January 13 Meeting

Twenty-six quilters turned out, with five of them first-time visitors, to the first meeting of 2014! We're off to a flying start!

Our new president, Karen, capably stepped up to tell us about upcoming activities - Sew-Ins, programs, and a hint about something related to Radiant Orchid, the 2014 Pantone color of the year.

We then went into another room to view the Riley Blake Challenge quilts. Eleven projects were completed, shared and voted on. A Viewer's Choice winner was selected. More about our challenge quilts in a future post, as we await the results of who will receive the "Best Design" award.

We showed the last two blocks made by those who participated in the 2013 Bay Area Modern BOM (see links at right). These are the 12-1/2" String Star blocks.

And these are the Pine Tree blocks.

Our program about color theory - hue, value, contrast, and various types of color families - was presented by Doris.

Her homemade color wheels, one in primary "Lego" colors (right) and the other in modern colors (left), were effect tools for teaching us about color, and Doris generously made two additional color wheel sets that were given as door prizes. Thank you for your educational program, and for generously sharing with us, Doris!

Sharon's bag-basket

Mel shows her mother's quilt from a recent mother-daughter challenge

Mel's mother-daughter challenge quilt

The back of Mel's mother-daughter challenge quilt

Gloria's Circle Challenge quilt for her Art Quilters group. Made with her sewing machine's circle attachment.

Karen's "Joshua's Knot" quilt for her grandson

Carly's quilt for her dad, ready for machine quilting ideas... which she received!

First-time visitor, Diane, and her "Grandma's Lawn Chair" quilt made with only Tula Pink fabrics.
This is Diane's own design. 

Diane's daughter's quilt, called "Mabel's Quilt," a design she created after seeing a partial picture of it on a blog.

Linda's "By the Sea" quilt for her newest grandson

Pat's patchwork quilt

The next meeting of the Central Florida MQG is Monday, February 10, at 6:30 p.m. at North Lake Presbyterian Church in Lady Lake.

SURVEY RESULTS ARE IN!

 

 

 

We emailed out surveys last month asking YOU want you wanted to see for OUR Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild in 2014, and received 18 completed surveys. 

 

AND YOUR REPLIES ARE ....... (Drumroll......) 

 

Interest in participating in a Block of the Month:      5.6 average (out of 0-10)

 

Number of times per year to participate in a Sew-In:  4.6 average

 

Interest in a workshop participation (with costs of $15 - $40 fee):  8.2 (out of 0-10)

 

Interest in shop-hop or quilting-related day trip:  5.47 average (out of 0-10)

 

Interest in attending 2015 QuiltCon (possible location is Austin, Texas): 4.8

     (2 people responded a 10, 1 responded a 9, 2 responded an 8, and 2 responded a 7)

 

Interest in participating in a group project to make North Lake a "thank you" quilt:

     8.25 average (out of 0-10)  WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE MEETING ROOM!!!!!

     16 people offered to make one or more blocks

      6 people offered to sew together completed blocks

      3 people offered to baste and layer

      1 person offered to quilt

      3 people offered to be on a team to coordinate this project

 

Interest in sharing your 5 minute "quilting story" at a meeting: 10 people

 

Interest in sharing a quilting tip at a meeting:  9 people 

 topics you want to learn more about in 2014:

free-motion quilting (lots of interest here!),  components of modern quilting, choosing a quilting design that compliments the pattern, designing patterns, balance and what makes a quilt visually appealing, short-cuts, modern fabrics, color, use of negative space, wonky piecing, random design, making a name-tag, and more .....

 

THANK YOU to those who submitted programs that you may be willing to deliver (we will be contacting you!)

 

THANKS TO ALL WHO COMPLETED THIS SURVEY!   If you still have a survey to submit, please do so .... we still want your input!

 

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A FUN AND EDUCATIONAL TIME TOGETHER IN 2014!

