There is a small re-design to our York Heritage Quilters Guild site… this front page will feature news from our guild, as well as articles online that might be of interest. Got a site you’d like to share? Email Valerie Prideaux with your suggestions. For highlights from previous quilt guild meetings, click on the Meeting Highlights in the header at the top of the web page.

The number of items that are given in at the Community Quilting table continues to astound. Despite the guild show in November, a total of 30-32 tops, quilted sandwiches and completed quilts were received. A huge THANK YOU to the following:

Completed quilts from their own stash:
Bev Newton (3) ; Phoebe Visser (5); Helen Fujiki (2); Joan Lester (2)

Completed quilt or quilted sandwich from CQ Kits:
Ana Gandolfi; Heather Black; Chris Trottier; Nancy Kee; Sheila Bieman; Helgard Koch; Val Wilson (2); Mary Ramsay; Janice McBride; Joy Takahashi; Erica Rao & Kathy Schofield together

Pieced tops from own stash:
Ann Hawkins (2)

Pieced tops from CQ kits:
Bev Moffett; Linda Hales; Margaret Whitehead; Helgard Koch; Linda Robitaille

Comfort Quilt Distribution:
HQG continues to support newcomers to Canada

A family of 5 children (age 12 to 19) from the Philippines joined their mother here in Toronto. Smiles & hugs all around when they were presented with a quilt for each family member, including Mom.

A Syrian family that is being sponsored by Fairlawn United Church arrives in Toronto in the third week of December and will find their beds adorned with 5 beautiful quilts (see photos).

Ten comfort quilts were given to the Hazel Burns Hospice – this organization was brought to my attention by Kathy Campbell, a CQ volunteer at Stan Wadlow.

Twenty quilts were delivered by Anne McLaughlin to Sojourn House whose mission statement is “To provide a safe place and create an inclusive environment where refugees are supported and empowered to pursue a life in Canada.

And, for the fourth year in a row, CQ gave two sets of three quilts (an adult, a child’s & a baby) to Sistering, a wonderful organization that offers support, care, meals and a safe haven for women & children in downtown Toronto. Each year they host two Holiday Parties at which donated items including quilts from YH are given out in a “free raffle”. Their executive director has told us that the quilts are highly prized by the recipients.

Thanks to Judy Messenger, Jane Cramer and Jacinta Bennell (who made two of the six) who gave generously of their time, talent and materials to make these quilts.

Any member interested in making a quilt for this project is asked to contact Wendy Dines, CQ facilitator.

Auction Quilt Distribution:

The following charities and not-for-profit organizations received a quilt to assist in their fundraising:

Assaulted Women’s Helpline, Breast Cancer Support Fund, Mom to Mom Africa, Macroglobulinemia Foundation of Canada, Humewood House, St Clare Inn, Toronto Intergenerational Partnership (TIGP) and the Catholic Women’s League.

Some of these organizations reached out to us to secure a donation. However, most recipient organizations came to our attention because a guild member approached the committee asking for a quilt donation. If you are a member of a not for profit organization which works in the area of supporting women, children and families, please contact Wendy Dines, CQ facilitator to see if your organization meets the Guild’s parameters for just such a donation.

We recently received a letter from Jaime Spitzer of the Assaulted Women’s Helpline, who had received a quilt from Community Quilts:

“Our 14th annual helpline gala was held on Friday November 17th, we are still tallying up the final numbers for everything, but we are very happy about the turnout.

We decided in order to maximize the proceeds from your beautiful quilt, we used it in a raffle in which we ended up raising $458.00!!

We are thrilled that the quilt brought in that much money, and we cannot thank the York Heritage Quilt Guild for their generous donation!”

Fabric is something all quilters hold dear to their hearts. Stitched in Color has an article that compares the various brands of solid fabrics out there. The author also talks about where the fabrics are manufactured, how they handle, and more. Interesting stuff!

Quilting by Prisoners? Why not? ? Tracey Chevalier has written a book called The Sleep Quilt. The quilt is made from blocks made by prisoners, on the theme of sleep.  “It sounds crazy to say that sewing can help people, but it is actually very therapeutic and calming,” says Chevalier. “And it’s an opportunity for these guys to make something beautiful and be praised for it and paid for it. She worked with Fine Cell Work, a group that teaches needlework to prisoners and pays them for the work they do. She ran a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to publish the book.

And last but not least, Pantone has announced their colour of the year: Ultra Violet (ie, purple!)

Happy quilting, see you January 16th 2018!