Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my art quilting friends. May your stocking be filled to the brim with quilting art supplies. I don't know about you but I think I am going to ask Santa for the gift of time, more time to work on my art quilting! What!  I can sense some of you are shaking your heads...get back you unbelievers of the jolly Clause.  He can give me more time....by hiring someone to clean my house, cook the meals, do the shopping and the laundry. Yea, right, dream on Denise. Well, that's why I'm  good at art quilting, I have a vivid imagination.

I do hope midst all the hustle and bustle  you are finding time to create, it will relieve holiday stress. One thing I am sure of, a few of you are creating some last minute Christmas gifts. I myself have two that need to be finished in two weeks.

One way to relieve holiday stress is to think about the upcoming year. For example, Karen Dewhirst needs you to be at the Children's Discovery Museum on Saturday, January 3 from 9:00 - 11:00. You will be helping the children sew together a monogrammed pillow or bag. Nothing to prepare simply show up and work with the children using the sewing machines for two hours. Let me know if you are available and I will put you on the list along with my name.

Have you had a chance to get on YouTube and find an art quilting demo, our 2015 GT program?  At our meeting in January, I will have one chosen, after we watch and discuss we will then  pass around a sign up sheet for the year. You might find something that strikes your fancy that would be appropriate for a certain time of the year.

I'll be honest, my husband and I are hosting our annual Book Group Christmas party Tuesday night. My upstairs sewing room looks like an F-4 tornado hit it! Someone always ask to view my latest project, So, I am  asking you, the blog reader, the following question, Should I.....

1. Put my two cats upstairs and tell them, "I'm sorry but my cats are locked up there and I'd rather not get them any more upset than they already are."   OR
2. Stay up all night tonight cleaning and straightening. (problem with this solution is eventually I will stop cleaning and begin sewing, solving nothing).   OR
3. Tomorrow I should forget cleaning the rest of the house, which looks doubly clean compared to the sewing room, and clean the sewing room instead.      OR
4. Take them upstairs regardless because,  a messy sewing room is an artist at work, be proud of my accomplishments. I could perform this problem solution  only because my sister, Psyleeta, is not coming. If she was coming this solution would not hold snuff!

Help me solve my dilemma by voting for what you think I should do.

Don't forget about our March 12, National Quilting Day. We need each GreatFul Thread member to make a 36 X 36" art quilt to be hung on the clothesline in Hamilton Place Mall. If I remember correctly one will be chosen to hang OR they will rotate off every hour and another hung in it's place. Either way...Fun, Fun!  Any theme or color can be used.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Denise

Merry Christmas

Re-cap of October's meeting

What a full and final meeting for the 2014 year of GreatFul Threads.

Jackie Cory won ribbons on her work submitted to the Mount Olive Quilt Show and the Tennessee State Fair. Both she and Delores Dady have quilts in the upcoming Folk Art show at Reflections Gallery. There will be a reception to meet the artists Nov. 6 from 4-7:00.

Jackie will be teaching a second Altered Book class on Nov. 12 from 11:00 – 2:00. Call Reflections Gallery to sign up, 423.892.3072.

Several ideas were suggested for projects  with children at the Discovery Museum. It was decided that GreatFul Threads will work as a group with the children 3 times during the year.

Liza Blair of the Discovery Museum suggested an art project for next year during AQS. This project will involve a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Because any group applying for this grant must be a 501 C3, GT will have to work with a group that is.

A retreat has been set at Home Harvest Retreat April 24-6 in Trenton, GA. Details will be determined in 2015.

The program for 2015 will be art quilting videos on YouTube. The Bernina Quilt and Sew studio is set up with a big screen TV so the videos can be viewed as a group. Members will make a project using information learned from the video and bring a completed project  the following month.

Brenda Cregger volunteered to be the Children’s Discovery Museum Liaison. Her job will be to communicate with  Karen Dewhirst and Liza Blair concerning programs and events that involve members of GreatFul Threads.

2015 Challenge for the year will be art quilts around the theme “Bird”.

Sandy Suggs has planned an event at Hamilton Place Mall in Center Court inviting all guilds in the Chattanooga area to participate. Two members from each guild will be sewing on personal projects while others will be answering questions and selling tickets for a raffle quilt. Funds retrieved will be donated to a local charity. All members of GT are asked to make an art quilt of their choice 36” X 36" by March 1. Two quilts will be chosen  from each guild to hang on a clothes line in the Mall at Center Court during this event. Purpose of the event is to promote quilting in the Chattanooga area.

