August 2017

Wow-summer is almost over.  It already feels like Fall.  I will miss Summer and wish it would last at least a few months longer.

There was a lot of chatter today and I didn't see a whole lot of sewing.  In fact, I think only Linda and Sue brought machines!  Peggy brought knitting, I brought fabric to look at and Deb brought show and tell.

And talking about show and tell..............

Peggy's beautiful medallion quilt hot off the quilting table.  Rhonda quilted, appropriately, clovers on this.

This is the baby quilt that I got help from the club with for the borders.  I was ready to toss it because I thought it was so insipid.  Thanks everyone for your input.  It turned out kind of cute.

This is a Disappearing Nine Patch that I made for the veteran's hospice group Peggy is donating to.

This beauty is Deb's.  She bought 4 small kits and combined them into this large log cabin.  She is hoping to be able to use this on one of her beds in her new home down South.

Showing the backing fabric for Deb's quilt.

 Rhonda finished the top for her Christmas in July quilt.

Linda made this adorable baby quilt for her niece.

Sue's medallion quilt for her husband.  He is excited for her to finish it.

And Linda's medallion quilt.  

Linda was very busy with her quilts.  Here is another baby quilt she made and Rhonda quilted.

Two memory quilts Linda made and Rhonda quilted.  Rhonda has been kept busy too!

Linda has another baby quilt made.  This was for a girl at work.  She used a pattern that we have made before, just on a larger scale.  Turned out very pretty.

And Linda made a boy's version of the same quilt pattern.

I am going to do a separate post with our medallion quilts.  I think that will be fun to see them all together to see how different and the same they are.

For lunch we had "crack chicken", which I brought, Linda  brought peach and regular salsa, Sue brought marinated tomatoes, Deb brought fresh pineapple, Peggy brought a spinach and fruit salad and Rhonda made a Ridiculous Vanilla Cake.  The recipes for the chicken and cake are below.

Instant Pot Crack Chicken
 Author: Adventures of a Nurse

 Ingredients
6-8 slices cooked bacon
2 pounds boneless chicken breast
1 packet ranch seasoning
8oz cream cheese
1 cup water
3 tbs corn starch
4oz cheddar cheese

 Instructions 1. Place chicken and cream cheese in the IP. Sprinkle the packet of ranch seasoning over the top. Add one cup water. Place your IP on Manual high pressure for 25 minutes. do a quick release. Remove chicken only and shred I used my kitchen aid to shred my chicken. Keep your IP on low and Mix in cornstarch with a whisk. Add cheese and shredded chicken to the mixture. Stir in bacon and enjoy.

Ridiculous Vanilla Cake

 

Author: Cookies & Cups

Serves: serves 10

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (15.25 ounce) box vanilla cake mix
• 1 (4 serving sized) box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 3 eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup water
• 2 cups white chocolate chips

Icing

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• white chocolate chips to garnish

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally grease a 10- inch bundt pan with butter or shortening and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine all the cake ingredients. Mix on low for 30 seconds until combined and then on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the cake is set. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert the pan onto a cake plate.

Icing

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Pour over the cake.
2. You can ice the cake when it's warm or cooled.
3. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips if desired. Note - if you sprinkle white chips on the cake when it's warm they will melt slightly.

Our next meeting will be September 23.   This is when we will get our boxes and prepare for our next group project.  See last month's blog if you need instructions on what and how we will be doing this.

Have a great end of the Summer!

July 2017

Christmas In July was the theme of this month's quilt club.  We intended to work on a UFO Christmas Project for ourselves.  We also continued to work on the Quilts of Valor/Hospice for Peggy. 

Show and tell for this month

 First  up is one of Linda's Memory Quilts she has been work on.

 Peggy finished her top for our group project.  They are turning out so nice and each one has it's own personality.  We are almost there.  Hope to finish up by September just in time for our next group  project.

 Cathy has been working on the Quilts of Valor/Hospice for Peggy.  She has two tops completed and Peggy will be machine quilting them

 This is Cathy's second top.

Rhonda put together a kit she purchased in Denver Colorado while she was in the mountains over July 4th.

 She also made a Penn State Mesh bag for a raffle for  her family reunion.

 Sheree whipped together this cute snowman quilt.  Pattern was purchased at the Lancaster quilt show.  Pattern will be available in your email. If you want it watch for the email.

 Patty was really busy with the adorable owl wall hanging.  She had it custom quilted and it is gorgeous.  It is sold.

Patty is also working on a Pat Sloan Mystery Quilt.  Nice job.

  Peggy's Quilt of Valor ready to go.

Another of Linda's Memory quilts.

Since our theme was Christmas in July, we made a Christmas meal.  Turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and Deb's salad (Recipe to be added and don't remember the name).

Cloverleaf Quilter’s Group Project 2017

Each member will create a quilt from chosen focus fabric.  Each quilt club member will contribute two 12.5 inch blocks (12 inch finished) for each of the participants.

