December 4th - Holiday party

There are no scheduled meetings for December.  Our holiday party is at Mary's house and she has planned a wonderful night with a vocal concert by a group that brings holiday joy.  Event starts at 6:00, program at 7:00 and dessert at 8:00.

In addition, we will continue to collect our items for My Sister's Place. Any paper products - paper towels, toilet paper, napkins and even diapers. This is a domestic violence shelter for women in Chandler. They have 14 rooms and house up to 14 women and their children at any time.  Each family only stays 4 months and they get help locating a new place to live.

Jan 15th - Next regular meeting

Our own member, Kathy Kreig, is going to give us a trunk show about all of the quilt challenges she does during the year.  This will be a great opportunity to get inspired to join in.

Success - Making a difference with donations

The donations and quilts we have made were donated to Southwest Network. The Phoenix chapter is having a holiday boutique the first part of December to allow people they help to come in and pick out something they need for the holidays.  They were so grateful for our truck of donations.  This will make a such a difference for people.

Events through the rest of the year:

November 6th - NO regular meeting

Our meeting location is also used for voting and we are unable to have a regular meeting.
We had discussed meeting at Bernina Connection and they were putting together a presentation for us on thread and needles but at the last meeting only a handful of members indicated they would go so we have cancelled that program and will ask them to come next year.

Our president has arranged a social sew in at the Chandler Police Station Community Room from 5-9:30.  So go and vote and then join up for some talking and time working on projects.

November 20th - EQ7

We have an exciting program from an AQG traveling teacher, Joanne Rice, about EQ7.  This is a software program that allows you to design quilts before cutting the fabric.  It came highly recommended from several members.

December 4th - Holiday party

There are no scheduled meetings for December.  Our holiday party is at Mary's house and she has planned a wonderful night with a vocal concert by a group that brings holiday joy.  There is a $5.00 charge and appetizers and dessert are provided.   Reach out to Jo to reserve your spot.

In addition, we will continue to collect our items for My Sister's Place. Any paper products - paper towels, toilet paper, napkins and even diapers. This is a domestic violence shelter for women in Chandler. They have 14 rooms and house up to 14 women and their children at any time.  Each family only stays 4 months and they get help locating a new place to live.

Other charity news

Joanne had created wonderful boxes for a non-profit that helps homeless with medical, locating jobs, and even finding placed to live.  These boxes provided a start up kit for someone moving into a new location including a plate, silverware, cup, towel, toilet items, and more. These were a big hit and I would like to create more from the donations I have been getting from everyone.  Please let me know if you have access to paper boxes that we could use to create these start up kits - Debbie

Quilts of Valor

Our wonderful group has donated 4 quilts to Quilts of Valor.  This group gives quilts to nominated individuals who have been effected by war.  I am attaching a picture from one of the awards ceremonies.

One of the recipients wrote:

I would like to extend a very grateful thanks to the people of the Nimble Thimbles for their time and effort in making this quilt. I am very honored to have been selected to receive this gift. I will respect it and use it.

The feeling I had at the time of presentation was one of humility and appreciation.

Small Quilt Auction on October 16th

This meeting will be our annual small quilt auction.  This gives you a head start of buying some wonderful items for friends or even yourself. We will have small quilts, bags, wall hangings, table runners and on.  Donations are still being accepted for the auction.

Bring your checkbook.  Bring your friends.

The meeting will NOT have charity or show and tell so we have time for the auction.


Block of the month - October

The block of the month for October is the Pumpkin.  This pattern takes a lot of small blocks in different orange patterns.  If you don't have enough variety, bring your blocks to the next meeting and exchange with friends.

Last meeting - 9/18

Thank you to everyone that participated in our 'Favorite Things' meeting.  We had some great sharing and we all learned about some new things to try and some new places to go.  Our president took notes and will be sending out a listing of items.

Next meeting - 10/2

Our next meeting will feature Ray from Three Dudes.  This is a speaker requested by many members so look forward to a great night.

The block of the month is due.  For October it was Build a Building - either the house or the barn.
Crystal will be challenging for the next month.  Let her know if there is a special one you want to make sure we all do.

Last meeting on 9/4

Gary Rait gave a very informative speech on treadle sewing machines.  He does a wonderful job of restoring.  His information:  602-723-4182 or rait@cox.net


Next meeting on 9/18

Let's discuss our favorite things.
Our next meeting will be a social time where everyone will get to discuss their favorite things.
Do you have a favorite tool?  Bring it to show.
Do you have a favorite blog or designer you follow?  Tell us about it.
Do you have a favorite store or quilt show you go to?  We want to go also.

We have purchased some of our favorite things and will give everyone a chance to try them and them we will raffle off as door prizes.

We are also hoping to have some great demonstrations.  Come and enjoy your fellow quilters.

