2016 Quilty Wishes

Wishing all of you, our quilty friends near and far, a wonderful beginning to the new year.  

(artwork from harrypandey789@gmail.com)

When we see you again, let's make beautiful things!  Let's spread modern quilty love!  Let's learn; let's make mistakes; let's push our creative boundaries; let's have fun!  

Natalie, Cindy, Wendi, & Nona
ECMQG Board 2016

Happy New Year Modern Quilters!

A Modern Window  

Welcome to the new year and a chance to stretch your technical and creative abilities with the ECMQG Block Lottery. 

I found this original block on Instagram from Angelica Jones, aka @stitchedconamor, who kindly gave us permission to publish her idea.

 C+S and Anna Maria Horner fabric

The basic rectangle shape in several sizes is the foundation for the block.  We'll construct a window frame with either a tone-on-tone print or a solid neutral (think lighter shades of tan, cream, barely brown).  The view through the window if you will, is a fussy cut fabric from the cool color spectrum - something green, aqua, blue, or purple.  

Scant quarter inch seams are necessary.  I like this  tutorial if you need to practice!  Sewn and trimmed accurately, this block finishes at 10.5" square. 

Refer to the pictures for directionality and fussy cutting orientation.

From your window frame fabrics, cut the following sizes:  

two pieces at 1.5" x 6"
two pieces at 2" x 5"
one piece at 3.5" x 5"
one piece at 2" x 10.5"

From your window view fabrics, fussy cut these sizes:

one piece 3" x 6"
one piece 3.5" x 4.5"

one piece 3" x 9"

Begin framing your center 3" x 6" rectangle by sewing a 1.5" x 6" "frame" piece to each of the long sides.  Press to the darker fabric.

After pressing, sew the smaller 2" x 5" "frame" pieces to the top and bottom.  Press to the center.  This is unit A.

Sew your 3.5" x 5" "frame" to the bottom of a fussy cut 3.5'" x 4.5" rectangle.  Press to the darker fabric. 

This is unit B.  

Sew units A and B together along the longer edge.  Press seam open.

Sew the third fussy cut rectangle, the 3" x 9" piece, to the long edge of the previous piece.  Press seams to the darker fabric.

Lastly, attach the 2" x 10.5" "frame" fabric across the top of the previous block, sewing along the 10.5" sides.  Press seam open.

I use a light starch when pressing my seams.  This helps flatten bulky seams, sets stitches, and gives your block a nice finish for trimming.  

Art Gallery and Charlie Harper fabric

Art Gallery and Carolyn Friedlander fabric

It's fun to see the blocks as they're made.  Please share your pictures to our closed Facebook group and to Instagram.  The hashtags to use on IG are #ecmqg #ecmqgblocklottery #modernwindowblock, and of course, tagging Angelica, @stitchedconamor, would be most appreciated!  

Happy New Year and Happy Sewing!

Elaine and Susan

November 2015 Minutes

The November meeting was held on November 14, 2015.  Kira welcomed everyone to the November meeting and introduced new members and visitors.

We celebrated one November birthday - Bobbi - with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.

Our next big event is the Chautauqua Quilt Show, which will be held in February.  Cindy asked that as members determine which quilts they wish to show, they send a photo and the quilt's dimensions to the ECMQG email so that we can assist the Chautauqua Guild in planning space.

QuiltCon was discussed.  QuiltCon 2016 will be on the West Coast.  QuiltCon 2017 will be in Savannah, GA, and ECMQG is planning to attend, so begin making plans now for February, 2017.

Kira announced that there is an MQG Webinar coming up.  The Modern Quilt Guild has Webinars periodically that members can attend live.  If they cannot attend at the time of the Webinar, they are available to view on the MQG website.  MQG membership is part of your paid ECMQG membership.

The December meeting will be a handmade ornament swap.  The meeting will be held at our usual location.  Bring a wrapped handmade ornament for a Dirty Santa type swap.

St. Simon's was successful.  Thank you to all the members who helped with this event.  Kristy, Deb, and Natalie worked hard to make the event a success.  There were some unsold items, so members can pick those up after the meeting.  Cindy offered to sell items at her child's school bazaar the first weekend in December.  Members wishing to sell items may see her after the meeting.  Another opportunity to sell items will be at our Chautauqua booth in February.

Last month, Cindy distributed some fabric scraps and a fat eighth of Kona white and asked several members to try "15 minutes of play" to make a Quilt of Valor.  Several members accepted the challenge and the results were fabulous.  Now, to put them together into a quilt.

