Those who took Lura’s workshop this past Friday (July 23rd) had a wonderful time and learned so much from her! Those pictures that Janice took of everyone…nothing was on the card to download! Yes, the camera was on, yes the lens cap was off, yes the battery was charged and yes there was plenty of room on the card. What happened is a mystery! If you have pictures to share please let us know!
Janice and Diana
Linda, cut, cut, cut and then began to sew! She looks like a happy camper!
Sandy Klop gives so suggestions to Lynne Atkinson while Diane LaFoe continues sewing.
Linda was sew busy sewing her pieces together!
Lynne was busy cutting and Diane continued to sew and sew and sew!
Jan Andrews smiled most of the day! She really enjoyed this class!
Rhonda Denny accomplished a lot. Notice how many pieces she sewed.
Will she have her quilt completed by the next meeting?
Linda Thomas stepped away for a minute but her colors are beautiful!
Rhonda was in deep concentration! But notice the smiles on Linda and Jan?
Joni was very pleased with her quilt and looks so pretty in pink!
Alana may have her quilt ready by next show and tell, too!
Ann and new guild member Joanne wasted no time.
Would you believe Diane is still sewing? No breaks for the weary!
Gail and Fran were having lots of fun all day!
Notice how Rhonda never looked up in any of these pictures? Neither did Linda as she had
lots to do!
Notice how no one even looked up for a photo opportunity? No, just let us sew!
Sandy checks on how Joanne and Ann are doing while Justine sewed pieces together.
Jan Robinson and Joni were busy.
Fay Shon had a great day and met lots of new people!
Joni and Alana’s work begins to take shape.
Wow, just like in the instructions…this is fun and easy!
Sandy gives ideas and suggestions.
Now with two jelly rolls you can…
Sandy continues providing more valuable information to the group.
Yes, it looks complicated but in fact it is rather easy to assemble.
Sandy reassures Lynne that things will be okay!!
Gail and Alana visit while never taking their eyes off their work!
Gail’s smile says it all, “This was a great class!”
More smiling people!
This was one of the first workshops in which the last participants kept sewing until 3:45!
Community Quilts Donates raffle quilt to the Santa Rosa “Living Room”
The Santa Rosa “Living Room” is a daytime drop-in shelter for homeless women and
children. While it is felt the women who utilize the shelter wouldn’t be able to care for a
quilt at this time in their lives, the staff did like the idea of a quilt to raffle at an up-coming event.
Caroline Banuelos, Volunteer Coordinator for the Living Room, and Diane Cox, one of many volunteers, accept the donated quilt.
Thanks to “Princess Janice” for her picture commentary from Rachel’s workshop.
Let’s see, with this mola and your fabrics I would probably consider…
Considering your fabrics I would probably…
You have a wonderful fabric and I would…
Let’s look at how the pattern fits you and where we need to make adjustments…
Rhonda decided on the purse, no the portfolio or was it the clutch…but Elaine is contemplating which fabrics to use.
Pam has and idea and is moving forward with it!
Continue your design from the back to the front by…
What I decided to do was…(don’t’ you wish you knew the following comment?)
Now in this vest I…
Why is Rachel’s hand in that position?
Hmm, I never thought about going that direction!
Do I have your attention? One of the things that I do…
When looking at the back of your garment…
Molas are wonderful and can be used in a variety of ways. For example…
The color are vibrant and have so much to say…
Rhonda’s Essay:
A Gift and Rachel Clark’s Big Bag…
Shortly after the New Year began, some very generous soul (or perhaps souls) gifted to me – anonymously – a workshop of my choice. Having already signed-up for six of eleven of the workshops, I went to the next name on my wish list, Rachel Clark. The feedback was fabulous: words like ‘funny’, ‘amazing’, ‘over-the-top’ and ‘incredible artisan’. I signed up for the big bag of this two-fold workshop. Everyone else selected the vest pattern.
Speaker meeting, Thursday morning May 19, 2011, my man drops me off at the SRQG right around 9:00am…just the way I like it. As usual, the room begins to fill and the chatter, sometimes a buzz hums and flutters about the room from lady flower to delicate lady flower and the room warms by the minute with love and excitement. Our good lady Janice Juul, VP to this guild, presides over the events of this day in our President’s absence. After brief announcements, our Princesses – Janice Rogers and Diana Roberts – take great pleasure in introducing the one and only Rachel Clark.
