Cutting Table

For a long time I just used my dining room table for a cutting table – the ping pong table worked pretty well too. Then my husband was on a job and he found a discarded, solid wood door leaning against a wall – the guy in charge gave it to my husband for
me…..yippee!!

I went and bought four cabinets at Target for around $25 a piece – some assembly required.  We put those together and put the 4 X 7 door on top.  My husband bolted it to the cabinets and also to the wall to give it good stability.

It’s wonderful – I can manage pretty large pieces of fabric and there’s a nice surface to work on for laying out fabric and piecing.

If you have the room – look around for a solid door that isn’t being used.  It is a find!  Otherwise you can buy a sanded piece of plywood or laminate-topped plywood at a hardware store. 

Most of you already have your rooms set up – but if you are just realizing that quilting will be a long-term commitment or that you need to change things up a bit, hopefully these ideas will get you started.

More next week….

The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path.  ~Mason Cooley

Sewing Tables

My brother gave me this wonderful desk when I was about 13.  I’ve had it since then and it has served many functions:  student desk, changing table, sewing table, school teacher’s desk, and computer desk.  When I acquired my new sewing machine a couple of years ago, I moved onto a laminate table, it was wider and longer and gave me more table space to work with quilts.  I moved the desk so that it was close by, and I longingly wished it could be my sewing table – mostly because of the four awesome drawers it possessed!

Then one lazy afternoon, my husband came up with a great idea – how about combine the two.  Granted, it would change my desk forever, but it was worth it.  He removed the metal legs from the laminate table top and then centered the top on the desk and bolted it down. 

I now have access to the wonderful drawers and the large table top to work with projects that require a bit more room.  So if you’re looking for a table for your sewing machine, believe me, I know what that’s like – sometimes the kitchen or dining room table is the best choice out there, but you might consider a desk and laminate top (easily found at most thrift stores) and put something together that will be functional in many ways!

Tomorrow we’ll look at cutting tables, cabinets, and shelving.

I love sewing and have plenty of material witnesses.

Organizing Your Sewing Room

When I moved to California about 6 years ago, I left behind several boxes of fabric – I had no idea that I would be sewing so much – quilting, needing scraps of fabric, etc.  I didn’t even know what a “stash” was….now that is funny!  So, when I started taking classes in 2006, I had to start from scratch. 

I went and bought all the fabric for my sampler quilt and then more for the next one, etc.  It was a whole new world for me.  When we made the flower basket pillows, I remember telling people at class that I didn’t have any green fabrics suitable for the leaves.  (I made four of these pillows for Mother’s Day that year – 2008).  Thankfully, Lorraine Ryan came to the rescue and brought me a sandwich bag full of an assortment of green scraps – perfect for all the leaves I appliquéd that year!  It was a start.

Now that I have been sewing quilts and wall hangings and table runners for awhile, I have quite a few scraps – odds and ends – all different colors and shapes.  I went to Wal-Mart and purchased plastic shoe boxes – they were about $1 a piece.  I sorted all my scraps into these boxes – by color.  These boxes stack nicely above my color-coded stash on my bookshelf.  It works beautifully and looks nice too.  Be sure you get the clear shoe boxes so you can see the colors inside.  The next step would be to cut these scraps into strips and/or blocks of varying sizes – next time I’m sitting around with nothing to do – I think I’ll do that!  (Ha Ha)

Since we’re gearing back up for classes soon – take a little time and get things organized.  Scraps sorted or tossed, colors organized.  The wall-hanging project we’ll start with this next term will be well-suited to scraps or fat quarters, so your efforts will be worth it!

Tomorrow we’ll talk about table tops/sewing tables/cutting tables/drawers and cupboards and bookshelves.

I am a material girl. 
Wanna see my fabric collection?

Happy Tuesday!

