Barb Brandt (right) taught members how to make a Tool Bag for holding sewing items. Attendees (left to right) were Ann Wasescha, Cindy Templeton, Laura Alexander, Vicki Jones, Jackie Janzen, and Barb Brandt (teacher).
Arizona Quilters Guild (AQG) held our annual Quilt Show at the Mesa Convention Center on Thursday through Saturday, March 23 through March 25. There were more than 300 awesome handmade quilts from around Arizona. Desert Threads members had 10 entries this year.
Desert Threads holds classes on a variety of quilt projects. On March 20 Barbara Jansen taught her impressionistic Landscape Techniques class. Barbara gave a lecture and showed her many artistic landscape quilts at the March 8 meeting. She has won awards and has been published in Quilting Arts Magazine with her work. Our April 12 meeting will feature Peggy Morris speaking about “A Modern Take on Applique Quilts.” Peggy Morris plans to teach her technique for us in October. On Feb. 20 Barb Brandt taught a delightful class on the “A-Frame Tool Bag.” On Monday, April 17, Maryellen Swanson will teach a class to make a Travel Trolley Bag to fit on a rolling suitcase. Attendees appreciated Diana Jones’ informative workshop about “Sewing an Accurate 1/4-inch Seam” on March 1. Another informative workshop by Diana, about sewing “Triangles on a Roll,” is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5.
Jody Edwards keeps busy as our Community Service chairperson. She finds interesting patterns, puts kits together, and coordinates our members making quilts and delivering to the local charities Desert Threads supports. We receive support for this effort from grants and donations. Monetary grants have been received from Sun Lakes Area Foundation, the Arizona Quilters Guild, and a financial match to a member for their hours of volunteering.
If you want more information about Desert Threads or our quilt-related activities, send an email to [email protected]. You can also check out AQG, our parent organization, at www.arizonaquiltersguild.org. Desert Threads is a local chapter of AQG. We accept any and all members with interest in quilts, regardless of residency. Bring your friends. Our monthly meetings start with social time at 9 a.m. on the second Wednesday of every month in the Phoenix Room of the Cottonwood Computer Center. We start our meeting at 9:30 a.m. and feature a guest speaker or special activity, along with announcements and Show and Tell.