Merry Christmas!

Christmas is only a few short days away now. Hopefully your quilting projects are all finished, the last stitches sewn and your sewing space is all tidied up! If so, you're ahead of me. My projects are done, but the tidying isn't! Hopefully Santa won't peek in that room!

Our Christmas Social was such a lovely evening. The special music provided by a talented quartet from Elm City Echoes was so entertaining, giving us wonderful harmonies and laughter too! It was so nice to have time to just chat and "visit" with other members, something that there never seems to be enough time for at our busy meetings. Kudos to the Program Committee for organizing such a  wonderful evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of Christmases past by members Mary Brown,  Anne Ouellette, Kathleen DeTulleo and Ann Price. How lovely to hear about Christmas traditions in other families and areas. There seems to always be a common denominator though- being together with family and friends appears to be the most important part of the holidays, no matter where you are. The evening ended with a super Show and Tell. It's obvious everyone has been very busy getting projects finished up for Christmas, whether meant as gifts or not. The photos have been added to our Show and Tell Gallery.

I am so grateful for all my wonderful friends and "quilting sisters" at FQG - you have all enriched my life. No doubt you agree with me - we are indeed fortunate to have such a wonderful group.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and good health and happiness in the New Year - and, of course- lots more time for quilting!! See you in 2012.

December Reminders

It's December 1st!! Wow- where did November go? The days are flying by, and like me you are probably at your machine trying to get quilts finished and gifts made. I wish I could find a few more hours in each day for us all.... wouldn't that be nice?

First of all, don't forget that our Christmas Social is coming right up on Dec. 6th at 6:30. Note the earlier start time... I hope to see everyone there, it's such a nice opportunity to share some Christmas spirit with friends, and have time to chat and socialize a bit. Don't forget to bring along your Christmas Show and Tell items!

Tomorrow, Friday Dec. 2,  is the Country Crafts and Curtains "Retreat" from 1p.m. - 8p.m. at the Marysville Heritage Centre, 11 McGloin St. in Marysville. Take your machine and sew for the day, drop in to shop, or just to say Hi! There is a Potluck at suppertime too!

If you still have shopping to do for someone special on your list, remember Sunday is the only day for the Christmas Choice Craft Sale at UNB's Memorial Hall (9 Bailey Drive) from noon until 4p.m. This weekend is also the 37th annual  Christmas Arts and Crafts Market at the Capital Exhibit Centre on the Frex grounds. Stop by and say Hi to Kathy Tidswell... The hours are Friday noon - 9p.m., Saturday 10a.m - 6p.m. and Sunday noon - 5p.m.

Have you given some serious thought to attending Quilt Canada 2012 in Halifax in the spring? Our last newsletter had lots of info listed, or you can find it here on the CQA/ACC website. Also check out the Quilt Canada Blog here for updates and lots of exciting news re. the Conference. Registration is now open for day students - ie. signing up for a class or two, without being a full delegate. This annual event will likely not be back in the Maritimes for a while, so now is your chance to take it in. Halifax is an easy drive now with good highway all the way. And if you are not already a CQA member, this year would be a great year to join!! Why not put a CQA membership on your Christmas Wish List? Join now and start planning that Halifax trip!!

I recently received info on a 10 day tour to Ireland that includes the International Quilt Festival of Ireland in Galway. The dates are June 5th- 15th, 2012 and departure is from Halifax.You can view more details by clicking here. What a fun trip that would be...

Successful "Fun Day"...

If you were not at the Guild "Fun Day" yesterday, you missed a good time!! A good number of members turned up to share a day together; a few worked on their own projects, the rest of us happily sewed the day away on one of the five projects presented. Lots got accomplished and everyone left with a smile on their face. Some worked on table runners Christmas-y and otherwise, snowmen, strip tubed and pieced blocks.... all were presented, demonstrated and notes given so we could do them later if not then. We even got a cute little fast and easy stocking stuffer /gift idea. There were door
prizes and yummy treats....What a great day!! Thanks to the Workshop Committee for putting this day together and offering such a wonderful variety of projects and ideas. There may be another such day offered in the New Year- why not plan now to attend? It's a great day to sew with friends and also get acquainted with other members you may not know well... What more could you ask for? You know what they say- any day spent sewing is a GOOD day....

