Another Monday Night of Fun!

The June meeting of the Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild saw a very good turnout, especially for snowbirds now having returned north. We welcomed four first-time visitors!

BAM-BOM

Quilters who are participating in the block-of-the-month being offered by the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild, showed all their blocks to date. It's not too late to join in! Just click the links on the right menu bar to go to tutorials for each block. 

Apron Runway Challenge 

Our Apron Runway Challenge was a big success with 10 quilters making aprons... with all sorts of interpretations.  

Gae

Linda's "Amy Butler and Denyse Schmidt playing nicely together."

Betty's magazine-inspired apron

Denise's his and hers upcycled aprons made from blue jeans. Thanks Alvin,  our willing model!

Karen's aqua and pink retro apron

Mel and her upcycled from a shower curtain, "hands on" apron, with palm prints on top!

Carly's girly sewing tool belt

Brenda's Scrappy Strips apron

Doris's artist's apron

And Doris's retro apron sewn from a vintage tablecloth

Carol and her bright batik apron, the winner of the challenge!

Ten apron-makers, two models, and the 12 aprons made in the challenge.

The program focused on characteristics of modern machine quilting on a domestic machine. Quilters shared pictures of various quilting designs, from straight-line quilting and linear patterns that can be created simply, to curved designs such as small rolling hills, bubbles, and snail-trail type shapes. We reviewed other quilting designs, ways to try them out on your quilts before quilting, and the importance of table support for your quilt when you're quilting.

Linda shows the back side of a quilt quilted with a variety of designs. At the July 1 meeting "Make it Modern" will continue to focus on free motion quilting with Linda demonstrating the technical aspects of machine set-up, use of appropriate quilting aids, and tips about the practicalities of machine quilting. 

Show and Tell

As if the visual pleasure of the aprons wasn't enough, we managed to top off the evening with some lovely show and tell items.

Quilt top made by Linda T.

Gae's quilt

Gae's retro modern, hand-quilted quilt

Doris's free-motion quilted quilt, with sandpiper fabrics

Linda H.'s free-motion quilted Citrus Waves quilt

This tote looks ginormous, but it really isn't! It's a Pinafore Bag made with retro fabrics.

We're proud to say that 25 quilters are now dues-paying members of the Central Florida MQG! Woo-hoo! July 1 is the date $15 dues are owed for the remainder of 2013. After voting on bylaws, it's anticipated that by the August meeting, bylaws will govern the number of times people may visit before joining.

An Acting Executive Committee has been appointed to lead the Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild through the end of the year. They are:
President, Linda Hungerford
Vice President, Karen Estep
Treasurer, Doris Hulse
Media Coordinator, Carly-Ann Wilkins

Committee Positions are:
Membership, Mel Tuck
Programs, Gae Nocella
Education, and Secretary, Denise Lasley

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help us get on our feet! You're a big part of why our chapter is so enjoyable, and just plan fun to be part of!

May Meeting

The May 6 meeting of the Central Florida MQG saw a good turnout of 23 attendees, six of whom were first-time visitors. We're thrilled that regular attenders are expressing their desire to be involved in the modern quilting movement by becoming dues-paying members (only $15 dues from now through December 2013.)

This new meeting arrangement, at Sharky's Vac 'n Sew, proved helpful for everyone to get better acquainted and share in our program discussion called "Make it Modern."

This month we talked about Modern Style and Design, looking for and finding in various pictures and patterns of modern quilts, these elements:

• inspired by modern art or architecture

• simplicity, minimalism

• reinterpreted traditional blocks, called “Modern Traditionalism”

• alternative block structures, lack of visible structures

• negative space

• asymmetry

Thursday evening, May 16 at 7:00 p.m., Lora Douglas (Gainesville MQG) and Linda Hungerford (Central Florida MQG) will present a program - "What is Modern Quilting?"- to Country Road Quilters of Ocala (FL), and others who wish to attend. The meeting is at St. Mark's Methodist Church, 1839 NE 8th Road, Ocala

Show and Tell

Gae and one of the three Moda Bake Shop quilt tops she brought to show.

