Thursday, October 29, 2020

Quilt Quark Gallery - Cindy Lange

I’m calling this one NYT Tiles; 57" x 78"

I started making 9.5” square-in-square blocks out of every bit of solid scrap and jelly roll leftovers I had in the house.  I invited "everyone."  (Yes, I’ve begun to anthropomorphize my fabrics.  It’s getting a little stir crazy in here.) 

I tried to lay them out end to end but between the pastels and the neons, and the darks and the lights, a fight broke out.  So I put them all behind black bars and that settled them down. 

"NYT Tiles" by Cindy Lange

I decided in keeping with the "y’all come" aesthetic of the piecing to straight-line quilt the Kona solids blocks in multiple thread weights and colors using dove grey thread in the bobbin for most of the fabrics and black for the darkest ones.  That meant I needed a busy fabric for the back.  I’ve never bought Kaffe Fassett fabrics before, but I did some looking after Susan Rink spoke so highly of them at our last Zoom meeting.

Close Up NYT Tiles

Back Fabric - Kaffe Fassett "Tiddlywinks"

Friday, October 16, 2020

Quilt Quark Gallery - Joan Manfre

A WOMAN’S DREAM SHOWER is 38” X 45”.  It was created for our GMQG challenge this year using repurposed material.  The fabric was upholstery from my rattan set and was "sprinkled" all over with women’s hats, shoes, gloves and handbags on a black background.  I cut out the shoes and hats, and used Fray Check around each piece.  

The slanted rain was created from metallic silver thread and ruler work, and tape helped to keep the slants straight.  Bugle beads and glass crystal beads formed the raindrops.  Grunge fabric was used for creating the umbrella and background area.  

It was truly a labor of love sewing on all the beads!

~ Joan Manfre

"A Woman's Dream Shower" by Joan Manfre

Close up of raindrop beadwork.



Wednesday, October 14, 2020

October 3, 2020, Meeting Highlights

Thanks to the Modern Quilt Guild for allowing us to use their Zoom account for this month’s and the remainder of 2020 meetings.  If you would like a recording of today's meeting, please contact greenvillemqg@gmail.com within 14 days and we will email it to you.
 
FUTURE 2020 PROGRAMS:  All programs are set to be presented via Zoom, but should the opportunity arise to assemble outside, they are all adaptable to be done so.
 
The Saturday, November 7th meeting will be open from 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. to give members a half-hour prior to, and a half-hour after the standard (1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) meeting time for socializing.  To attend, sign on using the link and passcode provided by email a few days before.
 
LESSONS IN ZOOM:  How to use the Zoom Chat Function (on a PC) during a Zoom meeting:  Run your cursor over the open screen.  At the bottom of the screen, a ribbon should appear where you will find video and audio controls, and see the word Chat.  Click on Chat, and a secondary window will open. Towards the bottom of that window, there is a drop-down window that allows you to send a personal message to one person or a message to everyone. Conversely, if you have received a personal message, there should be an alert to click on at the bottom of the window.
 
OCTOBER - MEMBER PARTICIPATION:  Members participated in the October program by speaking about the quilting muses who inspire and influence their quilting personalities.  
 
Linda Cassell says her greatest influence did not come from anyone famous but, rather, from four of her quilting friends.  She started quilting in 2001 through a class given in her Sunday School class and fell in love with both quilting and spending time talking to her friends there.  Through joining the Upcountry Quilt Guild, she met Gayle Sexton, Pat Kirko and Paige Alexander, the latter, her best friend.  All these women do outstanding and amazing work, and each has had a hand in bestowing their generosity, kindness, gentle teaching and inspiration on Linda.  Through her quilting life, the women she has met, the friends she has made, and the camaraderie she has with them mean everything.  Lastly, she also admits to her guilty pleasure of surfing Pinterest for inspiration.  (You’re not alone Linda!)
 
