5 hours: 27 quilts

Our annual Choo Choo Quilters Cuddle Quilt workshop was a big success! With a little preparation, ample fuel (fruit, bakery, juice and coffee), and two cans of basting spray, a small group of quilters made outstanding headway on the guild's Cuddle Quilt community service project. Here is the recipe for success:

Quilt tops ready for basting (left), backing fabrics (center),
and pre-cut quilt squares (right).

Pre-assembled quilt kits.

Sally's Choice blocks with quilt layouts.

Ample fuel for busy, productive quilters.

Mix all these ingredients with a good workspace and some dedicated quilters and the result is 27 quilts that are nearly all basted and ready for quilting.

Butterfly blocks (left), string piecing (center), I-Spy quilt (right).

Thank you to Sherry, our excellent workshop coordinator, who thought of everything, including: signage, irons and ironing boards, rulers, cutters and mats, masking tape, relaxing the batting ahead of time and music to quilt by.

We had a spray basting marathon and got 7-8 cuddle quilts from each king batt.

Sally's Choice blocks and insert strips (left), insert strips and curvy 4-patch blocks (right).

Cuddle Quilt workshop this Saturday

UPDATE: The location for the Cuddle Quilt Workshop has changed to Cross of Christ Lutheran Church , 3204 Hixson Pike, Chattanooga, TN 37415.

Our annual Cuddle Quilt Workshop will be held this Saturday, August 27, at Senior Neighbors, Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. We'll start at 9:30 am. Parking is available next to the building with overflow parking around  back.

Sherry, our Cuddle Quilt Coordinator, has collected many blocks and batting will be provided. We are in need of backing fabrics—large pieces approximately 2 to 3 yards of 44" wide cotton fabrics. Bring your sewing machine, an extension cord and basic sewing supplies (scissors, roatry cutter, pins, thread, etc.). A few irons, ironing boards or ironing surfaces are also needed.

Bring a lunch or we will order something as a group. Last year we finished around 2 pm. and were very productive, so we expect this year will be also.

Threadwork program

Threadwork program at August meeting.

In addition to "collecting" fabric, quilters also love collecting thread... at quilt shows, sewing centers, quilt shops, on line, or wherever they come across it. Self-proclaimed master thread collector, Veronica Hofman-Ortega, will be presenting the program on "Threadwork" at the Choo Choo Quilters August 15 guild meeting. The program also includes using photos as inspiration and working in a series.

The reading assignment from the "Fearless Design for Every Quilter" textbook is Chapter 7, "Using Images from Your Surroundings," and "Working in a Series" on pages 80-89.

Members are also reminded to bring items for Show and Tell and any completed quilt blocks for the Cuddle Quilt workshop scheduled for Saturday, August 27.