Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Greenville Modern Quilt Quark Gallery, from Johnnie McKenzie

Doing some prep work for "after corona" classes. The three two traditional tops are for a Stash Buster class and the sunflower is for a beginning paper piecing class.

Then there's my obsession with circles, globes, spheres and such. Can you guess where I'm going with the Storm at Sea blocks?





Monday, March 30, 2020

#YeahThatQuiltGuild


This Special Exhibit to showcase the Greenville Modern Quilt Guild activities and its member’s creativity and skills will be part of QuiltFest Greenville SC Quilt Show, at the Greenville Convention Center, June 4- 6, 2020.

QUILT EXHIBIT CATEGORIES
1. Quilt created for a GMQGs Annual Guild Challenge:

  • 2016 Guild Challenge: Black and White with a Pop of Color
  • 2017 Guild Challenge: Birds in The Air Block
  • 2018 Guild Challenge: My Name, My Block
  • 2019 Guild Challenge: Three Crayons and Negative Space


2. Quilt created based on learnings and inspiration from the following workshop:

  • Michelle Wilke Workshop “Modern Design, Everyday Inspiration” (May 2017)
  • Cheryl Brickey Workshop “Subtracting for Minimalism” (2017 & 2018)
  • Didi Salvatierra Workshop “Improv Piecing” (March 2018)
  • Yvonne Fuchs Workshop “Triangle Transparency” (October 2018)
  • Kitty Wilkin Workshop “English Paper Piecing” (June 2019)
  • Kitty Wilkin Workshop “Tiny Piecing” (June 2019)


3. Quilt submitted to QuiltCon or national challenge (e.g. Michael Miller) and received
        award/ribbon.

NOTE: THE CURATION COMMITTEE HAS THE OPTION TO SELECT QUILTS DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY OUR MEMBERS WHICH DO NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORIES ABOVE IF NEEDED TO ROUND OUT THE EXHIBIT.

QUILT SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Only current members of Greenville Modern Quilt Guild are eligible to participate.
2. One quilt per member will be displayed, but in the event a category is not filled we may use
        more than one quilt from a member. Members are encouraged to submit multiple quilts that meet
        exhibit categories.
3. Original designs only - no commercial patterns (unless the quiltmaker is the designer or the quilt was constructed during a GMQG-sponsored class such as Fuchs or Wilkin workshops)
4. Maximum quilt dimensions 60” x 60”.
5. Quilts must reflect the key elements of Modern Quilt Design, specifically:

  • Bright/Graphic Colors
  • Negative Space
  • Minimalism
  • No Border
  • Improvisational Piecing
  • Asymmetry
  • Alternate Gridwork
  • Scale



IF YOUR QUILT IS SELECTED
1. You will be notified by email on or before May 1, 2020.
2. Quilt must have a 4” hanging sleeve on back.
3. Quilt must be labeled with your name, phone number/email and quilt title.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Retreat/Mini Retreat: Mystery Project 2.0 - Preparation and Supplies

While our Quilting Retreat and Mystery Retreat have been cancelled, we think it would be fun to still do our Mystery Project together.

We will be publishing the directions for our project here on the blog NEXT Friday, April 3.

But before you get the directions, here is a list of supplies that you will need to have on hand.

General Supplies

Typical sewing supplies - 
  • sewing machine (straight stitch machine is ok), 
  • thread, 
  • cutting tools, 
  • mat, 
  • seam ripper, 
  • pins or wonder clips, etc

Project supplies - 

  • (2) - 9" squares quilting cotton. 1 for outside and 1 for inside. Can be the same or different. 
  • Both fabrics will be visible. Choose fabric that makes you happy.
  • 1 - 9" square woven fusible interfacing. I use Pellon SF-101, known as Shape-Flex.
  • 1 - 9" square single-sided fusible fleece. I use Pellon 987F (low-loft) or Pellon Thermolam (extra-lofty).
  • 1 - 5" square ultra firm single sided fusible stabilizer. I use Pellon Peltex 71F. 

