There have been a few items added to the supply list for the Technique Sharing Workshop, "Hand Quilting", practice – part 2 of 2 with Mitzi Dowling and Marilyn Swanson on August 7th.

The supply list can also be downloaded as a PDF file from the TSW (technique sharing workshop) page on our website. http://www.santarosaquiltguild.org/tsw.php

 I was at the Senior Center on Tuesday and realized that we are running 
 low on fabric for the "Bag-Along" Project. For those of you that are 
 new this is a project where we make bags for walkers and give them 
 away free of charge. We had so much fabric for a while, but now we are 
 low. If you would like to donate some to this project, that would be 
 appreciated. It is the guilds that keep our project going. You women 
 are so generous!
 
 We put kits together and have them ready to be sewn. If you have time 
 to sew I can always bring a kit to the meeting. (I usually have some 
 in my car so just ask me; also there are almost always kits available 
 at the Village Sewing Center in Santa Rosa.) It takes about 1/2 hour 
 to sew a bag once you have made the first one. I usually make several 
 at the same time and assembly line sew them. I can make 7-10 in about 
 1 hour. If we know ahead we can give you similar colors so you can 
 even use the same thread. The bag can be almost completely made on the 
 serger if you are so lucky to have one! I have step-by-step pictures 
 available by email if you are a visual learner.
 
 During the summer we have fewer sewers working on our bags, so any help 
 would be appreciated. I was at dinner in Oakmont and saw several 
 residence with our bags. How fun it is to see them around the 
 community. I guess we should be running into them since we have made 
 over 2000!

 If you have any questions about our project or need more information 
 about donations please contact Pat Meiswinkel

Directions for the Bag-along project can be downloaded by clicking on the following link.
Bag-along Directions
 
 Thanks for your support,
 Pat Meiswinkel

Santa Rosa Quilt Guild
Business Meeting
July 3, 2008

President Pam McVey called the meeting to order at 10:00 AM.

Guests were introduced and welcomed to the Guild.  A designated newcomer’s table is now at the front of the room to help the membership in meeting our guests and new members. 

Minutes:  The June minutes were sent to the membership via e-mail.  Byron Borck moved that the minutes be accepted.  Doty Zagar seconded.  Accepted.  A copy of the minutes is available at the library table. 

Treasurer’s Report:  Jan reported we had a phenomenally successful month of June due to fabric sales, Community Smartcards and the June workshop with Nancy Brown.  Valeska Lattin and Illona Moore received a donation from the State Farm Good Neighbor Grant Program for their volunteer work in the Guild. 

Old Business:  None

New Business:  None

Announcements:  Raffle tickets for the Double Wedding Ring Quilt are being sold by Susan Silvey.  This is a quilt that was donated to the Wounded Warriors, but it was decided that it was too fragile to stand up to the consistent washing.  Process from the tickets sales will go into the Community Project fund.

 Lavella Cassinelli was asked to stand up and take a bow for receiving the Jefferson Award.  The website has a link to the newspaper article and television interview on the blog.  Pam mentioned that “Lavella is now signing autographs with a slight fee going to the community project fund”.

The Material Girl has entry forms for the upcoming Windsor Farmers Market and Quilt Show on July 6th.

Judith Clarke asked if anyone wanted to help her deliver the quilt made for Steven Kiernan the injured Petaluma solider who is currently in a rehabilitation center in Washington D.C.  His father Jim will be taking it back to him.

Betty Upchurch has her sign-up sheet for volunteers to help walk with her in the Relay for Life on July 26th.  If you cannot participate in the walk you can still help with a donation. All proceeds stay in the local area. 

Cora Stewart will have kits available at the next 5th Thursday retreat so members can make wheelchair bags.

Committee Reports:  

Anne Dondero-Membership:  A sign-up sheet is located at the membership desk for anyone wishing to start a mini-group.  Updated membership rosters are also located at the desk.