The Self Portrait Challenge was accepted by 8 members. They were fantastic as can be seen by the  pictures. Thanks to Sharon and Linda for taking pics.

Thursday, November 6 guild members will meet for a day out to Yates Bleachery in Flintstone, Ga. We will then  go to Samaritan’s Thrift Shop in Ooltewah with lunch in between. Vista Mahan will send out driving directions. If you are interested in going please contact me so

 we can arrange a time and place for carpooling.

Thanks to all for making 2014 a wonderful art quilting year! A special thanks to Bill and Melissa Klingensmith for being our host this year and in 2015.

Denise

Last GT 2014 Meeting

Thursday evening, October 23, is our wrap up GT meeting for 2014. We will be making our plans for next year. The  Self Portrait Challenge is due, time is almost up. If you have not started yours yet....GET CRACKIN'!

Be sure to bring your challenge, basket technique, and show 'n tell.

See you at the Bernina shop,

Denise

Recap of September meeting

Fantastic September meeting of GreatFul Threads. Thanks to all who attended, the tables were full with current members and  visitors, Jane Indyke and Susan Asendorf, who we hope will come back. It was especially good to have Brenda Cregger back with us. We have missed her fearless, hold no embellishment back, just do it approach to art quilting!  Sandi also returned after a whirlwind year of AQS  and  Chattanooga Visitor Bureau business. The group expressed appreciation for her hard work, dedication to quilting and the city of Chattanooga.  Sandi wants everyone to know that deadline entry for 2015 AQS Chattanooga  is May 1. Get online to read  categories and size requirements. Karen Sperry’s quilt was videoed by AQS to be used in advertisement for the Albuquerque, New Mexico show. You just never know what good things will happen when you enter a show!

Jackie Cory is the new coordinator for the Heritage Quilt Trail. This is the organization that puts those lovely, painted quilt blocks on the side of small businesses, non-profit agencies and family farms. If you or someone you know might be interested, send her an email for more info.

Congrats to all our members and friends who had quilts in the show and hanging in the many venues around Chattanooga. What a thrill it was to see your work hanging in a new environment being oohed and aahed  by admirers who might never have seen it otherwise. 

There is a new business open in Ooltewah next to Chattanooga Quilts called Tinker Fairy Cottage. It is a vendor booth store similar to the E. Brainerd Merchants Warehouse. Be sure to check these stores out, you will appreciate the hand made merchandise.

Some of our members have rented booths.

October is the due date for our 2014 challenge, “Self Portrait”. It’s not too late to begin and finish. Rules are as follows:

1.50% must be pieced or appliquéd

2. sleeve on back

3. size 11” X 14”

4. can be interpretive, real or abstract

Karen Dewhirst, Science Manager from Childrens Discovery Museum came to inform us about the new “Make It Room”. Five new sewing machines plus a die cut machine have been purchased. They need volunteers to work one on one with a child at each machine. They also need fabric scraps and clean items that can be recycled into craft projects. Karen is looking for simple sewing project ideas that will be good for both boys and girls.

We have had such a good relationship with CDM this year, I would like it to continue  and make the museum our community outreach project. Each of us would like to see our craft continue into the next generation and this is an ideal outlet to accomplish that goal.

I would like everyone to come up with one simple sewing project and get it to me within 2 weeks. I will forward those to Karen. She needs to have her budget projections  for 2015 and will need to estimate cost of supplies. Get me that one idea on or before  October 13 and I will forward those to her.  Next I would like everyone to start saving your fabric scraps, notions, empty spools, buttons, 2 liter bottles, pine cones, seed pods, bottle caps, anything you look at and think…hmm, you could do something fun with this.

The official “Make It Day” program is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2015. Put that day on your calendar, and let’s spend Valentines’ Day doing something we love, sewing!  Once Karen gets our simple project recommendations we can work with her on setting a schedule for days we can  be there to volunteer throughout the year.

If the museum agrees, I would like us to make another quilt with the children that can be hung during AQS 2015. Be thinking about a simple block the children can make (maybe one using the die cut machine) We will need to schedule those workdays into the calendar also.

