Month: November 2020

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December 2020 Newsletter

GUILD MEETING PROTOCOL

Because we are a small group, First Presbyterian Church has agreed to allow us to resume our monthly Quilt Guild meetings. We began meeting again on Aug. 3, 2020. We will be adhering to the following guidelines:

  • Please don’t arrive before 6:30 p.m. We’ll be sanitizing the chairs and the bathroom.
  • Please wear your mask as you enter and exit and if you are talking to someone closer than 6 feet from you. It is not necessary to keep your mask on once you’re in your seat — unless you want to. Masks are required, no exceptions.
  • The doors will be propped open as you enter so that you don’t have to touch them.
  • Please don’t move the chairs in the Fellowship Hall. They are already set up to social distance at 6 feet apart.
  • You are welcome to bring your own snack and drink for your own use. Please don’t bring snacks to share until further notice.
  • We will keep attendance, but you will not be signing in. In an effort to touch as little as possible, a picture will be taken of the room. This will also be used for contact tracing if needed.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available for your use, should you forget to bring your own.
  • At the conclusion of the meeting, we ask that you not congregate in the Fellowship Hall as we will once again need to sanitize the chairs and the bathroom.
  • There will be no door prizes or birthday fat quarters for the next few meetings. We will catch up on those later.

We know that some of you are not quite ready to get back out into the world. We understand and look forward to the time that everyone feels comfortable coming to the meetings again.

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(If you don’t have Acrobat Reader installed, you can download it here.)

NEXT MEETING: DEC. 7, 2020

BIRTHDAYS

Shirley Lewis … December 15
Michelle Rodriguez … December 15
Joanne Grant … December 21

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

This has been a challenging year. In some ways 2020 has been about 2,000 days long. I have accomplished quite a bit during the year, but feel I should have done so much more. I did finish a few projects and started a few more. I don’t know about you, but it was hard for me to get motivated to sew every day. I have read more books than ever before, have spent more time than ever before playing games on my tablet, and have baked more than usual (mostly chocolate stuff).

It’s time to welcome new officers. I have enjoyed serving as president for the last two years. Thanks to all who served as officers and committee chairs. Hopefully, 2021 will be a better year and more of us will be able to meet in person. I’ve missed those of you who have been unable to attend the few meetings we had. Merry Christmas!
Happy quilting,

Shirley Lewis

BLOCK OF THE MONTH

We are going to use the light BG and the Dark to make some 2.5 HSTs.

You will need a total of 168. For the most efficient way to get that many, we’re going to use the Magic 8 method (you’ve probably used this before).

Make a test square using 2 contrasting squares of 5.75 inches (scrap fabric is fine). Follow the Magic 8 method, and measure the resulting HSTs. If your HSTs end up at 2.5, great. I had to go up to a 6 inch square to get HST that all met 2.5 inches (with a tiny bit of trimming).

You will need 21 squares of the light AND the dark to get the correct number of HSTs. That will be 3 strips WOF (you might need to cut one or 2 additional squares, depending on the inches in your WOF).

That’s all we’re doing this month – 168 HSTs.

The Magic 8 Method, from “The Spruce Crafts”, thesprucecrafts.com

This is an abridged tutorial; visit the website for complete instructions at https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/magic-8-half-square-triangle-units-2821440

How to Make Quick Half Square Triangle Units

  • Place one BG and one dark square right sides together
  • Draw two diagonal lines on the top square, corner to corner.
  • Pin together.

Sew a 1/4 inch seam on each side of each diagonal line. If you don’t have a quarter-inch presser foot, mark the lines before sewing.

Press the square.

To separate the square into eight units you will be making four cuts: a vertical, a horizontal, and two diagonal.

Vertical: Use the center diamond shape created by the seams, the original marked lines, the lines on the mat, and the sides of the shape itself to guide you as you line up your ruler. With the rotary cutter, slice through both layers of the sewn square at its vertical midpoint.

Horizontal: Use the same technique to cut your halved square into quarters.
Diagonals: Finally, cut each of the remaining sections apart on the original drawn diagonal lines.

Press each unit open, pressing to the dark. If needed, trim to 2.5 inch square.

To watch a video tutorial, go here: https://youtu.be/U859quQeXW0

Elisabeth McMahon

DECEMBER PROGRAM

This year has looked very different for the Quilt Guild and December is no exception. For our December meeting we will have a box meal from Eddlemon’s Barbecue. If you wish to participate in the dinner, we need to have your reservation no later than Tuesday, December 1st by 12 p.m. The meal will be brisket and sausage with potato salad, beans, pickles and onion as well as dessert. If you don’t want to eat the box meal, you may bring your own meal and let us know if you are coming. We will have tables set up and chairs spaced out so that we can maintain appropriate social distancing. We will not have a gift exchange this year due to COVID-19. However, we encourage everyone to donate to a charity with the funds that they would have spent on the gift exchange. We will share that information with one another the night of the meeting. Elisabeth is also the point person on the children’s coat drive. You may remember that a separate e-mail was sent out about the children’s coat drive. These coats should be new with the tags still on. Elisabeth will collect these at the December meeting and will arrange drop-off/pick-up if you are not coming to the December meeting. We will also be collecting non-perishable items and money for the Grand Prairie Food & Clothing Co-Op. We will have officer installations as well as other regular business. Hope to see you on December 7th!

Michelle Rodriguez

MINUTES

  • Quilter’s Guild of Grand Prairie Minutes of November 2, 2020 Meeting
  • The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by President Shirley Lewis. She shared her quilters quote of the month.
  • Remembrances: Debi asked prayers for John Stuckey who is a member of her church and suffering with COVID-19. Grace Norris’ daughter and son-in-law have both had COVID but are now recovered.
  • Birthdays: Janice Overton (11-23) and Ann Stevenson (11-26)
  • The minutes were approved as printed in the newsletter.
  • The treasurers report was approved as printed in the newsletter and will be filed for audit.
  • There were 9 members and no visitors present.
  • The newsletter deadline remains the 10th of the month.
  • BOM: We will be making 168 half-square triangles from our background and dark fabric. Elisabeth demonstrated the quick method of making half-square triangles but any method may be used.
  • Unfinished business: The nominating committee, Michelle, Jeri, Nichole, Barbara B. and Sue presented their slate of officers. The slate was approved by acclamation. The officers for 2021 are:
    • President – Debi Cypert
    • 1st Vice President, Programs – Shirley Lewis
    • 2nd Vice President, Workshops – Nichole Schmiedeskamp
    • Secretary – Michelle Rodriguez
    • Treasurer – Ann Stevenson.
  • There was no new business:
  • Show and Tell: Debi, Michelle, Elisabeth, Nichole, and Shirley
  • Our program was on different types of applique.
  • Our program next month will be a modified Christmas party. Since we did not get to have our annual birthday party, the attendees voted to have our meal catered from Eddlemon’s Bar-B-Que. We will have a two meat plate which will come prepared with brisket, sausage, beans, potato salad, and bread. We also voted to bring non-perishables for the GP Food and Clothing Co-op. Instead of exchanging gifts, we will bring something for a charitable organization. Elisabeth will find a worthy cause and we will be notified via e-mail.
  • Announcement: Debi brought quilting magazines for us to take if we would like to.

Sue Heard, Secretary

TREASURER’S REPORT

Beginning balance … $1657.33
Final balance … $1657.33

Ann Stevenson