There were 26 spool blocks submitted for this month's block lottery.  Laraine won the blocks!  These are sure to make an amazing quilt!

Next month's block lottery block is to make a wonky house using modern Christmas fabrics and Kona or Bella white!  Blocks can be any size from 8" to 14" and may be square or rectangular.

Dues are now due for 2016.  We must pay our MQG dues in January, so early payment of 2016 dues is necessary.  See Nona to pay your 2016 dues. Members may also pay through PayPal.  There is a Google form and a link to PayPal on the "About Us" page of the blog.

Elections for 2016 were held by secret ballot.  Ballots were counted by one board member and two members.  The results were:

President - Natalie
Vice President - Cindy
Secretary - Wendi
Treasurer - Nona

Kira will serve as past president.

The guild needs every member to participate in some way to  keep things running smoothly.  "Many hands make light work."  Each member is asked to serve on a committee.  Possible opportunities are:

Membership
Swaps
Charity - 2 positions (Quilts of Valor and Other Charities)
Clean up
Hospitality
Block Lottery
Door Prizes
Photographer
Quilt Lab Committee

Cindy talked about upcoming events through 2017.  We will be busy!

Wendi and Cindy gave a program on applique.

Wendi showed traditional applique methods using fusible web and raw edge stitching.

Cindy showed how to do postage stamp applique using 2 layers - a fussy cut image and a pinked edge background.

Several members participated in show and tell this month!  Wow!  Do we have some creative members!

The business portion of the meeting adjourned to a wonderful lunch and Sew Day.

December 2016 Block Lottery

This month it will be wonky houses to make up a wonky village! House blocks can be 8in to 14in but do not have to be square, they can be rectangular in size but squared up on the edges (not wonky - we want the houses to be wonky not the blocks themselves!)

As usual the esthetic is modern Christmas fabrics & the colors with be Bella or Kona white as the back ground and the houses will be wonky…. you can add trees, grass, windows, or chimneys to your homes as a way to change up your home. Go looking on the net and there are many different ideas to be found!

Here is a fun tutorial to give you the basics:  http://thesewingchick.com/2013/03/wonky-house-block-tutorial.html/

November Program Preview: All About Applique

For our November meeting, we'll be learning how to do some very cool raw edge applique.  Here are a few examples to whet your appetite.  To do the project above, bring a 20x20 piece of background, a 3x8" piece of brown for the trunk and about 25 3x3 inch scraps.

Applique lends itself very well to quick holiday projects, like this pillow cover.

Here's another project we can work on at the meeting.  To make this project, bring 2 6x6" squares, some scraps for the tree and letters and some fabric for the sashing.

As you can see, applique combined with other techniques can make a fun project.  This mini combines paper piecing and applique.

Postage Stamp Pouch - photo by Melissa at Oh How Sweet Co - used with permission

The addition of postage stamp applique takes this patchwork pouch from ordinary to WOWZERS!  If you want to try this technique, bring some scraps to fussy cut and a pair of pinking shears.

Photo used with permission of Westwood Acres/ACraftyFox

This amazing tool hoop combines several techniques, including raw edge and needle turn applique and hand quilting to make a truly amazing project.

We hope you will join us for our November meeting!

November Block Lottery

The November block will be spool blocks, ANY kind of spool blocks, let your imagination run wild! Size will be from 6in to max of 16 inches. There are so many varieties out there that we didn’t want to restrict it to just one. The rules remain the same, modern fabrics are to be used & the color scheme is fall colors with Kona snow as the background.

The example I did for the meeting came from MSQC’s tutorials 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQa479k6-t8

Another tutorial that Cindy found was using paper piecing at Fresh Lemons Modern quilting

http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com

another one from the Fat Quarter Quilt shop using precuts:

http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2014/09/easy-spool-quilt-block-with-edyta-sitar.html

There are many on the web that are free & we think everyone will have fun with this!

Elaine & Susan

It's Time to Renew Your ECMQG Membership!

It's time to renew your membership in the Emerald Coast Modern Quilt Guild!  Our national dues are due in January, and since December is a PARTY, it's time to renew.  Dues paid now will be good through 2016.

If you wish to renew online, complete this Google form, then go to PayPal and pay your dues.  Dues are still only $25 which includes all the benefits of the local guild (meetings, events, programs, swaps, block lottery, friendship), PLUS all the benefits of the national guild (fabric challenges, free patterns of the month, webinars, QuiltCon, etc.)

