Up-Coming Classes and FYI

Linda Kay had her "Tote Club" class on Monday and two ladies went home with this Mini Messenger Tote bag. Shannon used batiks and Jan has the dragonflies and I think they did a super job. It really is fun to finish a project in one class sitting.

The Twisting Twice Class is coming up next Thursday, May 5. This is a quilt that uses that "Twister" acrylic ruler, the Let's Twist book and large squares of fabric. You can't believe how fun it is to watch the pieces being cut out and reassembled to create these spinning pinwheels and I love the use of the Red, White and Blues in this sample by Linda Kay.

It's a fast quilt and a perfect one to make if you want a complex look in a short length of time. And, no, there is not a lot of wasted fabric!

Now, if you want to decorate for the 4th of July and don't have much time, this might be for you! Fireworks! with Carolyn Burga on Friday, May 6. It's a super little wallhanging that can be left unadorned or blinged out with embellishments!

If you are getting or new emailings and want to send in a comments, we'd love to hear what you think and don't forget the St. Gabriel Community Center/ Giving Quilt Inc show next Saturday, May 7.

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!! Jalapena!!!!!

May I just take a brief moment and jab my fist in the air!!!!!

I am so pleased to be able to post Linda Kay's schedule on the blog.
BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER, if you can believe it!

As you know, if you used to get our bi-monthly email, we sent this out as PDF and some people were not able to "open" it...... strange as that may sound, they weren't. And trust me, I understand the aggravation only technology can induce. I know it so well..... I have been there all day today. Right on the Edge of Crazy.

But here it is, at long last, our May - June 2011 class schedule/calendar and what makes it so cool is you can scroll down, right there and hit that little printer icon in the upper left corner and print the pages you want for easy reference! If you just need that calendar on Page 7, select "page 7" and that will be the only page printed. BUT WAIT!!!! There's more!

Take it away, Ramona!

(Ok, now in case you can't see this File in that box below..... just give it a moment to load. This happened to me this morning. Grr Some connections are slower than others and I can't do anything about that. Other times, the host server may be down for a short time but it will be back)

(trust me) (oh technology! you devil, you!) (when it works, it's great. when it doesn't, you wait)

See that small thing that looks like a TV set at the top and center? If you click on that, the whole PDF file will appear as large as your monitor screen and when you want to make it go away, you just click it once again and you'll be right back here!




And last but not least...... right below these words you will see the words "Download document to PC". If you click that (below), you can save the whole shebang to your computer! No more printing papers or leafing through your email looking for that message. Just save it to the desktop and you will always know what's happening here at Bright Hopes Quilting.

I am astounded at what technology can do!!! (and sometimes doesn't....)
I'm so thrilled, I may have to eat Tex-Mex tonight.

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Ba Da BING!

Yes! We were able to send out our weekly newsletter via email yesterday. Whooh-hooo!!!

I can only imagine you are as tired of hearing about it as much as I have been apologizing for this drama.... but it has been some struggle to arrive at the final piece of the puzzle: Why have we been so unable to send email?

Answer: AT & T has changed their mailing policy and somehow we were not informed. Ahhhh.... okay!

All this is history and we're still standing, bruised but not broken. And just in time, as it turns out.

Linda Kay has written our new class schedule/ newsletter and I will be up-dating this information here, shortly, on our calendar and sending it directly to those of you on our eList. If you wish to receive email, please drop us a line at brighthopes1@bellsouth.net.

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Thursday , April 28, is our Monthly Applique Society meeting, 9:30 am - noon. Always fun to see what they are working on. And pick up tips on better stitching!

Our applique Block-of-the-Month is the Rose of Sharon that Mona and Georgia have been working on. This is the latest shot I have of the blocks:

I think the bottom two are the most recent ones....(don't quote me on that!)

Just What A Blog Is For!

If you are on our emailing list, you might be wondering what is going on with that! Long story short, AT & T has changed their processing of mailings so we are changing ours as well. As I learn more how to do this, I still make mistakes.

So where is it, you ask? Ah technology! I'll leave it at that as I sort out the final , ah.... issue. Linda Kay has fine-tuned our latest newsletter and class list (some great ones coming up!) so I am eager to get that sent out. I hope to have the email to you by Tuesday .....

.....but in the meantime, I'll fill you in on last week at Bright Hopes.

Candy Bergeron came by Thursday afternoon, as promised, to collect a stack of donation quilts and receiving blankets for the up-coming show in St. Gabriel.

I wrote a post about it last week and planned to attend myself. (Candy invited me to be a docent for an hour or so...... she trusts that I won't ankle off with any quilts! hahahaha) ("What does a docent do?" " Answers questions...." " I don't know if I know any answers." "......." She still wants me. ) So, May 7, St. Gabriel Community Center......... I'll be the one in white gloves looking like I know what I'm doing but don't.

Candy will be making a final pass through Mandeville on Thursday, May the 5th and Bright Hopes Quilting is a drop-off point so if you would like to donate any quilt to this cause, please have yours at the shop no later than Thursday morning and be sure to fill out the donation form to have the quilt given to the charity (on the list of 16) of your choice. This is a tax-deductible donation so if that is important to you and the IRS, don't forget to document that as well.

