JULY, 2014

“Life is a journey, not the destination.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

To paraphrase,

Quilting is a journey, and the destination.

Think about it. Quilters love the quilting process: designing, selecting fabrics, cutting and piecing, the assembled top, sandwiching the layers, quilting, labeling, binding, and snuggling under the finished quilt. Some steps are more appealing than other steps but quilters make quilts.

If this is true, why are there so many unfinished quilts stashed under beds, in closets, or in basements and attics? Could it be because quilters had difficulties with the pattern, fabric selections, or quilting? Is the top made but the quilting is daunting? Or what if there’s a wrong fabric choice that’s glaring when the pieces were put together? Maybe pieces were cut too short and there isn’t enough fabric to have a do-over and by now the store isn’t carrying that fabric. Oh the answers of why there’s UFQs are endless.

Cactus Kilter Quilter gives you permission to repurpose that UFQ into tote bags, mini quilts, LUV quilts, jackets, vests, or any other finished quilted project inspires you.

OR,

Cactus Kilter Quilter gives you permission to remove the UFQ from your home. Yes. All the pieces you want to get rid of. You can donate the UFQs to the Pueblo West Quilters or you can …

GASP!!!

Throw it away.

That’s right, you read correctly. Toss the pieces with glee. Liberate yourself from the reasons why you don’t want to finish this particular UFQ and work on the quilting project you want to finish.

Life is too short to be worried about the could haves, should haves, and would haves.

Quilting is your relaxation sport. Enjoy every moment. Come to the meeting and show us what you’ve finished. Put up the photographs on FaceBook. What you finish inspires others.

CKQ is inspired to create a Labyrinth quilts because she saw another quilter create one for her grandson. Out of camouflage fabrics!

Of course CKQ can’t copy; and, of course, she had to use a stripe fabric …. Do you know how difficult it is to change the pattern to accommodate a stripe?!!! Matching the stripes is fine, sort of, but the recalculations to accommodate the width??? Oh boy! Hence, Labyrinth 1 will take time; so in the meantime, Labyrinth 2 is coming along nicely.

The meeting? You want to know what happened at July’s Social? We ate ice cream. Oh and you won’t believe this but quilts bring history alive! It’s true.

A couple important things happened.

First, the Board recommended that Lisa Mollenhaur, 2014 Board volunteer, become an official Board member by creating a 2^nd Vice President position. A motion was made and passed.

Second, The Board recommended that future Board members’ dues are waived for the year they serve, contingent on available funds. This vote will occur at the August meeting.

Did you know the Pueblo County Fair was held? Did you know that several Pueblo West Quilters walked away with several ribbons on their quilts? So if you’ve missed this year’s opportunities, begin planning and executing for next year’s county fair. You too, can join the merriment.

July’s Block of the Month is the Dancing Mountains Quilt Block

Dimensions: 8.5” x 8.5” unfinished. (When squaring up, trim the large triangle to keep the points on the half-square triangles.)

Color choice: Use any colors that blend. This is going to be a scrappy quilt that’s going to be popular so make a couple blocks or more to up your odds for winning these blocks.

Pay attention. CKQ is talking about two different blocks.

Steps for making the Delectable Mountains block: http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/pioneer_patterns/dmpatterns.htm

Notice that Dancing Mountains and Delectable Mountains are the same block except the Dancing Mountains block has one less half-square triangle per side. Assembling steps are similar. (CKQ couldn’t find Dancing Mountains anywhere except when she’s pulling an all-nighter and those mountains tend to dance as the sun rays hit them….)

For the Wounded Warrior Block:

Red (Chocolate) 3: 3” x 3” squares

White (Tan (Background)) 2: 3” x 3” squares; 1: 2.5” x 2.5” square; 1: 9.25” x 9.25” square

Blue (Brown) 1 5.372” x 5.375” square

Make 4 Red/White half-square triangles. Cut 1 Red square on the diagonal. Cut the Blue square on the diagonal and the 9.25” square on the diagonal. Assemble the block as shown above.

Remember, there’s only 2 HS triangles + 1 triangle for the top strip and 1 square + 2 HS triangles + 1 triangle for the left side strip.

