A Word From the President - Chris C.

Happy 2003! I hope all your dreams for this year come true, starting with getting all those UFO�s (unfinished objects) done!

�� Everyone seems to have New Year�s resolutions at this time each year. I have discovered that when I make a resolution, I get all excited in the beginning and do real well with it. Then come about March, the excitement wears off and I start to forget all about those resolutions. By October, I realize that the year is almost gone and I haven�t done what I set out to do.� Hmmm�. So this year I�m wondering what the smart way to handle those resolutions will be. Here�s what I�ve come up with.

1. I have enough pressure on me from outside forces (i.e. bills I have to pay, commitments I have to keep, kids I have to feed, you know, the normal stuff) so I don�t want to overtax my already stressed life.

2. I only want to resolve to do things that I will enjoy, or they will never get done. For example, I couldn�t tell you how many diets I have started every January. This year, rather than go on a diet, I plan to eat healthy so that I feel good. I know I feel a lot better when I eat a balanced dinner of salad, fruit and a piece of chicken rather than 3 pieces of extra cheese pizza.

3. I will only do exercises that feel good to me. I Jazzercise 3 mornings a week-that�s perfect for me.� Last fall, I met three women to start a walking club on base. I had to put my 5-year old in a stroller and push him to keep up with these ladies who walked 4 miles in an hour. I about killed myself keeping up while pushing my 40-lb. son. Afterwards, while I was kneading my aching foot (the one without the huge blister), I was so mad at myself for walking like that just to keep up and not cause anyone else to slow for me. That wasn�t my pace-it probably wasn�t even very good for me! I refuse to do that in the future.

4. The only person in this world I can count on to make me happy is me. It�s taken me almost 37 years to figure that out-thank goodness I finally did!

�� Keeping all these things in mind, I will relate them to my quilting. There is no one else out there that I have to keep up with. I will finish my projects at my own speed. Yes, Susie Q will inspire me but I won�t feel bad that I�m not that quick or that talented-I am just right for ME. I won�t feel obligated to do that hand appliqu� just like Susie Q always does if I don�t enjoy it. And I�ll definitely not lose sleep to make 100 baby quilts in one year for all my relatives that I�ve missed making quilts for that are now teenagers!!!! And you know what???? I�ll work on MY quilting to make ME happy. And I�ll finish the UFO that I will enjoy making, rather than the one I started, hated, but feel guilty if I don�t finish it for Aunt Susie Q�s 40^th wedding anniversary.�

�� Wow, I feel better already about my New Year�s resolution-the only one I really have is to do my quilting hobby for me-not anyone else.� What a relief that is!

�� Enjoy your 2003 while you quilt for yourself!!!!

 

Philanthropy� Update (aka Phil�s Chicks)

The regular Philanthropy night (get together/eat/make quilts/have fun) was held on January 10^th. The plan is for the group to meet on the 2^nd Friday of each month @ 6:30 p.m. At the January meeting, we measured, cut & assembled lap/baby quilt kits for members of the guild to take home and put together & quilt.

���� Last year the Guild donated 22 lap quilts to Hospice and 17 to the Pregnancy Care Center � this year our goal is to top that. If you have any questions, contact Vicky R. or Sue Ann L.

�� See you February 14^th for the next get-together!

 

Membership Door Prizes

Door prizes were won by Nancy S., Tammy B., Jenny A. and Moe B. Lucky ducks!

 

Opportunity Quilt 2003

The 2003 Opportunity Quilt was displayed at the January meeting. Nice job, ladies! You can tell that a lot of hard work goes into these Opportunity Quilts and the ladies that donate their time & energy should be commended � or as Linda A. would say, �You go, girl!�

��� We are interested in displaying the quilt at as many shows and places as possible so we can earn money for more speakers and philanthropy projects. If you know of any places you or we could display the quilt for ticket sales (other guilds, special affairs, etc.), please let Joan B. S. know.�

��� We will have tickets to buy and sell for the Guild when the quilt is done in early 2003. The winner of the quilt will be picked at the December 2003 meeting.

 

Opportunity Quilt 2004

We are now looking for a person to chair the 2004 Opportunity Quilt Committee. Ideas are already in the making for the project itself. If you would like to begin your New Year by organizing this committee or if you would like to be on the committee, please see Vicky R.

 

 

Did you miss the Quilt Class?

