Saturday, February 11, 2017

Orlando Modern Quilt Guild responds to Mosque Shooting in Quebec City

Sometimes we see others hurting and our heart hurts with them.  We want to do something to help the hurting and there are many ways we can help but, as quilters, we like to give people a tangible, yet beautiful symbol of our heart.  We give them quilts that have been stitched with love.

We did this after the Pulse Nightclub Shooting and it was soothing and healing for so many.  So many people helped the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild when we put a shout out for heart blocks, 23 countries and all 50 states helped us with our gesture of love.

Now the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild is in need of our support and it is time for us to pay it forward. The Canadian guild is collecting 12.5 inch house blocks in response to the Mosque shooting in Quebec City that happened at the end of January.  They are looking for brightly colored blocks and request that we don't use any fabric depicting people or animals.  You can get more details at this link.



They are asking that all blocks be turned in by March 4.  If you are interested in making a block you can contact Jodi Peterman as she has made arrangements to connect with a friend of their guild at QuiltCon.  She will need your block by Tuesday, February 21.  You can also mail blocks directly to the guild.  The address is at this link.

Feel free to use any house quilt block you would like, as long as it is 12.5 inches unfinished.  If the one you like is too small, just add borders until it is the right size. There are a few suggested links on the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild website and here are a few more.

http://www.oliveandollie.com/2012/03/home-sweet-home-quilt-along-little.html
http://ellisonlane.com/2013/01/new-quilt-block-pattern.html
http://www.whimsandfancies.com/wp-content/uploads/schoolhouse_12in_soma1773.pdf
http://jacquelynnesteves.com/featured/wonky-house-quilt-block-tutorial-2/
http://www.ucquilts.com/bomjune09.htm

This is a great way to use of some scraps and to help others at the same time.  I promise your heart will feel good if you make one.
on February 11, 2017 by Jodi  | 2 comments 

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Block of the Month Throwback!

EDIT (2/7/17): This was the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild's very first block of the month posted by OMQG founder, René. The BOM program has had great participation and the finished quilts have all been beautiful. If you haven't joined in, please do; it's really a lot of fun. Let throwback to 2011! and create cross blocks for the March 1, 2017 meeting.

We are implementing a new and fun Block of the Month program.  Each month will feature a different block.  The block chosen will be fun to make, require materials that can easily be found in your stash, fit our modern theme, and when put together results in a fabulous quilt.  At the next month's meeting, a drawing will be held from members who make blocks, and one lucky person takes home all the blocks!

Our very first block is a cross block. Block size is 6" unfinished, 5 1/2" finished. Tutorials can be found in various places including here and here.  Your cross can be wonky or not, made with solids or prints.

To ensure everyone's blocks play well together, use a white (or neutral light) fabric for the background....and think modern ;-)

Here is how I made mine:


You will need two outer strips (mine are white) approximately 3 inches wide and 6 inches long.  You will sew a contrasting strip in between.  My strip is 2 inches wide.  Yours can be narrower or wider.  It is up to you.


This is how it should look at this point.


Use your ruler to cut the block in "half".  Have fun here...you can cut in exactly in half or not...straight across or at angle.


I cut mine at an angle and not quite at the midway point.


Sew a strip in between these two sections.  Again, I used a solid purple 2 inches wide.


You will have a block that looks something like this.


Square up your block to 6 inches, and pat yourself on the back!



See how differently the block looks if the cut is not quite so wonky?  
Have fun trying out different fabric combinations, widths of the cross strips and angle of your cuts!

How this will work:  Each month bring your block to the meeting and add it to the design wall; for each block you make, enter your name for the drawing; the winner of the drawing will receive all the blocks.

This BOM is entirely optional... make one block, two blocks, three blocks, etc. or no blocks at all.  Sound like fun?

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Meeting Minutes - February 1, 2017

-->
MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Maitland, FL

Alissa was unable to attend, so Joan, the Treasurer, as Acting President, called the meeting to order; 53 members were present, and there were 5 guests.  Joan announced that someone donated a large number of tubes of Gold Bond Healing hand lotion and asked members to each take one before they leave.
 ICEBREAKER

The Icebreaker this month was for everyone to line up in order by their birth month and day.

