We had a wonderful Charity Sew day June 13th and have another time scheduled for Sunday July 12, 2020 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Nearly 20 people zoomed in again for all or part of the day. Some of us worked on the suggested blocks and others worked on sewing more masks. It seems many ACQ members do their own charity work and we never hear about it. I would love to know the total number of masks sewn by members. The rough count from the Charity Sew day participants was over 4,000 masks.

Several ACQ members met a few times to exchange kits, quilt tops and completed quilts. Thank you to Katie, Beth, Joan, Carole, Barb, Nathlia, Carla and Peggy.
I am also pleased to report that 25 masks and 10 quilts were delivered to Sacred Heart House. Please contact me by email so we can arrange a pick up for blocks, kits, tops, fabric or completed quilts.

Sheila Clark
Charitable Quilts Committee
sheila-clark@comcast.net

With this pandemic we find ourselves in a new world with new challenges.  ACQ; however, continues to thrive. While we can’t meet in person, we can still learn, share and smile at our virtual program meetings, teas and sew-alongs.

We are starting to plan regarding the ACQ book sale. Normally we hold this at our October meeting.  This year will be different and we will need to do something new.  Many books have already been donated and we would like ACQ members to have the opportunity to review and add books to your personal library.  The Board is currently brainstorming ways to make a book sale happen virtually.  We will definitely keep you informed as we finalize plans.  In the meantime, if you have books you wish to donate, please contact Ann Roman at or annroman8858@icloud.com or Mary Rogers at mary.c.rogers@outlook.com to make arrangements to donate.

Hello from ACQ Members! We learned how to use annotate on Zoom this month and were able to play Pictionary in small groups.

Then we discovered that we can use the Annotate feature in Zoom to crowdsource quilting ideas for a quilt top! What fun--and so helpful to have ideas from a variety of quilters. 

If you would like to use the ACQ Zoom account for your bee or another ACQ activity, please contact ACQ Secretary Barb Pond. If no one else is using it at that time, you'd be welcome to use it. 

We took a poll to discover what people would like to learn through ACQ events and activities.

We had lots of Show and Tell.

Vicki Skigen from Wooden Spools showed us what's going on at her store. See the Business Member Spotlight for more info.

We met ACQ member Patricia Graham and heard how she got started quilting. See the Member Spotlight for more info (password required).

It was a fun, jam-packed, inspiring meeting!

Here's what's coming up in July:

Kim Lapacek will be sharing her journey: Wildly Careening into Quilts!

Submit your Show & Tell photos and Nominate a Member for a future spotlight: details on the Members-Only page (password required).

Please register now: it will help us prepare ahead of time. Door prizes will be chosen from registered participants. The Zoom link will be sent by email to those who register. Members register for free. Guests register for $8.

Register for the July meeting

Vicki Skigen from Wooden Spools gave us a tour of her shop. 

Shop in the store or order online. Make an appointment for private shopping, order for pickup or shipping. 

Look: elastic in stock! Fabric galore, including hand-dyes from Cherrywood, batiks, prints, solids and more. You’ll find fresh, current, new fabrics and “revived” fabrics at reduced prices. 

What is revived fabric? Wooden Spools buys back quilt shop quality fabric that you no longer want that someone else will want to buy.  Read details here about selling your fabric: https://www.woodenspools.com/fabrics/how-we-buy-fabric-at-wooden-spools-faqs/

Wooden Spools also has lots of yarn for knitters and crocheters.

2805 S Broadway, Englewood, CO 80113
Current hours are 11-3 daily
303-761-9231

Comments from the chat during our tour:

• Wooden Spools is a wonderful shop!  There are great people working there - so friendly and helpful!
• LOVE Wooden Spools! ❤️❤️❤️
• ELASTIC/???...I’ll see you tomorrow
• I bought 18 Yards of black the other day!
• my mom in Houston just ordered from Wooden Spools and got it in 2 days. 
• I’m in western Oregon. I placed an order from Wooden Spools on a Friday afternoon and got my package on Monday. I sure do miss visiting the store but am glad I can still "shop" there remotely.
• Great service!
• How thoughtful to have shopping by appointment especially for those needing extra care/distance in these days.
• I need a shopping day
• Cherrywood—yummy hand-dyed!
• That was a great tour!

Refer to the Business Member Directory for more great resources. 

