Modern Flying Geese - April 2017 Block Lottery

We've made flying geese in the past, but never have we made them modern.  That's changing with the block lottery for April.  

Not only are we stepping into the improv dimension, we are using ALL solid fabrics and there is a color challenge involved.  Let's be honest, more ECMQG'rs are comfortable making modern traditional blocks and quilts.  This month we're asking you to step away from that zone.   

Loree's idea, inspired by Pinterest images, comes from blogger (pattern designer, author, editor and QUILT MAKER) Jenifer Dick.  

Jenifer's blog, 42 Quilts .com, hosted a regular weekly feature, Modern Monday, that began way back in 2011 when blogging was hot, Flickr was hotter, and few modern quilt guilds existed.  Each Monday for 62 weeks, Jenifer shared her method for making some pretty awesome modern quilt blocks improv style!  Every Tuesday, those same blocks were made traditionally.

Our block lottery is improv flying geese, Block 18 in Jenifer's series. Her method and tutorial can be found here.

Remember, it is improv.  You will loose a few points.  Don't be concerned. 

For us, please use Kona Medium Gray as your background.  ANY solid colored fabric will make up your geese.  Ideally, the width of your "block" will fall somewhere in the 5.5" to 7.5" range.

  

The color challenge, if you choose to accept it, is based on the second part of the Color Theory program Natalie presented - color value - which refers to lightness or darkness.  

Here's an example of a four step value change.  Note:  Not all of the geese are even in the same color families.  :)  That's okay.  

Here's an example of a five step value change.

We encourage you to try these techniques - improv and playing with color value.  Whoever wins these blocks is going to have a pretty amazing quilt

February 2017 Meeting Minutes

February 11^th brought us together for our second meeting of 2017 in our regular meeting place, First Baptist Church of Crestview.  Cindy promptly began the meeting at 10:00am, welcomed our members and guest, and asked the energy, thoughts, or prayers from our opening moment of silence be directed to several of our current and past members who were in need.

The first order of business was distribution of the awesome packets of Riley Blake Designs Creative Rockstar fabric to those who signed-up for the latest MQG fabric challenge.  

Just because the MQG bundles have been distributed, doesn't mean you can't participate.  You can!  Simply purchase fabric from your favorite retailer, submit pictures and details of your quilted item by April 30, 2017 to be in the running for prizes. (Here is the submission link.)  Remember to post pictures on social media using the #mqgfabrichallenge hashtag. 

Savannah, GA and QuiltCon were discussed.  So many ECMQG’rs are attending for the first time!  We hope everyone returns with ideas and inspiration to share!! 

Cindy let us know our QuiltCon Charity Quilt would not be displayed because it was not representative of the talent within our guild.

February door prizes were F8 bundles of coordinating Cotton + Steel fabrics purchased from one of our favorite online shops, Westwood Acres.  

Wendi and Cindy selected these fabrics to show the diversity and coordination of the various Cotton + Steel lines across collections and designers.  Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets; our winners were Bailee, Mary, Loree, Jill, Wendi, Maureen, Kim, and Cindy.  

Introduction to Color Theory was the program segment Natalie prepared and which she’ll continue to present, in small amounts, over the next several months.  This time, the basics were given including the 12 main color families and their associated names, and explanations of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. 

Before Laraine could talk about the March Block Lottery, Natalie issued this color challenge – use your color wheel; attempt to keep the five pieces of the fan blade arc in the same color family. 

 

Laraine showed us the first glimpse of the chosen tutorial for March’s block lottery, Letha’s Electric Fan which uses the Pantone Color of the Year, Greenery.  You can use as little, or as much, of the color as you want.  Her sample blocks were made with that in mind; the color in her Kona solids stash was Sour Apple.  All of the block lottery details can be found in this post.

25 You’ve Got Mail! blocks were received from Natalie, Faye, Bobbi, Cindy, Wendi, and Jill.

Before we could choose a winner (or two), Cindy showed us her quilt top made from the Foldstar lottery (November).

Natalie showed her top from the Umbrella lottery (July).

Laraine showed her table runner from the Transparent Play lottery (October).

After eligibility had been established, Jill’s and Wendi’s names were drawn.  Congrats ladies!

2017 Program Captain, Loree, provided an overview of programs through July, deliberately leaving the calendar for the last half of the year open-ended until she (and the other ECMQG’rs) returns from QuiltCon.  She is tapping into the interests (the survey passed around last month) and talents of people within the guild.  Please see her with your suggestions and ideas.      

Next month March begins a three-part program/mini-workshop series that delves into rulerless improv strip piecing using all solid fabrics!  Diane and Natalie will share presentation duties.  You can find full details and a supply list here.  The guest and non-member fee for each session is $15, payable at the door.

Mary shared a charity request for Pillowcase Dresses and Curtain Rod dresses on T.J's Site.  Please see Sherri, our Community Outreach and Charity Captain to coordinate giving efforts.  She told us she'd have some names of organizations for us at the March meeting.

Mary generously shared her construction expertise for the yoga mat bag planned for the Sit and Sew.  Thank you!

Cindy reminded us to save our selvages – 1.25” to 1.5” wide - because of an upcoming project Laraine’s proposed.  You want that little extra bit of color and pattern attached.

