Clay Center Piotique Quilters Guild: Did you know: Silks and Cottons are Proteins?

The embroidery group was presented a challenge for 2016.

Start preparing the 2016 Opportuninty Quilt.

Frances B. showed the ladies present, the pattern of the quilt that guild members will be making and

showed one of the borders that she had already drawn the pattern on for embroidery.

This will be a Christmas style quilt and wow! Lots of work, and lots of beauty.

Francis had four sides and was able to distribute them out to four volunteers. Some of the borders are quite large, so those ladies will be embroidering part way and then passing the work along to others so that everyone gets a chance to share in the prep.

Thank you Francis and Jan J. for all the brain and leg work that goes into getting an opportunity quilt around.

Then the ladies got down to learning a new embroidery stitch. It took longer than usual as Vevia got turned around upside down and had them swinging the floss to the wrong side.

Here is what the Rope Stitch can look like when using #8 pearl cotton and doing it right.

The cards passed out with the directions on them were pretty good in explaining the stitch.

See Vevia or Susie if you have any questions.

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Program

"Dyeing with Nature's Colors"

Carol B. introduced our Guest speaker for the night - Roxie McGee from Lawrence.

Guess who's sister she is?

Donna's!

Who would have known. (ha haha hahaha)

Not really - Francis B. has that privilege and Roxie showed us that she is just as funny as Francis can be. Roxie remembered coming to one of our meetings in the past, when we gave tips and she remembers that someone told about making a wrinkle remover (like a home made 'Best Press") out of Vodka.

Roxie showed us her eyes and explained that it was not taking out her wrinkles; however, after trying it several times - she now doesn't care that much. - Yep, that's how the night went. hahaha

There is no way that I can give you correctly on this site, all the information that Roxie shared with us. She did send out an e-mail that was forwarded to everyone, that gave us sites where we could read more about dyeing. Click here for one, and here for another. The e-mail is full of information, save it, print it out - well worth it.

For each yard of PFD (Prepared For Dyeing), we do know that Roxie might use tannin, or alum or even soda ash (found here).

And if you are interested in trying Silk as your canvas, try here.

Roxie is a GREAT/GRAND Aunt and was excited to have one of her GREAT/GRAND nephews help her out.

Roxie has a casserole dish here to demonstrate for us how she got the silk dyed piece shown just below.

Scrunching up gives you another look.

ALL fabric is white to start with, so you can see how different plants have really turned the fabric.

There were so many things that she mentioned that you can use during the dyeing process: from walnuts, avocado's, Osage orange, hedge balls, and even marbles, tin, saran wrap, etc. - just so many things.

Enjoy the fabrics and if you would like to know more - Roxie stated that she would be glad to talk to anyone about it.

So many ways, means and results.

Here she is showing how she rolled leaves up into the fabric on an alumium tube to get the resulting fabric look.

Not sure which ones, but even 'poor housekeeping' and mold can make a beauty.

Very difficult to pick your favorites - so many gorgeous pieces.

leaves go back side down

And just for us - Roxie did dye on some cotton to be able to show us our possibilities.

Tans she got from the root of wild blue indigo. Depends on acids, etc as to what you get. How long, what method, etc.

Just drool for a moment!

Gorgeous - love the next to the last one that shows different plants all by themselves. Roxie volunteers at a research garden and is working towards advocating native plants.

It's a process or journey that Roxie is enjoying thoroughly.

Thank you so much for a beautiful presentation, and for

the laughter.

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Carol started out the business portion of the evening with showing us a quilt

That Grandma Bach had made for Don's mother's graduation (1935-36)

and one that grandmother Sutter had made for daughter Sandra's graduation in 1998.

What history.

Show 'n Tell kept getting better and better.

Carol B. got out her blues that reminded her of water and tried a new technique to get this lovely quilt.

Here is a close up to show you the little bit of color that keeps popping up in the quilt - it's blue squares sewn to a tiny - tiny wow factor. Carol quilted in some swirl/waves to go with the theme.

Carol - you might have to give a brief visual lesson on how you got that little thing in the middle.

Gorgeous.

Carol remembers back when the BOM was a block pattern given and everyone that brought in a finished block, got their name put into a drawing and the winner got all the blocks. This is what she made from her winnings. Borders were from Iowana's stash - so this is a true memory quilt.

Long-armer - Ann, Clifton, did the quilting using a red thread. Looks great front and back.

Janet had gotten some fabric in Texas and put them together in this yellow brick road pattern.

This is one that you really had to go look at close up. See that Butterfly? The fabrics are so pretty and combined - a wonderful keeper. (Believe Susie did the long arming)

Janet had taken a BOM from All About Quilts in Manhattan several years ago and this is the stunning quilt that resulted. Whew! Lady, you accomplish so much.

Verna Lee finished her Star from the Debbie Maddy workshop of last year.

Verna Lee made sure that Marilyn saw the label and marks this off Verna Lee's UFO list. hahaha

Erlene had gone to a fabric sale in Manhattan at the senior center - found out the fabric (donated by the family) had belonged to someone that she had taken training along beside for L----------- over 40 years ago. Please ask Erlene what the training was (Editor here is not familiar with it).

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Carol and Ginny went over September's program and the workshop to be held the next day.

Go to this web site and down listed in the classes is Fibonacci and the supply list.

Ladies - you do not need to be a mathmatician to do this project.

David and Teresa will take you step by step.

You pick your colors

let them do the hard part

and go home with a Wow!

So..........

Call and sign up - (with Carol or Ginny)

Get your supplies

Pack your lunch

and enjoy the time with other guild members

for a fun day at a price that can NOT be beat

See you there!

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Birthday Flower of the Month - BOM

September's Aster pattern was passed out. You can print out a copy of it or any month you may have missed by scrolling up to the top of this site on the left and finding them under the section "Forms and Info to Print Out".

Again - the ladies that brought in their work - great job and always something interesting to take a closer look at.