Sewing Session Changes, Community Service Sewing Day...and Other Things!

Just a few reminders for everyone:

Remember, there is a CHANGE FOR THE JANUARY SEWING SESSION. It will be January 9th (second Monday) NOT January 2nd.  This sewing session will be designated to work on Community Service quilts.
  We are also planning a sewing day on January 7th  (Saturday) to work on Community Service quilts as well.   There were only 8 that signed up to help, so I hope that number increases. The potluck will be Saturday so if you signed up or our planning to yet, please bring a dish to pass. We then could have left-over's for the January 9th date. Remember we need ladies to tie the quilts so if you don't want to take your machine to the hall PLEASE still come to help. If you have needles that will work to tie, please bring those along.  Again those dates are Saturday January 7th beginning at 9.00 A.M. and Monday January 9th beginning at noon for lunch and then to continue sewing. Any questions please contact Sue or Deanna.

Also, in regards to our Winter Weather Cancelation Policy.  If you are questioning whether a sewing session or meeting will be cancelled, please contact an officer as listed in the December newsletter.  We will also post cancellations on the blog, so you may check here as well. 

A Christmas Message from the President

Merry Christmas Ladies,

I do hope that your Christmas and New Years are spent with family and friends and that you enjoy every little moment with them. Nothing is more important than that.

After the New Year I will look forward to spending time again with the quilting ladies for our Community Service day on January 7 beginning at 9:00 A.M. If you are planning to attend this Commuinity Service Sewing day please bring a dish to pass for the pot luck lunch.  How appropriate that right on the heals of the holiday season that we should gather to prepare quilts for the less fortunate and those in need. I do hope to see many of you there to give of your time and talents. Many tops are ready to be tied with more to be ready for the sewing session on the 9th.

What a great time to reflect on our holiday season while we spend time to give back.

May 2012 bring health and happiness to you and your families. Will see you ladies soon.

Your President, Deanna

UGLY Sweaters

Our Christmas party sure was a fun time wasn't it?  You know one thing that I love about this group is that you are all such a fun loving bunch of ladies.  As you all know as part of this years "event" we asked members to come to the party in an ugly sweater.....and wow, did you find some dandies! 
I want to apologize to you, as my computer had again been in the shop and I continue to be having problems....please hang in there with me while I get these "bugs" worked out!

Deanna and gals at the Halloween....oops! I mean Christmas party!

Oh deer Sandy....and "Maggie Pearl" with price price tag attached!

Danica Patrick?.....oh, I guess that is Diana with the Nascar look.....and Judy with yarn balls still attached!

Sheila all aglow.....

Peg taking fight? I bet if she stood on her head, she would resemble a sunrise??

Butt ugly.....

Lots of ugly sweaters all gathered together for the gift exchange.

Again thanks for the fun night!

Laurie

Christmas Memory Challenge

This years challenge was the Christmas Memory Challenge. The 12 quilted challenge items were revealed at our Christmas Party.  They are always such a fun and inspiring bunch of quilts.  You are such a bunch of creative ladies!

This years 1st Place winner was Joan.  Her memory was of a time when they would have to go up North for Christmas, and how would Santa know how to find them? A ribbon was placed so Santa would be able to find the way. Congratulations Joanie!

Karen was 2nd Place with her wall quilt.  Her memory was of a time when they had lost her home to a fire, and they had built a new home to move into....a LARGE tree was "borrowed" from the neighbors property.  The neighbor said that was ok, and to have a wonderful Christmas.

There was a tie for 3rd Place, one going to Judy.  Her memory was of her baby that was due on Dec. 25th...so she had made a sock with a teddy bear in it while she was waiting for the baby to be born.  The baby was late, and the teddy was then called Pokey....Her "baby" is now going to be a grandfather!

Terri was also a 3rd Place winner.  Her quilt is a memory of all the Charlie Brown trees they had as a child.  She still prefers the "natural" tree!

Sheila received Honorable Mention for her wall quilt dipicting a Christmas time wedding proposal,and a trip to Las Vegas.

Laurie also received Honorable Mention for her quilt about getting the family Christmas tree.

Carol's quilt was about her family, Christmas past, present and future, as her family is her most important thing.

Here is a close up of  Carol's section reserved for "future" memories.

Rhoda based her quilt on music, as that was a big part of her families Christmas celebration...church programs, caroling and the family playing and singing together.  Can you guess the carols her quilt depicts?

Joann's quilt is about how it was Santa's job to decorate the tree.  Cookies were left for Santa, and in the morning the chair was tipped over and the plate broken...Santa left a note saying the cookies were good, and sorry I broke the plate!

Deanna's quilt brings back memories of baking cookies with her Grandmother, and leaving cookies and milk out for Santa....oh, there he is flying past the window!

Toni made her first challenge quilt this year, she has memories of the cherries on the wire that used to be around at Christmas time.

Barb S. memory was about her grandparents, and the times she spent there as a child.  She remembers that the girls all got handkerchiefs for gifts one year.

As you can see, a lot of thought went into these challenges.  They are all wonderful!  Remember to please save your "stories", so we can display them with your quilted item at our quilt show next fall.

