5/1/17

Threads of Love Sew Day


Sorry I'm late on this, but we had a great turn out at Rancho Cabelleros on March 25th for a Threads of Love Sew Day.


Sharon wants to extend her many thanks to everyone who participated on the day and everyone who's been taking and making kits.

Sharon has also received permission from Posh Patterns to reproduce and distribute their crocheted baby bonnet pattern to make baby bonnets for Threads of Love. The pattern is available here - please only use for Threads of Love. :)

Be sure to check out all the pictures both Sharon and I took or have a look at the picture video.

- Cassandra G.

4/30/17

April 2017 Meeting Review

A fortnight ago we had another great monthly meeting and our annual 50% Challenge - what a great turn out! Enjoy the 50% Challenge quilts as well as quilts from our regular Show and Share segment as pictures and our picture video.


We welcomed several guests: Natalie, Delia F., Joan H., Linda M., and Lynette W. We hope to see you ladies again!

Good job to everyone who brought in their March BOM blocks! Elly H. introduced our latest BOM called the Ribbon Star. She noted that the instructions have different cutting instructions depending on how you like to piece this type of block.

Elizabeth's Home Sweet Home



For our May meeting, we will enjoy a trunk show by our own Elizabeth Eastman, noted quilt and pattern designer. She will also hold a workshop on June 3rd from 9am-2pm to make her "The Heart's Solace is Home Sweet Home". Contact Susan M. to sign up.






We've got a few events and challenges coming up:

  • May Guild Meeting: Row-by-Row Round Robin (contact Cassandra G. if you're interested) - our first rows are due at the May meeting.
  • May 19th-21st: Retreat at the Nunnery - Contact Barbara M. if you have any questions.
  • June Guild Meeting: Itty Bitty Picture Perfect Challenge - Summer Edition - This is due at the June meeting. I'll post a blog soon dedicated to more information on this.
  • July 31st: Hoffman Tour - Contact Evie if you have questions.
  • October ??: Sewing room tour!

Make sure to check out the Guild Calendar for a complete listing of upcoming events!

Door prizes:
Quilt coffee mug - Mary M.
Best Press/fat quarter - Christine S.
Fat bundle - Phyllis H.
Sewing Machine earrings & stuff - Carol H.
Lil Twister - Vickie M.

Mystery Box - Linda H.
- Cassandra G.

P.S. Today is my dog Jan's 7th birthday, so please join me in wishing her a happy birthday!


4/19/17

April BOM Now Available

Hi folks! I'm still working on processing the photos and meeting review from last night but Elly has our April 2017 BOM instructions ready to go, so I didn't want to delay.

Aren't they cute?!
Also, remember Evie's kind invitation to join the Nightowls (the evening group from Citrus Belt Quilters) tomorrow night at the Grand Terrace Senior Center for a flower themed trunk show (sorry I missed the name of the quilter). Doors open at 5p with potluck at 5:30p. Contact Evie if you have any questions.
- Cassandra G.

4/15/17

Reminder: Guild meeting Tuesday!

You have T-minus a few days to wrap up the rest of your 50% Challenges because it's almost April meeting time!


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.
  • Your all-the-way-completed 50% Challenge projects!
  • If you are participating in the 2017 BOM, the second two blocks
  • If are you participating in Susan M.'s 9 Patch club, the next set of blocks are due
  • If you are going the Nunnery retreat next month, the balance is due (contact Barbara M. if you're unsure of how much you owe)
  • If you were born in January, April, July, or September, you are invited to bring a snack to share (but it's not required!)
  • Bottled water or other nonalcoholic drink

See you all Tuesday!
- Cassandra G.

4/9/17

Hang in there!

Hoping you all have a great week - make sure you hang in there!


- Cassandra G.

4/1/17

Raincross Giving Away a Singer Featherweight

To celebrate our 25th anniversary of the Raincross Quilt Guild, an anonymous donor has graciously donated this beautiful restored Singer Featherweight to give away to one lucky member of the guild!


All you need to do to enter is add a comment to this post saying how much you love being a member of the Raincross Quilt Guild. The winner will be announced and receive this beautiful machine at our next guild meeting. Good luck!
- Cassandra G.



(psst...April Fool's! 😃)

3/26/17

Correction to the March 2017 BOM Arrow North

Hi folks. We need to issue a slight correction to the cutting instructions for this month's block of the month, Arrow North.

