Emerald Coast Modern Quilt Guild: March 2016

Shop Hop Trip Plans - Reserve Your Spot Now!

Just what we have all been waiting for - a Shop Hop!

Gather your shopping bags together and join us Saturday, May 14^th. We'll have a fabulous day together on a nice coach bus from Crestview to Ozark and Opp. Maybe we'll even have a few surprises.

The schedule is as follows:

8am SHARP the bus leaves Crestview - First Baptist Church of Crestview

10am Arrive in Ozark - Front Porch Quilt Shop

11:30 leave for lunch (Join the group at Mellow Mushroom in Enterprise, AL or bring a brown bag to do your own thing.)

12:45 leave for Opp

1:30 arrive at TJ's Fabrics

2:30 leave for Oh So Pretty

3:00 to 4:00 shop at Oh So Pretty - they will stay open for us.

5:30 back in Crestview.

- The cost is $40.00
- The coach bus holds 40 people: 1^st pay, 1^st reserve

- We must have a least 30 people by Saturday, April 9^th

- The $40.00 is refundable if we cancel

Once 40 spaces are reserved, we'll begin a wait list with the possibility of reserving a bigger bus.

This trip is open to your friends in other guilds. Please spread the word!

Sign-up for the Shop Hop here.

Mail your check to:

Emerald Coast Modern Quilt Guild
PO Box 11780
Pensacola, FL 32524

Or, send your payment safely and securely through PayPal (use the "send money to family and friends" feature) to emeraldcoastmqg@gmail.com.

Please call Pam Martin with any questions. Her number is: 850-376-8283.

Happy Shop Hopping!

April 2016 Block Lottery - 'Checker' and Introducing Two Modern Quilters

Welcome to the ECMQG April 2016 Block Lottery!

If you are new to the group, or to our blog, you can read the general Block Lottery information here, as well as see previous blocks (with instructions or tutorials) and past winners. As always, please read through the entire instructions before cutting and sewing.

The block we are doing this month is 'Checker' which was created by Jess of Elven Garden Quilts for a blog series called 'Bee Hive' hosted by Alyce Blyth of Blossom Heart Quilts. Thanks to both Jess and Alyce for granting us permission to use this block and tutorial!

Jess is an Australian Modern Quilter and pattern designer who also admits to being a fabric hoarder, coffee addict, mum, and Bernina Textile Artist. At her blog Elven Garden Quilts you will find a 'Modern Sampler QAL', 'Color Theory for Quilters' series, Free Motion QAL series, and many wonderful tutorials.

Alyce Blyth is a quilt designer, teacher and blogger at Blossom Heart Quilts. Alyce has recently published an Ebook 'DIY Block Design' - quote from the book "DIY Block Design is the culmination of both these passions where I teach you everything needed to successfully design and make your own quilt blocks, from inspiration to cutting to sharing." To learn more about Alyce and her Ebook please visit her blog at Blossom Heart Quilts.

Please stop by both these wonderful blogs and say hi!

Checker

Block using Cotton + Steel

This block finishes at 12" (unfinished at 12.5")

Colors for this month are black, navy, or brown modern prints (think dark modern prints) for the cross and two of the HSTs, with neutral prints (think light background modern prints or low volume to learn more on low volume go here) for the two rectangles and two of the HSTs.

This fun block tutorial can be found here

The Bee Hive: Checker

Have fun!

If you have questions please ask in the comments below, on our facebook group, or email us at emeraldcoastmqg@gmail.com

ECMQG Block Lottery,

Elaine and Susan

The rules are simple:

The Lottery is open to all ECMQG members in good standing.
Please use only quilt shop quality fabric (no Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's fabric with the exception of designer lines. **Please no batiks, civil war or traditional fabrics). If you are not sure if your fabric fits in the category of 'Modern' please ask :)
The aesthetic is ALWAYS MODERN
Take your time and effort to construct your block well, and use 1/4" seam allowances (unless the tutorial states otherwise).
Blocks should be the correct size, within about a quarter of an inch.
Each block + $1 is one entry in the drawing.You may submit as many entries as you would like.
Please label your block with you name, either within the seam allowance on the back or an address label stuck to the back. The winner would love to know who made their lovely blocks.
Past winners can still contribute, but please understand until we see a finished quilt from your win, allow someone else the thrill of winning.
If you have any questions please contact Elaine or Susan - or comment below.

F8 Cutting Tutorial ... How to Cut Fat Eighths in 3 Easy Slices

Since we are having our first fat eighth swap for 2016, I thought I would do a quick tutorial on how to cut your yard of fabric into fat eighths the easy way - three slices with your rotary cutter!

