UFO FINAL RESULTS!!

The Challenge is over for the year with over 500 quilt projects being finished!! That was our major goal for the year. That’s an average of over 10 projects per member! And I think it would be equitable for those who completed over 100 quilts to distribute them among those of us who did not complete such a staggering number of quilts.

Pulling ahead on the final day, Saturday, the winning team (with no small thanks to some very productive quilters – names beginning with G & J!!) is………

 

At this time, TEAM B would like to take the opportunity in advance to thank TEAM A profusely for their participation in the 2016 UFO challenge and would personally like to thank TEAM A for their careful attention to recipe collection and execution over the coming month in their efforts towards the planning of a simply amazing potluck that will tantalize the taste buds of their fellow guild members, otherwise known as TEAM B.

There are still 4 more challenges for the Wind UP on June 11:

1. An Improv Quilt

• Must be an original design –not from an existing pattern
• Use only fabric from your stash
• The quilt should depict one of these elements: fire, water, air or earth.

2. The Carole Lawrence Challenge:  A Needle Case

Create a unique needle case in any style you like: appliqued, pieced, embroidered… the sky’s the limit.

3. Jelly Roll Challenge

This quilt must be made entirely from a jelly roll or  other 2½” strips. It can be any design you  choose.

4. Challenging Block Quilt

Make a quilt using either the New York Beauty, Double Wedding Ring or Circle Block.

Thanks Dawn for Leading the Fidget Quilt Workshop 

Many thanks to Dawn B for leading the workshop on Saturday. A number of quilters remained and made some very creative Fidget Quilts that will be much appreciated by those who receive them. Dawn did a great job of helping everyone with thinking through the design with a specific person in mind as well as their caregivers. Lots of materials were provided to make the quilts interesting and appropriate for use.

Hostel Update from Shirley                                      

In addition, Shirley H has spoken with the Hostel about donating both placemats and wall hangings for the Hostel to brighten it up and make it a warmer environment for those using it as a home away from home. They are thrilled and delighted that we would want to do this – so let’s help make the Hostel a friendlier place to stay by making some placemats and wall hangings for the walls – both for the common rooms and the bedrooms.

UFO Challenge for 2016-2017   

There was more discussion on UFO’s at Saturday’s guild meeting. We thought it would be fun to do it again next year. So we will start the new UFO Challenge right away and will run the challenge from May Guild Meeting 2016 to May Guild Meeting 2017. So keep track of those projects! More details to follow.

Chinook Country Quilters Annual Show

Monday, June 6th, 2016

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 31 Riverside Way, Okotoks

 

Guild Day Saturday, May 14, 2016

Tomorrow is Guild Day – Yeah!!

9:30 at Millarville Community Church.

We’ll start with some quick “Things You Ought to Know” about up-coming guild events and then a fun show n’ tell time.

Dawn will then lead us in some quilting for Alzheimer’s & Dementia Patients. Please bring lots of things to sew on the fidget Quilts as outlined in the last post – similar to a Quiet Book, if you’ve ever made one of those – lots of texture and things interesting to  the touch. And we’ll need some sewing machines as well as some hand sewers.

Set up and Clean up this month are Gwynneth R., Cheryl M., Kathy K. and Chris B. Set up crew please arrive around 8:45. Full details are on the blog site.

Don’t forget our upcoming challenges for June:

1. Improv Quilt
2. Carol Lawrence Challenge: a Needle Case
3. Jelly Roll Challenge
4. Challenging Block Quilt

The UFO TEAM Challenge ends Saturday – so bring all your finished projects for the wind up of the challenge tomorrow. Just a reminder that June Challenge Quilts should NOT go into the UFO TEAM Challenge.

See you all tomorrow!!

Beth

 

Fidget Quilt Day at Guild, May 14

What is a fidget quilt?

A fidget quilt or activity mat or fidget apron or fidget pillow is made with a variety of textures and fabrics and generally has attachments of buttons, zippers, Velcro, lace etc to help calm and entertain a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

For those who would like to participate, we plan on making these at Guild Saturday, May 14th.

Please contact me if you have any ideas, suggestions or questions.

Dawn Bolger      debolger@shaw.ca    403-271-9554

There are many examples and pictures of these items on the internet.

Here are two links to see images and instructions for activity mats: https://www.pinterest.com/scraptain/alzheimers-lap-mats-fidget-mats-aprons/

http://www.nancysnotions.com/text/pdf/alzheimers-activity-mat.pdf

 

Important Guidelines:

1. Everything on the quilt/apron should be washable. Please prewash all fabric and, if possible, attachments that will be used.
2. Flannel or fleece work well as a non slip backing.
3. Use a variety of textures but do not use really rough fabric (sandpaper was suggested on one website!) because as we age our skin is generally more fragile. Constant rubbing might create problems from really rough fabrics.
4. Choose a variety of elements so that someone with a short attention span will be able to stay interested in the quilt.
5. All items must be fastened very securely to the mat. Use strong buttonhole thread or crochet cotton to sew on items like buttons.
6. Do not attach items that might be too hard for the person to use. Check that the snaps and zippers and buttons work easily.
7. Attach a strap so that the quilt can be attached to a wheelchair or walker or bedrail. Constantly dropping the mat would be a problem.
8. Make it interesting but not chaotic. Do not include too wide a variety of colours and patterns.

 

Supplies Needed:

As can be seen from the pictures a wide variety of fabrics and attachments make the quilt more interesting. Different items to attach like zippers, buttons, pockets, spools on cording, ribbons, snaps and Velcro all make the quilt more interesting.

Please pre wash any fabric or items that will be attached to the quilts.

Please bring your normal sewing supplies including scissors and cutting mats and any of the following, if you have some, to share with the group.

• Fleece or flannel for backing. My supply of this is limited.
• Heavy duty button hole thread (large needle makes this easier to use)
• Different kinds of interesting, textured fabric. I do not have any corduroy or denim so if you have some that would be great. “silks” and satins
• Ideas and enthusiasm
• Any interesting ideas for attachments. Metal attachment rings (key chain)
• Sturdy ribbon and lace, empty thread spools, large colourful buttons,
• Old blue jean back pockets,
• Interesting orphan blocks

Supplies I have, and will bring, include:

• Zippers, Velcro,
• Minky and fleece remnants
• Squares of suede like fabric mainly beige, navy blue and brown
• Batting pieces
• Cording
• Small stuffed animals (a box of beanie babies!)
• Other possible interesting attachments
• Other fabrics for squares ..fake fur, fleece, interesting cottons etc.
• Copies of instruction sheets for fidget quilts, fidget aprons and pillows.

It should be a great day.  Thank you in advance for helping to support older members of our community!

Dawn