Happy Birthday to us. Happy Birthday to us. Happy Birthday to us. Happy Birthday to Us. Yes, we had our monthly guild meeting on March 18, 2010 and it was our 6th birthday. My, how time flies. We had 12 members present to enjoy the evening with us.
After the business portion of our meeting, we drew the name of the winner of our "Tulip" BOM blocks. The winner was Mary. Vea gave her last BOM block instructions for the year which is the "Louisiana" block. Since the other blocks for this year have to do with the garden, we are calling this block "Whirligig" since no garden should be without one. It is to be constructed of reproduction 30's fabrics in your choice of color using light, medium and dark tones.



Our last fabric exchange of deep reds were exchanged with the new year colors starting next month. It is a 6" square of your favorite bright color.

The "cookie" challenge blocks were also exchanged and everyone who participated will have a beautiful quilt/wall hanging to finish.
Our program for the night was PARTY since it was our birthday after all. We played "Pictionary:Name that Block". We divided into 2 teams and we each had a turn to help our team win a point by drawing a picture that would make our team members remember a block we had made in one of the 6 years of our guild. Then after refreshments, we played "strip" poker and each had the opportunity to win or lose 2 1/2" strips of fabric. We took home fat quarters of our choice as prizes along with our other door prizes.
The upcoming Spring Retreat will be held on the 23rd and 24th of April. Some of the activities we will be doing include, Celtic Knot Quilting, Scrappy woven place mats, needle tatting, Big Block Quilting, Fast Tote Bag and Book Covers. If none of these interest you, just bring personal projects and work on them. The food for both days will be pot luck. A list of the needed materials for the activities will be posted on our ning.com site. Be sure to let the new Presidency know which classes if any you will be attending so we can have some numbers to go by.
Next month guild meeting will be a work meeting. Bring your own project, Linus project or your scrap bag and join in on the "Slash your Stash" to get those nagging scraps under control. It should be a fun month. See you then.

February 2010 Guild Meeting

Our guild met for it's monthly meeting on February 18, 2010 at the Newtonia Community Building in Newtonia, MO. We had 13 of our members present to share their projects during show and tell as well as receive the new BOM block for March.
Our last month block "Watering Can" was won by Vea. She introduced our new block for March which is the "Tulip" block. It is to be paper pieced using vibrant colors for the tulips and two different shades of green for the leaves. The background is to be cream colored.

Our birthday party in March will be the end of another fun year and the beginning of even more to come. Our business for the night was the nomination of Lucy for our new President starting in April. Also nominated were Paula, who will finish out the 2nd year term of Vice President, and Rebecca to be our new Secretary. They were unanimously voted in. Also announced was the fact that both co-chair positions for project and program are open for someone to fill.
We were reminded about finishing our "cookie exchange" blocks that are due in March.
Our evening program was given by Rebecca. She shared with us the story of the "Dear Jane Quilt".
In 1863 a woman named Jane A. Blakely Stickle completed a sampler quilt. Her name would be unremarkable today except for one thing, she signed her amazing quilt. It is made up of 225 patterns, most of which are only 4 1/2" blocks. It contains 5602 pieces and was completed in 1863. Because she signed her quilt, it was able to be returned to the state of Vermont where they have great documentation of their historical quilts. More information on her life and the quilt can be found at Dear Jane.com.
Our President Rebecca then shared with us her musical abilities with the following lyrics which she put to the music of the song "I Cain't Say No" from the musical "Oklahoma". It was something we could all relate to.

It ain't so much a question of not knowin' how to sew.

I’ve finished several things since I began.

I’ve heard a lot of stories and I reckon they're true.

About how girls are strangled by their stash.

I know I mustn't spend into a pit.

But when I’m at the quilt store

I forget!.

I'm just a girl who can't say 'no'

Fabric’s my Favorite thing!.

Whether online or in a store, I like to buy everything.

When my husband asks about my stash.

I’m tempted just to tell a little lie.

But the truth is that it’s piling up.

In rubber tubs that stack up 6 feet high!

I'm just a fool when prices are low.

I never show much restraint

Then the receipt makes me faint.

But how can I be what I ain't?

I can't say 'no!'

Whatcha gonna do when the fabric gets flirty

An' looks really purty?

Whatcha gonna do?

