Ankeny Area Quilters' Guild

The entry form for QuiltFest 2011    has been released.

  Please print as many copies as you need.

President Louise Whitlow called the meeting to order and requested cell phones be turned off.  There were 52 members present.  A representative from Reiman Gardens invited us to enter their Garden Quilt Show to be held August 5 – 7 this year.  An application form and information regarding the show can be found on their web site:  www.reimangardens.com .  Mary Conkel award nominations are being accepted through April.  The award will be presented at the May meeting.  Please consider nominating someone.

Vice President Tamara Watts-McPhail advised us there is a National Guard member from the Des Moines guild that has been deployed.  It would be a nice gesture to send a card or word of encouragement to a fellow quilter at:  Dawn Bernal, C Co 334 BSB, TF Archer, FOB Kalagush, AFG, APO, AE 09310. 

Co-Quilt Show Chairs Tamara Watts-McPhail and Janeen Pearson reminded us the last Free Friday Night Sew will be March 18^th.  Please let them know if you will be attending.  The sponsor will be Adel Quilting and Dry Goods.  Jackie from the Adel store shared the samples of the project she will be demonstrating.  There is a contest open to rename the “Country Store”.  Turn in your ideas next month.  The chosen entry will win a prize.  There are now two food vendors confirmed for the Quilt Show:  Cake Me I’m Yours and the Lutheran Church, Bowden, Iowa.  There are three baskets still available for adoption.  See Janeen or Tamara if you or your small group would like to adopt a basket. 

Retreat Chair Mary Lee Martz shared that there are 32 already signed up for the quilt retreat in April.  There are spaces for 8 more quilters.  After this week, the retreat will be opened up for non-members.  She is getting excited about all the door prizes she has ready for the participants!  You can pick up your pattern for the table runner from Mary Lee.   

Program Chair Sharon Lesan invites members to attend the Dinner with the Speaker in April at Chips at 5 pm.  Annemarie Yohnk will be presenting Antique Redwork Quilts.  Sharon encourages members to bring their redwork quilts as well as any quilts with a red theme next month.  The upcoming workshops have a few openings.  Embellishing workshop by Sue Kluber is Saturday, March 12^th and Pineapple Nine-Patch by Cathy Wierzbicki is Saturday Mar 19^th.  All workshops cost $25. 

Our speaker was Sue Kluber, an artist from a farm near Guernsey, Iowa. She worked at Grinnell Fiber Works until it closed and has since been working from her home.   Sue was an artist before she was a quilter and developed her techniques because she couldn’t find the fabrics she wanted.  She is self-taught and credits her skills to unique and fortunate exposure to drawing and art all during her childhood, including a Grant Wood-trained high school art teacher.

 She challenged and amazed us with her awesome array of art quilts!  She creates fabric from what most of us throw away–threads and snippets of fabric.  Many of her pieces feature painted features, mostly faces and animals.  She will be sharing her knowledge and experience this Saturday at the workshop she is teaching. 

Director-At-Large Jan Heddinger and Director-At-Large Elect Sharon McCarthy reviewed the rules for the May Challenge, Quilt IN the Lines.  To participate you draw a crayon, then make a quilt no larger than 18” x 24” using your crayon color, black, white and one other color of your choosing.  You may use less than the four colors, but no more.  The March fat quarters were awarded and March birthdays celebrated. 

Show and tell and refreshments finished out the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Evers

Hi all,

I have open up the retreat to non guild members. I have notifed the Des Moines Guild and two other small groups that I know.

 So if you know of some one that would like to come to our retreat, I have room for 10 more. Please invite them and give them my phone # 515-779-2538.

If no one signs up by March 31st then the retreat will be closed. But it would be better to do it soon, due to the menu count!

Thanks, MaryLee

There is still room in Cathy Wierzbicki’s Pineapple Nine-Patch workshop this Saturday, March 19.  It will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Room 200 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.   Workshop registration $25.  Cathy will be teaching a large quilt (you’ll need to buy her book for that) as well as some small projects for which you will receive the patterns FREE.     Contact Sharon Lesan for more information at sharonlesan@yahoo.com or 965-5608.  Cathy will also be at the Friday night UFO Sew-In the night before (Mar. 18) at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall and will have samples and the supply list there.

