The Hands Foundation

Last night at our meeting Deb told you that we had delivered 54 quilts to The Hands Foundation in Withie, Wisconsin.  Here you will find a link to their website were you can see what they are all about.  There is a very touching video there of a Marine who is one of the people that dispense the quilts to homeless veteran's in Minneapolis.  You can also check out some of the other projects they are doing.
Laurie

Autumn Inspiration

It is just so beautiful this time of year with all the colored leaves....that are, I am sad to say, falling quickly.  Every fall I say "I'm going to make a Maple Leaf quilt."  Haven't yet, but it's still on my list of things to make!
This morning I ran across a wonderful collection of free patterns for Autumn Leaves Quilts .  Just follow the link to the Quilt Inspiration site, scroll down a bit and click on the pattern title you'd like to view.
Take some time to check out the rest of this very lovely website, as they offer many tutorials, as well as many collections of other free quilt patterns!
Enjoy,
Laurie

Along the Garden Path Photos

Just letting you know that I have put a new feature on the blog.  On the upper right side of this page you will see a photo of our quilt show.  If you click on that photo it should (I hope, I hope) take you to photos of this years quilt show.  Once you get to the photos, you can view them there as a slide show or however you'd like to view them.
Enjoy, so many lovely quilts!
Laurie

Jo-Ann's VIP Discount Program

I know that some of you frequent Jo-Ann Fabrics.  If you haven't already you can sign up for the VIP card they offer, which will entitle you to 10% off all of your purchases.  (regular and sale priced items) 
I just did mine online and received my discount card in the mail today.  The first time you use your card at the store you will need to activate it, and I believe they will need to see your Pine Needle Quilter's membership card and a photo ID at that time.
So, enroll today and start saving!
Laurie

AQS Chattanooga Best of Show

Marilyn Badger's lovely quilt Exuberance was announced as Best of Show winner at the AQS show in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  There is a very interesting video here showing the quilts details, and her inspiration for the quilt.
There are also other videos about the show, as well as a link near the bottom of the page showing all of the other quilt show winners.
Enjoy!
Laurie

Update to "Full Moon Lagoon" quilt pattern

I was told at the meeting that the link to the Full Moon Lagoon pattern wasn't working.....just to let you know I worked on it a bit, and hopefully I have it fixed.....so if you would like to try it again you can check out the pattern here.  Hopefully this time it will stay working!
Laurie

Full Moon Lagoon

You will find a neat quilt pattern here called Full Moon Lagoon.  This very sweet pattern and fabric were designed by Mo Bedell.  It is basically a Snowball block, but with some strategic fabric placement, the look is so different!  Since the blocks are 12 inches, it would be so nice to use your large patterned fabric for this project.

Memorial Day

This year members of the Pine Needle Quilter's made 51 quilts that will be given to veterans.  Thank you to those ladies who made quilts, I am sure they will be much appreciated.

Here is the float and quilts that the ladies are getting ready for the parade.Thank you to all who helped with the parade in any way!

Above the quilts are all displayed over the pews at church.  They just look so nice all shown together.  We have been making quilts for veteran's since 2007, and so far we have made 449 quilts for this project.

Great Meeting

We had a really good meeting last night with a lot of quilts, a lot of information exchanged and the Featherweight Ladies were wonderful.

Sunday is the parade day and all who want to participate or help out should be up at the Mountain School at about 10:30 with the parade starting at noon.  Deanna will be there to organize a float for our quilts as we didn't really get the "walkers" for the quilts.  It will be a nice alternative.  Monday is the veterans memorial ceremony at the Mountain Cemetery and it starts at 9:30 am and we set up the quilts in the Tabor Lutheran Church before that.  It's a great way to view all the quilts and the vets have coffee and donuts afterward.  It's a very stirring ceremony and the best way to remember what Memorial Day is really about.

Kay shared some information about the Barn Quilts in Oconto Co. and a program at the Gillett Library.  On Monday, June 2, 6:30pm at the Gillett Library, Suzi Parron, who is the author of Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail, will be there for a presentation and a tour of Oconto Co barn quilts.  It's possible some might be featured in her next book.

I am also adding some information to the blog's Quilt Show Information page so keep an eye on that occasionally.  Thanks, diana.

Form Available for the Quilt Show Entries

This year we have a different form available for the entries into our fall show.  It's in the testing phase now but you should be able to go to the form link, fill out the form online, submit it and I receive it electronically and then it goes onto a spread sheet.  Sounds too good to be true but I'm willing to try anything to make it easier for all of us this year.
The link is 2014 Quilt Show Form.  You should put your information in and hit the submit button and that's that.  There is also a permanently available link to this form on the Quilt Show Information Page in the heading of our blog.  Go down past the information about the Hanging Sleeves and there is a link to the form available for your use.
I'm not sure if you can print the form before you send it, experiment with that and let me know.  If you keep a copy then you know what quilts you entered into the show and won't forget to bring them or repeat them as entries.
I will also bring paper forms for those who don't have access to the internet and then they can make additional copies.
I apologize for not posting anything for a while but I had more flu and colds than I could handle this winter and I'm just catching up on a lot of things in life and work.  See everyone tonight at the meeting. Diana

Dresden's & March Show 'n' Tell

At our March meeting I did a demonstration on the versatile Dresden Plate block, and asked members to bring in some of their projects using this block as well.

