New Quilts for the summer!

For those of you that have a Facebook page, click here to read other stories about our group. Like our page https://www.facebook.com/PeacebyPieceQuilters

For those of you that don't, Enjoy the eye candy.

This is a cute quilt that will have to go to someone special (a farmer of sorts), the black and white fabric on the back has feed and grain type wording...I've named it "Holy Cow!"















This quilt was given to a 65 yr old lady who having a rough time with her chemo treatments for pancreatic cancer. I've named this one "Jelly Jam Blues" (doesn't it look like stripes of raspberry jam...?)




This quilt has got split log cabin blocks in it and makes me think of "Raspberry Limeade" (raspberry, lime binding and hopefully it will 'aid' someone getting well...see how I come up with the names?)















There was also many, many Pocket prayers that Kathy made... we were running low. Thanks, Kathy! (Nice that one of us has air-conditioning in her sewing room!)Enjoy the next photos of our "pocket prayers"... of which several were taken after they were blessed on Sunday morning.

 Here's the basket they are in... located in the Narthex (entrance of the church) at St Mary's Episcopal church. If you need one, let us know (we can mail them out too). - Kathy calls them "Hot Pockets", but that name is taken

June 6th workshop

We had a reasonably good turn out... Six ladies showed up to work on various projects.... Some of the day was spent helping one of our members who has been working on some tops decide what to do with them. This one just needs a label... "Sunny Patch" was a top that was 'quietly donated' by a lady who serged the 6" squares together. We sewed two of her tops together so it would be big enough, then put a bright yellow backing on it to also use it for the binding.

 This was another of Janet's tops.... Pattern is "Turning Twenty" I believe.

 Brenda and Margaret binding "Birds are Back"...

  

This is the top of that one....originally bought for a backing to another quilt, but the ladies decided to make it a front.

 One of Janet's that she needed to decide what to do for a binding...we trimmed it and she has enough from the backing to roll to the front for a binding.

 Janet also gave us a demo on doing a pattern for a quilt she wasn't so fond of. Funny, because the rest of us LOVED it! Here it is having an addition (orange flange) to become a bigger quilt!


The demo is here in photos....Cut and sew four strips of fabric together length-wise (we made strips the same size width, but they don't have to be),

 Cut several squares using the width of the strip set as your size square.

 Take two of them, one turned to the side and fold the right square onto the left square.

 Sew all around the four sides completely

 Cut diagonally, one side then the other (making an 'X' with your cuts. (see next two photos)

 This is what ist should look like

 Open each triangle up and press flat.

 You should have two of each pair.

 Arrange them as you like....

 then sew the four squares together to make one block....

This is the finished quilt if you did it with a scrappy look to it. I love it! Thanks, Janet... it was fun.

Where are quilts go....

This is from one of our members who brought some of our quilts to a local cancer center....  

Hi Nancy,

         hope the trip to Marden's went well.

I want to share where 3 of our quilts are.  I took 7 quilts to ST Fran Cancer center last Thursday. It was a treatment day for me. Things are going very well for me.

My nurse took each quilt out of the bag and exclaimed how WONDERFUL each one was.

     A while later she came back and said 'I have the perfect person for this quilt'. It was the quilt I made with Marilyn's Thimble Berry jelly roll. I had just put the label on it on the day before.

A 2nd nurse came in and asked me about that quilt and our group  Her patient was elderly and was going to the Oncology/hospice floor. The nurse and the patient were just thrilled that she was given the quilt. She told her nurse that the colors match her house exactly !

    Little later a 3rd nurse came in. She asked about the quilts and hugged me ( i was attached to my chemo IV). She had a patient who just found out she relapsed for the 3rd time with Ovarian Cancer. She was coming in on Friday to start treatment again. The nurse said the teal and brown quilt was just PERFECT for this young woman ! God works in odd ways, as I had asked my nurse if possible, I would like the teal quilt to go to an Ovarian patient. Teal is my favorite color and also the color for Ovarian cancer. What are the chances that on that very day, the perfect recipient would be found ?

    After my first IV was done, my nurse said come with me. She took me to meet another patient who was given the Bubbles in the Grass quilt. Very Bright and Cheerful. The patient was staying in a rehab center (she also was elderly). She loved the bright colors and was so grateful for the quilt ! She told me that when she went back to the rehab, the other residents would be jealous. I explained about our group and how the quilts are a double blessing.  We were blessed to make and enjoy the process of the quilt and again blessed that the recipient enjoyed the quilt.

   The staff is just so happy and excited about our quilts. None of the quilts were large, they were the perfect size. The quilts seemed to find the person who needed them most.

I have several more tops in progress. So rewarding for me to know the enjoyment I get from making a quilt brings comfort and happiness to some one when they need it.

 

      We need to keep on sewing. So many hearts are touched by our quilts.,

Board (bored) Basting a quilt

Board Basting
 I found this on Pinterest recently (from Pat on Color Me Quilty?'s blog) and while I've done this with pool noodles, I like this better. Granted, I haven't tried this one yet, but the pool noodles roll off the table unless you keep an eye on them. These won't, I'm sure. I figure since we never make a quilt more than a large couch size quilt, I should be able to get away with boards that are about 65" long, since I don't think I'll make any quilts wider than that.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Marden's 2015

FINALLY got to MARDEN"S!! And as soon as I get to photograph all the tops and backings I bought to finish them, I'll post photos. Had a lovely day, Got to see Bonnie our 'favorite' manager up there! Was such an enjoyable visit between the five that went, we went right by our exit! Had to come back 14 miles to be back on track... that will teach US not to pay attention. LOL....

