September 2016 Meeting Review

We had a bonanza of quilts to enjoy at this month's guild meeting on Tuesday, so let's jump right in!

Mini Hoffman Challenge Results!

Our intrepid President Jeri R. started us off by acknowledging that our group is special because we share our sorrows and we share our joys and she thanked us for being here. We then heard about folks who've recently had surgeries and are recovering well (Jeri R., Melissa S., Lois L.) and other folks who are headed into surgery soon (Brenda A.), even about Jeanie H., who had surgery on Tuesday. Jeri thanked those who had sent her a card while she was recovering and encouraged those in our guild who are "card senders" to send a card to others who are also recovering or due for surgery. Thanks Jeri!

Barbara informed us that there are now THREE spots open for the Roughley Manor retreat. Click here for more information.

After the fun trip members made to Hoffman this past, Evie issued a mini Hoffman Challenge with some leftover bits of fabric graciously donated to us by Hoffman. Great job ladies!

Elly showed us our new blocks of the month due next - the Triple Star and the Missouri Star. Elly is on the ball this month and announced that she had already uploaded the directions to the website - woohoo! Time to get stitchin'!

Elly also reminded us the "Overwhelming" Selvedge Challenge is due at the October meeting (no selvedge cheater fabric please!). You can make whatever you like and while Elly would like us to try to finish our pieces, it's okay you weren't able to quuuuiiite get it finished - please bring it anyway!

While Susan M. wasn't able to attend the meeting Tuesday night, those who have joined her Mini 9 Patch club were reminded that our first batch of blocks is due at the next guild meeting in October. The Club has a few spots open, so please contact Susan M. or Paula W. to get in on the action or if you have any questions.

We then had a Crazy Quilt Trunk Show by our own (Ed. note: self-anointed) Crazy Quilt Queens, Cassandra G. and Katy S.! Katy and I both agreed it was super fun, we were happy to share our crazy style, and we're looking forward to seeing more trunk shows from other awesome and talented Raincross members!

Cassandra G. will be giving a workshop Saturday September 23rd at the Goeske Center on how to make your own Crazy Quilt Christmas Stocking. Click here for more information, reply to this post and/or call me if you have questions!

Additional announcements:
The 13th Annual Moutain Quilters of Idyllwild Quilt Show is coming up October 8 – October 9.

Happy Bags and their contents are coming along. If you've purchased items to go into Happy Bags, please get to Dawn M.

Each member will receive the 8"x10" stand up picture frame to be used to display your Winter-themed Itty Bitty Picture Perfect Quilt. These quilts need to be made and brought to the November meeting for the "Exchange"/Grab Game! The size of the quilt before adding binding should be 8 3/4" x 10 1/2" in portrait orientation. The size of the back pocket before adding binding should be 8 3/4" x 9.5". Jeri requested that we make a quilt that we'd want to win! Please contact Jeri R. or Elly H. if you have questions.

In order to alleviate some stress and hard work, the Guild is now asking that everyone bring their own drinks/water to meetings. As a reminder, the Goeske center is an alcohol free zone.

Door Prizes

• Pumpkin yard size & fat quarter - Ann M.
• Own yard size & fat quarter - Rose O.
• Pumpkin table decoration & fat quarter - Benita
• Leaves wall sconce & fat quarter - Phyllis H.
• Acorn wall hanging & fat quarter - Cassandra G.

- Cassandra G.

A Different Kind of Quilt Show

                                                                                                                                -Angie N

THREE spots now available for the Roughley Manor Quilt Retreat! (Updated)

Hear ye, hear ye! Two Three folks who had signed up for the Roughley Manor Quilt Retreat October 27th-30th have unfortunately had to withdraw...but that means we've got a spot for you if you act fast!

The cost is $340 if you come Thursday through Sunday or $240 if you come Friday through Sunday. If you're interested, please contact Barbara M. and bring a deposit of 50% to the meeting Tuesday; the remainder is due by the October guild meeting.

- Cassandra G.

Reminder: Guild meeting Tuesday!

The early bird catches the worm, but for those who procrastinate a bit longer, here's an earlier reminder for the guild meeting this month so you can finish (or start AND finish) items due for this month's meeting!

Inset of Robbers’ Roost by Joanne Baethe

Here's your reminder list of things to bring:

• Your homemade name badge
• Your Raincross Quilt Guild pin, which is now worth an EXTRA ticket in the door prize drawing! If you don't have one, you can purchase one for $5 at the door.
• Star block of month
• Evie's Hoffman Brown Bag Challenge
• If you were born in February, May or September, you are invited to bring a snack to share (but it's not required!)

See you all Tuesday!

- Cassandra G.

Road to California 2017 Charity Event

Reposted from Road to California...

