Workshop by the gals from Modern Quilt Relish

The Des Moines Quilt Guild will sponsor a workshop on January 27, 9 am to 4 pm, featuring Jill Guffy and Marny Buck of Modern Quilt Relish. 

They will discuss how value and contrast play a key role in the modern aesthetic. The full day workshop will be spent exploring properties of value, balance and negative space. 

Following two block recipes from their new book, Quilts du Jour, students will analyze choices and create placement strategies with both solid and print fabrics. The book’s settings menu offers endless combinations to make it your own design. New alternative settings to complete your in class block/table runner projects included!

Cost: $50

Please email or call Lisa Zbylicki (zbylicki@mchsi.com; 222-9582) or Judi Smith (judismith2417@mac.com; 225-2678) if you have any questions.

Long Arm Machine for sale

Dianne Corny from Spirit Lake has a 10 year old APQS Liberty machine for sale. If you are interested, call Dianne at 712-320-3348.

All Iowa Shop Hop 2016 Fabrics

Here are the basic pieces for the 2016 All Iowa Shop Hop fabric. There are several coordinates coming from several fabric vendors. These fabrics are scheduled to deliver to quilt shops in May.

I don't know about you but I love, love, love this year's choices.

New Stuff

I just took a little tour around the shop. Here are a few new things I don't think we've shown you yet.

We've had several requests recently for neutral flannels so, here's a new grouping.

Going in the complete opposite direction, a couple fun brights in cotton.

These are even prettier in person with rich black background.

And this is just fun.

Remember the barn panel? Here it comes again but with covered bridges instead of barns.

Here is a close up of the coordinating scattered print, great for the back. We have not even made a shop sample yet but we know it will go quickly.

Ready for a new Strip Club Quilt?

A brand new Strip Club projects starts February 1. This year, we are featuring Cathedral by Villa Rosa Designs.

We have two color-way choices. Above is Fall Batiks. Lonnie made the samples and did just a few blocks to show the intent of this color-way. This is a good sampling of the fabrics and all of the centers will be this same gold sparkle.

Lonnie also made this shop sample. This is the full quilt but folded in half. It is shown in red, cream and blue. We are offering options for the center color on this one.

Strippers may substitute green for the blue, thus making a Christmas quilt or substitute dark tan for the blue, thus making a red, cream and tan quilt.

This project will run through September and is just $10 a month. Each month, pick up a packet (or have us ship) of pre-cut strips and instructions to make blocks. Pre-cut binding strips are also included in the fee.

This quilt finishes 66" x 82" making it a twin size. You can add borders to make it a full or queen size quilt.

Drop by or give us a call to register. We have just one rule for this Strip Club that we never bend - - - keep your clothes on!

Open Sew Progress

It was another pleasant couple days at Open Sew this week.

We stitched in the conference room while the Adel Library celebrated it's 10th anniversary in the new building.

Part of the celebration includes an exhibit of local artist, on display throughout the library and includes several quilts by Quilt Circle member, Janet Volz.

On to our Open Sew progress show and tell. You may recall, this past 12 months or so, Quilt Circle of Friends has been exchanging snowball quilt blocks. The exchange is now complete and it's on to creating quilts with our blocks.

 Celia set her snowball blocks together with out any fancy accouterments. She just let the variety of colors, collected from a variety of quilters, speak for themselves. Celia likes to use a fleece blanket for her backing to make quilts that are both pretty and snugly.

Marti set her snowball blocks together, alternating with Irish chain blocks, to create this wonderful secondary design. She finished up the binding at Open Sew.

Watch for more of our Snowball Block Exchange quilts. They will be featured here and at our outdoor quilt show in June.

 

Sherry got a jump on Christmas 2016, whipping up this little dimensional pinwheel runner.

I recently bought an inexpensive little Brother to take to quilting events like this. It has some stitches my good Pfaff does not so, I practiced doing the machine applique on hand towels, featuring several designs from The Wooden Bear.

