Quilt meetings, learning new tricks

Okay, I have a few minutes to chat about quilt meetings.  My appliqued wall hanging top is completed and I will be pinning it as soon as I track down some batting that is suitable for both machine and hand quilting.  More on that later.

This past Saturday was Girlfriend Friend Day AKA Friendship Quilter's guild meeting day.  Jane drove and Aline, Terri and I were along for the ride.  Just a good time for chatting and catching up with each other on the way over.   Since I had not shared any of the items I had prepared for all the blog hops I had participated in, I drug them along with me for show and tell.

How I wish we could spend a bit more time on show and tell as it is my favorite part next to the programs.  Technically, this is done BEFORE the business meeting but it just feels like we rush through the part. Ithink that is a shame, really, as this is one of the few times where you can talk about your project and get chance in the spotlight.  As guild secretary, I keep track of what is made, by whom and give it a name if someone hasn't when they talk about it to preserve guild history and then send a copy to the historian so she can use it for labeling the photos online.  I get so caught up with the note taking that I do not get to enjoy the piece near as much.  I do like that we have some great display areas now since we have our own quilt racks now.  The girls put them up before the meeting and take them down right after, got a system for doing this.

Shelia did the program/demo on how to make a houndstooth block.  You have to know that houndstooth is big down here as Paul "Bear" Bryant, former Alabama football coach 1958-1982, always wore his trademark houndstooth hat.   She accomplished her blocks by using a tube technique. ( I'll link to something I found that is similar in a second. )  Using this idea she came up with a diagonally pieced block like this

and then alternated with a plain block in between.  You had to watch how you turned the block as well as be mindful that the cutting method left you with a bias edge.  You laid what is normally two strip sets to make 4 patches atop each other but you sewed again on both of the outer edges.  If you are like me that made zero sense and you need pictures!!   Knowing how I told you this was constructed can you pick out the pieced sections versus the white and black solid pieces??   Pretty slick, huh?  You can see the pattern more easily if you step back a ways from it---or at least, I think so!  (Borrowing a picture from the historian here)

Okay, I did find a couple of videos on you tube---not for this block necessarily but to use the tube technique.  This is from Missouri Quilt Company for a quilt they called "Summer Winds" that used jelly roll strips.  The other from the same site  Tube Tutorial  resulted in a spool block by using a plain fabric for half of  tube and two strips.

So anyway, Shelia said that the big box store had their black and white fabrics marked down and Terri was in need for this for a family quilt project.  We stopped for a quick bite and then on to the store before heading home.

Then Tuesday rolled around and it was time for Bama Belles to meet.    Three of the gals (Donna, Valera and Bridget) had their machines set up to sew while I was using a slot in the strip plug to work on my applique project.  No pinning even though Lois did have a top but no helpers with the desire to drag that heavy table out and do the job.   She is recuperating from a recent procedure and could not help. (We'll do it at the next one, I promise).  Beverly had some hand work going while Lois looked at some of the material we have on the library cart while she is out of "active duty", LOL.   Marilyn and Jane were working on the quilts for Mexico project---Jane pressing and Marilyn cutting out some squares.  Janet was trying to get a backing together for a project she was taking to the long arm but had mis-cut at home.  She asked me to give her some advise and it helped to be able to spread this out on a couple of tables.  About half the group took off for Olive Garden for lunch but I opted out because I had some of that cuisine in my menu plan at home.  Next thing I knew it was 2 p.m. and I grabbed something on the way home.

A little hint of the flower hop applique project.  I got the remainder of the borders on it yesterday.  I had shared a preview of what I am making with my blogging friend at A Left Handed Quilter last week before it had the borders on it.  I shared what the pattern jacket should look like as well-----I think.  Anyway I had said that I was not crazy about piecing narrow borders like this.  Normally I would just put a folded flap of color there and this time with the borders being so narrow I was going to have to suck it up and stitch it in and was NOT looking forward to it.

LHQ had a suggestion though.  She had made the Harmonic Convergence quilt from Ricky Tims which has a narrow border but you flipped the thing over and lined the left edge of the presser foot against the previous seam line as a guide and then set the seam allowance accordingly trying to maintain and equal distance.  Try it and see, she said.   UHHHH visual learner here.  I went googling, looking for a video or clarification anyway.

I found THIS when I searched for narrow borders----from Ricky's book which I no longer own.  I didn't finish my version of his quilt (yet!)  but figured I no longer needed it when all I have to do is borders and sold it on amazon.   I also found something on quilting boards that had good step by step graphics for this very thing.  TRY THIS and scroll down to the #6 post.  The writer going by the screen name of "ghostrider" attributes this to Joen Wolfrom.

I DID try this last night and it worked, wonderfully.  The green strip finishes at a hair below a half inch and  looks very even all around.   I DID have to square up the last border a hair afterwards.  I think they even said  that your "goal is perfect seam to seam distance, not a perfect seam allowance" on the right handed side.

Also one other thing from this morning---those microwave fabric bowls were something a few of the gals were making at sew-in earlier in the month.  Erika was using a pattern she had gotten from Quilters Cottage in Garden City, SC which they called a "soup bowl koozie."  Possibly from a shop hop or something as I do not see a free pattern tab on their website.  Someone in a facebook group I belong to asked about them this morning.  Others suggested another site for a pattern for sale.  Once again, google and quilting board to the rescue.  Good tutorial there and apparently these have been around for several years if you see the date this was posted.   TRY THIS.    (Image borrowed from the guild sew-in pics.)  Also by varying the size of the cut squares she suggests that these could accommodate round casserole dishes and larger bowls  With holiday gift giving coming up it might be something you will want to try for that???

That's all for now-----still not dressed and I had hoped to run a quick errand before lunch.  At this late stage of the game it might not happen, LOL.