2019 Guild Challenge: highest response ever!

The Choo Choo Quilters annual Guild Challenge is always a popular event for our guild. Participation has increased over the past several years and this year hit an all-time high—15 entries!

2019 Choo Choo Challenge Reveal at the November guild meeting.

What makes a popular Challenge?
The guidelines this year were similar to past Challenges, so what made the 2019 Batik Guild Challenge so enticing and popular? Was it:

• the use of batik fabrics?
• the color palette?
• that fabrics were provided at the Challenge's commencement?
• no size limitation?
• a broad ranging project category?

... or maybe the planets aligned, the fabric goddesses were smiling, and our quilting muses were working overtime. Who knows! Take a look at the 15 creative entries from our guild's talented members and tell us what you think made this year's Challenge so popular.

2019 Challenge entries

Deb decided HST [half square triangles] would be perfect for the multi-sized collection of batiks she received. She paired the blue/green color palette with a white background for her table runner. The geometric zigzag design is striking.

Table runner by Deb.

Kim was inspired by an American Quilter magazine article about making and using fabric strips. She made a pillow with an Amish-inspired color scheme.

Strip technique pillow by Kim.

Joanna used a slice-and-weave technique for her quilt. The woven pieces were fused in a random layout on the background fabric.

Woven and fused quilt by Joanna.

She took the Challenge as an opportunity to practice free-motion quilting.

Detail of weaving and quilting.

Betty combined the Challenge fabrics she received with a bundle of Alaskan-themed batiks from her stash. This runner was hand quilted and a lovely remembrance of a trip to Alaska.

Left: Betty's runner. Right: detail of hand quilting.

Martha found a pattern for making a graduated bargello-style pieced quilt. She added fish appliques to complete her composition (and because she likes fish).

An underwater scene by Martha.

The curved piping strips provide a beautiful contrast and movement to the wedge shaped patchwork on Sherry's bag entry. Sherry included additional fabrics, a zipper closure and a label that also served as the inside pocket for this shoulder bag.

Zippered shoulder bag by Sherry.

Cheryel found a Cathedral Window pattern in a Block quilting magazine as her inspiration for this piece. As the often-used "white fabric" for traditional Cathedral Windows did not appeal to Cheryel, the colorful batiks were a welcome option. 

Batik Cathedral Window by Cheryel.

Check out the decorative machine stitching with colorful variegated thread that she added to the strippy window inserts.

Detail: Cheryel's decorative stitches.

"Batik Divided" is Delores's response to the guild Challenge. She took the classic Bull's Eye block and cut and rearranged the pieces to make this barn raising layout. This piece is raw edge appliqued and also has a dimensional flange inner border.

"Batik Divided" by Delores.

Garie took another path and made an apron with her Challenge batiks. The five star motifs were foundation paper pieced.

Paper-pieced apron by Garie. 3rd Place.

The apron includes a functional front pocket.

Apron pocket detail.

Linda found a black/white drawing of macaws on the internet for the basis for her wall piece. She used fusible applique to create the birds and overcame a few obstacles (a melted piece of netting, for one) during the process. The finished piece was stitch-mounted to a heavy-weight mat board for a professional presentation.

Fused applique quilt by Linda. 1st Place.

Some quilts seem to "light up" when you see them. This one did—literally. Veronica stitched soft circuits into her woven and quilted piece, called "A Light Touch." She added LEDs and electronic "soft switches" to the appliqued circle motifs.

"A Light Touch" by Veronica.

A "Do you push buttons?" sign prompted interaction between the viewer and this quilt. As the buttons were pushed, the stitched electrical circuit was completed and the LEDs lit up. See Veronica's blog post if you're curious about the creation process of this piece.

LEDs were activated with the push of a button.

Cristy ventured into free-motion thread play for her floral-inspired wall hanging. She started with black thread over the colored appliques and then incorporated colored and variegated threads.

A study in thread sketching by Cristy. 2nd place.

A curved piecing technique was used for the sashing pieces that frame each of the thread sketched drawings.