Today, I wanted to give you a website that will show how to make half-square triangles.  Many of you already know how – this is the basic method and at the end she gives you another method – making them a bit larger and then trimming them down.  I love the way they look on my quilts and we’ll be doing a project this winter with half-square triangles, so I  wanted to get you warmed up.

http://quilting.about.com/od/quickpiecingtechniques/ss/halfsquaretria.htm

Here is a link to a really cute pattern for an apron for your soap dispenser.  I know, maybe it sounds a little cutesy – but I liked the way they looked and I’m going to make one from some of my favorite coffee fabric to match my kitchen décor.

http://sewing.about.com/od/aprons/ss/soapapron.htm

We’ll stay in the kitchen with this next link….this one is for a cover for a Kitchenaid Mixer.  I love my mixer, but it doesn’t have a cover and I think I’ll use more of that coffee fabric to make it warm and cozy…..and keep it clean!

http://www.juliasneedledesigns.com/MIXER%20COVER.htm

Tomorrow, we’ll start a series on organizing your sewing room…..get ready – January is organization month!

Blessed are the piecemakers.

Hi Everyone!

Hi Everyone!

I’ve gathered a few websites for you to check out.  I will try to keep this blog better updated…..hmmm – is that a great idea for the new year or what???   J

Here is a great website – they have fabric, patterns and free shipping with a $35 purchase – without a coupon! 

http://www.fabric.com/

Here’s a free pattern link for an oven mitt.  I know we’ve shown how to make pot holders, but some have asked for an oven mitt pattern.  This one comes with instructions, pattern, and pictures.

http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/oven_mitt/oven_mitt_pattern.html

And one more for you….this is a link to a blog with a free pattern for a casserole carrier.  It looks pretty cute and is easy to put together!

http://elisabeth-dixiedoodles.blogspot.com/2008/04/cozy-toter-casserole-dish-carrier.html

Hope you enjoy these websites…also, don’t forget – the New Year’s Day mystery quilt site:

http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/2011-New-Years-Day-Mystery-Quilt-Pattern.htm

See you all soon!

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Maggie Clanton

Although Maggie has been sewing since she was two years old, she began quilting with Kathy Honeycutt in 2004, with Diana Johnson, Sheryl (Diana’s sister ) and Cheryl (Maggie’s sister).  Her sister encouraged her to join but she had no idea what she was doing.  After finishing the Baby Beginner class, Maggie and company stayed in the Thursday night class.

The girls found about about Pieced Together Quilters from Diana and Alice Vesterfield and her sister Diana. Maggie joined the evening class when Joy finally found a place and time for that earlier this year.

She likes to garden but is not hot on cooking.  Diana and Cheryl call Maggie the cat whisperer. She has four kitties in the house and four outside. One of her outdoor kitties had 24 kittens before Maggie could get her spayed. She trapped and fostered and found homes for all those kitties.

Maggie and her sister and brother grew up in Alameda and she now lives in San Leandro. She has one son and no grandchildren. Fortunately she has lots of nieces and nephews and a great niece and two great nephews.

She sews on BART and entertains all the other passengers. A little known fact: she keeps her friends laughing and that’s the only reason they keep her around.

Maggie loves the ladies in the quilt group and loves the creativity she shares with her friends.

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Ann Seals

Ann began quilting in 1999 after her “soul-mate” was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Sadly, Tony passed away several years ago before Ann finished a quilt for him.

She had seen a notice for the quilt class at San Lorenzo Adult School and enrolled.  Her first class was Baby Beginners with Kathy.  Because she was a sewer before, Ann only needed to take the class once.  (I took it three times and I was a sewer too – way to go Ann.)

Debbie, Maggie, Cheryl and Diana took Ann to dinner and told her about our Pieced Together Quilters group. She joined the evening group earlier this year as soon as it was offered.

Not married and without children, Ann has one spoiled little black Toy Poodle named Simba. He is 12 years old and he is Mama’s little BABY! (I can relate – I have a little 12 year-old Chihuahua who is Mama’s little girl.)  Barbara Baxter inserts that the reason she is so gorgeous is due to the lack of stress a spouse and children would bring.

Ann’s a baker and was President of the African-American Quilt Guild for four years.  The group knew she had a special talent for seeing what needs to be done and could find the right person to help out.

A little know fact about Ann is a computer junkie! She plays games, surfs, even repairs her own computer. She loves to work out a problem with her computer – but doesn’t want to do it for anyone else. And!!! She HATES pink. One evening she was late to class and as a joke, everyone wore pink. 

She calls herself a shy person and covers it up by being outgoing.  She is a very inventive quilter – calling herself a REBEL. Kathy never knew what Ann would come up with next.

