Update from Nicaragua

Here is an update from Marian that went to Nicaragua again this Spring:


First of all I am working here with Nancy and 2 other women Hannah and Jalna who have been here several times on different sorts of teams (medical, building etc). So they are familiar with the way things work and are done. Our first 2 days Nancy took us to all the places that there is fabric available - quilt type fabrics are next to none, but they do have beautiful broad cloth for only a few dollars. Fabric for clothing is available everywhere.

We have been visiting 6 different sewing co-ops for either 1 or 2 days (one left to go) After visiting with 5 of them already including Iglesias Hermosa where we were - I have to tell you we were spoiled in a number of ways. Yes the community was poor - but we had some very talented sewers already in the group and they were and are still very keen. I think we were very good teachers also - leaving them with the skills to continue. They have a Pastor who is so supportive and very much hands on. Not saying that some of the other communities don't have the support - some do but not in the same way. They had a beautiful church and sewing facillity - and it is kept very clean (the dust in some of the locations is tremendous and impossible to keep clean - I was so glad to take a shower most evenings). The little warehouse that they built is awesome - no other church has such a place to store their things. The shelves were well stocked and Nancy thought that they must have bought more things lately because it was fuller than the last time she was there. On Monday when I was there I met with Lucia and Azecena and 3 girls who were not with us last year but they were very talented - Jalna taught one girl a welt pocket and she even made a teaching kit with all the steps so she can teach it to the others. Hannah taught crocheting and I showed the rest how to make mini stocking ornaments and wallhangings using quilt by numbers. They should have a host of Christmas items for the traveling store in the fall. Nancy showed Lucy how to make a wine bag.

Pastor Julio also took us to his farm (a project for the men with PAN's help) The grenidines are a very interesting crop and they are very sucessful. It was wonderful to see. The farm is on land between the church and school - probably just past where that tree fell down.

Other things - the warehouse - If you remember we though that things had been in the warehouse for a long time and weren't getting out. Things are going out of that place everyday. It is just really dusty down here. They are organizing it better then last year and things are being better labled in the warehouse in Guelph so that it is easier when it arrives here. It is a process. The PAN land is changing too. They have started to build dorms there and there is a pavillion for teams to relax and socialize. From the talk that I have heard the plan is to move everything from Jenny's to there int the next 2 years.

The other thing that I have learned is that PAN is trying to help the people to look after themselves with these co-ops. Some of the teams that come down want to just give and give - but the people down here are taking advantage of that. We need to try to help them to get work to make money and then they can look after themselves. So Nancy is leaving contract jobs with all the co-ops. Similar to the bed sheets we left for our co-op to make for Berta Caledron. One co-op is making diapers for the hospital, another is making crib sheets for the NICU...and so on. PAN supplies the materials and pays them so much a piece for the work and they are very appreciative for the work. I think this is a good thing

November Stashbusters class

Well I have less than one week to start cutting my fabric for the next Stashbusters class. Not only do I have to cut out the fabric but I need to sew it together in strips. Wonder if I will get it done in time. Not to worry if I don't as Heather Stewart is used to me and the fact that I never come prepared to her classes. I wonder if when she sees my name on the registration list she just shakes her head in frustration?

I can't wait to make the quilt as it is very dramatic looking and I will finally be able to use up the eBay purchases I made years ago. I bought all kinds of Kaffe fabric and think it will go wonderfully in this quilt.

Cheap Trick concert- Rick's quilt

OK so the concert was AMAZING and eventually my quilt for Rick made it up on stage and he has it. Thanks to the keyboard player for seeing it and getting it up there for Rick to pick up and take with him. Here are links to the videos if you wanted to see! (the photo is of the quilt in a heap on stage)

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/CTQuilter/?action=view&current=IMG_0049.mp4

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/CTQuilter/?action=view&current=IMG_0050.mp4

Prayer Quilt

Here is a follow up post about the quilt I machine quilted for the Anglican Bishop's conference. (original post Oct. 2010) This photo show them presenting the quilt.

How much thread do I actually use?

"How much thread it takes to quilt a quilt?" It depends on the size of the quilt and the type of quilting to be done. Everyone's technique is different so the following are only averages. Of course it is possible to use much more or much less thread. These numbers are for the top thread only.

