March 15th 2025 Minutes and images

Meeting Minutes – March 15, 2025

Attendance

Twelve members were present: Joan, Mary, Barbara, Andrea, Carmen, Rocio, Sue, Judy, Roberta, Christine, Ashleyhope, and Lynne.

Five members brought work for critique.

Book Club Update

• Three members have signed up for the book club. Those interested should contact Michaela.
• Finding Your Own Visual Language by Jane Dunnewold is out of print. Jane has granted permission for Michaela to scan and distribute copies. She has also agreed to join a Zoom session with the group.

Announcements

• Happy Birthday, Andrea! 🎉
• April Retreat: Six members (excluding Joan) have signed up. The retreat will take place the weekend after Easter and will replace the general meeting for April.
• Blog Participation: Members interested in contributing to the blog should email Ashleyhope (ahc1@uwyo.edu). She will share the link, and a blog introduction session may be scheduled later in the year.

Project Updates

• Members are encouraged to communicate any changes in their work, including piece sizes and direction. No concerns—just keep the group informed.

May Meeting Focus: Finishing Techniques

The upcoming meeting will cover:

• Hanging methods
• Edge finishes
• Blocking (flattening a piece)
• Various framing options

If members would like specific demonstrations, they should let the group know. Barbara inquired about blocking techniques if her piece is completed by May, and it was confirmed that this can be accommodated.

Demonstrations & Tips

Sue’s Free Motion Quilting Tips

• Use stabilizer early in the process.
• When stopping, remove your foot from the pedal.
• Maintain a steady rhythm.
• Always stop with the needle down.
• Plan ahead for when to add batting.

Labeling and Signing Artwork

• Labeling on the front is common; some members also sign their pieces.

Member Showcases

• Barbara shared a piece from Mary featuring metallic thread and beading in a spider web design.
• Mary discussed themes of family relationships and the decisions we make about what to inherit from our ancestors.
• Christine presented several needle-turn appliqué pieces.
• Roberta demonstrated Jean Wells-style curved piecing.
• Joan showcased multiple pieces featuring the Trapunto technique.
• Judy displayed a fabric wall piece and a quilt created for hospice care.

Adjournment

The meeting concluded at 11:30 AM.

 Work by Barbara

work by Mary

 work by Sue

 work by Christine

 work from Roberta

work by Joan

work by Judy

Hospice Quilt by Judy!

 

LAQ Minutes- Saturday February 15th 2025

 

Minutes: LAQ Meeting

📅 Date: February 15th
🕤 Time: 9:30-10:45 AM Demo 10:45-

1. Introductions

• Welcome and general introductions.

2. Donation Table

• The donation table is always available—bring any items to donate.
• Small contributions help fund our shows and support the group.

3. Retreat Planning 🏡

📅 Dates: April 25th-27th
📍 Location: Joan’s House

• A sign-up sheet is available to assist with planning. Please reach out to Michaella.
• Meals: Food preferences are important—please indicate any dietary needs.
• Accommodations:
  • 4 bedrooms with queen beds available.
  • Option to bring an air mattress.
  • Lydia can accommodate two people.
  • Space for up to 10 attendees.
• Carpooling encouraged.
• Joan is available to assist with planning.
• Backup locations (if roads are closed):
  • Stratford Center 
  • Methodist Church.
  • Final decision on backup location to be made next month with those participating.

4. Uncommon Threads Exhibition (August) 🎨

📅 Show Setup: Thursday, August 14th, 9:00 AM- until....

• Advertising Team: Judy, Ashleyhope, Kathleen, and Sue will assist in distributing posters.
• Hanging show: Volunteers needed.
• Labels & QR Codes:
  • Barbara and Andrea will create labels with names, prices, and create QR codes for artist statements. ( Ashleyhope can put these on the blog is we want) 

📅 March Meeting:

• Show and Tell
• Bring pieces in any stage of completion for the exhibition for critique.
• Ashleyhope shared a critique sheet via email. ( went out Feb 15th)

📅 June Meeting:

• Bring work to the UW Sculpture Studio (Ashleyhope).
  📍 Corner of 22nd & Willett, North Parking Lot. 865-207-1425 ( cell # is you are lost)
• A form is being circulated for artwork details:
  • Name, approximate size, possible title.
• Around 13 artists are interested in participating so far. Yay!

💳 Sales & Pricing Discussion:

• Many art cards still available for sale.
• Wendy asked about the number of artists in the last show.- 10-12 participated.
• Parameters for work to be sold:
  • Artwork should be original.
  • Using a pattern as a starting point is fine, but the design must be unique.
  • Example: Jean Wells Design—uses technique, but Christy will create her own design.
• Pricing discussion will continue in March. Mary K. Has handouts to share.

🎨 Show Goals:

• Showcase art quilts to the community.
• Display our creative work.
• Attract new members.

🍷 Event Hospitality:

• Sue will handle wine—no permit required.
• Food contributions are welcome from LAQ members.

5. Next Book Club/Group Discussion 📚

• Last Free Motion Quilting group meeting was on Friday.

📖 Book Suggestions for next group:

• Finding Your Own Visual Language (out of print).
• Creative Strength Training.
• Visual Guide to Working in a Series.
• Intuitive Color and Design – Jean Wells.
• Vibrant Quilt Collage.
• Creative Quilts.
• Color and Composition for the Creative Quilter.
• Art + Quilt.
• Website: Sherri Lynn Wood.