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We have received more Just One Star blocks and will be mailing the big package off Tuesday, April 26. It was SO COOL to open an envelope Thursday and find more stars arriving!!!! At this rate, we all will have made more than enough stars to complete 4 quilts! Ya'll are the BEST!

Thank you for participating in this project.

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Isn't This CUTE?

You know Pearl has a lovely little granddaughter.... look what she's getting! This little-girl sun cap is reversible and adorable and made by Pearl. I think the pattern is Blossoms and Bloomers..... and has a jumper as well.

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I was prowling around the shop and came across this bolt that has somehow escaped my detection until now. Beautiful dragonflies in an oriental feel. It glows off the black background.

Classes and Calendar ::::

Tuesday is Tote Club,

Thursday is Applique Society

Friday is 6 Halves Makes a Whole Starburst (continued)

Okay, be on the look-out for that elusive email and pray for me as I continue down the technology wormhole!

Just One Star

Well, maybe a few more than one!

I popped into the shop yesterday and was greeted by this fabulous display of the Moda's Just One Star donations. Don't they look awesome! What you can't tell from the photo is some of others stars in plastic baggies containing several blocks so we are going to be sending quite a handsome package to the project in a couple of weeks. If you want to make one or some and join in, here is the pattern and information. They are fast and easy to make.

At the door, I saw this new sample by Linda Kay of the Let's Twist book & tool and the RED WHITE & BLUES fabric line. It is such a cool way to spinning stars.

Now, ya'll who know me, know I have this thing for chickens.... and so do a few others of us at the shop. Celeste is the designer of this quilt, using our newest panel of artistic roosters and a crazy patch. We have since received more fabrics that fall into that French Provencal look that remains classic and popular throughout the years.

I'm Watching You!

The Giving Quilt, Inc.

If you read our newsletter 2 weeks ago, you saw this paragraph:

Speaking of giving in May, The Giving Quilt, Inc. organization is hosting a wonderful One Day event in the month of May, at the St. Gabriel Community Center. All donated quilts will be on display and awards will be given for "Celebrity Judges" and "Viewer's Choice".

At 2 pm, the presentations will begin and the representatives from the charities of your choice will be on hand to receive them!

The list of 16 charities includes worthy charities such as The Linus Project, ALS Association, Southeast Louisiana War Veterans Home, Volunteers of America and Quilts of Valor. Get all the information you need at their website, or ask us at the shop when you come in.

I just got off the phone with Candy Bergeron who is one of the organizers of this Quilt Show and she plans to be at Bright Hopes Quilting on Thursday, April 21 to pick up any donated quilt.

If you are planning to make a donation and want to save a little wear n tear on your car, drop off your quilts before the close of business Wednesday (or first thing Thursday morning........that'll work!) and don't forget to print and fill out this form to include with your quilt.

Take a look at the list of possible donor recipient organizations here and make a choice. Some organizations have specific requirements that must be fulfilled prior to the actual donation (like some must be pre-washed. Some expect a presentation case. Some must be no smaller or larger than...) This list will include that important information.

We quilters know the comfort a quilt gives and the warmth we receive in return knowing they will be appreciated by the recipient.

We also love seeing quilts on display, so if you want to enjoy a nice day out in a feel-good environment, come to the show in St. Gabriel, LA on Saturday May 7, 2011 between 10:00 am and be sure to be there at 2:00 pm for the Blessings of the Quilts and presentation. There will be all sorts of stuff to see and do. Hope to see you there!

For additional information, go here.

Everywhere I Turn - Applique

As you probably know, Bright Hopes Quilting hosts a local Applique Society on the last Thursday of each month, so that means they met again just last Thursday.

This is an especially fun day for me as I have long admired the technique from not-so-afar and can skim past and see what they are working on. Always inspiring and usually un-nerving as well. These ladies are serious stitchers and do amazing work.

I took a few shots of a Halloween pattern that Melinda Jones has been working on. I just wanted ya'll to see this:

Click on the photo to see it up-close. It is fine fine fine!

Now, every where I turn it seems, we have a new book or pattern or sample in the shop for applique.... like this, for instance:

How cute is this?

Or this new display rack Pearl got in to house our growing collection of applique books. Whatever you do, when you stop in, do NOT look at that one in the center bottom, Beautiful Botanicals...... steer clear of it.

So, something is definitely afoot because when the one to the left showed up, I bit the bullet and bought a copy. I WANT to be able to needle-turn. I have tried and found myself, shall we say, lacking in the ability until a woman stopped by the store on her way home from Seminar (GSQA).

Violet Newby was one of the instructors, for applique, and she gave me a quick starter lesson and got me going. So, Violet, if you're out there, thank you!

Here is my second attempt, from that book . Donna D., I used your method of marking and liked it!

And just this past Thursday, Mona gave a class on hand applique that I horned in on and learned her method of marking. I shall give that a go this weekend.

To ALL of you applique artists, I Thank You.

OH, and I added a new "label" for this post. "Applique"

see below