January General Meeting

Welcome and Happy New Year to all our members and guests.

Ice breaker - Beth

Beth divides the audience in 3 groups: Members who were in the Guild before the Pulse tragedy, Members who joined at the time of the Quilts for Pulse drive, Members who joined in the last 2 years.  Each groups got to answer to 5 questions.

President - Ede

Ede gives an update on Sew Days:

• Dr Philips Sew Day - the library has lots of groups requesting the room and the schedule is established 6 month at a time, which means that we haven't been able to secure the room for the first semester of 2020.  We are looking at other potential locations in the area, and at week days;
• Maitland Sew Day - all the dates for the first semester of 2020 are on the blog;
• Casselbery Sew Day - the blog will be updated with 2020 dates once they are confirmed.

The Lake Mary Museum Annual Quilting & Fabric Art Exhibit  has opened on January 4th and will run until February 1st.  There are 9 quilts from our guild members' exhibited.

Vice-President - Yanick

Block of the Month
December BOM is won by Diana.

Wendy is presenting January Block of the Month.  The instructions are on the blog.  Wendy shows how the blocks could make a secondary pattern.

New Year - New Challenge

If you’ve lost your sojo, been busy with other things and want to find your way back to your sewing machine, we have a challenge for you:  choose one project from a book or a pattern you've got very excited about but never done or finished, and start working on it.  Project from library books are accepted too.

Rules: 

• Anything goes;
• Bring the project, finished or not, to our March meeting for Show'n'Tell;
• A prize will be drawn at the meeting.

Sewing room virtual tours

Yanick invites members to create a short video (1 to 2 minutes, no sound) of their sewing space.  Starting in February, we will show some videos and the owners will be invited to comment on their space.  There's a sign in sheet circulating.  If you haven't sign up at the meeting, you can still email us your video to the guild email.  And please, do not clean up your Sewing Room for the occasion!

Treasure - Zonetta

Financial report
Last month Income was generated by the sale of tickets from Quilty basket, expenses for charity project.

Membership renewal
Membership renewal will be starting in February, and we hope that most members will have renewed by the end of March which is when we have to send our dues to the MQG.  The renewal form will be send very shortly.

The pictorial directory will be updated, if you want to have your picture refreshed, bring your best smile to the meeting.  However, if you like your current picture, you can keep it.

Beth - Sunshine

Beth reminds members that we have a Sunshine person.  Her role is to send out a friendly card to members who are going through special life event.  We want to create a tight knit community, so if you know someone in the Guild in need of some sunshine,  please let us know.

Community outreach - Kelly

Quiltcon
Kathy and Mary present the QuiltCon Charity Quilt which will be sent to Austin for QuiltCon in February.
The theme this year was TEXT and the color palette shades of gray.
Inspired by our Community Outreach drive for this year, our quilt has been designed around the word HOME, using log cabin blocks, and HOME written in different languages.
Once the quilt is back, it will be donated to the Zebra Coalition.

Thanks to Kathy for leading the committee, Jeff and Carla for the research and all the others who participated in creating this quilt.

Call for Blocks
Thank you for the blocks, and keep them coming.  A couple of quilts have been completed during the Retreat in November.

Also we are looking into what we can do to help for Australia.
Update - the Wollongong MQG is collecting Tree blocks (see details HERE).  Connie, Julie and Connie will be collecting blocks at our February meeting.  There is also going to be a collection point at QuiltCon.

Zebra Coalition
It is the last push for the year Community Outreach drive.  We will have a Show'n'Tell for the remaining of the Quilts in February.

Placemats
Thank you very much for all your donations, they are great and always welcome.

Education

Ede announces that Timna Tarr is coming to teach on April 25th (location to be determined).  You can check her website to see her work.  

Ede presents the different class options: Making Map with Fabric, Stitched Mosaic (technique based class), Strung Along (color theory and placement), O Happy Day.

Signs up will start in February.  As usual, your check will hold your spot.

Election committee - Mary & Leslie (Aradria excused)

Here are the candidates by positions:

President - Ede

Vice President - Debra

Secretary - Paula

Treasure - Kathy

Education - Marge

Committee Outreach - Sue

Member at large - Love

Love, Sue, Marge, Katy, Debra, Ede

All candidates are running unopposed.
Absentee absentee ballot: if you can't be present to the February meeting, in order to vote, you will need to send an email to one of the Election Committee members by Sunday, February 2nd, mid-night.

There are some Committee positions that will need to be filled, you can indicate your interest either on the Membership Renewal form, or by email to orlandomodernquiltguild@gmail.com.

