Due the our early November storm and the terrible weather conditions, our November 11th meeting has been cancelled. Very disappointing, but the safety our members, speakers and guests is most important. Take care everyone!!

Our retreat was a great success last weekend. 40 quilters together sewing and sharing ideas. Camp Trillium Rainbow Lake was a perfect location. The sewing room was full with all of us and all our projects. Lots of room to spread out on and under the big tables. The cabins were nice and warm, although no one was in them much except to sleep. I think we were mostly pleasantly surprised by the beds even!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

.

• 

• 

Here is a slide show of one project from most of the campers. Many completed a number of things.

If you have any more photos to share, please send them to Stephanie or Jill.

Our next meeting is Remembrance Day, November 11 and will feature Heather King from the Norfolk County Public Library. Heather will speak on Women’s contributions to the war effort. You may remember Heather from our WWI quilt project and she has a vast knowledge of the World Wars. 

That night we will also me making Wool Felt Christmas Ornaments. There will be kits for a Christmas tree and a circular ornament. Please bring scissors, a sewing needle for thread and one for embroidery floss if you have it. And some embellishments. The snowman uses old-fashioned black snaps for eyes! 

Our next Slow Stitching Night at the Simcoe Public Library is Monday, October 28. It starts at 6 pm and there is room for you! Bring something to hand sew or knit. Your new English Paper Piecing project? You can pay your $5 there. It is easy to park at the corner of the mall parking lot. Use the door at the foot of West Street. You don’t need to go into the library proper, just come in the outside door and go right down the stairs. (There is an elevator in the library if you can’t do the stairs.) We sit and sew and talk and inspire each other. There is wifi so we can share things online. You just need a library card for that and your phone or tablet.

Are you coming to the retreat? Check-in starts at 1 on Friday, November 1. Here is a link to the packing list  

Marguerite will be at the retreat and the November meeting if you have any more baby quilts for her to take to Mexico for her young, unwed teens’ baby shower. Have some colourful fabric scraps? Bring them to the retreat (or sew along at home that weekend) and have a donation quilt ready for the November 11th meeting.

I’ve called our new monthly feature is FOMO. That stands for “Fear of Missing Out” and it is designed to tell you about up and coming quilting things. Here are the first ones!

1. Bonnie Hunter, the Scrap Queen, does a mystery quilt each year. The fabric requirements will be up by Halloween and the first weekly clue comes out on Black Friday. Lots of tiny piecing. This link might take you to the correct spot or google “Quiltville mystery quilt”.

2. Another Mystery Quilt, this one with a more modern vibe and done in rows. Clues each month in English, German and Dutch so you would have some new international sewing friends. Sugaridoo Bernina QAL

3. Want to learn more about Instagram? Check out this tutorial by Leila Gardunia!

Are you coming? Are you ready? Here is the packing list. Things you need for any sewing day away home and all the special things you will need as a camper and quilter at this retreat! Thanks Donna!

Check-in time is Friday, November 1 at 1 pm but campers will be coming all day. Saturday campers can come anytime. 7am? 9am? Whenever you are ready. I bet there will be someone sewing at 6am! But no breakfast for you.

Until Monday, October 21st and our next meeting! Join us as we hear from Maxine Hendricks and her Chippewa of the Thames friends when we learn about Indigenous Quilting Traditions.

September 9, 2019	Eagle’s Wings English Paper Piecing – Trunk Show and Pop-up Shop eagleswingsquilts.ca
October 19, 2019	English Paper Piecing Workshops, Eagle’s Wings at Vittoria Old Town Hall
October 21, 2019	Maxine Hendricks and Chippewa of the Thames Friends – Indigenous Quilting
November 1-3, 2019	Camp Trillium Retreat
November 11, 2019	Heather King – Women’s Contributions to the War Effort and Christmas Craft
December 9, 2019	Kaaren Biggs – “Sunbonnet Sue” is New!
January 13, 2020	Mary McKenzie – Creating Collages
February 8 & 9, 2020	Vice President’s Weekend Port Dover Public Library
February 10, 2020	Brit Dowson – Wool Appliqué
March 9, 2020	Terry Sonnenberg –  Working with Colour and Texture
April 13, 2020	Lorraine Stevens – Traditional to Fibre Arts Lana Thompson – Quilt Junction
May 11, 2020	Bill Stearman BackPack Show billstearmanquilts.blogspot.com
May 12 and 13, 2020	Workshops with Bill Stearman with NCQG Day 1: Double Disappearing 9 Patch   Day 2:TBA
June 8, 2020	Strawberry Social, De-Stash Sale and Challenge Wrap-ups

