The Challenge Is On!

Members of the Central Florida MQG have their bundles of fun - seven fat-eighths of Michael Miller's Madrona Road fabrics - and are ready to be creative as they meet the challenge of making quilts using these prints and solids.

Challenge Rules

Each participant received seven fabrics from the “ocean” colorway of the "Madrona Road" collection by Michael Miller, designed by Violet Craft.

When sewing your quilt, use only solid fabrics and Madrona Road fabrics.

• solids may be from any manufacturer
• Madrona Road fabrics added may be from either the “ocean” or “citrus” colorway

The finished quilt should be no smaller than 80 linear inches. That means you could conceivably make a square quilt 20" X 20" or any dimension totaling 80 inches (IE: 12" X 28"). You may make your quilt as large as you wish.

All aspects of piecing and quilting should be entirely the work of the quilter.

Should you not complete your challenge by January 28, 2013 you will be asked to donate $10.50 - the cost of the fabric - to the guild treasury.

Challenge Entry Deadline

Bring your finished project to the Monday, January 28, 2013 meeting at Sharky’s Vac ‘n Sew, Wildwood. Several photos of each quilt will be taken for a blog post that Michael Miller Fabrics will review to choose quilts the company will showcase in their booth at the February 21-24 Quiltcon in Austin, Texas.

Happy sewing!

Our First Meeting

Fourteen quilters turned out for the first meeting of the new Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild. The program, presented by Linda, offered views and discussion about modern quilting - What is it? What are attributes of a modern quilt? How is it accomplished? 

A Flickr slideshow of quilts from the FreshModernQuilts group provided visual entertainment and stimulation that prompted good discourse.

As well, several modern quilts were shown, including this one by Anne V.

We talked about the newest fabric challenge being offered through MQG by Michael Miller fabrics. Five to six fat eights of fabric from the "Madrona Road" collection, by Violet Craft, will be given to each participant.

Rules set by Michael Miller Fabrics are:

1. Projects may include additional fabrics from the Madrona Road collection.
2. Projects may include the addition of solids.
3. Projects must be completed and blogged about by January 31.

All other rules will be determined by each chapter. A team of three from our CFMQG will set rules in early December, when fabrics have been received. Fabric for 24 participants is being sent to us. If you haven't yet requested your fabric pack you may do so by commenting on this post, being sure your profile is set so there's a way to contact you.

Challenge projects are due at our next meeting:

Monday, January 28, 2013

We'll meet at 6:30 p.m. at Sharky's Vac 'n Sew, 700 North Main Street, Wildwood, Florida.

All quilters and wanna-be quilters, of all ages, are invited!

Interesting Information
Ellen Rushman, a masters degree candidate at the University of Nebraska, completed a dissertation entitled, MODERN QUILTING: DIY DISCOURSE. It can be read in it's entirety here. This table, pulled from Ellen's research, clearly reveals that modern quilting is not just for young people.

Statistics by Ellen Rushman

Ellen included statistics from both her own research (participant survey) and that of the MQG.

So while we continue to grow our chapter, and invite younger quilters to join us, let us not presume that  we're too old for modern quilting. The organization is clearly for quilters of all ages... even the quilter (Jill) in this photo who's hiding behind another quilter (Carla).

We hope you'll join us at our next CFMQG meeting! It's Monday, January 28, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.

Florida's Newest MQG Chapter

The first meeting of the Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild is Thursday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m. Curious and interested quilters - and those who want to know about quilting - are invited to learn about this new quilt guild that is sweeping across the country. The program is "The Modern Quilt Guild: Quilting for a New Generation." We will answer the question, "What is modern quilting?" while looking at quilts and reviewing the aesthetics that make a quilt "modern." We'll also offer information about The Modern Quilt Guild that began in 2009. For more information visit The Modern Quilt Guild.

Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild
Program: The Modern Quilt Guild: Quilting for a New Generation
Thursday, November 15, 6:30 p.m.
Sharky's Vac 'n Sew, 700 North Main St., Wildwood, Florida 

Because a blog post - especially a quilting-related post - isn't complete without a photo, here's a recent quilt finish by a Central Florida MQG chapter member. This quilt was made in the Great Granny Along hosted by Lori at Bee in My Bonnet. 

See more photos of Great Granny blocks and quilts on Flickr, here.

Another member made this baby quilt.

In October, Central Florida MQG steering committee members challenged one another to "make a modern quilt block using at least one solid." Here are some of their blocks.

Karen E.

Marilyn D.

Sheddy R.

Cindy B.

Karen M.

Linda H.

We believe everyone met the challenge, and then some!

We hope to see you November 15!