Hello ACQ Members in Quarantine,

I really enjoyed our May speaker, Deborah Boschert, and seeing examples of her work and her personal philosophy. The recording of the May meeting is available for members on the Members-only page of our website through June 10. We all have a reason to quilt, our personal favorite colors and patterns or symbols that mean something to us.  I thought her works displayed an oriental serenity. I can’t get over how it seems like a one or one instruction from the lecturer.  And no more craning your neck to see what is going on.  So, in short, I hope to see more of you this month.

This month is our Show and Tell Extravaganza.  So, follow the directions to get your Show and Tell into the program.  There are going to be breakout rooms to chat with members, games and tons of fun. Plus we'll be announcing the Quarantine Bingo winners, so turn your card in by June 10.  

I broke out of my sewing block….”How? You might ask.....I attended my first Charity Sew on Zoom. A virtual sewing with 20 or so participants. Everyone was making wonky stars except me.  I had something I wanted to try. But as blocks were completed, they were shown to the group and the enthusiasm and camaraderie I got that day was all the difference in the world. Just what I needed to finish a quilt on my new Statler and get back into piecing. And all from the comfort of my own home, with my machine and stuff I did not have to schlep to a different location. I strongly recommend you think about attending the next one or at least check up on your fellow quilters. Come visit us in June at the Community Sew and get Recharged!

I finished the first quilt on my Statler yesterday and have the next one loaded and ready to start on tomorrow. The shut-down occurred right after I got her, and not being able to attend classes in person, I had to resort to online tutorials. I’m catching on to some things but would really appreciate that in person attention. I am keeping a list of items I am having trouble with, so I am ready when they open.

Also, the ACQ Zoom account is available to anyone in the guild that would like to host a virtual sewing group. I am in the Parker Bag Ladies every Tuesday. Send a note to Barb Pond and she will get you started.

Also, on our members-only Facebook Community page, when someone finds a video, class or retreat on the computer that you could attend online, the links are being posted. If you find an interesting post or museum tour please post that.I watched a wonderful 5 part video from the Victoria and Albert Museum on “Kimono”. 30 minutes and I saw beautiful textiles from 300 plus years. I’m going to go back and see what they have on Quilts.

So, stay positive. If anyone needs to talk or vent, I have my phone, so give me a call.

Yours Truly,

Terry Chase

We had a wonderful Charity Sew day in May. Nearly 20 people zoomed in for all or part of the day including 3 people from 2 different Michigan quilt guilds. We laughed, shared tips, and viewed blocks. It was so successful we are ready to try it again after our New Member Tea June 13, 2020. Last month we did Wonky Star block and this month we are going to work on a block we talked about during the online sew time. The block is called Quatrefoil and looks like a flower or a four leaf clover. Quatrefoil means good luck and we could all use some in this challenging time. 

Our completed quatrefoil quilts will spread good luck to the participants who receive help from Sacred Heart House. I plan to work with purple and green floral prints. 

https://www.patchworksquare.com/mf/quatrefoil-quilt-block.pdf    http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/2013/08/quatrefoil-block-tutorial-modern-blocks-qal/

Please contact me by email so we can arrange a pick up for blocks, tops and or completed quilts. 

Links are posted here if you missed out on the Wonky Star block from last month.  

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eMoE5-q1lP4

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JLW-DPSGc98 

Sheila Clark 

Charitable Quilts Committee

sheila-clark@comcast.net

News from the Library Corner

Spring is now here with warm, sunny weather. Many of us are spending time in our gardens. This month we thought we would focus on quilts with flowers.  Here are some books from the ACQ library to provide floral inspiration.

Flower Festival by Kim Schaefer

“Create a whole bouquet of floral quilts with 50 adorable mix-and-match blocks of appliqued flowers and bugs. 9 projects.”

 

Quilts From My Garden by Karen Snyder:

“Quilting and cooking, while they may not go hand-in-hand for everyone, there's something refreshing about creating items using "recipes," regardless if it's stitching or stirring. Luckily, with this book you get recipes for both, through partner projects including hot pads and Corn Relish.”

Best of Floral Bouquet Quilts by Sharon Evans Yenter

“Stroll through the pages of this beautiful book - linger awhile and imagine yourself surrounded by flowers. Sharon shows you how to select floral bouquet fabrics to make one or all of the six elegant quilts featured in the book, which have been chosen as the best of the 15 gorgeous quilts that were in the original best seller book by this author. Read a brief history of chintz and the important role this fabric played in early quiltmaking, then follow suggestions for making a fantasy quilt using today's floral bouquet fabrics, including those from Sharon's "In The Beginning" fabric collection. Includes: 6 quilt patterns with full instructions for quick and easy piecing; Tips on color and fabric selection; Decorating ideas offer ways to personalize the setting for each completed quilt.”