 TREASURER’S REPORT

In January there was income from class fees and the Raffle Basket and expenses for Pulse, paying a teacher fee, the guild membership annual fee to the Modern Quilt Guild, and membership gifts. There are Pulse funds remaining, but there are more expenses coming in the completion of the Pulse project, so return of an overage to Thrivent, if any after all expenses, will be handled by the new board.

MANCUSO’S WORLD QUILT FLORIDA

Mary Sm reported that the guild’s display of 13 member quilts was shown at the show held in the Orange County Convention Center January 19-21.  Quite a few members attended and saw our quilts.

RAFFLE BASKET

Paula returned the Raffle Basket filled with special batting for microwave projects, a graph paper journal, binding tool, special quilter’s mug,  and other special items. The basket was won by Love.
EDUCATION

Education Coordinator Ede reminded members who have signed up to attend them about Mary-Jeanine’s two free classes this Saturday at the Dr. Phillips Public Library, [Faux Log Cabin and Color Slab Quilt Top] which are her gift to the guild to recognize our efforts in the Quilts for Pulse Project. Ede said there are several openings in the morning class, but the afternoon class is full, and reminded those attending to bring items for a potluck lunch. Ede has sent a number of emails with class descriptions and materials lists.

Ede reported that, due to its great popularity [examples of the muted colors and the bright colors shown above] and the fact that he is moving this spring, the guild will offer Frank’s dyeing class again on Saturday, March 4, if 10 people register. Registration is open until February 10th, so anyone wishing to take it must email Ede by the 10th, if not already on her list. If the class takes place, it will be at Mary W’s home and there will be lunch. The cost is $60 and should be mailed to Marge after Ede emails to let everyone registered know that the class will take place.
There were sign up sheets for Jacquie Gering’s classes; as always a place is held by payment of the class fee, $55 each for her two classes, Walking Foot Machine Quilting (Friday March 17th) and Slice and Insert Improvisational Blocks (Saturday March 18th). There will be a lottery after February 15th, if more register than there are places available; checks will be held until then; mail your check to register to Marge to arrive by February 15thif you have not paid already. She will give a trunk show at The Sewing Studio on Sunday afternoon, March 19th, which will cost members $10 and others $20; Ede will mail a flyer about the event to other guilds.
Future classes include Shannon Brinkley on May 6th [Ede asks members interested to look at teacher websites to let her know which classes listed there they would like to see offered here], and Amanda Jean Nyberg will teach on September 30th. Ede has been discussing the possibility of other future classes with Sarah Sharp (paper piecing) of No Hats in the House and Chawne Kimber (piecing tiny pieces) of Cauchy Complete.
UCF COUNSELING & PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Two young women from UCF Counseling & Psychological Services came to the meeting to present the guild with a lovely framed paper quilt made by those who received Pulse quilts as a special thank you.
RETREAT
Marge reported that she and Debra have been making contacts in the search for a retreat location for this fall and possibly next spring as well. Dates and details will be decided by the new board. They’re looking for something in October or early November and have discussed the possibility of a retreat cruise with Frank, who is a travel agent; they are also asking quilt shops for ideas. Marge checked with the woman who owns Granny Sue, the quilt shop in the Kennilworth Lodge in Sebring, where our retreat was held in 2015 and was originally scheduled for November 2016, and she said nothing is happening there, so they are not continuing to check on returning there.
QUILTCON EAST – SAVANNH, GA

A pad was passed for members going to QuiltCon in Savannah, Georgia, February 23-26, to sign up if they are willing to help with set up or manning our guild’s Quilts for Pulse booth. Help is needed to pin 1,800 3”x3” copies of quilt photos and a number of statistics about the project to a cardboard display, and there may be a wholecloth quilt to hold Pulse pins to be given to others in attendance. Originally we were to have a display at the admission area, but now the booth will be on the vendor floor.