Ann is employed by Wells Fargo Bank as a data analyst and was previously a system/database administrator.  She was born in Houston Texas and moved to San Francisco when she was eight years old. Now she calls San Lorenzo home. 

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Cathy Robrahn

Cathy started quilting maybe ten years ago – with Kathy Honeycutt. She worked with Marie Bettencourt and Wanda Daly who invited her to San Lorenzo Adult School.  She has always sewed and thought quilting would be lots of fun – but mainly the camaraderie – making new friends.

Dawn Luber told Cathy about Pieced Together Quilters so she joined this term. Yeah Cathy! This is a great group of ladies who welcome one and all.

Some of her other hobbies are mixed media such as fabric, paper and paint  - gardening, reading (mysteries) and baking.  One of her favorite magazines is Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

Sadly she lost her husband in May last year and two months later she lost Kathy.  Cathy has two step-sons and no grandchildren. They are still in college so thank goodness they don’t have kids yet. She has some great nieces and nephews who get her quilts. The youngest will be one in January.

Born and raised in Monterey she moved to the Bay Area in 1989 when her husband, who worked for the FAA, transferred to Oakland International Airport.

A little know fact is Cathy is a perfectionist! It drives her nuts when her points don’t meet – and when she hears “Just wing it” she has a meltdown.

Cathy is a delightful lady who has an infectious smile that draws you into her happy place. She also has a rascal of a doggie named Micky. Thanks Cathy, it was great getting to know you.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Who’s Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Betty Collier

In 1990 Betty began quilting at San Lorenzo Adult School, first with Linda then with Kathy.  Having recently retired from teaching, she wanted to do some handi-crafts. A friend mentioned the classes at San Lorenzo and Betty had previously sewed so the quilt class sounded fun.  She has seen friends quilts and thought “I can do that” Her mother made quilts, however she tied all those quilts.

Joan Penrose told Betty about Pieced Together Quilters. Joan was scouting meeting places and Betty took her to her church – First Presbyterian Church in Castro Valley.  Although Betty still takes classes at San Lorenazo Adult School – but finds Pieced Together Quilters more inspirational and enjoyable.  Our group of ladies is so sweet and welcoming – she just has to smile when she walks in.

Betty plays golf and bowls in a church league. She golfs at  Monarch Bay Golf Course. That’s where she met Kristy Hanson.

Married for 43 years to her college sweetheart, they both went to San Jose State College. She has one daughter and three grandchildren, one granddaughter and two grandsons. Betty taught second grade for 33 years. She was born in New York and moved to California when she was 15, attending Tamalpias High School in Mill Valley but she lived in Fairfax, California.

A little known fact:  She taught for the military schools in Germany one year and remembers that as her favorite year teaching. She got to hike the Alps in Switzerland and learned to ski near Munich Germany.  

Who’’s Who in Pieced Together Quilting: Lavina Miller

Lavina always brings her sewing machine to class. Joy laughed and said she is going to get some sewing done or know the reason why. I’ve seen Lavina in action for years……she made aprons for everyone in the world a couple of years ago. I wonder if she was the super achiever in Kathy’s Thursday night class.

She took a class at the San Leandro library in 1977 when she was pregnant with her son. Lavina made the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat quilt and didn’t quilt again until she joined San Lorenzo Adult School in 1998. (Maybe 1997). She started quilting with her mom after Lavina’s step-father and father passed away –– taking Kathy’’s baby beginner class together.

Ann Seals told Lavina about Pieced Together Quilters. Ann joined last quarter and encouraged Lavina to come because we have so much fun. Even more fun now that Lavina is with us.

There are lots of quilt tops that need to be quilted but Lavina doesn’t know how many she’s made. Needles-to-say it is a bunch.

Her only hobbies are playing with her grandchildren. She has three grandchildren and one on the way. There is boy, girl, boy and there will be an ultrasound for number four November 22, she hopes the baby will cooperate and we can quilt in a specific color.

Lavina grew up in San Leandro but now lives all the way away in Hayward! She did live in Union City for awhile, far away traveler that she is.

She adores all the quilt friends and they come a close second to how much she loves her sisters. There is only one brother who is 16 years younger than she and then another little sister. Lavina is the middle daughter from the first family. There are 20 years between her oldest sister and her youngest.