📅 Reading & Discussion Plan:

• Read one chapter at a time and meet to discuss.
• Allows time to apply concepts to quilting projects.
• Meetings tentatively scheduled for late March and April. Days/times TBD

6. Other Announcements

🛒 JoAnn's Store Closures:

• All JoAnn stores are at risk of closure, including Loveland and Cheyenne.
• Fort Collins store is safe for now.

🎨 Call for Art – New Hospital in Pinedale

• Submission Deadline: February 21st.

🐑 Wyoming Sheep & Wool Show – July
📅 Entry Opens: March 1st.
📅 Submission Deadline: June.

• Includes both an art show and wool competition.
• 🔗 Wyoming Sheep & Wool Festival Website.

🖨 Thermofax Demonstration

Hospice Quilt from Barbara:

LAQ Minutes/Notes January 19th 2025

 

Show and Tell

Hospice Quilt #1 for 2025

Judy quilt

Found quilt that Brett will work with for a hospice quilt

Sue's Beautiful hand work!

pieces and parts are from New York trip with Lydia

More from Judy

and another...amazing!!

Brett's beautiful vessel crocheted and washed/felted. 

Meeting Minutes from final 2024 Meeting

 

Judy:

Sue:

Rhonda:

Barbara:

Sue:

Meeting Minutes from September 16, 2024

 Mary Koenig ran the meeting to order as Barbara was out of town. Carmen Clayton took minutes. 

A number of new people were in attendance so we all went around and introduced ourselves.

Judy and Wendi's demonstration was moved to November. Please bring beading material to that meeting.

Lydia brought out the silk painting that some members did at the August meeting. She showed us how to wash them out.

ArtFest was discussed. There weren't as many vendors or visitors as in previous years The postcards sold well.Dolly's purses sold. We grossed $155 and made a profit of $63.33.

During dye days we took in $155 and spent $5 on ice so profited $150.00. 

LAQ has $1500.00 in our checking account. 

For the new people it was explained that dues are $25 per year. The perks of membership include being able to participate in dye days, taking classes at a discounted rate, and buy bulk dyeable cotton fabric. The fabric order is a minimum of 25 meters. It comes in 419 (a batik weight) and 400, which is a looser weave. Michaella also mentioned the donation table where we can bring in items we don't want and people can pick them up for a donation.

Mary talked about planning for 2025 mentioning things we have done in the past:

 Projects/goals/challenges usually take place 2-3 times a year. 

Michaella has run the book club since 2017 and suggested we do Creative Strength Training again. 

Road trips are always an option and are fun.

Accountability groups were discussed as a check in and support. 

Classes are also popular and LAQ pays half the tuition. We should think about outside teachers.

Many people have participated in making hospice quilts which are generally around 54X70 inches. We have done Zoom and in person work days for them as well as other projects. In person is particularly effective for pinning, basting, and kit cutting. Joan offered her space for a work day in late spring or early fall. We would need to prepare material to take down to her place. Barb and Mary have patterns. It was suggested they bring them to the next meeting.

 

There will be a UFO swap at the December meeting.

Are we ready for a show next year> There was discussion that we should have one to keep it consistent, get our name out there, and promote fiber art. We already have a good template for publicity. It was discussed to let the fiber guild join the show. We are aiming for next August 15-17 as well as using the SOK gallery again. We will make more plans in January. Michaella, Rhonda, Brett, Mary, and Barbara were the steering committee last time.

In October we will solidify the schedule for the next year. We need to think about what kind of demos we want, workdays, and when we want show and tell (every 3 months). Suggestions for demos include jelly plates, sculpey, and thermofax screens. 

In November will be Wendi and Judy's bead demo.

On December 14 is the Christmas party.and the results of the UFO trade.

Jody mentioned that the iron pour at the University will be October 18 at 6 pm. The scratch blocks are available from 3-7.

We did show and tell with several completed items and lots of examples of what came out of dye days.

 Here is a Hospice quilt that Mary Corcoran pieced before she left and Dolly Kerr quilted.  Amazing, huh?

notes from May 18, 2024 meeting

 

Laramie Art Quilters

Meeting Notes

May 18, 2024

* Dye Days

We briefly talked about Dye Days (July 18-20 at Ashley’s Sculpture Studio in the visual Arts building on the UW campus). For the benefit of new members, Mary explained that the event is not a class, that we all experiment with techniques on our own, but we are all happy to explain what we are doing to newcomers. Mary also distributed a list of the current inventory of dyes and other supplies for Dye Days. If you want to order other colors, clothing or other items from Dharma Trading (www.dharmatrading.com) , please send your list to Mary by the end of June. We will talk more about dye Days at the June meeting.

* Art festival at Ivinson Mansion, July 14

We will be participating in this event, selling small items and (hopefully) notecards. We voted on a 20% commission to LAQ on any sales made at the event. Members can also donate items to LAQ who will receive the full sales amount. We also agreed that items for sale are limited to quilted pieces. Please bring pieces to the June meeting to be photographed for the notecards.

* Spring Book Club show & tell

Michaella and the participants in this spring’s book club showed the results of their study of Jean Well’s Intuitive Color & Design.

* Experiments with Sheers

Several members participated in this experiment. Sadly, the chief cat herder neglected to take photographs of them!

* UFO trades

Every item offered for trade was taken by someone. We decided that the results should be shown at the December meeting (rather than October).

* Other show & tell

Joan Fulton explained how she chose the quilting patterns for two hospice quilts. She also talked about using fabric dye as paint on two of her own quilted pieces. Mary explained how she uses two batting layers to create dimension in her pieces.

We had a great time exchanging ideas and tips throughout the meeting. Our next gathering will be on Saturday, June 22, with Rocio giving a demonstration of her embroidery techniques.