We hope you came and enjoyed yourself this past Saturday, June 10th. It was great to see everyone catching up with each other before and after our meeting. We are a growing group and to help us better stay in touch ...... we now have a GMQG Membership Directory.
We extend a huge "thank you" to Nancy de Jong, our Membership board member, for her time and work in making this possible. She did such an awesome job with the cover and the layout inside. I know we will all appreciate this useful "quilting" tool. For those unable to attend, Nancy will have copies for you next month.
Celebrating Pathways
Trunk Show featuring Paige Alexander & Lynne Harrill
We had two wonderful, fun and inspirational ladies in our limelight this month. Our meeting was a mini Trunk Show featuring our own guild members Paige Alexander and Lynne Harrill. Each of these ladies shared a distinct pathway of discovery and progress as modern design quilters. I think I can safely say on the Guild's behalf that we thoroughly enjoyed their presentations.
Paige Alexander
For Paige, it all began around 1979 in Mississippi where her Grandmother taught her to sew on a Singer sewing machine. Paige had a special relationship with her Grandmother. When she moved to South Carolina, she brought flower bulbs from her Grandmother's garden to plant in hers. Little did she imagine then, that it would be the inspiration for her first show quilt in 2011 called "Grandmother's Legacy of Flowers" and to this date remains her all time favorite quilt.
From her first quilt in 1983 to the present, Paige has challenged herself in modern design, quilt & sewing techniques and fabric dyeing by attending lectures, classes and workshops. She also steps out of her comfort zone by entering quilt challenges and shows. Below are some of her award winning quilts entered at American Quilters Society (AQS) and QuiltCon. From the viewers vantage point, you see in each piece her pursuit and love of quilting. It is becoming quite a "portfolio" (more can be seen on her blog: http://www.quiltedblooms.com/)
What is next for Paige? Well, her newest work below "Positively Transparent" is going to be featured soon in a prominent place but as a full size quilt!!!! and in process, with Stash Books, is a forthcoming book co-authored with Cheryl Brickey.
 |
| Left: 1983-First quilt for Aunt's newborn Right: 2011-All time favorite quilt called "Grandmother's Legacy of Flowers" |
 |
| Left: 2005-Results from an ugly fabric challenge Right: 2005-Handkerchief quilt called "New Hanky's" |
 |
| Left: 2014- at AQS received Honorable Mention Right: QuiltCon 2nd place for "After Dinner Mints" |
 |
| Left: Modern quilt with concentric circle quilting Right: AQS 2015-Charlotte 2nd Place for "Leafy Lines" |
 |
| Left: "Peak of Perfection" inspired by Pikes Peak pattern Right: 2017 - Newest work called"Positively Transparent" |
Lynne Harrill
For Lynne, it all began in 1977, when looking at a magazine, a quilt caught her eye. It was a log cabin pattern she would make in earth tone fabrics and hand quilt. Her second quilt was inspired by a Georgia Bonesteel pattern and was also made with fabric colors of the day and amazingly hand quilted. These have become loved family quilts.
The next decade would move Lynne to Georgia and Florida for her husband's work. It was in these transitions and alone-ness, she discovered something new about herself: a love of art, color, fabric dyeing and textiles. At the same time, Lynne was also becoming acquainted with the works from modern quilters (ie. Michael James, Nancy Crow....) that challenged her imagination. She made it a part of her learning experience to attend lectures, classes and workshops. Through the years, her perseverance to explore, experiment and take chances as won her several art and quilt awards.
Today, Lynne exudes creativity and color. She is a textile artist. Her work shown below is a sampling of her passion for interpreting art in textiles. You can see more of her works at her website lynneharrill.weebly.com .
 |
| (Left): 1977 First quilt pattern in Family Circle Magazine (Right):1982 "Monkey Wrench" pattern by Georgia Bonesteel |
 |
| (Left): 1999 Inspired by Michael James Free motion workshop (Right): Inspired by a modern quilt show in Atlanta, GA |
 |
| (Left): 2001 Original quilt work called Mr. AtoZ from Star Trek (Right) 2005 Original quilt with wine glass "Fiber Glass" |
 |
| (Left): 2006 Full Phathom Five (Five colors, 5x5) (Right): 2012 Black & White called Libation Lane |
 |
| (Left): 3 colors won 2nd Place at Foothill Quilt Show (Right): 2013 Interpretative quilt-graining cut threw the mountains |
Additional items to note:
- Welcome to our visitors. Thank you for coming. Together with our Members we had 28 in attendance.