When we said we had big plans we meant it. Road to California has teamed up with the Robert and Beverly Lewis Cancer Care Center and Anita Grossman Soloman to make as many quilts as we can Saturday night. These quilts will then be donated to cancer patients at the center. We are asking that quilt blocks be made ahead of time and delivered to the Road to California office, or bring your premade blocks to the show.

Anita Grossman Soloman has graciously provided a pattern for us using her Make It Simpler Jacob's Ladder Pattern. We will have raffle and door prizes and you will have the chance of winning. For every block brought to the office or submitted at the show you will receive 1 (one) raffle ticket. There is no limit the number of entries, every block is equal to one raffle ticket. You can download the pattern here. For our Jacob's Ladder block we would like the background to be white or off white. As for the other colors we are requesting a color scheme that will represent a cancer awareness. For a listing of those colors please click here.

We will begin accepting blocks in the office on December 5th, 2016.

Road to California and you will engage in a Saturday night Sew-A-Thon! Starting at 7:00pm on Saturday January 21st, with your help we will begin the process of making as many quilts as possible until the Convention Center kicks us out! We will need help piecing the quilts, domestic quilting, Long arm quilting and lastly finishing. For more information please visit our website at http://www.road2ca.com/roadiesgiveback.html.

You can sign up for these events on our website here. We are requesting a nominal fee of $10 per registration. 50% of the fee will be donated to the cancer center while the rest will help cover costs of materials and additional staffing needed for the night.

If you would like to assist in Piecing please register for event 9600C.

If you would like to assist in Domestic Quilting please register for event 9601C.

If you would like to assist in Long Arm Quilting please register for event 9602C.

If you would like to assist in Finishing please register for event 9603C.
Space is limited so sign up today and make a difference in 2017.

- Cassandra G.

LOL

- Angie N.

Next workshop: Crazy Quilt Christmas Stocking

There are only 110 days* 'til Christmas, so time to get cracking on your Holiday decorations! Raincross is here to help in the first of hopefully many free or low cost workshops presented by our own members, starting off with a workshop on creating a Crazy Quilt Christmas Stocking taught by myself, Cassandra G. Woohoo!

The workshop will be at the Janet Goeske Center on Saturday, September 24th 9am-4pm with a salad potluck lunch. Instructions will be for making the Crazy Quilt stocking top by hand, but if you're more comfortable using a machine for piecing and seam embroidery, you're welcome to bring your machine.

The pattern and mini-kit will be $5 (money to be collected day of) and include 2 muslin quilt top bases (one you can use to make your quilt top and one for you to use as a pattern to cut the lining and backing), printed pattern instructions and a few bits of silks from my collection to get you started!

Click here for the complete materials list. Final assembly is by machine but you probably won't get to that point during the workshop, so you don't need to bring your machine, the lining or backing fabrics to the class (although I will demo how to perform the final assembly).

If you'd like to attend or you have questions, please respond to this post, or contact me, Cassandra G. (please try to phone outside of business hours) and can't wait to see you all there!

- Cassandra G.

August 2016 Meeting Review (Updated)

Editor's Note: Forgive my tardiness with the August meeting review, but we're back on schedule and with some exciting news coming soon from yours truly.

If you missed the August meeting, you missed a quilter's treat, back-to-school round robin of demonstrations of 5 different and darling projects!

Demonstrations were provided by Raincross' own Samantha N., Andie B., Dawn M., Susan M., and Jeri R.!

Samantha showed us how to make her world famous microwave mitts.	Andie showed us how to make nifty travel tissue holders.
Dawn M. had us make Swedish hearts in paper.	Susan M. demoed how to make super cute zippered pouches.

Finally Jeri showed us the Itty Bitty Picture Perfect Quilt for those who want to participate in the November Exchange (aka Grab Game). The unfinished size of the quilt should be 8 3/4" x 10 1/4" before you add binding.

Elly H. showcased our next block of the month called Frolic and reminded us that our next challenge, the "Overwhelmingly" Selvedge Challenge, is due at the September October meeting.

Due at the September meeting is the Hoffman Challenge that Evie issued after the Hoffman tour (Hoffman graciously gave attendees and Evie extra Hoffman batiks, so she's organized a mini challenge - can't wait to see what everyone came up with!).

Mary T. informed everyone that more baby quilts are needed. Don't let the babies down! Instructions are here.

Susan C. announced that she's accepting Quilts of Valor quilts and receiver nominees. Contact her anytime for nominate someone of with any questions you might have.

Door prizes

Acrylic Bobbin box - Debbie G.

Ginny Beyer fabric - Carol R.

Ginny Beyer fabric - Laura G.

quilt kit - Alice

Keepsake Quilting panel & pen - Karen D.

Mystery box - Vickie M.

Finally, Carol R. was missing her serving spoon, an Oneida Alexis which looks like this. Please check your spoons!

- Cassandra G.