The Movies in Quilts

Friday, September 6, Vance Quilts R Us hosted an evening of entertainment.  Guild members, members from surrounding guilds and interested people from the community enjoyed viewing and voting on challenge quilts created by guild members, a wonderful assortment of treats including popcorn and movie theater candies.  The feature presentation for the evening was a lecture from quilt artist, Amy Stewart Winsor.

The guild's annual challenge was to create a quilt around a movie.  The quilt needed to include a pieced block, applique and embellishment and could not be larger than thirty inches.  

(Clicking on the pictures will enlarge them.)

"Lord of the Rings" was created by Stevie Scaramelli and was awarded second runner up.

First runner up was a quilt created by Patty McCrory and depicted the movie, "French Kiss".

Grand prize winner was "The Wizard of Oz" created by Donna Wesemann.

Brenda Seaman entered her quilt of "Yours, Mine and Ours".

Debbie Powell created a quilt depicting the movie "Harry Potter".

Wendy Krusie entered her quilt "Grease".

Also included in the evening was a "Stash for Cash".  Members brought sewing and craft related items to sell and the guild received a percentage of the sales.  There was a wide variety of items and many of those items were sold.

The evening's highlight was a lecture by Amy Winsor about her art quilts and how she creates them.  Many of her quilts do not follow any traditional rules used in quilting.

On Saturday, September 7, members and guests participated in a workshop presented by Amy Winsor on "Curvaceous Pieced Houses for the Precision Impaired". 

It was a weekend enjoyed by many quilters and non-quilters alike.

August Meeting

The August meeting of the Vance Quilts R Us guild was another fun evening for quilting friends.  Winners for the evening included Barbara Bockiaro, winning the July Block of the Month; Lynn Patiky won the Fat Quarter Frenzy, and Kathy Solomon won the raffle for the gift certificate from Quilts Like Crazy.

Guild members were shown the next Block of the Month by Faith Smith.  The four leaf blocks will need to be completed for the October meeting, since there will be no business meeting in September.

October Block of the Month

Our members continue to awe us with their wonderful work.  Below is a quilt made by Peggy Stocks.

Hassie Boddy shares her Twisted Sister quilt made from men's wool trousers.

Karen Hanny shows her hand appliqued and quilted Baltimore Album wall hanging.

The activity for the evening was lead by Belinda Leach and Debbie Powell.  Kits were handed out and instructions were given for a fabric flower that can be used to embellish quilts, handbags or lapels. 

June Activities

June's meeting of Vance Quilts R Us was an informative evening of members sharing their favorite sewing and quilting tips and tools.  We found out how other members use everything from hair bands to clothespins.  

The guild welcomes their newest member, Gale Richardson.  Guests included Sharon Raynor and Joyce Bobbitt.

Faith Smith displays her Night and Day quilt.  Faith received a third place ribbon in the Duet category at some quilt show.

 Up close look of the quilting on Faith's quilt.

 Winners of Betty's Arrow Block of the Month were Faith Smith and Frances Owen.

 Ellen Andersen won the bag of 2.5" wide strips.  Betty Stanton's name was drawn from all those sharing a tip or tool to win the Quilts Like Crazy gift certificate.

June's charity quilt workshop was busy as always.  

 Patty's sister, Kathy was visiting and she joined in the fun.

Sue was going to use Miss Lou's machine to sew on a binding.  But the sewing gods were against them.

Quilting with Friends

The May meeting of the Vance Quilts R Us guild was filled with beautiful quilts and many new faces.  Members were asked to bring a friend and a quilt.  Seven members brought friends to help them show their quilts.  Those present were ohh-ing a ahh-ing over the beautiful quilts shown.

Lynn Patiky and her guest share a beautiful Dresden plate quilt that Lynn hand pieced.

Betty Jo Pernell's guest showed a sampler quilt she created in a class taught by Peggy Stocks.

Karen Hanny and her husband, Phil, share a quilt that was once owned by Phil's great great grandmother.

Gale Hayes shows her Carpenter's Star.

Brenda Seaman shows a quilt she pieced and embroidered for her grandson.

Wendy Kruskie and her husband show a wall hanging Wendy created.

Sandra Shorkey shares a 30's era quilt given to her by a friend.