I tried to remember the stories you told as best as I could, and apologize if I got anyones wrong.

Laurie

November Show and Tell and Demonstrations

We had some great quilts for show and tell this month.

 Dottie had this very sweet baby quilt, below is the view of the back.

 This is Mary's mystery quilt, what a pretty version of this pattern.

 Mary also did this lovely Double Irish chain.  Mary does some great versions of this pattern.

 Here is Shirley's quilt, Sleeping Under the Stars.  Really adorable and some grandchild is going to be lucky!

 Joannie did some great purses. 

 This is Joannie's I Spy Quilt and is a great way to display the objects for spying.

 Here is her Moto Cross Quilt, a nice boy's panel done with the flying geese.

 Here is her version of a 4-Patch Posie done in black and white and its dramatic!

 Maggie's dogs are just adorable and any dog lover would be thrilled to receive this. 

 Here is the back with "doggie" sayings sewn into it.

 Here is a bright quilt for grandchild made by Maggie.

 Use up those extra blocks on the back!

 Maggie's quilt, lots of detail.

 Barb's Flying Geese quilt, boy does the applique really make those geese look good. 

The next pictures are from our demonstrators and we thank them for all their wonderful ideas and sharing. 

I hope to see everyone at our party tonight!  Spread some of that Christmas cheer!   Diana

Bus Trip to Wisconsin Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum

Here are a few pictures from our bus trip to the Wisconsin Quilt and Fiber Art Museum in Cedarburg. In true PNQ fashion, the day was snowy and windy!

As we shopped in downtown Cedarburg, giant snowflakes fell.

Here we are outside the Wisconsin Quilt and Fiber Art Museum.

Shopping in Ye Old Schoolhouse.

What a quaint shop. 

I think all had a fun day in spite of the weather.

Downloading Patterns

A trend seems to be for getting away from the paper and packaged pattern and instead, downloading instantly a new pattern from the net.  I've been seeing more and more designers going this way.  A place to see many patterns of this type is Pattern Spot.  They are well organized by designer or type of pattern and offer many choices all in one place.  They also have a nice selection of freebies to look over while you are there too.

Since its deer hunting season, I thought it might be fun to look at some "deer" patterns.  One is called Deer Valley.  It has no deer as far as I can tell but it's really pretty.

Another is for an applique pattern for white tail deer at Four Twin Sisters. 

The Troy Corporation has a Granola Girl pattern for deer.  Its called Tracking White Tail Deer and certainly fits with this season.

Here is a blog with a lovely deer wallhanging.  I think you'll enjoy it.  Have a great weekend.  Diana

Jennifer Chiaverini on NPR

Rhoda emailed to say that Jennifer Chiaverini, from Elm Creek Quilts fame, is doing an interview today at 11:00 on NPR.  If you're a fan of her books, you might listen in as she is speaking about The Wedding Quilt to Larry Meiller on his show.

Tonight is meeting night so put that on your schedule.  Here are some reminders from our President.  $10.00 is due for the Christmas party and if you can't make it to the meeting and want to attend the party, please send your money to Deanna before November 30 as we need a head count.  If you pay for the party and miss it, its not refundable as we've had to pay for the food anyway, so keep that in mind. 

Diana

Quilt Block Tour

What a fine fall we are having!  The weather continues to hold out with no snow so far; can we make it through the rest of the week for our trip?  I sure do hope so as I'm looking forward to it as I  know many of you are.

I did see something very different on a blog the other day and thought I'd share.  Many of you are already gone to southern regions and many will leave soon in your campers and such.  But I found an Airstream to die for.  I think we could do our quilting in that cozy little space.  What a clever thing to do.

Quiltmaker Magazine is coming out with its fourth edition of 100 Quilt Blocks made by 100 designers.  At the same time, they are doing a blog tour for these designers.  You might want to put it on your calendar to visit some each day.  I purchased the last version and found the instructions to be very good and the blocks had a great variety.  Hope you get to visit some of these designers as they are having give-a-ways too.   Diana

Houston Quilt Show Winners

If you would like to see the winners from the International Quilt Association show in Houston, check them out.  Once you get to the site, you can click on the photos for a closer up view if you like.
Lots of lovely quilts to inspire!
Laurie

October Show and Tell

Our October show and tell was short but very sweet.  Sheila was extremely busy with her flying geese and made three lovely soldier quilts.  These will fly away in the spring to a deserving veteran.

 Carol made a very cute Cardinal wallhanging and also a fantastic quilt called A Place of Peace.  Both are lovely.

 Here is a shot of our gals participating in the Halloween treat bag exchange.  There sure were a lot of nice and thoughtful gifts in this exchange.  We are going to do something similar at our Christmas party so get a shopping and thinking about what you want to put in your bag. 

Many of us are very excited about the bus trip to Cedarburg on the 9th.  Please be at the Breed town hall by 6:45.  No one needs to be left behind!!

If you can't make it to the Quilt Festival in Houston, a blogger is sponsoring a wonderful link to many many quilts to view for your own private quilt show.  Amy has the links on her blog.  There are literally hundreds of quilts to view so expect to spend some time and come back often.  Its very inspiring for sure!
Have a great week.  Diana