Quilty Basket 

Betty won last month and brings the basket back with some books, rulers, water spray bottle, sewing machine needles, scissors, compression gloves…. And the winner is Debbie.

Side note: Betty informs the assistance that Missouri Star will be at The Villages in March.

Sustainability challenge
Following December's Sustainability challenge, Yanick draws a prize amongst all the participants.  Karol is the winner.

Ice dying with Tonny Nichol
Thank you to Tonny for welcoming us in her home and sharing her knowledge and techniques.  Also, thank you to Paula for filming, producing this video.  The video can be watch on our brand new YouTube channel.

We would love to have more demos from our members.  Members are encouraged to contact the Programming team if they are interested in sharing skills, techniques.

Interest Groups - Wrap up 

In February, we will wrap up our Interest Groups' activities with a special Show'n'Tell.  Finished or not, we would love to see what you've been working on.

Our February meeting will also be the occasion for a Members' Speed Trunk Show': bring a project to show if you want to participate.

Update on the Bags for youth getting out of the Foster system
Jan reports that 110 large bags and 125 quarter bags for younger kids have been donated.  She will keep sewing bags and invites you to do so too.  You can also donate fabric.  There is a need for 200 big bags per year and 125 small bags twice a year.  You can find the instructions for the bags HERE, under the Section "Helping Hands".

Show'n'Tell

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January BOM - Almost an Echo!

January BOM – Almost an Echo! by Wendy Yates

This block was inspired by a pin on Pinterest . When the blocks are put together they will make a secondary design when rotated. Use white as the background and 4 different bright solids as the color choices. 

From background fabric cut:

3 – 2 ½” x 2 ½” squares

2 – 2 ½” x 4 ½” rectangles

2 – 2 ½” x 6 ½” rectangles

1 – 2 ½” x 10 ½” rectangle

1 – 2 ½” x 12 ½” rectangle

From each of four different colors cut:

1 – 2 ½” x 2 ½” square

1 – 2 ½” x 4 ½” rectangle

Sew together one 2 ½” background square and one 2 ½” color square

Press seam open.

Sew 2 ½” x 4 ½” color rectangle onto side – diagram 1.  Press seam open.

Sew together one 2 ½” background square and one 2 ½” color square (2), press seams open.

Sew one 2 ½” background square and one 2 ½” x 4 ½” color rectangle together (2), press seams open.

Sew onto previous block.

Sew together one 2 ½” x 4 ½” background rectangle and one 2 ½” color square (4), press seams open.

Sew one 2 ½” x 4 ½” background rectangle and one 2 ½” x 4 ½” color rectangle together (4), press seams open.

Sew onto previous block.

Sew together one 2 ½” x 6 ½” background rectangle and one 2 ½” color square (6), press seams open.

Sew one 2 ½” x 6 ½” background rectangle and one 2 ½” x 4 ½” color rectangle together (6), press seams open.

Sew onto previous block,  press seams open.

Finally sew on one 2 ½” x 10 ½” background rectangle and one 2 ½” x 12 ½” background rectangle onto the block. 

Final block is 12 ½” x 12 ½” unfinished.

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Member Highlight

So happy to welcome Alejandrina to our Member Highlight page.

What draws you to modern quilting?

I’m a lover of texture and bold graphics, with little room for cuteness. Give me geometry, asymmetry, minimalism, color block, abstract fabric designs. Modern quilting is all that, so it fits right in. Currently I’m particularly drawn to my mountains of scrap, improvising (hail Debra Jalbert and Sarah Lauzon), but the scrap pile is not getting any smaller. Improvisation is so liberating and exhausting at the same time but ultimately most rewarding.

I’m very happy to see the resurgence of hand work: needle turn applique and hand quilting are favorite techniques and I love using them in a modern setting. 

    

Do you consider yourself a beginner, intermediate or advanced quilter?  

I’m probably an intermediate quilter, if only because I’ve been doing it for so long. Some techniques I do well, others not so much. I used to agonize because not all points matched; now I don’t worry or choose a pattern where perfect points don’t count; that must be what “intermediate” means.

    

How long have you been quilting?

In the late 1980s we used to live 30 minutes from Lancaster, PA, Amish country and would often go there for a Saturday trip. I loved all those quilts but never thought to attempt them, as I was into cross-stitch. One weekend we stopped in a quilt shop and, on a whim, signed up (husband and I) for a quilting class that was none other than needle-turn applique but we didn’t know what that was. One of my most cherished mental images is thinking of my husband, in a business suit and tie, in an airplane, taking out his plastic container with bits of fabric and attempt to sew them onto a background. Can you imagine the other passengers’ looks?

