Ok First things first, APPLAUSE APPLAUSE APPLAUSE For everyone who worked, helped, chaired, supported, baked cookies, helped clean up, helped set-up, and took pictures. The show was a success because of all the working hands. The kids had a great time and that is what Saturday was all about. The treasure boxes were a success and I could not have done it without Judy Speed (thank you again) the postcards charmed both the kids and the adults (thank you Margaret) the music was such a beautiful touch and the road kill goes without saying - the kids loved it. The puppets kept the kids attention and those who won a puppet were so excited (thank you Marge) the Mini-Raffle was great, wonderful donations and it looked great and managed to take some of my money (thank you Jan). The kitchen was adorable (thank you Courtney) and all the collections were wonderful…thank you to all. I watched the kids trying to decide which quilt they wanted to buy, it was very sweet (thank you Laurie) There was a moment when we were underneath Ruth's home to gather the stuff for the show, that I wondered if it was worth all the work, and after seeing the kids - yea it is!

Of course a wonderful event happens because of a wonderful person in charge (thank you Desi). A special thank you to the Blakely's for their generosity in storing our stuff under their home. So, we all breath a sigh of relief that it all came together and was a success, and can we can tale it easy……NO! New round robins are starting up this month and QOV's need to be made, and oh isn't it wonderful to be busy with our passion.

Remember you can never have too much fabric or too many bears, President, Calico Quilters,

please note: my email is acting crazy so please if you need to send me a email use my work email for a while….Margi@quiltinginthesierras.com or just call me.

"By George, I think the Doll Show was a success!" Many thanks to all that helped to make it a success. The Make and Take tables were great. Some of the kids were at the tables for quite a while and being very creative. Thanks to Margi, Margaret, and Judy for overseeing the kids. Thanks also to Kay for the gingerbread shapes.

We had some wonderful and varied collections. The doll houses were beautiful. Andy and Dennis Reed sure put in alot of time into these houses. Hats off to Jim Morrow with his train collection. There were quite a number of engineers running the train! The Roadkill was as popular as ever. Kim Smiley also had with her non-roadkill. Her traveling companions being her pet bird and dog. They were great! Thanks to Sue Wallace for her baseball bears, Kay Smith for her Wizard of Oz doll collection and stuffed animals, Sharon Wiiliams, Margaret Phelps, Boots Clarkson(my mom),and Shelly Dormire for their unique and beautiful doll collections. I enjoyed showing my nutcrackers. I enjoyed having some live entertainment, by Ellen and Friends.

Marge, your Performance Puppets were so cute. Loved watching the little kids working the puppets! Thank you. Thanks to all of you that helped with the set-up and the clean-up of the Doll Show. Both went really quick. The extra vacuums were a big help! And last, but not least, BIG thank you's go to Margi Duffy, Courtney McElvogue, Jan Dunaway and Laurie Morrow who were in charge of the Opportunity Quilt, Kitchen, Mini-Raffle and the Dolly/Dog/Cat Quilts. You all did a super wonderful job. I had a wonderful time and I hope others did too. I'm really looking forward to the next Doll Show. Here's to the next one in 2009! ~Desi

We are pleased to welcome two new members that joined last Thursday night.

Katie Poole of Bishop, has been quilting for 2 years and also enjoys camping and scrapbooking. Vasie Tex of Bishop started quilting with her grandmother and now is getting back into quilting. She enjoys Western themed quilts and her hobbies include Horses!

A belated welcome goes out to Emmer Holbrook of Crowley Lake, and Penny Knapp of Van Nuys that have been active members for the last several months!

I just want to thank all the people who are making friendship red, white and blue blocks. They are all so pretty and are going to make gorgeous quilts. Even people who are not involved in the Friendship Star Block Exchange are making them, so we will have lots to give to our Soldiers. The Big Pine group is also working on QOV quilts…so our soldiers will know that Bishop cares.

I had a call the other day from a Calico Quilter that wanted to make a QOV was hesitated because she did not feel as though she could make anything as "good" as she has seen already at the Guild. I reassured her that all quilts are welcomed, and that I am sure she will do a nice job. She was feeling intimidated. I told her that we never want her to feel like that, that we always want to encourage and support her. I hope she felt better because I have seen her quilts and they are very pretty. So make sure as Calico Quilters that we never make anyone feel like we are in a competition, but that we want to nourish their creativity and encourage them to share their talent. Remember to put a label on any QOV's and please sign the Friendship Stars.

I will be placing the order the QOV tote bags and magnets in the next couple of days, please let me know if you want either. As always, thank you so much for all your generosity, I can only imagine how it blesses our soldiers.

