Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful start of your NEW YEAR!

To each of our area quilters and those who follow us from a distance - we send our wishes for a blessed and family focused Holiday season.

May your hearts be filled with love and family, the joy of travel if that is part of your plan, and most of all, time for the creative needle arts you all love so much.

Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year as we gear up for the planning, publicity and best of all THE QUILTS that will be rolling in with their entry forms as January and February approach.

Safe travels and see you in the classrooms, the Guild meetings, at our Community Quilts day gatherings and at the local shops.

Please remember the quilting friends we all know who may need a ride to January - March meetings, and do check in on those you know who are home bound this winter.

Happy Holidays one and ALL!!!

Your Kingston Heirloom Quilters Group and Limestone Quilters Guild Executive and Quilts Kingston Committee members

NEW EXHIBIT for Quilts Kingston 2015 invites children who quilt to join us in sharing their quilts!

The Quilts Kingston-2015 planning committee is introducing a new entry category to the Exhibition for this next year.

 "Quilts by Children". 

We welcome quilts made by children in our community.

There are no rules except that the child must be sponsored for entry by a member of the Limestone Quilters Guild or Kingston Heirloom Quilters Group.

 

Any child may enter a quilted item in the show as long as the item meets the following guidelines:

1)    Child is 14 years or under at any time during 2015.

2)    Item circumference does not exceed 240 inches. (e.g. 60 inches square)

3)    Child must be sponsored by a LQG or KHQ member.  A member may sponsor only one child.

4)    Entry could be done by one child or done as a group entry.

5)    Child must sew the quilt top and the binding.  Quilting does not need to be done by child.

6)    Items will not be judged.

7)    All children, whether as an individual or as a group, will receive a participation ribbon.

 

So hoping for a great response for this exhibit. If your child is making quilts or if you know of a child who has always wanted to make his or her own quilt, please contact the Guild/Group and meet with a member who might provide some help or guidance along the way and sponsor the quilt for our Show.

 

Show Contacts:

Anne Dickson  Limestone Guild  - anne.dickson@sympatico.ca

Margaret Henshaw: Kingston Heirloom Quilters  - henshaw@sympatico.ca

 

The season for FINISHING your Qults is underway... and before the holidays arrive, get stitching!

from Joann Sharpe's free form Lettering, as posted by Cherie Haas,
Online Editor to Cloth Paper Scissors Today Nov. 7, 2014
 



Just a reminder as you go into this slower and more stitch focused season of shorter days and LONG evenings for stitching and 'making' of new quilts or other fibre projects , to take your thoughts, talents and joy each day to the place in your life where you develop new ideas and take the studio focused action that all new stitch work requires.

 

For me... it's taking weaving lessons and learning to bring the new "Fanny" floor loom (actually 14 years old) in my studio become a useful and enjoyable tool for all new art cloth. Finishing a baby quilt for our new grandson Luke, born October 27th. And soon, 'framing in' the two bed quilts I want to submit to Quilts Kingston in February...much work to do.

 

Make QUILTS be the focus ... visit exhibitions, shops, sales and meetings of your favourite groups/Guilds - all abundant in this month of November. Take time to visit websites/blogs of the quilters you love and include them in your lives. Take a friend along on a day trip to see a quilt show, and be sure to say THANK YOU to someone who has been an inspiration to you or helped you out along the way.

Bethany

So here we are - just two days away from NOVEMBER... is your quilt in the frame or on the machine bed??

Quilters across Kingston, ON and area are starting to really begin the "making" required to get their submissions for the QUILTS KINGSTON 2015 Show and Sale underway ... both the Kingston Heirloom Quilters and the members of the Limestone Quilters Guild are working on their quilts, Members' Boutique items and their consignment piecess that could be part of the sale room.

 

Having just come back from the beautiful Quilt Show of the Brant Heritage Quilters Guild in Brantford, ON, I certainly see the excitement that building up to a huge undertaking like a Guild's Quilt Show can be...and just know that the QUILTS KINGSTON 2015 Committees that are planning for our show June 12-15, 2015 are getting many details in place to draw in as many visitors to Kingston and our Show as possible.

