New Mexico Quilters Association

NM State Fair Winners

2011-10-31T08:46:00.000-06:00

Rod Daniel - 1st Place Best WallHanging: I am quite the novice with quilting, but this past Spring I took a one week class with Susan Carlson on free form quilting at the Empty Spools quilting workshop in Monterey CA. I have always had my hands in painting, but not quilting. I loved the class and loved her process of working with small scraps of fabric as if painting with a brush. The image that won in the state fair was my second attempt at a truck. When I turned it in at the fairgrounds, I could not help but notice the extraordinarily beautiful quilts already entered that showed way more skill and technique than I ever dreamed of. I almost pulled my quilt back, but I thought that it would at least be fun to see it hanging with the other quilts. You cannot imagine my surprise when I learned from a friend that the quilt had the first place ribbon. I was totally thrilled. I am also inspired to continue working with this technique. We'll see where it goes.

Cathy Arney - 1st place Bed Quilt, Viewer's Choice

Holly Strasburg - 1st Place Mixed Technique

Robin Porphy - Double Wedding Ring - Best of Show, Best Machine Quilting

Robin Porphy - Basket Sampler Quilt - Blue Ribbon

Sandy Rogers - 3rd Place State Fair Challenge

Sandy Rogers - 2nd Place

Gracia Ulrickson

Balloon Fiesta Extravaganza

2011-06-01T18:55:00.001-06:00

The Community Service meeting at The Christ Ray of Hope Lutheran Church was the setting for our Balloon Fiesta Extravaganza to make post cards, hot pads, small wall hangings, and children’s balloon aprons. We all had fun and there were 32 members participating, and we accomplished a lot.

from the Belen Harvey House

2011-01-31T22:50:00.001-07:00

Valencia County Fiber Arts 2011 Winter Show at the Belen Harvey House Museum will be held from February 5 through March 5. Museum hours are 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday 1 to 3 p.m. Demonstrations are on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Opening reception on Saturday February 5; Saturday, February 12 - NMQA Valencia Valley Girls quilting group demonstration. For more information call 861-0581

A Quilter's Christmas

2010-12-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Twas the night before Christmas,
And the quilts were not made.
The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.
The stockings weren't hung, the pantry was bare.
The poor weary Quilter was tearing her hair.
Stacks of fat quarters tipped over in streams.
Visions of Log Cabins had turned into dreams.

When what to her wondering eyes should appear,
But a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.
They went straight to work with just a few mutters,
Sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.
The patterns emerged from all of the clutter,
Like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.
Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese & Bear Tracks
Each quilt was a beauty - even the backs.

Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed.
The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.
Their work was all done, so they folded their frames,
And packed up their needles, without giving their names.
They boarded the bus, and checked the next address.
More quilts to be made, another quilter in distress.

She heard one voice echo, as they drove out of sight,
Happy quilting to all, and to all a good night!

Author Unknown

FIBER ARTS FIESTA - THE GIVING TREE

2010-12-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

THE GIVING TREE....is the special event fundraiser planned by the Fiber Arts Fiesta. The money raised will be donated to the JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION. A life-size tree will be on display at the fiesta with Thimbleweeds providing 1000 pieced and quilted leaves on the tree. Attendees can donate $5 and receive a hand crafted item made by the co-sponsoring guilds of the Fiesta. Every $5 donation will be entered into the "secret" grand prize.

HOW CAN YOU HELP????

I am asking New Mexico Quilters to create and donate small hand-made gifts that will go along with each leaf that is "purchased" at Fiber Arts Fiesta 2011. Please bring to NMQA quilt meetings. Look for the purple donation bag.

Classes for the Fiesta are listed on the website: http://www.fiberartsfiesta.org/. It's not too early to sign up for classes. Don't forget the March 1st deadline for quilt entries for Fiesta. Quilt entry details are on the website.

