January Newsletter and December Minutes

Tree City Quilters’ Guild

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: January 12, 2015, 7:00 pm

                                      Parkview Church of Christ

1912 Burbank Road

Wooster, OH 44691

 

JANUARY MEETING: Happy New Year!  

The January meeting will be a mix of activities; ideas for the year and a paper piecing demonstration.  Did you know that January is National Hot Tea Month?  By incorporating tea into your daily diet, you can boost your immune system, curb your appetite, and actually achieve your weight loss goals. That's why it is perfect that January is National Hot Tea Month.  You can check out all the types of tea and their benefits on many sites.  Here’s one to get you started: www.neontommy.com/news/2014/01/it%27s-national-hot-tea-month

 

REFRESHMENTS

Thank you to Pat Hall, Naomi Lance, and Sally Kitchen for providing us refreshments this month!  

 

QUILTER OF THE YEAR 2014

Congratulations to Kim Panter, voted Quilter of the Year!  We are proud of all the work Kim does to assist the guild.  Thanks to Mary Lou, Kim’s stunned expression has been captured for all to see: check out the TCQ page on Shutterfly to see pictures of the party!  

 

MEMBERSHIP

December attendance; 50 people were at the meeting, 2 guests and 48 members. 

Please welcome our newest members.  Don’t forget to add any new member emails to your computer when you receive your new membership booklets.  

 

HISTORY HUTCH

Who is the inventor of the sewing machine and in what year was this accomplished? 

Elias Howe; 1846

Contrary to popular belief, Howe was not the first to conceive of the idea of a sewing machine. Many other people had formulated the idea of such a machine before him, one as early as 1790, and some had even patented their designs and produced working machines, in one case at least 80 of them.^[3] However, Howe originated significant refinements to the design concepts of his predecessors, and on September 10, 1846, he was awarded the first United States patent (U.S. Patent 4,750) for a sewing machine using a lockstitch design. His machine contained the three essential features common to most modern machines:

• a needle with the eye at the point,
• a shuttle operating beneath the cloth to form the lock stitch, and
• an automatic feed.

WORKSHOPS

The "Ongoing Handwork" workshop will continue to meet the first Friday of each month in 2015, with a few exceptions.  In January, we'll meet on the 2nd Friday, Jan. 9th, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:50 at the church in the fireside room.  There will be no demo, but be ready to share about the types of handwork that you enjoy and why.  Guests are welcome.  Call Sally Kitchen if you have any questions.

 

TIPS AND TRICKS

Are you practicing FMQ?  (Free Motion Quilting)  While you are learning to keep a steady pace and movement, switching your machine to low speed may assist you.  Not all machines have this option but newer ones do….check for a switch near your on/off switch.  Low speed can be very frustrating when you are sewing seams but helpful when practicing steady movements in FMQ.  Check it out. 

 

Are you really ready for a new year of sewing?  Once you are cleaned up from your Christmas rush, choose one area of your sewing space and decide to organize it.  For example, your ironing/pressing area.  You should have supplies within reach of your ironing board such as a pressing cloth, spray starch, an applique press sheet, iron cleaner, scissors, a clean cover for your board, and water for your iron.  All these items (and probably a few more) should be accessible and near where you work with your iron.  What about your cutting area?  Templates, rotary cutters, scissors, pins, cutting matts, etc. should be close by.   Can you hang your templates and hangers?  Is your cutting table always being cluttered with other sewing or craft items?  Practice putting things away as you use them….and train your families to do the same.  Utilize the walls and ceiling to hang equipment.  I also use my cutting table to baste small items; I keep basting boards, adhesive spray, a very large cardboard box that folds flat (for hanging small items when using adhesive spray), and clips organized and close to that area.   My area of concentration is going to be my fabric shelves.  I need to sort by uncut yardage such as 1 yard, ½ yard, and fat quarters.  Then I need to organize my scraps into cuts and colors: I will add to my charm square cuts, 2 ½ inch strips, and smaller applique scraps.  I also have left over binding strips I need to decide what to do with….any suggestions? 

I find it so much easier to function in my sewing area when I can find stuff and not spend my time cleaning off a space and hunting for what I need.  This is the perfect time to get ready!  And, determine what your projects are going to be for the year.  If you need any supplies there are some great sales going on if you already know what you need.   Happy New Year of Sewing!!

 

KITCHEN KORNER

In 2004 (?) Tree City Guild members collected recipes and printed a cookbook.  This year’s recipes will be from that book.  Enjoy! 

Health Drink

¾ cup water

1 ½ cups strawberries

2 medium bananas

1 Tablespoon Honey

2 cups ice chips

Blend, puree, and enjoy!  

 

Creamy Lentil Soup  (Maxine Gehrman)

1 teaspoon oil

¾ cup onions, chopped 

1 Tbl. Ginger root; peeled and minced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

14 oz. canned stewed tomatoes

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup pink lentils, dried

3  13 ¾ oz cans chicken broth

¼ cup plus 3 TBL. nonfat yogurt

 

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Sauté onions, ginger and garlic.  Add cumin and curry.  Add lentils and chicken broth.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Stir occasionally.  Use an immersion blender to puree soup.  Ladle into bowls and top with yogurt.  

 

QUILT SERVICES

Quilting by the Mill, Sarah Bistline 10368 Old Mill Road, 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 top.  Batting is available.  Do you want to quilt your own top?  Ask me about renting time on the Gamill Premier.  

 

Handcrafted by JR, Jim Rawdon; 840 Harrison Avenue, Akron, Ohio 44314.  Long arm quilting, machine embroidery.  See my site on face book “Quilting by JR” Call 330-472-0473 or email hcraftrdbyjr@gmail.com

Spoke N Stitch, Kim Panter; 16780 Burkhart Road, Orrville, Ohio 44667.  I am willing to pick up and deliver in the Wayne/Holmes area. Phone number; 330-682-0711 (home) and 330-749-0474 (cell) I have my cell with me all the time. Please give me a call!

Tree City Quilters’ Guild; Officers 2015

President: Barb Byler  Vice President; Sally Kitchen

Secretary; Kim Panter    Treasurer; Dot Anderson

Members at Large; Jane Richardson and Tonya Wellert