 

There are no little know facts about Lavina, she tells everyone her business. Then she turns back to her Janome and sets to finishing her project!  

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Pam Ausmus

Pam Ausmus

Pam started quilting – maybe in 2002 with Kathy in the Thursday afternoon class. Joy remembers that Pam was the first person to introduce herself and welcome Joy to the group.   Pam discovered the San Lorenzo Adult School catalog and thought it would be a great place to meet people. 

After losing Kathy – several ladies met a Panera Bread restaurant (Joan, Katie, and Lorraine Pam, Lilia, and Joy) to encourage each other in quilting. Later they met at Joy’s where they decided to find a larger space to accommodate everyone who wanted to come and not disrupt Joy’s family. (Joy was still homescooling her son). So, Pam was one of the ORIGINAL Pieced Together Quilters.

Her other hobbies are “rock making.”  She is wearing a beautiful blue “fascinated” stone around  her neck. She made Katie a “cab” which is a large rock and she sizes it, polishes it and wraps it to wear as jewelry. She goes to Castro Valley Gem and Mineral Society to learn this craft. The cost is $35 per YEAR! All teachers are volunteers and supplies were donated. Sounds like a fun place to hang out.

A little known fact.  Her husband bought her a new Toyota Avalon without personality. She and her husband painted the wheels black and put pin striping on car. She’d like big wheels, chrome wheels and low profile tires. Just what every hip-hop artist wants!!! But grandma can afford it! However, hubby disapproves.

She is a Christian from Fair Haven Bible Chapel and would love for us to attend church with her. Her husband in an elder, who sometimes preaches and they have been members for 32 years.  You can see Pam assisting Joy with the library and paperwork needs for the group.

Who’s Who in Pieced Together Quilters – Joan Penrose

Joan Penrose

Joan has been a quilter for seven years. She loves to sew and admires quilts, but never imagined herself quilting.  A lady in the San Lorenzo Adult School sewing class invited Joan to the quilting class and she had so much fun here she is.  Joan learned machine quilting from some classes in quilt stores. Large quilts she sends out but loves to quilt small projects. Quilting gets her creative juices flowing.

She took sewing classes in High School because her mother recommended it saying she would learn so much more taking a class. She sewed her own clothes before college.

Joan grew up in Kansas but came out to California to teach. She went to College in Nebraska at a teacher’s college. She did want to go into physical therapy but decided to teach so she could use her music skills. She was invited to come to California to teach and be an organist at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.  That’s where she met her husband. The happy couple celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary in August and traveled to New City for the event. Her only son moved to Texas with his wife and two grandsons, breaking Joan’s Heart. The boys are three and six years old.

Some of her other hobbies are gardening, children’s choir at church, she sings and plays bells and keyboard, reading – fiction and mysteries but recently read      about breast cancer.  She loves to bowl – maybe a fanatic. When she was a kid they threw softballs at milk bottles.

She is a breast cancer survivor – 20 years ago she had a mastectomy and chemotherapy.

Her dad was very strict – but had a fun side too. When she was getting ready to move to California, she and her mother were raising the hems on her skirts. (It was the fashion back then after all). Here dad said; “Make sure you raise them high enough – you have to find a husband!”

A little known fact – she says she is such a blabbermouth that she can’t think of an answer except she was very shy as a child. Going away to college helped her find her outgoing side and more self assured. In High School, her mother suggested taking a speech class – and that really helped because she had to get up in front of the class once a week. They even had to go out into the community and speak to groups.

As one of the original Pieced Together Quilters, we have to thank her for finding the great location for our day class.

Who’s Who In Quilting - Ernestine Rosabelle Tril

Ernestine Rosabelle Tril

Ernie started quilting because she needed an outlet for her grief after her mother passed away in 1999. Her sister, Pat Candelarie, encouraged her to join Kathy’s class and they both began baby beginners in 2000.  Her mother had lived with her and Ernie was her mother’s primary care giver. Ernie was lost and needed something to help divert her attention. She was working 17 hours a day just to keep from coming home – without mom.

