Hidden Gems - May 2017 Block Lottery

Hello!

I’m Jill and I’m leading this month’s block lottery!

I chose a visually stunning paper pieced block from Diane Bohn of From Blank Pages. Diane's been blogging for more than seven years, began quilting while pregnant with her first child, (because you know, a baby needed a quilt), and designed her first pattern in 2011. To say I love her patterns is an understatement! 

Diane originally wrote Hidden Gems for The Bee Hive. It's a modern geometric block with killer points that are hard to come by with any method other than the precision paper piecing allows. What I love most, is the secondary design once all of the blocks are assembled.

Hidden Gems is available on Diane’s pattern page, here. She provides two options for printing - either legal sized or letter sized. I recommend choosing the larger legal sized paper in order to avoid taping pieces together.

Diane's step-by-step instructions are a great resource, as are the included coloring pages (for visualizing that secondary design) and cutting templates (especially good if you are fussy cutting or are using lovingly hoarded fabric).

For our version, please use yellow, blue-green, and navy.  The Background fabric is a low volume that reads white (can include some grey or black, but no tan or browns).

Note: The pattern pieces are lettered (A & B) and numbered (1 - 12) because they are mirror images. I made a little cheat sheet to help with color organization.

Low volume: 1, 4, 9, 12

Yellow: 2, 5, 8, 13

Navy: 3, 6, 11

Blue-green: 7, 10

Finally, before you start, here are my top paper piecing tips:

1 - Print accurately. Do not use the "print to fit" option. Templates should be actual size! Double check that the 1” line on the pattern really does measure 1 inch. Believe me, there is nothing worse than realizing after you’ve done a significant amount of sewing, that your block is the wrong size!

2 - Label your paper with the colors before starting. It’s so easy to mix up which color goes where and end up with a mess. Once you've printed the templates, take a few seconds to look at the cheat sheet and label each shape with the corresponding fabric color.

3 - Shorten your stitch length; it is much easier to rip out the papers later. If you want to be extra careful to make sure your fabric will line up right, use a normal stitch length or even slightly longer, to sew the fabric once. Then, after verifying that points match, seams match, etc., sew back over the line with a much shorter stitch length.

Now, you’re ready to sew!

Be sure to tag your social media pictures with #ecmqg #ecmqgblocklottery #fbppatterns #fbphiddengems.

Thanks for sewing with us. See you in May!

Jill

PS. You know I really want to win these blocks!

March 2017 Block Lottery - Letha's Electric Fan

Our block lottery for March is vintage-made-modern thanks to designer, author, fashion designer, and blogger Charise Randell of Charise Creates.  Browsing her eight year old blog you'll find tutorials, free patterns, tips for paper piecing,  fussy cutting, and much more that might interest you, especially if you're drawn to vintage items and modern traditional quilting.  

Letha's Electric Fan originally appeared in the Kansas City Star Newspaper in 1938.  Charise's tutorial enlarged the size of the original pattern and provides all of the templates needed.  The tutorial can be found here.

Laraine's block lottery presentation at February's meeting gives us a vision that is very modern because of her use of bold colorful (and color blocked arc units) graphic prints against a stark white background.

Notice the green centers of Laraine's sample blocks.  That is another element to this month's lottery.   Each of your blocks must use Pantone's Color of the Year 2017, Greenery.  Use as much or as little of the color as you want.  That is your first challenge. 

Laraine chose Kona's Sour Apple and used it sparingly in the gray block, but more so in her other block (first photo).  

During her color theory presentation, Natalie suggested another challenge, if you're up to it.  Choose one of the 12 colors of the color wheel for all of the arc pieces within a quadrant.  Stay as true as possible to that color. 

Construction wise, you'll also notice a technique or two we've sewn recently - curved piecing (Adore-la); paper-piecing (Foldstar and You've Got Mail!) - and one we haven't - appliqué.  Laraine confidently told us this "teensy dip-the-toe-in-the-water" for appliqué and is not hard.

Speaking of appliqué, please don't be intimidated.  It is simply attaching one fabric to the top of another fabric, usually as a design element.  Needle-turned appliqué results are neater and more durable over the long haul; raw edge appliqué, also known as fusible web appliqué, is quicker. 

Modern quilters finish a raw edge piece with a simple straight stitch or blanket stitch.  

We've rounded up video tutorials here, here, here, and here to help you decide.

Other things to remember:
- Use Kona White or Moda Bella White for the background
- Print your templates at 100% (unclick the print to fit box)
- Sew with a scant .25" seam allowance

Most importantly, try something new.  As always, we are more than willing to answer questions.