Thanks for your help!
Doris
NMQA Fiber Arts Fiesta Representative

Work Samples from Cindy Needham, September 2010 speaker

2010-08-15T15:24:00.000-06:00

Cindy Needham's book Wholecloth Linen Quilts will be for sale at the September meeting. Even if you do not take her workshop, you can get ideas from her website (www.cindyneedham.com) for how to use vintage linens. Cindy's major teaching engagements include The Empty Spools Seminar at Asilomar (Artist in residence), The Road to California Machine Quilting Expo (featured artist) and the Houston International Quilt Festival.

Cindy is the national educator for Superior Threads, and will be teaching her Open Thread Bar for the Northern New Mexico Guild in Santa Fe in conjunction with her time in Albuquerque. She has posted a tip sheet for solving machine thread problems on her website.

David Taylor Workshop June 27, 2010

2010-07-11T19:47:00.000-06:00

Photos by Rita Pittman.

David Taylor is hosting Quilt Retreat At Sea to Alaska July 2011.

...more workshop photos...

2010-07-11T19:21:00.003-06:00

NMQA Spring Fling Quilt Show - Ways and Means Helpers Needed

2010-05-14T20:10:00.000-06:00

Helpers are needed for the Ways and Means tables during the NMQA Spring Fling Quilt Show on May 21st and 22nd. Setup will be the day before - Friday the 20th. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Donations are also needed. Clean out your closets, sewing rooms, garages (but not your refrigerator). We will sell just about anything within reason.

Remember - all proceeds support our wonderful organization.

If you are interested in helping, please call me at 505-281-1750 or email me at callairs@mac.com for more details and a schedule.

Thank You!
Cheryl Johnson
2010 Ways and Means Chairman

News Bulletin: This just in……beep beep beep

2010-04-13T22:02:00.001-06:00

Ryan from Ryan’s Vacuum and Sewing on Eubank and Montgomery (west side) has announced that he will be donating ANOTHER BROTHER INNOV-IS 40 SEWING MACHINE FOR OUR MAY GENERAL MEETING!

If you missed the first one he gave away - here is another chance! Bring your piggy banks - this will be the ONLY item that will be raffled that month. The tickets will be $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. Raffle tickets for this wonderful machine will be offered at the April meeting as well as the May meeting, accomodating the working people that cannot make the daytime meetings and for those of you that just cannot make the May meeting.

The INNOV-IS 40 value is close to $500 - so you don’t want to miss this opportunity to win this generous offering by Ryan! THANK YOU AGAIN – RYAN!!!!!

Cheryl Johnson
2010 NMQA Ways and Means Chairman
505-281-1750

2010 Program Update

2010-03-27T13:29:00.008-06:00

Due to family circumstances beyond her control, Martha Nordstrand has cancelled her April lecture and workshop for NMQA. We wish her and her family the best. We have moved the November meeting program featuring fiber artist Betty Busby to April 26. Her work is incredible. There will be no workshop in April. The April meeting will be held at 7 p.m., April 26 in the auditorium, instead of the usual meeting space, at the UNM Continuing Education Building. Food and drinks will not be permitted in the auditorium.

We have replaced the November 15 program featuring Betty Busby with a lecture and workshop by JoAnn Belling. The workshop title is "Snippets in Design," which entails creating a `scene' or picture using fusible machine appliqué techniques to design a 16x20 or smaller art piece. You can check out JoAnn's website at http://www.joannbelling.com/. Under her gallery, view Jewels of the Sea and Mr. Starfish for examples of this technique. You will be able to register for this workshop at our next meeting in April.

Those of you who signed up for David Taylor's workshops in June are reminded of the $25 kit fee which you can give to Johnnee Cunningham at one of the next two meetings, or mail to Jo Anne Fredrikson, 4 Acoma Trail, Placitas, New Mexico 87043. Be sure to indicate `D. Taylor kit fee' on your check.