Block of the month

You are all so talented and we love seeing your blocks.
The challenge block for next month is Build a Building - Make either the Barn or the House or both.

Small quilt auction

Start your projects.  The small quilt project is Oct 16th.

Last meeting on 8/21 - Madonna from Mad B's

Madonna from Mad B's was a wonder guest speaker and gave us lots of tips on pressing.
There were many in the group who will admit we love the hissing sound when our steam irons heat up the water puddles on our quilts to get out the wrinkles.

Her big advice was to stop drowning your fabric with water and pushing it out of shape. Do not use steam and to even not put water in your iron. Lightly spray and use your hand to get the water into the fabric and let the wrinkle disappear.

Next meeting on 9/4 

Treadle sewing machines-Gary Rait will give us history on the treadle sewing machines and show how he restores machines to working order. He is a wonderful craftsman.

Block of the month - Bring your newest BOM of the canning jars from the Vintage Farm Girls book.

Next meeting on 9/18

For this meeting we will take a break from guest speakers and learn from each other.
Bring your favorite:

• Tool
• Fabric
• Tip
• Fabric store
• Quilt show
• Blog

We want to learn from each other.  We will have some demos and give everyone an opportunity to play with some favorite items that will be used for door prizes.

Update on Charity

Hello everyone. We wanted to give you an update on our Community Service efforts. Since July, we have donated 107 quilts. Here is the breakdown:

• 30 twin size quilts to I-HELP. To read more about I-HELP, please see this article written by Ellen O’Brien, Kathy’s daughter: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/08/17/church-campout-faith-community-provides-food-shelter-for-homeless-in-chandler/. If you would like to read the press release we are coordinating with I-HELP, it is attached.
• 8 twin size quilts to Gathering Humanity. Penny was approached by Gathering Humanity about twin size quilts specifically for refugee children. Gathering Humanity is a local non-profit organization that helps resettlement agencies set up apartments for refugees. The resettlement agencies have many federal laws they have to meet when setting up an apartment, and one of those requirements is that each child have a bed and bedding. Gathering Humanity is always in need of twin size quilts and comforters for refugee children. Since we had an excess of twin size quilts, over and above the 30 we planned for I-HELP, we gave eight to Gathering Humanity. You can read more about Gathering Humanity here: https://www.gatheringhumanity.org/.
• 54 to the Phoenix Women’s Veterans Program. These 54 quilts are all baby quilts that will be included in baskets given to veteran moms. The program is housed at the VA Hospital in North Phoenix, but the baskets are provided to all veteran moms in the system. Thank you Joann Reiter for contributing the majority of these quilts!
• 19 quilts, including two twin size quilts, to Southwest Network. This is the organization that Debbie Ament’s daughter, Jessica, introduced to us at the last meeting. Jessica is open to additional donations as well – dishes, pots, pans, sheets, household items and interview clothing (especially for men). You can read more about Southwest Network here: http://www.southwestnetwork.org/ni/. If you have items to donate, you can bring them to any meeting and Debbie will get them to her daughter.
• 4 quilts to Quilts of Valor. We will continue to look through our incoming quilts to find those that meet the parameters of Quilts of Valor. If you would like to piece a top specifically for Quilts of Valor, let us know. Debbie has supplied us with labels for Quilts of Valor, and Community Service can supply batting and backing.

Our Community Service sew-in on July 30 brought 17 of us together to create kits ready to be quilted. We had the tops… we just needed batting and backing pieced and kitted. Leslie Schneider and Debbie took oodles of kits home and have been working their way through quilting and binding them. We so appreciate all the work you ladies do… and that goes for everyone else who contributes to our Community Service efforts.

In the next couple of months, we will be reworking some of our piecing kits to give you fresh opportunities for making Community Service quilts. If you have suggestions for new patterns, please let us know.

Last Meeting

Barabara Janson gave us a wonderful presentation on Landscape quilts.  It was inspiring to see what she has created. She doing some classes at local stores and is willing to do a class for our group at the AQG cost of $15.00 per person.  If you were inspired and want to organize a class, get with Debbie.  She has the information.

We also had a representative from Southwest Network, Jessica Gay, ask for our help in supporting her company.  Southwest Network has 7 locations and works with the 'forgotten' people.  She shared she is the next of kin for many of her clients since they have no family or even a home.  She asked for quilts to give to children they work with they are in CPS care, homeless pregnant moms who have nothing and even to assist with she gets housing for a person.  The budget to set up their new 'home' is $25 and includes food, toiletries, bedding, kitchen.  So she is also willing to take any household items since they can be used to make the budget stretch further.  Someone asked about clothes and she said she has a need for men's clothes to help when they go on interviews.  Donations can be brought to the meeting and given to Debbie.