Meeting Time Again

It's time again for our monthly meeting. Don't forget to bring your list for the UFO Challenge- unfinished projects and new projects you would like to complete this year. I have my list all ready.. and it's long!! Maybe this Challenge will spur me on to get moving and whittle down the list. That's the whole purpose, after all...
Jean Burtt will be anxious to collect more quilts for babies at the DECH . It's not too late to turn yours in. Remember backs must be flannel, and all fabrics must be prewashed. It doesn't take long to whip up something that's only 18" x 24" and it's a great opportunity to try out a new pattern or colour combination.
Of course Christmas placemats will be accepted at this meeting too, as well as at the December Christmas Social. They should be approximately 12" x 16". The Meals on Wheels recipients are certainly cheered by these colourful mats with their meals over the holidays.

See you tomorrow evening! Remember your mug, your nametag, any library books you have out, your Show and Tell items and why not take a minute to speak to a new member, or someone you don't know well? It doesn't take long to make a new friend....

The Ladies with the Curves!

Our October meeting program was great- we learned a lot about sewing curves. Although a daunting prospect to some, I'm sure we all left with much more confidence for tackling curved seams. A big Thank You to the five "presenters' - Gail Butts, Jean Ketch, Gail Mitchell, Linda Glassford and Donna Young. Among other things, we learned how to sew a basic curve, how to add piping to a curve, how to "face" a curve so it could be appliquéd, how to use glue basting to sew a circle into a circular opening, and how to use the curved two patch system. Here are a few photos, if you missed the meeting.

I will soon be posting some reminders for our November meeting, so come back soon for the details on  1. our UFO Challenge,  2. Christmas placemats for Meals on Wheels, and 3. our continuing Community projects - due at Nov. meeting: quilts for babies. See guidelines here.

Off to Moncton You Should Go!!

I am just home this evening from Moncton where I thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the Greater Moncton Guild's 25th Anniversary Show. These girls have outdone themselves! What a lovely show- well worth the trip to Moncton, I assure you. It's going to be a lovely weekend, weather-wise. Why not take a little road trip and take in the Show? It's open Saturday from 10-5 and Sunday from 12-4, and can be found at the Lion's Club at  55 Mark Avenue. If you know where the Fabric Cupboard is just off Collishaw, well Mark Ave. is just a block away, running off Collishaw, almost through to Mountain Road.
Here are a few photos to tempt you.... You can see more photos on my personal blog here,  here here and
 here.

1st place winner Art Quilt and Best in Show, "Fundy Mermaid" by Nancy Elaschuk

Detail of "Fundy Mermaid"

Winner of Judge's Choice, Whole Cloth quilt by Carolyn Mitton

1st Place winner, Guild Challenge. "Beacon of Light" by Nancy Elaschuk

"Happy Hallowe'en" by Joanne Bourque

1st Place, Large Pieced. "Ocean View"  by Bridget Daly

1st Place Small Applique. "Butterfly Ballet" by Kim Larracy

September Meeting and Upcoming Workshop

 Sue with double prizewinner  "Baltimore Bunnies"

Our first meeting is behind us, and it's really starting to feel like Fall. Thanks so much to Sue McEachern of Kennebecasis Valley QG for sharing many of her beautiful quilts with us for the September program. Sue does wonderful applique and her hand-quilting is exceptional. Tiny even stitches had us all admiring her prize-winning work. Here are a few photos of several of Sue's quilts, for those of you who missed the meeting. Next month's meeting will have us in "stations" to learn about curved piecing. It's bound to be a great program and I'm sure we'll all pick up some tips and perhaps "new to us" techniques.

