It was so nice to be back at guild, it seemed like a long time since I had been at a meeting. A huge thank you to Desi for handling things so nicely while I was away. I had been really busy with the faire and life and all, but it still seemed like along time. Why is it that when I am up against a deadline time passes so quickly.

While I am including in my letter this month my favorite bear, I can truly identify with her, and my DH says it looks just like me. Those Big Pine Ladies are at it again, and I was blown away by the amount of Stockings that we received from them.. THANK YOU!!! The reports on the Photo Class and the Retreat were wonderful, everyone seemed to have a great time at both. THANK YOU MARTY AND JAN, for all your hard work. The guild is a success because of women like you all that pitch in and help out.

Just wanted to let you know that we have been added to several different listings of guilds, including the Travel Companion and Quilter's Path. Nela has ordered and received our new quilt rack, Thank you Nela.

Just a reminder that Desi and I will be working on the calendar in the next week or so, we have gathered some really good ideas for future projects and happenings here at the guild. If you have any more ideas please e-mail me. Some of the ideas I will definitely want to do, of course anything with the PP words in it may have to take a back seat. But perhaps I will make a New Year's Resolution to learn how to paper piece, it may be easier than losing weight…..haha.

The next time we are together at the Nite Owls we will be breaking bread at our SOUP NIGHT. So looking forward to this. Hope to see you all there.

President, Calico Quilters,

As usual, a great meeting. Desi was the winner of the four Paper Pieced Birdhouses, the block that Nela shared with us. And Linda shared our next block, Halloween fabrics and we can make any blocks we want…too much fun. The Day Lilies have decided to continue the block exchange on into next year. It has been a lot of fun. I will have a sign up for next year at the next meeting. So you ladies start thinking of what you want to share with us. Marilee has let us know that she will be handing out the UGLY fabric for our challenge in January, and they will be revealed at our picnic in July with a viewer's choice voting. ~Margi

Calico Quilters have sent 125 QOV's and 75 baby quilts to date. APPLAUD APPLAUD. But we have our job cut out for us: Iraq - wounded 54,244 and Afghanistan 7106 wounded Our job will extend pass the end of the war and until all our wounded soldiers are covered in a quilt. As of Sept 8, 2007 there has been 11,458 QOV's awarded. Please keep this in mind as the holidays approach and everyone is busy and rushing around. Let me close with some touching words from one of our soldiers:

"Dear Quilt Makers, I really appreciate the quilt I was given. Right now I am in the hospital because I suffer from PTSD. When I got that quilt, it made me feel really great inside. I'm giving it to my son so he knows there are people out there who care what me and all my fellow Americans do. Thanks again, M.B. "

You are so welcome M.B., thank you for all you and all our soldiers have done for America. Keep up the good work Calico Quilters.

~Margi, QOV Chair

Just wanted to remind all of you that at the Christmas Party we will be playing the game with the embellished block. You know that one where you bring one in and then you can choose one, but it can also be stolen. Requirements for block: Any size, any block, any kind of embellishments and as much or as little as you would like. Remember this block will be exchanged. Have fun, Margi

If you have any ideas on what kind of workshops you would like to do. There were quite a number of ideas that were talked about at the last meetings. Some of them were, Postcard quilts, "Quilt in a Day" Eagle block, Bindings, Tee-Shirt quilts, Prarie Braids (paper pieced and template), Crazy Quilt Beading Embellishments, Discharge (using bleach products on fabrics), and Appliqué styles. Or if you would like to teach a workshop, please let me or Margi know. We will be getting together soon to set up the dates for next year's calendar. Thanks! ~Desi

Well, the last group of the Round Robins (Strippers) is on it's final round. The other three have already ended. And I must say, you ladies did a beautiful job as always! Give yourselves a pat on the back! For those of you that worked on the Crazy Quilt Blocks, please bring them to the Soup Night meeting so everyone can get a good look at them. Just holding them up doesn't do them justice.