Mid-1990s, I signed up for a community college quilting class where everything was by hand. What a joy was to discover the rotary cutter after that! Next came my trusty Pfaff  and a huge Horn cabinet and more fabric that is advisable.

At that time there was very little modern quilting, so I stuck to more traditional forms, even though I was lucky to live near a couple of quilt shops that were, at a minimum, contemporary. I used to do a lot of needle-turn applique because I’ve had very good teachers: my friend Joy Shelton and the many classes with Mary Sorensen. But I didn’t know that I loved modern quilting until...I saw the Gee’s Bend article in the New York Times and my world completely changed. At about that time a friend mentioned the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild, thinking I’d enjoy the group. Was she right! When I joined there were about 25-30 members; I am absolutely enchanted with the Guild’s growth, all my new friends and our 10 years in the bag. Go OMQG!!

  

Besides quilting what activities do you enjoy? 

I like to read and cook. At this point, all three enthusiasms are getting in each other’s way so I’m struggling to find the happy balance point. Maybe it’s a part of getting old, who knows. I’ve been retired for a couple of years and I’m still looking for the daily structure that “going to work” provides. All I DO know is I’m happiest when I’m sewing.

What types of workshops, speakers, challenges, do you enjoy?

I love to learn or improve techniques. Since closet(s) are bulging with unfinished projects, I’m happy with classes that show a technique and don’t expect me to finish anything. It took a while to realize that not everything must be completely done. The Guild’s challenges, bees and special interest groups have been very beneficial to try new things. Last but not least, I love making quilts for others -- the Pulse quilts or the 70273 Project in addition to our yearly initiatives. The Guild has been a powerful force in giving to the community and I love it all the more for it.

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January Newsletter

Issue 47 January 5th, 2020 Dear Guildies, Welcome to 2020!  From all the Board members, I wish you will fill this year with sewing, friendship and all the things you love. We are almost at the end of our #10yearinthemaking year-long celebration, and it has been a lot of fun.  There are still a couple of surprises and challenges coming, so make sure not to miss any meeting. In the meantime, we are looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, January 8th at 10am at the Sewing Studio. Happy stitching, Caroline Garnier Janny Secretary Questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the newsletter are welcome, please email me. I would also love to hear of any quilty news or ideas for content you'd like to share.  Constructive feedback is always welcome.     MEETING REMINDERS If you've borrowed a Library Book, it is time to bring it back.  We hope you have enjoyed it.  Go to our blog and check the list of books available to borrow and/or look at Aradria's Library Spotlight in the Minutes Section.  If you can't find what you want, make a recommendation to our Wish List. Next General meeting is on January 8th, at The Sewing Studio at 10am (No drink, No food in the room). January SewDays are: Maitland Library -  13th January Casselberry Library - 25th January, 1 to 5pm Due to conflicts with library activities, Sew Days at the Dr Phillips Library will no longer take place on regularly scheduled Saturdays.  However, Sew Days may be scheduled there on other days of the week, or at alternate locations.  Announcements will be made in our newsletter, and at our meetings.  Please watch the blog for any updates. The 2020 calendar is taking shape, it can be found on the blog HERE.  Just a couple of dates to remember: February 5th: Election Day - don't miss your chance to elect your new Board; March 4th:  Guest speaker Block of the Month (current and past) instructions, meeting minutes, Calendar dates, and more can be found on the guild blog. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Kelly Eskin   Our Guild members' generosity is our strength.  There are so many ways you can participate: Road to Tennessee block for our on going Call for Block (instructions HERE);  Laurie, Connie and Julie are also looking for people to quilt and bind finished quilts. We are still collecting twin-size quilts for the Zebra Coalition drive.  Our goal is to deliver 25 quilts to the organization. Place mats for Meals on Wheels - they are always welcome and bring joy to the recipients. Memory bears - check the Minutes from our May meeting (HERE) and contact Jan B. if you are interested in taking part. Jan B. is also collecting large drawstring bags, either patched or whole cloth, for youngsters aging out of foster care.  The details are on the June newsletter (HERE).  Jan is accepting fabric donations too. If you're looking for more opportunities to give time or sew comforting items, HERE is an article about 11 charities that need handmade goods or donations.  Some of these organizations have local chapters: The Sewing Studio is a drop off point for Project Linus, Days for Girls SE Orlando Chapter has regular local sewing meetings. PROGRAMMING Yanick Booz I made a quilt!  A virtual one!  There are only 2 more blocks to reveal and our special 10th anniversary BOM will be complete.  Have you kept one of each block for yourself?  We can't wait to see what your anniversary quilt will look like. If you want to catch up, all the BOM are on the blog HERE. Please contact Ede or Yanick for any programming ideas, or send an email to orlandomodernquiltguild@gmail.com.