Sue showing us some hand quilting tips

Detail of Baltimore Bunnies

Thanks to all those who brought projects to share with us during September's Show and Tell. I don't always catch the names of each quilt, and sometimes I'm not even sure of the makers, so if there is no name and/or title under your work in our Show and Tell Gallery, please get in touch and supply me with the info. Thanks . Our gallery is now set up so that the most recent Show and Tell items will be added at the top, so you won't have to scroll to the bottom.

There are still spots available in our upcoming workshop on October 22. Former FQG member Cathy Hachey will be teaching Connecting Hearts. Don't be intimidated by the small pieces - there are no matching seams and this can be easily done with strip piecing, chain piecing and a flip and sew method using a grid. Get in touch with Jean Ketch of the Workshop Committee if you'd like to join us for this fun-filled class. It looks like a great project and I'm sure Cathy will have lots of tips for us. 

Community Projects for 2011-2012.

We will soon be back at our Guild activities for the year. I hope you are all coming back from the summer rested and rejuvenated, and ready to plunge into Guild activities. We are taking a slightly different approach to Community projects this year. Jean has decided to choose a "theme" so for this Guild year, it will be "The Year of the Child". We will "divide" the year into three sections - Babies, Children and Teens.

For September and October, we will focus on quilts for babies and the neonatal unit. These should be sized 18" x 24" and backed with good quality flannel. They must be 100% cotton, including the batting, and for safety reasons, these quilts must be quilted, not tied.PLEASE prewash ALL fabrics and batting.

For November through January, we will be looking for quilts for children. These could be pediatric quilts, flannel backed, size 24" x 36" (cot size) for the DECH, or lap size quilts, approximately 55" x 75" for children at Transition and Gignoo Houses.

We will continue our annual donation of Christmas placemats to Meals on Wheels. Size should be approximately 12" 16". These can be brought in to our November meeting, or our Christmas Social.

After January, we will focus on quilts for Teens. These should be flannel backed, lap size quilts age appropriate for Teens. These will go to group homes.

If there are any questions, please get in touch with Jean Burtt, Community Projects Co-ordinator.

The Fall Lineup

This week marks the beginning of the fall quilt show lineup, with the annual KVQG Show in Quispamsis. Please note the times listed on the sidebar. I had the time for Thursday wrong before, it is now listed correctly. Thursday hours are 1p.m. to 8p.m., Friday 10a.m. to 8p.m. and Saturday hours are 10a.m. to 4p.m.
Also for those of you who are Bernina owners or wannabe's, Suzanne Lane from Quilting B & More of PEI will be in Quispamsis on Wednesday, the day before the Show opens, to demo Berninas. She will have feet, bobbins, needles, accessories, etc. for sale from 11a.m. until 8p.m.at the QPlex. The QPlex is at 20 Randy Jones Way. Take exit 141 off Highway1, and travel north approx. 4 kms. on  Route 119 (Gondola Point Arterial). Turn left at Vincent Road and then right onto Randy Jones Way.
Note: Suzanne will be at the QPlex on Wednesday only. She will be a vendor at the Show for Thurs., Fri. and Saturday at the Lion's Center.

More Red and White...

Red and white is an old traditional combination for quilts  in our New Brunswick heritage. No doubt some of our members have an old red and white quilt in their possession. For those of you who were interested in the Red and White Quilt display in NYC that I talked about here and here, I thought you might enjoy having a look at this... WOW! What a dedicated quilter - quite the project!!

Stan Cassidy Rehab Centre Quilt Raffle - Drawing the Winning Ticket

This morning, Jane Gunn of our guild, in the presence of financial officials, drew the winning ticket for the Nines and Vines Quilt.  Sue Robertson, our Guild Coordinator, announced the name of the winner to the crowd of witnesses.   

Congratulations goes to  Steve Boyd of Fredericton.   Steve and Angie, with September here and the fall weather just around the corner, we hope you enjoy snuggling under your new hand quilted queen size quilt.

The proceeds of this fund-raiser will go towards a new bus that will serve users of the Stan Cassidy Rehabilitation Centre around the whole province.

Calling all Members....