Fences and Ladders, B. Garner and friends

 

Developing designs and pulling together the stashes of fabric - maybe using up those hand dyes and the painted fabrics you made in a class, or taking advantage of the year end sales at your favourite shops is a passion that only quilters can understand. Now is the time to get planning, pull out the draft paper and rulers.. get an all new project underway.

 

I have three beautiful quilt kits that I have purchased on our Bus trips to Lancaster and Paducah, and they need to be made up this winter. I bet that many of you have taken classes or also purchased quilt kits that are begging to be finished. No excuses now... the calendar is ticking off days and soon the quilts will be photographed and the submission forms required for the Quilt Show Committee.

 

My challenge to all Kingston Guild members is one quilt EACH... miniature, wall quilt, bed quilt, art quilt, wearable or a consignment project... lets make this the biggest and best show yet!

 

Stay tuned for more news about the Show, timelines for getting your work photographed and submission forms in to the Guild/Group Quilt \show Committee members responsible for collection and processing of entries.

 

Bethany, Publicity Committee

In support of our Quilt Guild members who are also members of the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners we invite you to visit the FALL SALE of our sister Guild in fibre!

STITCHING fingers are getting a workout as quilters continue the process of creating the beautiful stitch that will be seen on quilts...

Quilters at Gail Garber workshop with the starting pieces from their STAR QUILTS
Hoping for MANY at QUILTS KINGSTON 2015

Having traveled to numbers of local venues and a few quilters homes this fall, we can safely say that there are a number of beautiful quilts underway that are destined for the QUILTS KINGSTON Show and Sale on June 12-14, 2015. The Committee members are busy collecting donations for the members boutique and the donations are WONDERFUL.

 

Workshops with visiting Quilt Instructors have inspired participants to begin all new quilts, and finish those that have been on the design walls and marking tables. Groups who work together are executing plans and setting up work days. Classes have started again at the local shops and the long arm quilters are busy completing work for entries that will be completed for the coming deadline for entry.

 

Hoping YOU are working on your pieces - large and small wall quilts, bed quilts, wall hangings, miniatures, clothing... all are welcome.

 

And please plan your entry for:  The "Sir John A. / Sir John, Eh?" Challenge: rules and entry form for members of the Kingston Heirloom Quilters and Limestone Quilter' Guild ONLY.

 

Watch the circulation of your local Guild Newsletter and our Quilt Kingston website http://www.quiltskingston.org/ for news, entry deadlines and more.

As summer comes to an end, the members of the Kingston Heirloom Quilters Group and Limestone Quilters Guild are back to work...

Fall is that special time of year when the quilts come out of the closets and storage chests, are washed or aired and ready to move back onto the family's beds. Fall is also a big month for Quilt Shows, Exhibitions of contemporary and traditional quilts, and Fall Fibre Festivals that showcase fabrics, embellishments, threads and other necessary items for starting or finishing projects that may become important parts of next year's Show Quilts.

 

QUILTS KINGSTON 2015 will be a premier sharing of the most wonderful quilts and handmade items coveted by the Show goers, the collectors and a special place for you to come to meet friends, shop some impressive vendor booths and just be inundated with the beauty, history and excitement that quilts evoke!

 

All of our Guild and Group members are working seriously now, as the entry deadlines for our June 12-14th, 2015 Quilt Show are on their minds. Some have been piecing and appliqueing blocks for several years and are now at assembly and quilting stage. Others are gearing up for some serious sewing this fall, and those who are the procrastinators have their fabrics, a design or pattern book to inspire, and are reaping all of the best that the last snippets of Fall have to offer.... just waiting for a run of rainy fall weather to get started.

 

We have travelled wide and far this year - from PADUCAH, KY and the AQS Show Bus Trip organized by the Limestone Guild in April, on to the beautiful display of Canadian Quilts at QUILT CANADA in St. Catherines, ON. Local shows have inspired us, and we took our Quilts to Perth's Lanark Guild to share, and visited the Quilt Show weekend at Upper Canada Village. Quilts and quilt making have definitely been on our minds.

 

If YOU are a quilter who still has not found a home with a local Guild or Group, please come join us this fall and become an active participant in the preparations for QUILTS KINGSTON 2015. Our Guild meetings are OPEN TO ALL and you are most welcome.

 

LIMESTONE QUILTERS GUILD opens the fall season with their first meeting:

 

Date:  3 September 2014

Place:  Kingston Seniors’ Centre, 56 Francis St.