This project will be completed in one year from date of start.

• Start with a 3 yard length of focus fabric of your choosing.
• If you want this to be your border cut them first and mark so it doesn’t get used during the journey.
• I suggest cutting three strips at 4.5, 5.5 or 6.5 from the length, 324 inches.  This should be more than enough for a big quilt.
• Next, if you want to want to have a more controlled quilt, not scrappy, I would suggest adding some contrast fabrics from your stash.  If not the next person will make blocks using what they have in their stash.  You should not buy fabric for this project.  Work with what you have. 
• The first set of blocks will set the tone of the quilt and the owner will make the first two blocks for their quilt.
• Boxes will be provided at the September meeting; you will take it home with you and create your first two blocks.

• You will have until the next quilt club to create two 12.5 inch (finishing at 12 inches) blocks out of the fabrics. 
• Each month we will continue to pass the box following the order on your box.  The next person will then create the next two blocks.
• There will be no show and tell.  A diary will be provided in the box to document the project.  (Why you chose the blocks, fabric, colors, any comments about the blocks already created, etc.)
• When all 8 members have completed the blocks, you will have the pleasure of completing your quilt. You can do whatever you want.
• Make it bigger by making more blocks
• Just add borders
• We will then have the last few months to complete any extra blocks, borders, and quilting. 

The following dates have been selected for the club meetings.  If you are not able to make that meeting,  you will make arrangements to get the box to the next person on the list.

Sept 23

October 28

November 25

No December meeting

January 27

February 24

March 23

April 27

May 18

June 22

June 2017

We are finally welcoming some nice days and it looks like we will actually get a summer.  I think it is supposed to be beautiful weather all weekend!!

There was a lot of sewing and chatting going on today.  Our projects were rather mixed.  Rhonda was working on memory quilts, Sue and Linda were working on their round robin quilts, Deb was working on a quilt that I believe is for her new home.  Peggy and I were working on valor quilts for a hospice group for vets in VA.  Here is a picture of our work stations as we took a break for lunch.  You can tell we were busy.

You can see this a little bit above.  Sue got this great table to add on to her Featherweight.  It is acrylic and has gold decals etched on it.  She loved working with it.

And on to our show and tell.  Linda is nearing the finish line on her round robin!

 This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern that I finally quilted.

 And the Jelly Roll Race quilt I finally quilted.  I did this one free hand.

 Rhonda's niece Libby's graduation quilt.

 and the back of it.

 Rhonda finished her mystery quilt.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  Beautiful!

Cat quilt that Rhonda added tails to the border.  She will back this with Penn State fabric.  I suggested paw prints for the quilting.  I can't wait to see this cutie finished!

 Rhonda made two John Deer tractor quilts for her nephews who will be visiting soon from Germany.

Even though Sheree wasn't here she had a few quilts for show and tell.  This is a jelly roll snowman.  Too cute!

Sheree's beautiful round robin quilt.  It was said this is getting gifted.  That will be one lucky person.

There are a few pictures I will add here when I get them for our virtual show and tell.

This is Peggy's Jared Takes a Wife quilt that she made for a wedding quilt.  This is on my bucket list.  It is beautiful Peggy!

I didn't see all the food we had today so I asked someone from the club to send me an email and I will add it to the blog.  All I know is it smelled really good!  Here is the email Rhonda sent.  Peggy made a grilled chicken salad.  Deb had her famous and delicious Cole slaw.  Cream cheese and pepper Kellie, iced brownies, chips and dip.

Rhonda is going to put together some directions for our next quilt project.  It will have some yardage in a box with some extra matching fabric.  We will possibly be making the first two twelve inch blocks from our own fabric before passing it on to the next person.

Next quilt club will be in July.  July 15th.

Deb will be leaving us soon.  She is going to be busy this summer packing and getting ready for her move south.  She should be able to make it back for at least one more quilt club.  We will miss you Deb!

Happy Summer!

April 2017

Saturday, April 22, 2017


There were just a few of us this month (Rhonda, Sue, Patty, Linda and Sheree).  Too many things going on, weddings, baseball, illness.  But we had a good show and tell.  We had bar-be-que, pasta salad, chips and dip and turtle cheese cake.

Deb Beam - haven't heard from you hope you are doing well.  Hear you are getting ready to retire.

Linda put together a panel she bought at the Lancaster Quilt Show.  It is for a photographer who recently did a wedding in Paris.

Rhonda whipped up a baby quilt for a new niece named Lucille Rose.

Next five quilts were done by Rhonda.  They are commissioned memory quilts.

Rhonda also put together a Dr. Suess panel for another new baby coming soon.

Rhonda turned "60" in March and to celebrate she put together a birthday quilt with 60 6-inch blocks with 3-inch blocks in the border.

