The Health Unit is continuing to field requests for masks.

And they are so grateful that you all have stepped up to volunteer to make masks until they can guarantee supply through their regular channels.

As of today, they are estimating the we need to make a total of 5000 masks.

We knew it would be a long haul. 

Just thinking about our first responders, the people caring for our family and friends in long term care homes, and other medical professionals who are exposed while they do their jobs to keep us safe….that just strengthens our resolve.

So far, we’ve delivered 1100. Between the kits you received two days ago, and the kit you’ll receive today, that will deliver another 1100 masks. So we’re almost halfway there.

And…..good news…..John Ferras of Al’s Shoes just dropped off more shoelaces. I’m expecting we’ll be able to finish the masks using laces – so much easier…and fun.

The Health unit is also expecting a large shipment of fabric…..no more waiting. So that should allow us to work ahead, and stop doing such quick turnarounds.

If any group is asking you how they can access the masks …I’ve received several calls from nursing homes….tell them to call Shelley Darlington at the Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit on Gilbertson Drive in Simcoe. 

If anyone wants to join us making masks, please contact Jan Grincevicius at pwdtwo_2@eastlink.ca

Thanks again – you are the best!
Diane Luke

Thanks everyone for your great response to our appeal for sewers for face masks for our Norfolk County workers. We have delivered 600 masks already and there is another batch out there, hopefully all ready to pick up. More kits will be delivered as those are picked up.

There have been a few tweaks to the pattern. Please use this newest link for the next ones you sew!

The changes are summarized here if you want to mark your printout: The size of finished mask is 6 ½” to 7” wide. Step 2- turn over ¼” to 3/8”. Step 3 – turn over ¼” to 3/8”. Step 7 – Please backstitch a few times at each corner to add strength.

We can use more sewers. Please have them contact Jan G at pwdtwo_2@eastlink.ca Thanks Jan for being the main list keeper!

THANKS EVERYONE AND THANK YOU NORFOLK COUNTY WORKERS!!!!!!

As you know, we are at war with coronavirus. Dr Shanker Nesathuri, the Medical Officer of Health, and Marlene Miranda, the General Manager, Health & Social Services have asked our 2 local quilting guilds to make 500 masks, to be worn under face shields for medical staff.

They are supplying high density microfibre material and ribbon for ties. Kits are being made and sent out to our volunteers. Here is a link to the approved pattern!

It is so important that our paramedics, health unit staff and other have the right protection against infection so we’re happy to help them augment their supplies. Sewing is something we love to do, so why not put our skills to good use for the community during a time of need? We certainly appreciate everyone working to keep our county and country functioning!

Tips for sewing!
1. A new needle helps and you may need a 90/14 to get through all the layers of the pleats. 
2. You may need to use a stiletto or the tip of your seam ripper or your scissors to help push the fabric under the pressure foot. This fabric is stickier that the quilting cotton we are used to. And a “normal” pressure foot, a flat wide one, might help and be easier than our trusty 1/4” foot. 
3. You may want to make one mask fully, and then chain piece the next ones. 
4. It can be tricky to gets the pleats even. You can make a tick mark along the edges every 1” down from the top and then use these marks to make the pleats. Bring 2 up to 1, 4 up to 3 and 6 up to 5. Clip in place and measure to see if it is 3.75”.  We found it easier to use a template of some sort for measuring. Mark your ruler with masking tape at the 3.75” line, or corner pin markers on your ironing board. Adjust the pleats to the measurement. You can also stick a piece of tape over the pleats to hold them in place. Put all your sewing skills to use!
5. Your pleats are quite thick so sew slowly. You may want your walking foot for this part (or for all of it!)

6. This batch of ribbon seems to be fraying so please do a small overhand knot on the ends.

Here is an excellent article, by a scientist, on making your own face masks! They don’t prevent the passage of the virus but they have a role to play. It is a long article but well worth a read. Yesterday, there were lots of patterns and tutorials being circulated. By now, I hope everyone is staying inside their homes, the primary way to stop the spread, but making masks will give us another way to help out with this crisis. Batiks generally have a high thread count so would work well. Maybe flannel on the layer next to the face. If you don’t have thin or round elastic, you can make ties or even use shoelaces for ties. It wasn’t that long ago that masks were all tied on. Here are some links. https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask

From Jenny Doan.

From Diane Luke… Her style was like the one Stephanie had….worked really well…..but she
is going to try it a little wider…..7″”x9″ to get more coverage….. we
found that tying the elastic at the back might work better for some people
than the elastic looped behind the ears….to use it looped it has to be
exactly the right length.

This is the one I did….https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2020/03/20/calling-all-people-who-sew-and-make-you-can-help-solve-2020-n95-type-mask-shortage/#caf4f884e41d. OOPS! This link doesn’t link any longer.

From Nancy Racz…..I did one similar to Jenny Doan but quicker. I did use flannel on the inside and it is nice. The cheaper flannalette stretches the thicker one worked great All mine have batik on the outside. If you use ribbon don’t use silky it slides down you hair. Twill tape might work. Thin elastic works great 1/8”, but keep in mind it could contain latex which might be problematic to some.

Please take some photos and tag #twilightquiltersguild so we can all see what you’ve been doing. Stay healthy!

