Breathe In, Breathe Out - Guild Meeting, Jan. 8, 2013

A great way to start the guild's new year was to have Ramona Iida teach us some breathing exercises and some exercises for our hands, arms, and necks. After quilting a big quilt on my Janome, I needed the lessons. Well done, Ramona, and thanks.

We got to see samples of the classes being offered. Jill has a class on February 2nd which will teach us quilt-as-you-go techniques.

Jill is teaching a scrappy quilt on March 9th which looks really good. Remember the fun we had doing her strip-twist last year and remember how many of those scraps we used up. If your scraps have been reproducing like mine have, then you have more than enough scraps again to do a scrappy day. Here's the sample of this one:

On March 16th Vera will teach a class on machine applique. Here's a sample of what you will be working on:

Mark March 23rd on your calendar for a day of creative sewing with Jaynie. One technique she will be showing is sewing with cording which she has been doing.

We are so lucky to be having so many classes this year and we have Colleen S. to thank for all the planning that has gone into these. There is one more class coming up and it's on April 13th with Trudy Hutchinson instructing. It's a New York Beauty class and Colleen showed this quilt as inspiration:

Some years ago Heather Munro taught a New York Beauty class and it was one of the best classes I've taken. She used a pattern which made a bag and I have made that pattern over and over again. Ironically I won't be able to take this class as I will be in New York at the time. Then it was on to show-and-tell. I showed my quilt "KINGdom" which consists of 366 paper pieced houses, one for each day of 2012 (a leap year).

As I worked on it, I thought about all the people who have influenced my life so I made a chart of the 17 X 22 block grid and assigned a person, couple, or family who have been important to me to each house. That was fun! If you are a math whiz, you're thinking that 366 does not work evenly into 17 X 22; I added 8 tree blocks to get the math to work out.

Bonnie, like Marg last month, made cute pillowcases, one of which is shown here.

Lydia created this cheerful pillow but confessed that it took almost as long as a quilt.

This part of Lydia's reminded me of a brooch. I wonder if she will make one for each of us?

Eileen made this bag; you can't beat blues to make a stunning creation.

Sharynne comes with her mom and shows us that there are other pastimes than quilting. I'm sure this beautiful cross stitch took as much time as a quilt. I think between her mother and us, we will turn her into a quilter yet! She shouldn't be surprised if a little kit of fabrics is sitting on her chair when she comes to next month's guild meeting.

Her mother Ethel showed this quilt which has family names on it along with their dates of birth as well as marriage and death if applcable. I quickly spotted how old Sharynne is and later was shown how old Ethel is. Neither look their age!

Michele showed two quilted pieces, the first being a cheery snowman row quilt.

This is the other one that Michele made. Her free motion quilting on both is terrific.

Jaynie showed four of her art quilts, each more beautiful than the one before. Jaynie is on Facebook with her work and you can find her and join the page at "Jaynie Himsl- Fibre Artist" I check it out regularly and you should too.

Vickie, one of our new members, wowed us with two incredible quilts. She pieced them beautifully and her long arm quilter did an excellent job as well.

Renee ended the show-and-tell with a top she's been asked to make into a quilt. We think the colorful fabrics are rayon so she has a challenge ahead of her. Luckily, Renee's not afraid of challenges.

Thanks, ladies, for the great, inspiring evening.