The above interfacings may seem very specific, but this is what I have found to give the best results. However, if you don't have access to these products, use what you have and let us know how it goes. We are all learning from each other. 

  • A press cloth to use with the interfacing. Ex. applique pressing sheet, teflon sheet or a piece of cotton fabric (muslin) that is larger than 9".
  • Marking tool - I use a mechanical lead pencil or the marks can be ironed in.
  • Hand sewing needle to bury threads.
  • Contrasting or Complimentary thread for topstitching if desired.

Construction

This project should take about an hour. The longest part is fusing the interfacings.

My fusing technique using the products above is different than the Pellon directions. I use a dry iron (no steam) set to wool, spray water on the quilting cotton and place a fabric press cloth (muslin) over the unit and press for about 10-15 seconds. It is sometimes necessary to make another pass after the first fusing. Use the technique that works for you.

For this project, using fusible products, it is very important to  always make sure that the fusible product is glue side down on the wrong side of the fabric!

From Pellon website - https://pellonprojects.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/which-side-is-fusible/
1. Generally speaking, the fusible side is usually the rough or shiny side of the interfacing.
2. Most Pellon® fusibles have an adhesive dot on them. While a little difficult to see on the white products, you can normally feel them. Run your fingers over both sides of the interfacing. The side that feels a little rough, or raised, is the fusible side.

This list is also available as a pdf download here

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Quilt Quark Gallery by Faye Jones: The Three Amigos

The Three Amigos

The Three Amigos is an improv quilt based on modern design interpretation of photos of the El Thrifty Mexican Restaurant in Greenville, SC.

I am a member of Modern Quilt Lab, a group of artists who explore creating modern quilt designs based on specified inspirations, and this quilt was a recent MDL challenge.

I began by making three different but related large medallions utilizing the six-minute circle technique, basic shapes found in the photo, and high contrast black, gold and grey fabrics.  Different configurations were auditioned on the design wall, and black stripes to connect the elements were tried until the design seemed balanced.

The top was assembled filling in with light grey fabric.  That was the easy part!!!  

I took it out [to quilt] several times and could not come up with a quilting plan.  Finally I got the nerve to "just do it" and started outlining the medallions and connectors with walking foot quilting lines.  When there seemed to be enough linear work, I switched to a variation of Baptist-fan free-motion-quilting taught to me by Lynne Harrill.  There are three different sizes of fmq to provide some variety in the quilting design.  It was a difficult decision whether to bind or face as each strongly altered the look of the quilt.

Finishing this quilt helped alleviate some of the tedium we are all experiencing due to the corona virus crisis.
 

Introducing Greenville Modern Quilt Quark Gallery #GMQQG

During these trying times of self-imposed isolation, we would like to offer our fellow quilters and sewists a space to interact by coming together for a virtual show-and-tell.  We encourage you to reach out and share what you’ve been working on, and take a moment during this downtime to enjoy seeing what your colleagues are doing.  

But what is a quark?  A quark is a fundamental unit of matter but due to a phenomenon known as color confinement, they are never directly observed or found in isolation; they can be found only when combined with other quarks.

It's one thing to be confined, but color-confined?  Never!  Isolated?  Forget about it!  Join us by posting your latest work here where it can be found and seen by others, because fundamentally, you and your quilts matter!

To share to our Quilt Quark Gallery, simply email your "photo-shopped," cropped photo (size doesn't matter) and a write up about your quilt to greenvillemqg@gmail.com.

Our first Gallery submission (from Faye Jones) will follow in another post.  You may use that as a loose example of what to write.  Thanks and see you in the Gallery!