We would still love to get your input for new books that should be purchased for the library this year. We are looking for suggestions for recent books (published in 2019 and 2020).  Please email your suggestions to Mary Rogers (mary.c.rogers@outlook.com) and Ann Roman (annroman8858@icloud.com).  We will keep you posted of our progress.

Library Reminders:

• Each month we feature a small selection of our library books for our members to peruse and check-out before the program meeting.  This selection changes each month.

• A complete list of the books in the ACQ Library is available on the ACQ website by title, author and subject.  Find the Library section on the Members page. If you are interested in a particular title, please contact Mary or Ann.

• Books can be checked out for up to 2 months.  

• Please be sure to return books in the marked basket at the library table at the back of the room.

• If you are a new ACQ member you may not realize that at monthly meetings several members donate quilting magazines.  These are free to members, so please be sure to check out the selection.  These are located on a table close to the library table. 

Submitted by:  Ann Roman and Mary Rogers

We are still planning on selling tickets at the Shop Hop in August; the Denver Sewing show has been moved to August 20th to August 23rd, 2020 at the Denver Mart; and the Holiday Market (Denver and Colorado Springs) in November/December.

For anyone who wants to purchase raffle tickets, please send a check, a stamped self addressed envelope, self-stick return mailing labels, your email and phone number. 

 Arapahoe County Quilters
PO Box  5357
Englewood, CO 80155

Hello ACQ!

Well for those of you that joined us for the Virtual Guild meeting in April I hope you enjoyed reconnecting with other members and watching Sherri Lynn Wood's Program.    She actually spoke and answered questions for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  

Hats off to June Dudley, Carole Fronk, Cindy Monserud and Deb Roth (I hope I did not miss someone) for all their hard work getting this set up and making our first virtual meeting possible.  Those of you that were there or have viewed the video from our website will see how their preparation and production of the meeting was flawless.  

I understand that Sherri’s two-day workshop was enjoyed by students from around the world. And that actually using the video format gave everyone a front row seat to her techniques all from the safety of their own sewing rooms.

I’ve been making masks off and on this month and trying to really finish up my open ending list of UFO’s I should have finished last year. I’ve heard from several of you that you are getting a sewing block.  I have experienced that too.  So, I am limiting my news feed every day, practicing good hygiene, masking up when I have to go out, and learning new techniques and skills to keep me focused.  

May is here and I am ready to start planting.  By the time you read this I should have planted over 50 day lilies and about 30 irises.  I have a steep hillside that I plan on filling with irises, so hubby doesn’t have to mow.  I’ll let you know if irises really are “deer-proof“ by the end summer.  

Please remember to keep in touch with your sewing friends via phone or zoom (it is free App by the way) since it is so easy to use.  Let’s make sure we are there for those that may be alone and unsettled at the way the virus has overtaken our lifestyles. Our mental health and wellbeing are just as important as our physical health. If you need someone or something, reach out to me or the Board. Don’t let Cabin Fever get to you.

I hope to see more of you on the Virtual meeting in May!

Terry

As I write this we are still quietly quilting in quarantine lockdown – though some of us not so quietly. We are quilters and that is what we do. We stop for only the essentials such as getting another cup of something to sip, potty breaks, and a snack to keep us going. Well, another essential task added to the list is making face masks.  

My favorite mask pattern: Versatile Mask

We are not able to have an in person sew day at this time.  ACQ is proposing a virtual sew day for us to connect on line. We can work on quilts and share thoughts about quilts to donate. Show and Tell for Charity Quilt would be wonderful.  We can continue what we have learned from our virtual meetings. Since May 16^th ACQ does not have a workshop scheduled, we will have a virtual Charity Sew Day in its place. 

I started the year making 9 patch blocks and last month I needed to laugh so Wonky Star Blocks made the list. I have lots of blocks and need to put them together. I suggest these patterns or anything that makes you happy.  Wonky Star Blocks from Missouri Star Quilt Company: Large Wonky Stars and Small Wonky Stars

I have one more thing I am happy to report. Thanks to Carole and Joan I was able to exchange kits, tops and projects ready to quilt. Imagine three quilters tossing these items to each other in a parking lot. We looked good with our fancy face masks and gloves. If anyone else is in need of a Charity quilt kit or fabric, please contact me. 

Sheila Clark 

Charitable Quilts Committee

sheila-clark@comcast.net