November 11 Meeting Review

What a great turnout for our November meeting!

Twenty-two quilters were in attendance; three of them were first-time visitors! We're happy to see such interest in modern quilting.

Linda won one of our door prizes.

Beth gave our 12-Minute Tip... which may have gone slightly over 12 minutes.

She showed us numerous items, purchased from a home improvement store, that can be used for quilting.

Our program was - "Make a Hottie" - where we shared what we'd made with Insul-Bright, one of the products included in a box of batting and other products donated by The Warm Company to Modern Quilt Guild chapters across the US.

We saw curling iron holders...

hot pads...

more hot pads...

table top protectors...

Carolyn

Updated to add: If you'd like to make the table top protector/hot pad that Carolyn showed (above), the five-minute YouTube video is here: How to Sew a Hot Pad, Triangle Version, by Brandi Frey

a potato bag...

... and a shoulder bag for a Kindle or tablet. Insul-Bright is placed in back of the tablet pocket, to keep the heat off your lap,

Joan

Joan

Rebecca

Rebecca

Beth - a Weeks Ringle design

Beth

Carolyn

Linda - a Weeks Ringle design with Victorian Modern fabrics

Looking ahead...

DECEMBER 9:

• Program: "Favorite and Unfavorite Tools and Notions" - The program is for everyone to share one or two tools or notions that you can't sew without, or that you wish you'd never bought.
• Social Time: Bring an appetizer or dessert to share with 4 to 6 people. Drinks and paper products will be provided. 
• Brainstorm: We'll have a general discussion about possible programs and activities for 2014. 

JANUARY 13, 2014:

• Program: "Color, Hue, and Value" by Doris Hulse
• Riley Blake Challenge Reveal - Everyone who received a challenge packet will show their completed project.
• Quilter Spotlight - A new, get-to-know-a-quilter time will begin this month, and continue throughout the year.

FEBRUARY 10, 2014:

• Program: "Circlin' Around" by Beth Shutty

All meetings are at North Lake Presbyterian Church, on Rolling Acres Road (behind Home Depot) in Lady Lake, Florida. We hope to see you at a future meeting!

October 14 Meeting

Twenty quilters turned out for our monthly meeting! Though there was an unanticipated problem getting into the building (Locks had been changed and our quilter hadn't received the new key!), we managed to conduct most of our business meeting outdoors, while waiting to be let in. We're grateful for the beautiful Florida weather we've been enjoying!

Once inside, in a new-to-us, larger, well-lit room, we got down to sharing some quilting.

Brenda gave a 12-Minute Tip about how to easily sew a Windmill block.

Three quilters who are participating in the BAM BOM shared their latest blocks: "Woven." (See BOM list on menu bar at right. Please join in!)

Beth, Gae, and Linda

Linda gave the "Hexie Craze" program, explaining and demonstrating different ways to make hexagon quilts - using the Hex 'n More ruler, and with English paper-pieced hexagons.

Made by Brenda with Kaffe Fassett fabrics

Back side of Brenda's quilt

Designed and free motion quilted by Doris

Quilt top made by Frieda

Designed and quilted by Carly

Made and tied by Pat

Riley Blake Challenge fabrics were distributed. Participants are asked to follow the national guidelines when making their projects.

• Make anything you want as long as it is quilted!

• Add in any solids or Riley Blake printed fabric.

• You do not need to use all the fabrics given to you.

Those who have an individual MQG membership will find information here. CFMQG finished challenge pieces will be shown at the January 13, 2014 meeting.




November 11 Meeting - "Make a Hottie!"
Also distributed to October meeting attendees were various specialty battings for use in the oven or microwave. These were donated to us by The Warm Company. Our quilters are asked to use these battings to sew items for the November 11 "Make a Hottie" challenge. Everyone is invited to participate whether you received batting at the meeting or not.

Simply make anything suitable for use in the oven or microwave - such as a potato bag, pot pad, pot holder, bowl buddy - using modern fabrics. The item is yours to keep or gift, as you choose. Bring your finished item to show at the November 11 meeting, noting where you found your pattern. That information will be posted here at a later time.

We're still looking for regular attenders to wear a homemade name tag. Lots of ideas are out there on Flickr!

Don't forget to upload pictures of your modern quilts to our own Central Florida MQG Flickr group page! This is especially useful to our long-distance members. Can't wait to see what you've been working on!

Meeting Monday

Monday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. is the monthly Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild meeting. We'll be at North Lake Presbyterian Church, Lady Lake, in the "Faith" room, a new, larger room that's been given to us because we're growing!

Agenda topics include:

• our chapter's organizational structure
• Saturday, November 2, 9-3 Sew-In at Oxford Community Center: $3 at the door
• Bay Area Modern BOM show and tell
• Upcoming programs, including information about the November 11 "Make a Hottie" 
• 12-Minute Tip about Windmill Blocks
• Distribute Riley Blake Challenge fabrics to those who signed up
• Program: "Hexie Craze" with demonstrations of how to use the Hex 'n More ruler, and make English Paper-Pieced hexagons
• Show and Tell - Bring your modern quilts and tell us about them - What worked? What didn't?

Don't forget to wear your hand-made name tag.

As always, visitors are welcome! We love meeting new quilters, and renewing friendships with our regular attenders. See you there!

Riley Blake Challenge Fabrics, one fat-eighth of each print/solid

Sew-In with Friends

Our first Sew-In, at the Oxford Community Center, was a great success, with 13 quilters in attendance as everyone had a chance to get better acquainted and see what everyone was sewing. 