Thread sketching detail.

Another HST table runner was made by Vista. Colored strips in warm colors accent the cool blue and turquoise color palette.

Table runner by Vista.

Theresa added a creamy white fabric to complement the blue and green batiks (a favorite color scheme of hers) for her quilt. Theresa used nearly all of the provided fabrics and the quarter log cabin block makes quite a graphic statement. 

Log Cabin variation by Theresa.

The last quilt entry is this strippy quilt made by Ginny. Additional fabrics were incorporated into this lap-sized quilt. She strip pieced the blocks as well as the appliqued circles.

Fun with circles and stripes by Ginny

Decorative stitching with variegated threads add a colorful detail to the circle motifs.

Decorative stitching detail.

Congratulations to all the 2019 Challenge winners and participants! Thanks to Team 4 for organizing this year's event. It was a huge success!

The 2019 Challenge deadline is fast approaching

There is less than a week before the 2019 Choo Choo Quilters Guild Challenge reveal. Will yours be finished in time?

Guild members received a total of one yard of batik fabrics to use
for this year's Choo Choo Quilters Guild Challenge.

At the November 18 guild meeting, the One Yard Batik Challenge pieces will be revealed. The Guild Challenge reveal meeting is always a highlight of our guild year. Creativity, craftsmanship and artistry abound and individual interpretations of the Challenge guidelines are interesting and varied.

As a reminder, Challenge entries are due at the beginning of the meeting. And for any guild member that hasn't started on an entry yet, there is still time... however, not much.

But hey, it's only a yard of fabric, right?

Two Step: a strippy, stash-busting quilt block

The Choo Choo Quilters Cuddle Quilt block pattern for this month's guild meeting is the Two Step block... and it's a fast, easy stash buster. So, get your strips out!

September Cuddle Quilt block: Two Step in shades of blues and browns.

Fabric requirements and Color Palette
Medium grey 5" square (for upper left corner)
2.5" strips in turquoise, blue, navy, lime, orange, clay, brown, tan.

If using scraps, cut 2.5" x 5" strips and 2.5" x 9" strips.

September Two Step Block in shades of blues, browns.

Sew the 5" strips and the 9" strips into pairs. Chain piecing the strip pairs is easy and efficient! 

Sew a 5" strip set to a grey square. (You can also chain piece these units.)

Chain pieced strips and grey square ready for pressing.

NOTE: Keep in mind the placement of the grey square!

After a 5" strip set is sewn to a grey square, sew a 9" strip set to the right-hand side of this unit. Make sure the grey square is in the upper left. (See photo above.) The [unfinished] block should measure 9" square.

Squaring up the Two Step block.

These blocks take no time at all! Even if you start now, you can whip up a few before the October 21 guild meeting. Here is a video of the assembly process.

There are lots of layout possibilities with this quilt block.

Bring the completed blocks to the October guild meeting. You could win a prize!

Orphan Block Adoption at September guild meeting

Yes, you know these blocks—the ones stuffed in the back of a drawer in the sewing room, or tucked in a box of fabric with the plan to make more, the sample block made as a test block, or blocks made in that class from 5... 10... 15 years ago?? Orphan quilt blocks. We all have them!

Bring your orphan quilt blocks and bits to the September guild meeting.

Come to the September 16 Choo Choo Quilters guild meeting and the program, "Orphan Block Adoption: A Call to Action," will provide ideas for embracing those orphans and making them a part of something bigger and more meaningful.

Pre-work
Your mission before the meeting:

• Go through your stash. Find those orphan blocks and bring them to the meeting.
• While you search for blocks, pick out any supplies, books, notions and other sewing/quilting items you no longer want. Bring those to the meeting for a Quilters Flea Market. (Proceeds will go to purchasing backing fabrics for our Chambliss community service quilts.)
• If you've made something from orphan blocks, bring it for Show and Tell.
• Don't forget your black-and-white August quilt blocks for a chance to win a prize!

No longer will you feel the weight of those lost, forgotten, or lonely orphan blocks. You can make them into something fab-u-lous to amaze your friends and silence the quilt police.

