Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks: Tutorials to Help

Let's talk tutorials.  Did you know the OrlandoMQG has a Pinterest board full of links to tutorials?!  If you aren't already following us on Pinterest be sure to click here to see our boards and to follow.



Here are a few recent tutorials that have peeked my interest:

HappySewLucky's Love flag tutorial
Happy Sew Lucky's Peace Hexie pattern
This post on the VancouverMQG's website has links to two free pattern downloads as well as links to other heart related tutorials.

Quilters are generous by nature and the online quilting community doesn't hesitate to answer a call for help.  Right now I am aware of two projects currently asking for help from quilters for Bostonians.  Below is some information with links if you'd like to contribute your quilty skills.

logo

First is the "To Boston With Love" effort spearheaded by the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild to collect flags to string in a public exhibit to show feelings of love, peace and healing.  Please note the deadline of the flags to be received in Boston has been moved up to May 21st.  More information about the date change can be found on Amy's blog.

Quilts for Boston

Second is the "Quilts for Boston" campaign organized by the BostonMQG to collect quilt blocks for assembling into quilts for those in need of comfort.   They are requesting blocks 12.5" tall and any width (similar to the QuiltCon block challenge) in the colors of blue, yellow, gray and white.  The deadline for the receipt of these blocks is May 24th.

All information regarding these two projects can be found in the links referenced above.  Additionally, there are Flickr groups already overflowing with pictures of flags and blocks made for inspiration.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

What Happens at Sew Day...


Our monthly Saturday Sew Day was tons of fun. We met at our usual haunt, the Dr. Phillips library community room. The room is gigantic and offers great lighting, design walls, tables and chairs. There's even room to dance if you feel like dancing.

There's always a dessert table to sustain us through the day.

Okay, we sometimes eat healthy stuff too. Everyone brings something to share and we nibble all day long.








There was plenty of quilting progress being made. Quilting quilts, various charity projects, curved piecing, hand applique, collaborative projects, and much more. It's fun to see what everyone is working on and to get advice and helpful tips from members.

Beth brought her rescued bird and everyone took turns feeding him/her every hour or so. Birdy happily chirped along with the sewing machines and napped in its coffee mug home. Later in the day, the bird was rescued again by animal control who will transport it to a refuge.

And here's a sneak peak at our June Block of the Month, which promises to be fun and scrappy. Stay tuned...

Our next Sew Day is Saturday, May 18 at the Dr. Phillips Library from 10 am to 4:45 pm. Hope to see you there!

Friday, April 12, 2013

Modern Quilt Guild FAQs

As discussed during our April meeting, the Modern Quilt Guild will require membership dues for all Modern Quilt Guilds by December, 2014. The link below directs you to the most frequently asked questions regarding the transition.

Modern Quilt Guild FAQs

Members of the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild will vote in the Fall whether or not to join. If you have any questions you would like us to ask the Modern Quilt Guild, leave a comment below or e-mail.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks: Paper Piecing and Pressing

At Wednesday's meeting Alejandrina showed us her tips for pressing (not ironing) fabric and pressing seams which was very informative and included a discussion of whether to press seams open or to the side which led to members discussing other tips, offering suggestions and asking questions.


  • Alejandrina recommended a product she discovered at QuiltCon by teacher Susan Cleveland.  The Whacker  helps flatten bulky seams without constantly running to the iron.
  • Love suggested using a brayer-type roller (such as used for wallpaper) for pressing seams when paper piecing, again without constantly running to the iron.  
  • Penny of SewTakeAHike recommends the Curve Master seam roller in her paper piecing classes as this seam roller is beveled rather than flat so the fabric doesn't get warped while rolling.
  • Mary Ellen's Best Press is a popular spray starch product used in pressing.  There are several links for making your own:  here, here, here, here and this one using Vodka!  I haven't tried any of these so can't recommend one over the other.
  • Yanick recommends this ruler for marking your sewing machine for the elusive scant 1/4" seam!
  • Carol Doak has a YouTube video (which would have helped me tremendously yesterday if only I had known) which shows how to remove a paper piece that was sewn on backwards.
The question of how much does a yard of fabric weigh was posed.  I found conflicting answers on the Google.  Does anyone have input on this topic?

