February 2016 Meeting

For the first time in many months, all Bees were able to attend our February meeting at Helen's house. Dinner consisted of savory spaghetti sauce served over spiral-cut zucchini "pasta" brought by Peggy. Everyone agreed the zucchini was a delicious pasta alternative, and Rita brought a beautiful fresh salad to accompany it.

Next Meeting

*** Tuesday, March 29 at 5:30 PM ***

(Note that this is the last Tuesday of the month)

Queen Bee: Dawn

Food: Margie - salad;  Randi - main;  Helen - dessert

Business Meeting

Tricia was Queen Bee for this meeting. We began with Linda showing us a "fidget quilt" she made for her step-mother who has dementia. It is similar to the Alzheimer's lap quilts made by Dawn a few years ago. The quilt contains fabrics of many interesting textures to fidget with. The conversation evolved to discussing donation quilts, and it was brought up that it has been awhile since the Bees as a group participated in any of those projects. Margie then brought up the issue of dues, which we had been paying when were members of the Nevada Quilt Guild and that she is still holding for the Bees. We decided we would use that money to buy fabric for fidget quilts and then be reimbursed from our dues at the next meeting. Rather than have a workshop, each Bee will make her own quilt, to be completed by the May meeting. We will then decide where and how to donate the quilts.

Show & Tell

Here is Linda's fidget quilt.

Peggy showed an adorable fishy quilt that she made for a friend's newest grandchild. Look at that beautiful and creative quilting!

Tricia made yet another purse.

Randi brought a crocheted bedspread that she made many years ago. The picture doesn't come close to doing it justice. It's truly an heirloom quality masterpiece. (And look at Randi's halo!)

Dawn shared a patriotic quilt she made for her brother who is a Vietnam vet. The quilting doesn't show in the picture, but again, Dawn's skill at free-hand, free-motion quilting is impressive!

Tools Sharing

As Queen Bee, Tricia asked the Bees to bring some of their favorite quilting and sewing tools to share, and we came up with quite an interesting collection.

Linda showed us a pincushion that she marked up with sections for used lightly used sewing machine needles, making it easy to find the right size to use later.

Peggy showed a little tool for finger pressing, which she uses all the time. In fact, Peggy seldom irons seams anymore while piecing.

Helen showed a tool for cleaning the bobbin area of a sewing machine that looked like a little toilet brush. It's actually a pipe cleaner with a fluffy, brush-like end. She also showed us an Easy Half Square Triangle Template from Sewing with Nancy. (I know Helen is a Thangles fan; I wonder if she likes this template even better.)

Randi recommends the Add 1/4 and Add 1/8 rulers, and she is also a big fan of Mary Ellen's Best Press.

Margie likes the little clipper scissors that look like a hedge clipper, and Tricia is very fond of her magnifying glass that helps her to read the writing on gently used needles. (Tricia isn't as organized as Linda about storing them.)