QUILTY HAPPENINGS Locally, Globally, and on the Web   The OrlandoMQG will be represented at the Annual Quilting & Fabric Art exhibition  at the Lake Mary Museum Maitland. "Promoting and preserving the heritage textile from handmade to sewing machine pieces; from early functional quilting, fiber art types to new styles in fashion and design. Date: January 4- February 1st. Museum hours: Tuesday, Friday, Saturday: 10am - 3pm Wednesday, Thursday: 10am-6pm" Crystal, a local Quilter, is doing an awesome work at finding and documenting all the QALs.  I am pretty sure you will find something you'll like amongst the 40+ QALs starting in 2020.  Go and follow @Letsquiltqlong.  The Quilts by the Lakes Quilt Show - Lakeland, FL, is on January 24 & 25 at the First Presbyterian Church located on 175 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, Florida.  Over 200 quilts will be on display, including many that will be donated to local charities. There will be judged quilts, quilts made my guild members, an Opportunity Quilt, treasure baskets, a boutique and several vendors.  A cafe will offer sandwiches, snacks and beverages. Admission is $7.00, children under 6 are free. The Quilting Guild of the Villages is having Marketplace event on January 24th and 25th.  It will a giant shop hop all under one roof.  They have 35 vendors slated to attend with a wide variety of quilting and sewing items.  Please come join in the fun! If you've missed the diffusion of the Craft in America's episode on Quilts, you can catch up on their website HERE. Exciting news (at least for me), the MQG is having a special European Exhibitat Pour L'Amour du Fil in Nantes, France, next April.

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General Meeting Minutes - December 4th, 2019

Beth welcomes guests, and asks members who joined within the last 6 months to stand.

She reminds members that the Maitland SewDay, on December 9th is the holiday party.  There won't be any gift exchange but Beth will bring a main dish and asks members who will participate to bring some food to share.  The Casselberry Holiday Party will be on December 28, and Judy is in charge of the main dish.

Ede asks attendees to sign the presence sheet, grab a Bingo sheet for the game, and reminds members that the Quilt & More has an appreciation day for the Orlando MQG members on December 14th.  Lastly, for those who have participated in the pincushion exchange and haven't received one yet you may want to have a chat with Ede. 

Block of the Month

Instructions for the BOM are on the blog, we hope that members are keeping one block each month and will make a full quilt with them.
Beth wins last month's BOM.

Diana presents the next block, Icky Thump Block by Julie Hirt.  It is a paid pattern but Diana has received the authorization from the designer to use it for our Guild.  Diana has made copies of the paper-piecing block.  If you haven't got one, please contact her via email.
For this block, the background is white and a solid color for for the rest: using solid on paper-piecing will make it easier as there is no wrong side or right side. 
Diana has some tips on the construction, see her blogpost HERE.

Other matters
Lake Mary Museum Annual Quilting and Art Exhibit - we have been invited to take part in this event again.  There's a sign up sheet for this.  Quilts will have to be dropped off between December 19 and 21.  Jeanne A. is the point of contact.  The exhibition will be open from January 12th to February 9th.

Debra is offering a free class on January 25.  She can host 7 people.  Contact her if you are interested, priority is given to Board members, former Board members, and then committee  members.

Retreat
Everyone had a superb time.  THANK YOU to Marge and the retreat committee for a great organization.  A second retreat in the Spring will possible, however we need a committee to take the lead.

Election committee - Leslie, Aradria, Mary
The deadline to send your application to any position on the Board is December 20th.  You can contact any of the Election committee members in person, email, or phone.  Being a Board member is a great opportunity to take part in the development of our Guild.

Library
Aradria presents 2 new books that have just been added to the Library: Why we quilt and English Paper Piecing.

Quilty basket
A few of the goodies which were in the basket: Ikea fabric, books, charms packs, chocolate, Flamingo decoration, 505 spray...  Betty is the lucky winner.

Community outreach

The first round of quilts were dropped at the Zebra Coalition.  We will have another drop off in February/March and we are only 12 quilts away from our promise of 25.

Festival of trees - it was beautifully displayed at the Orlando Museum of Art.  We don’t know yet how much money it has helped to raise.

So far we have delivered 450 placemats to Meals on Wheels.