Above a round table runner, with rick rack embellishments. Below I show the "Caravan Wheel" table toppers I made  in a dark and light version.

The Dresden block above has points sewn on the outer and inner edges of the petals.

Above butterflies made using portions of the Dresden Plate.

Diana made this beautiful quilt above.  She fussy cut flowers from fabric for the centers of each circle.

Deanna made this festive Christmas tree skirt by enlarging the size of the petal.

Lynn shows a vintage top that she has, maker unknown.  The petal tips on this Dresden are curved, not pointed.

Peg shows a very sweet wall quilt that she made.  It features flowers, butterflies and the sun all made from this fun block.

Above Leah shows vintage blocks that she is assembling into a top.  Such soft, pretty colors.

Joan brought in an assortment of blocks, some showing what you should NOT do when making this block, and the ones above are her "treasures" that her Grandmother had pieced.

Now on to show and tell.  Leah shows a patriotic quilt she has made for a veteran.

Kay shows this really wonderful vintage quilt that someone had given to her.  The butterflies are all just so beautiful.

Peg shows her Wave baby quilt in soft colors.

Sue has been busy and finished up an embroidered bag which she has embellished with buttons.

Below she shows a Hunter's Star wall hanging.

Sue has also created this Stained Glass quilt.

Terri will give this red, white and blue quilt to a soldier.

As usual the show and tell was wonderful ladies!

Laurie

American Made Fabrics Are Here!

Was reading through my American Quilter Magazine and saw an add and article about fabric that is totally made in the United States, from farm to fabric!
The fabric is AMB (American Made Brand) which is made exclusively by Clothworks.  You can check out the story of the fabric here.  I think it is really nice to see a company that is producing cotton fabrics entirely made in the United States.  I will certainly support this company in my future quilting projects. 
Right now they are producing 50 beautiful solid colors.  I could not find any stores near us that carries them, but I do see that they are available online at some places, one being Hancock's of Paducah.  The price of this fabric there is $6.25 per yard, which is quite reasonable I think. 
Thought this might be of interest to you.
Laurie
UPDATE:  Just to let you know that Evie emailed me, and said that it shows that this fabric line  should be available at Jeri's Quilt Patch in Norway, MI.  Road trip!!!

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to Marge!  Carol submitted this photo of Marge with some of her quilting friends that attended her surprise 80th birthday party.  I am told the luncheon was delicious, and that Marge was indeed surprised, and all who attended had a really nice time.

 

 

February Show and Tell & Wrist Pin Cushions

Where did the month go....here our regular meeting is tomorrow, and I am just getting to posting the pictures of our last months Show and Tell!
So many pretty quilts were brought in, and they will all look great hanging at our quilt show in October.

Barb is showing this lovely quilt, but I believe it is a UFO of Joann's.

This is a Jenny Beyer Quilt made by Barb V.

Barb V. shows "At the Lake".

"Daisies" is a creation of Terri's.

Joan is assembling these adorable Sun Bonnet Sue blocks for the family of a lady who has passed away.

Malea has been a busy lady.  Above she shows a cute wool Santa wall hanging, and below a really lovely holiday table topper.

Here Malea shows "Hungarian Blue", which she plans to put in some shows this year.

Chris has made a small wall hanging above, and a Patriotic table runner below.

Kathy K. shows her "Little Houses" quilt, which features hand embroidered blocks.

Leah shows some pin wheel quilts.

Leah has made a blue and white log cabin quilt

Kay displays a quilt top for Barn Quilts of Oconto County.

Carol shows Katie's Quilt .

Carol and Marge model the sweet wrist pin cushions that Diana demonstrated at our Make and Take at our February meeting.

Laurie

National Quilting Day

To celebrate National Quilting Day, which is March 15, we have made quilts to be given to our local hospitals.  The quilts will be distributed to the baby born closest to National Quilting Day.  Deb and Maggie made a run to deliver the quilts to the hospitals today.  Thank you!  They were kind enough to take some photos of the quilts, seen below.  Thank you to Maggie B., Mary G. and Laurie S. for making this years quilts!  I am sure the babies that receive them will just be so warm and snugly!

 

How do you plan to spend National Quilting Day? 

 

February Retreat

It has been a long winter, but the retreat in February was a nice break.  We had many laughs, lots of yummy food, prizes, games, and lots of projects worked on, as you will see in the photos below.

Hard at work.

Sue with her bright scrappy top.  Doesn't it look like stained glass?

 

Terry finishes up a Patriotic top.

Carol worked very hard on not letting these place mats get the best of her!

Karen and a sweet woodsy bear quilt.

Karen with these sweet houses.

Laurie is behind this one....somewhere.

Leah and a Patriotic star top.

Terri is one busy gal!  And quite organized with her projects, I might add.

Karen is really busy and organized too...what a sweet quilt this is!

Terry and a little hexagon table topper.

Chris with a Patriotic Runner.

Barb with a neat scrappy top.

What pretty soft colors in Andi's quilt.

Peg worked on a crib quilt with a curved "wave" in it.

A scrappy top for a soldier quilt....that is Laurie hiding again.

Sue is behind this little starry gem.

Joanie is putting together blocks that belonged to a lady who has passed away.

You can see that a lot was accomplished!  If you haven't gone to one of the retreats, I think you might enjoy it!
Laurie