Dear Guild Members and GALA Interested –
Greetings to all! Our next meeting will be Saturday June 18th. As usual we are meeting on the 3rd Saturday of the month at Trinity United Methodist Church in Phenix City.
The church address is 1600 5th Ave, but remember we park on the downhill side. We are having more and more members attend so we are asking those that are able to – please park a little further away after first dropping off all your stuff at the church. Then park at the big lot where 4th Avenue ends in a “T” intersection with 16th Street. The Pawn Shop owners have kindly agreed to let us park there. We like to keep parking available for newcomers and latecomers and those who can’t walk a long distance.
The morning workshop starts at 10:00 AM but doors are open at 9:30 for you to set up. I am usually there by 9:00 – feel free to come early and help set out the signs, power cords, supplies, irons, etc. The afternoon meeting starts at 1:00. Lunch is brown bag or out to a restaurant or take-out, etc.
The workshop this month is by Lee Ann Scogin on the One Block Wonder quilt, from a book of the same name. The supplies for you to bring are:
FABRIC: enough to have 6 repeats of a design (usually a repeat is 18-24 inches) – a large print or design will work best for this
TOOLS: 60 degree ruler (triangle) and 24″ straight edge; cutting mat at least 12 x 24″; rotary cutter with new blade; sewing machine and usual sewing supplies; straight pins
FABRIC PREP: fold in half matching selvages and press, cut into 2 pieces along fold (you will have 2 pieces approximately 22″ x 4 yards)
The afternoon program is about Disappearing 4 and 9 patches.
In July we will have a morning workshop on Paper Piecing and an Ice Cream Social at lunch (guild provides the ice cream – everyone please bring various toppings). The program will be a demonstration of several different rulers.
Also on Saturday June 11th, a group is going to do barn quilt painting at Fort Mitchell. Juanita Christian has already contacted those who signed up with details.
I have just arranged a Sewing Day at the Church for Tuesday June 21st from 10 am to 3 pm. This will be to work on our Jelly Roll quilts we are making for the shelter in Columbus and Crisis Center in PC. We have an ongoing project to sew tops, sew backings, do the quilting, make and sew on binding. Bring whatever you are working on or just bring your machine and sewing supplies and we can assign tasks. I am thinking that some of these would be manageable to do “Stitch in the Ditch” or other simple quilting on your domestic machine. We have plenty of fabric to make backings and bindings but feel free to bring your large pieces. We also have an ongoing project to make one yard bags for charity as well and we will re-instruct how to do those. We have plenty of fabric for those as well but you can also bring your own. We are collecting small personal items to go in the bags (such as you get at hotels) so donations are welcome. Please consider a trip to the dollar store for toothbrushes and paste, shaving supplies, soaps, shampoos and other items. I have just learned that there is a national shortage of tampons!! so feminine hygiene products of any kind would be welcome as well, I’m sure. Please bring your lunch and snacks or drinks to share. I’m sure some will be interested in taking orders for a lunch purchase at one of the fast food or barbecue places nearby. I hope to do a sewing day every month or so.
We plan to sell items at next year’s Quilt Show during Pioneer Day at Fort Mitchell next April again since it was a huge fundraiser for the guild. Please consider making items throughout the year to sell there. Sometimes I see a pattern for a sewing or quilting project that I just want to try, and can easily donate the finished product to this cause. The best selling items were wreaths, bookmarks, boo boo bags, tiny prayer quilts, jar openers, pin cushion/thread catchers, selvage bags, bookmarks and more. Large quilts did not sell. Next year we will have increased sales by spreading out and hanging more items and adding explanatory signs to the item display.
On a Saturday in July (I think the 9th but we’ll confirm during the June meeting) we are going to sign up for a road trip to Childersburg AL (about 2 hours) to a quilt shop called J.Light. The owner is closing it on August 31st, so everything is 45% off, minimum of 1 yard cuts, cash or check only. I have looked at other activities in the area and we could go to an antique mall in town, or perhaps ask for a tour of the Butler Harris Rainwater House Museum. There is also a very scenic grist mill nearby (no longer in use) and the cave tour at DeSoto Caverns!
Please review the attached minutes provided by Frances Thomason from our May meeting.
Linda Walker, GALA President
cell (ok to text) 706-662-5319
GALA Quilt Guild 