Curved Piecing Presentation and Workshop

For our meeting next Saturday, March 8, Diane, who blogs about her modern quilting journey at Southern Meanderings, will give a brief presentation on improvisational curved piecing.  During the Sew Day portion, she will lead a workshop on the same topic.

Diane has sewn for many years but allowed her sewing machine to collect dust for one reason or another.  She found her groove again with the modern quilt movement.  In her own words, "Now that I am retired, I am enjoying sewing again and have fallen in love with modern quilts. "

While attending a Camp Stitchalot workshop last summer, Dan Rouse of Piece and Press showed Diane how to create simple improv curves that led to the beginnings of her Twilight quilt.  It is this same technique she'll talk about and demonstrate Saturday.

If you want to step into the world of improvisational curved piecing, you'll need to bring the following items with you:

- 4 coordinated fat quarters (solids or prints, or a combination of both)

- rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat

- sewing machine, thread, etc.

- iron and ironing board/surface

Diane says it doesn't take long to make these blocks.  She estimates the total time for her workshop will be approximately an hour to an hour and a half.

ECMQG  members do not need to register for this workshop.  It is a benefit of membership.  Non-members and guests wishing to participate, should contact ECMQG via our Email.  The non-member and guest fee is $5, which is payable at the door.

Cindy Marvel

ECMQG Secretary

Sew Days

I think, one of the nicest benefits of membership with ECMQG is our Sew Day.

The Fellowship Hall at Crestview Baptist Church is spacious with large round tables which are perfect for sharing, has tons of well positioned electrical outlets, and that big ol' floor which allows for easy basting or contemplation of your quilt design. 

I truly enjoy spending the hours after our regular meeting talking to and sharing ideas with other modern quilters.  For me, it's a mini-retreat with friends.  Friends who have varying quilting experience and interests.  We eat.  We encourage.  We play with fabric.  We laugh.  We help each other.  We learn.  We get to know each other a little better.  We form bonds and make plans.

Our Sew Days are visually stimulating and always inspirational.  As a member of ECMQG who lives nowhere close to Crestview, the opportunity to have six hours of sewing time with like-minded people is immeasurable, and to me, oh so worth the drive.

You should consider joining us if you haven't previously.  Members pay nothing extra for this time, as I mentioned, because it's a benefit of membership.  Guests who wish to join us, pay $5 for each Sew Day.

See you next Saturday, March 8th, for our next meeting and Sew Day.  I know you'll just love it!

Cindy Marvel
ECMQG Secretary  

MQG Riley Blake Fabric Challenge Projects

Kudos to every ECMQG member who participated in the most recent fabric challenge sponsored by the MQG and Riley Blake Fabrics.  

Unequivocally, the following pictures are testament to the talent and creativity we have within our guild.

Many thanks to Kim, our photographer, for this scrumptious display of eye-candy!  This is a picture laden post.  (I will add links to tutorials, blogs, patterns, etc., if they were provided, over the next several days.  Please check back.)

As most of you know, this is but one of the benefits of our association with the MQG.  If you choose to be a full member of ECMQG, we automatically include the MQG membership with our membership, making you eligible to participate in these challenges.

Coincidentally, the next MQG Fabric Challenge was announced this past Sunday night.  You can read about it here.  We will be participating.  I hope you'll join us in this next creative endeavor.  

Cindy Marvel

ECMQG Secretary

Introducing Modern Designers - Denyse Schmidt - A Fabric Swap

She has been called the "mother of modern quilting" and her fabrics have inspired a whole generation of quilters.  Quilter, fabric designer, author, pattern designer, this woman is a cornerstone of the modern quilting movement.

ECMQG's swap for the month of March is a fat eighth (FE or F8) fabric swap by the amazing Denyse Schmidt.  If you would like to know more about her, this brief biography may be of interest.

Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt (photo courtesy of Westwood Acres Fabric)

Aunt Edna by DS Quilts for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

Hope Valley.  Photo courtesy of dsquilts.

Hugs and Kisses Quilt (pattern by Jaybird Quilts) made with Denyse's signature Flea Market Fancy)

What is a Fat Eighth?

A fat eighth (FE or F8) is one eighth of a yard of fabric, or a yard of fabric cut into eight equal pieces.  Traditionally, this long narrow cut from the fold line to the selvage, resulted in 8 strips measuring 4-1/2" x 21".  

Modern quilters found this cut too confining, and realized by changing the cutting dimensions of that same yard of fabric, shorter fatter pieces were more user friendly.   

This newer cut, still a FE or F8, and hugely popular with modern quilters is sized at 11" x 18" or 10.5" x 18" (after selvages are removed).   
  

Quilter's Quarters by DS Quilts for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

The Rules

 If you wish to participate, here is what you need to do:

1.  Purchase one yard of any Denyse Schmidt printed fabric.  (If ordering online, be sure to order early enough to allow time for delivery and cutting before the March 8th meeting.)  Some possible sources for your fabric might be:

A&E Pharmacy in Pensacola, or online from Hawthorne Threads, Pink Chalk Fabrics,  Fat Quarter Shop,  Fabric dot com, eQuilter, Intrepid Thread and Fabricworm.


Be sure to buy 100% cotton quilting fabric.  This is not a swap for corduroy, voile, home decorator, or other fabric types.

2 - You may swap up to three yards of fabric.

3.  Cut your fabric using the tutorial below.

4.  Place your cut fabric in a zip top bag labeled with your name.  If you're swapping more than 1 yard, place each SEPARATE yard in a labeled zip top bag. 

5.  Leave your labeled bag(s) on the designated Denyse Schmidt swap table inside the Fellowship Hall.

6.  Your fabric(s) will be sorted and separated by groups.  At the conclusion of our meeting, drop by the Denyse Schmidt swap table and pick up your bag(s); a beautiful bundle of modern designer fabric.

7.  We won't have a variety of prints if everyone purchases and brings the same fabric.  Please utilize the comments section to let us know what fabric(s) you've selected.  With the number of participants we are anticipating, it should be okay to have no more than two people bring the same print.  

Chicopee by Denyse Schmidt

Cutting Modern Fat Eighths

1.  Press your fabric to remove the center crease.  Do not remove the selvages.

2.  Using your rotary cutter, cut your fabric lengthwise through the center.  You now have two pieces, measuring 22" x 36".

3.  Cut each 22" x 36" piece in half again lengthwise.  This gives you four pieces, each measuring 11" x 36"

4.  Cut each 11" x 36" piece in half crosswise.  This gives you eight pieces, each measuring 11" x 18".  A modern fat eighth.  

(Note that the width of the fabric may vary, which may make your F8 somewhat less than 11"; if you cut your fabric width into equal quarters, it will be close enough.)

As always, if you have questions regarding the swap or this tutorial, you can email me at wendimihalik at yahoo dot com.

This is going to be a good swap!

Wendi Mihalik
ECMQG Swap Captain