Sandy Helsel sent an email since she could not attend and said, “Cheryl Brickey is My Favorite Quilt Designer.  Cheryl Brickey, a friend since I moved to Greenville over eight years ago, first at Foothills Piecemakers Quilt Guild and now in Greenville Modern Quilt Guild, will always be my favorite quilt designer. Her designs are fresh in color, interesting in pattern and design, and explicit with detailed instructions. Her enthusiasm for expression in quilt designing is contagious and carries with it adventure in capturing new ideas that spawn creativity in all of us. Cheryl is an excellent teacher and focuses each of her patterns to specific levels of sewing and quilting abilities. She energizes her workshops with excitement making all of us feel, “oh, yes, I can do this!” and what looks impossible, ‘a walk in the park!’  She can make a pattern that looks abstract seem much more practical in technique. For me, Cheryl has taken the strict concepts and rules of Modern Quilt Design and softened the edges to make it come alive.  I have shared her patterns with quilting friends in other locations across the U.S. by presenting them with her patterns and books as gifts…, one of which she co-wrote with Paige Alexander named, ‘Modern Plus Sign Quilts’.” 

Faye Jones’ greatest influence overall are the Gees Bend quilters.  Descendants of slaves who worked and lived in a geographically isolated area of Alabama, these self-taught women became world famous having created numerous classically designed quilts reminiscent of modern quilts with absolutely no formal training.  Even before Faye discovered them, she knew when she started quilting, abstract and improv design appealed to her nature.  Faye shared the first quilt she made and the first quilt book she ever bought, “Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts,” by Rayna Gillman.  Gillman not only teaches and creates improv quilts, but also explains how to add something extra with surface-design techniques.  She teaches techniques rather than providing traditional patterns, and it is these techniques that allow you to produce something entirely unique.
 
Sheryl Sane’s greatest influencer is Dagmar Theodore, who was originally a friend of her sister-in-law’s, then became and has been her friend for years.  Sheryl met Dagmar now and then over the years, having knitting in common, and she eventually saw some of Dagmar’s quilts.  Originally a member of the Traveler’s Rest Quilt Guild, Dagmar convinced Sheryl to attend the Foothills guild.  She went and enjoyed it and eventually, along with Dagmar, moved on to Modern.  She agrees with Linda, “It’s the people [who inspire].”
 
Valorie Kasten has been working on improving the quality of her finished product, the craft, the putting it together and found Harriet Hargrave to be the most helpful.  Hargrave is an extremely traditional quilter, but she and her daughter have published a series of books called, “The Quilters Academy,” which are all about achieving exceptional quality.  The series contains superior illustrations and is filled with “all those little tips that help make a great quilt.”  Valorie feels Hargrave can’t be beat when it comes to her instructions for a better final product.
 
Susan Rink’s great influencer is Eleanor Burns, famous for her “Quilt in a Day” series.  Susan’s first quilt was a Log Cabin from a Burns book, one of many that teaches everything from straight grain of fabric to how to strip piece.  Susan took a fantastic class from Nancy Johnson-Srebro in Lancaster County when rotary cutters and rulers first came out.  If you can find one of her old books and are new to rotary cutting, Susan recommends it.  Later, when she saw an exhibit of Australian quilts with all the many bright, saturated colors, and wild fauna and flora, she was hooked and never looked back.  She naturally came to appreciate Kaffe Fassett’s work and as one of his biggest fans, follows his Collective on FB.  Additionally, she is inspired by a variety of non-quilter artists posting on Instagram, e.g., National Geographic photographers, and through her travels to Italy and Paris.  Susan found the colors and color combinations in Brian Cook’s “Landscapes of Britain” illustrations to be fascinating and inspiring.  She is continually motivated by fellow quilters in guild meetings, seeing the quilts in Quilt Quark and social media, and learning from others as to how they translate their ideas.
 
Darleen Sanford used to be a very traditional quilter, using a lot of browns and other earth tones in her classical quilts.  Then while the GMQG was still in its infancy and being held at Bernina, Marilyn Hagopian invited Darleen to attend.  As the guild grew, simply attending the meetings and observing other members’ work fired her imagination.  She left the traditional behind and gradually got more modern, using less browns, a lot more color, and more improvisational methods.  Darleen has made several quilts inspired by Jaccquie Gering and Katie Pedersen’s “Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts,” which provides the fundamental principles from which quilts may be created without patterns per se.
 