In 2004 her sister passed away – joining their mother in heaven.  Ernie was devastated.  She started a new job the day her mom passed away. Quilting has been her salvation. Kathy took Ernie under her wing, realizing Ernie needed a loving mentor.

Pat became more interested in knitting and crocheting so she gave Erine her Viking sewing machine replacing Ernie’s old Kenmore.

Ernie is married with two children. Her daughter is the oldest and her son joined the US Air Force after grandmother passed away. She has been married 36 years. Ernie was visiting friends in Mexico and met her husband there.  They met in March and married in April.  Ernie was simply swept off her feet.

A little know fact: Ernie grew up in Taos New Mexico and Oakland California. Her mother had asthma so the family moved between the two cities. Ernie made friends in both places – she used her first name in Oakland and her middle name in Taos.

She has a great color sense – matching fabrics for all her friends. Every time they go to a quilt store, all her friends bring their fabric to Ernie and make her choose coordinates.

She has NO Other Hobbies!!! She does cook and loves her kids, but quilting is her passion. Her motto is Practice Makes Perfect as she can’t sew worth a darn. Her mother’s old room is now her sewing room. She has cabinets all around the room with a huge stereo and I-Pod.

Ernie joined Pieced Together Quilters after our Tuesday night class dissolved.  She felt the huge loss of not just Kathy but all of the quilting goddesses. Ernie still talks to Kathy.  She feels Kathy is watching over us all and smiling, giving encouragement.  Me too Ernie.

(Editor’s note: I know Ernie as a super quilter. She makes EVERY project.) 

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Paula Choy

Paula Choy

Paula began quilting – she tied baby quilts for 40 years. Started in San Lorenzo Adult School in 1995  hearing from a friend about the class. Kathy was the teacher and Paula was teaching full-time then so only completed small projects . She had children at home so sewing was a great outlet.

Paula said she always loved to sew;  “[It’s a] Total hobby! I just always quilted.”  Some of her other hobbies are bicycling and she’s a reader - mostly fiction.

A little known fact: she grew up on Venice Beach!  Paula came to the Bay Area to go to college and met her husband and stayed!  She’s been married 37 years to the love of her life. They have three daughters and two grandsons. The little boys are one and four years old. 

Like most of us, Paula joined Pieced Together Quilters after Kathy passed away.  Kristy Hanson e-mailed us letting us know about the new group started by Joy Vail.  “This is an important commitment” Paul said,  Our community of quilters is her salvation. As Paula taught Kathy’s classes after she was diagnosed with kidney cancer, Palua found the ladies had journeyed through life with each other. They shared joys, their sorrows their daily lives and were validated by the friends they made in Kathy’s classes. Paula shared; “They are a dying breed. We are complete with each other.”

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Cathy Graf

Cathy Graf

Cathy took Kathy’s baby beginner class twice. She wanted to take it a third time but Kathy wouldn’t let her. She has been quilting for about five years but had wanted to quilt most of her life. She just loves quilts. Sabina Hill, from Tuesday night class at San Lorenzo Adult School, is Cathy’s co-worker. Sabina encouraged Cathy to come to class. She doesn’t like to sew clothes but loves hand embroidery and quilting. However, she does enjoy sewing for Olivia, her granddaughter.

Again, Sabina came through and told Cathy about the evening class at Pieced Together Quilters. She rushed to join us.

Some of Cathy’s other hobbies are baking and gardening. Her family loves it when she bakes for them.

Although she hails from She hails from San Mateo and Fairfield she met her husband at a YMCA dance in San Francisco. He was a handsome Sailor boy and here they are 40 years later. They have two sons and one granddaughter – who will be two in January. They now live in San Leandro – in the Manor.

Cathy is a very private person and is decidedly uncomfortable answering my questions. When Kathy passed away, she felt a huge loss. She would have continued quilting, going to classes at quilt shops but the friends she made in Kathy’s class are irreplaceable.

A little know fact…Cathy has little time to watch TV. She works for Bay Area News Group, works at home, works in the garden and quilts.

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Joan Allie

Joan Allie

Joan stated quilting before Kathy was a teacher – maybe in the early 1970s. The first quilt show was held at Centennial Hall in 1972 or 1973 – called Gail Moore’s Quilters. Gail was the first San Lorenzo Adult School Quilt teacher, who was Kathy’s teacher. They took the class together and became best friends. Kathy called Joan her “mother” and Joan has been a member of Kathy’s family since. It was too long ago to really remember, but Gail was a sewing teacher then moving into quilting so Joan just took class after class going three or four times a week.

