Quilted Things that are Not Quilts

Our next Choo Choo Quilters meeting is March 18 at Valleybrook Presbyterian Church at 6:30 p.m. The program is being presented by Team Pam, and they are going to showcase Quilted Things That Are Not Quilts. This would include bags, casserole covers, place mats, table runners. All members are encouraged to bring their own creations for show and tell.

And don't forget: the Brown Bag Challenge will kick off in March! See this blog post for how to join in the fun.

Brown Bag Quilt Challenge 2013

As part of our Blast From the Past celebration of our 21st year as a guild, we are recreating a Brown Bag Quilt Challenge. Here's the concept:

• Each participant will bring the "nucleus" of a quilt in a brown paper grocery bag. This "nucleus" can be virtually anything: a few fabrics you want in your quilt, a center block, an applique piece that can be added to or embellished, a book with some idea you want to include. Use your imagination both for what you would like AND what others can add to your project. 
• You will also be given a Brown Bag Journal to include in the bag, with a page for you to write down your quilt's "personality," specifications and general direction.
• All the bags will be collected at our March 18 meeting, and then given out to other participants to take home for the next month. Participants will work on the quilt in the bag they brought home for a month. You will read the Journal, ponder your options, then add what you want to the project—as well as jot a few notes in the Journal. You might want to:

1. Create and add a coordinating block (or blocks)
2. Add to or modify the extisting patchwork
3. Embellish with embroidery, hand stitching, beading, whatever suits your fancy
4. Add appliqué
5. Add a border or sashing
6. And, you can always add fabric to the bag that have used in the quilt for future Brown Baggers!

• The Brown Bags will be collected and redistributed each month with the final results to be returned to their owners at the November 18 guild meeting.

General Rules:

1. Please use good quilt shop quality 100% cotton fabrics.
2. The maximum size for each quilt is 60" x 60". Each participant can specify a smaller size for their quilt if they wish.
3. Please be sure to return the brown bags to the next guild meeting. We want to allow each brown bag quilt to have at least 6 contributors. We have also allowed a couple of "grace months" to the schedule because life happens,  but please do your best to get the bag back to the next meeting.
4. The contents of the bags will be a mystery to the owners until the Big Reveal in November. Don't spill the beans!

We'll look forward to everyone's Brown Bag Quilt nucleus in March!