Christmas Goodies!

 What a delightful "Zoom Social" we had on Tuesday evening. So great to see familiar faces and share some Christmas spirit, stories, readings and recipes. Two of the recipes shown were a bit faded, from time and much usage. Here they are, in clearer form....

Cinnamon Sticks

1 cup butter, softened (but not melted)

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 cups flour

pinch of salt

Sift dry ingredients together. Cream butter, add dry ingredients. Roll into small logs about the size of your little finger. Bake at 325F for about 20 minutes, until just barely lightly browned. Upon removing from oven, while hot roll in a mixture of 1/2 cup white sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Store in airtight container. 

Makes about 4.5 dozen. 

Cherry Pound Cake

2 cups white sugar

1.5 cups margarine

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup hot milk

1 lb. glace cherries

3.5 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and beat again. Add hot milk and flavourings, mix well, then add cherries. Lastly add dry ingredients, mix well. Place in 10" tube pan OR 2 9"x5" loaf pans. Bake for 1.25 - 1.5 hours. 

Happy Baking!

Challenges, FAN show, Shop Hop and Virtual Quilt Festival! Woohoo!

 Congrats to the prize winners from last year's challenge, Let's Get Sewing. The following names were drawn at our October Zoom meeting: Lee M., Nancy R., Gwenda M., Joyce H., Carlinda D., and Candace B.  Rules for this year's Initials Challenge have been sent out by email. One item we neglected (okay, FORGOT!) to mention with the details for the Initials Challenge, we would like to "reveal" all entries together at the APRIL meeting. So if you have already finished your Initials Challenge piece, please do not submit it for Show and Tell now, but rather, hold it until April. Thanks! 

Have you been to see the FAN Show yet at the UNB Art Centre? It can be viewed online, but an "in person" visit is sooo much better! Details are in the sidebar. Remember you must "register" to visit in person - open on Sunday afternoons only. 

There is an  online Shop Hop happening this week - ten Canadian quilt shops are participating in the From Sea to Sea Online Shop Hop - one in each province (including our own Andrea at The Quilting Shed!) Let's support our Canadian businesses!!! If you spend $50. or more (before tax and shipping) at a shop, you'll get a ballot for the big prize draw at that shop - a $100. shopping coupon. This shop hop runs all this week, finishing Saturday Nov. 21.

Have you ever dreamed about attending THE big International Quilt Festival in Houston Texas? This year you can, from the comfort of your own computer chair... it's going virtual, thanks to Covid. Houston is coming to You!! Hundreds of quilts on display in 25+ special exhibits, Judged Show and winners in 5 categories and the opportunity to vote for Best of Show, a full slate of live and recorded classes, lectures and forums from TOP faculty, a vendor mall, and more!! Lectures are $10., classes are $20. What a deal! We are talking well known international teachers here folks- the best! Sue Nickels, Charlotte Angotti, Claudia Pfeil, Phillipa Naylor, RaNae Merrill, Esterita Austin,  Angela Walters, Marti Michell, Paula Nadelstern, Katie Pasquini Masopust and many more!! It all happens Dec.3 - Dec.5.  Click here for more info. Don't delay, register now if you are interested as classes and lectures will sell out quickly! What an amazing opportunity- you don't have to purchase a plane ticket, or pay for a hotel so you can afford to take more classes!!   :)

CQA Challenges open for bidding and voting

 Good day ladies! In the previous post you were able to see the TrendTex Challenge quilts and vote on your favourite for Viewer's Choice. Now those quilts are up for auction. Click here to place your bid and have one of these fabulous pieces of work for your very own. Be sure to view all four pages. Opening bid for each piece is $40.00 unless there has been an advance bid. Bids increase by $5.00 increments. Shipping is included. You do not have to be a CQA member to bid, however you do have to register to bid - click on "Register" in top right corner of your screen. Bidding closes on Sunday Oct. 25.

Remember CQA's Gateway to Adventure Challenge with that lovely Jungle Green? You can see the pieces some of our members did for this challenge here. We chose Nancy Richard's piece Hibiscus Adventures as our winner. As a CQA/ACC member guild, we forwarded Nancy's quilt to CQA/ACC and now all entries are posted for viewing and voting for the overall winner. Click here to see the quilts and cast your vote! Clicking on each image will provide the artist's name, location and guild plus the Artist Statement and Design Inspiration. What an amazing variety there is.. such creativity - inspiration for us all! Good luck Nancy! We're all rooting for you!! Voting closes on Oct. 31.

TrendTex Challenge 2020, Show and Tell and more!

 The 2020 TrendTex Challenge quilts are now online for viewing and voting. CQA/ACC offers this challenge annually as a fundraiser. Entrants are challenged to create a wall quilt using the five fabrics donated by TrendTex Fabric Inc., then donate their wallhangings to be auctioned off; this year's auction will be held online from October 19 through 25.  This year's theme was "2020". A link will be posted on the 19th for bidding.

