Mark your calendar so you won’t miss our Annual Quilt Show on Saturday, October 7, 10:00-3:00 PM, Gus Canty Community Center, 790 Main Street, Falmouth, MA.
Last year’s event was a huge success and we are expecting more of the same. There will be quilt displays, a boutique table of member-made items all priced to sell, and tickets available for a chance to win our 2023 Raffle Quilt – Seaside Chandelier. A portion of this year’s quilt proceeds will go to the Animal Rescue League in Brewster in addition to supporting our other charitable donations throughout the year.
The quilt measures 85″ x 96″. It features the Tilda line in Cotton Beach and Chambray Basics on a background of Kona Snow with a border of Mint Grunge by Basic Grey. The backing is Parson Gray EMPIRE Tradewind in Sandstone. The machine quilting was done by Marjetta Gladding of Marstons Mills.
Where to Get Raffle Tickets
Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.00 and are available through our Guild members and will also be available at the Quilt Show. Other opportunities to purchase tickets, as they become available, will be listed here.
Coonamessett Farm’s May Day Weekend, 277 Hatchville Road, E. Falmouth, 10-3:00 PM. on Sunday, May 7. Come see the quilt and while you’re at the Farm, peruse the rest of the amazing artisans and enjoy some great food!! https://www.coonamessettfarm.com/
QuiltCorner Studio, 6 Merchants Road, Sandwich – June 1 -24, Wed. – Saturday, 10-4:00 PM. The quilt will be on display and tickets will be available at the store. https://quiltcornerstudio.com/
Falmouth Art Market, Falmouth Marina Park, 180 Scranton Avenue, Falmouth from Noon-2:00 PM on June 27, July 25, and August 22 with the quilt on display and tickets will be available. https://falmouthartmarket.com/
Crazy Quilters of Cape Cod Annual Quilt Show, Saturday, October 7, 10-3:00 PM, Gus Canty Community Center, 790 Main Street, Falmouth.
Some scraps, a couple of glue sticks and a sweatshirt were all you needed for this class generously offered by guild member, Holly S! Holly has made several of these jackets and not only did she offer her color selection and quilting techniques but she made suggestions for how you could “tailor” your sweatshirt to fit. I use the word suggestions strongly because Holly’s mantra is basically, “It’s your project and you do you!” She enjoys the process of “making” so the end product is not always what matters most to her.
Holly was taught this technique by another member, Lynn D., who now lives out of state. I did find there was a company that produced a pattern for this jacket, Back Porch Press, but they have either discontinued the pattern and/or gone out of business but, you can still find it in some Etsy shops. There are other variations of the sweatshirt jacket that involve covering the entire jacket with quilts blocks, etc. but this design seems to be the easiest to start with.
The process begins with cutting strips of fabric 2.5” and 3.5” wide, then cutting them into varying lengths from 1-1/2” to 4”. Next, trim off the arm and bottom cuffs, cut along the sides of the sweatshirt and up along the underside of the sleeves to open up the entire sweatshirt then let the fun begin by gluing on your fabrics. It can be done randomly or as one example Holly showed, if you want to get fancy you can place fabrics darks to lights from bottom to top for an ombre affect. The possibilities are wide ranging. When your entire sweatshirt is covered with strips you take it to your machine and stitch down the blocks.
As you can see, any color way can work. You just need to keep in mind your sweatshirt color will create the “tile grout” so you’ll want something that will make your fabric the star. I’m hoping we’ll see some of these on display at our Quilt Show in October!!
Until next time, keep your bobbin full and your rotary cutter sharp!
We certainly had an abundance of quilts, projects, and information to share this month. Members have been very busy keeping their machines humming!
President Lori Crawley Announces a Challenge Quilt. Interested members should take inspiration from a card, postcard, merchant’s gift card, etc. and use that inspiration to create a quilted wall hanging. It should be no larger than 18″ x 24″. This will be an “anonymous” entry process so don’t share or show your project to anyone. Hold onto the inspiration card. Projects are to be turned in at the September meeting in a concealed bag, along with its inspiration card, for display at our October Quilt Show and show attendees will vote on their favorite.
Block of the Month – Florence S. shared the block of the month – a variation on the Ohio Star. The secondary patterns should be interesting when put together in a quilt!
Quilts of Valor – Polly P. had suggested the idea of creating one or two Quilts of Valor to have on display and possibly present to local veterans at our quilt show. A small group has been in touch with the Massachusetts coordinator for QOV and they are working to set the process in motion.