Phyllis Gallaway-MQSC Liaison:  Phyllis announced a boutique-brainstorming meeting July 24th to discuss new project ideas.  If anyone has a suggestion for projects or ideas please e-mail them to Linda Hooper.  Rita Hutchens will be offering “Totally Tubular Triangles”, on Saturday, July 19th through the Moonlight Quilt Guild. 

Glenda Ross-Opportunity Quilt Tickets:  A sign-up sheet will be going around the room for volunteers for July 6th at the Windsor Show and August 2nd at the Petaluma Show.  Members need to pick up raffle tickets at the library table for this year’s Opportunity Quilts.  Glenda announced that Rhonda Denny has agreed to be her assistant. Thank you, Rhonda.

Lee Trevelyan-Fair Liaison:  Lee needs volunteers to help hang the quilts at the fair on Sunday, July 13th at 9:30 AM.  It is controlled chaos, but lots of fun and a lunch by Pasta King is included.  Volunteers are also needed to demonstrate quilting at the fair.  Please see Lee to sign-up.

Linda Hooper-Friendship Blocks:  The Friendship Block program is looking for more members interested in doing blocks.  Linda showed lots of pretty blocks today that were turned in.

Judith Clarke-Boutique:  The Boutique will be set up at the Windsor Farmers Market and Quilt Show on July 6th.  Judith reminded the membership that boutique items are perfect as  housewarming or hostess gifts.

Tera Antaree-Technique Sharing Workshops:  Today, Linda Morand will be holding a “Fast and Fantastic Baby Quilts” demonstration.  She has great ideas for making baby quilts for the Guild’s community quilts.  Marilyn Swanson and Mitzi Dowling will hold a two part workshop on “Introduction to Hand Quilting” starting on July 17th.  Sign-ups are at the back table.

Mary Wood-Program Chair:  Mary thanked everyone who came to Nancy Brown’s workshop and helped to make it such a great success.  She announced the next two workshops: Rita Hutchens and “Totally Tubular Diamonds” on July 18th, and Linda Schmidt with “Treads at Play” on August 22nd.  Samples for both workshops are located in the back of the room.  Sign-up and help fill these next two workshops.

Lavella Cassinelli-Community Projects:  Lavella told the Guild about the experience of receiving the Jefferson Award and the interview with KPIX reporter Kate Kelly.  To date, she has delivered 627 quilts and is getting ready for another delivery in a couple of weeks.  Lavella encouraged all new members to come meet other members at the 5th Thursday retreats. They are really fun and a good experience working on the Guild’s many projects.  There are kits on each table for sewing tops and the quilts ready for quilting are at the side of the room.

Sharon Fry-Librarian:  If you are not getting e-mail from Sharon a couple of times a week, please e-mail her and let her know.  Likewise, if you wish to be taken off the e-mail list, just e-mail her.  Fons and Porter magazine will give the Guild a discount on member’s yearly subscriptions if turned in as a group.  A check needs to be made out to Sharon Fry.  Please note whether it is a new subscription or renewal and your mailing address. 

Kathy Hannan-Block of the Month:  Kathy showed the Guild a sample of this month’s block called 4th of July” in red, white and blue.

Melissa Trunick-Field Trips:  The bus trip has been arranged for Friday, October 17th for the Pacific International Quilt Festival.  The Guild is still collecting soup labels and box tops; they can be turned into Melissa.
Today is the day members pledged what project they wish to finish in the Works in Progress Challenge.   They have until November 20th to finish their projects and to have their pledge money returned. 
Show and Tell was held along with the Fifty-Fifty and name tag drawings.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 AM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Linda Emis, Recording Secretary

Here is a picture of Steven Kiernan’s dad and 14 year old brother receiving the Wounded Warrior’s quilt for Steven.  I took it to them on Wed., June 9th.  They were very impressed with it and will ask Steven if he wants it now or when he comes home.

I also gave him the letter and signatures with a brief note about care of the quilt, all in a pillow case I whipped up with the new pillow case instructions I learned at guild.

They said he had been gifted two quilts since he came back to the U.S.  One a small quilt and one a fleece wall hanging with Marine symbols on it that was from a Marine group of some kind.  They thought ours was the most useable and I assured them that we want him to use it a lot.