Elise Dunbar similarly shared Gering and Pedersen’s ‘Quilting Modern’ book with a focus on Katie Pedersen.  Elise made her daughter’s college quilt from this ‘fabulous’ book then took a class from Pedersen in Seattle, subsequently producing the two orange and blue quilts she shared in Quilt Quark.  The guild itself, along with classes, and seeing what everyone is doing has also been amazingly inspirational.  Elise shared the old “Quilt in a Day – Log Cabin Pattern” book by Eleanor Burns referenced above by Susan Rink.  Elise said it’s the best book, from which she got started making baby quilts. From there she moved on to more fun colors and modern style.  Heather Jones has influenced Elise with her wonky patterning based on the art of Josef and Anni Albers.  Josef’s work both in Europe and the U.S. formed the basis of modern art education programs of the 20th century (albersfoundation.org).  The Modern Quilt Guild’s QuiltCon, Pinterest and Instagram are continually inspiring; see dailyoverview on Instagram for photos taken from satellite where potential-quilt inspiration abounds.  Other influencers include Melanie Tuazon, a quilter and fiber artist whose process includes a spectrum of improvisation, and Timna Tarr who does map quilts and otherwise “sees each block in a quilt as its own element independent of the other blocks.  After constructing all the blocks, she arranges the small compositions to play off each other… to create a larger whole.”
 
Travis Seward is influenced and inspired to distraction by so many things, he never knows what he will want to design and make next.  It’s been a process of figuring out who he is, what his quilting style is, and what he enjoys making.  He says it’s also about giving himself permission not to judge his work or himself by others’ standards and not being intimidated by other people, because we’re all valid and deserve to be happy and make things that make us happy.  He was struggling earlier in the year with these things and fearing his work might become derivative if he continued working on things that have been done before such as the Log Cabin when Cindy suggested he read, “Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative,” by Austin Kleon.  The book is a tiny inexpensive ‘quick read’ that presents ten transformative principles designed to help you discover your artistic side and build a more creative life.  Kleon says nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and reimagine to discover your own path, and don’t wait until you know who you are to get started - just go do it.  Kleon goes on to say side projects and hobbies are important and you should draw on those things.  Be nice (which we happily do well in our Guild), and it’s ok to be boring.  This and Kleon’s follow-up books will help to ground you and get your thoughts together if you’re at loose ends.  Another enlightening book in this genre is, “Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk,” by Danielle Krysa.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska, has a beautiful Instagram feed of outstanding historical quilts.  Travis is greatly drawn to people who came before us, the work they’ve done, the world they created, and this collection that exists.
 
Lynne Harrill said Michael James has long been a muse of hers; his use of color and design speak to her.  An American artist, educator, author, and lecturer, he is best known as a leader of the art quilt movement that began in the 1970s.  She took a class from him and learned you need to know the language of art and incorporate it in your work; think about what you’re doing and talk to yourself.  Lynne is also influenced by non-quilting American artists such as Frank Stella, a painter, sculptor and printmaker noted for his work in the areas of minimalism and post-painterly abstraction; Esteban Vicente, Spanish American painter who was one of the first generation of NY School abstract expressionists; and Jasper Johns*, a painter, sculptor and printmaker from SC whose work is associated with abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art, and is well known for his depictions of the American flag and other U.S.-related topics.  The Greenville County Museum of Art has one of the ten largest institutional collections of his works.  Painter Morris Louis is considered one of the earliest exponents of Color Field painting where "color is freed from objective context and becomes the subject in itself," and was one of the Washington (D.C.) painters who formed the Washington Color School.
 
 *Speaking of Jasper Johns, he once said something that might help us tackle the dilemma Travis described above:  “Using the design of the American flag took care of a great deal for me because I didn’t have to design it.  So, I went on to similar things like the targets – things the mind already knows.  That gave me room to work on other levels.”
 
Brooke Stambersky is drawn to many different types of quilting. She loves quilts with geometric shapes and bright colors, so you will see her quilts falling into those categories.  A friend of Brooke’s who has been quilting for several years got her started.  Her first quilt was done by taking a block-of-the-month class at a local quilt shop in Asheville.  She is also gravitating toward collage quilts which she really enjoys.  She also loves the inspiration she derives from the people she follows on Instagram.  During quarantine, she has been incorporating embroidery machine quilting-in-the-hoop into a Kimberbell quilt-as-you-go quilt.
 
Kerry Steck’s quilt beginnings echo those who made an Eleanor Burns Log Cabin, having made her second quilt with Burns’ pattern.  She has been influenced by many different styles and has always been drawn to pictorial quilts whether made by collage, appliqué or piecing techniques.  She is most definitely inspired by color - the colors in nature, lots of blues and greens.  Whether it’s seeing everyone’s sewing rooms during our Zoom meetings, quilts during Show and Share, or going to quilt shows, Kerry finds lots of inspiration everywhere she looks.
 