Supposin' that the fabric’s got

Baskets of cherrys, Or roses, or berries

Whatcha gonna do?

Supposin' that you find just the perfect shade of cream

and ya gotta have cream or die?

What’s a girl to do when she feels that way?

Sit down and cry?

I'm just a girl who can't say no,

Can't seem to say it at all.

I hate to pass up a fat quarter

I’m sure I need them all!

For a while I act refined and cool,

As I walk among the fabrics in the store,

Then I think of that old golden rule,

Remember less is never ever more!

I can't resist Kaffe Fasset prints

Or Amy Butler et. all

Soon as I feel of their naps

Somethin' inside of me snaps

I can't say no!

After announcing our upcoming Spring retreat to be held in April and the changing of our April monthly meeting to a work meeting, our meeting was adjourned until our March Birthday Party.

January 2010 Guild Meeting

Our first Guild meeting of the new year was held on January 21, 2010 at the Newtonia Community Center in Newtonia, MO. We had 14 members in attendance. It was a quarterly Project Linus Work Meeting, so everyone came in and went right to work on these projects or one of their own.
We did take time out to discuss some old business and add in some new business. As well as draw the name of the lucky winner of our BOM "Rosebud" blocks. Bobbie won 12 lovely blocks.
Vea introduced our new block that is another applique' style. It is to be constructed on a 12 1/2" square of any color plaid fabric preferably in earthy or country colors. The watering can is to be of charcoal to light gray fabric with a red heart on it. The leaves and stems are to be made of various greens. Variety to add interest. The Tulips can be of any coordinating color to match your background and greens. We were told to set the bottom of the can a good inch from the bottom of the background square to center it up the best.

We were given the option of taking part in the "Cookie" Challenge. 12 members took up the challenge and received a block pattern. We were instructed to make 12 of the block we received and have them ready to exchange at our March meeting. All 12 of us will take 12 different blocks home from the meeting to make our own quilt. It should be fun.
Another year is coming close to an end. We were asked who wanted to be on the nominating committee to make nominations for President and Secretary for a two year term and Vice President to continue the other year of the two year term presently in progress.
The budget committee had met and presented the group with the new budget for the 2010 year.
We exchanged our 6" orange/peach fabric squares and after our refreshment time, adjourned until next month.

December 2009 Guild Meeting

Our monthly guild meeting for December was our Christmas Dinner/Party. We started the meeting with our dinner. Wonderful food and great socializing.
Then we had our drawing to see who would win the BOM "lady bug" blocks. Marcene was the winner.
Vea then introduced our new BOM for January. It is the "Rosebud" block. It is pieced block to be constructed of light to medium green, blue or teal for the background. The rosebuds are to be made of medium pink, salmon, or peach colors, no brights. The leaves are to be made of medium to light green.
Our 6" "deep blue or purple" fabric exchanges were made. Next month the "Orange/Peach" colors are to be exchanged.
We then did our "apron" name gift exchange. We drew names in October and filled out a questionnaire about our favorite color, our preferences and other information that the person who drew our name used to make our apron. It was fun to see who had whom and what they had designed or made for them. Here is the list of who had whom and the pictures will be in the slide show with the new owner modeling their new apron.
Rebecca had Pauline. Pauline had Mary. Mary had Rebecca. Miyuki had Donna. Donna had Miyuki. Paula had Amanda. Amanda had Lucy. Lucy had Paula. Lucy also did an exchange with our new member, Jessica. They made aprons for each other. Vea had Lynn. Lynn had Suzanne. Suzanne had Coralee. Coralee had Marcene. Marcene had Anne. Anne had Lenore. Lenore had Bobbie. Bobbie had Vea. I think that is everyone.
The last part of our meeting was the drawing and opening of the gifts from Japan. We were all very excited and pleased with our items from them. They were all hand made and were wonderful. We hoped they were as pleased with the items we sent them as we were with their items for us. They had included a short message in Japanese that Miyuki translated so we each had a printed message we could read from Japan.
The evening was fun and enjoyed by all those who attended. See you next month.