You must begin with a whole yard of fabric. Lay the fabric on your cutting mat. Make sure the fold is straight on one of the lines on the mat. Find the middle (at the 18" mark) and slice. CUT 1.

Lay the two halves together and line up the folds on the edge of your mat.

Slice off the folds. CUT 2.

Make sure the edge is on the "0" mark of your cutting mat, find the middle of the fabric. Slice. CUT 3.

Voila! You've cut eight F8s, measuring approximately 11" x 18"!

For our swap purposes, each F8 should be folded individually for easy distribution.

You will have a nice stack.

Place it in a zip lock bag labeled with your name.

Bring it to the meeting. Put it on the swap table. Go home with eight pieces of quilty goodness. =) Have fun. Sew! Sew! Sew!

REMEMBER: You can swap up to three yards of fabric, but each must be in separate bags.

February 2016 Meeting Minutes

Natalie called the meeting to order at 10:19 am on Saturday, February 6. She asked for a moment of silence and positive thoughts for those who may need it.

Eleven members celebrated birthdays in January and February and received a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday, dear quilters" and a birthday {fabric} lollipop.

Cindy discussed the details of the Chautauqua Quilt Show, which takes place the weekend of February 11-12, 2016. Forty quilts made by ECMQG members will be displayed at the show! Coupons are available for $1 off admission. Cindy will need help setting up, manning the booth, acting as quilt ambassadors, and closing up the show. A sign-up list is available.

Consignment items for the Chautauqua Quilt Show booth should be turned in to Natalie. A fee of 10% will be remitted to the guild for each item sold, and proceeds will be paid via PayPal or by check within 10 days of the close of the show. We will charge 7% sales tax. Unsold items will be returned to the makers at the March meeting.

Laraine, our Swap Captain, announced our first swap for 2016 - a F8 text (or typography) fabric swap. Each member may swap up to three different 1-yard cuts of text fabrics. Each yard is to be cut in fat eighths (directions are on the blog.) Fat eighths should then be folded individually and all 8 pieces placed in a zip lock bag labeled with the member's name. You will then receive fat eighths of 8 different fabrics for each yard. Please upload a photo to the Facebook album of the fabric(s) you choose so we can reduce the number of duplicates.

Laraine then gave a preview of future swaps:
June: Mini quilt swap
September: Anniversary scrap swap
November: A yet-to-be-determined fabric designer swap
December: Handmade ornament swap

Natalie announced that our annual April field trip will be a Shop Hop. She asked for a committee of members for planning purposes. It was suggested that we go to TJ's Quilts in Opp, Alabama and Front Porch Quilt Shop in Ozark, Alabama. Pam, Diane, and Beverly agreed to plan the Shop Hop.

QuiltCon West will be held this month in Pasadena. A few of our members will attend. QuiltCon East, scheduled for February 2017 is a lot closer to home - Savannah, GA! Wendi told us she had tried to make reservations for a block of 10 rooms but the website does not allow multiple reservations. She requested that 10 members each reserve a room now. A number of members agreed to make reservations. QuiltCon East classes have not been announced, but the keynote speaker is Angela Walters.

Elaine noted we had 11 arrow blocks for this month's block lottery. Jennifer was the winner! March's block will be a wonky wedge block. ~~Details will be on the blog.~~

Natalie announced that ECMQG had been asked to make a memory quilt for Emerald Coast Hospice to commemorate the people hospice served in 2015.

Wendi agreed to be the point person and organize this endeavor. As you can see from her design, it's a beautiful modern quilt using the soothing colors of the Gulf Coast and ECMQG.

Approximately 300 name were typed which Nona printed onto printer ready fabric. Wendi asked members to stay for Sew Day and help assemble the blocks.

Our 2015 QuiltCon quilt will be our charity quilt. It will be on display at the Chautauqua Quilt Show. The quilt will be auctioned and proceeds donated to Families First Network.

Wendi and Cindy have an idea for our next group Project Honor quilt and will provide details at a later date, while Jennifer and Susan currently have a PH quilt in progress for a wounded soldier from our area.

Nona gave the treasurer's report.

Cindy talked about pixelated heart quilt along which Kelly had begun over on Instagram.

Wendi's colorful pixelated heart

Jennifer's saturated and low volume pixelated heart

This would be a great introduction to social media. Hashtag your quilts with #quiltnon #ecmqgnotatquiltcon and #ecmqg on Facebook and Instagram.

For our program, Natalie played a portion of the MQG Webinar hosted by Jacquie Gering titled "What is a Modern Quilt?"

Several members shared quilts during Show and Tell.