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Next Meeting:
February 21, 2009
Cedar Heights Community Center
1200 Glen Willow Drive
Seat Pleasant, MD

  Agenda:

  11:00 a.m.
  Workshop
  12:30 noon
  Business Meeting
  1:30 p.m.
  Refreshments (bring your own)
  2:00 p.m.
  - Show & Tell
  - Committee Meetings

 

Note:  Please turn all cell phones to vibrate during the meeting.

Remember your nametag!!

Coordinator's Message

February 2009

Wasn’t the Inaugural weekend exhilarating? My relatives, coworkers, and friends who braved the cold to witness history spoke of how nice people were to each other down on the Mall. There was a feeling of unity and hope and a willingness to roll up our collective sleeves and begin anew. Some members spent Martin Luther King Day in service of others. Whether it was helping to refurbish a school building, packing kits for soldiers, or food baskets for the needy or quilting, be prepared at February’s meeting to share your experience.

If you have not already done so, please visit the exhibit of Obama quilts at the DC Historical Society. There is also another exhibit opening at Montgomery College. And, above all, don’t forget the Open House on Saturday, February 7, for Uhuru’s exhibit in Annapolis at the Miller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen Street. All are welcome. Be prepared to show ID to enter the building. Check our Calendar of Events for more information.

Don’t forget the bus trip at the end of the month to the Hampton Quilt Festival. There will be hundreds of quilts on exhibit and vendors galore. Contact Tammie Morrow to reserve your seat. Contact the membership chairs (Dawn Felix and Renea Bailey) if you wish to purchase an Uhuru T-shirt for the event.

Camilla Younger and Vinnie Best have volunteered to coordinate refreshments. Please contact them about which month you will contribute and what your contribution will be.

Uhuru turns 15 in March 2009! Bring ideas to the February meeting as to how we might celebrate such a momentous occasion, especially since the third Saturday in March is also National Quilting Day. Also bring your wits and quilting knowledge. There will be a contest on African American quilters for Black History month.

Sewfully,
Carol

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness." Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, January 20, 2009.

Uhuru Quilters Guild Road Trip to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XX, Hampton, VA February 28, 2009*

You do not want to miss the first Uhuru Road Trip of 2009!! This year we have two options: 

Option 1 - $65 per person - No Refunds (replacements accepted). Price includes round trip deluxe bus transportation, one day admission to the show, and a buffet dinner and soft drink at the Golden Corral restaurant.

Option 2 - $55 per person - No Refunds (replacements accepted). Price includes round trip deluxe bus transportation and one day admission to the show.

ITINERARY (Note - times are approximate):
7:00 a.m. - Leave from Constellation Centre (next to Home Depot),
                   6009 Oxon Hill Rd., Oxon Hill, MD
10:00 a.m. - arrive at the Quilt Show
4:00 p.m. - Leave for Restaurant
5:45 p.m. - Pick up Option 2 people from quilt show
6:00 p.m. - Leave for Oxon Hill, MD
9:00 p.m. - Return to Constellation Centre, Oxon Hill, MD

Note: the bus trip is limited 50 people; you must pay in advance to reserve your seat. Incremental payments (no less than $25) may be made up to January 17, 2009. Final payment is due February 21, 2009.

Refer any questions to Tammie at tammietrekkie@yahoo.com

*BYOS - "Bring your own water and snacks"   

Sandra Duncan will display her quilt United We Stand - Tribute to Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA, February 26 - March 1, 2009.

A Very Happy Birthday to Myra Sumpter (6th); JoAnn McNair (7th); Carolyn Burgess (11th); Sara Vogt-Knox (15th); Dawn Parker (16th); and Felicia Few (23rd)

The Charm Exchange Jackie Tyson-Hope, Chair

The fabrics to be exchanged in February are "geometrics" in 5x45 inch jellyrolls and 5-1/2 inch squares.

The following 14 members signed up for February 5x45 jellyrolls: Elsie Houston, Lynora Williams, CC Flowe, Jackie Stafford, Felicia Few, Tammie Morrow, Jennifer Morris, Camilla Younger, Vinnie Best, Dawn Felix, Betty Phillips, Deborah Kinsey, Sarita Brewer, and Gwen Hunt.

The following 9 members signed up for the 6-1/2 x 6-1/2" squares: CC Flowe, Nadine Mills, Felicia Few, Denise Davis, Pat Johnson, Cynthia York, Jennifer Morris, Dawn Felix, and Gwen Hunt.

The complete 2009 schedule is posted separately.

Block of the Month Jackie Tyson-Hope, Chair

For 2009 I would like to do the Underground Railroad folklore blocks, since there will be opportunity to complete them within the year. Find the complete list here.

February Block of the Month - Dresden Plate. This will be a nice block for beginners as well as intermediate levels. You can find the Dresden Plate pattern at Quilters' Cache: http://quilterscache.com/D/DresdenPlateBlock.html

Just Sew You Know...