Hi everyone. Hope you are all making the best of our extra time at home! There are lots of new sew alongs running on quilters’ blogs and Instagram feeds! Maybe now is the time to join Instagram! It is a more positive place than Facebook these days! And remember that you can learn how to do just about anything by asking Google “How do I ____________?”

Did you know that it is International Quilting Weekend! Here is a link for watching free segments of The Quilting Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. They have some awesome teachers featured. Click here to get started.

And Creativebug has 50 free classes that you can take yourself or maybe with your kids or grandkids without having to register your credit card. Have fun learning!!!

With the closure of all Norfolk County buildings, our Slow Stitching on Monday night is cancelled. It is impossible to say how things will be for our April and May meetings. Please stay home and sew!

Terry Sonnenberg’s trunk show on Colour and Texture was very, very interesting. Through a combination of her quilts, sometimes with a side by side quilt comparison, and her photos from the Birmingham Quilt Festival 2019, I’m sure every single person had something to think about trying. Several quilts illustrated the need for variety and interest in the blocks and the backgrounds! And Terry said “the quilt tells you what it needs!”

Terry introduced many of us to the Pantone’s standardized colour matching system. They are the colour experts of the whole world, representing colours in textiles and clothing, advertising and design. Here is a link to their Colour of the Year, a lovely Classic Blue! Anyone interested in a Challenge using Classic Blue?

Kaffe Fassett has been known for his bold use of colours for over 40 years, first in knitting and needlepoint and then quilting fabric. Have some fun looking at his webpage here!

Here is a great article on digital printing and how it is transforming the quilting. Learn about Jason Yenter’s In The Beginning here.

Terry attended the Birmingham Quilt Festival in England last summer. Here is a link to their winning quilts. https://www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/winning-quilts-2019/

Terry was able to visit the Forge Mill Needle Museum in Reddich. https://www.forgemill.org.uk/web/

Here is a general video on how needles and pins are forged. https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/how-to-quilt/youll-never-guess-how-they-make-sewing-needles-and-pins

A couple more examples of a Terry Sonnenberg’s work. Our meeting is Monday, March 9th at 7 pm at Old Windham Church in Simcoe. Come and be inspired! Guests always welcome!

On March 9th, guild member Terry Sonnenberg will share her personal observations on working with colour and texture. In addition to samples of her own projects, she will show slides of beautiful creations from the 2019 Birmingham Quilt Festival to dazzle and inspire you.

Our meetings are held at Old Windham Church, 30 Glendale Crescent in Simcoe and start at 7pm. Guests are always welcome!

We have the details worked out for our Bill Stearman workshops in May.

Bill will teach his Double Disappearing 9-patch workshop on Tuesday, May 12 and Being Bold with Improv on Wednesday, May 13. He can teach 24 members each day. The fee for the workshops is $50 each day and they will be held at the Vittoria Community Centre. 

We will start taking registrations on Tuesday, February 18 at 6pm by email. You should all have an email from Jan G with the details. This method of signing up is just like the postmark system we used in the days of snail mail. Set an alarm in your calendar app so you won’t forget and miss out!

You can check out Bill’s website/blog here, follow him on Instagram @bill_stearman (note the underscore) and Facebook as Bill Stearman.  

Bill is an excellent speaker and teacher. Retired school principals and special ed teachers make the best quilting teachers. There is an additional $40 kit fee payable to Bill for his hand dyed coordinated fabrics for DD9P. They are all cut to the required sizes for all 3 variations he teaches so we don’t have to spend time selecting and cutting fabrics and have more time to play with the technique. You must buy the fabric kit from him. You can’t use your stash for this one.

Once members have signed up, they need to bring their money to their next guild meeting. 

Bill’s Improv workshops follow the theme of breaking out of the “quilt police” jail some of us might be in! Free yourself with his help!

Bill will be presenting his Backpack Show at our meeting on Monday, May 11, at Old Windham Church, in Simcoe. Guests are welcome.

At the bottom of every email I send there are 3 simple words…Learn Something Today!    Brit Dowson needs no reminder to do that. As she told us of her inspiring creative life, she showed us many examples of her journey in arts and crafts world which  began as a young child and continues to this day. In addition to constantly learning, on her own or taking workshops and classes, Brit also loves to to share and teach others. She embraces textile surface design and uses many techniques in the same piece. 

Here are just a few closeups of her work. Anyone else interested in learning wool circle appliqué and embroidery?

Here is a YouTube video showing Yupo paper and alcohol inks. And here is a link to making fabric with the water soluble Solvy 

Mark down the dates for our next Camp Trillium Retreats. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, October 27-29, 2020 and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 26-28, 2021. They will follow the same format as this past year and will be about the same cost, $200 for the weekend for our members. 

The Canadian Quilters’ Association is running another sew along this year. This one is based on sewing rows, not blocks. They will post directions for a row every other Tuesday from February 18-June 9. It is designed to use 5 colours but you can do whatever you want. The quilt will be 60” x 80” Find the details here. 

I also mentioned the Improv Triangles sew along currently running on Instagram with Nicholas Ball. I love his British accent and he will get you sewing improv triangles easily. Here is a link. You can follow him @quiltsfromtheattic and the hashtag is #improvtrianglesewalong