Time: 6:30 p.m. (meeting begins at 7)
Time to check in, meet friends, check out the library!

GUEST SPEAKER : CATHY PRICE
She will be presenting a trunk show of wonderful quilts

 

 

 

KINGSTON HEIRLOOM QUILTERS meet the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month at the St, John's Church Hall, Church St. off  Baiden Ave. in Portsmouth Village. 

 

KHQ 2014-2015 Fall Meeting Dates:
Sept 2, 18; Oct 7, 23; Nov 4, 20; Dec 2.

 

The Kingston Heirloom Quilters provides an opportunity for you to accomplish these objectives. We are a not-for-profit community organization committed to excellence in heirloom quilting. Through our meetings, workshops, guest speakers, and educational trips, we strive to broaden our knowledge and skills in both traditional and contemporary quilting techniques.

NOTES:

We usually meet twice monthly, from September through June:

• the first Tuesday and
• the third Thursday of the month    

We meet 9:30am to 3pm and 6:30 to 8:30pm, at St. John's Anglican Church Hall on Church Street in Portsmouth Village, Kingston. Members bring a lunch and enjoy the stimulation of fellow quilters throughout the day. So be sure to check the dates at the top of this page.
               

Activities center on group projects, workshops, demonstrations and guest speakers. Meeting days without a formal program are spent on a variety of group projects.

Our group quilts are made for charitable purposes. Several have been donated to the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. We also provide baby quilts for Kingston General Hospital.

Kingston Heirloom Quilters participate in mounting a major quilt show in Kingston every three to four years. This provides us the opportunity to showcase the finest quilting of our members and our colleagues, the Kingston Limestone Quilters Guild.

Members participate in educational activities in the community, such as fairs and speaking at schools. But most importantly, the organization fosters a spirit of fellowship in the sharing of ideas and talents in the quilting field.

Membership is open to both experienced and learning quilters who support our goals of developing and preserving the skills of heirloom quilting. We welcome visitors to our meetings.

 

Please join us for the love of quilting.

KINGSTON FIBRE ARTISTS invite you to the opening of their Annual Show and Sale - and yes, there are QUILTS!

           

          

                      Our next KINGSTON FIBRE ARTISTS SHOW is scheduled for                     
              August 29 - September 24, 2014
  

Opening Reception is September 4, 2014  6:30-8:30 pm
 Kingston and Frontenac Public Library
   Central Branch, 130 Johnson Street
   613-549-8888

 We will be in both the Wilson Room and the Foyer!

 

A number of our members proudly belong to the Kingston Heirloom Quilters Group

and Limestone Quilters Guild.

 

Hoping you will join us for our upcoming Show and Sale of Fine Art -Textiles.

Artists Walk and Talk will be held Saturday, September 13, 2014 which offers you a wonderful opportunity to meet our artists, talk about their inspiration, techniques and learn more about our professional artist members who have chosen fibre as their medium.

Planning and stitching are underway by KHQ and LQG members... the quilt show is less than a year away! The hours dedicated to stitching are precious and few.

Award winning entry, hand appliqued and quilted by Simone Lynch, Quilts Kingston 2012

 

QUILTS KINGSTON 2012 Remembered:

 

The several hundred quilts that we so enjoyed sharing with visitors during Quilts Kingston 2012 were the beautiful work of the Kingston Heirloom Quilters and Limestone Quilters Guild members. The quilts inspired many as they came to the  Royal Kingston Curling Club and walked the display of QUILTS KINGSTON 2012. This Show was certainly a wonderful three-day event, and the stunning display was recognized as being synonymous with the skill and renown of the quilters in our beautiful city...

Created over several years as part of a LQG "Guild Challenge" project by Lorna Grice

 

 

Members of both of our Kingston groups work together to support the sharing of the skills required to create beautifully executed quilts, using both hand and machine techniques. We recognize that by opening the doors of our group meetings to everyone interested in this centuries old craft, we preserve for the generations to come a precious way to save and protect the fabrics we love, and the various patterns and block variations that have been passed down through the years. We also celebrate those members whose work is original and contemporary in both design and technique.

