Wanted: Quiltmaker

***A local person has asked if anyone is interested in making a "t-shirt" quilt for her.
Any takers? Call me for the name and contact number.

Do you have the Southern Iowa Shop Hop on your calender? It is Feb. 2-3-4-5.
Quilt with Us in Lucas gave me a sneak preview. The quilt had small blocks with each shop doing 5 in 30's fabric. Colorful and springlike. You'll like it. If you go to all 7 shops, you will be eligible for the grand prize - an Elna sewing machine $999. value!! Plus each shop has 20% off fabric and that includes our favorite shop in our own backyard - Robinsons in Osceola.

Murder Mystery

Do you like a mystery? An online shop hop with mystery clues has started in January.
Read all about it.
www.quiltingismurder.com

January meeting was cancelled because of the weather. Hope the weather is better for the February 14th meeting.
Should have a great show and share with everyone staying inside and working on their UFo"s!
Stay warm.

January Meeting

Don't forget the meeting Monday, January 10th at 7pm at the REC. If Clarke school is cancelled or has an early out due to weather- the meeting will be cancelled. Iowa winter weather- got to love it. Be safe on the roads. Looks like snow is in the forecast.

Got cabin fever and want to come early and sew, the room will be open after 12:30.
Blue team will be sewing on the binding of their quilt for Quilts of Valor - started 11-11-10 and finished on 01-10-11.

I am looking forward to show and share. Bring what you are working on or have finished.

Colleen will be introducing a new project for club members. It will be a block of the month that you can make with fabric of your choosing. Members will bring the block or blocks they have made to the next meeting. She has a sample to show so it will not be a "mystery".
I am thinking Christmas fabric is on sale......the quilt could be done by next Christmas.....everyone should have a Christmas quilt or two.

Mark your calender for the Southern Iowa Shop Hop -Stars Across Iowa- Feb 2,3,4,5.
Seven shops- free pattern in each shop- 20% off regular priced fabric. Visit all shops to enter the grand prize drawing- Elna Sewing Machine ($999 retail)

More Holiday Favorite Recipes

This recipe is from my Aunt Jan and has been a family favorite on Christmas morning.

DANISH SQUARES

6 cups of flour

6 T. of sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup oleo (2 sticks)

Cut shortening into dry ingredients.

1 1/4 c. milk

3 eggs- separate. Beat yolks with milk. Save egg whites.

Mix package of yeast with 1/2 c. warm water

Add to rest of ingredients, cover and let stand overnight in refrigerator.

In the morning, spread the dough on 2 greased cookie sheets (11 x 13" pan)

Beat egg whites until frothy. Spread on dough. Add brown sugar and cinnamon

to the top. Let rise 2 hours. Bake 20 min at 350 degrees

Drizzle powdered sugar frosting on top.

CARMEL FRUIT DIP - this is always good for a fruit tray

1 package 8 oz. soft cream cheese

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring

3/4 teaspoon of carmel flavoring

Mix together and serve with apple slices, bananas, grapes.

HEAVENLY HOT FUDGE SAUCE -

1/2 c. butter

2 square of bitter chocolate

3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tall can of evaporated milk or 1 2/3 c. of cream

Melt butter, then add chocolate. When melted add sugar

gradually. Slowly stir in evaporated milk.

Cool until sugar is dissolved.

Enjoy on ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Happy Holidays

Cookie Time

Have you made any Christmas cookies? This recipe is one everyone will love.

Carla's Snickerdoodle Cookies
3 1/2 cups flour
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. light corn syrup
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping: In a small bowl, stir 1 cup sugar and 1 T. cinnamon together and set aside

Measure dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, add sugar and mix thoroughly. Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Cover bowl and chill for about 1 hour.
Roll balls of dough bout the size of a walnut and roll in the cinnamon sugar topping to coat.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
Cookies will puff sightly and the surface is slightly cracked.
Let cookies cool on cookie sheet a few minutes then move to wire rack to finish cooling.

Carla said her dad loves these cookies and she likes to keep him stocked up.
I think they would go great with a cup of tea or cocoa.
Merry Christmas!

December meeting

The December meeting was held with ten members present.
Members donated toys for the "Toys for Christmas" program.
Christmas quilts were shared along with Christmas gifts members have made
(quilts, wall hangings, journals)
Old business:

• Debbie E. brought the last row quilt top that is completed.
• Drawing will be at January meeting with all row quilts present.
• Quilts of Valor - no report from red team, blue team showed a pillowcase they made and quilt is being returned from volunteer long arm quilter. White team's quilt top is completed and they will be requesting a long arm quilter after Christmas.
• T-shirt designed for quilt group by Porter's prints needs approval.

New Business

1. Colleen plans to give instuctions for a block of the month for members starting in January. Members will choose their own fabrics.
2. Joyce from Quilts and other Notions will be scheduled to come to a meeting in February or March.
3. A trip to Sisters, Oregon for the 35th annual outdoor quilt show held July 9th was discussed. Airfare from Des Moines to Portland, Oregon, hotel for 5 nights, car rental, 9 quilt shops, lots of fun -- priceless. Sandy has a tentative itinerary.

Machine quilting was discussed. Here is a web site of a blogger trying to spend an hour a day machine quilting
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays!!

Countdown to Christmas

***Christmas Quilt with Laurel Burch fabric and panel designed and made by Sandy E.

Do you have projects to finish before Christmas? Open sewing on Saturday,
December 11 from 8:30 - ?? at the REC building. BYOSM- (bring your own sewing
machine). Get away from the phone and interuptions. Also bring a favorite Christmas CD.

Looking for a Christmas stocking pattern. Maywood Studio offers free patterns
on their web site: http://www.eeschenck.com/default.asp?SuperStore=348&s=348

There are several cute stockings.

Saturday, I went to see the quilt show in Creston and gathered the patterns for 12 quilt blocks in the Creston downtown stores. The blocks were designed
by Joyce Franklin at "Quilts and Other Notions" and a sample
in the shop showed the quilt set together.
So many quilts- not enough time!