Dagmar Theodore may not have grown up with the tradition of quilting in her family, but when she moved from Germany to America over 20 years ago, she landed in Simpsonville across the street from Debbie Graves, a quilter and fabric collector. When she was unpacking her garment fabric, Debbie’s daughter said, “My mom has way more fabric than you,” a hint of things to come.  Debbie eventually took Dagmar to her first quilting class where she would make her first quilt - a King-sized ‘Trip Around the World,’ using traditional fabrics.  Later, she read an article about Denyse Schmidt and it was a wake-up call for her.  She is a big fan of the painter, Paul Klee, and was struck when for the first time she saw a quilt that looked like a painting.  To Dagmar, Schmidt’s quilts and designs were more art than craft.  She bought her book, “Denyse Schmidt Quilts,” which includes a lot of small projects, e.g., how to make sewn notecards, potholders, how to embellish a notebook cover, etc., several of which Dagmar made for Christmas gifts.  She has since participated in two of Schmidt’s quilt-alongs, which started her move towards the modern way.  Dagmar shared her Schmidt quilts, ‘Proverbial’ with color and improv all in one piece and ‘Freewheeling Single Girl,’ Schmidt’s interpretation of a Double Wedding Ring quilt.  Since then, Dagmar has found many more inspiring quilters to follow on Instagram, finds all the quilters around her inspiring, and stretches her creativity in everyday life, for example, by seeing a magnificent quilt in such a benign thing as a building.
 
Cindy Lange said when there was a rediscovery of Amish quilts in the late 80s and 90s, it led her to fall in love with the strong, solid graphic presentation used in their work.  In that vein, her most current and beautifully executed project emulates the Amish-inspired medallion pattern using deeply hued solid colors.  Years ago, she bought, “Amish Quilts:  30 Traditional Patterns,” by Kenneth and Rachel Pellman but had to “sit on it” until she retired and had the time to pursue quilting.  She just loved the idea of these quiet farm ladies making these big pieces of pop art, and she wanted to get in on that. The inspiration that struck her so many years ago finally came to fruition when, as a retired empty nester, she “took up the needle.”
 
Rita Sassone lived in Tucson, Arizona, for 15 years and when she returned to AZ recently, was shocked to learn there were eight quilt shops in her city alone.  She loves color, but finds following a pattern very tough for her because she becomes bored.  Last March, she had an opportunity to go to Gees Bend, and fell in love with those women.  The freedom manifested in their practice to just “wack it” and go on, “wack it” and sew it, was eye opening.  When she asked them if they could give her some guidance, she recalls being told by one woman, “you don’t need no help!  You know what you’re doing!”  It was that door-opening encouragement to go forward and trust herself that inspired Rita.  Also, in her circle, Johnnie McKenzie has been a huge influence and challenger, is a talented artist and has a lot of ideas.  It was a revelation to Rita when her friend, Barbara, challenged her to look at a pattern she likes, to make one up on her own, and that she could do that.  Joining the guilds and learning from other people inspires her.  Every time she comes to this guild’s meeting, she is inspired to go home and do something, and try something different.  She’s greatly appreciative of this group and loves everyone in it.
 
Cynthia Steward lived in a very remote, rural community in upper Michigan when she started quilting.  She didn’t have much contact with other quilters, but found great inspiration by watching Nancy Zieman’s, “Sewing with Nancy,” produced by PBS Wisconsin for 35 years and easily accessible today at nancyzieman.com.  Although not all the content applied to Cynthia, she did find the show to be very helpful, solidifying many of her skills.  Cynthia had sewn since she was young, but bought Zieman’s book, “Sewing A to Z,” as a refresher.  Zieman did a lot of work on landscape quilts, something in which Cynthia was very interested at the time.  She shared a splendid landscape piece she did based on a photo her husband took of Mont Blanc, in the Swiss Alps.  Cynthia was next inspired by Jean Wells.  She had always liked the artistic side of quilting and bought Wells’ book, “Intuitive Color and Design:  Adventures in Art Quilting,” in which Wells does a lot of improv strip piecing.  Cynthia shared a terrific “combined inspiration” piece she made based on Wells’ approach as well as by the fine art of 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Vermeer van Delft, who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle class life and is particularly renowned for his masterly treatment and use of light in his work.  Cynthia has taken a lot of inspiration from many fine artists and likes abstract and early modern artists as well.
 