November 2009 Guild Meeting

Our November meeting was held at the Newtonia Community Center on November 19, 2009.
We had 11 members and a prospective new member in attendance.
Our mini quilts for our Japanese gift exchange were due tonight. We had 13 of our members participate in this activity where we made mini quilts or other useful small items to send to Miyuki's mother's guild in Japan. They are making small gifts for us in exchange. We are excited to see what our gifts might be.
The "Gardener's Hat" blocks were won by Coralee.
Our new block that Vea introduced was the "Lady Bug" block. It is an applique block to be constructed on a 12 1/2" background square of dark blue or purple. The body of the lady bug is to be or charcoal or black fabric with green leaves and brown for the stem. The wings of the lady bug are to be bright polka dots. Blanket stitching around the outside in coordinating colored thread is the requested finish.
Our 6" "earth green" fabric squares were exchanged. Next month is our "deep blue or purple" color exchange blocks.

We were reminded that our gift exchange at our December meeting is our apron challenge. We will have our roast beef Christmas dinner and everyone is requested to bring food items to go with it.
It is hard to believe that next month is our December Christmas Party.
Our program for the night was presented by Bobbie. She shared with us some Pioneer stories on quilts made by these great, hard working people. Books are available that give more great stories of these great ancestors.
We had several ladies share some Personal Projects with us . Lenore showed her quilt from the book "100 wishes". It was kites surrounded by 5" squares.
Suzanne showed a Christmas table runner and a "wall paper" quilt.
Bobbie shared items that she made at retreat ans well as a quilt she calls "Venetian Dream".
Pauline also showed her items made at retreat and a quilt made from her blocks when we were doing the "Mystery Quilt" with Rebecca. She used her own design in setting the blocks together.

Meeting was adjourned until next month.

October 2009 Guild Meeting

Our October meeting was filled with "show and tell". Our "Harvest Bounty" challenges were due so everyone who participated was able to show how they used their fat eighths of fruit and vegetable fabrics. Check out all the neat ideas that our ladies came up with in the slide show to the right.
Our October "Sunflower" BOM blocks were won by Lenore. Vea introduced our new BOM for November. It is the "Gardner's Hat". She request that the background be chocolate brown and that the hat can be straw or golden tan colored. The hat band can be of any color, but the flower is to be white.
We received a new challenge that is due in December at our Guild Christmas Party. We were assigned to draw a name and using that person's information page, create an apron just for them. We will exchange these as our Christmas gift exchange.
We discussed our upcoming Fall Retreat to be held on November 6 & 7 at the Newtonia Community building. The theme for our retreat is "In the Kitchen" and the mini classes are going to be items that you can use in the kitchen. Donna is going to show how to make a cute "Candy Cane" table runner and how to make "continuous prairie points".



Bobbie is demonstrating the "Log Cabin" style hot pads. Mary is showing how easy place mats can be to make.


Lucy will help us make "butcher style" aprons and Paula is going to help us make "casserole carriers". A fun "Auction" will be held on Friday night and a "block buster party" on Saturday night.


It should be a fun two days and all are encouraged to attend.
There was also a Project Linus meeting held on the 30th of October. Marcene had a fun quilt called "Bears on Parade" for those who attended to work on.


Our next meeting will be held on November 19, 2009 when our Japanese exchange "mini quilts" are due.
Until next time, keep smiling and quilting.

September 2009 Guild Meeting

The Newtonia Battlefield Quilters met for their monthly guild meeting on September 16, 2009 n Newtonia, MO. We had 13 of our members present to enjoy the meeting and evening together.
Pauline won our "Hollyhock" BOM blocks. Our October block is to be the "Sunflower". The background is to be a pale green print or plaid cut in 12 1/2" block. The petals are to be various yellow prints with dark brown center.
We will also be exchanging yellow/gold floral prints 6" squares.
The program of the meeting was book reports on our favorite quilting books. Several were described and new techniques were shared from these. Lucy's favorite book was a great story which she read to us. During show and tell, Bobbie showed us her tablecloth that she made from her fruit and vegetable fabrics for our "Harvest Bounty" Challenge due in October. She will be out of town and wanted to show it to the guild. Very nice, Bobbie.

The Newtonia Fall Festival is Saturday the 26th of September and we will be involved in helping and enjoying this day. Everyone is welcome to attend and take advantage of the activities and food that will be presented there. Come by and see our booth with our lovely raffle quilt and yard sale.
That is all for now.