Monday, March 23, 2020

Local Call for FaceMask Makers

Dear Quilters,

A representative from Hospice of the Upstate (https://hospiceoftheupstate.com/) has contacted us
with an urgent request for our help. Their 70 employees caring for around 125 end-of-life patients,
both at home and at the organization’s Rainey Hospice facility, are in critical need of reusable
masks since supplies of standard paper masks are running low, and have asked if our members
would be willing to sew and donate masks to them.

Please note that these masks are to be used by staff providing general patient care; they are
not intended to replace the N95 masks and other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) being
used by health care professionals treating patients with coronavirus disease.

Can you help?

from Erica Arndt
If you are interested in pitching in, please,
  • Wash the finished masks in hot water and iron. (Note that masks will be sanitized by Hospice of the Upstate before using in patient care.)
Once you have completed your masks, you can donate by:
  • Dropping off at the Hospice of the Upstate office (1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621)
  • Contacting Hospice of the Upstate to request pick-up (Phone: 864-224-3358 or 800-261-8636 email: office@hospicehouse.net), or
  • Dropping off at Greenville Modern Quilt Guild member Susan Rink’s house (email greenvillemqg@gmail.com with "subject: Facemask" for contact information); Susan will turn them in to her neighbor who works for Hospice of the Upstate.
Thank you for any assistance you can offer Hospice of the Upstate, their staff and their patients
during this critical shortage. 

Greenville Modern Quilt Guild

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Quilting, Sewing, Crafting and Good Humor will not be cancelled!


But until further notice, any events planned by the Greenville Modern Quilt Guild will be postponed at least through April. 

This includes our March Sew-in Day, our mini-retreat/April meeting, and our Spring Retreat at Wildacres. We will consider our May meetings and plans in a few weeks and keep you posted as best as we can via our blog, Instagram, and Facebook accounts. 

If you have any questions, please direct them to greenvillemqg@gmail.com and we will do our best to respond in a timely manner. 

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Highlights from March Meeting

 GMQG MEETING MINUTES Date:  March 2020


PROGRAM:  Trunk Show

Our March meeting featured 2 Trunk Shows presented by Jackie Callis and Darleen Sanford.  Our thanks to Jackie and Darleen for pulling together their many great quilts made over the years with accompanying stories to share with us.  It was illuminating to see the changes and progress made through the varied examples from each quilters’ journey illustrating dedication to their craft. 


Rising Sun, Hubert Ver Mehren
We were honored to have had access to a very special quilt gifted to Jackie, made decades ago from a 1930's pattern named Rising Sun, by Hubert Ver Mehren of Des Moines, Iowa.  Ver Mehren’s initial primary business, the Iowa Button & Pleating Co., eventually led him to sell embroidery designs on stamped textiles under the name Home Art Studios.  Among other things, he and his wife, Mary Jacobs, eventually created and sold full-size medallion quilt patterns and kits. Out of numerous entries, a quilt made from this pattern and one other quilt won the distinction of being exhibited at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.  According to World’s Fairs 1933-1939, the theme of the fair was technological innovation, and its motto was "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Adapts," conveying a message that science and American life were wedded.  Surely, Rising Sun was an impeccable, if not startling example of American artistic ingenuity and a signpost of changes that lay ahead.
April 2020 – Program – Retreat and Mini Retreat
May 2020 – Program:  Curved Piecing – Drunkard’s Path & Beyond (Cheryl Brickey, Ruth Freyer, Cynthia Steward & Johnnie McKenzie)

BYLAW VOTE:  The following Bylaw Amendment was unanimously passed.  Sentences (a) and (b) were amended as follows :

3.02       Fees:  Fees may be charged for special classes, presentations and/or events as established by the Executive Board.  Fees will be collected by the Treasurer, identified and held in The Guild checking account. The Treasurer shall account for all fees collected in the quarterly Treasurer’s report.
(a)  Refunds for workshops or retreats are only given if the event sells out and the slot can be refilled. The new person pays the guild which in turn refunds the original person.
(b) Guild members doing presentations or workshops are paid a $50 fee which can be waived by the members.

