Quilts of Valor National Sew Day – Feb 1st

Lisa Byers is sponsoring a

Tampa Bay Area Sew-In

For QUILTS OF VALOR

And YOU are invited!

Location:  Trinity, FL

Date:  SATURDAY, Feb 1^st

Time:  11:00 – 4:00 pm

Patterns, and fabrics will be provided. However, if you have red, white/tan, blue and or gold Quilt Shop quality fabrics that you wish to donate to QOV, please bring them. Since these quilts are being sent to those combat veterans that have risked their lives for our country, we want only the best quality fabrics to go into their quilts. Lisa has volunteered to longarm the tops that are finished, if you wish. You will have the opportunity to designate a recipient for your quilt or you may generously donate to a veteran in need which QOVF will take care of for us.

Coffee, tea and snacks will also be provided. The Fox Hollow Restaurant is right next door to the Champions Club clubhouse (see details below) and they have full meals at extremely reasonable prices if you wish to have a full meal at any time before, during or after the sew-in.

Please bring your sewing machine in good working order, with neutral color thread (such as medium gray or khaki) and full bobbins. General sewing supplies and rotary cutter and ruler if you can. Lisa has cutting mats and she will pre-cut fabrics but some trimming and border cutting may be necessary. Travel irons and ironing mats may also be helpful if it is not too much trouble. Ott lights and extension cords are also good to pack.

If you would like to sew and you do not have a machine to bring, please contact Lisa at the email below as she may be able to provide one for the day.  Also, if you would like to help but you are not a confident stitcher, you may help by cutting chain sewn pieces apart and pressing for us. So please join in. And you can learn to stitch!!!  So take advantage of the opportunity to get some free instructions.

Please R.S.V.P. for this event directly to Lisa at mommasaidsew.lisa@gmail.com

If you would like to bring a sewing friend, please feel free, as this is open to all adults. You may also forward this email to anyone you know that may be interested in participating. Children are, unfortunately, not invited to attend this event, unless they are already sewing on their own.

Quilts of Valor has asked that those who participate register in order to have their names in a drawing for a JANOME ARTISTIC AQ18dx MIDARM QUILTING MACHINE PLUS LIBERTY FRAME!  To register with QOV for the Janome, please click here for details: http://www.qovf.org/content/qov-national-sew-day-2014.html

Details for location of the QOV Sew-In:

The Clubhouse meeting room has been reserved in a development called Champions Club.  The address is 10132 Robert Trent Jones Pkwy, Trinity, FL 34655.  Click on this link for a Google map to the Clubhouse.

This is a gated community. When you arrive at the gate, follow the instructions on the keypad and the gate will open for you. In the event of rain that day, the gates will remain open so you don't get wet!

There is a covered portico at the entrance to the clubhouse and two kind husbands have volunteered to assist quilters with unloading sewing machines and supplies. So pull right up to the door and let them give you a hand.

Recap of Jan 20th and Jan 23rd Meetings – Part 3

Since our two January Quilts of Valor meetings were so productive, your Webmaster has made an executive decision to break the recap of the meetings into three posts.  You can read Part 1 at this link and Part 2 at this link.

Here is Part 3:

During our Monday meeting, we did some serious sorting of our donated fabrics to ascertain their best use for our new quilt design for 2014.  In case you missed it, the pattern is named Waving Old Glory and it appeared in the book “The Best of Fons & Porter’s Patriotic Quilts”.  The designer is Toby Lischko. Here's another photo of the sample that Debbie made up:

We will be modifying this design to best fit our capabilities and volunteer piecers.  The center square will be smaller and the strips around the modified Log Cabin will be cut at 2 ½ inches instead of 2 to facilitate using a strip cutter.

One of our excellent longarmers, Virginia I., brought back this quilt with beautiful motifs included in the quilting:

The little Star detail is right in the center of the quilt!

And here’s just one more reason why this is a great QOV Group:

Lisa B gave us a mini-lesson and demonstration on how to make Magic Binding – a method of machine binding that looks fabulous and professional.  Here’s one she did during the meeting – see the wonderful faux piping using an accent color?

You can find instructions and a tutorial at this link, if you’d like to try this on your own.  Thank you so much, Lisa, for sharing this technique with us.

Here’s a few pics of the Group at work, once again a few are finishing up sewing and laying out tops from the old design and some beginning to cut and make blocks for the new design.  There’s already enough blocks available to make a complete top due to the serious sewing and cutting efforts of our newest members Cindy and Janice – sure glad to have you join us!

Check out these worker bees:

 

Sewing Rows for a Top

Sorting fabrics

Laying out a Top

Cutting strips

Making Blocks

Sewing binding

Cutting strips

Cutting strips

Recap of Jan 20th and Jan 23rd Meetings – Part 2

Since the two January meetings of the CT Quilters Quilts of Valor Group were so productive, your Webmaster has made an executive decision to break the recap of the meetings into three posts.  You can read Part 1 at this link.

Here is Part 2:

Our new Leader for 2014, Debbie W. really did a great job on selecting some patterns for the Group to review and select a new “Go-To” quilt pattern.  She even made up a top from each of the patterns!  Check out these fabulous choices:

The Group loved all of the selections, but ultimately voted to make the last one pictured.  The pattern is named "Waving Old Glory" and it appeared in the book “The Best of Fons & Porter’s Patriotic Quilts”.  The designer is Toby Lischko.

Here’s a few pics of the Group at work, some finishing up making tops from the old design and some beginning to cut for the new design.  It’s sure to be an exciting 2014 for this group!

Tomorrow, this blog will feature the CT Quilters’ activities from the meeting on the 23^rd … be sure to keep in contact for Part 3 of the January Meetings Recap!

Recap of Jan 20th and Jan 23rd Meetings – Part 1

The CT Quilters Quilts of Valor Group sure outdid themselves this month!  This was the first time that we have tried having two meetings a month instead of one – and each was very, very productive.

So your Webmaster has made an executive decision to break the recap of the meetings into three posts.  Here is Part 1:

The quilts, tops and pillowcases that came back in this meeting were fabulous.  Here’s the show:

PILLOWCASES!

QUILT TOPS!

 

Ginger's

Debbie's

Kathy's

Kathy's

Pat's center to finish

Renita's Top

Renita's Top

Close-up of embroidery detail in Renita's Top - each square is different!

QUILTS!

Jill's

Jill's

Jill's wonderful pieced backing!

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

WALLHANGINGS!

  

Quilted by Pat for Ronika in the Memphis VA Hosp

Quilted by Pat for Ronika in the Memphis VA Hosp

Watch this spot tomorrow for Part 2 where we showcase the quilts tops Debbie made for the Group to decide on the 2014 “Go-To” quilt pattern!