The entries have been judged - you can see the winners here. YOU can cast your vote for the Viewer's Choice Award, voting is open until October 14. Vote by browsing the thumbnail photos and choosing your favourite. (To see a larger photo and read the quilt information card, just click on each thumbnail.) See the quilts by clicking here. Then vote, quilts are listed alphabetically by maker. You'll notice that our member Jenny Adam is top of the list with her entry titled Pandemic Unleashed!  Let's give her some support with votes!! (The link for voting is provided just above the quilts.)

Congratulations also go to Jenny for her participation in ISOLATED/TOGETHER, a multidisciplinary project by Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada which documents the COVID-19 experience in NB through dance, music, film, the spoken word, photography and visual arts. Jenny's mask, called Dancing in the Rain will be one of 14 featured masks and will be worn by Cameron from the Atlantic Ballet Theatre. 

Here is Jenny's artist statement for her mask: "I was inspired to make this mask by the words of Vivian Greene, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain." In these uncertain times, we still need to find some beauty and enjoyment in everyday activities. I made a sparkly, glamorous mask to distract from the worries of Covid-19. Hidden amongst the round sequins, however, are three stars to remind us that the virus is still lurking and an ever-present threat. 

Materials: The outer layer consists of satin and iridescent tulle with sequins and beads. The inner layer is silk. it has a wire nosepiece to improve fit and is secured with satin ties."

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Moda is hosting a Sew Along called Stitch Pink. The project is a sampler quilt of 30 twelve inch blocks, one block each day for the month of October, with final assembly directions on Saturday the 31st. Finished size is 64" x 76". Instructions for each block can be sent to your email, or you can access them here.  Find out more info by clicking here.  Of course you don't have to do the entire sampler quilt, you might just find one or several blocks here you like and could do with them whatever you wish!

Now for some Show and Tell! Barb Foster is one of our dedicated members who travels quite a distance to attend our meetings. She has fun instructing and helping a group of ladies in her area in all things quilting. They have very kindly donated a number of small quilts for our Community Projects program. Here are some of their recent donations. 

These ladies have been BUSY!! Thanks "ladies of Barb's group" for your generous donation to boost our Community Projects "stash" for donation. 

Stay tuned for MORE from this group. 

This and That...

 Do you remember the awesome program we had in January on Wool Appliqué? There was a lot of interest so here is an update on sourcing materials for this technique.




The Fabric Cupboard (22 Brandon St. Moncton) now carries Sue Spargo 100% premium grade Australian Merino wool. This richly dyed luxurious wool is available in 60 vibrant colours with unparalleled colourfastness.

Just look at those rich colours!!!  Yummy!

Complementing this irresistable wool fabric is Ellana 12 weight 50/50 merino wool/acrylic blend thread also from Sue Spargo. Engineered and finished to the highest quality standard, Ellana is very user friendly and the perfect wool thread for hand appliqué, wool appliqué and machine work. It is fray resistant, has significantly less fuzz and unparalleled smoothness.















If you travel a little further to Port Elgin area, Spruce It Up Quilt Shop (2063 Route 960) is also carrying Sue Spargo wools and some of her threads- Eleganza, Dazzle and Razzle as well as Valdani perle cottons. Lorette is now dyeing her own wool and also offers repurposed wools in many different colours and textures. Wool yardage in white, natural and black is available as well.  Books by Sue Spargo and Wendy Williams will give you further inspiration.
Of course, a visit to www.suespargo.com is the ultimate inspiration if you are interested in wool appliqué. Oh the COLOURS!! I am drooling on my keyboard...

If you are on Facebook, you might consider joining the new FB group Canadian Wool Appliqué - lots of ideas, inspiration, help and encouragement offered there whether you are new or experienced!

Have you been to St. Andrews this summer? If so you might have found a new quilt shop - The Wee Fabric Shop at 209 Water Street. It's actually just off Water Street, between The Red Herring Pub and the Seasons By The Sea Bistro (stand on Water St. with The Red Herring Pub on your left and walk towards the water.) They carry Kona solids, Riley Blake, Tilda, and Robert Kaufman among others, precuts, Mettler and Aurifil thread, and a good variety of notions. You can visit from your armchair by clicking here.


Are you a CQA member? Do you enjoy a good mystery? If so you may want to join the CQA/ACC Member Mystery Quilt. The fun starts tomorrow, Sept. 2, when the complete list of fabric requirements will be posted. Six monthly installments with step by step instructions and full colour diagrams will follow in PDF format. Check it out here.

Have you been missing visits to quilt shows this summer? Here's an opportunity to visit a big show from the comfort of your own computer screen. Due to the Covid pandemic, The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is going virtual- it will be a free online-exclusive virtual experience this Sept. 10-12. Free registration is now open at quiltshow.com  You must register to "attend" and you'll be able to view the quilt exhibits, attend lectures, browse the virtual vendor mall, and watch an exclusive sneak preview of PBS Wisconsin's new documentary Nancy Zieman: Extraordinary Grace. Don't wait, register now!

Community Projects Quilts

Our Community Projects committee has sent some photos of recent work. First up two quilts, both by Cathy Boone, that will be going to Transition House.

Following are the wheelchair aprons that were done from some donated orphan blocks. These are for the Stan Cassidy Rehabilitation Centre. A big thank you to all who participated in making these, they will certainly be appreciated.

