CR Quilters December meeting

Tuesday December 9th at 10 am

CR Quilters. The December party. Not much lecture this time but as always lots of show+tell.

Janet had a lot to share. One more beautiful then the other.

This is a "Row x Row"

Margaret shared with us her Stack+Whack crazy quilt. Another example of the effect of your choice of fabrics. I love it!

Motoko was a step ahead because she used Janet's directions from the November meeting and started her Sudoku Puzzle Quilt. What an interesting selection of fabric.We discussed what choice sashing might be best.

We talked about the passed year, our first year as a group. We thanked those who had given one of the monthly lessons. They had first dip into the box of gifts I had for everybody. Actually, they were allowed to double-dip. A Danish woven heart made from fabric for everybody. It's a traditional Christmas tree ornament. You can put candy into it.

Here are some of the leftovers.

We had decided to share hors d'oeuvres but no gifts. I thought that the left/right game had been so much fun (at my lacemakers meeting) that I brought one gift and read the story. The gift went forth and back and all around and ... ended up with Motoko exactly where it had started. It was fun!

The snacking afterwards was great too. Jane (the oldest in our group with 89) had the great idea to make the recipe of this year's Pillsbury bake-off winner. Since the winner was a resident of Richmond the story was featured in the newspaper. And hats off to Jane!

I think we all had great fun!

I am looking forward to the meetings in 2015.

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On December 23 I received a thank-you email from Motoko with this photo of her winning in use. She is enjoying it.

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A Christmas project

You know that one of my passions are Chrismons. At the beginning of this year I started the "Chrismons in Lace series". Here is the first page published in the Heartland Lace Guild newsletter.

Brigitte Bellon liked my idea and was incredibly generous with her patterns. She gave us permission to publish them and is supporting us/me in many ways.

My problem was how best to show-case the Chrismons. And here is what I came up with!

One German tradition is the Advent calendar. I found a picture of this quilted wallhanging on the Internet. No copyright violation because it is a free pattern.

I printed it large and calculated ... the size of the Chrismons ... the size of the squares ... how many squares and half squares needed. I placed dots and numbered them 1to 24.

It took quite a long time to decide how to handle the advent calendar "doors". I will not go into details of the ideas I had contemplated and discarded.

The wallhanging is finally done. I attached faceted crystal beads to hang the circles. They look a little like dew. That way it could be hanging year-round.

I even made a little one for the church bazaar.

Finally all the circles are done and December 1st arrived.

December 1st = The Crown

December 2nd = The Dove of Peace

December 3rd = The Latin Cross

December 4th = The Rooster

December 5th = Star of David

December 6th = Butterfly

December 7th = Descending Dove

December 8th = Wheat

December 9th =
Soooooorry. This is how far I got.

There is one on the pillow and almost done. I also still have several patterns from Brigitte Bellon, so no shortage there. And I have several ideas too. All I need is some time. Don't think it will be completed this year.

I think it is pretty good looking so far anyway.

I can't say it "loud" enough: THANK YOU to Brigitte Bellon in Germany for all the wonderful patterns. She was and is always so generous sharing her patterns. All the above designs are featured in the Heartland Lace Guild newsletter Pillow Talk. And I still have some more. I love her designs in the clear and elegant forms.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Brigitte.

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Finding the groove (CR October / church mice)

(Excerpts from original posting on my main blog Oct.23, 2014)

Trying to! Getting back to normal, whatever normal is.

...

Back in the groove: Monday was the monthly meeting of the Colonial Lacemakers.
Tuesday was the monthly meeting of the CR Quilters. First the block of the month (I didn't have time to make mine and Linda shared several months because she had to catch up) and then show+tell.

This month's lecture/lesson was actually a workshop. Whoever wanted to could bring her sewing machine, material needed and a sack lunch. I had prepared for each to make the 12-block set of a stack+whack crazy quilt.

The first block finished.

On the same day in the evening is always the meeting of the Church Mice Quilters. The strips for these two quilts were sewn by the members. I made one too and it was fun. The group decided to donate the pieced tops to Stitchers for a cause (my Thursday charity group).

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Back in the groove

(excerpts from original post to my main blog Sept.29, 2014)

...

On Saturday the Richmond Quilt Guild had a big exhibition. Guess what ... James came with me. It was fun to discuss with him which ones he liked and which ones not. This was one we studied closely.

You get a lot of ideas and inspiration in a place like this.

I think this would make a cute baby quilt.

...

What else? There had been two Thursdays since we are back (Stitchers for a cause) but I only managed to go to the second for a couple of hours. I really like this group of people. I did a lot of cutting for my next project. Nothing to show yet though.
I didn't think I would have time to make the September Block Lotto block. But a girl needs to have fun and I sneaked into my queendom for a little bit. This is my effort. It was a good lesson.

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