7/9/16 - NT @ Margaret's

Welcome to the Dog Days of Summer meeting of the Nimble Thimbles Quilt Bee!!  This month we were at Margaret's house (since her February meeting was canceled due to a Winter Weather Event.)  Thank you for having us, Margaret!  There were 11 members present (and we were certainly glad to be there once dessert time rolled around!!)

OLD BUSINESS:

There was some discussion regarding next month's Sew Day at the SECU Family House.  As long as Candy can switch it back, the meeting will be held on Saturday, August 20th at 10 AM.  (Now confirmed for this date, but we will be in the upstairs conference room.  It's a newly renovated space with no tables for us to move.)

NOTE:  Just make sure you DO NOT drive through the campus of UNC as that is Move-In Day!!!

NEW BUSINESS:

September and October meetings were also booked:

9/17/16 - NT @ Jean's
10/15/16 - NT @ Ella's

SHOW AND TELL:

LINDA had a TELL.  She should be closing on her house on 7/20/16.  (Good luck, Linda and let us know if you need help!!)

CANDY had no show or tell, as she just returned from a two week vacation to Europe.


ELLA used a tutorial from The Missouri Star Quilt Company by The Crafty Gemini to make a new bag.  The stabilizer used was Bosal Plus, a double-sided foam fusible.

Here's one side...

... And the other...

... As well as a better shot of the quilting:

CHERYL K. made a new bag, too.  Her foam was bonded only on one side.

A close shot of the bag:

Cheryl K. lamenting over the fusible product she used:

Here's a close-up of the quilting on the front pocket...

... And on the bag.  ALL done with her walking foot:

She also brought her Bird Quilt for ideas for quilting:

Cheryl B. suggested pairing a cotton batt with a light poly on top for trapunto work like she did on this quilt of Margaret's:

DEE DEE has been in a slump.  Jean gave her a kick in the pants when she loaned her a new book.  Dee Dee carved a large seed pod and stamped a practice piece which has been bordered and is ready for quilting.

She also revisited her Dendritic Print.  It spoke to her and we may be seeing a finished piece next month.

MARGARET showed a Donation Quilt, 3 Bead Bags (which she handed over to Jean, the Outreach Chair for DOQ), and the newest blocks done for her Reach for the Stars QAL (QNM issue Dec/Jan 2014.)  Jean had an idea of how to fix the large center square and it doesn't involve un-sewing the block!  Later she showed a Shortcut Binding Tool, along with the quilts made using it.

JEAN shared a new book and inktense on Prepared for Dyeing (PFD) fabric.  She will be doing a demo at the end of the meeting.

BRITT has been busy with Dorm Quilt #2.  She made samples using Mod Podge on the back of fabric for applique.  The product for fabric (applied to the BACK of the fabric) makes it stick, but it's repositionable.  She washed and dried the samples to see how the various techniques would perform. The product produces a fabric that can be appliqued with a "raw edge" with VERY LITTLE fraying.

She also pulled out some Ricky Tims stabilizer to test:

Britt is almost finished with Dorm Quilt #1.  This was a modified Bonnie Hunter Grand Illusions Mystery Quilt that she revamped. It's all quilted and ready for binding.

Here is a closer look at the quilting in the wide border:

This shot shows the back of the quilt.  It's meant to be reversible:

CHERYL B. had a TELL.  She just came from a Spoonflower tour with the Carolina Longarm Association.  She brought 2 quilts that she quilted for Carol and a panel that she quilted for her good friend Sandra.

Dee Dee asked that she tell Sandra that we wish she would come back to quilting.  We miss her!!

From the FRONT...

... And from the back:

JOY brought her Calico Rick Rack for those who haven't seen it. She wanted to get some additional suggestions for quilting the inner border.

Jean and Cheryl B. drew out some patterns for her:

CAROL then showed the quilts that Cheryl B. quilted for her.  The first was a Coin Quilt for her grandson's caregiver:

The second was a Modified Coin Quilt for her chauffeur (the friend who drove her back and forth to work during the time that she was recuperating from ankle surgery and could drive herself.)

With Show and Tell done...

Jean brought out her inks...  Thank you, Jean, for bringing your brushes and inks to share the process with us!!

... And demonstrated the technique on a scrap of Margaret's fabric:

Jean also brought a sample from home to work on, based on a Whole Cloth Quilt that Cheryl B. brought to DOQ last month, stating that she wanted her grandchildren to paint on it:

 She had a bit of "audience participation" by having Ella draw a multi-colored bird with the pencils to show how those work:

HERE, Jean is revisiting Margaret's scrap with a different color:

LUNCH WAS SERVED...

Thank you to everyone who brought treats to share.  As usual, we enjoyed an absolute feast.  If you weren't with us, you missed out on the MOST AMAZING blueberry pie EVER!!!  Jean used a pre-baked store-bought crust and followed a recipe from her old Fanny Farmer Cookbook.  YUM!!!

Then DISCUSSIONS REGARDING TOOLS AND BINDING...

The meeting finally began to break up somewhere around 1 PM. We all had a lovely day.  Thanks again, Margaret.

Until next time...

Quilt til you wilt!!!