October Meeting Recap

It.Never.Fails.

After spending an entire Saturday talking, sewing, seeing, and touching all of the projects everyone has made, I need a few days to decompress and let it all settle.

ECMQG has so many talented, inspiring, creative women.  Our October meeting and Sew-Day was no exception.  

We started normally - energetic and frenzied - as everyone signed in, purchased door prize tickets ($1 each), claimed table space for the Sew-Day portion, introduced their guests, set out potluck dishes on the communal food table, paid a no-name-tag penalty (.25¢) if they'd forgotten theirs, entered blocks in the block lottery ($1 each), or just caught up after being apart.  It's crazy!  It's fun!  It's exhilarating!  It is, so I've been told, what makes us different from some of the other local guilds.

Door prizes this month came from members - Marcy (Halloween mouse) and Gina (Halloween pillows) - as well as Aurifil, Michael Miller, and Robert Kaufman.
  

Our first and most important business item was the discussion of board elections next month - November 9th - for the coming calendar year.  Marcy provided a list of job descriptions for the major positions as well as some of the ancillary positions necessary because of our growth.

Diane, who attended Camp Stitch Alot earlier this summer, was scheduled to present her projects and dish on her experiences, but had a last minute conflict.  Luckily, Kim, having just returned from Sewing Summit agreed to share her experiences.

While public speaking is not to her liking, (but hey, we're all friends here) in our back and forth, question and answer format, Kim told us everything.  From why she chose to attend; the process and excitement of signing-up and selecting classes; her self-described introvert trepidation about traveling (and meeting and talking to all of these people that although you know them online, you don't really know them); the shopping and camaraderie; the keynote speaker; the hospitality (and swag!!) of the Salt Lake MQG; and her Sewing Summit projects made both before traveling and while there. 

Because I was talking and not taking pictures, I'm thankful Kim is active on Instagram.  Her photos tell her story so well.    

I'd say Kim had a fantastic time, wouldn't you? 

Next, Kira who recently volunteered to be our Block Lottery Captain, spent a few moments describing and showing details for November's block.

  

It is a simple snowball.  It is a traditional block, BUT with the use of MODERN fabrics and colors, it fits our aesthetic.  All of the details - color palette, size, types of fabric - can be found here.

These are just some of the 80, (Yes, you read that right!) pinwheel blocks turned in this month.  

The lucky winner?  Me.  Aren't they beautiful, colorful, and cheery?     

After the drawing for the block lottery, came the door prize drawings.  Again, lots of smiling faces and squeals of delight.

The reveal for the Spoo-ky Swap was next.

Nona made these Screamin' Halloween strip-pieced pillows for Kira.

Bobbi,  inspired by an image from Pinterest, made this 12" x 12' HST pillow cover for Melissa L.

I made Amy three small items, including a wonky-pieced Spook-tacular stand-up container, a coffee cozy from Jeni Baker's tutorial, and a tiny Hello, Halloween! ticker tape inspired mini quilt. 

Dee made Faye an Autumn colored pillow with Thimbleberry fabrics.

 Kira made the appliqued Boo Bat mini-quilt for Kasandra. 

Amy made a set of Autumn inspired coasters for Wendi.  Upon signing-up for this swap, Wendi let us all know she preferred Thanksgiving to Halloween.  Amy's coasters were EXACTLY right for Wendi.

Kasandra made this mini-quilt for me.  I love the intricate piecing and jack-o-lantern colors. 

Melissa L, not having any Halloween fabric in her stash, went shopping at our LQS/Pharmacy, A&E, for the fabrics for Dee's trick-or-treat basket.  Check out those pom-poms!  

Wendi, through the swap discussions on Facebook, knew Bobbi preferred Autumn colors.  She pieced a smaller Modern Maple leaf and surrounded it with long strips of saturated color.  What this picture fails to show is the hand quilting.  A beautiful understated table runner Bobbi can use well past October 31st.

Faye made Nona two mug rugs.  The one you can't see is a smiling jack-o-lantern!

Our meeting ran long, because as wrote at the beginning of this post, our group of women are talented, creative, and fun.  We are also enthusiastic prolific quilters. 

Stay tuned for the pictures, and what I can remember, from our Show & Tell, and Sew-Day scenes.

Cindy

ECMQG Secretary

October Block Lottery

If you didn't make it to our September meeting two weeks ago, you missed the details for the next block lottery.  

All members of ECMQG are invited to create and submit blocks for the lottery.  This is our fundraising choice to help pay our national MQG dues.  To date, we've raised $105.  

Each block submitted gives you a chance at winning all of them.  Each block also has an entry fee of $1.  

The blocks we're making for the October 12th meeting are pinwheels.  Bright modern pinwheels.  

The UNFINISHED block size is 6.5".  The color palette is white & bright.  You can choose solids or prints for your brights.    

Please use either Kona White or Kona Snow.  (Yes, they are slightly different, and that will be a presentation topic in the near future.  Stay tuned.)

As always, please use modern, quilt shop quality fabric. 

I made some quick phone calls, and both Kona Snow and Kona White can be found locally.  

Crestview area:
Margie's - Kona Snow

FWB area:
Sewing Center Around the Block  - Kona White
Lynn's - Kona Snow and Kona White
JoAnn's - Kona White

Pensacola area:
A&E - Kona White & Kona Snow
Hobby Lobby - Kona White
JoAnn's - Kona White 
      
Just as there are shades of white, there are many tutorials available, as well as methods, for making pinwheels from HSTs.  Use what works for you.  Although, this video from the Missouri Star Quilt Company seems to be the go to tutorial for quick and easy.

These fun, bright, modern pinwheels are going to make a beautiful quilt.  The layout possibilities are endless.

Congratulations to Wendi who won the 41 blocks from the September, wonky-cross lottery.  

She's already made her quilt top.  I wonder if it'll be quilted by the time we meet again?  

Nice job ladies!  Let's see what little beauties you make this month.

Cindy
ECMQG Secretary