Last week we launched our very first blog hop. Our stellar list of bloggers did a fantastic job to raise awareness of our annual fundraising event, Quilters Take Manhattan (QTM) and the Quilt Alliance mission.

The QA Blog’s giveaway winner is: 

Denneen (Denny) Peterson!

Because the Quilt Alliance is all about documenting, preserving and sharing the stories of quilts and their makers, I asked Denny to tell us her story.

DenneenPeterson_QAQTMbloghopwinner

Denny Peterson and her husband Bill Meek

I live in Sahuarita, Arizona. My husband and I belong to the Tucson Quilters Guild. We also have a small group of quilting friends who get together at each other’s homes approximately monthly to work on quilts, visit, and eat!

My mother and husband quilt, too. My mother taught me to sew and she started quilting after I did. She makes some of the most wonderful colorful quilts!  My husband was surrounded by fabric and sewing machines and went along with me to sew days for years before he started by quilting a table runner for my mother on my Bernina. Now he designs and makes his own quilts and does quilting for others on his longarm (a power tool for fabric, you know). I make all kinds of quilts that you can make on the machine–traditional and contemporary pieced and applique are on the list, but my current favorites are art quilts depicting buildings, animals, and landscapes.

We attend local area quilt shows, including the Tucson Quilt Fiesta and the Valley Quilters Guild show (Green Valley, Arizona). We also attend Road to California most years. Last year my husband and I were Artists in Residence at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site in Ganado, Arizona and at Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, Arizona. We spent two weeks living in historic housing at each location, gathering inspiration, designing and making quilts, meeting with park visitors to talk about quilting, the AIR program, and the parks; and then we made quilts to give to the park in exchange for housing and access to the parks.

Here is a photo of my husband Bill Meek and me with a quilt (Shared Heritage) that we made as a result of our stay at Petrified Forest. That quilt has an informative label!

Thanks again so very much!

 

A list of all QTM Blog Hop Participants and links to their posts can be found here.

 

hometicket2016withQTMlogocircle500wideDidn’t win? 🙁
Good news! You can support the Quilt Alliance and enjoy Quilters Take Manhattan from home by purchasing a QTM Moda Home Ticket today.

Purchase your Home Ticket here.

The QTM Moda Home Ticket provides a chance for those who can’t make it to the Big Apple to experience their own home slice of the event. Home Tickets cost $35 ($30 for QA members). You will receive the QTM Goody Bag, packed with samples and treats from all of our sponsors, by mail in late September, Home Ticket holders will also receive priority access to online video of our Sunday with Sponsors event (sent via email link 2 weeks after event), and are entered to win select door prizes. Please note: this year’s Home Ticket will not include footage of QTM lectures and interviews due to the prohibitive cost. Home Ticket holders play an important role in supporting the work of the Alliance–thank you!

 

2015 QTM Goody Bag (drawing winners will receive the 2016 bag)

2015 QTM Goody Bag (drawing winners will receive the 2016 bag)

2016 QTM Tote ready for goodies from our sponsors.

2016 QTM Goody Bag ready to be filled, featuring this year’s Handi Quilter Grand Prize winning QA contest quilt by Margaret Cibulsky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amy Milne headshotPosted by Amy Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org

How To Trim Flying Geese Without A Specialty Ruler

If you don’t have a Bloc-Loc ruler, you may find trimming these flying geese challenging. But by following these steps, you should be able to get four accurate geese in each color!

First, line up your ruler so the point of the flying geese unit will be trimmed exactly ¼” above the point. Try to line the unit up as straight as possible on the other three sides.

Next, flip the unit over. Line up the edge you just cut on the 2” line of the ruler as shown below, and trim the excess from the top.

Flip the unit right side up again. Line the lower left corner up with the 3 ½” mark on your ruler as shown above. Trim the excess on the right.

Finally, flip the unit over again so the point is pointing towards the 2” line. Align the left edge of the unit with the 3 ½” ruler mark as shown above and trim the excess on the right. Your flying goose unit is now ready to be pieced into your block!

Quilt Documentation Tip

 Andrea’s block story is all about the importance of quilt guilds. Quilting can feel solitary, but guilds bring us together. It’s a topic of conversation that was discussed with two Birthday Block of the Month Designers in a recent Textile Talk where the participants all shared emotional stories about their love for their guilds. 

Did you know that your guild can document your quilts as a group? Consider hosting a quilt documentation day in your guild! Follow these instructions and have members share three minute stories about one meaningful quilt in the Quilt Alliance’s signature Go Tell It documentation program. You could even host a screening so all of your members can see the videos! Get in touch at: qsos@quiltalliance.org

See You in October for Month Seven!

Thank you so much to everyone who has participated in the Quilt Alliance’s Birthday Block of the Month so far! Our designer for next month, the seventh block we’re making together, is Bonnie Hunter herself! 

Be sure to tag @quiltalliance and @3rdstoryworkshop on Instagram with your block photos this month, and use the hashtag #QuiltAllianceBOM. And leave any questions about this month’s block in the comments below!

3 Comments

  1. Susan Spiers

    Congrats!

    Reply
  2. sandra teepen

    what a great time look at my FB and although i have a lot to do I am thinking QTM contest
    visions of all that and more!

    Reply
  3. Denny

    Thanks for the wonderful prizes and for all that you do!

    Reply

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