Interesting sites I thought you might like visiting

- Crazy Mom Quilts

Check the links on the right-hand side; she has a fun quilt-along where she works on a block a week. She finished an amazing 34 quilts in 2008!
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com

- Make it Simpler

She has a lot of helpful hints and tips for beginner and intermediate quilters. Be sure to check out her instructional videos from Simply Quilts! http://www.makeitsimpler.com

Sew Help Me... Tips to boost your creativity

You can substitute Downey 'Ultra' Fabric Softener for Bubble Jet Set

I found this tip on the quilt.net site and it works pretty good: Get unscented fabric softener and dilute it half and half with water. Soak fabric in the solution, saturating it well - it doesn't have to soak long. Squeeze excess solution out of the fabric and hang or lay flat to dry. When it's dry, iron it flat and cut to size to go through your ink jet printer. Back with freezer paper (which doesn't want to stick very well to the fabric softener, but it will eventually) or a page-sized Avery label. Clip off the corners (just tiny clips) of the edge that goes first into the printer and print.

Let the printed image sit overnight, then remove the backing paper and rinse carefully in a sinkful of coolish water to remove the fabric softener. Blot it with a towel, so it's not sopping wet and hang to dry. Now it's ready to use. I have used PFD white from Kaufman, muslin and plain white fabrics, all with good results.

Quilters' Recipes

Piccadilly Cafeteria Carrot Souffle (Tammie Morrow)

4 lbs peeled carrots; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 1 Tbsp baking powder; 1 Tbsp vanilla; 6 eggs; 1/2 lb margarine; 1/4 cup flour.

Steam or boil carrots until extra soft. Drain well. While carrots are warm, add sugar, baking powder and vanilla. Whip with mixer until smooth. Add flour and mix well. Whip eggs and add to flour mixture, blend well. Add softened margarine to mixture and blend well. Pour mixture into 8x12 baking dish about half full, as the souffle will rise. Bake in 350 °F oven about 1 hour or until top is a light golden brown. Sprinkle lightly over top with powdered sugar before serving.

Education Committee
Serita Brewer

Upcoming Quilt Shows, Contests, Offers, Exhibit Opportunities...

Disclaimer: Notices posted in this section are included for information purposes only, as a courtesy to the sponsoring organization or person. Unless it is specifically listed as a Guild-sponsored event, Uhuru Quilters Guild assumes no responsibility for any arrangements between the sponsor and their client.

Quilters Hall of Fame Quilt Contest They Left Their Mark: Celebrating the Honorees of The Quilters Hall of Fame To participate in the TQHF 2009 Quilt Challenge, select one of the Honorees of The Quilters Hall of Fame who has influenced you or your work in some special way and interpret this influence in a new work. Your challenge will be a salute one of our Honorees.  It is a great opportunity to use your own creative instincts. Intent to Enter Form and fee is to be received by June 1, 2009. Click HERE for a printable contest entry form. You may review a brief biography of each Honoree at www.quiltershalloffame.net for ideas, or purchase the book "The Quilters Hall of Fame" which contains the story of each Honoree.

President Obama: A Celebration in Art Quilts Location: Montgomery College Cafritz Art Center, 150 King St., Silver Spring, MD Dates: February 9 - March 5, 2009. Opening Reception: Friday, February 13th. Call Center for exact time of reception. Regular Gallery Hours M-F, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery Phone: 240.567.1368 This show, organized by Susan Walen, is an exhibit of artquilts created by an all-volunteer, grass-roots, multi-ethnic group of fiber artists from all across the United States and as far away as Australia. Our work is in tribute to our new President, in gratitude for the hope and inspiration he has brought us. We present these art quilts to celebrate this moment in our country's history. You can read Susan's December 2008 interview about the show and her own "Dear Mr. Obama... " quilt on the Quilter's Save Our Stories site.

The Baltimore Heritage Quilters' Guild presents Quilt Expo 2009, March 14-15, 2009 Goucher College Campus Sports & Recreation Center 1021 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, Maryland, 21204 Show Hours: Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 - 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission: $7; advance tickets: $6 (group of 5 or more advance tickets - $5 per person) Featuring • over 100 quilts • BHQG's 2009 raffle quilt • Vendors • Members' Quiltique • Technique Demonstrations • Award-winning featured quilter - Didi Salvatierra For further information visit baltimorequilters.com Click on QuiltExpo2009 - tickets for group and advance sales

New Quilt Shop It is our pleasure to announce the opening of our new quilt shoppe located in Westminster, Md. A Piece of My Heart 63 E.Main Street - lower level rear Westminster, MD 21157 (410) 751-5552 www.apieceofmyheartshoppe.com Our store hours will be: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 4-9 Wed, closed Sat 9-5 Sun 12-5 Guild members show your membership card and receive 10% off your purchase. Please join us for our GRAND OPENING celebration on Saturday, February 14th, 2009. The fun starts at 9:00 am.

Uhuru Quilters Guild Exhibit Uhuru Quilters Guild's latest exhibit, An American Sampler, is located in the third floor gallery of the Miller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD. The building is open Monday - Friday from 9:00AM - 5:00PM, excluding holidays. Visitors to the building must show ID. The exhibit, featuring patriotic quilts and quilts honoring Obama comes down on February 27. Courtesy of Senator Nathaniel Exum, we will be able to have an Open House on Saturday, February 7, from 10:00AM - 3:00PM. Please invite your friends and neighbors, church members and co-workers to share in this experience with us. Light refreshments will be served.