Woodcut by Jeff Peachey

For the second block, cut each colored rectangle to 3.5" x 5". Updated instructions are available here.

Thank you!
- Elly H. via Cassandra G.

3/23/17

Looking for our charity patterns?

Hey folks, I meant to include this in the meeting review notes...if you're looking for the rape crisis center bag pattern or the happy bag pattern, or even the Raincross Quilt Guild expenses form, they are always available on the Guild Links page* (see the tab above or click this link).

Sorry for the short post so I'll add a bonus. Here is my great grandfather James Peterson Gray (on the right) and four of his five brothers (photo circa 1900). How 'bout dem ears?! Thankfully this blessing seems to skip the female members of the Gray family :D


- Cassandra G.

*Edit: I see I already had some on the Charity page, so I'll make it easy and just put charity patterns on BOTH pages. Hopefully I don't break the internet! - cg

3/22/17

March 2017 Meeting Review

Holy cats! She's on the ball this month with the meeting review! (Ed. note: this is not a precedent)

We had an action packed evening with quilts galore! Our intrepid President Jeri R. led us out by welcoming our five fabulous guests! Sorry I didn't catch all your names, but we welcomed Joan, Linda, Joy, and even Theresa who was visiting all the way from Tennessee!

This coming Saturday March 25th is a sew day to support Threads of Love. We'll be working at Rancho Caballeros, 15181 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92504,  from 9am-5pm with a Salad Potluck Lunch (and any other goodies you feel inclined to bring). Sharon C. has 40 kits of gowns for 1/2lb to newborn size ready to be sewn together. Please bring white thread and contact Sharon if you have any questions.

Next we experienced a fabulous trunk show from our own Betty Dinan - oh my word, so much talent! Be sure to check out the photos and/or photo video of her quilts, as well as our monthly Show and Share!

We had a great showing of blocks for our first BOM of 2017 and Elly H. introduced our next block, Arrow North. She recommended if you're concerned about the ironing direction to just press the seams open.

Vertical row by row example
We also learned about a new challenge issued by yours truly - a row by row round robin! We'll each make a single row of anything and any style you want that's a minimum of 24" wide and then stuff it in the provided and numbered brown paper bag. Your first row is due at the May meeting, at which time everyone will take home someone else's first row. We'll repeat this every two months for a total of four times so that each participant ends up with five rows.

I'll still take sign ups next month but everyone who joins the round robin must commit to making each row and bringing it to the designated meetings (or send it with a friend). If you miss a meeting, you'll have to make the next row for the same quilt! Contact Cassandra if you have questions.

And just a friendly reminder from Elly H. that your 50% Challenge really all the way completed quilts are due at the April meeting (as well as the next round of Susan M.'s 9 Patches).


During our Show and Share, we got to see the beautiful Convergence quilts from the class Elly H. taught in February - so cool!

A great haul of charity quilts and sundries were donated, including 2 or 3 rape center crisis bags, 74 kitty cat beds, 5 VA quilts and 4 or 5 baby quilts. Angie N. made one of those baby quilts and dedicated it fondly to the memory of Alice Jones, whom we lost in January. Angie invited us all to join her and make a baby quilt to honor Alice. (Ed. note: does anyone have a tissue?)

Susan C. reported that we made sixteen QOV quilt tops on our QOV Sew Day - way to go! Susan now needs people to step forward to volunteer to quilt these quilts - batting and backing fabric is provided (binding is not, but if you have some fabric that'd match and you feel inclined to bind the quilt as well, please go ahead). Contact Susan if you can help.

Everyone probably already knows that Busy Bee in Calimesa is going out of business. The discounts are currently 30% off and fabric at $8/yd (although don't quote me on that). She'll be open until the end of April.

Door Prizes:
Quilt Happy Mug - Susan H.
Charm Pack - Susan C.
Chair pin cushion - Rose B.
Moda Scrap Bag - Florence
Easter Bunny sign - Bev B.

Mystery Box: Jeanne H.
- Cassandra G.

3/19/17

Reminder: Guild meeting Tuesday!

Are you ready for some March Madness*?! (*by which I mean our monthly guild meeting)


A winner from 2017 Road to California

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.
  • If you are participating in the 2017 BOM, your first two blocks
  • If you were born in March, October, or December, you are invited to bring a snack to share (but it's not required!)
  • Bottled water or other nonalcoholic drink
See you all Tuesday!
- Cassandra G.