 

 



Next Year

The Modern Quilt Guild has recently sent member reminders that the Riley Blake Challenge deadline is February 17. 

Revealing Our Riley Blake Challenge

Our chapter has chosen to participate in the challenge among ourselves, and have set our finish and reveal deadline for the Monday, January 13 meeting - 6:30 p.m.

Thirteen CFMQG quilters are participating, so we'll no doubt see some creative designs at the reveal. If you have a challenge entry, please remember to be at the meeting by 6 p.m. so we can hang/display the pieces. Everyone attending the meeting will be invited to cast a vote for the Riley Blake Viewer's Choice Award, which will be announced at the meeting. 

After the meeting, a separate judging will occur, using the skills of experienced modern quilters Marny Buck and Jill Guffy of Ames, Iowa, co-owners of Modern Quilt Relish. Marny and Jill have previous experiences selecting "Best Modern Design" winners for other MQG chapters. Criteria for choosing a winner will be based on the elements of modern quilt design - not technique - since they will be selecting a winner based on the photographs emailed to them. The Riley Blake Best Design Challenge Award will be announced on this blog, and by email. The winner will be awarded a 15-piece fat quarter bundle of Riley Blake Medium Dots.

Other MQG chapters across the US are participating in the challenge. Check out Kansas City MQG's recent Riley Blake Challenge reveal.

Central Florida MQG January Program 

Also at our January 13 meeting, we'll enjoy a special program by our own talented Doris who will help us understand "Color, Hue and Value" and how those characteristics relate to modern quilting.

Karen, our new chapter leader, and her leadership team are working on some exciting activities for 2014. Are you up for: 

a swap?

a challenge?

a workshop with a guest speaker?

making a thank-you quilt for the church where we meet?

a few Sew-Ins? 

These are among some of the things being planned for 2014 and we hope you'll be part of it! Our chapter has been thriving for 15 months because you are saying, "yes" when asked to participate and help. In 2014, we hope you'll continue to make Central Florida MQG the "happenin' chapter!" 

Don't forget to wear your home sewn name tag to the January meeting! If you're in need of name tag inspiration, check out all the ideas here. 

We can't wait to see you next year!

An Opportunity

You could have a quilt in a new Improv Book for Modern Quilters! Get all the information here.

About Last Night, or... Our December Social

Nineteen quilters attended our first annual December Social on December 9. It was a great opportunity to get better acquainted, and talk about our favorite and least favorite sewing and quilting notions. Several people really stepped up our request to bring "one or two notions to share"... and brought a half dozen or more! Thankfully, those on the "favorite" side were in greater supply than those that were bad-mouthed as "unfavorite."

Gloria liking her binding tail joining tool

Frieda touting her bodkin, for pushing out point corners

Denise enlightening us about the many uses for sewer tank lining!

Denise and her comic book cards for fabric folding and storage.


Doris shows us a seam ripper, a tool we love to hate.

Karen and her Kona color card

Linda and her favorite 1/8"-thick nested circle acrylic rulers

Jill tells about her favorite Aurifil thread

Sandy likes her Martinelli rotary cutter

More than one quilter likes her magnetic bowl, from an automotive store.

Terry likes her magnifying seam ripper

Linda likes the flexible, fusible tape for joining batting pieces.

And, her dangerous-looking stiletto!

A quilt top by Carolyn

Sandy, who quilted this wreath herself

Sharon with her modern batiks quilt

longarm quilting

For the first time, we were able to get a picture of the group that's been responsible for getting our chapter off the ground.

We're grateful for the generous leadership of these quilters: (left to right)

Karen E.; Linda T.; Doris H.; Denise L.; Mel T.; Gae N.; Brenda H.; and Linda H.  

Missing from our group picture, yet not to pass unnoticed, was also valued input from Carla S., Sheddy R., and Carly W. Thank you everyone!

We're especially grateful for Karen's willingness to take on the chapter's leadership role beginning in 2014.

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!