August Cuddle Quilt block uses black-and-white strips

Got black and white fabrics? Make strips!

The pattern for the August Cuddle Quilt block uses black and white strips and a small white squares. See the handout from the meeting or follow the photos below. The (unfinished) block size is 12.5".

Raid your scraps and cut 2.5" black and white strips.

Cutting and sewing the blocks

1.  Cut 2.5" strips from your fabrics.
2.  Make strip sets using 3 different strips.
3.  Cut the strip sets into 6.5" x 6.5" units. Four units are needed for each block.

Strips and block units.

4.  Cut white fabrics into 2.5" squares. Fold each square on the diagonal and press/crease.

5.  Place one white square on the corner of of each unit, right sides together. Use the flippy corner method (like making flying geese units) and sew on the creased line (as shown).

Use the "flippy corner" method to attach the small white square.

6.  Trim 1/4" from the sewn line and flip back the white triangle.

7.  Assemble the 4 units together (as shown) to form a white diamond in the center of the block. The block should measure 12.5"x 12.5" unfinished.

Sewn block measures 12/5" (unfinished).

Bring the completed blocks to the September guild meeting. You might be the next prize winner!

Big Quilts workshop this Saturday

This Saturday, July 27 is our Choo Choo Quilters annual Cuddle Quilt Workshop. Our goal this year is to make "big quilts" for the Chambliss Center for Children and our Cuddle Quilt workshop is always very productive for this endeavor but it's also a fun day to sew and visit with fellow guild members, both past and present.

August block: Triangle Surprise Disappearing 9-patch with plaids.

What to bring
If you don't already have something to work on, kits for this year's Big Quilts project will be available at the workshop on Saturday. Two ironing boards with irons will be set up for shared use. Other items to bring are:

• sewing machine and an extension cord 
• the usual sewing supplies—pins, scissors, seam ripper, etc.
• 18" x 24" (or similar size) cutting mat—if you want to work on a Big Quilt kit
• rotary cutter and cutting ruler
• a snack to share (orange juice and coffee will be provided).

Time and Location
The workshop will be held:

Saturday, July 27

9 am - 3 pm

Cross of Christ Lutheran Church

3204 Hixson Pike 

(next door to Stuart Heights Baptist Church)

Hixson, TN

Please park in the lower parking lot in the back. Enter through the door to the nursery. Contact Sherry Reed if you have any questions.

Tea Cup Blocks in coral and blue

With six months into the year, the Choo Choo Quilters Cuddle Quilt project has made strong and steady progress. The June block pattern is another easy-to-piece block called the Tea Cup Block. This block uses only two 10" squares of contrasting fabrics and will yield two blocks when assembled.

Tea Cup Block. Unfinished size: 9" (8.5" finished)

Color, Value and Pattern

• The color scheme for these blocks is ivory/soft white, coral and blue. 
• Value: when choosing your fabric pairing, the fabrics should be a light and a dark or a light and a medium. 
• The CQ coordinators have specified patterned fabrics (not solids). 

The blocks can be made with all blue, all coral or a mix. Here is an examples of a possible fabric pull.

Fabric examples for Tea Cup cuddle quilt blocks.

Assembly

Instructions for cutting and piecing can be found in this video. Bring completed blocks to the July guild meeting or the annual Cuddle Quilt workshop on Saturday, July 27.

FIRIDIPI One Yard Challenge announced

Sherry instructs guild members on the 2019 Challenge.

What can a group of quilters do with a yard of fabric?

They can fold it, rip it, drop it and pass it.

When it comes back around, it will be in 7 pieces of varying size, color and pattern and will be used to make an entry for the 2019 Choo Choo Guild Challenge.

Under the direction of Sherry Baldwin and Team 4, the requirements for this year's Guild Challenge were divulged at the February guild meeting.

Guild members had a ripping good time preparing a "fabric collection" for their Challenge project.

Guild members rip and exchange batik fabric pieces with their groups.