Friday, April 5, 2013

April 3, 2013 Meeting Minutes

ORLANDO MODERN QUILT GUILD
MEETING MINUTES
4-3-2013 10 AM-NOON
SEWING STUDIO, MAITLAND

20 Members and guests in attendance

AGENDA

1.     MEET AND GREET

II.    AAQI
Members presented their mini art quilts for the AAQI (Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative).



III.   RAFFLE BASKET
The basket was prepared by last months winner, Alejandrina, and was won by Deborah.


IV.  BLOCKS OF THE MONTH

The April blocks were won by Yanick.


Rene showed an example of the May blocks which are scrappy chevrons. The tutorial is online.

The BOM committee consists of Rene, Alejandrina and Michele.  They ask the members to please submit suggestions for BOM to the OMQG email address.  If your block is selected you may either make the block and/or the tutorial or you may ask the committee to prepare the block and tutorial.

V.   PROGRAM UPDATES
Alejandrina discussed changes to the workshop arrangments with Jacquie Gering (see her blog at Tallgrass Prairie Studio) due to the guild that was co-sponsoring the event canceling out.  We would like to have two workshops with Jacquie with slots open first to members and then to non-members. The group discussed possible workshop dates and locations and Alejandrina will report back on what arrangements are made.

Alejandrina announced that Cara would be taking over programming and retreats and Alejandrina will concentrate on demos and participation projects/talks at both meetings and sew days.

VI.  SURVEY RESULTS
Beth thanked members for their participation in the members survey.  A summary will be presented at the May meeting.

VII.  MQG UPDATES
Michele discussed the upcoming changes with the mothership, Modern Quilt Guild.  She asked members to consider what benefits we might gain if our guild began paying dues to the mothership. Beth will send out an email with a link to the presentation from MQG discussing the potential benefits.  We will ask members to vote in the Fall as to whether or not we should move forward with the proposed changes.  Please watch the presentation and send all questions to Beth or Rene who have started preparing a list of questions they will present to MQG.

VIII. CHARITY
Jodi updated attendees on the next charity project.  She asks members who would like to participate to bring orphan blocks to the May meeting to swap. Then we will use a swapped block to inspire a pet sized quilt for animals of families who seek safe shelter along with their pets with Harbor House of Central Florida.



IX.   IRONING/PRESSING
Alejandrina took us through her sometimes funny learning curve on pressing fabric for greater piecing accuracy.



X.    SHOW AND TELL













XI.   WISH I HAD MADE THAT
The prize for "Wish I had made that" was won by Love.

XII.   DOORPRIZE
The doorprize was won by Katie.



Wednesday, April 3, 2013

May 2013 Block of the Month


May's block is a modern chevron block made with bright, saturated, modern prints for the HSTs and scrappy neutrals for the background.  The tutorial for the 12.5" unfinished block can be found here at In Color Order.

Scrappy Chevron Block

Jeni suggests two different ways for making the half square triangles.  I used the alternative method for my block.  When piecing the blocks, be sure to use a SCANT 1/4" seam.  You will want to select fabrics for the HSTs and background that have a high contrast to one another.

Enjoy digging through your scrap basket or finally cutting into your favorite fabrics to make your block(s).  Bring them to May's meeting for the block lotto drawing.  Happy stitching!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Tuesday's Tips and Tricks: Fabric and Colors

Here are some tips when matching fabric and thread for your project:


Jackie offers this tip she found for organizing paint samples and adapted to quilting purposes:

Cut a two inch square of each of the fabrics you want to find coordinating fabric and thread for; punch a hole in the corners; slip onto a key chain; take these with you to the fabric shop to match fabric and thread color.

Speaking of color, The Modern Quilt Guild's Week of Color Tutorials on the MQG website is a great reference.  My favorite (and one I really need to make) is by Sew Katie Did on color value.


One tip I have regarding choosing colors that work well together in a quilt is to look to nature.  Design Seeds is a wonderful website that features glorious photographs and their color palettes.


Last week's post included discussions on free motion quilting.  I have found another post that provides quite a bit of information and links to even more information.  Check out Katie's FMQ post.

How are you enjoying these Tuesday's Tips posts so far?  Any comments or suggestions?  Let's keep those tips and tricks coming!