April 24, 2021 – “One Colour Challenge” Workshop
The “One Colour Challenge” Workshop is being offered on April 24, 2021 from 10 – 12 am. This is a two hour workshop that is suitable for everyone. There is a $20 fee. See the April newsletter for registration and payment details. A link will be sent to you to join the workshop on Zoom prior to the date.
There is some minimal preparation for the workshop, the supply list will be sent to you after you have registered. — Janet M.
Cheryl Arkison Bio
Back when I started quilting it was practically unheard of for a 23 year old to do so, but there I was. Now, over 20 
years later I haven’t stopped. In addition to my own creative work, I love to teach, write books, spread the gospel of improv, and design quilts. Every now and then I make a garment, my Grade 8 Home Ec Teacher would be proud.
When it comes to making, I am happy to make what inspires. I am well known for my use of bold colour and the quiet whispers of low volume fabrics but I will use anything in between as well. Use what you love, make what makes you happy. Just get your butt in the seat and sew.
In the past decade I’ve published three books: Sunday Morning Quilts (co-authored with Amanda Jean Nyberg), A Month of Sundays, and You Inspire Me to Quilt. I’ve also travelled the world to teach quilting. In between I am raising 3 active kids and running a business with my husband. Sometimes, I sleep.
http://www.cherylarkison.com/
Covid Challenge
Love in the time of Covid
Paddy and Mary would like to issue a challenge to VQG members. We would like you to make:
- A small quilt (18″ X24″) … Maximum size … can be smaller … if you wish.
- Depicting what you loved during this stressful time of COVID: It can represent: a person or people whom you got (were forced) to spend time with in 2020, OR a favourite activity you found you had time to pursue (such as finishing off some UFO), OR maybe taking up sour-dough bread making, OR jig-saw puzzles, OR some other activity you were able to do while going through the past year.
- It must contain a plant, flower, fruit or vegetable or some form of vegetation from at least ONE of the following: (a) your home province, (b) a place where you spent a lot of fabulous time, OR (c) your homeland ( if you were not born in Canada).
- Finished Challenge pieces will be shown at the Dec. 2nd, 2021 meeting either in-person or via Zoom.
- Prize-winners names will be drawn that night.
Good luck and we are anxious to see what LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID looks like for you.
— Paddy M. and Mary B.
Works in Progress 2020 Program
Open those bins, go through those piles, and search your closets.
Pull out all of your unfinished works.
Either donate them to the free table, or join us for the 2020 WIP Program which is now underway.
You must show your completed item(s) at a Show and Tell during the year (2020) to be eligible for the draw in December. Full details are in the February newsletter.
Loretta R.
2019/20 Charity Quilt Challenge
OUR SEVENTH ANNUAL! Wow … this is lucky number seven! The rules are same as before, with one addition – The PANEL CHALLENGE COMPONENT. This does NOT mean that you have to use a panel – it just adds a bit more variety and challenges our creativity. As before, all VQG MEMBERS are invited to participate in this Challenge – Regular portion or Panel portion. The purpose of the Challenge is two-fold: (1) to encourage our members to make a quilt for Charity, and (2) to have fun while doing just that. Each Charity quilt shown at a VQG meeting entitles its maker to a ticket for some prizes which will be drawn at the June 2020 meeting. Here are the rules:
- Your Charity quilt must be completed and turned in by the June 2020 meeting – so please plan to bring your quilt to that meeting.
- Give your name and number of Charity quilts you have completed and pick up ticket(s) for the draw from our “tally counter”.
- YES, Charity quilts shown and already turned in at an earlier VQG meeting are eligible for the draw – again just give the info to our “tally counter”.
- SIZE: YOU DETERMINE THE SIZE AND TYPE OF QUILT YOU WISH TO MAKE: BABY; CRIB; TEEN; ADULT; SENIOR; WHEELCHAIR; LAP or any other size/type.