The last day of August- can you believe it? Where has the summer gone? Tomorrow, Sept. 1st, is the drawing of the winning ticket for the Stan Cassidy Rehabilitation Centre raffle quilt. The draw is set for 9:30a.m. in the lobby of the Stan Cassidy Centre. We would like to have as many FQG members present as possible. If you can join us, we'd love to see you there. We can't wait to see who the lucky winner is! It might be you!!
Also- have you remembered to renew your membership for the 2011-2012 year? If not, Paula our Registrar  would love to hear from you. She can be reached at 459-3407 or by email at jvmacd@nbnet.nb.ca   If you plan to renew at the September meeting, get in touch with Paula to let her know your intentions - we would like to get a clear idea of our numbers for the year.
We encourage members to submit articles, stories or items of interest for our newsletter, The Template. Editor Joyce needs your submissions by Sept. 6 at the latest. Send them to humblej@nbnet.nb.ca  as soon as possible.
Our first meeting night will be here before you know it. See you Sept. 20th! New members are welcomed!

Fall Fibre Arts Fest and more Quilt Shows

Can you believe it's nearly the end of August? I won't say the end of summer as I hope it goes on for a good long while yet... We'll be back at Guild meetings before you know it!
I've been asked to make you aware of the upcoming Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival in Amherst in October. Put it on your calendars now!! This is almost a full week of "all things fibre".. quilting, hooking, needlework (hardanger this year), spinning, knitting, felting, rug braiding.. well you get the picture - ALL things fibre!! Kathy Tidswell is teaching two classes too!  Click here to go to the website to see the schedule. I bet there might be a class or two there that interests you. There will also be quilt displays, rug displays, a  humourous lunchtime theatre and lots of other good stuff happening! I plan to attend this year- will I see you there? 
EDIT - Sept. 1 - The NS Fibre Arts Festival now has a blog: click here. Over the coming days and weeks more info will be posted on the blog, so keep checking back. By clicking on the grey tabs at the top, you will find info on the events, workshops, instructors, etc. If you need a little fibre in your creative diet - this is the place to find it!!

It must be time for another Quilt Show Tour, or two or three... Click here, here and here to see my favourites from Maine Quilts 2011. If you did not get down to Life at the Lakes in Cambridge Narrows, you can see a few photos here.
Click here to wing your way to the UK and a 3 minute video tour of the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham. (Thanks to Kathy F. for this link.) And here, here, and here  for another blogger's look at a Quilt Show in Burlington Ontario - the Halton QG Show.
 
Did you attend any interesting Quilt Shows this summer?

For Your Viewing and Reading Pleasure...

Here is a different type of Quilt Show for your entertainment. Click here for a short NFB film about quilts. And if you need a little inspiration today, click here to meet Diane Rose, a blind quilter from Texas. (short video)

On the home front, kudos to our own Gail Mitchell. She has just had an article published in McCall's Quilting magazine, September-October 2011 issue. It gives lots of tips on how to make more from your Raffle Quilt. We all know Gail is very generous with her time, having made quilt tops for local Church groups to hand quilt, so she has compiled a number of helpful suggestions. Well done Gail!!

Great info on Thread

I thought some of you might be interested in this newsletter from Superior Threads. I have included the Q and A section below. If you would like to read more, you can find the entire August 2011 newsletter here. And if you'd like to read previous Superior Threads newsletters you can access them all here. Of course there's lots of other great things to check out too...Enjoy!

Superior Threads August 2011 Newsletter

WISE WORDS FROM MOTHER SUPERIOR
This newsletter is longer than most but it is full of valuable information. Please print it out and read it as time allows. Good education, sales, announcements, and a joke at the end.

EDUCATION: Common and not-so-common Questions
Here are some questions (and our answers) asked recently in quilting blogs:
Q. Are all invisible monofilament threads the same?
A. No. Most invisible monofilament thread is nylon and nylon is not a good fiber choice for thread. It has very low heat tolerance (400 F compared to polyester’s 480 F). Nylon goes brittle over time and yellows. That is why very few threads are made of nylon. If you like invisible monofilament thread, choose a polyester type such as MonoPoly.
Caution: Watch out for a brand of invisible monofilament thread that is labeled as “polyamide.” That is the chemical name for nylon. It is not polyester.

