March: mystery Blocks of the Month

We had a great time and there were enough electrical outlets for everyone.

Show & Tell

Jean S made a new purse that will be ideal for sporting event and concert attendance.  It's a Sallie Tomato pattern called "Stadium Bag" and made from clear vinyl.  The website has a video too.

 

Lydia made this bag using splash fabric (laminated cotton).  It was a free pattern and is perfect for her niece's wet swimsuit.

This is the bag rolled up to contain the wet garment for travel.

Lydia is getting her first grandchild.  This minky-backed crib quilt is for the baby's trip home.

Sandra O's "Legends of the Northwest" is now quilted (by Leslie) and is almost ready for the QA show.

Mystery BOMS

Patti's BOM is an umbrella. Here is her version:

Here are some that were made at the meeting.

Sandra P's BOM is called "5 Patch",  Here is her version.

Sandra made a math error in the 9-patch instructions.  As written, the block finishes at 12.5".  There are three ways to fix it, depending on whether you've started it, have, or haven't finished it.

1. If you haven't started it, disregard the sizes given for the 9-patch pieces.  For a 12" block, each little square actually finishes at 1 1/3" each.  Hence, you could make this 9-patch by foundation piecing and not have to measure that odd size.

2. If you've finished the 9-patches but not sewn them to the other pieces, you could reduce the size of all 5 of the blocks that are NOT 9-patches by 1/2".

3. If you've finished the entire block, you can reduce the size of the sashing by 1/4" on all 4 sides.

Here are some that were made at the meeting.

 NEXT MONTH

Cork buckets.  The guild will provide the cork lining.  We need to bring our sewing machines and any fabric we want to use to form the outside of the bucket (see the January meeting post for a picture of Sandra O's bucket).

February, a skill meeting

We all had fun at this project meeting that was well attended.

Show & Tell

Sandra O started this quilt in 2017 and abandoned it shortly after.  It’s Roxanne Carter's  “Delectable Mountains” pattern.  She finished the top at two retreats last year.   Leslie quilted it.  Now she’ll finish it for the QA show next month. 

Ruth made these fast and easy zippered bags for kids, or for cosmetics, or anything else.  They work especially well for Wonder Clips.

Justine made this Illusion quilt from donated fabric.

Justine also made this quilt using small squares of Hawaiian fabric that she found in a bag of flannel she won in the Auffle.

Jean S made this apron from the plasticized fabric that’s used for outdoor projects (e.g., picnic tablecloths).  It has several pockets and it’s her favorite.

Program: Zipper pulls

Supplies

• Wooden spools, with or without thread
• Scrap fabric that’s wide enough and long enough to cover the spool’s thread area
• Scissors
• Rotary cutter is optional
• Glue stick
• Twine or thin Paracord (a flame is needed to seal the ends of this cord and it helps to squeeze the ends together)
• Beads
• Fasteners, such as leash clips or split rings.

Steps:

Cut a length of cord and attach it to the fastener leaving even tails.  This is a lanyard hitch.

For the spool, either glue the end of the thread down, or remove the thread and glue a strip of fabric in its place.  See the previous photo for a spool with glued thread.  

Put some beads on the cord or twine.  Thread the spool on next.   Then finish with more beads.  Make sure there is wiggle room, that the beads are not squeezed tight, so that the final pull isn’t stiff.  Tie the cords together in an overhand knot and trim the ends to a pleasing length.  If you used nylon cord, you’ll need to reseal the ends with flame. 

Most everyone made 2.

Next month

We will have two mystery quilts to sew at the meeting.  If you bring your machine, you might need an extension cord.  You'll also need thread, snips, cutting tools and rulers.

Sandra P will present a block.  You'll need the following pieces cut from two fabrics.

Fabric 1 is the background

Cut 2 strips  2” x 17”

Cut 1 strip  2” x 8 1/2 “

Cut 1 strip  3 1/2” x 18 1/2”

Cut 1 square 4 1/2” x 4 1/2”

Fabric 2 

Cut 1 strip  2” x 17”

Cut 2 strips  2” x 8 1/2 “

Cut 1 strip  2” x 18 1/2”

Patti will present a block.  

 

January Planning meeting

 Lots of us made it to the new, spacious location.  We were happy to learn that we don't have to do anything with the tables and chairs when we are done each evening.

General instructions for this facility

• Park in the lower lot.  Save the upper lot for the Boy Scouts.
• The exterior door by the office is locked by a code that Lydia and Leslie know.
• From our room, to find the restroom go right from the door and up a subtle ramp.  Take care not to stub your toes on this rising floor.
• The supplies we brought from the old place are in the closet.  The key is in the cubby post box in the hallway.
• Last one to leave the building should turn off the room lights and make sure the doors are locked.

Dues

As it was last year, dues are $20 minimum and sliding upward for those who are able.  Due by the March meeting.  If you want to pay by check, make it out to Needle & I.

Show & Tell

Sandra O. saw this kit in Calico Creations (Mt. Vernon) and couldn't resist.  The fabric line is "Legends of the National Parks".