 

Working together during meetings, and in small groups that gather in homes to create Community Quilts for donation to those in need including the orphanages in Chernobyl, our area hospitals and hospice support centres, and gifting quilts to those who have serious illness or have suffered loss due to fires or accidents are an important part of what we do. We have donated hundreds of quilts.

 

Members of the quilt community in Kingston and area enjoy the study of the quilts that were made more than a century ago. An example is the Reproduction Quilt Club that meets at Stitch By Stitch once a month to work with fabrics representative of those used in the mid-1800's. The members of this club have made numerous special/personal quilts, and continue to love working in miniature (scaled reproduction blocks from patterns in quilts perhaps created by their great-great-grandmothers) and chatting about what life might have been like for those who walked before us.

 



 

A series of miniature quilts made by Reproduction Club members and mounted

on a finished "under-quilt" for display at Quilts Kingston 2012

 

 

Many of the members of our Kingston Quilt Guilds/Groups create stunning quilts in the classroom of with talented Quilt Instructors that are sharing their knowledge an expertise in the classrooms of our local Quilt Shops, Community College and at special retreats and Quilt Conferences across Ontario and beyond. The ongoing support for classes that enrich the lives of our quilters is an important part of the "gearing up" for future Quilt Shows like our Quilts Kingston 2015 exhibition that is fast approaching.

 

The area classrooms are a place to learn new techniques, perfect the use and enjoyment of a quilter's hand and machine skills and most importantly gather to share stories and the pure joy of quilt making. We love and support our local shop owners who are committed to stocking the supplies we need, the latest and best machines we all covet for our work, and supplying the inspiration for working in a focused way to learn and grow the craft for the future. All ages  are welcome, regardless of skill level... and beginners are encouraged to come and join in on the fun. Special thanks to our fabric shop owners and College administration and especially those who specialize in stocking, repairing and maintaining our sewing machines. Where would we be without you!

 

 

Pickle Dish Quilt created by Diane Hogan

in a course with Loreene King-McGill at Stitch by Stitch

 

 

In 2011-12, creating quilts for the WAR OF 1812 Quilt Show was a focus for many of our area quilters. The celebration of the men and women who fought in and supported this infamous war effort was on everyone's mind as they created special quilts shared at the Armories in Sacket's Harbour, NY. A number of members of the Limestone Quilters Guild and Kingston Heirloom Quilters participated, and we had a special sharing of their quilts in our 2012 show. The traveling exhibition of War of 1812 Quilt Show quilts will be in Clayton, NY in August 2014, an easy drive from Kingston via the Thousand Islands bridges or via the Wolfe Island and Horne's Ferry system across Lake Ontario. Details here

War of 1812 Quilt Show entry by Limestone Guild member

Jeanne Stoness, 2012

 

 

Many of our KHQ/LQG members are also enjoying the opportunity for the sharing of specialized techniques as they participate with other groups in our Community and area. There are MANY small groups that meet together to enjoy the art of quilt making together. Others belong to Guilds in neighboring towns, local churches in the area and in national (Canadian Quilters Association) and international groups (Studio Art Quilt Associates; American Quilters Society) to share their love of quilts with friends old and new. They enter their quilts in competitions and exhibitions through Calls To Entry. Some quilts are chosen to travel to Quilt Shows across the country and province.

 

This stunning quilt made by Hilary Scanlon

traveled across Ontario with the THREADWORKS Show from 2010-2013

 

Sampler Quilt made by Linda Hetherington while a member

of the Storrington Quilters in Sunbury, ON

 

 

We anxiously await the QUILTS KINGSTON 2015 Show and know our members are working in a focused way, and with the exiting flurry of stitching and quilting to create the beautiful quilts you will enjoy during next year's Quilt Show. Recognized by our visitors show after show as "ONE OF THE VERY BEST" Quilt Shows in Canada, we draw visitors from around the country, province and nearby New York state and beyond. The hundreds of quilts you will enjoy will each be truly exceptional. Our plans for several demonstration areas and guest Needle Arts Guilds and Groups are sure to be a special part of your journey through the display floor.

 

Our Merchant's Mall is always exceptional, with many new and returning vendors who recognize Kingston as a premier venue for their shops and businesses in which to be represented. We will have many wonderful vendors in 2015, and encourage you to plan to bring your $$$  to support our visiting Shops/Vendors while you enjoy our Quilt Show.