Next Meeting

Mad B's will be here to give us tips and tricks on how to press our projects.  We have purchased some wonderful door prizes from her store and look forward to the help in keeping our blocks from distorting.

Block of the month - Canning jars
We were amazed by the turn out for our first block of Cherries.  You girls rock..I mean QUILT.



We are continuing our block of the month from the Vintage Farm Girl book by Lori Holt.  The block of the month for August is canning jars.  You are welcome to make the 6" or the 12" block.
P.S.  I have asked Mad B's to bring any books they have if you are still looking for the book.

Quilts of Valor
I am taking two quilts to Tucson on Saturday to give to Quilts of Valor.  She is so excited since she has no quilts right now for presentations.

Last meeting 7/17/18 - PUP

We had a record number of 9 quilters who got their 2017-2018 PUP projects done.  Good job on meeting the challenge.
Then we had a fun evening of seeing the poor unfinished projects that we all have in our closets.  If you still want to be involved in this challenge, feel free to bring your projects to the next meeting.


Next charity meeting 7/31/18

Our next meeting is a 5th Tuesday which means Charity night.  There will be no programs or announcements.  Bring your machines, cutting tools, and willingness to work on charity quilts.


Meeting 8/7/18

For the first meeting in August, we will host AQG's own, Barbara Janson.  She is a traveling teacher and will be giving us her insight on how to create landscape quilts.

Block of the month - Cherries
Also bring your cherry BOM.  Our BOM is from the Vintage Farm Girl book (Lori Holt).  The first month is the cherry block.  Feel free to make the 12" or 6" in your fave fabrics.

Meeting 8/21/18

Our 2nd meeting in August, we will be visited by Madonna from Mad B's.  Her topic is pressing and to starch or not to starch.  This will be a great time to learn tips and tricks on how to make your cut pieces stay straight.

Last meeting:  Quilts of Valor

Our last meeting was so much fun.  Jennifer Wilson gave a wonderful presentation about Quilts of Valor.

Did you know:

• The organization has more veterans that have been nominated for a quilt than quilts to give them.
• The recommended size is 60x80 (minimum 55X65)
• The quit does not have to be patriotic.
• Labels are required .. Nimble Thimbles has ordered some and they will be available to purchase

We also had played left, right, center and had three winners who won a stack of red, white, and blue fabric.

Meeting on 7/17 - PUP

Our next meeting is our annual PUP - Poor Unfinished Project.

If you have your project from last year done, bring it to share and get entered in a drawing for a gift card.

If you want to participate for this year, bring up to 3 projects that you have started (or at least thought about) and have not gotten done.  You will have a chance to share your story about the project.  Then the group will pick the project you need to get done by July 2019.  

This is a fun night with lots of stories that you will be able to relate to.  Come and get to know your fellow quilters better.

Next Meeting - July 3rd

Welcome to our new board as we start the 2018-2019 year for Nimble Thimbles.  Our new president is Jo Setliff.

• Good news at the last meeting we approved the budget.
• Membership renewals are due.  As part of the budget, we have raised the year membership for Nimble Thimbles to $25.00.  The current price of $20.00 is good until the end of June.
• In addition, the Arizona Quilters Guild price is lower for renewals until the end of June at $25.00.  After July 1st, the cost is $30.00.  You can renew online through https://www.azquiltersguild.org/.

     The first meeting in July we will celebrate the patriotic holiday by hosting, Jennifer Wilson, from Quilts of Valor.  She will be discussing what this program is including requirements for quilts and how to nominate someone for a quilt.
Show your U.S. country spirit be wearing your red, white, and blue; bringing any patriotic quilts you have for show and tell, and ...... 2 red, white, or blue fat quarters. We will be playing left, right, center to give you a chance to win a stash of fabric to start your own patriotic quilt.

We will also be introducing our new Block of the Month program.  This year we will work together making blocks for the Vintage Farm Girl book by Lori Holt.  Each month we will challenge you to make a block from this book and by the end of year you will have 12 blocks for a quilt.  Each person participating will need to purchase their own book.

July 17th

PUP (poor unfinished project) night.  For those who participated last year, bring in your finished projects to be included in a drawing for gift cards. For the 2018-2019 year, everyone is invited to bring a maximum of 3 PUP projects to present to the group.  We will vote on which one we want you to finish for the next year.  Lots of fun and laughs during this meeting.

Next Meeting- June 19th

The next meeting is our last meeting for the fiscal year.  No worries, we start right back up again in July.

We will be having an ice cream social and some great socialization with other quilters.  Bring a project to work on while you talk and get to know your fellow quilters.

And if that is not enough...we will also be discussing our 2018-2019 budget.  WOW won't that be fun.  Be present to have a vote on where your money is going.


July 3rd meeting

     The first meeting in July we will celebrate the patriotic holiday by hosting, Jennifer Wilson, from Quilts of Valor.  She will be discussing what this program is including requirements for quilts and how to nominate someone for a quilt.