Joan collects antiques – has cut back from antiquing every weekend but she and her husband still go as often as their bones will allow them.

As with most of us, Joan learned about Pieced Together Quilters from Kristy’s e-mail. Although Joan didn’t start as one of the quilters in Joy’s living room, she is still one of the original Pieced Together Quilters.

Joan is from Oakland and has loved the Bay Area and East Bay for many years. Married for 56 years, she met her husband on a blind date. Joan wasn’t sure at first taking a year and a half to say yes. They have lived in the same home for 51 years. They have one son and one grandson, as well as Kathy’s kids.

A little know fact about Joan, she was a State Department of Education employee for ten years and she is always running a little late.

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters

Kristy Hanson

When one of her twin daughters learned she was pregnant, Kristy decided it was about time she learned how to quilt. That grandson, Adam, is now nine years old. She took a class at In Between Stitches in Pleasanton in 2001 and that first quilt was fussy cut three feet square. Since it’s a boy’s quilt, Kristy used animal prints. The quilt stays at her house for Adam to use when he visits Nana K. Kristy’s granddaughter, Rachel, attends Orion Elementary School in Redwood City. She is the lucky little girl who gets her Nana every week to teach sewing to her first grade class.

Kristy met Nan (Nancy Gerace from Kathy’s Tuesday night class and Pieced Together Quilters evening group) in 2004 when they both took a class at Adobe Art Center in Castro Valley. A little known fact: Kristy is naturally an introvert but worked hard to be the outgoing, happy lady we know now. She had grown up a Navy brat and had to move often – never having close friends. Kristy said she was very intimidated by Nan and another lady from San Lorenzo Adult School Tuesday night, M.J., and didn’t get close to them at this time. Later, Kristy was shopping in Smart and Final and kept running into a lady in the aisles who looked familiar but couldn’t place her. Finally at the checkout counter they recalled it was quilt class. Nan mentioned she attended San Lorenzo Adult School so they both took Kathy’s baby beginner class maybe in 2005.

One of the very interesting things about Kristy and Nan is they are probably some sort of soul mates as their lives keep intertwining. Although a non-Catholic, Kristy attended Catholic High School and one of her teachers, a then priest, also taught Nan’s son at Ohlone. He is no longer a priest, but is still a beloved teacher. Many of their family members are in touch in various other ways.

Some of Kristy’s other hobbies are gardening, cooking, traveling and golf. She has been married 41 years and calls her husband her best friend. When they married everyone gave them two weeks. Now most of those nay-sayers are divorced.

When asked how she came to Pieced Together Quilters she said it was the e-mail notices she sent out. You may recall Kristy kept us up-to-date about Kathy’s progress while she was in the hospital and had the sad task of e-mailing us when Kathy passed away. Our sweet Joy e-mailed Kristy and invited her to join the Pieced Together Quilters group. Kristy was still very sad and grieving in profound ways but decided to call Joy back. Kristy teared up telling me about the first time they spoke. She said that Joy turned her heart. “I mean, her name is Joy!”

Kristy said we all need to reach out to each other more - not less. We never know when we will need each other. Our quilting group has filled her life with happiness – thanks to Joy.

Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters

Barbara Adams grew up on a farm in Oregon. She had her own horse who was ¾ thoroughbred and stood 17 hands high. She saddle trained him herself.

Her grandmother quilted and she always wanted to learn. She retired in 2000 but contracted seven more years. However, she found time to quilt when she began taking Kathy’s class in 2003.

Barbara is active in her church and began a Quilt Ministry. She began buying fabric from a gentleman who worked for AAA. He sold fabric at flea markets. After he found out that Barbara was using the fabric for quilt donations, he gave her the fabric.

