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.

Swapping Carolyn

We've said before, building a modern fabric stash is key to our growth as modern quilters.

Participation in guild projects is much easier when you're confident the fabric in your stash is modern.

Let's face it, we all have fabric from the days before we became interested in modern quilting. 

Some of us have collections of novelty prints, maybe batiks, or fabrics passed on from well-meaning relatives and friends, things that are perfect for other audiences, but not so much ECMQG projects.  

Now that you've committed to being a modern quilter (You ARE a participating member of ECMQG!) your stash might need an adjustment.  


We can help you do that. 
Photo from Westwood Acres Fabric

Scheduled for the February 11th meeting, the first fabric swap of 2017 is all about designer Carolyn Friedlander.  
Her architectural background gives her collections an understated linear aesthetic.  It is easy to incorporate pieces from any of the six collections she's designed for Robert Kaufman into projects that appeal to both women and men. 

Rules for the swap:  
ALL of Carolyn's quilting cottons are allowed.  Please DO NOT purchase other substrates - knit, canvas, or lawn.
You MAY swap UP TO three (3) yards of fabric.
Each yard MUST BE a different print.
Cut your fabric into F8s.  That measurement is roughly 11" x 18"  Cutting directions can be found here.

Pictures ARE required to avoid duplicates.  Please post them to our Facebook group.  We are more than willing to help; let us know what you need.
A big thank you to everyone who gave their input for this swap during the January meeting!  
ECMQG Board 2017
Cindy, Wendi, Roxie, Bobbi, Natalie

The End of an Era

 Hello Modern Quilters! Thank you for visiting our blog. Sadly, ECMQG is no longer meeting on a regular basis. Feel free to browse the blog,...