Last night was the June Quilt Guild Meeting Night

Guess what I did while driving to the big town last night???

Yep for about 20 minutes - and it felt soooo good on my burnt forehead! Aaaah!

I wasn't too concerned about the coldness making my head red for the directory photo tonight - it's gonna be RED reguardless! :P so I might as well feel relieved at least. I guess if it were already pealing (which I'm sure it will) that would be worse than red for the photo. :P

Speaking of the photo - This is what we stood in front of for our profile pics. It's our Guild's 2010 Raffle Quilt! Isn't it beautiful! I just love the small sized blocks and colors! I just recently joined so I can't say that I helped in any way... but I do hope to help by SELLING CHANCES on it :)

These are some of the ladies that worked together to create the quilt. There were more quilt makers who worked on the project but they were not at the night meeting.

I know what you are wondering - What's the name of that pattern? Who's the pattern designer...? How can I buy a copy?

Well - Ta-Da! Meet Kim Diehl, the pattern designer of this year's Guild Raffle Quilt! The name of the pattern is "Passing Fancy Quilt" and it's included in her book titled "Simple Traditions." She was our guest speaker tonight! She had some VERY BEAUTIFUL quilts in her trunk show! Many of which had more of her beautiful applique!

Kim's story of how she got started in quilting was very cool - check out her Bio on this page of her own website. Just goes to show you that ANYTHING is possible!

Because the guild is so large - each month not only are there two meetings (morning and evening meetings) but they also offer TWO workshop classes each month from their teachers that they pay to come!! Above is the quilt that the Friday class will be working on and below are two of the same pattern (one light and one dark) that the Saturday class will be working on.

In her workshop classes this weekend, Kim is gonna be sharing her tips and secrets to using invisible thread to do machine applique!! and man oh man would I would love to be there when they do the classes....*sigh* Last month was tips on adding any sized borders to make fit the quilt and this month machine applique.... I wish I could take class after class... but right now in my life I just can't... however I do get to take the BONNIE HUNTER class workshop when she comes in just a few months! I'm already signed up and paid for August! :)

We got to see most all Kim's quilts in her 4 books, plus MORE! ;) and would you believe that after the 3rd quilt, my rechargable battery died! Completely shut off. Awwwwlll man!

But thankfully Mrs. Cathy a guild member I met months ago at the Joann's cutting counter was so kind to let me borrow her memory card and bring home with me so I'd have a copy of the photos she took! Isn't that so kind!!? ;) Thanks Cathy! Thanks to her you can get a peek at these below.

Quilt after quilt - they unfolded before our very eyes and I couldn't hardly hold back the oooooughs and aaaahhhs ;) Aren't they all great!?! Not all were bed sized - she had some very cute wall hanging sizes too. :) I just loved the smiling cat and pumpkins below.

I think the ones from her most recently published book Simple Comforts was my favorites! The link will take you to the listing at amazon.com and you can click to see several of them - much better quality photos that anything I took.

I know, this guild I recently joined is so COOL! They get national known speakers nearly every month!! Every meeting I go to I feel like it's one upping the month before :) as if they specially selected the quilts just for ME! :) The day meeting group always has over 100 ladies but the night group only has about 20 members each month in attendance which makes it even more fun and laid back ;) We get to ask a lot of questions... :)

Yep it's become the BRIHGHT HIGHLIGHTED date on the family calendar in the kitchen every month. What I look forward to... and remind my husband of 18 times between the 1st and the 3rd week! Can you blame me? ;) And here I thought I would just go to join and not go back again until Bonnie Hunter came this summer..... boy am I glad I didn't do that! Look what I would have missed out on!

Oh and here is one more photo of one of Kim's patterns I'll leave you with - after I came home and Googled some to get some links to share with you - I found THIS FREE PATTERN of the quilt above HERE and thought you might like it. ;) I also learned that Kim has her own fabric line she has designed too although she didn't once mention it last night. Kim Diehl: Along the Fence offered by Henry Glass & Co.

Love from Texas!