Q. Does Superior have any threads made of nylon?
A. Yes. Charlotte’s Fusible Web. It is a fusible thread, meaning it melts at low temperature. This thread is wonderful for fusible applique. No more stiff webbing between the layers. Seven easy-to-follow video demonstrations are available on our website.

Q. How do I know what needle to use for quilting, sewing, embroidering, and piecing?
A. We listen to the professionals -- those who do and those who teach. The majority tell us they use the Topstitch style needle for nearly all applications including piecing (#80/12 needle), embroidery (#90/14), quilting (needle size depends on the thread size), general sewing construction/crafting (usually #80/12). The only exception is when sewing on knit fabrics and they use a ball point needle.
Top secret revealed: The bestselling brand of home machine needles puts the exact same needle in the Topstitch and Metallic needle package. It's the same needle. One needle, two packages = double the sales. Save your money. You do not need to buy both. This explains why we no longer sell metallic needles. The Topstitch style is the needle preferred by the professionals.

Q. What determines if a thread is for hand quilting?
A. Strength. Hand quilting puts a lot of repeat stress on thread so it requires a strong thread. Traditional hand quilting thread is coated or glazed with wax or starch which makes the thread rather stiff, slick, and strong. Our hand quilting thread is Treasure, a coated cotton. Some high quality non-coated threads such as King Tut are also perfectly fine for hand quilting.
Caution: Do not use a coated or glazed thread in a machine. The coating will rub off and gum up the machine.

Q. What’s the difference between a piecing thread and quilting thread?
A. Size. When piecing, we want the thread to be fine enough to make a flat, smooth seam. A medium or heavy thread will not do this. Choose a fine (#50) thread for piecing. MasterPiece was created as the ideal piecing thread.

Q. Is it OK to piece with polyester?
A. Yes, if you are careful when ironing the seam. A high-heat iron can melt polyester, so turn the iron temperature down to low or medium. We prefer to play it safe and piece with cotton (MasterPiece) so we can iron the seam on high heat with no risk of melting the thread.

Q. What thread should I use for quilting?
A. There are many choices. Polyester, cotton, metallic, variegated. Please refer to our Thread Selection Guide. And, it is perfectly fine to use polyester thread in your quilt. It will not tear the fabric. That is the biggest myth in the quilting world. Here is a good article on this topic.

Q. What is filament polyester?
A. Most polyester threads are made of multiple filaments (continuous strands) of polyester twisted together. If there is only one single strand, it is a monofilament thread. Most polyester threads have many polyester filaments twisted together. A 3-ply polyester thread has three strands twisted together, but each of those three strands are made up of many micro-strands twisted together. A top quality 3-ply multi-filament polyester thread may have as many as 144 strands (48+48+48) twisted together. A low quality polyester thread may have only 18 strands (6+6+6). The labels do not state the number of micro-strands. If you have wondered why you absolutely love a particular polyester thread, it is probably due to the high number of micro-strands.

Q. My dealer told me that using prewound bobbins will void the warranty. Really?
A. Your dealer is wrong. No sewing machine company makes such a claim. In fact, most sewing machine companies sell prewound bobbins.

Q. Is it true that Superior is the only brand I should use because other brands cause global warming, the swine flu, and other problems?
A. Thank you. This is my favorite question.

Summer Quilt Shows...

It's been a while since we've had an "armchair tour" to a Quilt Show. So sit back and get comfy... click here for a tour of the recent AQS Quilt Show and Contest in Knoxville TN. You will be able to view all the Award winners, plus there is a video at the bottom if you scroll down. (You'll even see one Canadian Winner! Congrats to Joyce O'Connell of Ontario.)