- MQG is publishing a book soon. Kudos to Cheryl Brickey and Paige Alexander who have quilts that will be featured!!!!!
- Check-out Bernina Sewing Center June calendar for sewing and quilting classes.
- Sew-In with Cindy at: Bernina Sewing Center - Friday, July 14th from 10:00a.m. - 4:00pm. Please purchase a 1/2 yd. of fabric at Bernina for the drawing.
- Aunt Het Quilt Show, October 7-8, 2017 has a new category for modern quilts. The hosts of the show, Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild, has invited GMQG members to consider entering quilts in this category.
- The registration form and deadline for the show is September 1, 2017.
- For those that enter the show, Faye Jones has volunteered to take our quilts to the show as well as bring them back.
- MQG- QuiltCon East 2018: Check out the two challenges both with deadlines November 30, 2017:
- Michael Miller - Our Yard Fabric Challenge.
- American Patchwork & Quilting Flying Geese.
- August Quilt Challenge announced!!!!! Here are the criteria for this year's prize-winning challenge:
- Quilt size - not to exceed 36" on one side
- Pattern name: Birds in the Air: http://mamalovequilts.com/2013/01/tutorial-birds-in-air-quilt-block.html . Use at least three (3) of the 8 elements in modern quilt design listed below:
- bright/graphic color palette
- negative space
- minimalism
- no borders
- improvisational piecing
- alternate grid work
- asymmetry
- exaggerated scale
- Note: the interpretation of this pattern is "open" to your imagination!!!!!
Modern Skill Builder - Block of the Month (BOM)
Look at our April/May Block of the Month submissions using:
Block name: Half Square Triangle {Scrappy Strings Style} by Designer: Karen from Blooming Poppies
Good job.....we had several of you test your skills. The vibrant colors look great all laying next to each other.
Are you ready for June's BOM Challenge. Cheryl Brickey has selected "Herringbone:
Designer: Alissa Haight Carlton of Handmade by Alissa for Sew Mama Sew
Web address:
http://www.sewmamasew.com/2012/01/modern-block-of-the-month-bom-january-sew-along/Block size: 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" unfinished, (12" x 12" finished)
The following are instructions with fabric colors.
Fabrics/Colors:
- Fabrics A/B - same color with A darker than B (for example A can be dark blue and B can be light blue)
- Fabrics C/D - neutral color with C darker than D (for example C can be dark gray and D can be light gray)
Philanthropy
 |
| Look at Faye's bundle of awesome-ness!! |
In addition, we had a queen size quilt donated that will be presented to the Greenville Habitat for Humanities.
Faye expresses her thanks to each of you and to Madeline Faner for help in delivery to Habitat.
Show & Share
 |
| Lynne Harrill - two philanthropy quilts |
 |
| Carole Alperin - quilt made from our GMQG January's BOM squares |
 |
| Debbie Graves-(left): Dad's quilt with remote controls called "Click, Click" & (right): quilt for a young friend "Minnons" |
 |
| Madeline Faner - Philanthropy quilt for a little girl |
 |
| Didi Salvatierra- called Cave Man Square Dance. Contact her on how to make |
 |
| Linda Cassell - made a Christmas pillow at a Paige Alexander workshop |
 |
| Faye Jones - Philanthropy quilt made from our GMQG March BOM squares |
 |
| Faye Jones- using a technique called Ruler Flip Quilting |
 |
| Nancy de Jong - philanthropy quilt |
 |
| Valorie Kasten (left): Quilt with Riley Blake Rock Star fabric line (right): Project result from last month workshop with Michelle Wilke |
 |
| Valorie Kasten - two GMQG Philanthropy quilts (the right one could be a checker board game-neat idea) |
 |
| Cindy Lammon - (left): Nautical quilt using Cheryl Brickey's pattern Canvas Lines (right): Pop Star @ My Quilt Infatuation |
 |
| Cindy Lammon- Philanthropy quilt using Riley Blake fabric |
 |
| Leslie Riekert - Philanthropy quilt to be donated to Greenville's Habitat for Humanities |
Next Month
Save July 8th in your calendar. Our program is featuring Cheryl Brickey. Her lecture is entitled "Subtracting for Minimalism: How to remove quilt composition elements for a minimalist quilt design".....Intrigued? We hope you will join us from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at:
2310 East North Street, Suite A
Greenville, SC 29607
864-235-5031
