This guild day was an exciting day. Everyone had their challenge pieces handed in, ready to be voted upon, cookies or dainties were accumulating in the kitchen for the evening’s consumption and people were constantly coming and going so I have no idea how many members actually attended.
We did accomplish a number of things. Three quilts were pin basted ready for quilting. Sandra D. brought a set of clamps and demonstrated how to use them for stretching the quilt backings so they would be very tight and make it easier to pin. Because the quilt sandwich is pinned more tightly the quilting will be more efficient with the result being a smoother backing. Every quild day we learn a new technique that will make us better quilters.
I did the quilting and binding on this baby quilt.
After lunch the silent auction items were set up ready for perusal. Thank you to the members for their donations which make the silent auction possible. There was also a fabric bundle for which we could purchase tickets for two dollars each.
A catered supper was served at 5:30 and was enjoyed by the members. Tammy W. again presented a lovely meal. Thank you Tammy.
After our meal, members and guests enjoyed Christmas punch and dainties while visiting and also checking the auction items. One has to watch the bidding very closely if there is an item you want to win!
At 7:00 pm we held a short meeting with Show and Tell and the year end report on our comfort quilts. This year we had a total of 64 quilts. This number included the raffle quilts and those donated to various organizations and individuals.
At the Community Choir Christmas concert, members provided some of their own quilts and hangings for public display. We take every opportunity that arises to make our community aware of what we do at guild.
For Show and Tell we were given the option of showing newly completed work or bringing in some of our earlier favourite work to share.
Judy had a 3 yard quilt to share with us. She had purchased the fabric from the vendor at our fall retreat.
Judy also shared with us this hockey quilt she made for her grandson.
This is Sandra’s “Underground Railway” quilt. During the days of slavery in the US it was said that people used quilts as signposts. The blocks would represent directions of travel or indicate if there was safe haven available for example. Truth or fiction? I don’t know if anyone knows for sure.
This quilt has machine embroidered scenes of the Nativity.
Sandra made a new Christmas quilt for herself. She used all her bits and pieces of leftover fabric and quilted it herself. Beautiful, Sandra!
And, of course, she had to stitch a bag. She used charm squares and it’s a good size to carry her quilts for Show and Tell!
Patty used her skills to make these little holders for gift cards or money for her gifts. She found the pattern in one of our library magazines. Cute!
Audrey made this wall hanging some years ago. It is an old favourite of hers and reminds her of the Neufeld side of the family.
Lynn shared her first and only Christmas quilt. She sewed this one about 2008.
This table centre was made from all the leftovers of placemats, table runners, tree skirts, etc. that she had made for various family members and had made nothing for herself. Fortunately there were enough pieces left for this!
Myrna constructed this weekender bag to use when she travelled south for the winter. It’s big enough to hold whatever she needs till she gets to her destination.
My Show and Tell was not physically present as it had already been mailed out in the Christmas parcel. These hangings are a gift for my daughter-in-law with the idea of making a set for each season. We’ll see how that plan works out! The hanger was made by my husband. Thank you, Glen!
I’ve saved the challenge pieces for last. They were hung so that members could study them through out the day. Names were not included so we didn’t know whose work we were looking at, then in the evening each person claimed their piece and gave some background on their inspiration, etc.
#1 belonged to Heather. She challenged herself by doing appliqué which was new for her as well as using small Dresden pieces to construct her tree. She is using the piece as a cushion cover.
#2 belonged to Sandra D. The truck is bringing home the tree as well as a tiny hitchhiker!
#3 belonged to Iris. Her circle of snowmen was all appliqué with embellishments.
#4 was mine. The centre was a counted cross stitch piece which I enlarged with borders and appliqué to continue the design.
#5 belonged to Lynn. She appliquéd the ornaments, used extra batting to make them stand out and added free motion embroidery to embellish them as well as adding the tree boughs.
Throughout the afternoon and evening the membership cast their votes for what they considered the best. I was honoured to have my piece chosen by the members. Thank you all for your votes. My prize was a mini stripology ruler. I’m sure I’ll be using it often!
The last event of the evening was a Right, Left, Centre game using three 2 1/2 inch strips each. We had two large tables of players. Sandra S. was the winner at one of the tables, Cindy at the other. Cindy was also the winner of the fabric bundle from our raffle. Congratulations, ladies!
This concluded the evening and also our year. We will meet again on January 6, 2024 for our first UFO day of the New Year.
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring you good health and happiness.
Gladys