The Quilt Ministry started out with four women in 2008 who knew how to quilt. Two from Kathy’s class were in that first four – she and Barbara Goldhammer. They now have 13. The quilts are tied and with each knot a prayer is said. The quilts are blessed in church by their pastor and the back contains a cross and a label explaining that the quilt was stitched with love and prayers from Calvary Lutheran Church. In the first year they gave away approximately 200 quilts and this year will exceed that number. All quilts are requested and not all the recipients are Christian, but are asked if they would accept the quilt with the cross on the back. They have gone to people all over the United States and Europe.

Married to the same wonderful man for 46 years, they have one daughter and two grandchildren in San Jose. One is 12 and the other 15. They met on a blind date and the rest is history. Barbara has many hobbies and loves to cook, but a little know fact – she was a biker-girl. Well, her whole family were bikers. They each had a Yamaha motorcycle. She, her husband and daughter would ride the gold country hills together.

Barbara was attending San Lorenzo Adult School on Tuesday night when the adult school canceled evening classes. She is so happy there was another place where she could learn new projects and socialize with quilting ladies. She feels quilt ladies are the most giving and loving women she knows and is so grateful to Joy for bringing us Pieced Together Quilters.

Fall Term Class Information

Good evening,

Here's the information for our upcoming fall term classes. I am very happy and pleased that we have a really nice place for our evening ladies, I think it will work out great for our group!

Here's the information for our daytime ladies:

Thursdays
Sept 16-Nov 18, 2010
12:00 noon to 3:00 pm

Faith Lutheran Church
20080 Redwood Rd. Castro Valley

Cost: $25.00/per term

Here is the information for our evening ladies:

Thursdays
Sept 16-Nov 18, 2010
6:30-9:00 pm

Eden United Church of Christ

21455 Birch Street

Hayward, CA 94541

Cost: $30.00/per term

Also, here's some information regarding the quilt shop in Danville:

Quilter’s Inn of Danville was recently purchased by Marby and the new name is Wooden Gate Quilts.

Open 7 days a week.

Mon/Tues 9:30-7; Wed-Sat 9:30-5; Sundays 11-4.

Looking forward to seeing all of you soon! Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Always, Joy

Just 15 minutes...

If you're anything like me, you have about a million projects underway!

At present, I have four quilts that need labels, three that need their bindings sewn down, one that needs binding, some embroidered tea towels that I'm making for my daughter, pillow cases, sewing kits, a coffee-cup cross stitch project as well as one quilt top underway and another all cut out and ready for classes in the winter term!

So where does the 15 minutes come in to play? Sometimes there are so many things to do I don't know which one to take on next. This also means that some of my projects that are for me (the coffee cup cross stitch) get put on the back burner. This is where the 15 minutes come into play - I make myself give my own personal projects at least 15 minutes every day...every day....and soon, they will be finished and ready to display!

As the summer begins to close and we gear up for our fall classes and new projects, remember to give those final nagging UFO's 15 minutes each day and watch them disappear!

Have a great Labor Day weekend! See you all soon!

Always, Joy

Summer Fun

Well, we are all finished with the summer term for 2010 - it's hard to believe that we've hit the middle of 2010!!

The summer term was full of fun, fellowship and accomplishment. We had several new ladies join our group and I'm thrilled to say that they will return to be with us in the fall.

We had some wonderful sharing this summer, lots of quilts and bags and book covers.

This summer I was tutored in the making of pillowcases - a wonderful refresher that has me sewing them up left and right! Many thanks to Sue Tellardin who does those pillowcases in her sleep!

I also received a very wonderful lesson in the making of the rotary cutter carry all - my main problem with it and many bags has been the zipper. Kristy Hanson took away all of my fear and I was able, with her patient help, to knock out a little bag that was just darling and made me smile the rest of the day! Thanks Kristy!

Today we did a "Make-n-Take" in our final summer session.....we made a bag out of a t-shirt. Tank tops are even better since you won't have to cut out the neck or arms. Look around and see if you have any t-shirts or tank tops that need to be recycled - these make great gifts and as we discovered will do well as gift bags. I think even a king size quilt would have fit in some of the delightful bags I saw today!

Here's the link to read up on the pattern or even watch a video demonstration!
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/good-thing-t-shirt-bag

We also enjoyed ice cream and cake - thanks to Alice Vesterfelt for sharing her birthday cake with us - it was a delightful afternoon!

Thank you all for making Pieced Together Quilters a wonderful group!

Until next time....

Joy