- Your Charity quilt will be distributed to various organizations, some of which in the past have included: Quilts of Valor; Sunny Hill Hospital; Wilson Heights United Church; Central City Lodge; Atira House (women’s shelter); Children’s Hospital ICU & Oncology; ST. Paul’s Neo-natal Unit; Union Gospel Mission men’s quarters; Brock Farnhi (Veteran’s unit) Hospital; Ronald McDonald and Union Gospel Mission Sanctuary (new mothers & babies).
- If you wish to have your quilt go to a specific location … no problem … JUST SAFETY-PIN A NOTE TO YOUR QUILT STATING JUST THAT. We will see that it gets to where you want it to go.
As I have stated with each one of the last six Challenges: All of us, who have made a quilt to be passed on to a stranger-in-need, knows the special feeling of joy you have when you make a quilt for someone you will probably never meet. However, you know that you have touched their lives, and you know that you have done a really nice thing.
Mary B.
2018 Quilt Show Challenge – Singin’ (and Quiltin’) in the Rain
I usua
lly have a song playing in my head as I go about my day. Right now as I write this in late November, the song is Singing in the Rain. (I wish it was Blue Skies Smilin’ At Me). Some members of my family love the rain and call themselves children of the rain forest. I just want to go back to bed and pull a quilt over my head. Oh well, it’s Vancouver where we say “at least we don’t have to shovel it” and “we don’t tan, we rust!”. Our Guild challenge for 2018 is our Quilt Show Challenge and it’s about rain.
SINGIN’ (AND QUILTIN’) IN THE RAIN: Choose a song about rain. It must have the word “rain” (or rainy, raining, etc.) in the title. I found 205 songs about rain on my computer in 5 minutes. (Here’s a list of just a few.) Even if we 
all did Purple Rain, each of us would make an original and interesting piece. Make a small quilt that represents your interpretation of the song or just the title. The outside perimeter or circumference cannot exceed 120” but it can be any shape. You must use at least one embellishment and the colour yellow has to appear somewhere on your piece. We need that glimmer of bright colour to brighten up the dark days.
Andrea G.
2018 Charity Quilt Challenge
ALL VQG MEMBERS are invited to participate in the FIFTH ANNUAL CHARITY QUILT CHALLENGE!!! The purpose of this challenge is to: encourage members to make a quilt for charity and to have fun doing just that! Each finished Charity quilt shown at a VQG meeting entitles its maker to a ticket in the June 2018 draw for prizes.
Here are the rules:
• Your Charity quilt must be completed and turned in by the June 2018 meeting – so please plan to bring your quilt to this June meeting and have your name entered in to the draw for a prize. Yes, Charity quilts already turned in this fiscal year (July 2017 – June 2018) in count – so make sure you get a ticket for the draw in June 2018.
• Your Charity quilt may be made for a Baby, Child, Teen, Adult, or Senior. YOU determine who you wish to make the quilt for!
• Your Charity quilt may be ANY SIZE: baby, child, lap, single bed, double bed, queen or king size. YOU determine the size you wish to make.
• Your Charity quilt will be distributed to various deserving organizations. In the past, these have included: Quilts of Valor; Sunnyhill Hospital; Wilson Heights United Church; Central City Lodge; ATIRA House (women’s shelter); Children’s Hospital – ICU & Oncology depts.; St. Paul’s Neonatal; Union Gospel Mission; Brock Farnhi (Veterans’ unit) hospital; and Fort McMurray, Alberta to help the fire victims.
• If you wish to have your quilt go to a specific location… no problem…. just (safety) pin a note to it stating that…. and we will see that it will get to where you would like it to go. Please do not plan to just tell me where you want your quilt sent (coz I ain’t gonna remember). All of us who have ever made a quilt to be passed on to a stranger-in-need know the special feeling of joy you feel when you take the time to make a quilt for someone you will probably never meet…. but you know that you have done a really nice thing.
Mary B.