Show your U.S. country spirit be wearing your red, white, and blue; bringing any patriotic quilts you have for show and tell, and ...... 2 red, white, or blue fat quarters. We will be playing left, right, center to give you a chance to win a stash of fabric to start your own patriotic quilt.

July 17th

PUP (poor unfinished project) night.  For those who participated last year, you have over a month to get those projects finished.

Upcoming Events:

May 22nd - Board meeting at Kathy O'Brien's house.  We will be planning our budget for next year.  Reach out if you have any suggestions reach out to the board.

May 29th -  5th Tuesday of the Month  No formal meeting.  We will focus on cutting fabric and organizing uncut fabric into matching groups. If you prefer to sew or quilt, we can bring items for you. Please reply and let me know if you will be coming and what you prefer to do. Please bring your tools (cutting mat and rotary cutter or sewing machine and notions). We will have table risers available to make cutting more comfortable. Remember to bring a beverage for yourself.


June 5th - Sharon Neidigh will be presenting her collection of vintage aprons. She is encouraging everyone wear their own aprons and celebrate with her.

Remember P.U.P. will be July 17th.  You still have time to work on your PUP projects.  Also take the time to clean out your craft room to find your unfinished projects to bring in for us to vote on.

Tuesday 4/17 we will be treated to a presentation by the Featherweight Doctor. You may have seen their booth at the AQG show. Learn more about featherweight history, their resurgence, and new products available to utilize these compact little workhorses. 

Also pick up the sweet Pansy pattern for the block of the month- Thanks Bev. Blocks are due the first meeting in May. 

During our last meeting, we were fortunate to have many willing members step forward to offer their names to the leadership ballot. All positions for 2018-19 year have candidates! Thank You!!! (Whoop! Whoop!)

We will have an official vote at Tuesday's meeting. Looking forward to another great year! We can always use additional hands. If you feel like you missed a chance to help, please see me with your interest. I would love to help you get connected!

Stash to Treasures Auction, February 20th

At our next meeting on February 20th, we will be having our Stash to Treasurer auction. All money will be used for the general fund for Nimble Thimbles.

We have taken all of your donations and put together 86 auction items for the meeting.  The auction items have themes:  cats, quilt in a day, solids, birdhouses, notions, linens, bears, Asian, native American, templates, thread, garden, and so much more.

For each item you are interested in you put .25 in the bucket on your table and hold up your paddle with a number.  We will draw numbers until someone that bids, wins.  And all books, magazines, and patterns will be sold during the meeting for .25.

This is a great opportunity to get some wonderful items for .25.  Bring your friends and let them in on the fun of winning some wonderful items.

Coming Up: Carol Collett

Update!!!  Carol Collett is ill and will not be presenting at the 1/16 meeting.  Merci and Linda will present a trunk show called for the Love of Applique.  Carol will reschedule at a later date.



The January 16th meeting will be featuring Carol Collett. 

She will do a trunk show that she created using vintage linens. Carol has taught at quilt shops in the Phoenix area. Her newest collection is called My Fair Ladies.  Hope to see you there.

Welcome to 2018

Welcome to 2018

Meeting on 1/2

We had our first 2018 meeting with the owner of Mad B's giving us an update on her favorite items for quilting. These were great reminders of things we like and things we would like to have.

We also played a great game of Left, Right, Center using fat quarters.  Three people at the meeting went home with a great new stack of fabric.

The bird block challenge was finalized and a new block featuring cowboy boots was introduced. These are so cute.  The block are due at the first February meeting and each block submitted gives you a raffle ticket to win blocks.

Meeting on 1/16

Our net meeting will feature the guest speaker, Carol Collett.  She will be presenting a trunk show using vintage linens. Carols has taught at quilt shops in the Phoenix area and her newest collection is My Fair Ladies.

Other information

• The deadline to submit a quilt to the March AQG quilt show is January 19th.
• Did you participate in the Laurie Heine class with her dog and cat quilts. Debbie Ament is trying to submit a non-judged quilt group to the quilt show for these quilts. Please contact her at quiltingwithbrights@gmail.com if you are interested in joining in.
• Phoenix Quilt, Craft, and Sewing festival is January 25-27.  AQG is selling discount tickets for $7.  You can buy them at our next meeting on 1/16 or submit a form to AQG directly.
• The spring quilt camp is on April 5-8.  Deposits to reserve a spot are being accepted.
• Trash to Treasure is scheduled for 4/3.  This is our event where we accept donations from our members.  Items are put together into great collections and each participant can put in their bid for an item by donating .25 and holding up their bidder number. Numbers are drawn until someone wins. Please bring your donations of fabric, books, tools, templates, thread or anything quilting related.