Speaking of Shows, remember there is a listing of summer Shows in our vicinity on the sidebar at right. The next ones coming up are the Maine State Show in Augusta, and the following weekend, much closer to home a nice little Show and Tea in Cambridge Narrows. "Stories Behind the Quilts", held in the Cambridge Narrows United Church, is just one event during the Life at the Lakes weekend. A full schedule of events offers something for everyone: Art Show and Sale, Wine-tastings, Herb Garden walk, Lavender and Hops Farm tour, Antique car show, Garden Tours, Corn Boil, Horseshoes and Games, and more!!

If you would like a little weekend getaway, why not head down to "the Narrows"? If you enjoy camping, the MicMac Tent and Trailer Park is the most accessible (488-2511), and the Cambridge Narrows Campgrounds and Bed and Breakfast is also nearby (488-2000).

For a complete listing of all the "Life and the Lakes" events, click here to download this PDF complete with times, locations, descriptive details and a map.  

In the Gleaner today!

Remember this picture?.  Seems so long ago. You may have seen it in the Daily Gleaner this past Saturday. 

The original picture was taken in the month of February as we were getting close to putting the final quilting stitches on the Raffle Quilt for the Stan Cassidy Foundation.  The quilt will be at the DECH cafeteria  this week at lunchtime.  July 11-13 and 15th.  I hope you don't have to visit the hospital this week, but if you do, why not drop by to see it.    

This Weekend

What a beautiful summer day we're having. The warm weather has FINALLY arrived. Just a few bits of info for you. Firstly there is a Quilt Show happening this weekend - I have added the dates to the list on the sidebar. It is the bi-annual show of the Quoddy QG in St. Andrews. It is being held in the Anglican Church sanctuary (rather than the usual Church hall location). You can get a sneak peek of some of the winners by clicking here on Gail Fearon's blog. The Show continues tomorrow and Saturday. I believe the show times are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday.

For those of you who were familiar with Jeanne Huntley, "The Bernina Lady" from Berwick NS, you will be saddened to hear of her passing on Sunday July 3. There will be no visitation or funeral but a celebration of her life will be held this Sunday July 10 at the Fire Hall in Berwick NS from 2-4pm. Donations in Jeanne's memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or to a charity of one's choice. Condolences may be sent to the family C/O Serenity Lindsay Funeral Home, 192 Commercial Street, Berwick, NS B0P 1E0 or by visiting online at www.serenitylindsayfuneralhome.ca

Summer Updates...

Just a few bits of info Ladies... I will pass on info through the summer, as I hear of things, so please do check here once in a while. There is an up to date listing of Quilt Shows and events happening over the summer on the sidebar at right. If you know of any other quilting related Shows or Events please let me know and I will add them. I hope you all will have the opportunity to get out and attend some of these shows- they are always great inspiration and it's fun to support other Guilds and groups.

You are all aware, I'm sure, of the edVentures program which operates in Fredericton through the summer. There are many excellent courses offered between July 5 and August 20. Click here for a complete listing of offerings and more info.

Sunbury Shores in St. Andrews also offers a variety of summer arts courses and nature programs. For a full listing click here. One which might interest you is a Quilted Fabric Landscapes class with Heather Lair. The dates for it are August 22-26, and no machine is required - it's all handwork. Design, composition, construction and quilting techniques will be covered. Click here for more details.

If you are getting new eyeglasses over the summer, and have no further need of your old ones, please hang onto them and bring to our September meeting. They are being collected for Grandmothers Helping Grandmothers. Thank you!!

Lastly if you have any ideas for Gail and I for a summer Blog post here - please let us know. And if you have good clear photos of a quilting project you have completed and will be giving away before our next meeting, send me the digital photo and I'll do a "Summer Show and Tell"...
Happy Summer....

NJS Winners!

Each year the Canadian Quilters' Association holds it's annual National Juried Show (NJS) in conjunction with the spring conference. No photography is allowed in the NJS gallery, but photos of the winners are now posted on the CQA website and members will receive the NJS catalogue, showing all entries, with their Fall issue of The Canadian Quilter.
You can view the NJS 2011 Winners by clicking here.
Of course now that Quilt Ontario 2011 is over, planning for the next conference is "full steam ahead". If you aren't already aware- the next one is right in our backyard!! "Seams Like Home 2012" will take place at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. I hope many of you are planning to attend. Start saving now and write it on your calendar. It's too good an opportunity to miss, when it's this close!! Info will be posted on the CQA website here throughout the coming year as plans continue and take shape. Check in often to see what Karen Henry and her "crew" have in store for us! You won't want to miss it!