SECRETARY POSITION:  Dana Blasi and Emily Pitman are our new Co-Secretaries.  Please email any items for the Meeting Recap or Reminders to greenvillemqg@gmail.com with a clear subject line. Both women will be checking the guild account as they work in tandem in this role. Thank you.

MEMBERSHIP:  We welcomed 41 members and 9 guests to our meeting this month.

GMQG 2020 BLOCK OF THE MONTH:  Our BOM series presented by Cynthia Steward focusing on the “Influencers of Modern Quilting” continues with March’s BOM, “Transparency Bungalow Block” by wife and husband team Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr.  Self-described “Modernists,” Ringle and Kerr of Modern Quilting Studio champion quality workmanship and using the standards of artistic design principles to create quilts reflecting today’s culture. Read more on the blog OR click here for PDF instructions.


UPCOMING FRIDAY SEW-IN DATES:  March 27th, May 22nd and August 21st
Location:  Bernina We’re in Stitches, 2310 E. North St., Greenville, just west of Pleasantburg Rd.
Time: Anytime between 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Admission: Buy 1/2-yard of fabric at Bernina to place in the basket for a drawing
(needn’t be present to win).


GMQG SPRING RETREAT AT WILDACRES RETREAT, LITTLE SWITZERLAND, NC:

Dates:  Thursday, April 2nd - Sunday, April 5th.   All spaces are filled!  
Contact Sandy Helsel OR Faye Jones through greenvillemqg@gmail.com with questions.

MINI RETREAT, ST. GILES CHURCH, FELLOWSHIP HALL:
For those not attending the Wildacres Retreat, who wish to participate in some selected retreat activities locally for the day, come to the Mini Retreat. 
Date:  Sat., April 4th.   Time: 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

The Retreat Mystery Project (for both retreats) supply list was distributed at the March meeting and is available here.  Contact Michele Blake or Dagmar Theodore through greenvillemqg@gmail.com with questions.  (Michele will be attending the Wildacres Retreat and Dagmar will facilitate the Greenville Retreat.)

#YEAHTHATQUILTGUILD:  MODERN QUILTING IN GREENVILLE, SC,
SPECIAL EXHIBIT AT QUILTFEST GREENVILLE

The Greenville Modern Quilt Guild will showcase the work of our members in a special exhibit during QuiltFest Greenville, April 30 - May 2 at the Greenville Convention Center.  Would you like to submit a quilt to be included in the exhibit?  Please review the guidelines in the Submission Form (Word version) (PDF version), complete the form, and submit with a photo of your quilt(s) by the April 4th deadline.  The home of Nancy de Jong has been added as one of the drop-off locations. 

Questions about the exhibit or submission process to be part of our guild exhibit? Contact Cynthia Steward through greenvillemqg@gmail.com.  For more information about submitting to the juried competition at Quiltfest, see our Events and Shows page.

PHILANTHROPY:  GMQG Members donated 3 Quilts for Kids at the March meeting.  Questions concerning the program may be directed to Faye Jones through greenvillemqg@gmail.com.

Cindy Lange gave a report on last month’s quilt drop-off and member visit to our charity, the Julie Valentine Center, the non-profit organization that provides services to assault and abuse survivors and their families.  Laurel Wanner, Child Life Specialist, and Dr. Nancy Henderson, program physician, expressed to us their deep appreciation for our quilts and described the meaningful effect they have on their recipients, not to mention how continually impressed they are with the quality workmanship that goes into every quilt.  Cindy described the important work the Center is doing and illustrated how poignant a visit to the center can be. We would agree with her that a quilt is a “portable hug,” and worth every minute in the sewing room to provide such a thing to the people who need it most.