Also Rhonda's Spider Web String quilt.  Top done.  Pattern from MSQC using their triangle paper templates.  Lots of scraps used.

Sheree finished her Round Robin top group quilt.  She left it with Rhonda to machine quilt.

Sue is making the Fancy Forest baby quilt for a new grand baby and is custom quilting it.

Patty finished her Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt 2016 and has it on Harleigh's bed.

 Patty did an owl wallhanging to give to her daughter-in-law but sold it to a friend before it was finished.

Rhonda visited Hawaii to celebrate her 60th birthday and 40th wedding anniversary.  She made sure she visited some quilt shops.  Lots of goodies from local quilt shops and "Fabric Marts".  It was fun.

Next quilt club tentatively will be June 3rd due to Memorial Day the week before.  Have a great month and keep working on your round robins.  We are getting close and want to get the picture this summer.  Patty will be hosting that day so we can get pictures in her backyard garden.

Until then - Happy quilting!

February 2017

Almost all of the Cloverleaf Quilters were at quilt club today.  The only one who was missing was Deb.  We hope you are doing OK Deb.  If you are able to, shoot us an email to let us know why you missed quilt club.  I hope it was because you were doing something fun!

I apologize for the quality of my pictures this month.  I don't really know what happened.  

We had three of our Medallion/Round Robin Quilts for show and tell.  Rhonda's is done done done!

 She cleverly quilted it with shamrocks!  The backing is fabric an aunt used back in the 80's to make mu mus.  It just added to the fun of this quilt.

 Mine is quilted and now I have to decide how I am going to bind it.

 Sue is making hers for her husband.  She added patches and embroidery with his name, battalion, and other Vietnam mementos..

Rhonda is making memory quilts for a friend.  This is a disappearing 9 patch.

 Linda's log cabin is fixed and quilted.

And that is it for show and tell.  Peggy sent me pictures of some of her projects, but some escaped without being photographed.

These are two memory quilts that Peggy made.

Peggy's baby quilt made from a MSQ company tutorial.  She will send me the name later to add here.  "Wedge Diamond Quilt"

This is a crocheted hooded blanket Peggy made.

We had a lot of food with everyone here.  I didn't even see all of it.  I should have paid more attentions.  I am dieting again and didn't want to be tempted.  Peggy made stuffed celery that everyone loved and she is going to send me the link to the recipe.  I brought a salad.  Cathy made beef barbeque, Linda made taco soup, Sue made marinated carrots, Sheree brought drinks and I think Patty brought dessert?  I didn't see that, thankfully.

Bacon-Cranberry-Walnut Stuffed Celery

Ingredients

12 celery stalks, cleaned, cut into portions

1/2 lb crispy cooked bacon, drained and crumbled

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup glazed walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup craisins, chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Cook bacon (crispy), drain on paper towels. Chop walnuts, Craisins, and green onion. In a small bowl, combine: Cream cheese, bacon, walnuts, Craisins, green onion, heavy cream, and garlic powder. Stir until mixed well. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes (to combine flavors).

2. Clean celery and cut into desired portion size.

3. Stuffing Celery: Carefully spread cream cheese mixture into each portion of celery. I personally use a piping bag with a LARGE tip. You can do the same with a Ziploc bag with a large hole cut in a corner. Refrigerate until time to serve, keep chilled.

Then we discussed a new round robin.  The discussion was hilarious as people didn't grasp the concept initially.  The more we discussed it the more confusion ensued.  I think we finally all got it figured out.

Here is my interpretation.  Everyone starts out with a certain amount of one fabric-the focus fabric. Rhonda suggested three yards.  This fabric is put into a box (pizza box) and passed to another quilter.  Each quilter will now have a pizza box with another quilter's fabric in it.  The quilter's job is to make two twelve inch quilt blocks that uses some of the fabric in the box and coordinating fabric from the holder of the box's stash.  The box will be brought back to quilt club the following month and passed on to another quilter who will also make two twelve inch blocks that coordinate with the blocks and fabric in the box, using fabric from their own stash.  Every month you will have a box to take home, make two blocks and bring back to club with you the following month.  At the end of eight or nine months, you will have 16 or 18 twelve inch blocks in your box that coordinate with your original fabric.  When you get your box and fabric back, you can determine a lay out for your round robin quilt.  Rhonda discouraged using the same blocks for each round where you make two blocks for your fellow quilter.  (I kind of liked the idea!  LOL)  I hope this makes sense-after today though I am not sure I can explain it!)

We also discussed the Lancaster Quilt Show.  We are going to meet at the Sheridon Inn on Route 30 (behind Round the Clock Diner)  Saturday, April 1.  Rhonda will give us more details later.  We are going to be meeting up with Doris and her gang.  The Quilt Show will be in lieu of our regular March meeting.

One final note-Happy birthday to Rhonda!  She will be celebrating in March with a dream trip to Hawaii!  Safe travels and have a wonderful time!