April Newsletter

Tree City Quilters

The purpose of this organization shall be to create, stimulate, and maintain an interest in all matters pertaining to the making of quilts and to establish and promote educational endeavors through quilts.

Meeting: April 12, 2010 7:00 PM

Parkview Christian Church

1912 Burbank Road

APRIL MEETING: Thread Embellishing, Whole Cloth Thread Art

Mary Lou Nuzum will be presenting our program this month. Her programs are always very well organized, full of information and inspiring! Come join the fun!

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
Go shopping and look around the store carefully at all the beautiful fabrics and new patterns. Then, think about all that you have wasting away in your stash…..if you are like me, you want to sew with some of the beautiful patterns and fabrics that are in the stores NOW. That is incentive enough for me not to be a stash quilter but to give myself the gift of shopping and using the best and brightest each time I want to sew.

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. One person is still needed for the 10- 1:30 shift on Friday and one person for the 1:30 – 5 shift. If you are interested in helping, please contact Laura Nolletti.

TOOL TIME
Have you seen or heard about a product called “Texture Magic”? It is manufactured by Superior Threads and I purchased a package at Polka Dot Pincushion, a store on rt 303 and 21. The stuff looks and feels like tricot (what slips are made from) but is just a bit stiffer.

To use this product, you cut a piece the same size as your fabric, sew the two together using a grid system of your choice. Once it is sewn, place the fabric side down on your ironing board and steam the Texture Magic…never allowing the iron to touch it. Wow! The stuff shrinks before your eyes and scrunches up the fabric. It is amazing! I used it to make a purse and it is so darling! Not sure if JoAnn’s carries it, but keep looking for it. It makes a great accent to small projects. A piece 47” X 18” was $12.00 so a bit expensive to use in a large project.

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. Do you have your raffle tickets and photo of the quilt yet? Contact Mabel Stocker
TRIPS
Friday, April 9: Amish Country Quilt Show – Dalton/Buckeye Event Center

Friday, June 18: NQA Quilt Show – Columbus Hall C, Greater Columbus Convention Center

WORKSHOPS
Cotton Theory with Lou Ella Imhoff: Friday, April 23, 9:30 – 3:00 pm. Lou Ella will have instructions ready at the April meeting.

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

PARMESAN ASPARAGUS ORZO
In saucepan combine 1 can chicken broth, 1 c. uncooked Orzo pasta, and 1/3 cup water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 7 min. Stir in 1 lb. fresh asparagus chopped in 1” pieces.


Cook 5-8 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese and serve.


ORANGE ASPARAGUS CHICKEN
1 T olive oil
2 T minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ¼ cups orange juice
12oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 lb asparagus, chopped into 1” pieces
1 smalll can Mandarin oranges , drained
6 cups cooked brown rice


Heat oil in large skillet and sauté garlic, onion, asparagus and chicken for 5 min, or until lightly browned. Stir in orange juice and simmer for 10 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and cook for 2-3 minutes. Gently stir in the oranges and rice and heat through (about 5 more minutes).


STRAWBERRY SLAW (an old favorite!!)
3 cups bagged slaw mix
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 green onions, minced
1/3 cup poppyseed dressing


Toss together gently. Chill until ready to serve.

TIP OF THE MONTH
To perfectly match seam intersections, try using fork pins. These super-sharp pins have two “legs” which can be put on either side of the seam line.

If you sew exactly on the ¼ inch line, some of the fabric is used in the fold of the seam and the block will shrink, especially if there are many seams. So let “scant” be your friend.

SHOP HOP
A Baker’s Dozen Sweet Treats Shop Hop: April 24 – May 8. 13 shops/13 days/13 quilt blocks/13 recipes!! Visit www.quiltersfling.com for a listing of the shops involved.

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