March 2019 Newsletter

Get the latest newsletter on PDF by clicking the image above.
(If you don’t have Acrobat Reader installed, you can download it here.)

NEXT MEETING: MARCH 4, 2019

WHAT TO BRING TO THE MEETING:

• Name tag
• March B-O-M
• Show-and-Tell
• Door prizes for B

BIRTHDAYS

Sharon Schroeder … March 20

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

March already? How can that be?? March signifies the beginning of spring for me. Flowers are beginning to bloom and the weather isn’t so gloomy. Do you have a St. Patrick’s Day quilt to display this month?

It is time to think of spring quilts and quilt shows and all things bright and colorful. Spring energizes me and I’m anxious to use bright and cheery colors in the quilts I start this time of year. Take time to enjoy all the signs of spring and be creative. We always have time to sew, even if it’s only 10 minutes a day. That’s 70 minutes a week. Those minutes add up and we have a project completed sooner than we thought possible. Sometimes my 10 minutes is just before I go to bed, and sometimes that 10 minutes turns into 20 minutes. Sometimes we have to schedule the time, but that’s OK.

See you March 4.

Shirley Lewis

MARCH PROGRAM

In March we will have a short program and then we will have a Diaper Shower for Carrie Stanford. 

Carrie is expecting twin girls.  She’ll need lots of diapers and wipes (and lots of sizes of diapers). If you would prefer to bring something other than diapers, Carrie and Anthony have 2 small registries at Walmart and Amazon.  Or, anything for a baby girl will be appreciated.  We will also have cake and punch. 

See you on March 4th!

Michelle Rodriguez

MINUTES

• The meeting was called to order by President Shirley Lewis at 7:00 p.m..
• Minutes – Approved as printed in Newsletter.
• Treasurer Report – Jane Lamb – Approved as printed in Newsletter and filed for audit. Balance same as previous month – $1,608.12.
• Birthdays for February– Debi (3rd), Carol F. (7th), Jeri (10th), Janis H. (20th).
• Announcements and Remembrances – Carrie and Evelyn have advance tickets for the Dallas Quilt Show. Advance price is discounted from the price at the door. They will have them at the March meeting also.
• Publicity – Carol Franklin – Has been turned in to Grand Prairie Calendar for the year.
• TAQG – Katrina discussed the meeting that was in Mineola the end of January. Next meeting will be in March. New location is Mimosa Lane Baptist Church (same place where Rally Day is). TAQG meets in the odd numbered months. Workshop information for the Rally Day speaker is available on the TAQG website.
• Membership – Jeri Bush – 37 members including three new members, Gloria Wilhelm, Nicole Schmiedeskamp and Carol Miller.
• B-O-M – Elisabeth McMahon – In February, we are starting a six-month project with the blocks being made from strips. We will make two blocks each month but will not turn them in. At the end of the 6 months, we will have a small top or wall hanging. 11 people brought their blocks to show.
• Workshops – Debi Cypert – 5 people participated in the workshop this past Saturday to make the barn quilts. Next workshop to be determined.
• Stitch Group – Grace Norris – Next meeting will be February 28 at First Presbyterian Church. Meet 9 to 3 and would love to have everyone attend (10 people attended in January). Lunch is on your own.
• Door Prizes – Barbara Burnaugh – Winners were Stephanie, Shirley L., Lillie and Becky. Remember to check the Newsletter for your month to bring goodies to Barbara for the door prize bags.
• New Business – Rally Day Goody Bags and Door Prizes. Much discussion was had regarding this subject. Motion made and seconded to only participated in door prizes failed. Motion to participate in Rally Day Goody Bags and Door Prizes passed. Table discussion regarding what to do for goody bags until next month. Bring your ideas to discuss further.
• Show and Tell: Nancy S., Nicole, Eula, Janis H., Lauren, Nancy M., Christine, Carrie, Evelyn, Grace, Elisabeth, Shirley L., Patsy.
• Our program was our charity project. We made fleece blankets for the Arlington Cancer Center. The March meeting will be a brief program and then a baby shower for Carrie.
• The meeting adjourned.

Michelle Rodriguez for Sue Heard

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 (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 “quilter’s 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.

BLOCK OF THE MONTH

If you have any questions about these directions, please contact Elisabeth McMahon.

How to make the strips

For the next 6 months, we will be working on a 12-block sampler quilt (wall-hanging or baby quilt).

Each block starts as a strip set, and the cutting instructions are the same for each block.

You will need a total of twelve  2.5 inch strips for all of the blocks.

1. Choose four  2.5 inch strips. Cut each strip into half lengthwise (long ways). You will end up with eight 1.25 inch strips.
2. Make a strip set by sewing four different strips together, and repeat for the other set of four strips. Use a very scant .25 inch seam. Press the seams all one way. Use ONE strip this month, and set the other aside until next month.
3. Using the 45-degree line on your cutting mat or ruler, cut a series of right triangles for the entire strip.

   

4. Cut each triangle in half:

You now have enough triangles to create two blocks for this month.

NOTE: Don’t try to save time by just flipping your ruler back and forth to cut the small triangles without cutting the pyramids first. The colors won’t be in the right place to form your blocks.

MARCH’S BLOCK ARRANGEMENT

Here is the BotM for March. You should have 4 narrow strips left over from last month’s block (when you cut four 2.5 inch strips in half).

Repeat last month’s instructions of making a strip set, cutting pyramids, and then cutting triangles. Use those triangles to make this month’s block.

2 blocks times 6 months = 12 blocks for your 3×4 sampler. You will need additional yardage strips for setting, and an optional border.

Elisabeth McMahon

This quilt is based on a method found in a youtube video by Teresa DownUnder. View it at https://youtu.be/N7bEbIt9k1U

TREASURER’S REPORT

Beginning balance … $1,608.12
Expense (birthday fat quarters) … ($21.66)
Income … $160.00
Ending balance … $1,746.46

Jane Lamb