October is our last GT meeting for 2014. At that meeting we will finalize our 2015 program, challenge, officers, retreat, meeting location and time.

Denise

Linda Smith's circle floor covering

Jackie Cory used crayons to make the pear design

Linda's crazy quilt Christmas tree

Kim Callaway and her work from an AQS class

Those are Miriam Duncan's hands behind this beautiful paper piecing

Miriam, that really pops!

The pic does not do it justice, it was beautiful and the butterflies were so well made.

Miriam's compilation of techniques she drew from the basket this year

Fabric folding

It was a long drive from Dayton, thanks Jane Indyke for making the trip.
1 of 9 art quilts mounted on wood in a nine patch square.

Sandi Suggs and her Ruched pillow. 

Lovely on the sofa for Fall

Welcome back to GT Brenda. 1 of 3 aquarium quilts

Great use of Michael Miller MQG challenge fabric

Beautiful job on the jellies

Detail of thread play on Brenda's Aquarium otter quilt

Denise painted with Rit Dye using a glue resist to keep it from spreading

GreatFul Threads meet September 25

Art Quilters,

I hope you have had time to catch your breath after our world wind week of AQS. Can't wait to hear what your favorite quilt was. Mine was a SAQA quilt titled "Theatre" by Izabella Baykova from Saint Petersburg, Russia. It depicted opera viewers, each box seat had the most amazing characters. The hand work was absolutely phenomenal and it was made with designer fabrics. One of the most wonderful aspects of a quilt show is finding an artist and/or workmanship that inspires you to achieve greater quality in your own skills. That quilt was just stunning to me. If you would like to share your favorite with me, please do.

Next week, on Thursday evening the 25th, is our GreatFul Threads meeting for the month of September. Can you believe  we only have one two meetings left in 2014?  We need to begin planning for 2015. Vista has been inspired with a great program idea and thanks to AQS, I have a challenge idea. Before our meeting give programs and our yearly challenge  some thought. Come to the meeting with your ideas, we will throw them all out for discussion.

Do not forget to bring your current works of art for show 'n tell along with your basket technique. It's not too late to get started on it, if you have not already. I started mine this afternoon!

Looking forward to our meeting,

Denise

CDM reception

What fun we had on Thursday evening at the Creative Discovery Museum celebrating the children, their quilts and ours. The doors were open wide, as it was Free Family Night, children were everywhere and having fun as they always do at CDM. They were learning through play and munching on reception goodies. The walls in the open area were covered in our bright art quilts that appeal to both children and adults.

I would like to thank each of our members for their fabric, time and energy on this project. You were so very gracious and eager to take part in this, our first, community project. Next I would like to thank Liza Blair and the CDM for being so open minded to our ideas. You were a joy to work with and we thank you for the opportunity.  I would like to thank  Sandi Suggs for pairing GreatFul Threads with  CDM. Only Sandi would have known what a good pair the two organizations would make. Last but not least, thanks  to Maddie Kertay and Spool for providing the batting for the children's quilts.

What an amazing week this was for quilters and the city of Chattanooga. How lucky we are to live in a city that embraces our passion. As good as this is, I have a feeling it's only going to get better.  I hope you look forward to the future as much as I do.

Denise

Reception tonight at Children's Discovery Museum

Please do not forget the reception tonight from 6:00 to 7:30 at the Children's Discovery Museum. It is being given in our honor for the work GreatFul Threads did making the two quilts with the children. If you donated fabric, cut fabric, worked with the children, took blocks home, stitched, quilted, this is for you. Even if you did none of that, come and see the quilts displayed!  You can park in the CDM lot or street park for free after 4:30 p.m. downtown.

Bring a camera,

Denise

August 2014 Meeting

Jackie's fancy tie skirt, how artistic

A bell pull size future wall hanging

Modern Baby Quilt

Squedge, 15 degree ruller fun

Jackie's monthly technique, this month rusted owls

Miriam's foiling, she painted the red foil on the barn. Way to go Miriam

Vista's applique technique. Once a teacher, always a teacher!

Shashiko- Japanese Country Quilting

Miriam

Marion Burris and Denise

Flower Power

Modern example of asymmetry

Modern example of asymmetry