BeeArtful
May 2024
A letter from our leader Janice
Best Ever BeeArtful Retreat
What is the first thing you notice about the image above? I noticed the sewing supplies, machine foot, bobbin etc. Next I noticed the word LOVE. And last I noticed the pointy points on the needles. It sums up our wonderful Spring 2024 Retreat.
We used sewing supplies to finish the Opportunity Quilt top, backing and binding strips. It is a beautifully completed group project. Several gals finished quilts for Jan Threlkeld’s family. There was slow stitching and fast stitching. We had fun door prizes and yummy lunches and snacks. Jelena McClure was available on Thursday for massages.Thank you again to our brilliant retreat and opportunity quilt organizers.
We did have a few pin pricks and sharp points. No more birds! Next retreat we plan to figure a way to volunteer seamlessly.
All in all It was the best ever to be with our quilting group, learn new skills and just have fun. I am looking forward to our Fall Retreat. Until then,
Janice
2024 Meeting Schedule
May 14th Preview of rope bowls. Bring a quilt pattern you no longer want to exchange. Work on your stitches
June 11 Workshop on rope bowls led by Carol Gardiner
July 9 Open Sewing
August 13 International Quilting Workshop led by Melinda Oliver
September 10 follow up to workshop
October 8 Planning for November retreat
November 11-15 Fall Retreat at Fire Station
December 10 Christmas Party and KISS it goodbye swap instead of presents.
May 2024 Bee Artful Meeting
Carol Gardiner will do a 3D Rope Art demonstration and a sign up sheet will be available for the June project. Jan Pitman will have an order form for silk screen Bee Artful Tee Shirts. Please bring quilt patterns, kits or books to share/ trade. Melinda and Silke will continue the hand embroidery tutorials - bring your own supplies.
April 2024 Spring Retreat Highlights
The Opportunity Quilt for 2025
All the quilters who made this quilt happen!
Construction of Blocks
Carol Gardiner
Linda Barron
Gini Cawood
Bev Mannes
Vicki Volpi
Kathy Igmundson
Alene Kempton
Nancy Sievert
Melinda Oliver
Mitzi Lantz
Jan Pitman
Trimming of Blocks (145!)
Gini Cawood
Mitzi Lantz
Assembly of Quilt Top
Gini Cawood
Bev Mannes
Janice Chiaffredo
Creation of Birds
Silke Cliatt
Geri Beam
Laura Leiden
Janice Chiaffredo
Applique of Birds
Melinda Oliver
Donation of Batting
Linda Barron
Donation of Backing
and washing
Linda Barron
Assembly of Backing
Janice Chiaffredo
Vicki Volpi
Nancy Sievert
Binding and Hanging Sleeve
Geri Beam
Gini Cawood
Donated by Jan Pitman
Label
Bev Mannes
Quilting
LuAnn Luedtke
The 2025 Opportunity quilt
Linda Barron's pillowcases
Jane T blocks finished by Janice C.
Jane T quilt finished by Nancy Sievert
Melinda's Running with Scissors bag
Melinda's Running with Scissors bag
Geri's tumbling triangles
Carol's bag donated by Linda B.
Two Salty Sews' Everything but the machine bag
Bev's needle turned Euphoria block
Kathy's "I keep too many scraps" quilt
Gini's "Cabot Cuties" blocks
Carol's half-square triangle top
Memories quilt for Jane Threlkeld's family
Center of Jane Threlkeld's memories quilt
Linda Barron's 16-patch challenge blocks
Is someone standing in front of the quilt?
Busy Bees 2
Tips and Techniques shared during retreat
During retreat we shared favorite tips and tricks.
Geri - Cleaning an iron using dryer sheets. Position the dryer sheet on the edge of the ironing board so you can scape off the gunk. THE IRON MUST BE HOT.
Kathy - Using a golf tee to connect bobbin to matching color thread spool
Janice - Micro Stitch as a basting tool.
Gini - Using a plastic overhead light panel with the Microstitcher.
Using a tape bracelet to put pins on will stitching a seam (see photo below)
Carol-use a tape guide for the perfect 1/4 " every time (see photo below)
Handout on flat borders below
Suggestions for preparing your quilt for submission to a long-armer (see photo below)
Great chart for different bed sizes with different drops (see photo below)
Gini-Using a cheap eyebrow trimmer from the dollar store to rip seams (see photo below)
The Magic Box (for retreats, etc) see photo below
Suggestions for preparing your quilt for a long-armer
Quilt sizes for different beds
Quilt sizes for different beds continued
Cheap eyebrow trimmer from dollar store for ripping seams
Magic Box Contents for retreats, etc
Wrist sticky tape hack
Our Quilting Names for retreat-guess who is who!
Recipes from retreat
Kathy Ingmundson's Beef Stroganoff Soup: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/wprm_print/153065
Carol's butterscotch dessert: https://butterwithasideofbread.com/butterscotch-lush/
Reference Items
Bee Artful quilting thread recommendations
Silke uses Superior thread 100 weight (micro quilter)-blends in well.
Kathy I. uses 100 weight silk thread by Yli (order from Amazon or another vendor online).
Improving your hand jobs - tips and techniques
Since we’re all at various levels when it comes to hand stitching, learn, refresh or improve your hand embroidery skills with tips and techniques from Bee members. Some of the experienced stitchers in Bee Artful are ready to share! Each month you can come with a sampler of some kind (cloth, hoop, needles, floss, and/or Perle cotton (see photo for a sampler idea) and learn some new stitches.
Critique Documents for reference
https://www.janedunnewold.com/resources/critiques
One is a checklist that can be used as a guideline when looking at a quilt - this is published on her website as part of her creative strength training class.
The second is a detailed essay she wrote concerning the process.
I hope that these documents will help the Bee Artful group conduct critique sessions that are productive.
Letter from the editor
Wow, what a retreat! We missed those of you who could not attend. We were a busy bunch as you can see above from the pictures. We have gotten the lunch thing nailed but we do need to work on set-up and take-down. For the November retreat we will have a sign-up for everyone to either help in setting up on Sunday, Nov 10 or helping to clean up on Nov 15. We had help with tables, chairs, and floors on Friday afternoon this time (thanks Jarrett!) and hope to again but the kitchen and bathroom must be cleaned, etc and all food taken away so volunteers will be needed for Nov 14. Thanks to Linda Barron for taking the trash away almost every day.
Thanks to Jelena for her awesome massages on Thursday. See pic for contact info.
I am happy to convey all of these wonderful "goings on" via this newsletter. Try to get things to me in advance of the end of the month via email (mandmoliver@gmail.com) or text. If you put the word "newsletter" somewhere in the message line I will be able to find it easier (if using email). See you soon.
Melinda