Call for block - Connie, Julie and  Laurie report that 2 whole quilts were sewn together during the retreat, 6 quilts are ready for biding.  There's a bundle of leftover HSTs to pick up to make more placemats.  Please keep making blocks (instructions on the blog).  They are also looking for people to quilt tops.  So far the Guild has sent quilts to El Paso, Australia, New Zealand...

Financial report - Zonetta

Last month, we generated income from the Quilty Basket.  And our expenses were related to the Retreat and the acquisition of books.

Zonetta reminds members that it will soon be time to renew their membership and that it could be a nice gift idea.

Upcycling gift exchange

This year we challenge members to create a gift out of upcycling material to keep up with our sustainability theme.  Here are a few of the gifts which were exchanged.  #Orlandomqgmembershavetalent.

And finally, after some Bingo, memory game, scavenger challenge, it is time for our last Show'n'Tell of 2019.  Click on the rectangle at the bottom right of the image below for a wide screen video.

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December BOM

Happy December!

For this month’s BOM, I’m hoping to challenge some of you to sew outside of your comfort zone. I love the precision of paper piecing so for this month we’re going to make the Icky Thump block from 627 Handworks. If you didn’t receive a copy of the pattern at our December guild meeting or need more copies, please email me. For our design aesthetic this year, the background should pieces should be white(#1 & #6 on the pattern) and the other fabrics should be solids. It really makes this block feel modern.

If you are not new to paper piecing, feel free to just jump right in! For those of you who are new to this, there are many great tutorials online, but here is a link to a video that shows how I paper piece. I highly recommend that you watch it. I will also walk you through it below with some tips and tricks along the way. 

First and foremost, if you are printing out your own copies you always want to make sure that your printer settings are set to print at 100% (not scale to fit). Otherwise your block won’t finish at the correct size. You will need to print out 4 copies of the pattern to make 1 complete block. In the photo below you’ll see that I labeled which fabrics are to be used for each number. I find that very helpful so you don’t accidentally place a fabric in the wrong spot.

Okay, let’s start piecing. The first thing that you do, is use a straight edge (a bookmark in the photo below) to make a crease on the line between piece #1 and #2. This helps you to know where you should place your fabric on the other side.

Remember, you’ll be sewing directly on the solid lines so your fabrics are placed on the BACK of the printout. Also, when you place your fabric for these first pieces you want to make sure your piece is big enough all the way around to account for the ¼” seam allowance. 

In the photo below, you can see that I’ve placed the white fabric down over the #1 piece, making sure that it’s completely covering it. (Tip: you can use a dab of stick glue to hold the first piece in place on the paper). Next, lay your 2nd fabric over it, making sure that it’s big enough that once you’ve sewn and ironed it open, it completely covers piece #2. (Tip: hold it up to the light just a bit so you can see through the paper). Pin the fabrics directly to the paper.

Now it’s time to sew. NOTE: reduce your stitch length to make it easier to remove the paper later.(My normal stitch length is 2mm and I shorten mine to 1.2mm). Stitch directly on the line between 1 and 2, making sure to stop where the line intersects another line. Iron piece #2 back and turn over to make sure it’s covering all of the #2 on the paper. 

Next you’re going to repeat the process. Use your straight edge to fold back the paper on line #3. You should have excess fabric that needs to be trimmed. Here is where you can create your ¼” seam allowance. In the photo below you’ll see the yellow ruler that I’m using. It’s called the “Add-A-Quarter” ruler and it’s awesome for paper piecing! You just place it against the folded paper and trim. Don’t worry if you don’t have one though, you can just use a regular ruler and trim ¼” away from the edge of the paper. 

Once your edges are trimmed it’s time to add piece #3. Take a piece of fabric that is bigger all around (remember those seam allowances!). Line it up along the straight edge that you just trimmed. Pin it in place to keep it from shifting. 

 it over and sew directly on the line between 2 and 3.

Just like before, you iron the newly added piece, use a straight edge to fold back the paper at the #4 line, trim the excess fabric to a ¼”, add the next piece of fabric, and sew. Keep doing this until you’ve added all 6 pieces. Trim along the dotted line around the entire block and you end up with this:

You’ve made the first of four smaller blocks. Once you make the other three blocks you’re ready to sew them all together. It is a matter of preference whether or not you decide to keep the paper on while you sew the 4 blocks together. For me, I find it easier for this block to remove all of the papers and then sew the 4 blocks together. At the end, you should have a block that looks something like this:

I hope that you found this helpful and can’t wait to see the blocks you made!

~ Diana 

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