Nancy made a Jelly Roll Race quilt for a granddaughter. Rather than use pre-cut 2 1/2" strips, though, she cut strips 3 1/2" from her personal stash.

After finishing her snowball quilt, Celia moved on to this little Valentine runner. Really sweet.

Here is a close up. The hearts are two-sided with fusible web. Then they are top-stitched down the center to the quilt. 

Janet worked on this quilt. She calls it her Open Sew quilt. This week marked the 4th Open Sew she has brought this project to work on. Her consistency paid off as the center is in one piece now. Beautiful!

Spring Quilt Retreat this way comes!

We are now accepting registration for a brand new Spring Ladies of the Lake quilt retreat. Many of you annually attend our fall retreats and have requested a spring retreat so, here we go!

The spring retreat dates are April 28, 29 and 30. Register now with just a $35 deposit. See more details on our website under the Classes and Events tab.

Our project quilt will be TV Dinner as shown below. The project is optional, of course. You may also just want to bring a big basket of unfinished projects and go to town. We support that as well.

This quilt is from Modern Quilt Relish and comes in either a throw size (shown) or queen size. The pattern is called TV Dinner.
Our sample was pieced by Carol Piziali and quilted by Jessie Zeigler. Stunning in mostly batiks and available by pattern or kit.

Darlene's Show and Share

My quilting friend and mentor, Darlene Thompson, brought in these little quilts to show me.

She used up some stash, combining these pretty floral prints. Notice, as with all of Darlene's quilts, this is hand quilted. It really makes a nice bright spot on these gloomy January days in Iowa.

Darlene also has fun creating picturesque landscape quilts. Very creative. Thanks for sharing, Darlene!

Block is here!

Great magazine from Missouri Star Quilts -- full of patterns, minus all the ads - just $5.95.

Looking forward - - -

As we put away one holiday, it's time to plan for the next. This fun panel is cut into 4 blocks and then sashed back together with bright green and dark grey. It has enough subtle design to dorn your St Patricks table and hang on for a couple more months.

Available on the bolt or in kits with a free pattern.

PLUS:

Open Sew is this week!!! Come join us for a day or two of stitching with friends - no critics, just fun. We meet at the Adel Library, 10 am on Thursday and/or Friday until the last stitch is made.

Show and Share

Deb K. brought in this baby quilt to show. She made this for a nephew. Very cute.

Holiday stitching - - -

I actually made this during the blizzard we had last Monday. The fun part was using pre-cut strip ends left over from a quilt project. We all love the pre-cut packs but there are often odds and ends left over so, make a purse!

I came across this little coin purse pattern and was eager to try it so, pre-game on New Years Day, I gave it a try. Really fun and really cute. The orange one above is made just like the pattern. PS: Pattern comes with one frame but the frames can also be bought separately so you can make a dozen!

This one I modified a little. Here's the story behind this one:

Several years ago, Julia S. was teaching in Damascus and purchased locally spun silk fabric to have a jacket made. It has 7 or 8 colors and is considered top of the line. The company only mills it 10 or 20 meters at a time and she had to wait months for this color combination.

Julia had the tailor save the scraps from her jacket and she gifted me with a rectangle about 5" x 10". I have had it in my sewing room for several years, just waiting for the right idea.

My modification was making the bottom a little wider so I could use as much as the fabric as possible. I just love it! Thanks Julia.

This would be a good class. Any interest?

Les Meowserables

This city-scape of ally cats is called Les Meowserable.

Lonnie cut the panel in 9 equal pieces and framed each to make attic window blocks. Isn't this adorable?

A thank you note for our Angel Tree gifts

Supporters,

I hope you all enjoyed a happy and healthy Christmas holiday that included eating too many sugar cookies, watching too many episodes of “The Christmas Story” and sharing too many laughs with friends and family.  May you all be blessed with good health and a joyous heart as we enter into a new year.

I want to thank each one of you for making a difference in the lives of the 449 victims, survivors and their families that were adopted through our program this year.  That is a truly incredible number of people reached. Thank you.

