Barb Williams will have her paintstiks. She just got a video of paintstik “Inspirations!” for her birthday, but is not allowed to watch it until this newsletter is done, err , well almost done. I can fold the printed letters while I watch the video, RIGHT? So bring your paintstiks. If you have oil pastels we will try them too. Even color crayons will do some of the techniques.
Peggy has a new stack and whack for us to try. We don’t know how to describe this except to say it is sorta like a rail fence. Now it gets even better. How much fabric? Well you will be cutting rectangles and the length of the fabric has to be 4 repeats of your pattern. (9 ½ inch repeat?) The fabric must have sharp contrast to work. You will need about 1 ½ yards of a single color from the print for the sashing. You can always call Peggy Barnes for more info.
We had talked about fabric dying with the vendor that was at our quilt show. If we do that I think she would bring every thing. We just need money as always, so bring lots of that too.
Although all our classes are exciting I am really looking forward to the class by Ladyhawk. She gave us classes about 3 years ago and she is absolutely great!! We are so lucky to have her in the area. The date will be shortly after the quilt show. In 2000, Julie was awarded the national honor of ‘Teacher of the Year' by Professional Quilter magazine. She teaches and lectures at many shops and quilt guilds around the country.
For her class you should have a zig zag machine for best results. A featherweight may not do everything you want in this class, so check first. Supplies are available to purchase. But if you have light weight water soluble stabilizer, a thin hoop that will fit under the darning foot, embroidery needles, pearl cotton , ribbons, and pretty threads, yarns etc for couching. Bring them with and it is less you have to buy latter.
A little background on Julie of LadyHawk Designs, taken from her web site.
In the Spring of 1997, after more than 20 years of quilting for myself, my family and friends, I began teaching at a nearby quilt shop. One of the classes I taught was a landscape wall hanging I designed for my home. The class and the pattern were a huge success, and LadyHawk designs™ was born.
Workshops
LadyHawk designs workshops are usually a one day workshop. They are focused around the techniques applied to the various LadyHawk designs quilts and wearable art, and are packed full of new and innovative ways of manipulating fabric and thread, as well as tips that will help you be a better seamstress and quilter. The workshops are hands on, designed to demonstrate and explain each technique thoroughly, and then time is allotted for students to practice the techniques in a supportive environment.
They are structured with several demonstration periods, each followed by ample time for students to experiment with the techniques first hand. There are pockets of time filled with creativity, designed to inspire you to 'try something new'. You may take the classes in any order you wish.
I will be happy to design a 'custom' workshop to suit your needs if you desire - just give me a call. I think this is what we are doing???maybe???? A combination of both classes I hope…since some of us have had #3.
TextureScapes 3

One session - 6 Hours ~ $50.00 per student- minimum 10, maximum 20 students.
Skill level: Confident beginner
This is the workshop of your dreams. It is the perfect place to learn new techniques that you've been afraid to try. It is my most popular class - it always proves to be a fun-filled inspirational day!
This technique class addresses the 'embellishing' aspect of my designs. In this workshop, we start with the basics of free motion stitching, so it is not necessary to have free motion experience before you come to class. From the basics we will move forward at warp speed, exploring several different techniques that will enable you to create dozens of embellishments. I use this method in some way on almost all of my designs, to create plants or animals that have a realistic, dimensional appearance. We will also incorporate several uses for bobbin work, including straight stitch and free motion bobbin work, two easy methods of couching fibers, and countless ideas for employing these methods in your projects. You'll leave at the end of the day with your head full of new and exciting ideas - more fun than adults should have!
3-D Thread Drawing New!

One session - 6 Hours ~ $50.00 per student
Skill level: Confident beginner
This workshop targets improving your free-motion skills in the spirit of adventure!
This intensive study in free-motion embellishing will start with a short review of the basics, just to refresh your memory, and then we will branch out in several different directions, taking embellishments to the third dimension. We will create embellishments and designs that really ‘stand out’! I’ll bring samples of a few items, and I’ll demonstrate everything for you, then we’ll spend the rest of the day just playing! Interaction between students is very much encouraged as we try out new ideas in class.
Don’t worry if your free-motion skills aren’t what you wish they were – Trust me, this class will really help you improve all of your free-motion skills, from embellishing to quilting. If you have a BASIC understanding of free-motion stitching (i.e. quilting, embellishing, free-motion embroidery or just darning your jeans) you are ready for this class!
===============================================================
Motto for the day: “Don’t worry ‘bout nuthin’
========================================================
Dates to remember
Oct 13th, our first meeting at the Senior Center 9 A.M.
Nov 6 & 7 Havasu Stitchers Quilt Show…link http://havasustitchers.com/oddsnends.html
Jan5-9 2010 Havasu Stitchers Retreat….link http://havasustitchers.com/oddsnends.html
Feb. 12 & 13 2010 Quartzsite Quilters Show.
________________________________________________________________
Cherry Coke Salad Submitted By Sandra
• 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 packages (3 ounces each) cherry gelatin
• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
• 3/4 cup cola
Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set fruit aside. In a saucepan or microwave, bring pineapple juice and water to a boil. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Stir in pie filling and cola.
Pour into a serving bowl. Refrigerate until slightly thickened. Fold in reserved pineapple. Refrigerate until firm. Yield: 10-12 servings.



Chicken Enchiladas from Sandra Prep time 15 min.

1 or 2 cans 12.5 oz chicken breast-drained
1/2 chopped onion
2 cans 10oz each Enchilada sauce
8 oz shredded cheese
1 pkg. 9" tortillas about 12
1 can refried beans
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread refried beans on the bottom of 13” x 9” pan.
Break up chicken breast with a fork.
Combine chicken with onion, 1 can sauce and 4 oz shredded cheese.
Lay out tortilla on the counter, fill each tortilla with mixture, roll up and place seam side down on top of refried beans. Pour remaining can of sauce on top of rolled tortillas, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve with shredded lettuce and sour cream.