Tuesday, January 27, 2015

JANUARY 2015




Go with the Flow
&
Go Confidently in the Direction of your Dreams

Quilters are in the dream-making business. They inspire themselves to create quilts for beds, walls, art, furniture, window-treatments, and clothing. Quilters set trends, follow trends, and skip trends with their quilts. They invent tools for creating quilts to relieve stress, streamline techniques, and heighten their passion. Meetings and workshops, retreats and solidary events have quilters creating and making quilts in all shapes and sizes.
President Lisa Mollenhauer mentioned her goal is to go with the flow. Go with the Flow is an excellent anthem to remind ourselves to not take things seriously because one quilter’s way of doing something may spring an idea for you to enhance your own quilting experiences. And vice versa. Don’t be shy to share your knowledge and struggles. Because you know CKQ will do something to take the spotlight off of you and onto that huge quilting stitch on her quilt. So what if it’s on the back? Some tiny finger will wiggle under it and grin with drool gushing from his mouth as if he’s discovered that greatest find of all times.
Oh yeah, there are times to be serious; but most times, it’s time to giggle and share.
Quilters are the Dream Team.
Quilters also makes - no, forces - others to dream too. Quilters make quilts for people so they can drift off and dream their own dreams. People stroke quilts and memories erupt from their brains like dream-lifeboats of past events bringing a glow of happiness from their thoughts.
When people see quilted art hanging on the walls or in a 3D form, their creative juices are triggered and solutions to a nagging problem come to surface. Ideas form, expanding their passions and turn their dreams into concrete goals.
2015 LUV Quilt: Scrappity-Do-Dah
2015 will have a scrappy thread weaving through the Pueblo West Quilters meetings and events. Lisa loves scrappy quilts and has a flare for color combos in her quilts. She isn’t the only scrappy quilter on the Board. The PWQ Board selected the Scrappity-Do-Dah quilt as 2015’s LUV quilt pattern. Can you imagine what great dreams these LUV quilts will produce? Why, the future president of USA might be snuggling under one of these quilts.
Check out these websites for inspiration:

Basically, take a square fabric and cut on one diagonal. Insert a strip of fabric, trim the edges true and that’s the Lattice Block. Tips: Whatever the width of the strip, add that amount to the diagonal measurement to get the length measurement of the strip. For assembly of the block, finger-press each triangle in half along the diagonal to find the midpoint. Fold the strip lengthwise to find the midpoint and match press marks for stitching. This way you’ll have enough of the strip hanging out at each end to square up your block. Oh and put the triangle piece on the bottom when stitching so the feed-dogs can ease in the “bias stretching” without too much distortion.
Bias siding…
Speaking of distortion, remember those 2015 Resolutions (Challenges in CKQ’s case) you made about having a healthier lifestyle? Have you considered rearranging your studio so you can take a few extra steps to your iron? What about using your iron to pump up your arms? Overhead? Off to your side? In front? Back? I recommend using a cold iron just in case your muscles haven’t warmed up and your iron slides through your fingers and presses into the floor. Or worse … creases your big toe!
Have a pin spillage? Grab a magnet between your toes and pick up the pins while standing still. Raise the magnet with your foot and grab it with your opposite hand. Empty the magnet and repeat with your other foot. Great for your balance and toning your core. And yes, holding onto to the furniture is a must. Can you imagine the pain you’d experience if you lost your balance in mid-progress and you dropped the magnet, your bare foot goes to the nearest rebalance point - the floor – and you step on pins!!! Oy!
Exercise is a must to keep us limber so use what you have as equipment. Don’t forget to bend your knees and life with your legs when it comes to the heavy stuff like your sewing machine. Two reasons: one, you don’t want to throw your back out because you have a lot of quilting fun lined up to do. Two, your equipment is expensive so maintain it. Speaking of which, when was the last time your equipment had its tune-up?
January’s Block of the Month: Friendship Star Block
January’s Block of the Month is the Friendship Star Block and you have to autograph your block!!! I mean, what’s a Friendship quilt empty of the well-wishes from your friends?
Here’s a website for construction:
Colors are green and white with a twist: the center square is white, the star tips are green, and the background is a different green. It’s your choice whether the background is darker than the star tips or lighter than the star tips. A modern twist to this traditional block. Unfinished block size is 12.5” x 12.5”.
The Wounded Warrior Blocks are red and white, or blue and white; and if you want, add an uplifting message to the center block square. (Ironing a piece of freezer paper to the back will give the square stability when you use a fine point, permanent marker.)
Quilters are in the dream-making business.
Dream Big.
Go with the Flow and Make Quilts.

Cactus Kilter Quilter