Sew-in Reminder Notice, January 3, 2012

10 AM
Prairie Shop Quilts, 1911 W Wilson St., Batavia, IL
We gather again next Tuesday, Jan 3rd, for our monthly sew-in. We have lots of kits so we need lots of sewing machines. Again, bring your ruler, rotary cutter and a small mat.

Those who took home their quilt top last month to finish, bring along your scraps. Though we try very hard to make these kits perfect or sometimes in sewing, we make an error, someone is in need of a "little more of that red, or blue". Plus it'll be good to have for making the bindings. We also ask that you bring back the plastic bags and patterns---saves on the cost of making up these kits.

Oh, and have you heard of the QOV under the lights night--January 18 from 6-8 pm. Let Bonita know if you are coming so we can ink the date in.

When you drop off a quilt top or finished quilt at the quilt shop, please put your name on the quilt. It makes it easier to keep track of where the quilts/tops are and how many we have coming in.

Speaking of quilt drop off---we now have 3 places where you can drop off a quilt top: Prairie Shop Quilts in Batavia, Quilt Merchant, Winfield, and Gentler Times, Rt 59, Naperville. You might want to let me know you have done so at Winfield or Naperville, so I can make it a point to pick them up or have them picked up...I appreciate it, thank you.

Thank you, Sharon, Dorothy and Chris for your help yesterday in pressing and cutting. Again, if you have a pattern idea and would like to come by and pick up some fabric, be my guest.

I'm bringing a pot of chili for my dish to pass.
Happy New Year!
Rita

Drum roll...........

We have some bragging rights here: One of our machine quilters, Joe Filer, from Mahomet, IL won 2nd prize in a ALS challenge:

"This year we entered 11 lap-sized quilts, as the ALS patients end up in wheelchairs, sooner rather than later.

They really don't have a good search method on the facebook page. If I can remember where ours are from this year, I will send those later."

Quilters Dream Batting sponsoring Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS

We are pleased to announce the winners for the following prize catagory:
Sew Generous Professional:
1st Place: Barbara Hutton of Carolina Shores, NC (Barb Quilts)
2nd Place: Bonnie & Joe Filer of Mahomet, Il

Our entry from last year. It was a good-sized couch quilt:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Quilters-Dream-Batting-sponsoring-Hopes-and-Dreams-Quilt-Challenge-for-ALS/150913912237?v=wall#!/photo.php?fbid=430982127237&set=a.189536022237.155683.150913912237&type=1&theater

Met up with Joe today as he was picking up some QOV tops to quilt. He also brought some show and tell!! Nice work!

Good job, Joe and Bunny!

Cutting fabric into kits Wednesday, Dec 28

Just a reminder that we're meeting tomorrow to cut and make up kits. I was thinking to remind the ones with the Accuquilt machines to go ahead and bring whatever dies you have---don't have to bring them all in until we need them, but if you have the 2 1/2" strip and/or the 4 1/2" strip, go ahead and bring them in right away. I'm bringing along a bunch of patterns (patterns that we have used in the past and some new ones) and we should go over those and see what you want into kits. You will also want to bring a rotary cutter, scissors and rulers.

I'm brown bagging my lunch even though I think with many hands we should be done sooner than later.

Ty sent this to me---I know I've seen it before, but it's worth viewing again:

A Different Christmas Poem - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUGOjNsE4aY&feature=related

Rita
PS...Santa brought me an extra apple core die--- Let me know if you're interested.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah

Whichever holiday you celebrate, enjoy your family, friends. Treasure the moments, make everlasting memories! We pray for those who are in harms way.

God bless you!

Cutting and making kits Wednesday, Dec 28

We're having a cut in on Wednesday, Dec 28th. If you can join us, let me know. If Santa brings you a AccuGO cutter, bring it in---we'd love to see it :)) Bring in your rotary cutter, scissors , ruler...that about covers it.

Oh, if you have a suggestion for a new-to-us pattern or if you'd like to try one we've tackled before, let me know or bring in the pattern. It's your monthly sew-ins, too, and would really like you to have fun as well.
Rita

Check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Ikj1hZDnw&feature=related

Evening QOV sew-in: January 18 6-8 PM

A tentative date of Wednesday, January 18, 2012, from 6-8 PM has been set for a QOV under the lights sew-in. Let us know if you're interested so it can be set in ink.

Been working on a couple new-to-us kit patterns by Bonnie Hunter, Quiltville.com; Scrappy Sister's Choice Blocks and her Boxy Stars. So, if you're interested in helping make up some kits, let me know.
Rita

Make Room for Pam!

got a story to share. We have been making QOV's for the Great Lakes (Midwest) RWW programs these past couple years. My contact people from Great Lakes have come and gone. Remember Pam who came out to pick up quilts for their January RWW at our last sew-in last Monday. She came alone and really mingled with everyone---had lunch with us, etc. Well, I spoke with her this morning and just asked, so what do you think! She said on her way home she called her sister in NJ who just recently retired and told her...ya gotta do this! She proceeded to tell me she had once quilted and went home and told her husband all about the sew-in. He said, so, when are we buying one of them (Longarm) machines! So, I said to her, so the next time you come out to pick up quilts, should we set up a machine for you? SURE she said, I'd love to!!

