January 9 Meeting

Thirty-one quilters turned out for our first 2017 meeting, six of whom were first-time visitors! One visitor already joined - Welcome to our chapter, Diane!

Our meeting was led by new president Karen E., who also gave a presentation/overview of QuiltCon 2016 quilts. It was a great way to introduce modern to our new members and guests.

Show and Tell was all modern! And everything shown was finished and quilted on a home sewing machine! Great work, quilters!

Frances shows a quilt she made from a kit that she won.

Lynette made this quilt with Michael Miller Luxe fabrics, for the QuiltCon East challenge.

Cindy used templates to make this quilt that will hang in her sewing room.

Karen T. made this quilt using the 10" Slicer Template and Ruler.

President Karen E. turned Vice Versa BOM blocks into this quilt.

Next up is our Sew-In on Saturday, January 13. See you at the Belleview Public Library for all or part of our 10 am to 6 pm get-together! CORRECTION: Library isn't available to us until NOON. 

The First of 2017

We're excitedly anticipating the beginning of a new year - our third! - as an official chapter of the national MQG.

The year begins with 32 members with more than half of them actively engaging to help lead our chapter. Thank you all!

Monday, January 9 Meeting
6:30 pm - North Lake Presbyterian Church

Program: A Powerpoint presentation of QuiltCon 2016.
Many of our members will attend QuiltCon East in Savannah, Georgia, February 23-26. For those who have never attended QuiltCon, this presentation will be an introduction about what to expect at QuiltCon - the displays, the workshops, the lectures, the vendors. It's an exciting time as we count down to February 23!

Check out our QuiltCon countdown clock on the right! 

Bring to the Meeting

• Any new-to-you items (notions, books, patterns, fabrics) you'd like to show
• Your modern Show and Tell

Saturday, January 14 Sew-In
10 am to 6 pm, Belleview Public Library

Tuesday, January 31 MQG Webinar
9 pm, Planned and Unplanned: Design and Improv in Piecing, by Melanie Tuazon
Members should have received an email link to register.
Or go here. Click Community; click Resources; Filter by Types; Webinar

Monday, March 13 Meeting
We'll be looking at Modern Minis. If you have a small modern quilt whose perimeter is 100" or less, please bring it to the meeting.

QuiltCon Challenge Top: Sandwiching and Quilting

When we last saw our QuiltCon Charity Challenge quilt, at the November 12 Sew-In, we were still arranging "sand" pieces, and deciding to add foundation paper-pieced blocks to give the quilt several focal points, and to reinforce the challenge theme of "scale."

Thanks to the efforts of two quilters - Cindy and Linda - three foundation paper-pieced beach chairs were added. The free Beach Chair pattern is a Cotton and Steel design found here. The pattern makes a 10" block. By enlarging and reducing the foundation papers on a printer, and some trial and error, 6" and 12" blocks were also made.

Linda sewed the blocks into the sand to complete the quilt top which measures roughly 70" X 91".

Thanks to generous donations by member Pat, and Al at Sharky's Vac 'n Sew, we had the ingredients to complete the quilt. 

Pat donated a Quilter's Dream Poly Request batt, and two spools of Aurifil thread for quilting.

Sharky's gave us 2-3/4" yards of this wide back (108") print by Carrie Bloomston, called "Newsprint.

On December 29, 2016, Dee, Debbie and Linda pin-basted the quilt sandwich in preparation for quilting. 

Then, Linda took it home to quilt on her Janome 1600P. She began with the blue and emerald waters, quilting waves and curls. The top thread is 50-weight Aurifil #2730 Delft Blue; and the bobbin thread is 40-weight Aurifil #6724 Moonstone.

After completing the water section, Linda quilted the sand.

She used 50-weight Aurifil #2318 Cashmere to quilt a design of long switchbacks, with an occasional "ripple."

Karen then took the quilt for quilting the sun and sky on her Babylock Tiara. Using 40-weight Aurifil #3910 variegated Lemon Ice, she first quilted a spiral in the center of the sun.  

As she continued quilting, she used a Fibonacci sequence to quilt spirals at intervals, again repeating the concept of scale, and added straight-line and gently undulating waves to indict "rays" coming from the sun.

With Karen's efforts, the quilt is now completely quilted and ready for binding. 

Members can expect to see the quilt at this stage at our Saturday, January 14 Sew-In at the Belleview Public Library. Come for all or part of the day, from 10 am to 6 pm.