Sunday, July 1, 2018

Mary Chalmers - 2018 Minnesota Quilter of the Year

 
Congratulations to Country Quilters Guild Member Mary Chalmers on being selected as the 2018 Minnesota Quilter of the Year!  It was exciting to see one of our long-time members receive this high honor.  If you didn't get a chance to visit with her at the 2018 Minnesota Quilt Show in June at the St. Cloud Convention Center, here are some of her gorgeous quilts that were displayed there.







Block of the Month - Row 6


By Sandra Schlagel

This is the last row - Cups and Saucers.  I made three of each pattern.


Refer to the pattern above, along with the photos below, for piecing and connecting placement.  Press each seam as you sew it, according to your preference.  Use different fabrics for each piece, with no repeats.

Cups, Color A, cut:
Twelve 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces

Background, Color B, cut:
Twelve 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces


Layout the cut pieces in an arrangement that you like.


Make six cup bases.  Place one B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece at each end of one A 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together.  Draw a diagonal line on the B units from lower, inner corner to opposite outer corner to form a triangle.


Sew along the lines, trim excess fabric.  Open, press.  Repeat for remaining 5 cup base units.


Pair one cup rim (an A 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece) to one cup base unit from the previous step to form six cup units.


Sew each pair together as shown.


Sew two cup units together at the sides.  Layout in three rows of two cup units each.


Sew the rows together as shown.


Sew a background B 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to both the left and right sides of the saucer unit.  Sew one background B 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the top and bottom of the cups unit to complete the block.  Make three cups blocks and then follow instructions below to make three saucers blocks.


Refer to the pattern above, along with the photos below, for piecing and connecting placement.  Press each seam as you sew it, according to your preference.  Use different fabrics for each piece, with no repeats.

Saucers, Color A, cut:
Six 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces

Background, Color B, cut:
Twelve 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces


Layout the cut pieces in an arrangement that you like.


Make the six rows that form the saucer unit first.  Place one B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece at each end of one A 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together.  Draw a diagonal line on the B units from lower, inner corner to opposite outer corner to form a triangle.


Sew along the lines, trim excess fabric.


Open, press.  Repeat for remaining 5 rows of saucers.


Sew the six rows of saucers together.  I don't have a photo of the next step, but it is similar to what we've done in every block, including the cups block above.  Sew a background B 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to both the left and right sides of the saucer unit.  Sew one background B 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the top and bottom of the saucer unit to complete the block.  Make three saucers blocks.


Make three saucer blocks and alternate them with three cups blocks; sew the six blocks together to complete the row.  Sew the Cups and Saucers row the top of the previous five rows.


Add a border of your choice.  I thought that this colorful quilt needed a colorful border, however, I think it is too bold and detracts from the individual blocks so I will remove it before quilting.  I may add a charcoal or black border first - I'll have to audition some fabrics first.







June 2018 Sew and Tell

Sandie's quilt:  "Freedom Bound"
Melanie is offering a class on how to make Lone Star improvisational quilts.
Sue (center) and Judy (right) made quilts using paint sticks.
Elaine's "Christmas Colors" quilt.
Judy made a quilt a Japanese sashiko style.
One of the quilts that Smitty (left) made from the "100 Blocks" book and pattern.
Another one of the quilts that Smitty made from the "100 Blocks" book and pattern.
Darlene made this quilt in the 1970s (she said before she knew what she was getting into).
This is a detail of one of the blocks in Darlene's 1970s quilt.
This quilt was made by Judy W.

Mary Ann (right) and her quilt.

 

June 2018 guest speaker

Demonstration Day was the theme for our June 12, 2018, monthly guild meeting.  Thank you to our four talented Country Quilters demonstrators!


Jean Ruter demonstrated how to put on binding, with an emphasis on how to do the finishing portion.


Helen Behrends demonstrated how to make a table runner using dimensional pinwheels.


Dorothy Anderson demonstrated a hand-quilting technique that used the rocking stitch.


Ramona Berg talked about different ways to frame your quilt for hanging on the wall.