Iraq (OIF)
killed 3,197
wounded 54,910
Afghan. (OEF)
killed 373
wounded 5,994

We have our work cut out for us Calico Quilters. Please also remember the baby quilt for the babies of soldiers serving in Iraq. ~Margi

Happy Birthday to the following guild members:

Jan Dunaway 3/7
Betty McCloud 3/10
Jacque Johnston 3/18
Dola Fischer 3/28
Myrna Siegert 3/31
Mary Centre 4/13
Marilee Knight 4/19

Thanks to all that have paid their 2007 membership dues. The 2007 roster will be handed out at the March day and night meetings. You can still send your checks to: P.O. Box 802, Bishop, CA 93515.

All the Round Robins will begin on March 29th. Here is a reminder of your choices.

Crazy Quilt Block - An 18 or 20 inch block on a muslin back.
Traditional Round Robin - The center block is any size. You can provide extra fabric if you like.
"Small" Round Robin - The center block can be no larger than 8 1/2 inches unfinished. The borders no wider than 2 1/2 inches. You can provide extra fabric if you like.
Strippers - The strips can be no longer than 45 inches. The width can be any size. If you have a preference, please include a note of what you want. You can provide extra fabric.

At the March 29th meeting, I'll be handing out the group lists. There will be two list like last time, one for the Round Robin that is passed around and one for you to refer to. I'm really looking forward to these Round Robins. I always get so inspired by such a talented group quilters! Any questions, please give me a call. ~Desi

Some time ago it became clear that there were a number of us in Big Pine that would like to meet together. Most of us are current members or past members of Calico Quilters and there are several ladies who live in Big Pine that just want to do crafts together. I was able to get a slot on the calendar for use of the Town Hall in Big Pine so we have been meeting for several weeks now. Our initial goal was to make QOV quilts. Marge Walker is teaching anyone who wants to learn how to paper piece and we are using the book of stars that Marty Voght used on the Dec. 30th get-together. Here is a picture of some of the squares we have made so far. In the future we hope to make a quilt for Laws and quilt it the old fashioned way on a frame and as a quilting bee. We look forward to that. ~ Marilee Knight

Another great day meeting, lots going on. Meagan Duffy won the Basket blocks from the monthly block exchange. She won enough to make a quilt. And Betty also gave her the sashing and setting triangles.

Special note: Thank you to all who made a basket block. I was so happy to get the call from my mom that I had won them. They are all so pretty. Thank you Miss Betty for your extra work and fabric, I will make sure you all get to see it when it is done. Meagan Duffy See I did tell her and not keep them for myself (but it was tempting). Marge Walker handed out patterns for our next exchange, a very pretty block and a far too cute bunny, paper-pieced but maybe I will try. Maybe!

Sharon and Margaret are heading up a committee to make a quilt for the Methodist Church, a small way of thanking them for all the time we met there. Keep us updated Ladies.

Our fabric exchange for our next meeting is 8-1/2" squares of Spring Floral fabrics. Join in the fun!

~Margi

Marty and I have found a pattern , that were sure you will enjoy, and won’t be able to figure it out till the block is done. Fabric: select 2 darks, 2 mediums and 1 light for background, 1/2 yard of each, this will make an 18” block This can be a scrappy quilt, if you like the block a whole lot, you can make more to complete a quilt. If you think you might want to make more blocks colored coordinated get at least 11/2 yards or 2. Marty has made the block up, and says to bring at least 6 sandwich bags with you, if any of you have taken my Blooming Nine patch, you know that this is one of my favorite ways to organize my fabric , a black marking pen to write on your sandwich bags. As for other supplies, just everything you need to sew, machine, pins, scissors, cutting mat, cutter. We know this is going to be fun, so set you date on the calendar, and be sure to come for fun time. ~Nela

Schlep Bag and More, April 3, 6:30 p.m., at Marty Voght's studio, 373 Mt. Tom Road. Marty's daughter Mairi Bonn will be in town, and she has developed a whole book's worth of projects based on the schlep bag.. You'll receive an elaborated Schlep Bag pattern, directions for putting a pocket in a schlep bag, and maybe more (depending upon how ambitious mother and daughter are at getting things down on paper). Call Marty for a materials list. Cost is $10.

If you did not come to the first workshop on hand-made log cabin blocks, you missed a great evening of sewing and conversation. You have another chance! Come May 17, 6:30 p.m., Highlands Family Center, and we will continue the project. Bring at least 2- 9 1/2 in. squares of muslin, needle, thread, scissors and thimble. We have plenty of dark colored 2 1/2 in. strips on hand and the red center squares, but could use a few more 2 1/2 in strips in light tones. Remember, the strips can be in any length, no need to cut across the width of the fabric. I've seen this pattern made up in batiks