The first thing Rachel does to endear herself to us is tell a fun tale of her birthday month festivities. I realized somewhere through her story that the two of us could be, in many ways, the same woman. We share a birthday. Our lights are not held under bushes. Neither of us requires darts (and I am happy to report that I still don’t). She is prompted by inspirations, she embellishes as the projects lead, and every project has a story. Our similarities continued to be revealed to me as the next one and a half hours of program comprised of show and tell in the form of a fashion show and storytelling.
Workshop day, my ordinary ride to workshops, Linda Ziemer, is currently on holiday in the North Atlantic. After a quick email to my “peeps” the offers started rolling in and I found myself in the very good company of Judith Clarke, sweetheart and chauffer extraordinaire. We arrived in a timely fashion, got set up, and were ready to rock. Elaine Tucker was my tablemate. She is a lovely and generous soul who provided for me the zipper I neglected to bring.
I realized right away that I should have paid better attention to my homework before the very last minute. I am looking at the pattern for a “Monster Purse” – which is different than a big bag! Taking the time to actually read the information, I found that the ‘not big bag’ was more akin to a larger clutch. The reason the purse is called “monster” is because the star-pattern centerpiece is a monster. Well it is a handsome clutch, so I went on to quietly give the next two hours to my banner project while Rachel lectured on the faboo vest pattern that the rest of the room was working on.
After the info was delivered she came over and spent 20 minutes with me on the Monster Purse. She shared the Portfolio she uses and I switched from the purse to the portfolio and from strapless to strapped. I almost had it finished when I ran out of thread. By 2:30 I had packed up my machine and supplies and called for my ride home (thanks Babe). Mark was on his way when Elaine let me know I could have borrowed thread from her but I had already been to that well once today.
I thought about the amazing materials, fabrics, and women I had spent the day with and I knew that the vests that come out of this workshop are going to be showstoppers. When I got home I “unsewed” most of my work, got my beads out, and started giving the Monster Purse its due. To the thoughtful contributors who enriched my world with the gift of the workshop of my choice: I am grateful to have had such a wonderful learning experience with the incomparable Rachel Clark. Many thanks – with a song in my heart – to all who help me get through any given day!
Yours,
Rollin Rho
To all who participated in the Quiltathon on May 5, 2011
Thank you all for your efforts at the Quiltathon. We got so much
done, and it looked like everyone was having fun doing it. What a joy to
work together as a team with all of you on this great project that helps so
many in our community.
Tera and Pam
For more pictures of the Quiltathon, go to our Show and Tell page at SRQG.org.
Here are some pictures from Jerry Fujimoto’s workshop! Lots of fun and wonderful outcomes!
Concentration, thinking and then the work begins!
When people laugh and smile you know they had a good time at the workshop!
The Scottish Rite Building allowed us to spread out and Jerry gave everyone his undivided attention!
These updates are provided by Therese Thomas, our liaison with with Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Pendleton.
Well Tax Season is officially over – survived yet another one. My tiny office consumed five reams of paper and survival mode was by grit of clenched teeth. Tuesday morning I stumbled to my desk, verified that all necessary returns really HAD been efiled and were now accepted. I then collapsed in my recliner chair to elevate my swollen feet, and had an entire week of sleep, ice and rest of feet, and mass consumption/viewing of chick-flicks with my current roommate. Cindy is in a wheelchair thanks to an encounter with a drunken driver but is healing slowly and Monday was not only the end of tax season but the first day her docs allowed her to stand and put weight on her feet. She is gradually increasing standing time and will soon be perambulating (aided by walker at first) and by year’s end should be not using any aids at all. My home is wheel chair friendly and she has been camping out with me after she was sent “home” by Kaiser until she could use standing versions of physical therapy. Her home is too far out for Kaiser folks to visit and she would have been alone during the day while her husband was working.
So, after weekly visits for tax preparation of the residents and staff at the WWB, I now admit that I took boxes weekly of wonderful things you generous and kind folks have sent, but I just didn’t have the battery strength to send out newsletter keeping you informed. This one will be the tax season prezzies newsletter and were some wonderful and creative things sent!! Thomas and Alanna from Malibu sent loads of boxes that included:
Tons of wrapping paper
Balsa wood airplanes – three different types of them!!