Thank you for your cooperation with these changes. We are still planning the Member Demo Day in July aiming for a total of six guest presenters from both our guild and representatives of local quilt shops. This program will operate in three 30-minute roundtable presentations, with a signal given when it is time to shift to your next choice of presenter. You will be given the presenters and topics in advance so you may choose your three to visit.

We welcome your input about presenters you would like to have for our upcoming programs. The talent out there is amazing.

Incidentally, we are on the lookout for places to hold 1-2 day workshops or longer retreats that have facilities where we might engage in dyeing fabrics and making messes. The requirements are:

cheap
good lighting
adequate electrical outlets
sinks or water
parking for 15-20 cars
a space for eating lunch

Give us your suggestions please.

Jo Anne Fredrikson and Johnnee Cunningham, Program Co-Chairs

SIG - Machine Embroidery

2010-03-23T12:47:00.000-06:00

I have a little information for those of you who have shown an interest in machine embroidery. And for those of you that have not signed up - it is not too late. You don't have to have any experience, and if you don't have an embroidery machine, Gerry from Abbey Lane has offered the use of some of her floor models to be used during meetings.

If you own an embroidery machine, would you please email me the make/model, type of file it uses (.pes,art etc.) and your method of transferring your files to your machine, whether it be some type of card/usb device/memory stick, etc.

Abbey Lane Vacuum and Sewing is located at:
9800 Montgomery Boulevard Northeast
Albuquerque, NM 87111-3576
(505) 323-4465 (behind Pelicans restaurant) (on East side of Montgomery)

Meeting time will be the second Monday of each month at 1:00PM - 3:00PM. April's meeting - April 12th. (1:00 - 3:00PM)

Discussion for what you would like to learn/create will be discussed at the first meeting- so bring your ideas with you and your machines and usb sticks. Hope to see you All!

Cheryl Johnson

Spring Fling

2010-03-23T12:42:00.000-06:00

Ways and Means needs donations for our Spring Fling Tables on May 21 and 22. Any items which you could donate would be greatly appreciated. Handmade, machine made - you name it, we will take it. Items don't necessarily have to be sewing related. This quilt show will run a full two days, so clean out your closets and make room for more. Please bring donations to the April general meeting, or I can pick them up at your convenience.

Cheryl Johnson
2010 Ways and Means Chairman

March is National Quilting Month

2010-03-21T00:58:00.005-06:00

NMQA celebrated with a Sit-and-Sew project following the day meeting on Monday, March 22nd. If you did not attend the March meeting, you can still participate at home. What you need:

sewing machine and regular sewing supplies
two 2½” strips of dark or medium blue fabrics, cut selvage to selvage
one 2½” strip of white or off-white fabric, cut selvage to selvage

The blue fabrics can be prints, but the white/off-white cannot be prints (tone-on-tone is OK). Make 3 nine-patch blocks, placing the blue fabric in the four corners and center. The blocks should measure 6½".

All blocks must be turned in by the April meeting. Please put your name on paper pinned to the blocks. The blocks will be made into a special quilt that will be given away at a drawing during our December Holiday Party. Only those contributing blocks will be eligible to win the quilt.

Welcome to the new NMQA Blog!

2010-02-25T15:30:00.006-07:00

Calling all NMQA members with blogs...if you would like to be added to the Blogroll, please email me your blog URL.

NMQA Special Interest Groups - how about posting news and photos of your recent activities?

Suggestions and ideas are welcome. Feel free to post comments here on the blog, or email me.

If NMQA members would like to become Team Authors for the blog, please let me know.

In case you were wondering...the background is PINK in honor of our 2010 State Fair Challenge (rules posted below).

2010 State Fair Challenge

2010-02-25T13:56:00.006-07:00

Rules:

The quilt is to be no larger than 24" wide x 36" long (it can be smaller). If you already started a 36" wide x 24" long quilt, it will be accepted
Challenge theme: "Spirit of a Woman"
Pick all your own fabric: shop your stash or buy new
You must include PINK fabric, or one of the many pink fabrics that support Breast Cancer Research