Monday, 27 April 2026

Guild Day, Tuesday, April 21, 2026

 This was another successful working day, albeit somewhat different than the usual. Fourteen members were present throughout the day working diligently on completing and joining the blocks for our fall raffle quilt. In order to complete the quilt, photograph it, print the tickets after obtaining the license and then getting tickets out for sale, we have to get down to business early! 


                                                 Those last few blocks are being assembled. 


                  The design wall was set up so the blocks could be arranged and switched as needed.


The blocks have been sewn into rows with sashing between them and now it’s time to add the horizontal sashing. This involves pinning and matching of points.


At days’ end, there was a horizontal row of stitching left to do, one more row of blocks to add and a border to go round all of it. By next guild day it will be ready to go to the longarmer. Well done, ladies!


As well as the raffle quilt, there was also work being done on the next Christmas raffle! Wow, and it’s not even spring yet when one looks outdoors. Moira and Iris were getting a good start in order to stave off a late rush and panic down the road.


This quilt top was put together by Rae from fabric bundles received from Christine Bell for making wildfire relief quilts. By the end of the day a backing had been prepared for it. The ladies used a piece of fabric that was too narrow, split it diagonally, slid the two resulting pieces by each other till the required width was achieved, then stitched, very carefully, the bias seam.


Rae is sharing a pattern using precuts to make this lovely top. There are always a number of things one can learn when you come to guild day and so many of them are spontaneous and unanticipated.


                                Judy is doing the hand stitching of the binding on this child’s quilt.

Comfort Quilts:

We now have thirty quilts in the tubs so have an excellent start on our November donation quilts. Following are the three added today.


We couldn’t be sure who to credit for this one, but it looks like this is Susan’s work. A happy little quilt for a little one!


Lynn had made up kits from fabric which had been donated by Nadine. I don’t know who stitched this, but it is one of those kits.


This Whirlwind quilt was a group effort by our members. The block was demonstrated by me, the members stitched the forty-two blocks, I joined them and added the borders, Nadine provided the backing and long arming and our hand stitchers did the binding.

We received a number of wildfire relief quilts, picked up by Audrey, which I will be putting in a separate post in order to keep this one at a reasonable length.

Show and Tell:


I decided to start early on my projects for the next winter season before this winter is even over. This set of placemats had been calling my name for some time. The pattern is Frosty Friends in the Nov/Dec ‘18 issue of Quiltmaker magazine.

                                                                
                                                                       The rest of the set.


Sandra and Rae stitched this lovely quilt from a free pattern. They have donated it to the guild. Thank you, ladies, someone will be very happy to receive this.


Sweater Weather is the name of this pattern. Sandra has done a beautiful job of stitching and colour choice on this quilt. 

  
    Laurie stitched this lovely denim look bag.


The bag also has an interior sleeve with a drawstring so that everything carried inside will be kept safe. The bonus for Laurie was that she learned to sew buttonholes for the handles! Good job, Laurie.


                      Cindy cut, pieced, stitched and quilted as well as bound this beautiful baby quilt.


Heather purchased some of the precuts donated by Christine and from the jellyroll created this lovely quilt.


Another quilt, the Plus Pop pattern, stitched by Heather from donated fabric she purchased. The panto is titled Radiance. She has donated both of these quilts to our guild. Thank you, Heather!


I don’t have a photo, but Marg donated several stitch rippers which she made at woodshop while in Arizona this winter. Thank you, Marg, they will certainly be put to good use!



Sandra stitched this lovely little bunny from a number of “freebies” that had been set out for our members.



Sandra tried her hand at fabric dying. The colour here was achieved by using onion skins. She says the temperature had to be closely watched to get the pale yellow colour.


The colour for this piece of fabric came from tree bark, I’m not sure of what type of tree it was from.


Donna completed her work in progress from some time ago. The pattern was from one of Marg H’s books and the quilt will go in Donna’s “tickle trunk” till such time as a baby girl is born to a friend or family member. It turned out beautifully!

Program:

Zoey demonstrated how to make a fabric bookmark and an easy makeup bag. She had instructions and kits made up for us to take home. These items will be used as sale merchandise when we set up at this summer’s markets .








Quilter’s Corner:

This evening Rae shared with us information on sewing machine needles and the different types and sizes that are available. Several members also shared tips on what to use or not use.


This handout is a quick and easy summary of what is available and what it can be used for. Note that Rae added the Embroidery, super nonstick which is what you want to use with fusibles so your needle doesn’t get all “gunked” up. Also, the leather needle should not be used on anything but leather. It has a chisel point on it that will leave holes and cut threads in fabric.


Remember everyone, that May first and second are our Spring Retreat days! Tammy will once again be serving a delicious catered supper on Friday and Lynn will be demonstrating a tissue holder pattern that can be used by ourselves or stitched for our merchandise table at the summer markets. Come out everyone and enjoy two days of sewing, creating and fellowship with our sister quilters!

Today’s Membership Draw winner was Sandra S.