GMQG 2020 ANNUAL CHALLENGE: 
The annual challenge is due on August 1st.  The theme is “REPURPOSED.
Prizes are 1st Place: $50, 2nd Place: $30 and 3rd Place: $20
Rules: Must be at least 50% repurposed fabric such as clothing, vintage blocks, sweaters, woolens, etc...
Use several different fabrics.
May be a finished quilt, wearable item, tote/purse, pillow, etc., but must be quilted.
No quilt size restriction, but recommend a maximum of 60' on any side.
Must be 3-layer quilting, i.e., top/batting/backing.
Item should be of MODERN design.
Questions?  Email Faye at greenvillemqg@gmail.com.


QUILTERS OF SC WORKSHOP AND SPRING MEETING

Our QSC Liaison, Nicole McClelland (contact her through greenvillemqg@gmail.com) gave an update on the Quilters of SC Spring Meeting scheduled for March 20-21, 2020 at Hilton Greenville, 45 W. Orchard Park Dr., Greenville, SC 29615. Registration is ending soon. 

Workshops are full, but the Spartanburg chapter may have some Wednesday openings.  Contact Darlene Roberts, Spartanburg Chapter or click here https://www.quiltersofsc.org

GMQG 2020 Workshops:
1. Debbie Grifka, author of Lines By Design Quilts: 17 Projects Featuring the Innovative Designs of Esch House Quilts, will be at the guild on Fri., October 9th – Sat., 10th.
She will be teaching the following programs and workshops:

  • Friday 3-hour workshop (24-person max) - Improv Applique ($30, early registration)
  • Friday presentation (open to all) - Lines to Design (no cost) 6:00 Social, 7:00 Presentation
  • Saturday 6-hour wkshp. (24-person max) - Every.Day.Creative ($60, early registration) 9 a.m.–4 p.m.


The costs for the Debbie Grifka workshops are $30/$60 early registration for members, $35/$70 regular registration, $40/$80 non-members

2. Improv Your Way – Faye Jones - April 25th, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., $15 for members; 20-person max.

3.  Intro to Quilt Pattern Writing – Cheryl Brickey – July 11th, 9 a.m.-12 noon, $15 for members, Guild Meeting afterwards.

NEW FORM AT SIGN IN:
A new form was introduced to gather all pertinent info regarding you and your beautiful quilts and other items.  If you are bringing something to show and share, please take a moment at the sign-in table to jot down your name and a description of your item(s) on the Show & Share sheet.  Thank you!

GOOD NEWS:
Johnnie McKenzie is teaching quilting classes on the walking foot, basic quilting, and free motion quilting.  Contact her at johnniemckenzie@att.net.

Didi Salvatierra will be teaching a class called, “So You Want to Hand Quilt?” on Thursday, March 19, 1-4 p.m.  PDF here.  Sign-ups for this class are being handled by Beginnings Quilt Shop, 1038C Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, NC 28792.  Ph.: 828-693-6622.  Class size is limited.



FEBRUARY BLOCK OF THE MONTH: 
February BOM - Dana Blasi





















SHOW AND SHARE:  


"Blue Kaleidoscope" - 
Darleen Sanford
 
 "Mystery Mosaic" - Ruth Freyer

"Early Times" - Joyce Bohan

2019 GMQG Block of the Month
- Cindy Lange

"Barn Quilt" "Christmas in Blue",
"Incubation in Bronze", "Poinsetta" - Johnnie McKenzie

"Lake Jocassee" - Lynne Harrill (commissioned)
"Monster" - Faye Jones

"Wild Acres" -  Cindy Lammon (top)
& Valorie Kaston (quilted)
"Wild Acres" - Valorie Kasten

2020QuiltCon
MiniQuiltSwap
Valorie Kaston

"Jelly Roll Race 1" - Susan Rink 

"Jelly Roll Race 2" - Susan Rink

"Scrap Insanity", "Quilt Top 1",
"Quilt Top 2", "Purple Insanity" - Lesli Reikert

"Fat Quarter Fancy" - Sheryl Sane

"Spiraled" - Sheryl Sane

"Dinosaurs Rule!" - Linda Cassell
inspired by our January BOM