GreatFul Threads Art Quilters of Chattanooga: 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