Up next, a generous donation of quilts for Community Projects from Barb Foster's group. 

New Source for Batiks and Wide Backs

 We have a new source in the Fredericton area for batiks and wide backings... Gwenda Mattinson of Gwenda Quilts is now carrying 35 beautiful batiks by Island Batik at $14.00 / yard and 25 bolts of wide backings (108") at $18.00 / yard. Please call Gwenda to visit. They can have two visitors at a time, WITH MASKS.  Call Gwenda at 459-7343.

Quilt Shows

Hello ladies! Ooops, I mean ladies AND Ron!!  I have a few links for you today. If you are missing the usual summer quilt shows- here are a few for you that you can visit right from your comfy armchair!

First up is the fabulous Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters Oregon. They have gone virtual this year and Country Heritage Tours will be doing a live tour of the show on Thursday August 6 at 3:00pm EST so that would be 4:00 pm our time. Tune in to Country Heritage Tours  Facebook page at 4pm for the live 30 minute armchair tour or you can go back and watch the recorded version later.

Europe's leading patchwork and quilting event, the UK Festival of Quilts, also went virtual this year. You can tour the show, watch videos of the classes, listen to the lectures... all from the comfort of your armchair!! Awesome! Just click here and then browse the shows, classes, etc.  And you don't even need a passport!

If you're anxious for an "in person" show, don't forget the "Drive By Quilt Show" this coming Saturday in Cambridge Narrows...  See info in the previous post, and on the sidebar.

Quilt Show and more Show and Tell

Hello! How is everyone doing? Are you managing to pass the time, with not as much happening this summer? There IS one "quilt show" happening soon, albeit a different approach. Akerley Area QG is holding a "drive-by" quilt show on Saturday Aug. 8 at the Municipal Building in Cambridge Narrows. Weather permitting it will be held from 10a.m. - 4p.m.

Now, on to more Show and Tell. First up, 

Angela L-P. 

She's been making a number of bags and clutches of various sizes from the book Sew Beautiful Quilted Bags by Akemi Shibata. By the looks of all these lovely bags, I'm thinking this book might be a good addition to our library..?

Angela made this lovely bag as a gift for a special cousin who loves orange. I bet her cousin loves it!!

 

She says her featherweight worked like a charm, sewing through the osnaburg, 2 layers of batting, muslin and cotton lining.

Here are several "in progress" shots. The bag front is put together in sections with partial seams. She used two strands of DMC floss for the "big stitch" hand quilting, not stitching into the lining, just through the batting and muslin. The little 1" orange squares are machine quilted about 1/16" from the seam; once that was done the "woven effect" of the osnaburg was revived.

The diamond design quilting on the base and back show well. There are two layers of batting in the handles.

Wow! Sure was a lot of work, Angela!  I hope she cherishes it!

Another project from the same book, a simple bag/clutch called Confetti Crossbody. 

Angela says it was a fun piecing project and is quilted using the walking foot. She used two layers of batting as she felt the batting was a bit thin.

...and two more crossbody bags - the "Heart Pochette"...  Sweet!  The hearts are done by reverse appliqué. The project is stitched together after it is quilted, and the edges are then bound.

Angela has also kept busy making backpacks and little girl's dresses...  looks like she's been having lots of fun!!

Jenny A. made two beautiful quilts for the victims' families of the NS shootings in April. The Maritime  Modern Quilt Guild put out a call for quilt donations to comfort the families, and they had a wonderful response - over 430 quilts!! Testament to the generosity of maritimers! 

The Seafarer quilt is from a pattern by Susan Arnold of Quilt Fabrication. It was quilted by Gwenda and Eugene Mattinson. 

This one is based on the Modern View quilt by John Kubiniec in McCall's Quilting, Jan./Feb. 2013 issue. 

Just look at those great fabrics- turtles, crabs, waves and whales. Such maritime flavour! 

Both so beautiful Jenny. So many gorgeous blues!!

Candace B. has been keeping busy with lots of projects too. She's all ready for Hallowe'en with this new runner from the Sew Sampler 2019 Spooky Box. The runner is called Driving Me Batty and all fabric for the front of the runner was provided in the box.

This baby quilt is from a panel and will be donated to Community Projects. 

This little wallhanging is called Yellow Bird, and Candace says it was fun and easy to do.  Very cute!

This 15" x 15" star quilt is from a Thimbleberries kit in a can called Star Soup. What a great little gift idea!

Candace has also been cross-stitching! This pattern is by Lori Holt, it is available for purchase on Etsy.

Great colours and the buttons add some fun! Candace is anxious to get it framed. 

Another great kit (this one by Lizzie Kate) yielded this pillow. Cross-stitched on linen, and completed with buttons, ricrac and cute fabrics! 

Janet M. has made this cute little hen pillow for her granddaughter who loves chickens/hens. The pattern is from a 2019 Block of the Month called Hen Party, by Sindy Rodenmayer of Fat Cat Patterns.

Lastly, you may remember a few posts back, seeing this colourful nine patch by Gwen B. Well here it is, all hand quilted! Great job Gwen!! 

Congrats to all! Doesn't a FINISH feel good?!!  Keep those photos coming!!!