Show & Tell
First up, President Lori, who’s never shy taking a picture, showed us this beautiful pocketbook she made. Lori’s daughter Kellie, has been going gang busters making all types of handbags, totes, etc. using many of the Sallie Tomato patterns and materials. She now has Mom hooked. There are classes offered and a selection of supplies at Cape Cod Quilts in W. Dennis. Second we have another comfort quilt made by Carol S. from strips that were leftover blocks from a past sew-a-thon. Next, the Nancys R & D, showed their embroidery skills learned in an online Bernina class, where they made a pillow and a zip pouch. They are both determined to get the most out of their machines, although Nancy D. said she’d never do projects like these again! Second Row: Nancy R. shared a Quilt of Valor she made along with a queen size log cabin and there’s Lori photobombing! LOL Nancy D. brought in a blue, purple, and green log cabin variation that was actually made using only one striped print fabric. Amazing! The pattern was from Jordan Fabrics called “Cutting Corners“. She had 6 yards of the fabric and had enough to make an additional comfort quilt. Third Row: Susan D. made the sweet animal quilt for a baby shower from the Love Is line designed by Hannah Dale for Maywood Studio and had enough critters left over to make a coordinating stroller quilt. And the final S&T project was made by Suzanne S. She said this was the first quilt she’s had quilted by a long armer and it’s a beauty!
Lots of UFO projects are still being produced. Susan B. completed her “Chicken Coop Quilt”, the result of a chicken block swap a couple of years ago. That small square checkerboard border just sets it off! Ruth W. completed the repair of another vintage find, the tan and red quilt. There were a couple of tears that Ruth mended so well, neither she or Lori could find them. Lorraine H. finished up a “heartwarming” quilt created with blocks from a swap she participated in with another group a few years ago. She also created put together a colorful “orphan patchwork” quilt. Suzanne S. showed off blocks she’s finished up for a reversible quilt – birds on one side, birdhouses on the other. She’s a self proclaimed overachiever. Ann G. checked another UFO off her list and showed us a set of nesting pouches she made. Nancy R. put together a lovely jewel tone log cabin variation and donated it as a comfort quilt and a fun snowball quilt was the result of charm packs Nancy D. brought back from a trip to Sedona and challenged her friends to make something with them. Nancy D. put together a zip pouch using another pattern she had in her stash that she had picked up on a trip to Canada. She also assembled some potholders from another pattern (kit?) and you can watch for those on our Boutique Table at the Quilt Show on October 7! I bet everyone is feeling very accomplished!!
The main event at our May meeting was a visit from Christine Meyers. Christine is the owner of the newest quilt shop on Cape Cod, QuiltCorner Studio in Sandwich.
Christine talked about how she decided to take a beginner quilting class when her daughter was a baby. That was a little over 20 years ago and as the saying goes, the rest is history! She knew nothing about quilting but was hooked from the start. She was living in Natick at the time but the family moved to Hopkington where she joined the Marathon Quilters Guild. Around 2002 she offered to become president of the guild. She worked in a local quilt shop, got her first long arm machine in 2005, was handed a DVD for instruction, and off she went.
Christine was working full time while doing machine quilting on the side but when Covid hit, she found it very convenient to be able to work from home and fit in her machine quilting. When she first opened the shop, it could only be open a limited number of days per week because she was still working full time and only had a couple of part time assistants. Christine recently retired from her corporate job and is now giving full attention to the shop and is expanding her hours of operation.
Unfortunately, I was so intrigued with her story that I totally forgot to take photos of all the kits and products she brought with her but I did grab a few shots from a recent Facebook live she did where she gave a tour of the shop. The shop has been described as very “girly”. It is bright, modern, and full of beautiful fabrics and ideas.
The shop offers classes, lots of kits, and has a special location to offer retreats. She also carries the Eversewn line of sewing machines. Christine said she really enjoys putting together kits and one of her favorites is the 3-Yard Quilt kits that go along with Donna Robertson’s books of the same name.
Many thanks to Christine for coming by. Be sure to visit her shop, QuiltCorner Studio, 6 Merchants Road, Sandwich!
Until next time, keep your bobbin full and your rotary cutter sharp!
The Falmouth Art Center has a new show in the Landrau-Partan Gallery during the month of May called Fiber Fusion. It features works by Christine Anderson, Carol Flax, Lisa Horton, Toni Newhall, and our very own Lorraine Haynes. The photo above shows a few of Lorraine’s quilts and even though the framed pieces by Carol Flax may look like photographs, they actually snips of reclaimed paper. (click on photos to enlarge)
The works on the left feature Christine Anderson and Lisa Horton. The fabric and yarn portrait features Toni Newhall.
More of Lorraine’s quilts and the framed piece is by Carol Flax.