Ha, just wait till that Major comes out again!
Rita

"QOV under the lights"

Yep, that's what was on the subject line of the email! Kinda catchy, right. Well, there's been interest in having QOV sew-in in the evening! The "birth" of yet another group wanting to show our thanks to the troops. Let me know if you're interested.

Stay tuned.
Rita

Thought you'd like to see

I just finished labeling some of the quilted quilts I picked up in Morris yesterday. I know I've mentioned this blog before---http://blog.heirloomcreations.net/?p=1897
Well, here are a couple versions ready for our troops!

I also NEED to thank all you who picked up quilts for binding!
Rita

Another Thank you!

We were supposed to have two people/groups picking up quilts yesterday. Well, due to a chance for them to have someone who was already in town pick them up, they were picked up from my home on Monday. This is the National Guard Group from Rock Falls. Well, I got this thank you I thought I'd share with you:

The first Quilt was given away yesterday and this soldier is from Chicago. The soldier was very thankful and kept looking at it and seemed so honored to have got a quilt.

Thank you again they are all SOOOO beautiful!!!!!! I hope to be able to meet you someday soon! I will be sure and keep you posted on who gets them and when.

Thanks

Lindsey

Whether they lost a limb or broke their back,
They need the support and welcomed back.
If it’s the unseen by the eye of PTSD or TBI,
They need the support of you and I.

Day full of surprises!

The sew-in yesterday was yet another great! Came home with 10 finished quilts--that's always a good sign. Went with almost 30 tops that needed binding---well, those are all accounted for! Nice meeting my new contact from Great Lakes, Pam. Cherle, from Tom and Eddie's --thank you for lunch! Cherle mentioned that the restaurant will host a fundraiser for us--your thoughts on that? I'm thinking we pick the next Patriotic day and do it then! Oh, and thank you Edith for the flowers -- Edith came in with flowers for us as well. Thank you to our newbies. I always hope we don't overwhelm them.

We have enough kits for the next sew-in. If you have any new pattern ideas let me know and we'll have a cut-in probably sometime in January.
Rita

Updates from Beloit

On November 10, 2011 I along with 3 ladies from the Scrapbag Quilt Club in Davis,IL went to the Tomah Veteran Hospital to present quilts.

This venture started way back earlier in the year when I was asked to help them get quilts ready to present for Veterans day. The club made the quilts and I quilted most of them. A couple of ladies from the club also quilted. These quilts were going to their Hall of Hero recipients. They had 14 members and would add another 2 this year. All well and good - most of these men have received Purple Hearts and numerous other medals and commendations. They had indeed served our country in a time of war. Well, I did not get the list until the middle/end of October and found that some of these members were either KIA (Killed in Action) OR deceased. Because the commitment had already been made I went ahead with the presentation and you know I am glad I did. I know we give quilts to those who are touched by war. Well believe me when you give a wife of a serviceman who gave his life during one of our wars this quilt, it meant the world to her and to another family who lost their brother in WWII this quilt meant recognition for his life now given to his country. So while I broke the rules I am here to tell you that in this case I feel very good about it.

I have learned that in the future when asked about quilts I will make it clear that the quilts are given to those touched by war but in a way that they will accept and understand.

I have received so many notes of thanks from this group of veterans. I think this is because they are an older generation and remember that writing a Thank you note is proper. These notes were not expected but I will treasure them always.

It was such a pleasure to provide these quilts and see the faces of the men who said I was just doing my duty and I wanted to serve. I received the nicest compliment to date from Laura who coordinated this program. She told me in an email that she had so many people tell her that they found the information I shared on Quilts of Valor and the presentation to be the best part of the program.. Guess I can't do any better than that. So the pleasure was all mine and I was so proud to give these Quilts of Valor to these wonderful men who served our country.
Vixanna "Vicki" Robbel

Hope I get it right!

Had an awesome response to my plea for quilters and binders! I sure hope I get quilt tops/kits to where they're supposed to be. It wouldn't hurt to give me a call/email to remind me. I will pack all that needs to be bound in the car on Tuesday and if those that asked for binding don't make it to the sew-in, I'll leave a few at the shop for a few days. It's great to give you an excuse to stop in at the shop, but I hate having to have them store our stuff there. I'll be back to pick up if the tops aren't picked up in a few days. AND if you need fabric for the binding, give me a call and come over to pick it out.

Looking forward to Tuesday.
Rita
Note to quilters: When you bring in completed quilts, please make sure your name is on them cause when I get home, it becomes a memory game and I'm losing. Better yet, ask me for a label so you can insert your name right there. Oh, and if you're not listed on our "Helper" list, give me your card and I will post it. Thank you.