Lee Was Here

Saturday morning, February 13 saw a great turn-out for Lee Heinrich's (FreshlyPieced) program at Eisenhower Recreation Center in The Villages.

Lee had shipped 22 books - "Vintage Quilt Revival" - and stacks of patterns that she did a brisk business of selling and autographing.

Her presentation was information-packed (of note was seeing Lee's various walking foot domestic machine quilting designs), informal, and eye-pleasing.

Four quilt holders volunteered to show each of Lee's 20 or so quilts, walking them down aisles so everyone could closely view them, and take photos.

A number of the quilts shown were from her book.

Saturday afternoon, 18 quilters took Lee's "Advanced Piecing" workshop. This photo of some of the completed blocks was shared on Instagram.com/CentralFloridaMQG.

On Sunday (Valentine's Day) from 9-3 at Laurel Manor Recreation Center, nine students participated in the "Off the Grid" workshop. After viewing Lee's presentation on modern layouts, as a group we looked at each quilter's blocks to suggest and share ideas for possible layouts. Karen E's blocks are shown in this photo.

Most of the "Off the Grid" attendees posed for a group picture at the end of class. Lora's blocks are on the design wall in the background.

L-R: Linda H;  Karen E; Joan M; Lora D; Susan Si; Lee; and Carole S.

Missing from this photo were members of Central Florida MQG and Quilting Guild of The Villages: Beth S; Joanne H; and Susan Sm. Thanks to QGOTVer Suzanne for being our angel and photographer!

February Meeting Review

Thirty-one quilters attended the February 8 meeting of the Central Florida MQG. Of those 31, two were first-time visitors, and four joined our chapter! Welcome to everyone!

After the business meeting, quilters who are participating in the Mighty Lucky Quilting Club showed their projects. Susan, Beth, Karen E. and Karen T. show their January projects using bias tape.

Susan (What does that expression mean?!) and Beth show their February improv blocks.

Susan's recent finish was begun during a curved piecing workshop. It was longarm quilted by President Debbie.

Kathy shares an almost-finished table runner for her daughter. How 'bout that Clover Wonder Clips "binding!"

Kathy and her tumbler template baby quilt.

Mary showed two unnamed quilts that she designed and quilted herself.

This one generated conversation about what was modern and not modern.

Karen E.'s 33" X 44" "Mini Rings" was made using the mini quick curve ruler. Karen quilts all her quilts on her Tiara.

Becky's two show and tell quilts were made as a result of quilt-as-you-go classes with Gudrun Erla. 

"Sunburst"

Becky quilts on a domestic machine.

Beth's 20" X 20" Hawaiian pillow is an original design. It's machine appliquéd, and spiral quilted using a walking foot.

Dee, a brand new member, shows her 36" X 48" "Spinner" quilt, recently finished in a five-week First Time Quiltmaking class at the Lifelong Learning College. Spinner is walking foot quilted.

Another new member, Monique, shares her 30" X 30" "Modern Logs" quilt.

President Debbie was unable to attend our meeting due to being called away, a little early, to become a first-time grandma! Congratulations to Debbie, and her family on the safe arrival of Taylor. In absentia, Debbie shares her recent finishes, both of which are for Taylor. 

Following show and tell, our program was led by mother-daughter team Janice and Mel. They distributed squares of cotton batting with instructions to use our fabric scraps (brought along) and their fabrics scraps, and scissors, to create non-sewn improv quilt blocks.

As a suggestion, we could begin with a log cabin or courthouse steps design. Or, "be creative, and have fun!"

At the completion of our cutting and designing time, we saw a range of block designs. Looking at each table, where two to six quilters sat together, their designs fell into somewhat similar patterns! Some "influencing" occurred at a few tables.

It was a good exercise. And if desired, each quilter can actually sew her piece into a mug rug or hot pad.

Chapter Events
Our next chapter event is this weekend's (February 13-14) visit by Lee Heinrich (FreshlyPieced), co-author of "Vintage Quilt Revival," pattern designer, and Bernina representative. Refer to this blog post and below for more information about her Saturday and Sunday activities in The Villages.

Openings remain in:

"Traditional Block with a Fresh Start" Lecture and Trunk Show - Free with a Villager ID
Saturday, February 13, 9 am, Eisenhower Rec Center, The Villages

"Advanced Piecing" Class - $50 guild members ($60 non-guild members)
Saturday, February 13, 12:30-4 pm, Eisenhower Rec Center, The Villages

"Off the Grid" Workshop - $80 guild members ($90 non-guild members)
Sunday, February 14, 9am-3pm, Laurel Manor Rec Center, The Villages

It's not too late to join in these great opportunities! Email here if interested!

Sew-In
Saturday, February 27 is our monthly Sew-In at the Belleview Public Library. Members and guests are welcome, but please RSVP to Karen E., or here. Thank you! Note: There is no Sew-In in March due to a library conflict.

Next Meeting
Monday, March 14, 6:30 pm, North Lake Presbyterian Church
A program has not yet been determined.

CFMQG Breaking News!