Here are three fabric collections that resulted from the FIRIDIPI [fold it, rip it, drop it and pass it] exercise:

Seven batiks for the guild Challenge.

Groups of seven exchanged fabrics.

Seven batiks for the guild Challenge.

Each person in the the group received the same fabrics but in different sized pieces.

Seven batiks for the guild Challenge.

Challenge entries are due at the beginning of the November guild meeting.


March Cuddle Quilt Block

Examples of 4 scrappy Summer Camp blocks.

Instructions for the March Cuddle Quilt block were distributed. This block is called Summer Camp and our quilt will be scrappy. This video provides instructions for assembling the block.

Color scheme
For these quilt blocks, use red and white for the HST [half square triangles]; and shades of gray or black for the 2.5" strips.

These red/white HST units should be 4-1/2" [unfinished]. Take note of the orientation of the red triangle before sewing on the strips in a log cabin style. Make sure the gray/black strips are all darker than the HST units.

Bring completed blocks to the March guild meeting. We'll need a bunch of them to make a bed size quilt!

2019 Guild Challenge unveiling at February meeting

Examples of batik fabrics

At the February 18 guild meeting, the Choo Choo Quilters 2019 Challenge will be unveiled. If you want to participate in the Challenge, a little pre-meeting planning is in order.

Here's what to bring to the meeting:

• One yard of good quality BATIK fabric in a blue/green/purple color,
• A pair of fabric scissors.

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Important:

If you are unable to attend the meeting and want to participate in the Challenge, please send your fabric with a friend! A Challenge kit will be made for you.

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Also at the meeting, we'll get the next Cuddle Quilt block pattern and hear about the Cuddle Quilt delivery to Chambliss Center.

Be sure to bring your completed Town Square block(s) and your latest finish or WIP [work in progress] for Show and Tell. See you next Monday at 6:30 pm at Valleybrook Presbyterian in Hixson.

Choo Choo Quilters start 2019 with "big" Cuddle Quilt goal

First 2019 bed-size quilt top: Cristy Clark (left) and Veronica Hofman-Ortega
show a bed-size quilt top (72" x 90") that Veronica designed and pieced.

If the amazing, generous and talented Choo Choo Quilters can make over 50 baby and lap size quilts in about 12 months, it's a mere stretch of guild members' quilting know-how to accomplish a goal of several bed quilts for the Chambliss Center for Children group home and its Transitional Living Program. Right???

In 2010, with a plea for larger quilts in the late summer, our guild members pieced and finished 9 bed-size quilts for delivery in December of that same year. Read the blog post here. "It's been a few years since we made our charity quilts to benefit the older children...," said Cuddle Quilt Co-Chair, Ginny Minninger. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to provide them with quilts [again]?"

To respond to this need, our guild will be focusing on making larger bed quilts—approximately 72" x 90" and 80" x 90"—for our community service project this year. Cuddle Quilt Co-Chairs, Sherry Reed and Ginny Minninger, have sourced several easy block patterns and will be providing patterns and "quilty incentives" for participation in and contribution to this endeavor in upcoming meetings.

"Town Square" block. Pattern distributed with permission.
View a tutorial here.

The first block pattern, Town Square, was distributed at the January meeting. Packets of the focus fabric (black squares) and inner (light grey) strips were also given to meeting attendees.

To view an on-line YouTube tutorial for the Town Square block, see this video.

If you'd like to make and contribute a block (or 2, or 5...), here is the requested color placement: use a black fabric for the squares and a light (cream, white, or light grey) for the inner strip. All other fabric strips can be scrappy.

Turn in completed blocks at the February meeting for a chance to win a prize. Or turn in blocks, quilt tops or even finished bed-size quilts and your reward will be the appreciation of a youth at Chambliss.

So, Choo Choo Quilters... are we up for this challenge? Be thinking about our Cuddle Quilt Workshop in July (TBA) and the group basting session which is always so efficient and productive.

If you don't have space to baste a larger quilt top, get the top assembled and take advantage of the group spray basting session! Batting and backing fabrics will be provided by the guild.