November 2014 - Lottery Block 'Kaleidoscope'

Welcome to the ECMQG October 2014 Block Lottery!

If you are new to the group, or our blog, you can read the general Block Lottery details 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.

What is this month's color palette?  Think of those yummy peppermint candies, with the bold red and pure white colors.

As you sort through your scraps and stash, pull red and white print fabrics.  Your background fabric will be white - Kona, Moda, or another quilt shop quality pure white solid. 

The block we are going to make can be found here, courtesy of Marcia Hohn .  

It is a 6.5" unfinished paper-pieced block. 

**To participate, you must make four individual blocks and join them into a 12.5" unfinished block.' 

Click here for the template.  

• Print four sets of templates.  There are two pieces to each 6.5" block.
• Check the test square.  It should be 1" (or 1 and 1/16").  Anything larger or smaller will create an incorrect sized block.
• Mark spaces numbered 2 & 5 (I just make an X) for your red and white print fabrics.
• Spaces numbered 1, 3, 4, & 6 are for the white solid fabric.
• Once you've sewn your fabrics to the template, trim to the outside seam allowance.  This is the ONLY time you'll need to trim your blocks.  
• Remove the paper.  Sew the two halves together to make one 6.5" unfinished block.
• Repeat three more times.
• Press and starch your blocks.
• Sew two 6.5" blocks together, pressing seams open.
• Repeat with the remaining two 6.5" blocks.  Again, press seams open.
• Sew these "double" blocks together to make one, 12.5" unfinished Peppermint Candy block.  Press seams open. 

Resources for paper piecing, if you need a refresher, can be found with just a quick search engine inquiry.  I like Marcia's step-by-step lesson and this video from Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Have fun sewing!

xoxo,  Kira

ECMQG Block Lottery Coordinator 

A LOVe-ly Time

Take a peek at what we accomplished during our Sew-day this past Saturday.  

These beauties are the result of Kira's paper-piecing talk and demonstration.  You should've been there.  As she kept telling us, "It's all just sewing on a line." 

  

Kira's demonstration blocks.

  

Leslie's.  By the end of the day she had 2 sets of LOVe blocks made for a set of placemats.

  

Gina's.  Notice that Madrona Road fabric.  Even though January 31st was the deadline for the official Madrona Road Challenge, our guild projects are due March 9th.

 Anybody?  I'm sorry, I can't remember who made these.  Maybe Amy or Holly or Kathleen or Kristy or Kim or DeeAnna?  No, they belong to Betty!  Thanks Kelly for setting me straight.

More from Kira.  This was one of her sample pieces.

Wendi's.  Seasonally appropriate in red, pink, and gray.      

At the end of the day.  A whole lotta LOVe.

And these are finished projects, made either before, or, after Saturday.  All are using the wonky alphabet pattern from kelbysews.  

Kelly's LOVe, hugs, and kisses pillows.

Marcy's LOVe mini-quilt.

Cindy's LOVe mini-quilt.

Three Days

Yes, that's right.  Three days until our next meeting and SEW-day.  Yay!  Saturday, February 9th. Crestview Baptist Church inside the Fellowship Hall.  Enter from Cedar Avenue.  You'll know you're in the right place when you see the blue awnings.  

Remember this?  The L.O.V.e Mini Quilt from our own Kelly Bowser?

This is the Demonstration and Skill Builder for the month.  Our talented paper-piecing guru - have you seen her Bee blocks on flickr? - Kira Bell, is teaching.  She has printed three sizes of the templates, so you only need to bring your sewing supplies - fabric and scraps, batting, backing, binding, etc.  If you're staying for all six hours of the SEW-day, you could complete it easily. 

Three days - to decide, get your courage up, come out of your comfort zone - however you want to phrase it, to complete your application and enter a modern quilt or project for the 2013 Emerald Coast Quilt Retreat & Show.  At our last meeting, we were "challenged" to represent our aesthetic, which has previously gone unrecognized here on our edge of the Gulf Coast.  This is your time ladies.  With $150 in prize money available for each category, that's a lot of moolah for fabric.  Or goodies.  Or fabric.  Marcy is the liaison and will ensure your application, money, and photograph are in the hands of a Flying Needles QG member.  Should you choose to participate, your actual quilt or project isn't due until February 25th.  Details can be found here.  

We have also been invited to volunteer at the retreat.  Simply by giving three hours of your time, you gain admission to the show and the demonstrations.  The person to contact is Donna Hubbard via gina at BeachRetreatAndShow dot com.  Place "VOLUNTEER" in the subject line of your EMail. 



