RDQG October E-Blast!

Things to be ready for in October:

Remember – Mary’s Big Quilt Shop meets on October 5 at the Chehalis Fire Hall (2123 Jackson Hwy.) from 10-2.

Sew Daze is Saturday, Oct. 21, at the fire hall, from 9:30-4(ish).

One more month! We’ll be drawing for the winner of this year’s raffle quilt at the November meeting – there’s still time (and need) to sell tickets! Pick up your ticket packets at the October meeting.

There are still opportunities to ‘throw your hat in the ring’ to become part of the 2024 Board. Chat with a Board member soon!

This Month’s Activity – At the last meeting, Sandra handed out the pattern for an adorable autumn table topper. Don’t forget to bring your show and tell to the October meeting (it doesn’t even have to be quilted – we just want to see the cuteness!).

Don’t forget to bring a gift for your Secret Pal.

Fat Quarter Theme – “Halloween”

Congratulations! Jeanette and Donna won last month’s door prizes, and Crissy won the Jewel Tones fat quarters.

This Month’s Program – Susie Bachelor, colored pencils in quilts. (Start at 6:30)

Welcome to our newest member, Shelly P. – lucky number FIFTY!!

Happy Fall, y’all!

AUTUMN Retreat at Panhandle Lake!

September 7-11, 2023

Hang out with your fellow guild members, get some sewing done, and unwind!

Here are the bullet points:

  • Date is September 7-11
  • Deposit of $40 holds your spot
  • Total cost is $125/person
  • Bring your own food and bedding

Comfortable occupancy at the Lodge is 20 people.

The full payment is due by the end of August.

That’s pretty much all of the info, but if you have any questions, please use the Contact Us! form at the website or email Donna M.

You can pay with PayPal! (You don’t need to have a PayPal account to pay with a credit or debit card)

SPRING Retreat at Panhandle Lake!

April 6-10, 2023

Hang out with your fellow guild members, get some sewing done, and unwind!

Here are the bullet points:

  • Date is April 6-10
  • Cost is $125/person
  • Bring your own food and bedding

Comfortable occupancy at the Lodge is 20 people.

The full payment is due by the March 14 meeting.

That’s pretty much all of the info, but if you have any questions, please use the Contact Us! form at the website or email Donna M.

You can pay with PayPal! (You don’t need to have a PayPal account to pay with a credit or debit card)

Halloween Row by Row Block 6

The last block for your Halloween project is here, and it’s a beauty!

300

Designed by our very own Tracy S., this fusible-appliqued block is a winner!

You can download the pattern here and the instructions here.

That’s the end of the set – Be sure to send pictures of your blocks and your finished projects!

UFO Challenge June

This month’s number is

7

Look on the UFO list you created and work on whatever’s at number 7. We hope to see or hear of your progress at the April meeting!

If your #7 is dependent on getting #5 done, just do #5 and switch the numbers. It’s okay. Nobody’s going to judge – the point is to make progress!

You can download the UFO sheet from the American Patchwork & Quilting site here: 2020 UFO Challenge Print out 2 copies, keep one for yourself and bring the other to Sandra at the next meeting. Note: We’re only filling 10 of the 12 ‘tasks’.

Anita’s Arrowheads

Our group activity, Anita’s Arrowheads, is a GO!

Members should have received a link to the pattern and the Alternate Sizes worksheet in their email on May 27. On the 28th, the information was posted to our Facebook page.

Make as many or as few blocks as you wish, but do try to make at least one to try out this clever and impressive technique!

We have TEN tips to help you be super-successful when making these blocks. This post is about choosing what size block you want to make. If you’re not into the math of it all, you can click HERE to go to Pressing Tips or HERE to go to Other Tips.

The Most Important Tip of All

Starch your fabric very well BEFORE you cut the squares. When the block is completed, all of the outer edges will be on the bias, and nobody has fun with that! Go to Other Tips for a recipe for Quilter’s Moonshine (homemade spray starch) and other ideas.

Tip #1 How To Choose What Size Of Block To Make, and How Many

First, decide what size of project you want to make and how ‘fiddly’ you want to get with the blocks. If you want a queen-sized quilt (92×96”) – do you want to make it from 3” blocks? That would be 960 blocks – that’s what we mean by FIDDLY!

So, let’s say you want to do a queen-sized quilt but you don’t want to be fiddly and end up in a padded room before it’s all done. 92” divided by a 12” finished block equals 7 point something and 96″ divided by 12 equals 8. That would require you to make 8 rows of 7 blocks, or 56 blocks.

Here’s the math

Desired finished quilt width divided by finished size of block equals how many blocks in a row. Round down if it’s a fraction:

92″/12″=7.66 (7) blocks

Desired finished quilt length divided by finished size of block equals how many rows.

96″/12″ blocks=8 rows

How many rows times how many blocks in row equals how many blocks to make.

7 blocks x 8 rows = 56 blocks

Tip #2 Gather Your Fabrics

For each block, you’ll need two squares – one light, one dark (or two squares that otherwise contrast with one another). So in the 92×96″ example, you’ll need 56 light and 56 dark squares.