For show and tell, Kaye Pegram shared an embroidered quilt called "Baby Faces".

Peggy Stocks shares a quilt her students made to be given to the dean of VGCC.

Georgia Darnell shares her completed patriotic quilt from last year's Quilt in a Box challenge.

Winners of the May BOM were Lynn Patiky and Sue Marlette.

The winner of the Quilt's Like Crazy gift certificate was Rachel Wessels.  She won for bringing a guest AND a quilt.
Georgia Darnell won the shopping bag filled with fat quarters.

You will want to make sure you attend the June meeting.  Members are asked to bring their favorite gadget, tip or recycled item to share with the other members.

June's Fat Quarter Frenzy will be 2.5 inch strips.  Members are asked to bring a bundle of five with their name on it.

June's BOM is Betty's Choice.  Members participating are to make two blocks, one in black and white and one in red and white.  If you didn't get the pattern, they can be picked up at Miss Lou's.

The Christmas committee is still collecting items for the Chinese Auction to be held in December.  New and gently used items will be placed in baskets to be auctioned at the Christmas party.

Many guild members have been busy making charity quilts.  Ten completed quilts will be given to children at Heart Haven, an abused women's shelter.  Another child's quilt will be going to a friend of a guild member who is often hospitalized with cystic fibrosis.

The charity quilt committee is in desperate need of quilt batting.  Please consider dropping a donation in the jar designated for this at the check in table at our next meeting.

Until then...Happy Quilting. 

Springing into Quilting

The April meeting for the Vance Quilts R Us quilting guild was a wonderful evening of members sharing their enthusiasm for quilting and for the arrival of much needed warmer weather.  

The guild welcomed a new member, Sarah Baskerville.  We also welcomed back long absent members, Hassie Boddy and Jane Reeder.  It is wonderful to see these ladies among us again. Ellen Yancy was in attendance as a guest of Ruth Hicks.

Hospitality goodies for the evening were provided by Georgia Darnell, Ruth Hicks, Dawn Lemons and Phyllis Davis. 

During the business meeting, President Donna Wesemann announced an upcoming worshop and lecture sponsored by the guild to be presented in September by Amy Stewart Winsor.  For more information on this event, check the right hand sidebar under "Upcoming Guild Events".

Debbie Powell, charity quilts chairman,  explained receiving a letter from St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA.  They asked our guild to help them reach their goal of 100 quilts for their St. Peter's Love Quilt project.  These completed quilts will be sent to St. Francis Outreach Trust of South Africa to give to orphaned children.  Vance Quilts R Us has requested five sets of 4.5" blocks painted by children to include in these twins size quilts.  Find out more about this project at the link here.

Donna Compton, Christmas committee chairman, requested members bring new or gently used items to be used in baskets for the Chinese auction planned for the December meeting and Christmas party.

Big winners of the evening were Donna Wesemann, Stevie Scaramelli and Lynn Paticky who won the appliqued bunny blocks.  Rachel Wessels won the Fat Quarter Frenzy and Sue Marlette won the Quilts Like Crazy gift certificate in the raffle draws.

The evening's program was presented by Donna Sontag of Whatever's Quilted of Wake Forest.  Donna demonstrated the ease of use of HQ's Sweet Sixteen quilting machine.  Guild members were given the opportunity to test "drive" this wonderful machine.

 Dawn Lemons shares her "Veggie Quilt"

Kathy Solomon displays a Calendar Kids quilt she made for her brother using his grandchildren's hand prints.

 Hassie Boddy used a centuries old pottery design to create this reverse applique quilt.

 

 Sue Marlette created this "Orion's Star" to donate to the bone marrow clinic for a fundraising raffle.

 Janelle Bowen proudly displays her tulip wall hanging.

Below are pictures taken at the March 26th charity quilts workshop.

Clockwise - Barbara Bockiaro, Pat Beasley, Sandy King, Karen Hanney and Faith Smith

Patty McCrary and Debbie Powell

Linda Wincovich and Pat Beasley

Clockwise - Karen Hanney, Faith Smith, Rachel Wessels and Barbara Bockiaro.

Never caught on camera but enjoying the work were Belinda Leach, Sue Marlette and a tiny little mouse.