Surfside Quilters Guild - San Clemente, CA 04-14-22

Although I belong to a number of different guilds I only go to Surfside Quilters Guild.  It is at least an hour's drive, but it is the only daytime guild around.  And, though I hate to accept it, I just don't enjoy driving at night so much anymore.  And it once was my favorite time to be on the road.  Anyway, the guild meeting  was Tuesday and it was also the annual business session.  We had a quorum (maybe 70 in attendance), so it went quickly because the officers in charge were so organized. I am the "official" photographer, which isn't an office, but just a volunteer thing I do.  I finally bought a new phone/camera and have been doing a little experimenting to see what new I need to learn.  Not much, thank the goddess, it is essentially a newer version of my old Samsung Galaxy, so the learning curve is gentle.  Although I am struggling with pictures. Nothing new about that. .  

Surfside's membership is about 170 now, but before Covid it was a little over 200 and we had a hundred plus members at meetings.  Our membership is generally older, I suppose because we have daytime meetings which eliminates many quilters who have day jobs.  Ten years ago when the guild was formed the main impetus was the increasing need to not drive at night as we were all ageing, but still quilting!!  

We do a "Block a month" project where everyone who wants to participate makes a the block from a pattern available at meetings.  At the end of the year each person puts their blocks together in their own layout and a drawing is held for prizes at the April meeting.  There were a lot of finished tops/quilts this year and it was fun to see the different colors and settings.  Here they are on the tables and few being held up for the audience to see. 

Block of the Month quilts on display.

Block of the Month quilts on display.

Our very efficient president, Mary Arter, accomplishes so much I doubt that she sleeps.  She did both of these using the monthly patterns.

Wendy McCalley's name was drawn for the $100 cash prize.   Love those blues! 

The co-chairs of the Block of the Month created their own versions.  

Holly Betz (left) and Judy Kamman (right).

Our speaker this month was Dora Cary, quilter, designer, and owner of Orange Dot Quilts shop in Paso Robles, CA.  Interesting lady, lovely quilts, and many ideas and patterns.  Her designs are sort of traditional with a twist.  

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Going to quilt guild meeting 03-08-22

I haven't been blogging because I don't DO anything to blog about.  KoKo and I do our two walks each day, I toss Froggy for him, do some sewing, lots of reading, take naps, and generally just piddle around accomplishing nothing.  I understand this is considered Covid languishing.  Maybe so, or I am just old and worn out!!  But today I drove to San Clemente for the Surfside Quilters Guild meeting, the first  unmasked meeting in a long time.  Our speaker was Jenny Lyons, who, oddly enough, was the last in-person speaker we had in March 2020.  It was actually the week that the Covid "lockdown" happened and Jenny remarked that when she flew home to Northern California the airport was almost deserted.   It was good to see her again and her presentation about imperfection was excellent.  Her point was "don't worry about it" and she showed, with their permission, quilts by four or five well-known master quilters who recognize that their work seems perfect, but has small imperfections that only they know where they are located.  And now we do also!  

I am the "official" guild photographer and use my cell phone for that purpose.  I am ashamed to admit that when I was halfway to San Clemente I realized I had left my phone, and therefore, my camera, at home.  Jan Hirth came to my rescue and loaned me her phone for my photography duty.  After we got home we figured out how to transfer the entire album to my phone and I will do the editing tomorrow.  Here are a few images from a fun morning. 

Jenny Lyons in the front row waiting for her turn to present.  We had a good attendence, about 100, I think.  

We had a special Show & Tell of jackets and vests made by members.  

Nancy Ota in her 1999 silk vest made from silk neckties.  All pieced by hand and lined with large sections of ties pieced together.  

Odette Osantowski took Nancy Ota's Sashiko class some years ago and decided to make a jacket instead of a wall hanging.  

Jan Hirth used a pattern from Threads magazine to make this "chenille" jacket and went on to teach the technique to other guild members.  It is a lovely piece, but she says it is VERY heavy.  Not something that is wearable often in SCalifornia.  

There were several items made from antique/vintage quilts, including these two worn by Joann Bishop and Holly Betz.  

There was a lot of Show and Tell with some very large quilts.  I suspect these reflect the time on our hands during Covid.  If you read the SQG newsletter in early April there will be pictures of those quilts and MORE!

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