Someone advised those going this year that it is cheaper to register for a daily pass online than in person, and those who have attended before warned that the line the first morning is very long. In answer to questions, those who have attended before noted that many vendors have freebies to give away, and most of that happens the 1st hour everyday. Debra J suggested going to the Cotton + Steel booth first thing to get one of their free bags. Anne warned that it takes longer to see the show than one would expect so to leave plenty of time for that. Rene mentioned that there is a QuiltCon app now available.

Heather, at the national Modern Quilt Guild set an official Meet & Greet for Quilts for Pulse on Saturday, February 26, at 12 or 12:30, in front of the display. Last month members going agreed on Thursday as the best evening for the group to try to meet.

[Note that, as was reported at last month’s meeting, Debra J has had 4 quilts accepted into the QuiltCon Show, and Anne has had 2 quilts accepted. The guild congratulates both of them on this achievement.]

ELECTIONS

Ede, as a member of the Elections Committee (Ede N, Karol E and Jodi P) passed out ballots for the board election, and the nominated slate was elected. The new officers who will take over now:

President-Sarah L
Vice President – Paula K
Secretary – Mary Sm
Treasurer – Marge C
Education Coordinator – Anne S
Charity Coordinator – Mary W
Member-at-Large – Jane A

GUILD LIBRARY           

Guild Librarian Yanick brings the guild’s library of modern quilting books to meetings. The book list is available at the guild website. Books may be checked out for a month and must be returned at the following month’s meeting.

QUILTS FOR PULSE           

Paula reported that she will have photographed over 1,800 quilts by the end of next week at what will be the last photography session.

Alejandrina reported that there are two distributions still pending, of 150 quilts to the Florida Highway Patrol, which has been extremely hard to contact, and an additional 28 quilts for Florida Hospital ER personnel. Debra A said she lives near the FHP office and will stop by to see if she contact someone about it. It was estimated that there are about 180 quilts left with some more in process of being finished, some at the Maitland Sew Day on Monday, February 6th. Joan thanked Alejandrina for her efforts at coordinating the distribution of all of these quilts.

LUNCH           

There were not many planning to have lunch together, so choosing where to meet was left to them. Marge said she thinks that going to lunch together is important for members to get acquainted with each other, so, while officers were having a board meeting this month and were not available to join the lunch group, it was agreed that, after the March meeting, members will gather for lunch at The Chicken Coop, recommended by Debbie Z.

BLOCK OF THE MONTH


Jodi’s Scrappy Churn Dash block brought in a number of red, pink and white blocks, which were won by Pam P. Because no one has planned a block for March, the new officers will see to it that a Block of the Month for March will be posted on the blog.

SHOW AND TELL

 Made by Judi from last month's Block of the Month blocks


After Show and Tell, a random number generator was used to choose the winners of three door prizes, which went to Debbie Z, Sarah and Ede.


The meeting was adjourned at 11:15.

UPCOMING EVENTS

·      February 4 – Mary-Jeanine’s 2 classes at Dr. Phillips Public Library, Faux Log Cabin, 10-1, and Color Slab Quilt Top, 1:30-4:30.
·      February 6
·      February 23-27 - QuiltCon East 2017, in Savannah, GA
·      February 25 – Quilts for Pulse Meet Up at QuiltCon, 12 or 12:30 pm
·      March 1 – March Guild Meeting, 10 am, The Sewing Studio, Maitland
·      March 1-4 - AQS QuiltWeek Daytona Beach Quilt Show
·      March 4 - Frank’s class on dying fabric at Mary W’s house (if 10 register)
·      March 17 – Jacquie Gering’s “Creative Quilting with the Walking Foot,” 10-4,         Dr. Phillips Public Library
·      March 18 – Jacquie Gering’s “Slice and Insert Improvisation” class, 10-4,
Dr. Phillips Public Library
·      March 19 – Jacquie Gering’s trunk show – The Sewing Studio, Maitland, early afternoon [$10 for OMQG members; $20 for others]
·      May 6, 2017 – Shannon Brinkley’s class
·      September 30, 2017 – Amanda Jean Nyberg’s class