For a similar pattern presented at the meeting, check out Dancing Mountain Quilt, made by Janice Graber, Freeman, SD and quilted by Monica Hofer, Freeman, SD

http://minnkotasale.org/quilts%202008.htm

For a variation, here’s Four Seasons: Autumn Trail quilt pattern by Lori Smith http://www.pinterest.com/pin/231653974558041199/

July’s the time of the year when jams and jellies are preserved and set upon the pantry shelves for those long winter days. Opening a jar of jam brings out the sunny memories to nip Jack Frost on the nose. Let’s not forget making the Chocolate Yule log during the holidays…

Turns out PWQ also loves preserving … with Jelly Rolls! No, these rolls are not edible. On July 19^th PWQ will host a Sew Saturday at Pueblo West Baptist Church and to keep quilters alert and race their sewing machines, there’s going to be Jelly Roll Races! So bring your 2.5” strips and let the fun begin!

Thunderstorms got you down? Ruins your afternoon plans? Reverse your schedule and plan your outings in the mornings and quilt in the afternoon. Remember to pack up those UFQs….

Limbering the toes,

Cactus Kilter Quilter

pwquiltersguild@gmail.com

JUNE 2014

Due to 3 quilts+ finished by the end of May, June's been a month of regrouping for the Cactus Kilter Quilter. Okay, let's admit the truth. Procrastination and "Oh! A shiny ribbon." struck. 

This is why a monthly meeting is important for quilters. It's a time to set short term goals and share your quilts with the cheerleading squad. Every quilter is willing to celebrate your accomplishments and give hugs/suggestions for those tumbling blocks you encounter over the previous month.
 

CKQ didn't attend June's meeting, she thought two graduations in Minnesota was a bit more important; and thus, her monthly encouragement shot wasn't received. Some quilter asked how CKQ was able to produce the quilts in April and May. CKQ wrote a piece about motivation, goals, and conflicts, but it's buried somewhere in the vaults of her computer. (Just so you know, this CKQ also writes romance novels so she's well aware of characters needing goals, motivations to achieve their goals, and a great story always needs conflict to thwart the characters from achieving their goals.)
 

CKQ's inner conflict has been and will always be procrastination. Take this monthly blog for instance. CKQ thought about it and even wrote some notes about the June blog. But you'll notice, June's gone. Even the self-imposed ticking clock (having the blog written and sent to the quilting webmistress by the 15th of the month) didn't motivate CKQ to finishing the article. Nope, not even the PWQ's president.
 

Wait!

PWQ president did motivate me! Here's what I wrote to her:
She asked, "Is there going to be a blog post for June?"

What can I say ..... no.

Somehow June turned into 1 day and now it's July. I did thought about writing a blog about motivation or procrastination. I even have something started ... never finished it.
I'm planning on attending the meeting on Monday. Alas, I'll begin anew...

Next thing CKQ knew, a blog was written. Dang these tricky mentors. Even when the heroine tries to refuse The Call to Adventure, a mentor says or does something to light a fire....
 

Now before you say, "I didn't know you wrote romances. What have you published?" I'll say, I write but nothing's finished. Therefore, there's nothing for you to read. I know. I know. People are waiting to read my books. Me too!
 

Oh! That's a pretty quilt!
 

Currently, I have a couple quilts on the cutting board and a Challenge quilt in pieces. How's your Challenge quilt coming along? Did I mention shiny objects?
 

So I'll see a few of you at Monday's meeting and maybe this CKQ will take her encouragement shot to get herself back in a producing mode...

Wagon wheel hit a prairie dog hole and the axle's bent,
Cactus Kilter Quilter

MAY, 2014

The earth is waking up slowly from its long winter of rest. Meanwhile, the Pueblo West Quilters have been active. Very active. Mari Pretzer’s Mystery Quilt Retreat produced over two dozen quilts in all stages of development. Check out the Sew N Share pictures for a limited group showing. Can you believe all the variations of the pattern?

Have you been reading the Minutes? Helen’s been challenging us monthly to read them by giving away a $100,000 bar. That’s right, a 100 Grand candy bar! Only one winner/month so read the minutes and the treasurer’s reports to keep yourself informed. CKQ whispered to me that she’s going to win next month. We’ll see…

CKQ thinks this is the year of the challenges. What do you think? I think this is the year of fun, fun, FUN!!!

Did you love the Relay for Life quilt? Or the Alzheimer’s quilts? Check them out in the pix. If you’re wanting to participate for a chance to win the Relay for Life quilt, get your tickets before  the midnight drawing on May 31^st. Email pwquiltersguild@gmail.com for information.