Potting kids with spades, seeds, markers and the water holding cup beneath the pot; a great sauce pan, learning to cook books (remember when we didn’t know HOW to boil water – I remember calling a friend to ask if you had to peel mushrooms – really!); and Totally irresponsible Science books for budding mischief makers
Cookie cutters, dental hygiene kits,
A new in box Sony sound system that the FRO will use in a raffle – she was thrilled
Beach and playground golf and softball kits – and another huge box of wrapping paper plus bows. Their boxes were a huge haul for the WWB little Marines.
Barbara M of Taft CA sent creative boxes too:
Hand knit hats, soft and huggable dolls, chalk and My Little Pony!
Socks and more socks!!, stuffed animals, gloves, books and puzzles
More stuffed animals, playing cards, note cards, a beautiful necklace, play doh, window hangers, Mancala game and a set of desert animals (boys love snakes, lizards and a camel!). Barbara did good in her selections.
Terri G of Ohio sent more prezzies:
Beach game toys (sand castle starter molds, pails and shovels), watering cans, and big fuzzy flowers
Books, balls, games and crayons
More books, sidewalk chalk and fuzzy peeps Easter baskets, toy trucks – good job!
The final and glorious gift was a QUILT. Sent by a member of the Klein UMC Piecemakers (who sent so many quilts a few years ago), Corrine V of Montgomery TX sent this beautiful quilt
Warm, beautifully pieces, stars and curlicues in machine quilting – a manly quilt and it is a large full quilt. The WWB folks ran out of quilts a few weeks back and this will be in storage only a few pico-seconds before the next Marine going through the FRO’s office will depart with this beautiful gift in his arms.
Yesterday I finally got to quilting in my craft room and what a delight to feel fabric and smell warm pressed material. I’ve got 50 completed blocks for my next log cabin (it takes 80) so I should have the top finished and delivered to the machine quilting shop prior to my departure for European vacation.
I cannot thank you all enough for allowing me to deliver all your thoughtful, generous and very much appreciated gifts to these deserving Marines. They express their gratitude to me, as I’m the vehicle they see, but I KNOW how much you do to extend parts of your life and generosity to these wounded young men and women. At last visit there were over 160 residents at the WWB, but the Staff Sgts told me they expect many more now that the 3/5 has returned to Camp Pendleton. They had a very rough trip to Afghanistan and are grateful to be back stateside. I’m going to the WWB this morning with two representatives of the Valley Center Rodeo. On May 27th the rodeo starts and they have set aside VIP parking, seating and a tent to mingle for WWB residents and family. They will have free admission, a great BBQ meal, drinks and the cowboys will be encouraged to mingle with the Marines to enhance their enjoyment of this local rodeo. Cowboy Up!!
Therese Thomas
Thanks to Janice Rodgers we have lots of pictures from the March workshop to enjoy.
Tera wasted no time and produced so many blocks that she sewed all the fabric she brought to the workshop!
Loretta took only a brief break!
The students get right to work after listening to Marie Strait’s directions.
Everyone is hard at work! It was a fun, relaxing and very productive day!
Here a just a few samples from Marie Strait’s workshop.
The time went by so fast and everyone went home with great starts to table runners, pillows, doll quilts and quilts.
See what you can do on a rainy day!
These updates are provided by Therese Thomas, our liaison with with Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Pendleton.
Another Wednesday trip to Camp Pendleton’s Wounded Warrior Battalion for doing tax returns!! Slowly but surely I’m working my way through as many of the 132 residents as I can get; some need convincing that they don’t have forever and please bring me your paperwork……Procrastination abounds….
Going there this time I had two big boxes of wonderful things. First and foremost there were two new beautiful quilts sent by Bev L of Discovery Bay, CA. They were magnificent, and sorely needed. The FRO (Family Readiness Officer) called me, but I’d already left for the base. Remember that there was a spare amount of quilts after that bounty from the Bridgeport group? That is gone and they were out of quilts!! The influx of new residents is tapping into all supplies. I have about five more in my spare bedroom, but those will be the last re-supply until new arrive. Maybe I’ll have to remove the virtual padlock from my craft room….oh the temptation to go there, rather than sitting at my desk, crunching numbers!!