Happy Quilting!
Gladys

Monday, 23 March 2026

Guild Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026


 Today was another work bee day for the fifteen members present throughout the day.  The pin basters were able to get six quilt sandwiches pinned and ready for quilting. Two quilts had bindings sewn on and were taken home by Moira and Iris for hand sewing.

Kits were cut and assembled for distribution for our fall raffle quilt. Wow! Fall quilt and it isn’t even spring yet, but in order to have it done, tickets made up and distributed, we have to start early.

Beverley and Donna spent most of the day and early evening making up kits with help from various members. Here it was Patty assisting with cutting. Thank you ladies, this was a huge job!



Lorna was working on “unsewing” a block for Audrey. It was a large block so she was assisted by Evelyn a while later.


Sandra spent the day doing maintenance on the guild machines. She cleaned and oiled all the machines, which is a big and often neglected job. Thank you , Sandra!


June was pressing a flimsy so it could be pin basted in preparation for quilting. A good pressing results in an easier basting as everything will lay beautifully flat.

Comfort Quilts:


                            This Anna and Elsa panel quilt was free motion quilted by Sandra S. 


    Rae used a jellyroll to stitch this quilt with a free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop. She also did the quilting and the flange binding. Beautiful job, Rae!


 Susan stitched this happy child’s quilt. She is always going through the fabric bucket and putting together various fabrics till she finds a combination that speaks to her. 


                                                   Judy did the quilting on this strip quilt. 


              I don’t know who did the piecing on this quilt but the quilting and binding was done by me.


                                  Cindy R. did the creative quilting on this child’s play mat quilt.


                                                   A lovely rag quilt, quilt artist unknown.

Wildfire Quilts:


This lovely earth tone quilt came from a friend of Audrey’s in Swan River. Thank you for your donation.

Also a big thank you to Christine Bell for a donation of four jelly rolls and a layer cake. We have now delivered 204 quilts to Denare Beach but we will continue making and collecting more to be sure that everyone who was impacted by the loss of their home has a quilt with a number from which they can choose.

Show and Tell:


Susan designed this quilt for her daughter. She had a special request for a quilt based on a video game character, Navi the fairy from Princess of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I realize now how out of touch I am when it comes to video gamers as this was completely new to me. You did an amazing job, Susan!


After my race against time this past Christmas, I made up my mind to get an early start on 2026 gifts and projects. I started with a project for myself. I have a round table and after finding this free pattern, decided to make one for my Christmas table. I did find that I am not a fan of inside corners!


Lorna, Audrey and Zoey attended a quilting workshop in Cranberry Portage. The project was a quilt called Luminary by Jaimie Swanson , Allison Glass. You can see lots of variations if you go online. They finished their tops and wanted to share.


              Some close ups. Luminary is a modern take on the traditional Lone Star. This is Lorna’s.


                                                 Audrey’s top has a different colour way.


 Zoey’s version has some extra diamond shapes to make it look like the star is exploding. We are looking forward to the finished quilts, ladies!


Jill started this quilt three years ago at one of our UFO days as a wedding present. She has now finished it, and yes, they are still married! Lovely, Jill!


Patty stitched this lovely Chandelier quilt with fabric gifted to her by her daughter. The quilting panto is Diamond Loops. The binding composed of fabric left over from the blocks adds a beautiful finish!

Program:

Audrey demonstrated the block for our fall raffle quilt.


The fabric she used is not the same as the fabric for the quilt, it is just for tutorial purposes. The pattern is Compass Star by Quilty Love and the fabric will be Art Gallery solids. We will be making 42 squares. Once the components are made they will be put together like a nine patch. Thank you Beverley and Donna  and helpers for preparing the kits.

We will be holding our Spring retreat on May 1st and 2nd, so mark your calendars. There will be a catered supper on Friday. There will not be a vendor here, but Mama Bears Quilt Shop will be at the SUN quilt retreat in the Creighton Community Hall at the end of May. I will have the exact date in the next blog post.

Our membership draw winner was Moira.

Happy Quilting,
Gladys



















Tuesday, 24 February 2026

Wildfire Relief Quilts, Tuesday, February 17, 2026

 

 This month I am making two posts. We have another large number of quilts that Audrey will be taking to the village office in Denare Beach for distribution. Including these in our regular post would make it extraordinarily long so there will be a second post this month.

In this shipment we have quilts from Selkirk, Vita, Carman, Brandon, Saskatoon and from our own guild. I will down load the photos and will add captions on those quilts for which I know the origins. A big thank you to all the generous quilters for their hard and beautiful work.




                                                                                  Vita


                                             A Highway Ten Design, I believe from Lori.








                                                                           Vita
                                                                                Vita
                                       North Star Quilt Guild, member collaboration.

                                                                          Vita


                                                                              Vita

                                                                              Vita
                                                                               Vita


                                                                              Vita







                                                                              Vita

                                             North Star Quilt Guild, Rae and Sandra D.
                                                     North Star Quilt Guild, Zoey
                                                            North Star Quilt Guild, Zoey
                                                                            Vita

With this latest delivery we have now taken 205 quilts to Denare Beach. Thank you to all the quilters!

Happy Quilting,
Gladys