Dana Blasi was unable to attend the meeting, but since she is writing these minutes, she would like to share the following.  Her original muse was her Aunt Frances Watts Browning who made all sorts of wonderful things with fabric, from wedding dresses to quilts.  Some of her earliest quilting inspiration came from watching Alex Anderson’s show, “Simply Quilts,” that gradually convinced her she, too, could make a quilt.  In 2002 she designed and made her first two quilts in anticipation of her twin grandchildren’s births.  Dana gravitates toward appliqué and bright colors, and early on was inspired by the wonderfully colorful art and quilts of Laurel Burch, quilters Robbi Joy Eklow and Jane Sassaman, British quilter Phillipa Naylor, and Australian artist and quilter Pam Holland.  In 2015 she joined the GMQG and found inspiration and encouragement from every member there.  Non-quilter artists she looks to include French painter Henri Matisse, British/Finnish artist Sanna Annukka whose colorful Scandinavian printed images have morphed into fabric design; “Atomic Art” such as that of El Gato Gomez; and French modernist artist, Louis Toffoli’s post-cubist transparent paintings.
 
Thanks to all those members who participated in this enlightening program!  Thanks to you, our wealth of inspirational sources and resources has no doubt increased tenfold.
 
NOVEMBER – COPYRIGHT ISSUES:  CINDY LAMMON AND PAIGE ALEXANDER, both published authors, will give a presentation on the use of printed and public materials, copyright considerations, what you can use, how you can use it, and if it is copyrighted, how to obtain permission to use it from the author of the material. 
 
DECEMBER – MYSTERY HOLIDAY ELF SWAP:
Sign up to make an item for the Mystery Holiday Elf Swap!   Email Faye Jones at birdie1345<AT>AOL<DOT>com  to register for the swap, briefly identifying your preference for a religious, secular (e.g., HO HO HO, reindeer, ornamental things), traditional or modern item so that you can get something you will want and can use.  Faye will make the Elf assignments, then let you know who your recipient will be.  There are no parameters or rules for the items you wish to make.  For hints as to what your assignee likes, you may want to look at past work they’ve done in previous meeting minutes on the blog.  During the December 5th Zoom meeting, you will show your piece, talk about it a little, and then reveal for whom the object was made.  It will be left to you to coordinate your swaps.
 
GMQG 2020 BLOCK OF THE MONTH:  LATIFAH SAAFIR:
Cynthia Seward’s October BOM modern influencer is Latifah Saafir.  In a recently published book, when asked ‘why do you quilt,’ Latifah responded simply by saying, “I quilt because I have to.”  This appealed to Cynthia and the membership alike.  Latifah and Alissa Haight Carlton are Co-Founders of the Modern Quilt Guild who, using early social media sites, connected with other quilters employing fresher and more modern styles in their quilt designs.  Both were disappointed with the lack of modern style quilts represented in traditional quilt shows so they decided to start a modern quilting group.  The first ever MQG chapter met in October 2009 in Los Angeles and with the help of the internet, the guild quickly took off and spread worldwide.
 
Latifah has a versatile and distinctive creative voice and uses many elements of modern quilting in her designs including:  Clean lines; Negative space; Modern traditionalism; Bold graphics; and Minimalism.  A lot of her quilts tend to be more whole quilt designs as opposed to being comprised of blocks.  Blue Maize is one of her earlier, and probably the most traditional of her quilts.  Some of her earlier quilts include Up in the Air, Pickled Beets, Neon & Neutral (using clamshells, for which she is well-known), and Airshow made with bias tape. Along with her Porthole baby quilt you will find the helpful guidance: “One stitch.  One Seam.  One quilt at a time.”  Good advice for the novice (if not for us all) who may be overwhelmed in the beginning.
 
Designer.  Teacher.  Maker.  Muse.  Latifah is one of modern quilting’s most recognizable ambassadors, and she is committed to promoting her love of quilting and helping others on their own journey of self-discovery.  Her website is full of modern patterns and useful tools, and she teaches workshops, hosts online tutorials, and publishes in magazines and books.
 