Carly, our media coordinator; and Karen, our vice president

Denise and Gae

Doris and friend

Kathy

Helen

Mel, our membership coordinator; and Brenda, our Sew-In coordinator

Sheddy

Carly

Brenda brought along these pieces of pipe that worked fabulously for raising the table height to an ideal level for rotary cutting.

The facility was perfect for our purposes. So much so that we are having another Sew-In on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost will again be $3 per person; monies will be accepted at the door.

For your modern quilt viewing pleasure, here's a link to the recent reveal of Kansas City MQGers who created their own Michael Miller "Disco Dots Challenge." They came up with some wonderful quilts. Enjoy the show!

September 9 Meeting

Our second-Monday-of-the-month meeting saw 28 quilters turn out.

Vice President Karen filled in for Linda who was unable to attend.

Our chapter is following the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild's BOM, and Gae and Karen showed September's "Chevron Echos" block. Links to each month's blocks are in the right-hand menu bar.

Carly presented a 12 Minute Tip about how she keeps track of her ongoing projects, and an index of  solid fabrics she has in her stash - in a quilting notebook.

Denise presented a program about Sizing and Re-Sizing Quilt Patterns - aka "Quilt Math 101."

She explained the difference between making a quilt larger or smaller by adding blocks or borders, versus changing, by increasing, the pattern size. Her advice is to "start with what you want, and divide by what you have."

As an example... For a paper pieced block that Denise wanted to enlarge from 8 inches to 12 inches, simply divide 12 by 8. This equals 1.5 which translates to enlarging the original block by 150%. This can be easily done on a home printer or at a local copy store.

When reducing a pattern, divide the size you want by the size you have. Reduce by that amount.

You can use a calculator to do all your figuring, or look for a Quilter's Scale at your local quilt shop. Several apps are also available for tablets and smart phones, including the popular, free, Robert Kaufman app called QuiltingCalc.

Show and Tell

From the July/August issue of Quilty, this quilt was made by Gae.

Gae also sewed this "Bella Mind the Gap" baby quilt top from a free Moda Bake Shop pattern. She sewed it with Bella Solids.

Inspired by Carly's program last month on Sem-prov Piecing, Beth sliced and sewed, and sliced and sewed some more to make this 60" X 60" quilt top. Beth asked if she needed to slice and sew some more, but everyone liked it just the way it is! Beth said it was very much outside her comfort zone, but also fun to try something new.

New member Karen showed a quilt she made from a Moda layer cake.

Another new member, Cindy, made and quilted this wallhanging from scraps.

 

Yet another new member, Mary Anne, made this king-sized quilt for their new home, starting it before moving to Florida. Their real estate agent saw the quilt on Mary Anne's design wall and wanted it, so Mary Ann promised it to her if she sold their home. Mary Anne recently received the quilt from the longarm quilter, and the quilt will soon be on its way to the real estate agent! Mary Anne says she's making another one for herself.

Karen made this bold and bright quilt for her 15 year-old granddaughter who selected the colors for it.

This is also the first quilt Karen quilted herself!

Other News

Riley Blake Challenge fabrics

Our chapter has decided to participate in the Riley Blake Challenge, though we will be organizing it among ourselves since we have not joined the national Modern Quilt Guild. Riley Blake Challenge fabrics will be purchased and each challenge participant charged the cost of fabric. Challenge fabrics will be distributed at the October 14 meeting, with finished quilts shown at the January 13 meeting.

According to our bylaws, by the end of December a Nominating Committee (as few as two people) must present four Executive Committee candidates (president; vice president; treasurer; media coordinator) for January elections. Since no Executive Committee person may be on the Nominating Committee, volunteers are needed. Members, please email your willingness to volunteer for this short-term task.




We hope to see you at our first Sew-In!
Saturday, September 14
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Oxford Community Center - just off the corner of highways 466 and 301
Cost: $3 for members; $5 for guests

Upcoming September Meeting

"Dimensions, Sizing and Design" is our September program topic, shared by Denise. We'll learn how to adjust block sizes, or elements of design, to make different-sized quilts.





This is the second month we'll be swapping scraps in our Modern Scrap Swap. Participation is purely optional, but if you do join-in, bring:

• good quality, modern design fabrics
• four pieces at least large enough from which the recipient can cut 6-1/2" X 6-1/2" blocks
• do not cut 6-1/2" X 6-1/2" blocks
• four scraps tucked into one plastic baggie

We'll hear our regular 12-Minute Tip, this month an organizational tip.

Our chapter members continue making modern quilt blocks offered monthly through the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild: BAM-BOM (Bay Area Modern-Block of the Month). See the list of each month's block in the right menu bar. Please bring blocks you've made and show them to our group!


Don't forget to bring your...

A sign-up will be available at the meeting for anyone interested in attending our first Sew-In.

Sew-In
Saturday, September 14
9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Oxford Community Center at 466 and 301, near The Villages
Bring: sewing machine and supplies, your project, extension cord, power strip, drink and lunch (frig is available).
Cost: $3 for members; $5 for non-members

If you can't attend the September meeting, but want to add your name to the Sew-In list, send us an email: centralfloridamqg@gmail.com

Also, if you'd like to participate in our chapter's Riley Blake Challenge - the challenge being offered by The Modern Quilt Guild - please send an email to: centralfloridamqg@gmail.com

Cost for participating will be approximately $6 (plus postage, if needed). Sign up by September 9. Fabrics will be distributed October 14. Quilts must be finished by January 13.