The beautiful Carolyn Friedlander F8s were distributed thanks to Natalie’s mad sorting skills!  Remember, if your bag(s) had Amy 1 and/or Amy 2 tickets in them, see her at the March meeting to receive your F8(s). 

Show & Tell wrapped up the meeting with more than half of the group sharing 12 projects (not including the block lottery insta-quilts shown in the middle of the meeting). 

Travels kept Jo, our Hospitality Captain, from being with us but her idea (thanks to Pinterest!) for a Perfect Pairs potluck lunch was a hit!  Just ask Natalie's dog.  :)

Respectfully Submitted,

Roxie Tew

ECMQG Secretary

February Meeting Show and Tell

She also shared her Volcano Abstraction quilt for her Quiltcon Swap.

Bailee was visiting with her mom and shared her Stitch Lovely Things Bag.  She did the binding by hand and had excellent .25 seams.

Larraine shared her Transparent Play quilt from the Block Lottery win that she had.  This will eventually be a Table Topper.  Larraine, I appoligize  I didn't have a picture of yours.

Mary shared two quick curve ruler quilt and a double wedding ring quilt for her mom.  The two quick curve ruler quilts were a Sew Kind of Wonderful baby quilt and a Cupcake quilt.

Wendi shared 3 items she had been working on.  She shared a "Magic Quilt", an Ohio Star Baby Quilt, and a Houndstooth Tote for a Valentine swap.

Wendi also shared a purse from a Cotton and Steele swap she received from Amy.

Roxie shared her finished pillow she made after Cindy's last month lesson on using scraps from Crazy Mom Quilts.  These were scraps she collected and bought at a quilt show...a bag full for $1.00.

Ava had completed a new rag quilt.  Her name is embroidered on it, also!

Cindy shared her Foldstar Block Lottery quilt top.  It makes use of negative space and alternate gridwork to make it a modern traditional quilt.  It is Hi!  a variation from Quilty Do Good Stitches magazine.

Cindy also shared her, I Wish I were Here quilt for a friend who is now living in Omaha.  It is definitely modern with improv. and negative space and minimalism.  It was created with scraps of colors of the Gulf of Mexico to remind her friend of the beach here.

Loree shared her quilt...square in a square.  High contrast and bright colors make this a modern traditional quilt.

Where's My Ruler?

Your quilter's toolbox is full of items that are necessities - a sewing machine, high quality thread, flat head pins, rotary cutter, self-healing cutting mat, acrylic ruler, clips, disappearing ink marking pens, etc.  Each and everyone designed to make quilting easier.  

What happens when you take one of these essential tools away?  Come to the March meeting and find out.  

Diane's showing some of her striking improv quilts and leading us in the first of three (March - May) consecutive mini-workshops.  These sit and sew sessions will explore color theory by way of rulerless strip piecing (improv) using solid fabrics.  Yes, you read that correctly - rulerless, solids, improv.  Exciting and challenging!

Diane says "This class is FUN and EASY; we'll take our time and you should really enjoy the process."  

The process being cutting random width, length of fabric strips and sewing them into interesting patterns.  At the end of the third session, you should have a wall hanging or a small quilt.

Because you're a member of ECMQG, there is no fee for any of these three workshops. The guest and non-member fee is $15 per session, payable at the door.

Supply list:
 - large cutting mat
 - sharp rotary cutter 
 - sewing machine and supplies  
 - extension cord
 - iron and ironing board

Neutral Fabric 
 - 1 yard of white OR light gray
 - 1 yard of black OR dark gray 

AND

Colored Fabrics (Option 1)
 - 1 yard EACH of a light, medium, and dark from the SAME color family.  (EX. orange)  
 - 1 yard EACH of a light, medium, and dark from the SAME color family.  (EX. blue)

 Option 1 Fabrics - Dark, medium, and light same color family; 2 colors.  

OR

Colored Fabrics (Option 2)
- 1 yard EACH of TWO colors that are LIGHT or PALE.  (EX. pale yellow and pale green) 
- 1 yard EACH of TWO colors that are MEDIUM.  (EX. medium pink and medium orange)
- 1 yard EACH of TWO colors that are DARK.  (EX. dark blue and dark purple)

Option 2 Fabrics - Two lights, 2 mediums, two darks.

This program, and subsequent sit and sew workshops, will allow you to dabble with improv and think about how colors interact with each other.  We hope you'll be hooked! 

Sew This Happened...

Sew This Happened is a new feature for our blog.  The purpose is to highlight some of the projects you make after something you heard or saw at our meeting or Sew Day. 

Cindy's January program, No Scrap Left Behind, was all about using your scraps.

Cindy's sample pillow (second picture) made from Amanda Jean Nyberg's super easy Scrap Happy Pillow tutorial for Olfa, had Roxie sorting through a bag of scraps to make this bright beauty.

Roxie's Scrap Happy Pillow

Cindy's Scrap Happy Pillow

Another project resulting from the January program and Sew Day workshop was an adorably scrappy pincushion from one of our Junior members.  Well done A!

A Scrappy Pincushion

 How's this for organization?  

Color Wheel Scrap Organization from Laraine

You can see Laraine was definitely influenced (and inspired) by Natalie's Introduction to Color Theory, February's program.  We LOVE the color coded labels!

Now that you know, be on the lookout for your project(s) to show up here.  It means the world to us to see you practice a technique we've shared during the meetings.