It was a pleasure to see the family again.  I appreciated being the one to deliver this lovely, meaningful quilt to them. 

Fast and Fabulous Baby Quilts
with Linda Morand

If you were unable to stay for Linda Morand’s Technique Sharing Workshop on “Fast and Fabulous Baby Quilts”, or if you just need a refresher course on some of the procedures she showed, you can download the instructions with pictures by clicking on the following link.

 Fast and Fabulous Baby Quilts

Jefferson Award Winner: Lavella Cassinelli

Reporting Kate Kelly (CBS 5) 
Watch the video online
You won’t find an idle hand in Lavella Cassinelli’s kitchen. Many days it’s filled with family, friends, and the talk around the table is of quilting.

"They are laughing an talking and visiting and getting acquainted and working on something that they know is helping the community," Lavella explains.

As Chairman of Santa Rosa’s Community Quilts Program, this retired claims adjuster and mother of four found purpose in making quilts for others. She and her fellow quilters have made thousands of quilts in every size and shape imaginable.

Each quilt is made of 100% cotton and is as unique as the person who sews it.

Lavella says, "We collect a lot of fabric and then it’s cut up in little squares — we wash it, iron it, and cut it into little squares."

Then Lavella and her 230 volunteers go to work, sewing their beautiful creations. There are large quilts for wounded Marines at Camp Pendleton, and small quilts for children in foster care. It’s a year-round commitment.

"I do a lot of collecting, ask for grants, send out letters to try to get grant money to try and support this," Lavella says. "I have a budget but it cannot support the amount of quilts we do."

And they do a lot! In the twelve years Lavella’s chaired the program, the guild has given away over eight thousand quilts. Her hobby now fills her home with fabrics and batting.

Several times a year, giant "quilt-a-thons" bring the pieces and the quilting community together.

"They are all made with love," says Lavella. "They are warm and they’re comforting and they’re beautiful colors."

"Once the quilts are finished, Lavella and the guild-members hand-deliver them to more a dozen local agencies, from children’s homes to hospitals.

At Santa Rosa Memorial, brightly colored baby quilts sit atop the isolets in the neonatal unit. Intensive care nursery nurse Carolyn Orcutt says quilts go to each of the babies’ families, bringing comfort and a sense of humanity to a sterile environment filled with monitors and medical tubes.

"It’s just priceless," says Carolyn. "It’s it’s something made from the heart. It’s just a love, kind of dedication, for their little baby, It’s just wonderful."

"It’s almost a passion," adds Lavella. "I just love doing it. It makes me feel good, and that’s all."

So for helping to bring her community together in warmth and comfort one stitch at a time, this week’s Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Lavella Cassinelli.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

The last two scheduled workshops for the Santa Rosa Quilg Guild 2008 will be held in July and August.  On July 18, Rita Hutchens will be teaching Totally Tubular Diamonds and on August 22, Linda Schmidt will teach Threads at Play.  Samples and sign-ups for both these workshops are located in the back of our meeting room opposite the Library.  There are plenty of spaces left for both workshops. Payment of $35 is required at the time you sign up to hold your place.  For more information about these workshops and the supply lists go to the Programs and Workshops section on our website.

 Any questions about the workshops, contact Mary Wood

Our Lavella has received the Jefferson Award!  Set your
VCR’s and be sure to read your SF Chronicle Sunday!  Congratulations,
Lavella!  We are all so excited and are so proud of you!

Airdate July 2, 2008 On CBS 5
Wednesday on Eyewitness news at 6 pm
Thursday on Eyewitness news at noon
Saturdays on CBS 5 Early Edition at 7 am

On KCBS All News 740 AM
Wednesdays at 6:50 pm, 9:40 pm, 11:50 pm
Sundays at 11:50 am, 3:50 pm

San Francisco Chronicle
Sunday’s Style section
June 29, 2008

These are the recent quilts that Lavella has sent to the Wounded Warriors Project.