Coming Up in July!

July 21 Meeting - We had so much fun at the July 7th meeting seeing many member's Poor Unfinished Projects and helping them choose one to finish bythe same time next year. A few people forgot to bring their projects. So, if you didn't get to participate at the July 7th meeting and you want to participate in the challenge, bring three unfinished projects to the July21st meeting and we'll chose one for you to finish by July 2010. This meeting will also be an ice cream social. That means bring some hand work and spend some time visiting with other members.

Just In from Jean - Delores and I (mostly Delores) have been working on our presentation for the July 21st meeting. Melissa from CPS will be coming to speak. Delores is also preparing a slide show of the quilts that have been donated. It should be interesting and informative.

July 19 Sew-in - Enjoy sewing in a cool space with lots of friends to chat with? Join us for part or all of the day at Desert Breeze Police Substation from 9:00am to 5:00pm. You can stop by at any time. Bring a project or projects to work on. You can bring a sack lunch or run out to a nearby place for lunch. This is a great time to get help from others on a technique or pattern that is giving you trouble. We will also have a planning meeting at 2:00 during the sew-in for the upcoming reunion meeting in October. (251 N Desert Breeze, Chandler, AZ - just north of ChandlerBlvd. between McClintock and Rural, park in the lot just north of thebuilding)

Small Quilt Auction - The small quilt auction is scheduled for October 6. Laura Harden will be our auctioneer. Now is the time to finish a small project to donate to the auction. If you have friends that like quilts,this is a great meeting to invite them to so they can bid on the quilts along with the rest of us. These quilts make great presents for the upcoming holiday season.

Community Service Quilts Update

Monday, June 29, was a very big "Quilts & Carry Bags Pick Up" day for
us. "Thank You" to Jean Nielsen for helping with preparing quilts and
bags for pick up.

Melissa Zeller, of Child Protection Services, took 26 of our quilts and
35 carry bags (Nimble Thimbles 6, and Suzie Evenstad's quilters 29).
Melissa was very excited to get the bags as her need for them has
increased and supplies have dwindled. She also took more smaller baby
quilts/blankets for use with her "little kidos," to supplement the 100
quilts recently given her by Project Linus. Melissa assures us that
EVERY item we give her is greatly appreciated and put to good use with
her kids.

Two strong men of the Chandler Fire Department gladly took two large
bags of quilts (30), most of which were made by our very own George.
When the guys saw the quilts their response was, again, "Oh, more of
those quilts!" They are already looking ahead to supplies for, can you
believe it, the coming winter.

Another stack of quilts/blankets (18) will be delivered to Project
Linus, SE Valley Chapter, at their next
Sewing Bee on Saturday, July 18 at the Gilbert Community Center. Our
quilts we've selected for Project Linus will be designated for children
in the Maricopa Medical center.
See their web page for info and a check list on items they request, and
how to prepare them:
http://www.orgsites.com/az/project-linus-se-phoenix/

Thank you all for the beautiful, and "beautifully useful," quilts and
carry bags you've made for children and young people in need of comfort
and specialness. We encourage you to continue to do a bit of sewing here
and there as your busy lives allow, and while you're at it, to add a bit
of experimentation with techniques, and even to teach someone else how
to sew.

Thank you all, Delores, Community Service Project Chair

July 7 - Meeting - The P.U.P. Challenge

P.U.P. stands for Poor Unfinished Projects

Bring 3 unfinished projects to our next meeting on July 7th.
At the meeting on the 7th we will have PUP show and tell, where you can
show us your PUP candidates, tell us their age and the issues that have
kept you from finishing them. Your friends and fellow quilters will then pick
one of these projects to be your challenge PUP - an unfinished project for
you to have completed by July 6, 2010.
Participation is voluntary of course, but why not?! This is the time to ----------

* rescue those kits from the closet (you know, the one you bought at
shop hop 2002 and haven't petted since 2003)

* attack the technique (oy vey, inset seams and mitered borders)

* find that fabric (the web mall has grown since you ran short)

* complete that gift promised months (years) ago

Even if you choose not to enter the challenge, your participation is
important. Remember, your vote ensures that your friends are challenged by
their worst P.U.P.

Thank Goodness for Little Projects

After having spent most of this year quilting and finishing up some big projects. It was nice to sit down and do a small table top quilt from charm squares and a fat quarter in one afternoon. At least, the piecing of it. The quilting will be left for another day. If you haven't given yourself the gift of a small quick project in a while, summer is the perfect time. After all, good things come in small packages!

Leave a comment and tell us what you have decided to do. There is so much to choose from: wall hangings, table runners, bags, and more!

Coming Events

Tonight's meeting is at the Gilbert Historical Museum near the front of the museum not in the normal meeting room. Bring some hand work to do.

At our June 16th meeting Laurie Fagen will be presenting a trunk show. Laurie has been a member of the Mavericks and does some beautiful art quilt pieces. She is a contemporary fiber artist. You can learn more about her at www.FagenDesigns.com.

The next free sew-in is on June 28th at the Desert Breeze Police Substation. Bring something to work on. Stop by any time between 9:00am and 5:00pm or stay all day if you like. You can bring a sack lunch or run out at grab a bite at a nearby restaurant.

Book Collection and Sale

Thanks to those of you who have supported Ellen and Kelsey O'Brien as they earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. The girls as a team have collected 639 books. These books will benefit Chandler Public Library, St. Peters Mission School on the Gila Indian Reservation, and Arizona Health Access programs for lower income children, and nursing homes in the East Valley.

The second half of their Bronze award work involves a book collection and sale at Santan Elementary in south Chandler. After collecting books from families in the school district for two weeks, a book sale will be held on May 1. The sale is a fund-raiser for three teachers who are participating in the 3-day Walk for a Cure for Breast Cancer research. The book sale is on Friday, May 1, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at the Santan Junior High Cafeteria. Both Santan Elementary and Junior High are located at 1550 Chandler Heights Road, between Cooper and McQueen. The books will be priced at 50 cents to $1.00 each.

All of the remaining books after the sale are consolidated with your generous donations and given to the Chandler Public Library for further distribution. Thank you again for your support. Kathy O'Brien

Pictures from Spring Camp

Patty sent me some pictures from camp to post. It looks like they had lots of fun and got a lot done too!

Marlene Wardell won the opportunity quilt & McGuire the dog was our official mascot!