Greenville Modern Quilt Guild

Monday, August 13, 2018

Highlights from the August 2018 meeting

Our Annual Challenge

What a wonderful display of quilts we enjoyed this month! Our members were challenged to choose a traditional block whose name begins with one of the letters from their own name. We then had to make a small quilt in a modern style.

Many thanks to Nicole McLaughlin and Jill Allawos from the Palmetto MQG in Columbia, SC, who served as judges for our challenge. Also, thank you to Valorie Kasten who made the winners' ribbons.

1st Place: Cynthia Steward

Churndash

2nd Place: Johnnie McKenzie

Feathered Star

3rd Place: Sheryl Sane

Star Pinwheel

Jill's Judge's Choice: Travis Seward

Tree of Life

Nicole's Judges Choice and Viewer's Choice: Cheryl Brickey

Beggar's Block

Marcia Given:

Meandering Geese

Valorie Kasten:

Victory Block and Cartwheel

Nancy deJong:

Double Pinwheel

Dagmar Theodore:

Dutchman's Puzzle

Leslie White:

Log Cabin

Faye Jones:

Fancy Flowers

Sandy Helsel:

Shepard's Puzzle

Cindy Lammon:

Crown of Thorns

Christina Strickland:

Crosses and Losses and Sailboat

Announcements

In addition to our 2 guest judges from Columbia, we had 41 members and 3 visitors in attendance at this month's meeting.
We kept Robert Whitehead, the scissor sharpener, busy and many of our attendees went home with sharper scissors!

Shop News

The shop is offering a Landscape Quilt Class and a 3-day One Block Wonder Retreat.
New solids and Tula Pink fabrics are coming soon.
Bernina is offering 25% off any machine with a trade-in machine during the month of August. The shop is also offering 0% financing.

Block of the Month

This month's block is an 8" paper pieced Swirling Star. You'll find the free pattern from Wombat Quilts and the paper piecing pattern here (note: pattern does not include the 1/4" seam allowance). Please use cool colors with light background colors.

Future Meeting Location

Susan announced that the Board has decided to initiate a search for a new location for our meetings due to our continued growth.
A new meeting space would need to be centrally located (close to where we currently meet), have plenty of space and light, have sufficient parking and be within our budget as far as cost.
Nancy deJong will chair a search committee, joined by Rita Sassone, Pat Davies, and Faye Jones. They will research, visit potential locations and report back to the board.
Please contact anyone on the committee if you're aware of a space that will work for our needs.

2019 Dues

The Board has proposed a dues increase for 2019 from $35 to $50 for the following reasons:

The Modern Quilt Guild has announced a 20% increase in dues next year. At our current membership level our dues will increase from $1020 to $1380 or from $10.75/member to $17.25/member.
Our guild has decided to purchase Liability Insurance.
Potential cost of rent for a new location.
The increased cost of outside speakers and the possibility of hosting 2 workshops in 2019.
We would like to continue limiting fund raising activities to our December Chinese Auction.

Per our Bylaws, we will vote on the increase at our September meeting. Members will have an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal prior to the vote. The proposal will need approval by a majority of members present to pass.

Name Tag Challenge

We'd love to see our members wearing name tags! To facilitate this, we're asking you to make a new name tag using modern design that includes your first name for the September Meeting.
No judging, but all participants will be eligible for a drawing for prizes.

2019 Board of Directors

Susan Rink, Sandy Helsel and Dagmar Theodore have volunteered to be on the Nominating Committee.
Please contact one of them if you are interested in serving on the Board next year.

Upcoming meetings and Events

Sew-In is August 24, 2018 at the Bernina Store from 2 pm until 10 pm. Bring whatever you'd like to work on. Admission is one half yard of fabric, purchased at the shop, which is used as a door prize for attendees.
The MQG Charity Challenge Sew-Ins are Sept. 7, 1-3:30 pm and Sept. 8, 10 am - 12:30 pm at the Bernina Store. Bring your sewing machine, neutral thread, cutting mat and cutter. Fabrics and patterns will be supplied.
September 8, 2018 - Cheryl Brickey will present "Quilt As Desired".
October 12 was 13 - Lecture and Workshop with Yvonne Fuchs. Find the details here.

