Tuesday,

March 26, 2013

Maria Elkins

1:00 p.m.

Trunk Show

7:00 p.m.

Protecting Quilts

I have heard a rumor that there are ladies in the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild who would like to form a "small group." Small groups are a very effective way for Guild members to connect with one another.   

"What do I need to do?" you ask. Well, you've come to the right person to find out.

There are two forms available on the Guild's website. One is the Individual Seeking Small Group Form which was created to give the Guild information needed to help the member looking for a group or to start their own group.   

The second form is for established small groups and is titled, oddly enough, Small Group Form. This form tells us who is in the group, what they do, where they meet, and what activities they would like to help serve the Guild, etc.   

As of March 2013, the Guild has 37 registered small groups. At this time 12 groups are accepting new members.

Come see me at the back of the church prior to Guild meetings to obtain or turn in small group forms. I also have a list of the current small group names. Feel free to get as creative as you like with naming your group as long as the name is not already taken. 

Mildred Agena

The quilt show committee is currently planning special exhibits for our October quilt show. Information about these special exhibits will be provided over the next few months.

During our January Guild meeting we told you about a quilt show exhibit that would showcase all of your charity work. We have thought about this further and now realize that this exhibit would have been too large.  

This year the charity quilt focus will be on preemie quilts which will be donated to Des Moines area hospitals. The minimum size for a preemie quilt is 30"x30", with 30"x36" being the perfect size. The quilts should be no larger than 36"x42".  

Can you help us out by making a preemie quilt? We'd love to provide quilts to as many Des Moines area babies as we can and showcase the charitable works of our Guild members.   

Thank you! 

Mary Martin

Pat Hjelmeland

Quilt Show Co-chairs 

 mariaelkins.com

Maria Elkins has been using a sewing machine since she was nine years old. She created her first quilt in 1984 when she was expecting her first child. In 1996 she created her first original art quilt, "In Answer to Prayer," in which she used her husband as a model for the warrior angel. The quilt went on to win Honorable Mention in the National Quilt Association's 29th Annual Quilt Show in 1998.

Maria has since won numerous other awards for her quilts. She also writes articles for Quilting Arts magazine and is a national teacher and lecturer.

Programs

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

West Des Moines United Methodist Church

8th & Grand, West Des Moines 

1:00 p.m.: Trunk Show

Come and see a trunk show of Maria's quilts.

7:00 p.m.: Protecting Quilts

Learn about Lost Quilt Come Home, its history, and various ways quilters can help ensure that their quilts will be returned should they ever be lost or stolen.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013 -- 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Fused Appliqué Portraits -- View Supply List

Suitable for all skill levels including non-quilters, no artistic ability is required! (You actually don't even need to be a quilter to take this class. The finished portrait can be framed instead of quilted.) Focus will be on manipulating a digital photograph to create a fused appliqué pattern. Students need to email Maria a picture two weeks prior to the class so she can prepare it before the workshop. Class Full

Thursday, March 28, 2013 -- 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Perspective for Quilters -- View Supply List

Learn how to design two-dimensional quilts that look three-dimensional. This workshop will teach how to use color and position to give art quilts and even traditional quilts a feeling of depth. You'll learn to draw convincing cubes, houses, architectural and landscape elements, as well as many optical illusions and then turn your drawing into a flat quilt with the appearance of depth and volume.

Registration
For any workshop, you may mail in your registration form along with your registration fee to Deb York, 28187 Prospect Ave., Adel, IA 50003. We will also be taking reservations at our meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month. If you have any questions you can email Deb at yorkcovp@aol.com or call her at 515-993-4539 (home), 515-240-7653 (cell). 
 
Location 
Workshops are held at West Des Moines Christian Church at 4501 Mills Civic Parkway in West Des Moines. To get there from Interstate 35, exit at Mills Civic Parkway, exit 70. Turn east onto Mills Civic Parkway and drive about 0.9 of a mile. The West Des Moines Christian Church will be on the north side of Mills Civic Parkway. We will meet in Building #3 which is the one closest to Prairie Life Fitness.

Information on April through October workshops can be found in the Programs issue of the newsletter or on the Guild website.