(Warning: Time for a shower cause CKQ is on a soap-box… or is it time for an hour of unwinding in front of the TV?) Pueblo West Quilters are not just quilters. We’re active members of this community and beyond. Our quilt-making skills produce quilts for those in need, for comfort and love. Our quilts raise monies to further research and awareness. The quilts help pay salaries for the scientists and doctors who are tracking down and eradicating those atrocious cells. It’s not that all bad cells are bad, it’s that they carry a multiplying device in them that causes them to reproduce exponentially, crowding and suffocating the good cells. There’s a Great War going inside our bodies and we’re fighting until we win. Quilts have been a voice for millions of women throughout time and there’s plenty of Cactus Kilter Quilters in the Pueblo West Quilters Guild who aren’t afraid of raising up their needles. (This soap-box was brought to you by the ACME anvil company. Beep. Beep.)

May’s Program was “Gag, Gasp, Guffaw” quilt show where members brought their ugliest quilt or their first quilt to showcase how far we’ve come since those beginning learning curves. Let’s just say that the evening was sooo inspirational that the CKQ photographer was overwhelmed and stood in awe, several times before she realized photos were not taken. A case of you had to be there.

Giggles, gasps, and Oh Mys! echoed the room as CKQs pulled out their shades to hide their shocked, frozen faces.

In some cases, eyeballs were falling out of their sockets and bouncing out the door while the lips were hopping after them exclaiming, “My eyes! My eyes!”

Prizes? Oh yeah, a bunch of them. Gems one and all. But the truly amazing quilts received ribbons.

Best in Show: Lisa Mollenhauer’s ladies are sedately gliding over her quilt.

Ugly Winner: Donna Ford-Ferrell’s mauves and mint green quilt is presiding on her bed today.

Nice Try: Helen Cherry’s black and white quilt is twisting in knots. (Psst! Some of them are unravelling.)

The Block of the Month is the Four Patch Slice. 10.5” x 10.5” unfinished scrappy block. Four 5” squares and one 3” x 15” white or white-on-white strip. (Hint: at least 15”.)

http://www.inspiringcreationsblog.com/2013/11/4-patch-slice-free-quilt-pattern-and.html  Yes, PWQ did this block in the past but by popular demand, it’s back so whip up a few scrappy blocks for your chance to take home a quilt-in-the-making.

Becky Panariso gave us the last set of instructions for PWQ’s 2014 Mystery Quilt Challenge.

Take the large triangle rectangle and lay them at ninety degrees, creating a rotating pinwheel effect with the large triangles. Take two rectangle of Large Contrast Color 1 and lay them on opposite sides/diagonals of the whirling flying geese. Repeat with of Large Contrast Color 2. Sew rectangles together to create a large block.

Repeat these steps for the final blocks exactly. When you assemble your top, a secondary whirlwind pattern will be formed from the Large Contrast Color rectangles. See the photos at https://www.facebook.com/pueblowest.quilters?fref=ts or https://pueblowestquiltersguild.shutterfly.com/ for Becky’s examples. Make identical blocks to avoid the Vomit Comet Syndrome. Just saying…

Now, we’re all alone.

Alone to figure out which direction the blocks need to rotate.

Alone to select the borders.

Alone.

Alone.

Alone.

How are we ever going to take out the mystery and create quilts by November’s meeting? How?

Hah! Quilters are never alone! We talk to each other. We share our problems until viable solutions appear for the quilter.

Mystery? That’s history.

You need feedback or a sounding board? Cactus Kilter Quilters to the rescue. CKQs are always ready to help. You might be the CKQ another quilter needs so step up and help. You might be the CKQ in need of help, so step up and shout out your troubles. Together we’ll nibble away that daunting elephant quilt and stitch by stitch we’ll have a fabulous showing in November.

You saw what happened with Mari’s Mystery Quilts at the meeting. Imagine what’s going to happen over the next six months! CKQ can see it now … the place is packed. Grumblings because the Board needs to keep the members informed: 2015 Board announced, Holiday party final details, End-of-the-Year wrap-ups, etc… It’s got to be done. Sew N Share, drawings, final LUV quilts and pillowcases tallied to bring the count up, … Oh my. Will we ever get to the program?

And then it happens. The 2014 Pueblo West Quilters’ Quilt Challenge Program.

Quilt after quilt after quilt is shown and talked about. Oh the glorious colors!

“Did you see how she set those blocks together?”

“I would have never thought of that.”

“I should have brought my camera.”

 “Don’t you have one on your phone?”

“Crap. I forgot. I really need to learn how to use it.”

“Ohhhhh.” and “Ahhhhh.”

Applauses and encores.

Yep. It’s going to be … wait for it… legendary.

Whipping the Binding into Place & Labelling it done,

Cactus Kilter Quilter

pwquiltersguild@gmail.com