What is Modern Quilting?  Is it design?  Is it color?  Is it simple?  Is it complicated?  Is it detailed?  Is it traditional, but not quite?  Is it negative space?  Is it fussy?  Is it crowded, with a riot of color and texture and tiny pieces?  Is it planned?  Is it random?  Is it precise?  Is it wonky?  It's all of these.  Think about it.  Even machine piecing was "modern" when it was first attempted, and before it became the norm.

With your help, twice next week, Marcy will attempt to explain it with examples of our work and aesthetic, as well through books, blogs, and pictures.  Please, LOAN Marcy any quilts, blocks, WIPs, books, etc. that will allow more local quilters to see and understand what we like to do.  Please bring them to the meeting. 

See you Saturday.   

Hello There

Wow!  Has it really been almost 3 months since our last post?  Well, there's a ton of information to relay, so over the next week or two, in small short posts,  I'll do just that.  Welcome 2013.  Let's be creative.  Let's be modern.  Let's quilt. 

Our meeting times and days have changed.  First Baptist Church in Crestview is where everything happens now - meeting, sew-and-tell, technique and skill building demonstrations, socializing, and SEW-day are combined. Our next meeting is Saturday, February 9, 2013 beginning at 10:00am.  We have the space until 6:00pm.  Come for all of it, or, come for part of it.  Your choice.    You know you'll have fun.  Thank you to both Lynn's Sewing Center and Martelli's for hosting either our meetings or our SEW-day(s) previously. 

Our technique and skill building demonstration is paper piecing with that cute little LOVE tutorial from ECMQG founding member Kelly Bowser of kelbysews.  Our resident paper piecing guru, Kira, has agreed to give us the lesson.  You can find Kelly's tutorial here from her guest spot over at Sew, Mama, Sew! last year.  If you're planning on attending the meeting, PRINT your letters and bring them with you.  And of course, don't forget your scraps, background, batting, backing, etc. too.

  






  

January Meeting

Well, the ECMQG started 2012 off with a bang! First, with our very first sew day, and then with our first meeting of the year! It was our biggest turnout yet, with 11 people coming. We started taking dues at this meeting and 9 people became dues-paying members! I can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring.

At our meeting, Kelly B. did a paper piecing demo. She used a block from The Quilter's Cache as her example. Quilter's Cache is a great resource full of free blocks available for download, and also a great paper piecing tutorial. I think the biggest lesson we all learned was that until you really get it, paper piecing can be confusing and difficult. So stick with it, have your seam ripper handy, and don't be scared to try!


Kelly mentioned that coming up this Tuesday, January 31, Fat Quarterly will be coming out with Issue 8 of their e-magazine, that will focus on paper piecing. This issue is sure to be very educational, and have plenty of well-written tutorials, so if paper piecing is something you're really interested in, consider purchasing that issue - or even a yearly subscription! You won't be disappointed!

She also talked about a series of block tutorials that Faith at Fresh Lemons Quilts is doing. It's called the Solstice Stars Series. Some of those will be incorporating paper piecing.

After the demo, we had Show and Tell, which is always fun. Here are some pictures from that...

Then it was time for door prizes! The very talented and very generous Laurie Wisbrun was kind enough to send some of her fabric to us to give away. Two lucky people won a fabric bundle of Laurie's latest (and by the way, organic) line for Robert Kaufman, Modern Whimsy, and two other lucky people won a fabric bundle of one of her other lines for Robert Kaufman, Pooches and Pickups. Here's a picture of the winners with their loot. Thanks, Laurie!

By the way, Laurie just announced on her blog that her newest fabric line, Jack and Jenny, is about to ship to stores in February. It's super cute - donkeys wearing rain boots in three colorways!

Now onto some bittersweet news...

We were so happy to have so many people come to this meeting. However, we were pretty tight in our space. So after the meeting, we made arrangements to start meeting at Lynn's Sewing Center. They were even able to accommodate our same meeting time, which is awesome! so the only thing that's changing is the location, which is just down the road from our other location. We're sad to leave Sheri and everyone at The Sewing Center Around the Block and we've enjoyed our time there, but we are excited that we're growing as a guild! Growing out of a meeting space is not a bad problem to have!

Our next sew is coming up Saturday, February 18 from 10-3 at Martelli's in Pensacola, and the next meeting is at Lynn's on Friday, February 24 starting at 10 am. Hope you can make it!