She also had a bucket for trimmings that she and Leslie had made elsewhere.  We convinced them to teach it as our April meeting.

Planning 2026

Month	Activity	Host
February	Spool pulls	Lydia
March	Block of the Month	Sandra P & Patti
April	cork bucket	Sandra O & Leslie
May	Block of the Month	Terry & Joanne
June	Fabric bracelets	Terry
July	T-shirt quilt	Jean R
August	Outside	none
September	Block of the Month	Gail & Leslie
October	Auffle	anyone
November	unplanned	unplanned
December	Holiday Party	Ruth, Charlene, Barb. L

Notes: 

1.  For Blocks of the Month, presenters should provide cutting instructions in the previous month.

2. If you are hosting a meeting and need supplies, either submit a shopping list or the bill to Lydia.  The host is not expected to foot the bill, unless she wants to.  

3. February's activity - see below

4.  November was discussed as an opportunity to invite a speaker, such as Kristi Moser, Nancy Chong, or Kathy McNeill.  If you have a suggestion, research the speaker, rates, availability and report at a meeting.

FEBRUARY

Lydia will teach us to make these wooden spool zipper pulls.  We need to bring a small piece of fabric for covering the spool and a key ring or clasp of some sort.  

December Holiday Party

We had a good turnout and great food with a rousing game of Pictionary and luggage tag exchange.

Show & Tell

Jean S. has made a new tote from the Oxbow pattern by Noodlehead.  She made it from wax canvas and the panel is Hoffman canvas.

Leslie has two for show & tell.

First, she received lots of red and white/gray/black HSTs.  She added more from her stash to create this quilt.

Second, she made this one from our 2025 Blocks of the Month.  The backing is a cute animal fleece from Joann's going-out-of-business sale.

Ruth made this quilt from past demo blocks.

Sandra O. got these shoes from a cousin, who got them from Hey Dude.

Food

Here are some shots of the food contributions.

Best costume

The costume contest winner was The Grinch: Hat, sweatshirt, pants, and slippers.

Gift exchange 

There were some very inventive fabric choices among the beautiful luggage tags exchanged.

Next meeting: We'll have our planning meeting in the new location.

November Bring Your Own Project

With lots of events among our members, there weren't many of us, but we had a good time visiting.  Plus, Ruth tidied up and organized our shelf, allowing some of the items to be removed for relocation.

SHOW & TELL

 Gail loved this quilt that her friend made in a 2005 Carriage Country class, so her friend gifted it to her.

Sandra P. made this full-size quilt from all the bits of fabrics her niece acquired during Shop Hop.  There were so many, that the remaining blocks are part of the backing.  The niece noticed a quilting pattern this past June and asked what it was.  And that's how Sandra decided to quilt it in the Baptist Fan pattern.

Front

Back

Next Month

Holiday party - more information to come via email.   Expect table decorations, themed sweaters, and finger food.

It's October, so it's the Auffle!

While this meeting was well-attended as always, we had very little:

 Show & Tell

Sandra P finished her snowman from Barbara's demo at the previous meeting.

Gail found this lap-sized quilt at a thrift store.  All it needed was a washing.

Lydia brought this big quilt.  Sometime around 1994, she admired this quilt as it was being constructed by a friend.  When it was finished, the friend gave it to her.

Lydia made this one from Ruth's pattern.

Auffle

There were 3 tables full of goodies.

September small projects

 One order of business: We need to go through the closet at our current location and decide what to take with us to the new location in January.  We could do it next month for the Auffle, or sometime in the following two months.

SHOW & TELL

Jean R made this for donation to Youth Care.  The backing is fun and below the picture of the top.

Leslie abandon this Bonnie Hunter designed quilt years ago and picked it up again recently.  After making a few more blocks, she finished it.

Marleen made this for donation.

Lydia made this from a new baby quilt pattern.

Lydia made this for her niece, whose sons are obsessed with "blue", meaning their dogs.

Lydia found this at a craft show: A zipper pull made from a wooden spool and some Kaffe fabric.

Projects

Barbara's snowman

This is her 50 year old version and she brought kits for us to make one from the precut pieces and notions.  It's entirely kid-friendly in that it is soft and stuffed with polyester fiberfill.

Lydia's snap wallet / gift card holder

Lydia also brought precut pieces so that we could construct these on site.  Instructions in brief:

• Cut 2 pieces from the pattern from a non-directional fabric and cut one from fusible interfacing 
• Apply interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric intended for the outer side.
• With right sides together, start sewing at one of the marks on the long edge, and sew the long way around to the other mark.
• Turn it right side out and press flat.
• Edge stitch around the top.  This is the flap on the holder that will hold half of the snap.
• Fold the wings in and edge stitch through all layers, so that the entire holder is edge stitched.
• Apply a snap so the flap can be secured to the body of the holder.

Here are two pictures of Lydia's, one with the flap open and one with it closed.

Here are the holders that were made during the meeting.