What a fun December meeting we had. Sixteen of us were in attendance at the President Debbie's house. We all brought some yummy treats, had some good conversation, watched a wonderful long-arm demonstration and did a gift exchange.  

Please remember if you have not paid your $40 yearly dues, please contact the treasurer Susan Simone, the money is due by 12/31/16

Debbie Showing us some of her custom ruler work. 

Members trying out the long-arm machine and realizing it is pretty difficult to do.  

Wonderful Conversation and Gift Exchange. We are so thankful Debbie opened up her beautiful home for the December meeting. Thanks to her and her husband for being such wonderful hosts.

Everyone enjoy a safe, happy and healthy holiday season with family and friends. We will see you at the next meeting January 9, 2017.

Pulse Nightclub Quilts in the News

The Orlando MQG continues to field deliveries of finished quilts, and quilt blocks, that have been sent for those who were touched the the Pulse Nightclub attack in June. That MQG chapter has risen to the outpouring response by handling, finishing, labeling, photographing, and delivering more than 1000 quilts to people.

Recently, the Orlando Sentinel newspaper television station covered the activities of the Orlando MQG. This was on the front page, on December 7.

And this was recently on Channel 2 WESH TV.

A big thank you to our own members who made or helped make five quilts from Central Florida MQG!

Fun November 14 Meeting!

We had a nice turnout of 26 quilters at our November 14 meeting. Two of those were visitors who joined our chapter! Welcome Gwen and Jane!

We covered business essentials, include an announcement that the 2017 executive committee has been elected:

President - Karen E.
Vice Presidents - Pat and Susan
Treasurers - Kathy and Becky
Media Coordinator - Linda H.

Also we discussed and decided to have our logo made into fabric from Spoonflower; reminded everyone of the QuiltCon East November 30 entry deadline; gave a status update on our QuiltCon Charity Quilt Challenge for which Linda H. is making two more foundation paper-pieced beach chair blocks; and determined that our next meeting will be a December 12 social at our president's home.

The evening's activity centered around our Traditional Made Modern Challenge coordinated by Betty. Six members participated.

First, everyone looked at the anonymously displayed quilts, followed by choosing one which best met the challenge of taking a traditional block and making it modern.

Then, winners were announced.

L-R: Karen E. (first); Linda H. (fourth); Cindy (second); Susan (third)

Each quilter explained her project. Cindy's pillow is based on a herringbone design found online. Susan used the same slashing technique to make three mini quilts. Linda's pillow is the Swirly Twirly Dresden foundation paper-pieced pattern by OrchidOwlQuilts.

Placing first, Karen E. told us that her small quilt is began with a modern star block using a Quick Curve Ruler. She quilted it on her Babylock Tiara using the Fibonacci principle to design the quilting.

For her challenge quilt, Debbie made hourglass blocks on one side, and these blocks on the other.

She custom-quilted it on her longarm.

Beth made a large nine-patch quilt with mustard-color fabrics and inserted diagonally-shaped strips of the analogous color. It was longarm quilted by Debbie placing lines according to the Fibonacci principle.

We all thank Betty for coordinating this effort! She provided prizes for first, second, and third places, and fat quarters for each participant.

 Karen T. completed this huge quilt, and quilted it entirely on her Pfaff Grand Quilter.

Selina participated in AQuiltersTable (Debbie Jeske) quilt-along to make this Crosscut Quilt. She made it larger than the 36" X 36" planned for the along.

Beth recently completed this quilt based on the September Mighty Lucky Quilting Club led by Jacquie Gering. Another Club will launch in 2017. 

Linda H. showed her completed BAM-BOM - Bay Area Modern Block of the Month - that some of our Central Florida MQG members participated in during 2013. The alternate grid layout was determined during a February 14 workshop with FreshlyPieced (Lee Heinrich). Linda quilted this on her domestic Janome 1600P.

Members will receive an email from President Debbie to which they should RSVP whether they will attend the December 12 social. There will be no meeting and no Sew-In in December.

Plan to attend the next Central Florida MQG meeting on Monday, January 9, 2017.

October 10 Meeting

Seventeen members attended the October 10 meeting of the Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild. President Debbie led the meeting. 

Vote!

The slate of nominees for the 2017 Executive Committee of the Central Florida MQG were introduced. They are:

President: Karen Estep

First Vice President: Pat Joho; and Second Vice President: Susan Simone

First Treasurer: Kathy Gricius; Second Treasurer: Becky Chianese

Media Coordinator: Linda Hungerford

Members can expect to soon receive a survey to vote for these officers, and to approve bylaw changes. (Read bylaw changes here.) Our bylaws require a majority vote to elect officers and make bylaw changes, so everyone is encouraged to vote, even though nominees are running unopposed. 

MQG Webinars

Members are reminded to take advantage of the many learning opportunities through the MQG. If you missed the Town Hall webinar on September 22, you are encouraged to listen-in and read the post-webinar Q&A's submitted by members. Much good information about future plans (including QuiltCon) and activities were presented by the MQG's executive board. Worldwide, MQG membership is now 11,567, with 2,006 of them based outside the US.

