March Newsletter

Meeting: March 8, 2010 7:00 PM
Parkview Christian Church
1912 Burbank Road

MARCH MEETING: Cathedral Windows with Lou Ella Imhoff
Here is what you need to bring with you: 4-6 9 inch squares in plain colors. For each 9 inch square, a 2 ½ print square. Plus, you will need thread, needle, and scissors.

If you have made this pattern in the past, please bring it with you to show the rest of the guild members.

In case of bad weather, please check your email to see if we will be canceling the meeting.

TCQ WEBSITE! http://treecityquiltguild.blogspot.com/
Check it out! This year’s mystery quilt can be found on the website. If there are any suggestions regarding what to post, please see Laura and Mary Lou.

STASH TIP of the MONTH
Make a promise to yourself. Every project you begin this year will have at least 1 fabric from your stash, even if it is for the back. Or, if not every project you begin; 2 out of 3. Then, stick to your guns!

AMISH COUNTRY QUILT SHOW
Mark your calendars for April 8, 9, & 10. The show is being held at the Buckeye Event Center in Dalton. We will have a space at the show to display our raffle quilt and sell tickets and also promote our guild. We need volunteers to be there from 10 - 5 (we could split this into 2 shifts) each day. If you are interested in helping, please contact Laura Nolletti.


TOOL TIME
The fabric basting spray I discussed last month work well. At least, I think it will be fine for small and medium projects. I would not use it for bed-size quilts. It did not hold the layers as tight as I am used to with other methods but the projects were small enough that I could re-adjust as I quilted. It is a method that will allow me to complete about 5 wall-hanging size quilts left on my UFO list from last year. That in itself delights me…and no sore fingers and knees from pin basting!

The “tool” I tried this month was my brain…and the instruction booklet! I am quilting with metallic thread (something new to me). After a few attempts and many broken threads, I finally took out my notes and instruction booklet from a machine quilting class to review. Wow! I loosened the thread tension, used a larger eye needle and what a difference!


TCQ 2010 QUILT SHOW: “Rainbow of Quilts”
Ida Sue School
Friday, August 13: 10am – 7pm
Saturday, August 14: 10am – 4pm
$3.00 admission fee

Sally Kitchen is our chair woman this year. Please give her your support and assistance. Mabel Stocker will have the tickets for the raffle quilt ready at the March meeting.

TRIPS
Friday, March 26: Original Sewing & Quilt Expo – Cleveland IX Center
Friday, April 9: Amish Country Quilt Show – Dalton/Buckeye Event Center
Friday, June 18: NQA Quilt Show – Columbus Hall C, Greater Columbus Convention Center
Sewing Rooms: The Trip and Workshop Committee would like to plan a field trip to members’ sewing/quilting room/space. Date and time to be determine. If you would be interested in showing us your special place to create, please call Nancy Danby at 330.345.5210 or e/mail: ndanby@sssnet.com. What a great incentive to organize that space!


WORKSHOPS
“Sally’s Jacket” Instructor: Jane Richardson. Cost of Pattern $10. This is a 2-day project. Not your usual jacket but oh, so sharp!
2nd class; Friday, March 19; Finishing the jacket


Cotton Theory with Lou Ella Imhoff: Friday, April 23


1 MILLION PILLOWCASE CHALLENGE
American Patchwork & Quilting has published a challenge to all quilters. ConKerr Cancer is a nonprofit organization that aims to make children’s hospital stays more pleasant. It’s pillowcase project, A Case for Smiles, was begun in 2006 and volunteers have made more than 140,000 pillowcases for children in hospitals and pediatric hospices in North America and South Africa. YOU can be a part of this challenge! Visit their homepage: allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases.


KITCHEN KORNER
ANGEL SHRIMP
2 lbs (17-21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive oil, sea salt and pepper
1lb angel hair pasta
½ stick real butter
2-3 cloves fresh garlic
1 bunch fresh parsley
2 lemons
½ cup crumbled Feta cheese


In skillet over med-high heat, sauté minced garlic in butter until it just begins to turn golden around the edges. Turn off heat and let sit. Toss shrimp with 1T olive oil and salt + pepper to taste. Spread on baking sheet and roast 6-8 min, until pink and cooked through.


Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling water, drizzle olive oil and plenty of salt. Add angel hair pasta and cook al-dente (about 3 min). Drain, reserving a bit of the cooking liquid. Toss cooked pasta w. melted butter and garlic. Zest the lemons over the pasta, then squeeze the juice over and toss well. Add ½ cup cooking liquid, chopped parsley and cooked shrimp. Toss and top with crumbled Feta. Serve immediately.


….and a much-loved sweet treat from my childhood: MY MOM’S FUDGE PUDDING


Mix:
3/4 C sugar
1 C flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3T cocoa
Add:
½ C milk
2 T melted butter
2 tsp vanilla
Grease 2qt casserole and pour in batter. Sprinkle ½ cup chopped nuts over top.
Mix:
½ C sugar
¼ C brown sugar
4 tsp cocoa
1 tsp cornstarch.
Sprinkle over the nuts. Pour 1 cup boiling water over all. Bake 40-50 min in 350* oven. Serve with whipped cream and love. Ahhhhhhh.


TIP OF THE MONTH
How are you doing with any “resolutions” or changes you wanted to make this year? the tip this month is to give yourself a few minutes to review the changes you wanted to make. How is your progress? Did you clean out your sewing room? Organize a corner? Don’t beat yourself up, just renew your commitment. If your schedule has been too tight can you divide your project into parts and assign those parts to each month, or week? The most important thing is to keep trying!


* Buy the best quality sewing notions that you can afford. Thin, glass-head pins (rather than the ones sold as “quilters” pins), sharp sewing machine needles and hand-sewing needles, high-quality thread, and a new rotary-cutter blade will prevent frustration.


NEEDLEWORK/ QUILT SHOWS
Lake Farmpark in Kirtland, Ohio; February 12 – March 24. Admission is $6 ($5 ages 60 and older. Check out their website: lakemetroparks.com for more information.


***NEWS FLASH This just in! Sarah Bistline wins FIRST PLACE ribbon at Lake Farmpark Quilt Show! Congratulations, Sarah! The show is absolutely beautiful…..the best of show quilt is spectacular….took 9 years to complete and is an original design. WELL WORTH THE TRIP. (how ever, I would wait for better weather, unlike me…I did it in blizzard conditions! Oh Well!)


Stow Needlework Show; March 24 – 28. Free admission. It is located at 3512 Darrow Road, Stow, OH 44224. A contact number is 330-688-3295 and website is 222.smfpl.org. Check it out!


QUILT SERVICES
Quilting by the Mill, Sarah Bistline, 10368 Old Mill RD, Spencer, Ohio 44275, 330-667-2257 or 330-606-6609, www.quiltingbythemill.com. You need to have your backing 4" longer and wider than your quilt top. Batting available. Do you want to quilt your own quilt top? Ask me about renting time on the Gamill premier.


Tree City Quilters Guild Officers 2010
President: Laura Noletti
Vice President: Mabel Stocker
Secretary: Jane Richardson
Treasurer: Bonnie Krueger
Members at Large: Jolene Rehm and Danette Ferriman
Newsletter: Barbara Byler: Baquilter33@aol.com