What may well be the most unique thing about her is that in addition to reaching the adult market, she has also developed Quilt Cadets for younger people.  Not unlike the Scouts programs, it is a merit-badge based program tailored to teach kids and teens sewing and quilting skills using fun projects.  She seems to have found a terrific way to get that next generation interested and hooked, which is never easy.
 


One of the things for which Latifah is well known is curves.  Curves don’t have to be difficult; it just takes practice.  Plan sizes – bigger is easier; Carefully cut fabric; Sew slowly; and Press very well.  So, this month’s BOM is the Half-Circle Block (in any size you choose to make).  Cynthia chose this block because it is a little less common, as well as a little easier than the quarter circle because it has one less seam to match up and piece together.  An important tip to use when sewing curves is to use a walking, dual-feed, or Curve Master presser foot that will move both pieces of fabric together at the same rate.
 
Instructions for making a curved template may be found in the PDF block instruction.  For more help on sewing curved pieces, go to Latifah Saafir Studios on YouTube at https: // www.youtube.com/ c/ latifahsaafirstudios (without the spaces).
 
Email Cynthia at belleekster<AT>gmail<DOT>com with any questions.  Please email photos of your completed BOMs for the Quilt Quark Gallery (“QQG”) to greenvillemqg@gmail.com to be shared in our virtual gallery and at the following meeting.  We’d love to see your work!
 
SEW-IN:  There will be no Sew-ins until February 2021.
 
WILDACRES RETREAT – 2021:  Sandy said we are awaiting our assigned dates expected late October/early November, and registration begins in January 2021.
 
MEMBERSHIP:  We welcomed 22 members in our Zoom meeting this month.
 
PHILANTHROPY:  Faye has received several more charity quilts and is holding them since the Julie Valentine Center is not seeing many kids onsite at this time.  If you have a quilt to donate, you may hold on to it for now or coordinate with Faye to pass it on to her.  She thanked the people who have been sharing their work on the QQG beforehand.  Questions concerning the program and drop off/pickup may be directed to Faye at birdie1345<AT>aol<DOT>com.
 
NOMINATING COMMITTEE:  The nominees for the 2021 Board and extended positions will be voted on during the November 7th meeting.  If you cannot attend the Zoom meeting next month, please respond to the voting email which will be sent out prior to the meeting. We are still looking for someone to head up Block of the Month as well as Facility Coordinator.  The nominees are as follows:
 
Board of Directors:
  •  President – Brooke Stambersky
  •  Vice President, Programs – Rita Sassone
  •  Membership Chair – Jill Erickson
Committee Chairs
  • Outside Speaker Coordinator – Dagmar Theodore
  • Block of the Month Coordinator - **OPEN**
  • Facility Coordinator – **OPEN**

The following members will remain in their current positions: 

Board:  Treasurer Cindy Lange; Co-Secretaries Dana Blasi and Emily Pitman.

Committee Chairs: Philanthropy Chair Faye Jones; Spring Retreat Co-Chair and Sew-In Chair Sandy Helsel; Library Chair Darleen Sanford; St. Giles Liaison Nancy deJong; Holiday Luncheon Fundraiser Chair Dana Blasi.
 
QUILT QUARK GALLERY / SHOW AND SHARE:  Show and Share quilts included:
  • Susan Rink’s blue printed sashiko, charm-square quilt; pattern by Australian quilter, Susan-Claire Mayfield.
  • Susan’s second charm pack, navy and coral quilt; pattern “Bright Windows.”
  • Susan’s blue, “Jelly Roll Race Quilt” (also known as a Lasagna Quilt), quilted by Rita Sassone.
  • Susan’s Fall table runner, a gift for her best friend in Erie, PA.
  • Nancy deJong’s “Postcards from Sweden.”
  • Nancy deJong’s French icons tote bag.
  • Diane Wiggins’ “Bolt” quilt.
  • Cindy Lange’s “Scrap Top” quilt made with Kona solids.
  • Cindy Lange’s “Club Noir” quilt from “Colorful Quilts for Fabric Lovers” by Walsh and Burke backed with a Dutch Vlisco wax printed fabric.  Cindy washed the fabric first and found it be pliable enough for quilting.
  • Cynthia Steward’s 16” x 16” quilt made for and accepted by Curated Quilts for their Plus Mini Quilt Challenge Gallery.  Congratulations Cynthia!
Please share photos of your quilts (including Quilts for Kids), BOMs and other projects to the QQG page of our blog at greenvillemodernquiltquild.com.  We will share them during the following month’s meeting.
 
