GAAQG site goes live

Screenshot of GAAQG's new website designed by Hoyden Creative Group, live Jan15, 2016.

Unveiling the brand new Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild website by guild president Sonja Hagen was the highlight of Saturday's bi-monthly, quilt-day meeting. The new site, created by marketing firm Hoyden Creative Group based in Adrian, Michigan, went live Friday night, Jan. 15, 2016.

Hagen and the new webmaster Mary Beth Donovan, along with blogger Kathy Schmidt and several members of the website team have been working for months with Hoyden to create an up-to-date, interactive site.

"Our goal was to build something that would serve as a valuable resource to our members and the wider community," Hagen said.

They hit the bullseye; check it out!

Quilt day speaker, Frieda Anderson
Fiber artist Frieda Anderson presented a lecture on the topic of "Free motion quilting" and gave some tips that I am going to try:
1. Use an open-toed, hopping foot instead of the closed toe, to make handling threads easier.
2. Use a clover self-threading needle to handle threads left on top of quilt after stitching
3. Use Neutrogena Hand Cream instead of gloves to grip work.
4. Use mechanical pencil with ceramic lead to mark your quilt top with quilting motifs.
5. Use sizing, not starch to stiffen your fabric.
6. Use 505 Temporary Adhesive basting spray to position quilt sandwich.
7. Use a sharp-shank needle for all quilting. Choose the right size based on your thread type.
8. Replace your needle after eight hours of sewing, or when you replace your bobbin.
9. Use The Bottom Line lint-free cotton for bobbin thread, no matter what top thread is used for quilting.
10. Install a single-needle throat plate when quilting -- but don't forget you have it in!

Show and tell
One of the members during show-and-tell shared a handmade tote she had created using her own original designed fabric from Spoonflower. She used logo materials from her daughter's business to create the fabric. In the rush, at the end of the meeting I missed talking to her, but maybe if she sees this note, she will share a photo with us.

UPDATE Jan. 19,2016: Thanks to Marilyn Knepp who sent photos and comments about her totebag, featured here on Appleton Dance.

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