Carly shared the flags she made to send to the Vancouver MQG who hopes to collected 500 of them during their "To Boston With Love" project. A special exhibit of the flags will be displayed in Boston on Memorial Day Weekend to remember those people involved in the recent Boston Marathon bombing. If you'd like to make a banner, get sewing! Flags are due May 21. More information can be found here.

Carly made this quilt for a girlfriend's birthday.

Denise and her HST quilt.

Linda T. shared this quilt top made with 16 fat quarters of fabrics by Ringle and Kerr.

Carol brought three completed projects that will be given this summer as graduation and wedding gifts. The first two are Yellow Brick Road pattern, by Atkinson Designs, the last is a laundry bag.

Jill showed her finished Trip-Around-the-World quilt, made according to instructions shared by Sheddy at our March MQG program.

Jill also made a nurse quilt for a family member.

Sandy and Jill show their "Pinafore" bags, by Three Sisters... and how nicely they coordinate with their attire.

Betty shared her FPP quilt top, sewn with batiks.

We appreciate everyone's participation in our lively program discussion, and for sharing their unfinished and finished projects during show and tell. The June 3 meeting will see us continue to focus on "Make it Modern" as we discussion modern quilting techniques such as improvisational piecing and pixellated quilts.

The June 3 meeting will also be our Apron Runway Challenge. Everyone is invited to make their own modern apron, using a pattern you may already have, a pattern you wish to purchase, or a free pattern from one of these many options.

Happy sewing!

Modern Quilt Challenge

The American Quilter's Society is sponsoring a modern quilt challenge with $6,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs!

This is your opportunity to try out that modern design you've had tumbling through your head. Make it a reality, then take a chance. It's an exciting experience!

"Jewel Box" by Modern Quilt Studio

Prizes will be awarded in the follow categories:

• Best Modern Quilting
• Original Design
• Improvisation
• Creative Use of Color
• Appliqué
• Piecing
• Quilt Top and Quilting by a Single Quiltmaker
• Creative Use of Neutral Fabrics
• Viewer's Choice

Entries for the Modern Quilt Challenge are due by August 2, 2013, so start designing and sewing now!

Quilts must be available for display in a traveling exhibit at AQS QuiltWeek events from September 13, 2013 through September 5, 2014.

Learn more at AmericanQuilter.com/MQC

April 1 Meeting

Twenty-four people attended the April 1 meeting, with 11 first-time visitors! We're glad to know quilters are interested in learning about modern quilting!

Carla shared information about changes at the national level of The Modern Quilt Guild, how our newly-organizing chapter will be impacted, and affects on individual members. We expect our chapter to join the national MQG by July 2013. Those wishing to be members of our Central Florida chapter are asked to pay 2013 dues of $15 by the July 8 meeting.

Karen gave an update on the BAM-BOM (See links to blocks on right menu bar.)

February's feather block

Debbie's 12-Minute Tip was to share the CutRite Bind Up tool.

Five quilters participated in the make-a-name-tag challenge. The winning name tag was made by Carly who won a fat quarter bundle of Bella solids for her effort.

Worthy of special attention is Karen's name tag, modeled after our chapter logo! Well done, gals!

During the "Make it Modern" portion of the meeting, we focused on differences between traditional fabrics and modern fabrics.

Is this modern?

We determined that many fabrics are subject to interpretation, but these are a few fabric features we identified:

1. brights
2. graphics
3. low volume
4. gray or white as neutrals
5. solids

How about this?

Denyse Schmidt fabrics from the DS Collection

 Show and Tell - Sorry we didn't get everyones' names. We'll do better next time.

Scrappy Trip-Along quilt top made by Janice

"Northern Lights" quilt top

a Jaybird Quilts design

Future Meetings

May 6 - Since the "Make it Modern" portion of the April meeting was such a success, we'll do that again in May. This time around, we'll look at modern patterns and designs, and discuss the elements that make a quilt modern. Bring one or two patterns or pictures of modern quilts you like.