Additional Announcements

Johnnie McKenzie will be offering free Beginner Classes in her home in Five Forks starting mid- September. Classes will be customized to your current skills and goals. Contact Johnnie at johnniemckenzie@att.net for further information.
The Charleston MQG is hosting Victoria Findley Wolfe On Friday, October 12, 2018 at 7 pm. More information can be found at: Charleston Modern Quilt Guild.
The Upcountry Quilt Guild, in Pickens, is hosting Patsy Thompson for her class, Intro to Ruler Work for the Sit Down Quilter, on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 from 9-4. Fee is $50. Contact Carol Clanton cwcstudios@hotmail.com to sign-up.

Show and Share

Cindy Lammon - Charity Quilts

Cindy Lammon - Intertwined from Modern Plus Sign Quilts

Christopher Brickey - Charity Quilt

Cheryl Brickey

Valorie Kasten - Charity Quilt

Darlene Morse - Nimble Thimble's Raffle Quilt

Debbie Graves - new book from Victoria Findley Wolfe

Cynthia Stewart

Faye Jones - right - Charity Quilt made from blocks by Johnnie McKenzie

Michele Blake - Charity Quilts from BOMs on left and blocks from Johnnie McKenzie on right

Carol Alperin - Charity Quilt

Carol Alperin - 2 One Block Wonder Quilts

Paige Alexander - Mini published in "Curated Quilts", bag made by Michele Blake, Mini from Modern Plus Sign Quilts

Paige Alexander - July Quilt of the Month for MQG

Tonya Maxwell - Charley Harper pillow

Tonya Maxwell - Charley Harper quilt, front and back

Nancy deJong -Twin boy baby quilts

Nancy deJong

As you can see, The Modern Quilt Guild is growing, and our guild is also growing! Although it requires us to look at changes for the future, it does mean more inspiration, excitement and opportunities to develop as Modern Quilters!

Hope you can join us next month, Saturday, September 8, 2018, from 1-3 pm at:

Bernina Sewing Center

2310 East North Street, Suite A

Greenville, SC 29607

Friday, August 3, 2018

August 11, 2018 - Challenge Reveal

This month's meeting will feature the reveal of our members' Challenge Quilts. There's still time to make a small quilt (you'll find the rules here) if you'd like to join in.

Our annual challenge is always fun and inspiring, whether you participate in the challenge or not. We hope you'll come to enjoy the beautiful display of modern quilts!

Important Reminders:

We'll be discussing some future plans for our guild, including 2019 dues and a larger meeting location.
We'll have a Scissor Sharpener available, starting at noon. The cost is $15 per pair, straight or pinking. Cash/check/credit card payments accepted.
Please return all library books checked out last month.
We always encourage you to make the Blocks of the Month, which make great additions to our Charity Quilts. This month's block can be found here. Please use warm colors with a light colored background.
Be sure to bring your latest projects for Show and Share!

Hope to see you on Saturday, August 11, 2018 from 1-3 pm at:

Bernina Sewing Center

2310 East North Street, Suite A

Greenville, SC 29607

Monday, July 23, 2018

Challenge Quilt Reminder

Have you completed your Challenge Quilt yet? With almost 3 weeks until our August Meeting, there's still time!

A reminder of the rules:

Choose a traditional block whose name begins with the same letter as one of your names and create a quilt in a modern style. This means that you will have at least three letters to work with or more if you have multiple middle or last names.
Resources that catalog traditional blocks are numerous such as The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns by Jinny Beyer, 5,500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone, and quilterscache.com.
The quilts are due at the August 11 meeting and prizes will be awarded.
Quilt size not to exceed 36" on any one side.
The interpretation of your block is open to your imagination!
The design must use at least 3 of these 8 elements in modern quilt design:

Bright/graphic color palette
Negative Space
Minimalism
No border
Improvisational piecing
Alternate grid work
Asymmetry
Exaggerated Scale

Don't have time to make a Challenge Quilt? Hope you'll join us anyway for what always turns out to be a wonderful display!

Correction

Please note a correction to the previous post regarding the Quilters of South Carolina: annual dues of $20 are payable at any time and run through the year, expiring on the month you joined. Registration for the Fall Retreat begins July 15, 2018.