OTHER NEWS & REMINDERS: 
 
·       Kudos to Valorie Kasten for taking First Place in the Hoffman 2019/2020 Challenge in the Piecing category!  Go to hoffmanchallengegallery dot com/awards-recipients to see her outstanding work.
·       Lynne Harrill was interviewed by the Hendersonville, NC, magazine, “Bold Life.”  Go to boldlife dot com/ leaving-the-log-cabin-far-behind to read Lynne’s story.  Congratulations Lynne!
·       Pat Davies provided a link to a group of women who are teaching live online classes to guilds.  She received this information from one of her favorite quilters, Sarah Ann Smith in Maine.  Go to http://www.globalquiltconnection.com.
·       Carolina Shop Hop has been rescheduled for July 9-24, 2021.
·     We have a Facebook page for sharing photos, links, and information open solely to GMQG members to share pics of quilts and links to quilting sites.  No official business will be conducted, since not every member subscribes to FB. 
·       The Modern Quilt Guild website has a plethora of free webinars and patterns available to all its members. 
·       If members come across a link they would like to share, they may forward it to Dagmar via email at dagmar_theodore<at>yahoo<dot>com to be shared at the next meeting.

MQG 2021 CHALLENGES:
 
1.   MQG Mini Swap 2020-21:  From October 2020 to February 2021, the MQG is holding its 5th International MQG swap, and all active MQG members are invited to participate.  Members will make a mini quilt (no larger than 24” x 24”) for a partner.  A swap is a chance for you to make a surprise present for another MQG member and receive one in return.  Spots are limited according to the number of volunteer helpers they have, but they are accommodating as many people as possible. 
   
2.   The Wedge Quilting Challenge:  American Patchwork & Quilting and the MQG are challenging MQG members to take the classic quilt element of a wedge and make a fresh, modern design.

3.   The MQG Modern Classics Challenge - The MQG is re-releasing some of its favorite patterns of the month and are inviting you to join in for a chance to have a quilt included in a special exhibit for QuiltCon Together in 2021.  In honor of the MQG’s tenth anniversary, they’ve decided to dust off a few of their favorite patterns and relaunch them in an all-new color palette.  Over the course of the year, they will share twelve quilts previously released as Quilt of the Month patterns. 

Choose any MQG pattern in the Resources section and make it using their 2020 color palette. Follow along using the hashtag #mqgmodernclassic and enter your quilt to be a part of a special MQG Modern Classics exhibit at QuiltCon Together 2021.  To be eligible for the exhibit, a quilt must be made from an MQG Quilt of the Month released prior to 2020 and in the 2020 color palette pictured below.  While you do not have to use all seven colors, the colors must be from this palette alone.

4.  The QuiltCon Together Fabric Challenge includes a large floral with a few blenders to challenge members to create a modern quilt and are calling it Floral & Vine.  Fabric colors include Apricot Ash Rose Garden (29101-19 large floral), Apricot Ash Coral Dotty (29106-12 coral blender), Apricot Ash Ash (29105-19 gingham), and Abby Rose Greenery (48676-11 vines). 

For further details, go to themodernquiltguild.com.

Friday, October 9, 2020

Quilt Quark Gallery - Valorie Kasten

While COVID-19 certainly turned my goal of entering more quilt shows/contests in 2020 topsy-turvy, it did not completely stop me!!

Behind the Fence is a 36" x 36" quilt I created especially for Hoffman California Fabrics' Hoffman First Stitch Challenge 2019/20.  

The original design is 100% pieced.  The successful fussy cutting of the text from the fabrics was really assisted by the tips from Kitty Wilkins' lecture/workshop.  The quilting is a combination of custom robotic-assisted motifs and ruler work (below is a detail photo).  I ended by using six different threads ranging from 40-100 weight.

Like many other organizations, Hoffman Fabrics pivoted with style.  They extended the entry deadline and went from the usual year-long traveling show of juried challenge entries to a virtual show.  Please check out the winners (including mine) under the Award Recipients tab and all of the accepted entries under the Gallery tab at https://www.hoffmanchallengegallery.com/awards-receipients .  

Yes, you read that right -- Behind the Fence received the first place ribbon in the Pieced Category.

Happy Quilting, 

Valorie Kasten
"Behind the Fence" by Valorie Kasten

Close up of text from fabric used.