June 3 - Put your kitchen style on! Take our Runway Apron challenge. Make an apron, bring it to the meeting, model it, and tell us about it. Choose any apron pattern you wish - one you already have, or find online - and make it modern. If you're looking for ideas, check out this link to many free apron patterns and tutorials.

April Activities and More!

Big changes are occurring at the national level of The Modern Quilt Guild level. For those of you who already keep tabs of the national organization, we're sure you've noticed the new website, and the new logo.

Since our Central Florida chapter is relatively new too, and we've been functioning without a formal organization, it will be a simple transition for us to join in on the benefits, to both our chapter and individual members, from belonging to MQG. Specific details of these benefits will be shared at our April 1 meeting. Until then, please note the following:

• Beginning at the April meeting through June, dues of $15 per person will be initiated. This will give you membership at both the chapter and national levels through December, 2013. Beginning January, 2014, annual membership dues will be $30.
• In July/August, 2013, we will adopt bylaws and elect officers.

Reviewing "Modern"

As we're learning more about modern quilting - what it looks like and how to achieve it - the perspectives of quilters who are in the business go a long way in helping us understand it. Several articles have recently become available that shed interesting light onto the evolving modern movement.

From Luana Rubin, owner of Equilter.com: Creative Nudge - The Yin and Yang of Quilting

From Weeks Ringle, owner of Modern Quilt Studio: QuiltCon Homework

Look up this article, if you can get your hands on a print copy of:

McCall's Quilting - September/October 2012 issue: "The Birth of Modern Quilting" by Heather Grant.

And one last educational item to mention... If you didn't get to attend QuiltCon, Craftsy has graciously videotaped and made available some of the programs presented by leaders in the modern quilting movement. Here's where to go to see these free and informative lectures!

April 1 Meeting Activities

At the next meeting, we'll introduce a new monthly meeting segment called Make it Modern.

In April, Make it Modern will focus on fabric. We'll review fabric designs, styles, and colors that make it modern. Bring to the meeting one fabric you consider modern and another fabric you consider not modern so we can discuss what makes it so.

For the next meeting, we're challenging each member to create her/his own modern name tag. The winner will receive a prize!

Here's a link to just one of many online name tag tutorials. Flickr has a whole bunch more name tag pictures too, so you should find plenty of ideas.

Swap good quality modern fabric strips (3 strips cut 2-1/2" X fabric width). Visit online quilt shops (see right menu bar) to view acceptable fabrics.

A Chinese Auction - bring some cash and take your chance on various products donated by The Warm Company.

Get a 12-Minute Tip offered by Debbie

Show and Tell - of new BAM-BOM blocks (see links at right) and modern quilts.

Now if this isn't enough to look forward to, we don't know how to have fun!

But we do!

March 4 Meeting That Was

Twenty-five quilters turned out for the March meeting, six of whom were first-time visitors! We hope to see you again!

Among Show and Tell, the mug rug swap, and the Bay Area Modern BOM (no photos), we saw some very nice projects.

Lynda, visiting from Canada, shared this selvages quilt. She's actually used it here in Florida, on a couple of our cold nights.

Doris shares a baby quilt (left) and an art wall hanging quilt.

 This is the first quilt Debbie has ever made!

After learning at the February meeting how to sew Scrappy Trip-Along blocks, Andy went home to make a couple blocks and is working on 72 more for his quilt!

Working with her mother on this project, Mel showed how she made a smaller version of the Scrappy Trip-Along block as a background for this wall hanging.

Sharon is making a king-sized quilt for newly-weds, using Jansdotter fabrics.

Sheddy, and another of her bright quilts using a cheddar solid and scraps.

First-timer, Carly showed a quilt on which she did her first free motion quilting.

Sue showed us her spray-basted quilt, asking for input on quilting ideas. We all agreed she should quilt bubbles.

 Sixteen mug rugs were submitted for the mug rug swap, and swapped!

At the next meeting, Monday, April 1 at Sharky's Vac 'n Sew, we'll continue the monthly:

• Bay Area Modern BOM
• Strip Swap (three, 2-1/2"-wide modern fabric strips)
• Chinese auction

April's challenge is to make a name tag. Program information will be posted as soon as it's available.