We had an awesome meeting last night.   As

always we had a great program and got to see

many beautiful works of art.

We took nominations for the Mary Conkel award

and we will vote in April and make the presentation

in May.  If you did not attend last night and want

to nominate a person, please email us with your

nomination before April 1st.

We have 43 quilters signed up for the May

challenge, if you were not at either the Feb. or March

meeting and are interested please e mail us.

Keep quilting and pieces be with you all.

Louise

Sue Kluber challenged and amazed us with her awesome array of art quilts at the March meeting.  Her favorite technique is collage and raw edge applique–ask about her “cheater flying geese”.   She creates fabric from what most of us throw away–threads and snippets of fabric.  She says “I pay for every inch of fabric and thread and I’m going to use every inch!”  She layers fabric, traps “stuff” under tulle or organza, and adds incredible quilting.   Many of her pieces feature painted features, mostly faces and animals.

Sue and her husband farm near Guernsey, Iowa.  They both love nature and animals and that is reflected in her work.  Sue was an artist before she was a quilter and developed her techniques because she couldn’t find the fabrics she wanted.  She is self-taught and credits her skills to unique and  fortunate exposure to drawing and art all during her childhood, including a Grant Wood-trained high school art teacher.

There are still a few slots available for Sue’s workshop Saturday, March 12.  Call Sharon Lesan for information at 954-5608 or sharonlesan@yahoo.com

Well, retreat is just around the corner!! YEA, I am so ready to get away!

We will be haveing subs for Thur. night dinner, due to the request!

Friday night we will draw for the table runners, and we might do a judgeing on the best, with a prize! We will also have a small talk about Neddles and Thread.

Quilt shops in the area will have discounts again this year. If you have questions please e-mail me at mleetex2001@yahoo.com or call 515-779-2538 and leave a message.

Thanks MaryLee



Members present:  Louise Whitlow, Janeen Pearson, Jan Heddinger, Tamara Watts-McPhail, Janet Neuschwanger, Connie Lovelady, De Tapper, Linda Schlenker, Sharon McCarthy, Sharon Lesan and Kathy Evers.

Louise called the meeting to order and the secretary minutes were approved.  De read the treasurer’s report and it was approved.  Louise advised there is one pin left for the Mary Conkel award.  We will accept nominations for this award in April and it will be presented in May. 

Vice President Tamara has seven charity quilts so far.  She plans to keep 25 for the quilt show and distribute any above that as she received them. 

Quilt Show Co-Chairs Tamara and Janeen are looking for baskets to be adopted for the quilt show.  They are also requesting items for the country store.  On that note, they are going to run a contest to rename the “Country Store”.  Janet has been working on getting vendors for the quilt show.  There is one food vendor so far, Cake Me I’m Yours—A cake/dessert vendor.  Work continues on bags, pins, bookmarks, etc for the show. The Co-Chairs are also working on advertising for the Quilt Fest.  The next free Sew-In will be held March 18^th, sponsored by Adel Quilting.  The sponsor will speak at the next guild meeting. 

Program Chair Sharon reminded us the speaker for March will be Sue Kluber, noted Iowa Art Quilter.  The workshop by Sue will be held on March 12^th and has spots for 2 more students.  The next workshop is March 19^th, Pineapple Nine-Patch by Cathy Wierzbicki. 

Director-At-Large-Elect Sharon shared that 36 have signed up for the May quilt challenge, Color in the Lines.  There will be another chance to participate at the March meeting.  The guidelines are posted on the web site.  The fat quarter fabric for March is shamrock themed. 

Retreat Chair Mary Lee advised Louise that there are 10 spots left for the April retreat.  All plans are going well.  See Mary Lee to sign up.  Retreat Chair-Elect Connie is scouting out possible options for next year’s retreat.

Communication Co-Chair Elect Linda received a request from “Mike” Wigg to advertise her craft and garage sale. It was decided that a flier could be provided at the guild meeting sign-in table. 

Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,

Kathy Evers