If you have a moment and are downtown, stop by the Falmouth Art Center, 137 Gifford Street, Falmouth, Monday-Friday, 9-4, Saturday, 10-2, or Sunday 1-4 and take a closer look at these and the other exhibits on display. There is no charge for admission.
Until next time, keep your bobbin full and your rotary cutter sharp!
Our monthly meeting reflected the range of talents of our membership. From UFO projects, to Show & Tells, to demonstrations; the pool of knowledge is always fascinating.
UFO Projects
Many of the UFO participants were not able to attend this month’s meeting but the two that did were very impressive.
Susan B. showed us her GE Designs (Gundrun Erla) Nikki quilt. Gundrun is one of Susan’s favorite designers. In fact, she enjoys her work so much that she is planning to become a certified instructor when the course becomes available. I’m sure she’ll have a full schedule of teaching engagements!
Ruth W. dazzled us with the “bird blocks” she discovered during one of her hunts for old and unloved textiles. Since the original bird blocks were set on point, she has been developing a pattern where she can continue that idea and bring them to life. Even the triangle ends will be pieced!
Comfort Quilts
The Guild hands out dozens of comfort quilts each year to organizations that distribute them to community members or areas in need. Guild members make and donate the quilts on a regular basis all year for this purpose.
This quilt was made by Deborah W. I believe the fabric came from donations from our Sew-a-thon earlier this year and Deborah put it together and quilted it.
Carol S. completed these two delightful quilts even while her hand was in a cast. That’s dedication!!
Show & Tell
During Show & Tell we were treated to more terrific work by members and another guild.
Penny B. and Denise M. shared the raffle quilt for one of the other Cape guilds they belong to, Holly Berry Quilter’s Guild. It’s called Stars Over Cape Cod. You can watch for them out and about selling raffle tickets.
Susan B. presented another GE Designs pattern Fool Proof Geese, although the bunnies were something she added.
Joanne K. made this fun wine bottle table runner. She liked it so much, she’s making another one. She stated the slow, long curves were very easy to sew and they fit right into each other.
Demonstrations
After some general business information we went straight into demonstrations lead by our guild members.
Ruth showed how to take a standard machine apart for cleaning and all the best tools needed to get the job done. She mentioned her father was a sewing machine salesman and remembers watching him taking apart machines on their kitchen table. Obviously, it rubbed off. So many times a poorly functioning machine just needs a good cleaning and a new needle.
Sue McK. shared how to make this cute and easy peasy little catch all basket out of two 9″ squares of fabric and a 9″ square of Thermore® batting. Using two different fabrics makes them reversible. A few days after Sue’s demonstration, I saw smaller ones used as pint ice cream cozies and of course you can make them larger for soup bowls or even bread baskets for your table. They’re easy enough to toss in the wash!
Again, demonstrating her favorite designer and technique, Susan B. showed how easy it is to accomplish the quilt as you go technique using several different products. What’s better than having your quilt almost completely finished once you sew all your blocks together!
Having so many talented members in our group is very handy and thank you to the Planning Committee, Susan B., Lori C. and Sue McK. for tapping into the talent!
Until next time, keep your bobbin full and your rotary cutter sharp!
As you may know, March was National Crafting Month and the third Saturday in March, which was March 18 this year, is designated as National Quilting Day. The Quilt Alliance, in conjunction with the National Quilt Museum, listed a variety of things that could do to mark the day.
One of the suggestions was to give a quilt to the first baby born in your town on March 18. With privacy issues as they are and our local hospital shutting down it’s maternity ward, we reached out to Cape Cod Hospital that houses the maternity wing. They were very happy to participate in our goal.
In the early hours of March 18 a baby boy came into the world. We received this lovely note of thanks.
Thank you to Sue McK. for making this lovely quilt and to Lori C. for putting together the package and delivering it to the hospital. We plan to make this an annual event.
Unfortunately, Covid finally caught up to me so I was unable to attend our March meeting so there aren’t any photos. I did participate via Zoom but we were having some technical difficulties and those at home couldn’t see those at the meeting.
I was sadden by this because the point of the meeting was to get to know and/or reintroduce ourselves to each other, as we’ve had so many new members join since our October Open House. Putting a name to face has been difficult to say the least. I did learn some interesting facts about our membership such as how many members have lived in several different parts of the country and even the world. We have members with military experience, either by serving themselves or due to a family member in the service. Members have worked as engineers and teachers. Some have just started sewing in recent years and some have decades of experience. It just goes to show that there’s no set criteria to enjoy quilting. You can start any time and quilters come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Until next time, keep your bobbin full and your rotary cutter sharp!
Crazy Quilters of Cape Cod 