Trend Tex Challenge Winners!

This year's CQA conference, Quilt Ontario, in London, is now over. One of the most interesting shows during each conference is the Trend Tex Challenge. Four of this year's winners are Maritimers! Wow!! Kim Larracy of Moncton won an Honourable Mention, as did Karen Neary of Amherst whose quilt you see pictured above. Kate Madeloso won second place and Carolyn Hudson won a Judge's Choice, both also from Nova Scotia. You can view all the Trend Tex Challenge quilts and the winners by clicking here.
London is known as "Forest City" and the theme for the Challenge was "Quilting in the Forest".

And the Winners are...

Tonight at our AGM and Potluck dinner, the winners of the Viewer's Choice awards were announced.
The Large Quilt category winner was Irises by Alice Kirkpatrick. This quilt has a bit of a story behind it. The top was cross-stitched by Alice's sister Connie O'Leary before she passed away. Alice decided to complete the quilt to give to Connie's daughter. It was hand-quilted by Alice, with help from her daughter Joyce Humble and friend Betty Nicholson (See photo below. L to R. Betty, Joyce and Alice). So although Alice entered it in the Show, it was a collaborative effort on the part of all three FQG members. It is a beauty, and obviously our Show visitors thought so too! Congratulations Alice!




















The Small Quilt category winner was
I See My Sea by Barb Cross. Congratulations!! This quilt hangs in Fredericton's Stan Cassidy Rehabilitation Centre on the paediatric floor. It brings much delight to all the residents and visitors there with it's many sea creatures.









The Miniature Quilt category winner was F8 by Linda Hubbard.
The CQA ribbon, given for the quilt receiving the greatest number of votes, was also awarded to Linda Hubbard for the miniature F8.
Congratulations!




Congratulations to all the winners!

Also it was announced that Donna Young recently won the New Brunswick Contemporary Quilt Award at the Marco Polo Guild Show in Saint John. This new award, initiated by Marco Polo member Kathy Coffin, was designed to add contemporary quilts to the New Brunswick Museum collection and comes with an award of $1000.00 to purchase the winner for the Museum collection. Donna's winning quilt is titled Railways in a Northern Land. The selection criteria stipulated that the quilt must have been made since 1960, by a New Brunswick resident who is a NB Quilters Guild member. The design was to be original or a "new spin" on a traditional pattern and the quilt was to be totally executed by the entrant. Of course workmanship was an important factor as well.

Railways in a Northern Land was designed and made for a national competition entitled "Constructions of Canada" in 2004. It won the Curator's Award and later, in 2005, it was juried into a show of 32 Canadian quilts that went to the Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah KY. It was featured on the cover of the Show Catalogue and the promotional card for that show. Photos here show Donna accepting her award from Kathy Coffin of the Marco Polo QG and Peter LaRoque of the New Brunswick Museum. The other two quilts in the upper photo are the Honorable Mentions, New Brunswick Coat of Arms by Judy LeClue (in the middle) and My Fundy Shores by Sandra Betts (on the right).

Congratulations Donna!!

May AGM and Potluck - are you ready?

Our final meeting of this quilting year is coming right up. Bring your Potluck dish - please bring hot dishes hot and chilled dishes cold as there is little space or time for re-heating or chilling. Also please bring your own plate and cutlery. Note the earlier start time of 6:30p.m.
Following what always proves to be one of the best meals of the year (quilters are good cooks too!), we will elect our new Executive. Then we'll learn who won the Viewers' Choice awards from our recent Show and ribbons will be presented. Also you will hear about another exciting Award won by one of our members recently. And we'll top it all off with Show and Tell. What a great evening!! See you there!