Slow Stitching Monday Nights at the Simcoe Public Library 6-8pm $5
Sept 16, Oct 28, Nov 18, Jan 20, Feb 17, March 16, April 20, May 18

Hopefully, this will give you all the information you need about our first Camp Trillium Retreat.

Friday, November 1 from 1pm until Sunday, November 3 at 3pm The best place to see photos of Camp Trillium is on our website, on our Camp Trillium Page! We have a number of lessons and activities planned, or you can sew all day and night! It is your retreat!

We will be sleeping in the cabins, 2-3 people per room with 3 rooms in each cabin. Lower bunks only! Full washroom facilities in each cabin. Fully heated! You need to bring your own bedding and towels.

The cost is $200 for all 3 days and 2 nights. If you wish a single room, it would be $230. For insurance purposes, every attendee must be a current guild member. Several of our members are bringing sisters or friends, and they will need to join the guild for the year. But then they can come to our meetings and workshops!

There is room for 50 quilters to have their own big table, with power coming from the ceiling. We have 35 registered now and we are hoping to have more of our members there. Because we have 30 campers, the required number for the camp rental, we can now open the registration to day campers. This is perfect for members who are busy on one of the camp days. And for members who are not able to sleep over! You can sign up for 1, 2 or all 3 days. $50 each day includes all the meals that day. Day campers can stay as late as they’d like at night. There will be a wine tasting and food pairing on Friday night, so drink responsibly if you are driving!

The Camp Registration Form was attached to the September newsletter. Please print it out, fill in your camping details and bring it to the September meeting. Along with the balance of the money you owe for the retreat. Most attendees have paid the $100 deposit. Don’t worry if you haven’t kept track, we have a master list!

All meals are home cooked and they can cater to most allergies and food sensitivities. Our tentative menu is:
Friday afternoon snack. Muffins
Friday dinner. Chicken Souvlaki with pitas, homemade tzatziki and Greek salad
Saturday breakfast. Scrambled eggs, bacon, toasted bagels with cream cheese and jam, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal
Saturday lunch. 2 Soups, with Rainbow salad and assorted wraps
Saturday afternoon snack Muffins
Saturday dinner. Vegetable and meat lasagna with garlic rolls and Rainbow salad
Sunday breakfast. Scrambled eggs, bacon, toasted bagels with cream cheese and jam, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal
Sunday lunch. Chilli and Cobb Salad with homemade corn muffins

Coffee and tea are always available and there is a frig where you can keep your special foods. Please, NO PEANUTS! Our only restriction. Responsible alcohol use permitted. And there is wifi throughout all the buildings!

There is lots of room at the camp and we can spread out in the various buildings and sitting rooms. We will have an area set up in the dining room with tables together so you can easily baste your quilts.

We are having Russell Carroll from Norwich set up on Saturday to do sewing machine maintenance and scissor sharpening. A sewing machine clean, oil, tension and timing check would be $125. Repairs available if needed. Scissor and pinking shears would be $8 each. I am planning on sewing on my smaller workshop machine and bringing my big machine in for cleaning. It will be one more thing to lug to camp, but it will save me having to take my machine somewhere, do without it for a week and go back for it! Perfect! We are taking appointments for this service.

The Retreat Program committee is Patti M, Donna P, Vicki M. Jill J, Terry A and Stephanie S. Contact them if you have any questions or suggestions.

We will kick off our new year with a visit from Eagle Wings Quilts. Check them out here. Canada’s premiere English Paper Piecing source. EPP! Not just calico Grandma’s Flower Garden!