If you missed the January meeting, you surely will kick yourself! Deborah J. was at her best and we all enjoyed her �trunk show� (she showed everything but the trunk!). What a diverse array of objects she had in that suitcase! I didn�t know that you could do so much with some of the �tools� she had in there (some of them really were tools!). In her suitcase that looked like it had been around the world were such items as:

• door stops to raise your sewing machine at a comfortable angle and to keep doors open at quilt retreats
• a lint roller to remove loose threads from your quilt top as you are working on it
• return address labels to label your projects, exchange addresses with people you meet at shows and other quilt get-togethers, and to use for raffles
• a pizza box to store your squares for a complete quilt (you can then label these and stack them as high as you want!)
• plain white sale tags with strings to label quilts & boxes
• white pillow cases (cloth so they breathe) that zip to put your quilts in to protect them

There were many more, but some of them you had to be there to get the full effect of what they were used for. Thank you, Deborah, for such an enlightening evening.

 

 

 

 

Workshops

We are always on the look-out for you, the members of the Guild - Some of you may not know that we have access to a small room on the Saturdays after our General Guild meetings. At the last Board meeting, suggestions were made to use that room for small workshops again. So, here are some of the suggestions/plans that are being implemented:

March 15^th ���� Fabric Swap (see article)

April 19^th ������� �Bug Jars� paper piecing with Sue Ann L.

June 21^st ������� Learn to Hand Quilt with Shirley W.

 

 

Second Quilt Class Coming Up

On February 15^th, the 2^nd quilting class be from 10 am - 2 pm and will be $10 + supplies. You will finish making the 53" X 60" Stadium (�drag around�) Quilt that you started on January 18^th. To find out more about the class or if you have any questions, contact Cindy N.

 

 

Fabric Swap!

It is time to clean our stashes. We all have fabric, while perfectly good, that doesn't fit our tastes or needs any longer--or maybe fabric bought for a specific project that we no longer have any inclination to complete.

What do you do at a fabric swap?

Well, first of all, bring material! Any cotton material (fat quarter or larger) that you think you can part with from your stash is acceptable. Fold it or roll it and tie it, then bring it with you on March 15^th from 10 am - 2 pm where other ladies will have their prized material for you to look at, trade & barter. For every fat quarter you bring you will receive one ticket, a yard gets you four tickets, and so on. You can then pick out other fabrics to take home and add to your stash with your tickets. Hopefully, you will go home with a new batch of material that will fit nicely into your stash and you won�t have paid a cent for it! What a deal!

 

 

Mystery Quilt (Part 1 of 4)

For those of you that love a good challenge, here is a Mystery Quilt for you! Each month for the next 4 months, you will get snippets of instructions to make this quilt. You won�t know what it is until all 4 parts have been completed. So, get out your material and tools and have a good time. Thanks, Theresa, for providing us with an adventure!

 

Finished Size: 40� square

• Decide on a color scheme such as all pastel colors, all primary colors, or all jewel-tone colors.
• Pick out 16 different print pieces 5 �� x 11�.
• Select a suitable background fabric approx. 1 � yards (44�wide.)

 

Cutting Instructions:

Background Fabric-

Cut (4) 4 �� x width of fabric strips (set aside)

Cut (4) 5 �� x width of fabric strips

From 2 of the 5 �� strips, cut (8) 5 �� squares.

From the 2 remaining 5 �� strips, cut� (8)

����������� 2 �� x 5 �� rectangles

Print Fabrics-

From each 5 �� x 11� rectangle, cut (1) 5 �� square and (2) 2 �� x 5 �� rectangles

See next month�s issue to find out what to do with it all. If you have any questions, please contact Theresa H.

 

 

Williamsburg Quilt Show Trip will be March 1^st. The bus departs at 6:30 am sharp and returns about 10 pm. Cost is $40 per person, which includes admission to the show. Payments due by February 13^th and are not refundable, but are transferable. Mail payments to Anna G. Your payment holds your spot. For more info contact Anna G.

 

New Library Books at PRQG

Thimbleberries Housewarming, Thimbleberries Book of Quilts, Memory Quilts in the Making, Quilting More Memories, Learning to Quilt, Landscape Quilts, Quick & Cozy Flannel Quilts, Machine Quilting Made Easy, Little Quilts, Fat Quarter Friendly, Relax & Quilt, Grandma�s Quilting Bee, Glory Days Quilts, More Fat Quarter Quilts, Debbie Mumm�s The Holidays at Home.

 

Clean Up Crew

I have recently learned that our meeting place requests that we return the room to its original condition after our guild meetings. At every meeting we always have to bring out additional tables and chairs to accommodate our 40 or more members at the guild meetings. You all have been great about pitching in and setting up what is needed. I thank you also, for helping take down the tables and chairs at the end of the meeting. It really helps not to have the same couple of people do all the work each time. Way to go!!!!!

 

Next Guild Meeting: February 10, 2003 @ 7 p.m.

Next Board Meeting will be February 3 @ 6:30 p.m. (Loffler Center)

Phil�s Chicks meet February 14^th @ 6:30 p.m.