 

Please mark your calendar for QUILTS KINGSTON, June 12-14, 2015

Do plan to bring friends, and to  enjoy the city and the local area while here!

Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation comes into effect July 1, 2014....

A message to all of our QUILTS KINGSTON 2015 Blog readers:

 

Canada's new Anti-Spam legislation will help reduce unwanted emails from appearing in consumers’ inboxes by requiring companies to gain their consent. We are supplying this information as many of our readers are home-based or small business owners. We want you to know how the Legislation might impact your business.
 

Does OUR Quilts Kingston 2015 Blog comply? YES...

We are a Google Blogger site here at www.QUILTSKINGSTON2015.blogspot.ca and we use a Feedburner Subscription widget (located under the Quilts Kingston Logo on the blog Home Page). Each of our QK 2015 Blog subscribers "opted in" by using that form, provided their consent and are made aware that they can opt out or unsubscribe at any time. That being the case, we are in compliance .

 

We do not add or import any email distribution lists to our Blog. With the Subscription Service from Blogger each individual receiving a post in their email inbox has subscribed giving express consent. We do not send commercial electronic messages.

 

All of our subscribers may "unsubscribe" at the bottom of any post received in their inbox at any time.... but we hope you will stay onboard to keep abreast of all of the news now and up to the week of the Show, June 12-14, 2015.

 

For more information check out: The Canadian Government’s site to Fight Spam.

 

We welcome you to join us and receive all of the updated information about Quilts Kingston 2015 by going to the 'Follow by email' Subscription widget on our sidebar. 

Limestone Quilters Guild sponsors workshop with New Mexico Instructor/Quilter, GAIL GARBER

GAIL GARBER shares a beautiful quilt

Wednesday evening, June 4th found the Limestone Guild members and visitors enjoying a terrific Trunk Show and Lecture from renowned Albuquerque, New Mexico quilter, GAIL GARBER. Gail joined us after visit with the Lanark County Quilt Guild, and on her way to QUILT CANADA 2014 in St. Catherines, ON.

 

We all enjoyed the story of her  journey as a quilter and  her many years of creating show quilts that have won awards and become the subject of her two books "FLYING COLORS" and "STELLAR JOURNEYS". Students and visitors enjoyed seeing many of her stunning quilts and the excitement for the two workshop days with Gail grew as we anticipated learning many tips and techniques for creating pieced stars and circular borders.

Thirteen excited students gathered at Stitch by Stitch at 550 Days Road (next to Potters Nursery facing Golden Mile Road) on Thursday morning, with great anticipation for a drafting and piecing workshop that would take us on an adventure toward creating circular Star Quilts with exciting borders. Gail is a stellar Instructor and has a great sense of humour. Many thanks to Lillian McQuaide for all of the organization for the workshop and to LQG's Susan Clarke, Margaret Millar, Stitch By Stitch shop owner, and staffer Debbie Finn, each of whom provided lots of support and many smiles

 

We learned quickly that drafting is not as hard as it looks, and Gail's help was appreciated by all. Everyone designed their own quilt - and we are hoping that MANY of them will become part of the display of wonderful new work at QUILTS KINGSTON 2015. New designs emerged as the days elapsed, and stitching began, with exciting Stars coming to life through the careful paper piecing techniques each student mastered in this workshop. Complementary fabrics were chosen for the surrounding borders that each student will choose for their next steps.

 

 

The workshop days sped by, and shared lunchtime chats about which designs to add to quilts, shopping through the shelves at the shop resulted in many wonderful palettes of fabrics. As the last day came to an end, many sincere accolades were shared with Gail, along with the student's gift to this outstanding Instructor of a beautiful stained glass dish made by Limestone Guild member, Ann Oastler and a lovely little maple leaf made in glass from Ann. THANKS SO MUCH GAIL!!!

 

 

 

Last but not least, the happy classmates gathered at the end of the day for a group photo and time for sharing the fun of the two days.

 

Many workshops will come and go between now and the Quilts Kingston 2015 Show, and studio/work room efforts from our members - all focused on creating the great work YOU will see when you visit our show in June of 2015.

