Tuesday, September 17, 2013

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!

Friday, September 13, 2013

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

Monday, August 26, 2013

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.

Monday, August 12, 2013

August 12 Meeting

Warning: Photo heavy! Beautiful people and quilts!

Sixteen people turned out for our August meeting at the new location - North Lake Presbyterian Church in Lady Lake, Florida. Thanks to the creative efforts of Emma, our logo designer at ETM, we had several large, lovely "welcome" signs to direct quilters to the right place.

The meeting started off on an informative note as Denise offered us a 12-Minute Tip: "Everything Is Not As It Seams." In fact, she showed us new ways to use six household items! Everything from binder combs (as found on cookbooks and calendars) to hold sewing machine bobbins...

...to wooden clothespins for storing embroidery floss...

...and everything in between! 

This meeting saw us launch our modern scrap swap - a swap of four different modern fabrics at least 6-1/2" X 6-1/2". From these scraps, Denise showed us several examples of projects that can be made.



This gray, yellow and pink quilt is 101 Cartwheels, a foundation paper pieced pattern by Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced. Very do-able with scrap fabrics from our swaps!

Make it Modern Program

Carly presented a great program about how to Semprov (Semi-Improv) piece, an improvisational piecing method also shared as a tutorial by CitricSugar of Saskatoon (Canada) Modern Quilt Guild.


Carly had several examples of color combinations and designs.


She showed step-by-step samples of strips, strip-sets, chips, chunks and blocks! 


Everyone especially liked the way Carly cut up her made blocks to create half square triangles.


Show and Tell
Mel's quilt is made with on-sale jelly rolls from Keepsake Quilting.

The back is just as pretty as the front.

Both Denise and Gae made Organic Elements quilts, a pattern on Moda Bake Shop designed by Little Miss Shabby. Denise made Fall...

 ...and Gae made Spring.

Doris's tote... 

 ...that she quilted herself!

She also practiced piecing curves, and free motion quilting on this creation.

Our newest CFMQG member, Beth, shared this beauty made with her own hand-dyed fabrics.

She used EQ7 to plan the layout, foundation paper-pieced Storm at Sea blocks, and free motion quilt it in a spiral design. This is Beth's entry in the AQS Modern Quilt Challenge.

The back is made with hand-dyed fabric that includes all the leftover dye colors.

With leftover blocks, Beth made this mini.

Another mini... created by weaving fabric. 

Sandy's modern quilt that she too free motion quilted herself. 

A great program! Many great show and tell quilts! A fun evening!

Our next meeting is Monday, September 9 at 6:30. Please join us!