October Minutes

Twenty-eight members gathered at Crestview Baptist Church for our October Meeting and Sew Day on October 10, 2015.  Natalie called the meeting to order at 10:00 am.  She began for asking for a moment of silence for those who needed strength and comfort.  She then welcomed everyone and introduced one visitor and four new members - Crystal, Roxy, Laurie and Jane introduced themselves.

There was a lovely display of quilts at our Sew Modern Quilt Lab in September

Marcy reported on our first-ever Sew Modern Quilt Lab (and Quilt Show), held at Crestview Baptist Church on September 11 and 12, 2015.  We had 25-30 students take part in Friday's classes and more than 50 students attend Saturday's classes.  A "Sew-cial" was held on Friday evening.  Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive.  Members thanked Marcy for organizing such a wonderful event.

Three quilters received a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday and their birthday lollipop to celebrate their special day.

Wendi presented the proposed changes to the by-laws which included adding Past President as a position on the Executive Board, elimination of a position of "Co-Presidents" on the Executive Board, and elimination of the requirement for the guild to maintain liability and Directors and Officers Insurance.  After a motion and second, changes to the by-laws were unanimously approved by the members.

Wendi announced that the Executive Board was accepting nominations for officers to serve for the 2016 year.  Forms are provided for members to nominate themselves or others to serve the guild in this capacity.  Elections will be held in November.

Susan sharing October Block Lottery blocks (at the August meeting)

Elaine reminded everyone that the Block Lottery is both a skill building and a fund-raising event held monthly in ECMQG.   The committee tries to choose fun blocks of varying difficulty to help members move out of their comfort zone.  Those submitting blocks donate $1 to the guild for each block and one lucky member goes home with an "insta-quilt."

Pam won the 9 woven chevron blocks.

Jennifer won the Halloween blocks.

November's block will be a spool block.  Use any pattern of any size 6" to 18" to create a spool block.  The variations in size and pattern should make for a very modern quilt.  More details will be on the blog.

Kristy and Deb presented the plans for St. Simon's Craft Fair which will be held November 6 and 7 at St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church in Ft. Walton Beach.  Donations of craft items and commission items are being accepted through the end of the month.  Kristy will attend the craft show all day on Friday and Deb will be in charge on Saturday.  Our booth will be upstairs in the church.  Members were asked to commit to shifts on both days, and particularly to help clean up on Saturday.  Members were asked to be sure consigned items were labeled with their name and sale price, keeping in mind that the guild receives 10 percent and that we must pay sales tax on the items, which is to be included in the asking price.
 
Natalie reminded members that dues are due in November for the 2016 year so that we will have the funds to pay our national dues on time.  Dues are still $25 and include membership in the national guild in addition to all the benefits of our local guild - door prizes, block lottery, programs, and association with one another.

From the archives:  Kira's hexi quilt was displayed at the Flying Needles Quilt Show in 2013.

 Cindy reminded members to think about quilts they can display at the Chautauqua Quilt Show.  Any quilt is eligible for display at the show.  We would love to have a wonderful selection of modern quilts to show.  All sizes of quilts are eligible and there is no restriction on when it was made.  This is not a judged show, but there will be Viewer's Choice awards presented in 3 categories.  In addition, we will be making a group quilt to raffle/auction at the show, and we will have a craft booth to sell handmade items.  We will also be accepting handmade items for consignment.  Cindy challenged every member to submit a quilt.

Bev's new sewinging machine, made by her partner, Elaine

Members presented their gifts to their partners in the Anniversary scrap swap.  This is the 4th anniversary of our guild.  In August, participants each took home a bag of scraps and created something wonderful for their partners.

Bev sewed for Donna

Cindy sewed for Christy

Kristy presented the item Eliana sewed for Mandy

Natalie presented the item Faye sewed for Eliana

Kristy sewed for Laraine

Laraine sewed for Suzie

Mandy sewed for Pam

Susan sewed for Natalie

Pam sewed for Cindy

Natalie sewed for Betty

Betty sewed for Wendi

Wendi sewed for Nona

 Natalie and Cindy presented a the program, "15 Minutes of Play," based on the book of that name by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  Natalie prepared a wonderful powerpoint presentation and lots of gorgeous samples.  Next month's program will be on raw-edge applique.

 They presented lots of ideas for "made fabric" to be used in making. 

Several members presented handmade items for Show and Tell.

Our lunch was a baked potato bar. Sew Day followed.