If you have any ideas for the Round Robins, please let me know. At the last meetings there were some suggestions for the next Round Robins. Some were, Theme Blocks where you provide the background fabric and there are no restrictions on size of block or technique (pieced, appliquéd in any style, embroidered, embellished, etc..)

There were requests for the Strippers and the Crazy Quilt Blocks to continue. Another idea was to put only one border on a block per person. It would have the effect of a large log cabin block. Those are a few ideas that were talked about. If you have an idea, please let me know. ~Desi

Happy Birthday to the following members!

Stacy Leach 10/03
Sharon Thompson 10/06
Desi McElvogue 10/17
Pat Olsen 10/23
Judy Speed 11/02

November 1st at 6:30pm Highlands. Please bring your favorite soup, bread or dessert. Drinks will be provided along with plates, napkins, cups and utensils. Also bring with you a fat quarter and some kind of sewing notion (thread, needles, thimbles, pins, etc.) as prizes for Quilto. See you there!

Thank you to all of you who worked the Car Show Craft Show this past weekend. It was a little slow on Sunday but we did well. The faire was also profitable for us. Judy will be keeping us up each month with a special report. We will be at the Christmas Fest at the fairgrounds in November. I may have to ask for some help for the afternoon to sell tickets because it has turned out that I may have to work. This is always a fun place to be. I will keep you informed. Mercy and her wonderful staff at DMV has graciously taken the quilt again for us, it is there now and will be there until the Christmas Fest and then for a short time after wards until they move into their new building. Congrats on your new building and thank you for selling tickets for the Calico Quilters. Remember if you need more tickets, call me or come by the shop.

~Margi, Opportunity Quilt Chair

• Margaret still needs scraps of red fabric for a wall hanging that will go to the Methodist Church as a Thank You for letting the Calico Quilter's Day Lilies meet at the Fellowship Hall. Please contact Margaret for information.

Photos on Fabric - Jan Dunaway
Learn how to scan, save, manipulate and print your photos on fabric. Need to bring a couple of photos you would like to scan. If you have pictures on a digital camera, I can download them if you have a USB cable.

Cowboy Vest Block - Jo Bacon

Background fabric: Enough fabric to cut the following:
One 3 1/2" x 5" square
Two strips 2" x 5"
One strip 2" x 6 1/2"

Scraps approximately 8 inch square or larger for vest front and lining fabric for back of vest and inside of fronts

Optional: embellishments or a small charm to put into an inside vest pocket

Supplies: Freezer paper, Marking pen, Paper Scissors Appliqué needle, Appliqué pins, Regular sewing supplies, Sewing machine, Iron and Ironing Board

I want to thank the ladies from Big Pine for your wonderful Christmas stockings. We now have 28 stockings and are very close to our goal. All stockings are labeled and ready to be delivered to our hospital. Thank you all again. ~Georgia

The sign up sheet for the quilt show committee chairmen will be available at the next meetings. Please consider volunteering to be a chairmen and help out with the planning and decision making in the months prior to the show. Committee meetings will start in January and continue each month until the critique meeting in June.

You all have less than eight months now to finish those beautiful quilts you will want to put in the show. This years theme is: Trees~ A Tribute to Life, Family and Friends. There will be a best theme ribbon awarded (via peoples choice ballot) so keep that in mind. And don't forget the...

Calico Quilters Guild Quilt Show Challenge: Photo Memory Quilt

Requirements:

1. Must have at least one fabric photograph

2. Must have writing of some sort (a poem, quotes, etc…)

3. Must be embellished with an object with special meaning.

4. Maximum size is 36" x 48". Can be any size within these limits (12" x 48" or 24" x 36").

5. Due for display at our 2008 Quilt Show, May 24th and 25th.

We will ask the quilt show viewers to choose their favorites based on these criteria:

Creative use of your photographs
Emotional impact
Best relates to the quilt show theme

Awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd will be given. ~Jan, Quilt Show Chair