The next webinar is "Color Theory" by Kim Eichler-Messmer. Register here to attend on Thursday, October 20, at 9 pm (Florida time). NOTE: These webinars are an MQG members-only benefit!

Progress has been made on our 2017 QuiltCon East Charity Quilt. The sky/sun is complete (as of this blog post), but more "sand" is needed.

If you have not yet joined us in this challenge, this is your chance to do so! Remember, everyone attending QuiltCon will get to see our work!

Go here for the tutorial to make sand improv blocks by our Saturday, November 12 Sew-In. Email here if you need fabric or have blocks to donate that you can't return to the Sew-In. Thank you!

October Speaker/Program

Our program was presented by member Mary, who spoke on the topic: "Plant the Seeds of Creativity and Grow a Modern Quilt."

Mary shared several of her projects, and where she finds inspiration to create modern quilt designs: clothing, magazines and art books.

Below is Mary's latest original creation. It was quilted with Quilter's Dream cotton and wool batting - double-batted - and domestic machine quilted on her Bernina 710.

Lora continues to make bags. The aqua bag on the left includes strips of decorative cork!

Beth made two 36" X 45" chevron-design quilts for charity. 

She completed her 36" X 36" Cross-Cut quilt made in the Instagram "along" with AQuiltersTable.

Beth's 40" X 40" "Home for Mola" quilt was inspired by the center block which is a reclaimed piece of Mola. Beth's quilts are domestic machine quilted.

While showing the quilt above, Beth shared how she made piped binding for it, passing around pieces so everyone could see how it was done. 

Linda H. wore her A-line skirt made with "Abacus," an Alison Glass fabric that she colored with Tulip washable markers.

Linda designed this 38" X 39" quilt called "Florida." It's pieced with 1-1/2" finished half-square triangles on a background of aqua Grunge. She domestic machine quilted it.

Debbie finished a mini pumpkin quilt top while on a recent retreat.

Susan completed "Jax," a foundation paper-pieced table runner.

Members are reminded that the November 12 meeting program is the reveal of our "Traditional Made Modern Challenge." Bring your completed challenge piece (no restrictions as to what you make or what size project) for an anonymous viewing and voting for the best. Show us your best modern!

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New Business, and Meeting

Our regular monthly meeting was September 12, led by Vice President Beth. Fourteen members and three first-time guests attended.

Central Florida MQG Business

A nominating committee is being formed to identify 2017 officers - president, vice president/programs, treasurer, media coordinator. If you would like to participate by being on the committee, or nominating yourself, please email us. A slate of candidates will be presented at our October 10 regular meeting. Electronic voting will be in early November.

Among business items is a proposed change to our bylaws. These changes/addition were presented and discussed at the meeting, and are published here for member review. Click here to read our bylaws in their entirety.

CURRENT VERBIAGE

ARTICLE 3 - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Active Members

Membership shall be open to any persons interested in modern quilts and quilt making.

1. New members may join at any time.
2. Membership shall be recognized upon payment of annual dues.
3. Visitors may attend one regularly scheduled meeting/event free of charge. At the second and third meetings, a nominal fee of $2 will be charged. After that, a visitor must become a member by paying the appropriate annual dues.
4. Active members may participate in and support the projects and activities of the Guild, including the privilege of voting, holding office, and serving on committees. They shall be entitled to preferential placing in any Guild sponsored function; may place items on meeting agendas; be informed of all decisions by the Executive Committee; and have access to: 1) the membership roster, 2) minutes of business meetings, and 3) treasurer’s reports.

NEW SECTION TO BE ADDED

Section 1A. Visitors

a. A visitor may attend one regularly scheduled meeting/event free of charge, unless the meeting/event is a presentation by a paid speaker. Then, an appropriate fee will be charged.

b. Every visitor attending a meeting/event for the second time will be assessed a $5 fee. This is not an annually renewable opportunity.

c. A visitor who decides to join our chapter at their second or third meeting will have their $5 visitor’s fee applied to membership.

d. All visiting MQG members who belong to a chapter may attend two meetings annually at no charge. 

In the near future, members can expect to receive an opportunity to vote electronically whether to accept these changes or not.

The meeting program - "How to Enter and Quilt Show" presented by Beth, and the "How to Photograph a Quilt" portion of the program, presented by Linda H., were very informative.

We hope many members decide to participate in QuiltCon East by entering:

1) up to three quilts for $30

2) the Michael Miller Luxe Challenge

3) the American Patchwork and Quilting magazine Nine Patch Challenge.

All entries are due by November 30. Go to the MQG QuiltConEast website for more member information. 

Lora showed her "Weekender Bag," a pattern by Amy Butler (on her right shoulder); her Roxie bag (on the right bottom); and two small pouches - "Sweetpea Pod" by Lazy Girl Quilts, and a wallet made with Viewmaster fabric.  

Karen E. showed a modern crib quilt made mostly of solids, quilted by herself.

Becky showed a large minimalist quilt made from the book "Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe." It was longarm quilted.

Linda H. showed her 25" X 25" CrossCut Quilt made during an Instagram "a-long" with Debbie Jeske of AQuiltersTable. Background fabrics are low volume and "sticks" are solids. It's domestic machine quilted using a Westalee brand circle template ruler.

Stay in touch through our blog posts! More information is coming.