As our clients have needs throughout the year, please contact me if you wish to be involved with other donations or as a volunteer in the new year.  Otherwise, I will keep you all on my list for next year.

Together we can make a difference,

Megan Hockemeier

Volunteer Coordinator

Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center

P.O. Box 40, Adel, Iowa 50003

Telephone:  515-993-4095 Ext. 201

Fax:  515-993-2131

24-Hour Domestic Abuse Crisis Line 1-800-400-4884

24-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-800-550-0004

Last day of our annual fabric sale!

This is it! The last day of our annual year end fabric sale. 

• 25% off fabric cut from the bolt
• bargain shelf fabric - $5 a yard
• holiday panels - 50% off
• Christmas books and patterns - 50% off
• basket of gift items - 50% off

Sale ends at 5 pm today.

We are open New Year's Eve and closed on New Year's Day.

Christmas with the kids - - -

Christmas Day, we gathered at the home of Willow and Seth. Above are daughters Brook and Willow, SIL Seth, Frank and I and son Gabe. Of course the grand kids are in the mix, Jackson, Calvin and Oliva.

Then on Sunday, the Beamans gathered at our home. Here is just a handful of the youngest generation. If they had all been here, we would have needed a larger couch!

Grandpa Frank had fun entertaining grand kids. It seemed that he repeatedly forgot they were in the chair and almost sat on them, much to their dismay, over and over. Cal kept yelling "do dat den!"

We had soup and finger foods. Here is a recipe my sister sent me for potato soup. Big hit but not really healthy.

Potato Soup

Par boil 8 to 10 potatoes, peeled and chopped

Cook and crumble 1# of bacon
Chop 1 small onion and soften in bacon drippings

In crock pot, mix:
2 - 10 oz cans of Cream of Chicken soup

2 C milk
1- 8 oz carton French Onion dip
1 stick butter
1/2 of bacon crumbles
onion 
potatoes
salt and pepper
Cook on low for 8 hours

Add 8 oz of shredded swiss cheese and the rest of the bacon and heat another 30 minutes.

Flavor improves if reheated. Can add more milk as needed. Yeilds 10 servings.

And another hand made Christmas gift:
Willow made a dozen or more children's aprons and paired them with cookie mix and a wooden spoon to make gift bags for little cousins and friends. 

There was one super hero apron leftover for Jackson to wear as he helped make Christmas cookies.

We're already looking forward to next Christmas!

Keep em coming - -

Marge P shares this pic with us. Her Mother-in-law will appreciate this table topper as a gift from Marge.

Marge also followed up on a gift idea we presented at our Ladies of the Lake Quilt Retreat this fall. - - Re-cycle candy packaging into a very cute little zip bag.

She used regular fabric for the back. Very cute packaging for a small gift, right?

Another from Jenny O. This pillowcase will go to a big Mickey Mouse fan in her family. Sweet.

Crockpot Italian Chicken

This is a recipe my sister sent me. She says it is really good. Sounds good!

Crockpot Italian Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 t. garlic powder
1 pkg. pasta

Add all ingredients except pasta to crockpot.  Cook on high for 4 hours. If sauce is too thick, add milk.  when ready to serve chicken, cook pasta & drain. Add pasta to chicken/sauce in crockpot and toss together.   We had the pasta on the side and it was still very good.

It's on!

Our annual end of the year, pre-inventory count sale starts TODAY and runs through December 30.

All fabric from the bolt, 25% off with just 1 yard minimum cuts

All sale fabric, $5 a yard with just 1 yard minimum cuts

All holiday panels, books and patterns - - 1/2 price

Plus - check out other specials around the shop.

See you soon!

More of your show and share - - -

Jenny O's father in law recently passed. Along with lots of great memories, he also left behind lots of flannel shirts. Jenny transformed them into memory pillows.

Jenny made several of these to send to her sister in laws, nieces and nephews.

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This is the back. The label reads, "This is a shirt I used to wear. Whenever you hold it, know that I am there. Love, Grandpa"

That is so special. Thank you for sharing, Jenny.