I just LOVE scrap quilts. Use up lots of colors, take a simple design and have some fun with it, using a basic color (deep navy blue and white) as unifying elements. Simply stunning!
These name tags just might convince me that I need an embroidery machine……
Quilt #2 is a doozie. Again, the simple repetition of solid outer borders with scrap blocks that look so fun to assemble.
Had to do a close up to show you the beautiful machine quilting that, using the same deep navy blue as the dark blocks, unified the entire quilt. Bright in color but still quite masculine. Oh, boy, I may have another quilt pattern to make up myself. Surely ONLY working on five patterns at a time isn’t enough; I could easily add a sixth quilt without too much strain?!?!?
The other box to arrive came from Thomas and Alanna from Malibu. They heard that the CO is planning a big deal family day in June at the beach. Why not, as there is a fabulous sandy beach on the USMC base for use only by Marines and their families. Hearing this, plus the WWB goal of getting everyone physically active and moving – they found the source of USMC red plastic red flying discs (how ever do you describe these things without using the trademark name of Frisbee??). A case of 100 arrived!! Supplies for the Beach Party are starting to be checked off the FRO list!!
This week I’m hoping to bring all the boxes of toys and prezzies that haven’t been shown to you yet – at least three more boxes. The FRO was quite happy to hear that more gifts were coming their way – as I told, their inventory goes in spikes – got some, oops there it went. We got spoiled when the WWC was smaller and could plan flow of items. Now that everything is on a larger scale it just seems to cycle out of control much more quickly.
One of the Marines who got a quilt last year called me (they all have my phone number from doing their taxes). He told me that he had been discharged from the USMC, has moved back home (the SF Bay area), gotten married to his sweetheart and has bought a new home!! A lot to get accomplished. He said that they just LOVE the quilt on their bed and when they have visitors to the house the quilt is always part of their grand tour. The intended use: warmth both physical and psychological, is working and spreading as their friends are so inspired by your work and support of the wounded, ill and injured Marines. Many, many thanks for all you do. He truly sounded happy with his life and so very appreciative of your work and support. Good job, everyone!!
Therese Thomas
This picture was taken before the Quilt-A-Thon really got going, and look at all the activity!
Thank you all for making this Quilt-a-thon so incredible! Everyone was so friendly, so nice, so helpful, and so enthusiastic, and the environment so charged with positive energy, that we were going strong until about 2 o’clock! By that time every quilt had been pinned, many, many quilts had been trimmed, turned, and sewn closed, and every quilt that needed a label had one on. Once we got the supply figured out, a wonderful number of quilts got quilted by our talented members (that’s all of us!). It was such a joy to be working together today. When we got in our cars, exhausted, we thought it was a good thing we wouldn’t do this again until May, but already, we are ready to do it again!
Thank you to the many who brought their sewing machines and plowed through the huge piles of quilts, to the many who wielded scissors and rotary cutters to trim the edges until their hands hurt, to the many who stood over tables to pin the quilts nice and smooth, the select few who dedicated themselves to the important task of pressing, and to the many who turned the quilts so neatly, and plied their tiny needles to make the quilts closures invisible, and attach our guild name to all the quilts ready to go out. And thank you to the many members of the Community Quilts Committee who helped set up, and later clean up (the clean up took a lot longer than the set-up, but so much had been accomplished!).
At least 52 quilts were completely finished today, but that number doesn’t represent all the work we all did. At least that same number went home with members to be worked on further (trimming, turning, quilting — all who wanted to took home whatever they enjoy most to continue working on), so we have really gotten the ball rolling for the year, and we worked on hundreds more. Our holding cupboard for finished quilts is full – so we’re ready for a some calls to come in now from our recipients who need quilts, thanks to all our efforts.
32″ x 42″ baby quilts will definitely be our biggest need this year, so if you are working on any tops of your own, or would like to work on the baby quilt kits, that size will be the most helpful. We heard a neat idea from a member about what she does with the baby quilt kits that are on the tables to take home from almost every meeting: she takes three at a time, and then sorts them into harmonious color families, so she’ll end up with a greenish quilt, a reddish quilt, and a bluish quilt, for example. We’d like to try that! It sounded like a really fun activity to try.
Thank you everyone for your efforts!
With much gratitude,
The Community Quilts Co-Chairs