Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Contrary Information

Contrary to what was published in the last blog post... about our Gainesville/Central Florida MQGs combined retreat possibly being held at the Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center in Leesburg, we've decided to hold our retreat in a different location. We were attracted by the lower price!

Are you joining us?

Luther Springs
264 Vause Lake Road, Hawthorne, FL 32640
This facility is 60 miles way - an hour, or slightly more than an hour - north and east of The Villages area.

May 7-10, 2015 - Four days/three nights
Cost: $175 per person for double accommodations that include bedding and towels

Your $70 deposit is due by our September 8, Central Florida MQG meeting. Make your check payable to "Gainesville Modern Quilters, Inc."

As in the previous blog post, if you're interested in joining us, reply by email.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Florida Modern Retreat

As we've announced at our last two CFMQG meetings, we're planning a shared modern quilt retreat with Gainesville Modern Quilters.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - May 7-10, 2015

Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center (about 35 minutes from Lady Lake), Leesburg 

3 nights, double occupancy with nine meals - $222 per person

3 nights, single occupancy with nine meals - $297 per person 

If you're a regular attender at Central Florida MQG meetings, let us know as soon as possible whether you're interested. If we have enough quilters say "yes," in order to hold the date we'll need to collect a deposit by our regular September 8.

Please send us an email here, so we can get a rough count. Thanks!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

August 11 Monthly Meeting

We had another great meeting with 21 people turning-out! It's wonderful to see such interest in modern quilting.

Our quilters are reminded that more string-pieced blocks are needed to put together the quilt top we anticipate donating to North Lake Presbyterian Church. Follow the tutorial here to make a few more, please. If we end up with too many blocks, we'll make a pillow(s) to go with the quilt.

We're happy to share that five people have volunteered to be on the short term Advisory Committee to look at the future of our chapter - whether to join the national MQG by the first of January. Karen, Linda, Debbie, Beth, and Mary will meet to examine several options, and at the November 10 meeting will provide information and/or a recommendation for everyone to discuss and vote on.

After the business portion of the meeting was....
Frances made six 16" diameter place mats using only solid fabrics.
Phyllis's wall hanging uses Hoffman Challenge fabrics
Kathy's been making baby quilts
Kathy used Urban Zoology fabrics for this baby quilt
Pat took a Zentangles class and applied the technique to a wall hanging
Our evening activities included looking at and discussing fabrics everyone brought - modern and traditional - to attempt to pinpoint what makes a fabric modern. It was decided that in some cases, fabrics can go either way, depending on the fabrics it's put with. Our fabric discussions were, ultimately, very enlightening or frustrating, depending on your point of view!

Linda offered a demonstration about how to make and sew bias tape. This is a hot topic at the moment because the MQG is offering two challenges during QuiltCon. One of them is the "Panasonic Bias Tape Challenge."

While these challenges are for MQG members only, it's not too late to join MQG as an individual ($25) and submit your quilt entry(ies) by November 30.
Cutting a 45-degree bias angle
Using a Clover bias tape maker to create 1"-wide bias tape
Or, use T-pins in your ironing table to make bias tape the width you desire
Linda demonstrates how to use a zig-zag stitch to sew bias to a background
Tiny, edge stitches secure the bias. Use a matching thread, or invisible/nylon thread
Our September 8 Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild meeting will not be at the usual location! Instead, we'll meet at Simply Sew Boutique, 13685 US 441, Suite 8, Summerfield. We'll begin at 6:30 p.m.

That evening, shop owners Kathy and Kelsey Creach will give a brief demonstration of the Quick Curve Ruler, and CFMQG chapter quilters who joined the Michael Miller "Petal Pinwheels" Challenge will reveal their finished projects. This is a meeting you won't want to miss!