March 2024 Newsletter

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NEXT MEETING: MARCH 4, 2024

WHAT TO BRING TO THE MEETING

• Name tag
• Show-and-tell
• March 2024 Sew Along Blocks

BIRTHDAYS

• No March birthdays

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Chinese New Year began February 10 and celebrates the year of the Wood Dragon. In Chinese astrology, dragons are confident, intelligent, and enthusiastic – great qualities to take into your quilting this year.

The year 2024 also begins a 20-year reign under the ninth flying star. Astrologer Helen Chow says the number nine star represents feminine energy – so ladies are going to take over in a lot of areas! It also represents innovation, technology, art and design as well as spirituality. You’re in control of your creative choices, so meet them with confidence and enthusiasm in your color choices, patterns, and techniques.

Elisabeth McMahon

MARCH PROGRAM

March is just around the corner and another program! This month we will look at fabric origami- that is the art of fabric folding. This will be a hands-on demo so please bring needle and thread along with scissors. I will provide everything else. Look forward to seeing you in March. Spring is just around the corner.

Deborah Cypert

WORKSHOPS

Our first workshop will be held Saturday, March 16th, at The Woods UMC, 1350 W. Bardin Road, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We will be making pillowcases to donate to Isaiah 117 House. You will need to bring your fabric, sewing machine, and sewing kit. There will be cutting mats set up and ironing stations. Lunch will be bring your own, or, there are several places close by where you can get something. We do have access to a refrigerator should you need it.

I will have instructions available if you need them. You will need 2 1-yard pieces of coordinating fabric, plus a 3 to 5-inch X WOF strip of accent fabric if you want to do a flange. This will make 2 pillowcases. When choosing your fabric, novelty prints are wonderful for young children. But, please consider that the children who pass through Isaiah 117 House range in age from infant to 18 years of age and are male and female.

If you aren’t familiar with these pillowcases and would like to see a demonstration for making them, there are two excellent tutorials on YouTube. One is by Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Co., and the other is by Quilt Addicts Anonymous. Their techniques are a little different, but basically the same.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.

Sue Heard

2024 SEW-A-LONG

Our 2024 Sew Along started in January and will consist of 11 blocks and finishing instructions. All the blocks are some type of star block. The size of the finished quilt top is approximately 72” x 84”. For reference, our 2023 sew-along quilt was approximately 70” x 70”. Fabric requirements are generous but are a little tricky since each month’s block(s) has the fabric requirements. An example would be: 1/4 yard of background fabric plus 3 other fabrics – 2 fat quarters and 1 fat eighth. The total background fabric requirement for the entire quilt is approximately 5 yards – if using the same background fabric throughout the quilt. Because the finishing instructions include background fabric, the pattern designer suggests using the same background for the entire project. For the remainder of the quilt, I think approximately 20 -25 fat quarters will give you a nice variety. If you prefer to use yardage, I would recommend a total of 5 – 7 yards of fabric with at least 3 – 5 different fabrics. Some blocks have 4 or 5 fabrics, but if you are using only 3 or 4 fabrics plus the background, you could have your center be the same as another fabric in your block. This quilt could be made using your stash as well.
Instructions were e-mailed after the Guild meeting. If you are participating, bring the next blocks to the March meeting.

Michelle Rodriguez

MINUTES

• Meeting called to order by Elisabeth at 7 p.m. on February 5, 2024.
• Minutes from the January meeting were approved as printed in the newsletter.
• Treasurer’s report — Balance $853.18 – was filed for audit.
• Announcements: Free items available at the front; Fabrics 4 You in Seagoville is having a moving sale; don’t open any emails from Elisabeth that say she’s needing gift cards – they are spam.
• Birthdays: Molly, Debi, Carol F., Diane
• Membership: 20 members and one visitor in attendance. A draft of the membership list is available tonight for everyone to check their info.
• Stitch Group — Next meeting will be Thursday, February 22nd.
• Sew Along 2024 — Michelle brought the block for March and several people showed their February blocks. The pattern will be sent after the meeting.
• Workshops: Sue discussed that we would have our first workshop of the year on Saturday, March 16th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Woods United Methodist Church. We will be making pillowcases to donate to Isaiah 117 House. A sign-up sheet is available tonight.
• Show and Tell — Elisabeth and Cathy.
• Old business: The audit committee to audit the treasurer’s books for 2023 will meet right after the meeting tonight.
• Debi’s program was crazy quilts. Next month’s program will be on folded flowers.
• Meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.

Michelle Rodriguez

TREASURER’S REPORT

Beginning Balance … 578.18
Deposits (Jan./Feb. Dues) … 320.00
Ending Balance … 898.18

Grace Norris

REMINDERS

• Be sure to wear a name tag at our meetings. If you don’t wear a name tag, you will be charged 50 cents each time.
• Articles for the newsletter are due by the 10th of the month. Any articles not received by the 10th of the month may or may not get published in that month’s newsletter.
• The newsletter is published monthly usually within 10 days of the meeting date (the first Monday of each month). You will receive an e-mail with a link to the website. (qgogp.wordpress.com).
• All previous newsletters are archived on our website. You may also go to our Facebook page. Our newsletter link is posted there monthly. If, at any time, you cannot find your newsletter or have deleted the e-mail with the link, you could do an internet search for “quilters guild of grand prairie” to find our website.
• If you have a question about a program, a workshop, or the block of the month, be sure to contact the person(s) in charge of whatever you have a question about. The names, phone numbers, and e-mails are all listed in the newsletter.
• Please silence your cell phone during our meetings.