UPDATE: Sally has found a different block pattern that she feels is simpler. Please click here for supplies and fabric needed for Tulip #2 and here is a photo of the finished block.

The program for the September meeting of our quilt guild will be Sally Rosenfeld leading a sew-in for those of us interested in paper piecing. Please click here for supplies and fabric needed to complete a block with 3 tulips (click here for a photo of the finished block).

If you have any questions, please contact Sally at rosenfeldsally@gmail.com.

The Stitch'n Sisters Friendship Group has been together since 2009. Although some members are no longer with us and we continue to grow with new members while keeping the group small, we continue to get together to do projects as a group. The August meeting was an example of projects we have completed over the years.

Carole Smith demonstrated PaintStiks Rubbing. She explained and showed the supplies you would need along with a demonstration; some handouts were given which also included resources.

​In preparation for our October meeting, there will be a box at each meeting for items for the Family Birthing Center:

Flannel Blankets 36"x42" before rolled over hems or 42"x42" for a perfect square.

Preemie, newborn or size Small 0–3-month sleepers, swaddle sacks (for safe sleeping).

Onesies, socks, hats, cute outfits that are new or gently used without stains.

Quilts, get as creative as you wish. Crocheted blankets or light weight gauze blankets which are a little larger.

Diapers, wipes, etc. we can take to the Chino Valley Pregnancy Center.

Anything you give will be well received.

Thank you in advance!

We are looking forward to our Baby Shower in October!

Barbara Cox and Allison Osborne
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The 18 Ash Fork seniors visited us to show the quilts that they had chosen from the quilts that our members made. If you want to make quilts for next year’s students the minimum width and length should be 54x72, but 72x80 is better.

Dagmar Morgan from Turquoise Threads presented our program. She explained how she loved colors, started out knitting as a young girl and always wanted to own a yarn shop. Of course, other life matters got in the way and along the way she had gone to a quilt show. “Oh, what a lovely way to combine colors.” When Dagmar retired from her engineering job, she put together a business plan, looked for a location and Turquoise Threads was born. 
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Turquoise Threads offers classes, an open sit and sew on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and other exciting events. On June 12th you can buy a kit (2 patterns in 3 different color ways) which they will cut for you so that you can sit right down and begin sewing. Dagmar stated that her vision for the shop is to be a gathering place for all quilters.

This was our Annual Tea and election of officers.  Due to Covid and the lack of normal meetings the 2020 Board will be the new board for 2021, except that Lynne Wells will now be Secretary. 

If you paid your dues for 2020 you do not need to pay them for this year unless you would like to donate to the Guild.

What a FUN TIME with the many wonderful items that Patsy had put together.  Marie did such a great job being the auctioneer. We made $4,703.00; too bad it was only mad money, not real money.  But that wouldn’t have been as much fun and success.

Patsy led our group in making the Exploding Pineapple block. She had a step-by-step display on how to complete the block. Below is am example of a quilt using this pattern.

Please join us for our March 9th meeting where we will have a sew-in of making Exploding Pineapple blocks. Bring your sewing machine, fabric and all your accessories to sew for a few hours. Here is a link to the cutting instructions: ​exploding-pineapple-quilt-blocks.pdf

Following our general meeting, Patsy Franko explained the process for putting student names and Chino Valley Quilters’ labels on the 57 quilts the guild had made for homeless children from local Chino Valley schools. Each labeled quilt is to be put in a pillowcase and checked off as completed. There will be groups designated for each task. The completed quilts were delivered to Laurie Marley after the meeting. The remaining 20 quilts needed are in varying states of completion. Some need pillowcases, some need binding and labels and one needs to be made. The deadline for all quilts to be completed is February 1st.

This meeting was not a meeting, but a Rummage Sale. Patsy Franko brought all her surplus fabric and sold it for $2 a yard. Members were encouraged to bring quilt related items they wished to donate to the sale. All sale proceeds went to the Community Service program. We opened up the sale to the public, so we encouraged members to spread the word to friends and family. Any items not sold at the sale were donated to Goodwill.

Below are photos of two 12 year old students, Grace and Ethan (parental permission was obtained to use their names), who were able to make weekly visits to Joanne Ramsperger's home to work on their quilts since school was suspended due to COVID-19. They both finished this month (August 2020) and both were allowed to use Joanne's long arm to finish their quilts! Joanne wanted their efforts to be recognized and shared. Thank you, Joanne, for your generosity and support.

Patsy Franko described her plans for our Community Service program this year. The main focus will be the Guild’s participation in Chino Valley Schools Sponsor a Student program. The person in charge of that program, Laurie Marley, Family Resource Specialist, was at our meeting and gave a detailed and impassioned presentation about the ongoing need to help homeless children living in Chino Valley. The need is great with 319 children (3-18 years old) classified as homeless in Chino Valley. The community can help in many ways by sponsoring a student, by providing needed items such as school supplies, personal hygiene items, clothing, gift cards for local stores, money, etc. Our Guild is helping by providing quilts and pillowcases to those children in the program. Every month the program gives some type of item to the children, such as backpacks in August, coats in November, swimsuits and towels in May, etc. The quilts the Guild donates will be given out in February. Laurie will let the Guild know the age, gender and interests of the children, so members can make a quilt personalized for each student in the program. Members will be able to sign-up to make a quilt in September, once we know the number of students being sponsored and their age, gender and interests. Currently, 42 students are in the program.

Patsy introduced our guest speaker, Carolyn O'Bagy-Davis.  Ms Davis is here from Tucson and is the author of several books.  She is an anthropologist by training and has been studying and chronicling the traditions of Hopi quilting for over thirty years. During that time she has collected and extensively documented over one hundred of the Hopi quilts. Ms Davis' quilts are being donated to the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The presentation described how missionaries introduced quilting to the Hopi women. Their quilts are  used in baby naming ceremonies , funeral shrouds,  going away quilts as well as other ceremonial quilts.

The quilts are primarily hand pieced and hand quilted using   whatever fabric was available.  Many have a patchwork design, many are scrappy quilts and some feature a star, bird, or butterfly design.  The quilts may also   be hand painted and tied.

There are three mesas on the reservation and  each one has their own distinct style.  Quilts from the 2nd Mesa are influenced by their basket weaving tradition while quilts from the 1st Mesa are influenced by their pottery designs.

Carolyn said if you would like to visit the Hope reservation you should go to the 2nd Mesa Hotel and stop in at their  Hotel shop. Mentioning that you are a quilter is a good  conversation starter and, by all means, bring along  some fabric to give to any Hopi quilter you meet.  At the end of the  presentation, there were  original Hopi quilts, Hopi hand painted blocks, and many of Carolyn's books.

Learn more. . .