© 2004 RiverMOO, Inc.
All rights reserved.
| Volume 4 Number 6 |
June, 2004 |
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The weather outside has been great! We've had a good mix of rain and sunshine. Curt and I have both had accidents in the past month; he suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns after a fire flashed with him in the middle and I fell getting off the lawnmower and broke my nose and the middle metacarpal on the top of my hand. Can you believe us???? Are we klutzy or what? We're both doing fine, though. He's healing and I'm feeling much better, too. The summer months are before us (unless you live in the southern hemisphere), and I have tons of things planned... and yes, some are quilty things! I'm already thinking of Christmas quilts for my mom and sister and need to get started on those ASAP. In fact, I'm making a pantry quilt for my mother, so if you have any 10" squares of fruits and/or veggie fabrics, I'd love to have them! I'll swap something else with you. Father's Day is coming up this month on the 20th and I am so thankful for my father that I am hosting a quilting event (like Mother's Day Block Parade) called Father's Day Block Parade. I would love to see a huge participation, as I would like to get to know your fathers, too! The 4th of July is also coming up, and I purchased the cutest patriotic fabrics; now, I simply need to figure out what to make with them!
 by Terry I have yet to finish appliquéing the last three blocks for the Flower Appliqué Quilt. Bad Terry! I will try to get this project wrapped up by the end of June! The June Wallpaper is up! I love the colors and hope you do, too! Last month, I stated that I was trying to think outside of the box in designing new patterns, and I believe I've done so on several. You'll find the list of new patterns in the next section! I finished an article, "How Much Fabric?". It is an informative piece to aid you in determining how much fabric to purchase when you don't have any solid plans for it. In other words, how can you tell how much fabric to buy when building your stash. I have also started a Frequently Asked Questions page online. Hopefully, you will find it to be useful! Another article you might find of interest is Prewashing Fabric. I am still planning two new quilt ideas that are going to take off within the next few months, too. If you like butterflies and/or birdhouses, you'll love these new quilts. Both of these quilts, by the way, will be year long projects (give or take a month). The Quilting Passion Challenge 2004 ended on May 15th and voting ended on the 21st. All of the blocks submitted were outstanding and the voting was very close. 261 of you submitted votes!!! The winners of the 2004 QP Challenge are: Wilma (MI), Myra (NC), and Annie (ME). Congratulations to all three of you!
There are several new appliqué patterns available:
Be sure to check the main page of my Web site for updates on new patterns released. Or click here to explore the possibilities! As I said last month, I am adding more and more patterns to my site, especially appliqué. I truly believe I'm addicted!
My pick for Web site of this month is from HGTV's show, "Simply Quilts", hosted by Alex Anderson. Last Monday was aired a new episode in which the guest explained how to make fabric bowls. The instructions on the Web are super, too! Be sure to check it out! Ready for Mystery Quilt 14? It has taken a back seat to other projects right now, but I hope to begin it sometime in June/July! The Gallery is a special place to showcase pictures of all the quilts that YOU have made using my patterns and/or ideas. I have just recently added a few new pictures, so be sure to check them out. Y'all do such great work!!! And if you have finished any of my patterns, please share a picture with me so that I can add you to the gallery! I would appreciate it! |
The forum is moving right along! And, thanks to all of you, it is very successful. Lots going on. A few of our monthly projects include:
The "Round Robin Charity Drive", or RRCD continues to be an all-important aspect of the forum. We have initiated a total of 339 quilts since March of 2002, and 13 of those since last month. Out of the 339, 291 of those have already been donated, which is 9 more since the last month's report! Isn't this great news? The excitement of this project just doesn't end for me and I hope you feel the same way! In the beginning, the RRCDs were done as the traditional "round robins", but a few months ago, we added a second method for making these quilts, made using the "row by row" method. And beginning in late May, we kicked off yet a third method of making these quilts in which we simply make blocks to be sewn together. This block by block method is already underway using the Snowball Block. For more information regarding the ongoing collection of snowballs, check in on the forum! We are still trying to finish all of the quilts that were started in 2002 and 2003, so if you have one, please give it your attention! We don't lack much, though! I am tracking all of the Project Linus Project information on our Web site, so it is easy for you to keep up with what's happening with this tremendous and oh-so-rewarding project. The site also contains information on the donations and the waiting list. I continue to have organizations contact me wanting on our waiting list. The need is so great and I feel as though we are just a mere drop in the bucket, but nonetheless, every stitch that we take impacts a life somewhere and that is good. If you know of an organization needing donations, please feel free to contact me via sregora@quiltingpassion.com. There are numerous block and fabric swaps going on, so if you're in the mood to sew, feel free to jump right in! There are also many in the works, so stay tuned for new information. If you would like to see a specific swap hosted, simply contact Myra (GR8DAME) and let her know and she'll see if she can get it kicked off. Each month, we select two forum members to honor and recognize on the forum. Congratulations to the May Volunteer of the Month, Mary Pat (WI) for her outstanding willingness and generosity on the RRCD Project. And congratulations go to Winkie (PA) for her outstanding participation on the forum. Both of these ladies deserve a huge round of applause for helping make the forum and all its activities a huge success. Those of you that frequent the forum know that one of our very dear friends is very ill right now. Please continue to keep Patty and her family in your thoughts and prayers. There is a quilting event that began in May to honor our mothers and fathers. Participants were asked to submit the photo of an 8" block in specific colors, along with a short paragraph describing their mother/father. Be sure to check out the Mother's Day Block Parade and also the Father's Day Block Parade. I am still accepting entries in the Father's Day Parade, so read the guidelines and submit your blocks before the 19th of June. For those of you that are members of this very special forum (which is my home on the Internet!), thank you. For those of you that haven't visited yet, please do so by clicking here. Remember, basic membership is still free and we have so much fun that we want to share it with you!
There are currently several new classes beginning soon, so be sure to check the QPU Web site within the next few days to see what's going on. Documenting Quilts finished a few weeks ago and I hope that some of you have journals that you made that you can share pictures of. Setting a Quilt On-Point is in progress right now. It should finish within the next two weeks. There has been a lot of interest in the Quilt As You Go Technique class and I am looking forward to teaching that one! It is scheduled to begin sometime in July. There's also interest in the Beginning Amish Quilt class and it is scheduled to go live in October. I have had inquiries as to how difficult this class will be and the answer is that it is going to be very easy. Other courses in the planning include:
Think any of those sound interesting? If so, be sure to check the forum for details... or if you aren't a member of the forum, please e-mail me and I'll give you the details. Are there any classes you would like to see taught? If so, let me know!
More free patterns, another MQ, some online quilting classes, a couple of new 12-month projects (as we will be wrapping up the Appliqué Flower Quilt project soon), and who knows what else? Let me leave you with three thoughts. Think "butterflies" and "birdhouses" and "Father's Day"! You should know this by now, but if you have any suggestions, questions, comments, etc., please feel free to contact me and let me know!
Have a wonderful Father's Day this month and for those of you that are vacationing, be careful and have fun! Have a great month, everyone! Happy
quilting, |
