Our Monthly NewsletterMARIPOSA PIECE MAKERS NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s wishing you many satisfying hours spent in creative endeavors, and lots of beautiful completed quilts. A whole new calendar causes some of us to make resolutions, some of us to grimace at the whole idea. But we can probably all agree that there’s a lot of fabric and loads of patterns to be discovered in this new year.Your Ironing Board met recently to begin mapping out activities for the coming year. Paramount is the upcoming Quilt Show! As you know, this will coincide with the Butterfly Festival scheduled for the first weekend of May. Of course, our participation will be one day only, Saturday May 5. It’s a wonderful opportunity to show off our creative talents to the community. Of course, many hands are needed to make the work light...the work that it takes to put on this exhibit. So you will be asked beginning at the January meeting to volunteer in areas that interest you.
At our meeting on January 14 we will make fabric nametags. Patterns will be supplied for these paper-pieced projects. You can select from the large stash already at St. Joe’s, or bring several fabrics of your own. You’ll want to bring your sewing machine and basic sewing supplies.
Also in January, you can plan on the fun fat quarter drawing. Since this is still Winter (can’t tell by looking outside!) let’s bring fabrics for the drawing that in some way depict Winter. We will of course, do Show ‘n’ Tell. AND you want to start looking around at your incomplete quilting projects so you can be ready for UFO CHALLENGE 2012. You will have the opportunity to list those sad items you once were so excited about but that now reside in a dark corner, and make a stab at getting them done this year. Of course, the member completing the most UFO’s will receive a nice prize at our December Christmas party.
Patty Tufts would like to hand the record keeping for the UFO Challenge over to someone...would you consider doing this small task for us? Please let me know if you are willing.
At the February meeting there will be a demonstration on making a quilt sleeve. Any quilt show will require a sleeve for hanging, including ours. They are pretty quick and easy, and you’ll learn a lot from our experienced teacher.
Now, some wonderful news! The Mariposa Chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), after learning that we have previously made red, white and blue quilts for returning veterans, took a vote among their membership and elected to donate $500 to Mariposa Piece Makers, to be used to create more of the same. The check has been received and a thank you card has been sent to VFW. We will address this most worthwhile project after the quilt show. In the meantime, appropriate patterns are being considered and if you have one you would like to submit, please bring it to a meeting in the near future. A special note of thanks to Kim Tucker’s husband, Jim, who presented our cause to the VFW membership, which resulted in our being granted this generous donation. And of course, thanks Kim for bringing it to Jim’s attention.
Marianne :)
PS: Memberships are due this month. Please see Charlotte Note. Thank you soo much!
NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S QUILTING BEE
By Marianne Atkins
I’d like to brag a little. I’m associated with some very talented quilt makers here in Mariposa who are especially creative and artistic. Their use of color, texture and design is as varied and enchanting as a spring meadow bursting with wildflowers. Their works are truly eye candy.
But it’s not really their talent I wish to brag about. This is a group of warm- hearted, caring and generous women who are very interested in our neighbors here in the Mariposa community. They particularly care deeply for our children, the little ones who may be suffering from abuse or neglect or other situations that have brought them to the attention of local agencies concerned with the well being of families.
On a number of occasions the quilters who comprise Mariposa Piece Makers have melded both their talents and their compassion to reach out to those who are suffering. To that end, a sewing marathon was conducted on October 8, the objective being to complete as many kid-sized quilts as possible in a single 5-hour session. Members were also encouraged to make quilts at home prior to October 8, and to bring those along with them on sewing day.
Amazingly (and happily) 28 quilts now are ready for delivery to Mountain Crisis Services! It is expected that the total will rise to about 35 by December, when they will be handed over to Mountain Crisis Services’ representative. These quilts will then be distributed to their smallest clients with the hope that some measure of comfort will be found sewn into each quilt’s seams.
Mariposa Piece Makers’ membership is varied, some part of St. Joseph’s parish, others who reside locally, and all sharing in a love of quilt making. The group meets the 2nd Saturday of each month at St. Joe’s downstairs hall. For more information go to www.mariposapiecemakers.com or call Marianne at 742-2333 or Mary at 966-5684. New members of all skill levels are always welcome.