Minutes for April 20009

Possum Town Quilters’ Guild met Saturday, April 18th, 2009, at the home of Judy Stokes. We were unable to meet at the RAC for this month. We had 26 attendees (according to the sign in sheet).
Two ladies from Central Methodist Church brought an old signature quilt (at least 80 years old) to show the Guild and ask someone to repair it. The quilt was from the church ladies to a former pastor.
President Judy Stokes recognized all the visitors this month: Barbara Walker, Jeanette Roach, Sharon Lofton, Rita Williams, Eddie Young and Sue House. One of the visitors, Sue House, showed a beautiful Crazy Quilt she had made. It had lots of embroidery and beadwork. Sue Skipper showed her pink and turquoise Turning Twenty quilt top. Sharon Hedrick had collected fabrics with roses for many years and turned them into her “Roses” Turning Twenty quilt top. CC Coggins shared her Star Tricks quilt top made at the class taught by Julia Graber’s sister, Barbara Cline. Watana Cantrell is back from Florida and showed us what she had accomplished over the winter. She did a charity Bow Ties lap quilt; an Alabama lap quilt; a full size Safari quilt; a Beatrix Potter Rabbit baby quilt; a Monster in My Closet baby quilt for her first great grandchild when she has one; Stack a Posey #1 which had dark fabrics; Stack a Posey #2 which had light fabrics – this only uses 4 pieces; and a quilted bag. She’s been very busy. Carla Formel showed her Turning Twenty. Annette Pennington showed a Crazy Quilt she is working on – it is a quilt-as-you-go. This is a memory quilt and very precious to her. She also showed a crazy patch purse she made in Wisconsin; a block with lots of embellishment (she calls it “encrusted”); a picture frame of two small crazy quilt blocks.
Julia and Annette showed the quilts they entered into the Pidgeon Forge 15th anniversary contest. Annette’s was 15 mini quilts hanging on clothes lines and Julia’s Finding 15 Hole-in-a-Hole blocks (a full square-in-a-square blocks). Judy Stokes also entered the challenge and her quilt is hanging at the Library in Columbus at our quilting station. Julia also showed a photograph of her Uncle’s woodcarving. She asked his permission and made a wonderful rendition of that small Amish children carving in fabric and framed it.

Business Meeting:
Old Business:
1. Jo Anne gave a status report on our Directory. Judy couldn’t open the disk on any of her computers, so Jo Anne will print out the pages to review before sending to a print shop.
2. Judy Stokes explained the Block Challenge for 2009. Each year we do a challenge block with certain criteria from a committee. This quilt is then given to the Arts Center to auction off in payment for the Guild using the Arts Center for meetings and workshops. The packages for 2009 have been bought by the members for a crazy quilt block with a difference! We all will have an historic or modern day site in the Columbus area as the theme for each crazy quilt block. There is to be no ink on the blocks, embroider the lettering and dates on the cream color piece in your bag. A 5-sided template in enclosed and can be cut from any of the fabrics in your bag. This beginning piece may be placed anywhere on the block. All seam lines have to be embellished by hand. Save a few areas for a thread Mary Ann will give us (this is to tie all the block together visually). Also, do not print any pictures on fabric for this quilt block.
3. Silent Auction for MQA Gathering in October hosted by PTQ Guild: CC is still gathering items for the silent auction. Judy explained this auction will go throughout the event, probably having 3-4 different offerings for auction each time.
4. Ideas for Goody Bags for the October gathering: Goody Bags will be for all who attend the gathering. Jo Anne’s daughter-in-law will donate large Bath and Body bags and we are trying to fill these. Judy says were are advised to have about 150 to give out.
a. Sandi Bowen showed a “thumb/index finger” pin cushion (she will bring the pattern the next time we meet).
b. Melissa Keasler showed a simple bag to catch scraps when you are sewing – these can be made from professional fabric swatches. Her mother has a lot of these swatches.
c. Several others made suggestions: Print our logo on peel off/sticker paper to put on items that are given away. Make coasters from orphan blocks or new blocks. A clothespin pin cushion and a “Penny Saved is a Penny Earned” item. Also cloth shopping bags we can make to put door prizes in before giving out during the gathering. At the workshop the first Saturday in April, many worked on pot holders and pin cushions .
New Business:
1. Judy received information of a Quilt Fest sponsored by the Birmingham Quilter’s Guild, June 20-21st. Our meeting is on the 20th but some members may want to take a road trip on that Sunday.
2. Crossville TN is having their 5th Biennial Mountain Memories Quilt Show on 19-20 June 2009.
3. Sandi Bowen said that Gore Springs MS has a wonderful quilt show on the third weekend in October. These are mostly traditional quilts.
4. Sewing World will give PTQ members a 10% discount. Just show your membership card you got when you paid your dues.

Blocks for Next Meeting
1. 12 ½ inch crazy quilt block in pink and greens.
2. Theme of April Showers bring May Flowers – we are to do a 12 ½ inch block of flowered fabrics with no color specification.
3. For the Door Prize: Bring 4, 2 ½ inch x fabric width, strips in Red fabrics (any thing red, solid, print, etc)

Who Won The Blocks for This Month?
1. Black and White/White and Black Winding Ways: Lawana Schultz
2. Spring/Easter Block: Carolyn Ward
3. Door Prize/Charm Pack: Elsie Johnson

Chef On A Shoestring: Thanks to Sue Skipper and Linda Dawkins for our lunch today. For the May workshop, Melissa Keasler and Faye Robinson will be the hostesses (this meeting will be at Annette’s again.) For the May Guild Meeting, the hostesses will be Sandi Bowen and Sharon Hedrick (this meeting will be back at the RAC)

Respectively Submitted

Jo Anne Slancauskas
Secretary

After the meeting at Clyde & Judy's home and a delicious lunch by Sue Skipper & Linda Dawkins including Clyde's flavorful pecans which everyone loved, we came by caravan to the country home of Walter & Annette Pennington on Lake Lowndes Rd. Twenty three were present and there was some serious learning going on. I could see some seeds of love sprouting for this block with so much individuality and many styles. Can't wait to see the blocks for May !!! I hope no one will say they did not experience the "hospitality "of New Hope on Saturday, April 18, 2009..........................Annette Pennington........................

Meeting Place Change for May

Our regular monthly meeting for April 18, 2009 is scheduled to meet at the Clyde & Judy Stokes home. Please call Judy at 662-327-5920 or 662-574-0593 if you have any questions. The May meeting will resume at the RAC in Columbus.

Pilgrimage Quilting

Our guild is participating in the Columbus Pilgrimage this year by quilting at some of the antebellum homes. Here is Sharon, Judy, & Julia at "White Arches."

Here's Annette & Julia at "Colonade Gardens."