Lee Heinrichs - FreshlyPieced - is coming to Central Florida on February 13 and 14. We've been taking registrations for her Saturday afternoon "Advanced Piecing" workshop.

And now we have another opportunity!

"Off the Grid" from 9-3 on Sunday, February 14 (yes, that's Valentine's Day) has been added!

Members! What You Need To Do

Let us know by email before Tuesday, February 2 if:

1. you will attend the “Off the Grid” workshop. Your $80 check is payable to QGOTV and can be turned in at our Monday, February 8 Central Florida MQG meeting.

2. you’ve already registered for “Advanced Piecing” (Saturday afternoon workshop) and want to switch to “Off the Grid.” Your additional $30 is due at our Monday, February 8, Central Florida MQG meeting.

3. you will attend “Off the Grid,” and are willing to bring a design wall (the stand type is preferred). 

We hope to see lots of our members at the lecture (Saturday morning), "Advancing Piecing" workshop (Saturday afternoon), and/or "Off the Grid" (Sunday)!

Webinar! Don't Miss It!

If you missed the MQG Webinar on Tuesday evening, January 26...

"Social Media Principles to Connect with Quilters, Sell Your Goods, and Build Your Guild"

...be sure to view it! It's one of the perks of MQG membership, and it was a great webinar! See the MQG webinar here. (Note, you must be an MQG member to access it.) 

Media professional Jessica Plunkett (@moosesaymoo) presented a thoughtful, thorough, and information-packed review of various forms of social media, how they function, and how individuals and quilting-related businesses can utilize them.

In particular, Jessica focused on Instagram, a social media platform that has been embraced, in particular, by quilters. Because every Instagram post uses a photo, it's a wonderful way to share our quilts and our quilting-related questions with quilters in our state, nation, and around the world.

Have a quilting dilemma or concern?

Take a picture, post it to Instagram, and watch suggestions pour in!

As of this month, our chapter is on Instagram - @CentralFloridaMQG

We will be using this account to share and promote our chapter members' quilts and activities. We encourage all our members to create an Instagram account, and at the very least, follow us! 

Our photos will be posted as #CentralFloridaMQG, and the national MQG (@theMQG) has asked us to use #showusyourMQG so we can see what other MQG chapters are doing too!

If you haven't already, now's the time to embrace social media. It's where modern quilters and modern quilting are happenin'!

January 11 Meeting

Twenty-six members and one guest attended the first 2016 Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild meeting on Monday, January 11.

We were happy to be led by our newly-elected president, Debbie, who received applause when the meeting concluded! Debbie was previously a member of the Chicago MQG.

Our program was demonstrations of both flanged binding and faced binding. Karen demonstrated flanged binding with step-by-step samples, and provided a hand-out so everyone can give this method a try.

Beth demonstrated faced binding, showing several quilts she completed with this method, and her step-by-step samples. Of note is how to finish the top edge of a quilt with a facing and sleeve, for hanging.

Triangles at the corners make faced binding work best.

Edge stitching helps too.

Bette with "Avery's Garden," made for her granddaughter, and quilted herself. 

Karen E., - on her birthday! - brought "Remix," a quilt inspired by Libs Elliott designs.
Karen designed and machine quilted it herself.

The back of Karen E.'s quilt.

Karen T. pieced and quilted "Zen" herself.

Ruth used the Urban Abacas pattern and a Quick Curve Ruler, to create pieced abacases.
She calls this "New York Abacus," and plans to quilt it herself.

"Standing Triangles," and "Circle of Friends," are mini quilts Beth made for swaps.
Standing Triangles is fused and raw edge appliquéd, and matchstick quilted.
Circle of Friends is made with three-dimensional flying geese.

Led by Bette, and with assistance from Sandy, Jill, and Central Florida MQG members,
the delectable mountains quilt, to be given to North Lake Presbyterian Church, is complete.
President Debbie donated her longarm quilting skills to this quilt. 

Thirty-one Central Florida MQG members are participating in the Mighty Lucky Quilting Club during 2016. Members Lynette, Ruth, and Cindy shared some of their bias tape/appliqué test pieces. 

Other News

1. Six openings remain in Lee Heinrich's workshop on Saturday, February 13.
2. Sew-In dates have changed due to a chapter conflict and a conflict with the Belleview Library. See all correct dates on right menu bar.
3. Central Florida MQG has it's own Instagram account. Please follow us! And members, please use #CentralFloridaMQG when you're posting your quilt photos on Instagram. (If you don't yet have an Instagram account, go to: www.Instagram.com)
4. We now have a library! Books will be available to check out at each meeting. Refer to library policies through the "Chapter Documents" tab at the top of this page.

February 8 Program - "Modern Block Improv Exercise" presented by Mel

The February program is about playing, and practicing what we've been learning about modern quilts for the past two years. On a 12" x 12" "design wall" of batting everyone will create a mini-quilt masterpiece using only fabric scraps. When designing is completed we'll "show and tell" each one, and members can take home their project to sew into a finished piece, as desired. 

Bring:

• fabric scraps - "modern" prints are not necessary
• scissors

Batting will be provide.