Monday, July 16, 2018

Highlights from the July 2018 Meeting

Many thanks to our demo leaders, Cindy Lammon, Michele Blake and Nicole McCelland! We are so lucky to have such talented members who are willing to share their knowledge with us. Our demos included English Paper Piecing, making bag handles and the 6-Minute Circle. We all left having learned some new sewing skills!

You can find more information here:

Pieced Curves So Simple by Dale Fleming
HGTV - How to Create Easy Circle Quilt Blocks
Schmetz Needles
Pellon Interfacing

Announcements

We welcomed 33 members, 8 guests and 2 new members to our meeting!

Shop News

Shop Hop starts Friday, July 20, 2018. See below for the beautiful quilt that Leslie made using this year's Shop Hop blocks.
A Landscape Quilt Class is scheduled for August.
In September, the shop will be hosting a 3-day One Block Wonder retreat.
Last month, our guild presented Leslie, the owner of Bernina, with a quilt as a thank you for making the space available for our meetings. We received this lovely note this month:

Quilters of South Carolina

Lynn Parker shared information about the Quilters of SC organization. Dues are $20 annually.
Visit the website for more information on many of the fun activities that the group sponsors: Spring Meeting with a national speaker, Annual Fall Retreat (registration for this year's retreat begins July 15, 2018), a Quilting Expo in Columbia July 20-21, 2018 and an annual challenge.

Block of the Month

This month we'll be making the July Giant Block from Kitchen Table Quilting in the 24" size. Follow the link for the pattern. You will need to "purchase" the pattern (put it in your cart and check out), but it is free.
Please use warm colors with a light colored background.
Need some help with half and/or quarter-square triangles? Here's link with a tutorial for both: How to Sew Perfect Triangles

Philanthropy

Look at all the wonderful Polaroid blocks that were turned in this month!
Our generous members also donated 7 new quilts for our charity program!

Upcoming Events

We'll have a scissor sharpener at our August 11, 2018 meeting. Sharpening will start at noon and cost $15 per scissors, straight and pinking. Cash/check/credit card payments are accepted.
Our next Sew-In is Friday, August 24, 2018 from 2 - 10 p.m. at the Bernina Store.
QuiltCon is Feb. 21-24, 2019 in Nashville. Registration is now open and as a member of the GMQG your admission is free if you register soon.
The MQG has announced the challenges for QuiltCon 2019.
Sacred Threads is a traveling exhibit, featuring "Quilts exploring life's journeys: Joy, Inspiration, Spirituality, Healing, Grief, Peace/Brotherhood", and will be on display in Hayesville, NC, July 15-19, 2018.
The Asheville Quilt Show is Sept. 28-30, 2018 at the Asheville Ag Center.

South Carolina Swap

Find all the details about the swap on our website here.

MQG Charity Challenge

Elise Dunbar and Cindy Lammon are organizing the charity quilt for QuiltCon 2019.
The theme is "small piecing" (e.g., less than 1") and we will be making an Improv quilt inspired by a child's playmat and a map of Greenville. See some inspiration pictures on our Pinterest Board.
The guild will be purchasing the fabric and two Sew-In days are planned in September to piece the blocks for the quilt.
Mark your calendars for September 7 and 8, 2018 from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Bernina store. Bring your sewing machine; everything else will be provided. We hope to have as many members participate as possible! The sewing is easy and we'll provide directions for both the Improv and block piecing.
If you're unable to join us on these special Sew-In days, we'll have the almost finished quilt available at our later meetings and you can participate by adding some hand quilting.

Upcoming Meetings

August 11, 2018 - Guild Challenge with judges from the Palmetto Guild. You'll find the rules for the challenge on our website here.
September 8, 2018 - Cheryl Brickey will present "Quilt As Desired"
October 12, 2018 - 6:30 pm Yvonne Fuchs will present "Transparency Quilts"
October 13, 2018 - 10 am - 4:30 pm Yvonne Fuchs Workshop - "Transparency Quilts" (the workshop is currently full, contact Cindy at cindy@hyacinthquiltdesigns.com to be added to a Wait List)