 

Please know that new members are always welcome at the Kingston Heirloom Quilters Group meetings twice a month, and at the Limestone Guild meeting on the first Wednesday evening of the months of September through June... Hope to see you soon! MAKE QUILTS!

 

Students in the Guild workshop with Gail Garber June 5-6, 2014

 

The “Sir John A. / Sir John, Eh?” Challenge

Quilts Kingston 2015 will feature a display of the quilts created for the Sir John A./Sir John, Eh? Challenge. Members of both the Kingston Heirloom Quilters and the Limestone Quilters Guild are eligible to participate in the Challenge. The Challenge Quilts will be shared during the Qult Show to be held June 12 – 14, 2015

 In 2015, Sir John A. Macdonald, Kingston lawyer and first Prime Minister of Canada, turns 200.
To celebrate, the Quilts Kingston 2015 Challenge is “Sir John A. / Sir John, Eh?”

For a link to the latest issue of the Sir John A Celebration year informational online NEWSLETTER, click HERE
(a wrap of stories, events, ongoing and upcoming to mark the 200th Birthday of Sir John A. Macdonald... )

General Competition details:

* Entrants must be current members of either the Kingston Heirloom Quilters (KHQ) or the Limestone Quilters’ Guild (LQG);
* Quilt perimeter not to exceed 150 inches (e.g., a 3 foot square is 144 inches);

* No minimum size;

* Unlike previous challenge competitions, this year there is no entry fee;

* A link to the Challenge Rules and Entry form may be found here

* Entry form to be submitted no later than March 4th, 2015.

QUILTS KINGSTON planning is well underway for our show in 2015 - MARK YOUR CALENDAR for June 12-14th...

The Kingston Heirloom Quilters and Limestone Quilters Guild are very active groups meeting regularly during the year in Kingston, Ontario. Members of the two groups number in the hundreds and many members belong to both groups. Volunteers from the two groups are meeting regularly now to set in place the plans for the 2015 Quilts Kingston Show to be held at the Royal Kingston Curling Club on Days Road, June 12, 13 and 14th, 2015.

 

 

The Kingston Heirloom Quilters was formed in 1979 and the members meet at St. John's Church located in lovely Portsmouth Village on Church Street the first Tuesday and fourth Thursday from 9:30-3 pm. Everyone welcome. 

 

Read more about their history here: http://quiltskingston.org/khq/AboutKHQ.htm

 

 

The Limestone Quilters Guild meets at the Seniors Association of Kingston at 56 Francis Street on the first Wednesday evening of each month September through June, at 7 pm. Everyone welcome. Please visit the LQG Blog for more information:
 http://limestonequiltersguild.wordpress.com/

 

 

Those of you who have visited the amazing QUILTS KINGSTON Shows in past years are certainly in for a treat when you come to the Show site with friends and fellow quilters. Typically, our show offers the visitors hundreds of spectacular QUILTS to see and enjoy.  

 

We are once again planning to feature a display of hundreds of traditional and contemporary quilts and wall hangings by the Kingston Heirloom Quilters and the Limestone Quilters' Guild. Many of the quilts will be award winning local and national Quilts.

AND just for you, our very special visitors:

• The Sir John A. MacDonald Challenge
• Quilts for sale
• Door Prizes throughout the weekend
• Quilt Guild Members Boutique including beautiful hand made items and gifts
• Merchants' Mall including Scissor & Rotary Cutter Sharpening
• Care and Repair of quilts (Bring your quilted treasures that need some TLC if you don't know what to do. We'll guide you on what to do.)
• A display by the Cataraqui Guild of Needle Arts 
• Viewers Choice Award 
• Quilt Appraisal Professional
• Featured Quilter (to be announced)
• Consignment items created by our members
• Demonstrations by our Guild members intended to get YOU involved  

Notes:                 

• The Royal Kingston Curling Club is wheelchair accessible
• Ample parking and the parking is free.
• Local Quilt Shops will be open and offer amazing inventory for our visitors

 

Please follow the QUILTS KINGSTON 2015 blog and the website updates at both the KHQ and Limestone Guild  links here as the year progresses. Please join us at meetings, special events and always  at our individual Guild websites for meeting dates and schedules and all of the Kingston area Quilt news:

 

http://quiltskingston.org/khq/index.html

http://limestonequiltersguild.wordpress.com/