Did have beautiful weather to finally get to go! Only spent $127 for our backings! (and I actually bought some fabrics for myself!)

May meeting a little late

Because our church has a HUGE "May Fair"  (usually the day before Mother's day and this year it was on the 9th), I decided to put off our usual meeting to the 2nd Monday (11th). This way the fair preparations would be over, however, I forgot that it's the day after the last of the fair is taken down. That means people will be tired.... and maybe not show up. 

Well, there were three of us, and one came about an hour late. Better late than NEVER, I say! Thanks to the ladies who DID show up. I must say we got a few quilts finished (almost).

I'll have to post pictures of them later. I don't think I took any. 

One thing that happened GOOD for our group, we were nominated and won a $200 financial award from the CT State Assoc Emblem Club (presented in Windsor, CT). I havd to leave the 'fair' to accept the award and tell them a little about our group. It was very emotional for me as I love this group and I'm SO excited that someone else takes notice of what we do. It's never necessary, but always invigorating. 

A message from one of our parishioners regarding a financial award we received; 

"Congratulations on your award for your work with the Peace to Piece Quilters. You and the other ladies put many hours and your hearts and souls into the quilts which are such a gift to those who receive them. Thank you for all that you do."

We've been recognized by the Manchester Chapter in prior years ($100), but this is now by the State! Thanks so much to the ladies who keep me and this group going!!

Nice day for our April meeting!

Finally, there is no snow on the ground... no one was sick, although we did have half of our 'crew' pricing May Fair items downstairs, but on the bright side, they came up for the second half of the meeting.

First I must tell you of a wonderful award we will be getting. One of our members, Brenda K, belongs to the CT Emblem Club and she put in for us to be considered as one of their charities they make donations to. Well, we came in first as their choice to get a $200 award. They want someone to appear at their annual meeting (unfortunately on May 9th-same day as our May Fair) and accept this award and say something about the group! Yup, I'm going. Since we get no funding from anyone in particular, when we're awarded something, .... you bet, I'm going!

Okay, now about our 6 hr day today... Mary Ellen couldn't come, but stopped and dropped off one finished quilt and one top to have us use.

Kathy came and brought a quilt finished... beautiful. Calling it "Leap Frog"...doesn't it look like frogs leaping from one strip to another?

 Back side of the "Leap Frog" quilt.

We finished tying one that we'd started on last month, and all that's left to hand-bind is about 2.5 feet (I'll have my 87-yr old mom do it tomorrow, when she's at my house). It's called "Sunny Patch".

Marilyn brought in two quilts (one is just at the top stage)... "Vermont's Green Mountains"

and choosing between "Earth to Japan",... or "Japanese gardens"

I also finished machine-quilting a purple one (one of my favorites) and stitched down the binding that was rolled from the back. There was a name for this.....darn. Can't think of it.

We did organize a few tops to have bindings ready, added two borders onto one of our heartstring quilts. It just needs a backing (may take it to Marden's). "Blew Balloons"... (hot air balloons, and play on word, blue/blew)

OH! Speaking of Marden's, we are going up there (Maine) on the second Sat of June. YEA!! Finally....

March meeting done between snow storms!

FINALLY! We get to have a meeting where it isn't snowing or I'm not sick!! YEA!

Granted we only had three people there, but we got lots done for just Margaret, Kathy and I being there. Here are some of the quilts Kathy made while we were home and snowbound.  I haven't named any (I think I'll leave that for the ladies in April. Unless I get an urge to...lol.

 Okay,,, this one spoke to me. I had to name it.

Construction Site

"I River Runs Thru it"

 This one is Janet's that got the stars mchine-quilted into the large squares...

Stars Abound

Lent in Lavendar....?

Lent in Lavendar

Marden's may be off 'til Spring at this rate!

Sorry, had to cancel another round of our annual trip to Marden's... too much snow!

Needle Sizes and what they are best for.....

Post by Quiltville.

Monday night meeting may be cancelled!

I'm sure I'll have to pay attention to the weather closely today, but I'm thinking that the storm may cancel out our meeting on Monday night (tomorrow). We're supposed to be getting about 12" of snow and I'm not taking the chance... I'll be making phone calls tomorrow I'm sure (or emailing people tonight)

Annual trip to Marden's (in Maine) and Feb mtg

Okay, here is the plan. 

We'll meet on Sat. Feb 7th at 8am at the parking lot for church. We are leaving the lot at 8:30am SHARP as it takes about 3 hrs to get there (we can use the bathrooms at church if you need to go before we leave). 

When we get there, we can eat at Ponderosa (down the road from Marden's), then head to Marden's. The fabric manager will be there that weekend (Bonnie), so plan on getting a discount from their normal prices.

We usually leave Marden's by 3pm and are home around 6:30pm-7pm (if we stop at a rest area for bathroom breaks).

Those that have let me know definitely that they are going are:

Jane, Me, Lee, Kathy, Marilyn

Following us is:

Donna, Judi, Lyn, Evelyn

Please let me know if you want to be added to the list and ALSO if you CAN"T go that day. 

Our meeting on Monday Feb 2nd (6:00pm-8pm-- notice the earlier time) will consist of figuring out what tops don't have backings/bindings/borders, that need to go with us to Marden's. No sewing that I know of needs to be done.