Light Quilting Medium Quilting Heavy Quilting
Lap/Crib Size 200 yds. . . . . . . 400 yds. . . . . . . 600 yds.
Twin Size 400 yds. . . . . . . 800 yds. . . . . . . 1,200 yds.
Queen Size 600 yds. . . . . 1,000 yds. . . . . . . 1,600 yds.
King Size 800 yds. . . . . . 1,400 yds. . . . . . . 2,000 yds.

I saw this chart which estimated how much thread is actually used to machine quilt different sizes of quilts. I have no way to measure with my machine so I will have to go along with these measurements. No where does it total up how much thread I cut off and throw on the floor, only to be tracked through my house and vacuumed up later on- LOL

Quilt Show week is over

Did any of you find the time to see any of the wonderful quilt shows in the local area?

I popped by the Ailsa Craig show on Thursday night and was thankful it was open late one night that week. The quilts were amazing and very artistic. Bought some purple fabric from the many vendors so our church can use it for our upcoming prayer quilts.

Friday AM I quickly stopped in the market downtown to see the CMQA show and saw Kelley and Carol who I have not seen in a long time and voted for Kelley's quilt for viewer's choice.

I then went to Perth Hall to see the merchant's mall and the Invitational Quilt Show where Heather Stewart's Snow Goose quilt was hanging and was surprised to see Willi Powell's quilt, that I quilted, there too. Both looked beautiful in the show. Unfortunately I did not get to the juried show as time was running out and it started raining and I did not want to walk across to the other building.

Hope you all found some time to get to at least one of the shows and thanks to all the hard working volunteers at all the shows.

Quilts of the Netherlands

Just a quick reminder that the Ailsa Craig Community Quilt Festival is just around the corner.

May 23rd to 28th

at the

Ailsa Craig Recreation Centre

155 Annie Ada Shipley Street

Ailsa Craig

Check out our website and blog

ailsacraigquiltfestival.org

We still have some awesome Dutch and Canadian workshops available.

We are very excited to see you again.

The Ailsa Craig Community Quilt Festival Committee

please tell all your friends about the festival

Ham and Strawberry auction quilt

Over this past year the ladies from church have been making the Fireside Log Cabin blocks in blue and white so that we can assemble them into a queen quilt that we will be including with the auction in June. The top is together and I just need to quilt it in May to have it ready for mid June. Here is a photo of the finished quilt top. The ladies have done a wonderful job and should be so proud!

update from Nicaragua

Here is an email I received last week. It is from Nancy one of the PAN liaisons who works with the few sewing Co-ops in Nicaragua. They have been busy making school uniforms as well as the quilts. Earlier they had a few quilts complete and were selling them as well!

I'm in Nicaragua right now and have been working with the girls from Pastor Juilo's church. I must say they are doing well and am pleased with their progress. I delivered the serger and bobbin winder and three walking feet.

FYI ---- I have also given Iglesias Hermosa the contract for school uniforms. I was able to see a couple of skirts they made and I must say they have done a wonderful job. You girls should be proud of what your students have achieved.

Feb. Stashbusters quilt top

I know it has taken a while to post the photo of my Stashbusters quilt from February, but here it is. I have the top done up to the sashing and will now need to work on the pieced border (hopefully on Friday)

Here is a photo so far.

Another Cheap Trick quilt ?

Just heard a rumour that Cheap Trick may be in London on July 22nd- WOW!

So I will begin yet another quilt for them to give up on stage. This time will be Rick's Uncle Dick guitar. Here is a photo of the guitar, looks like I will be using a lot of fusible on this one!

Hopscotch Stashbusters class

Well it is the night before my quilting class at Quilts and Calicos. We are making Heather Stewart's Hopscotch pattern. The instructions say there is a lot of cutting so once again I am finding myself just beginning to cut the fabric at the last minute. Not to worry, I will get it done!

Joan and Linda picked me an assortment of Thimbleberries fabric which are just beautiful. I will post a photo of a finished block on Saturday night.

The girls in Nicaragua have been busy!

Just got an e mail today showing photos of the finished blue quilt that they were hand quilting when we were in Nicaragua. Also a photo of another strip quilt for their order. They have been so busy in the 2 weeks since we left! WAY TO GO!

Finished strip baby quilts

Look at these proud faces with their finished baby quilts.

Sewing team and students