July Recap & Swap Information

Our July meeting was held last week at the Dowd YMCA.  What a great view of downtown!

Keep an eye on the blog for information on where we will meet in August.

Thursday, August 29

6:00-8:00

Our program will be presented by Jen & Vicki 
from The Quilted Thimble Cottage

http://www.quiltedthimblecottage.com/

SWAPS
-  Handmade name tags were swapped.

-  Xandi has graciously agreed to take over the role of Swap Captain.  Thank you Xandi!!

-  Xandi sent out an email to those signed-up regarding the Block In A Box swap (renamed Block In A Bag).  This will kick off in August.

- Our next handmade swap will be Swap For Someone You Love.  Sign ups can be made by emailing Xandi at ahamilton8@nc.rr.com or she will have forms at the August meeting.  The swap items will be due at the OCTOBER meeting.  (p.s.  My 10 year old is so excited about this swap and thinks it is an awesome idea!)


BLOCK OF THE MONTH (BOM)
-  There were 9 blocks turned in for the July BOM and the patriotic lot was won by Jen T.

- A quick show of hands revealed the guild is interested in continuing the BOM program and our next BOM will be be announced at the August meeting (due in September).

STAR DONATION QUILT
- A star donation quilt was made by the guild and quilted by Susan A. (thank you!!).  The quilt will be donated to Carmel Presbyterian Church to be sold/raffled at an upcoming event held by them.  This is to thank them for letting us use their facilities for various meetings and sew-ins.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS
- To continue on last month's FAVORITE THINGS topic we played Bingo and several members won some of the great items: Frixion Pens, Seam Rippers, Wonder Clips, Magnetic Pin Cushions...  As for the rest of us, we just loved getting a chance to eat Smarties in July.

- We also played Left-Right-Center. Cindi and Jen B. walked away with 30+ fat quarters each!  Lucky girls :)

AMERICAN RED CROSS - TOTE BAGS
- The American Red Cross contacted us asking if we could help them with tote bags for their volunteers.  These volunteers assist veterans and they need to carry various supplies with them.

- So far we have over 12 people volunteering to make totes.  You may use any pattern/fabric/style, but here is one the Red Cross shared with us http://mamaspocketbook.com/freebies.htm.  The bags should be big enough to hold a binder.

- The bags will be due at the OCTOBER meeting.

Swap For Someone You Love

At Thursday's meeting we will talk about an upcoming swap that should be lots of fun! You can sign up at Thursday's meeting or email Xandi (see form and email below) if you can't attend the meeting but want to participate.

Here are the details from Xandi:

A SWAP FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE

(get partners in July, item due in September)
Get partners in August, item due in October

This idea was born because I was thinking about how we never get to make cute kid things in swaps. So here’s an easy, fun, and different swap for you: you write down a loved one (human or animal!) who you would like to receive a swap item for, and some things about them and what they might like. I’ll shuffle and redistribute the papers and your secret partner will make something (anything they want) for you and bring it (or have someone deliver it) at the September meeting. The item could be for your pet, child, niece, etc. I classify this swap as ‘easy’ because the maker can choose from a wide range of projects and can pick something within their skill and comfort level. But here’s a great chance to challenge yourself with something new if you are ready!

Some examples:
‘I’d like anything for my unborn (due this winter), sex still unknown child’ – partner could make bibs, receiving blankets, a diaper changing roll and wipes carrier, etc.
‘My four year old granddaughter, Elle, is very girly’ – partner could make a simple pillowcase dress, a baby doll quilt, a dress-up purse with her name embroidered on it, etc.
‘I have two crazy Golden Retrievers’ – partner could make tug toys with knots, a stuffie, placemats, collar and leash, etc.

If you’d like to participate but cannot make the July meeting, please email the information below to Xandi at ahamilton8@nc.rr.com before the meeting to be put in the draw. I know it’s late - you can email me after the meeting, too; if there are enough people interested I will assign a second round of names.

Your name:
Your email:
Description of recipient:
     Name:
        If a person – age, gender, relationship to you, personality, likes & dislikes:
        If a pet – type, gender, size/weight, personality, likes & dislikes:

Several ideas for item to be made (partner does not have to make one, just suggestions):

July Meeting This Thursday

Hello Everybody!  We hope you can join us for the July meeting scheduled for this Thursday 7/25 from 6:00 - 8:00.  We will be trying a new meeting location:


Dowd YMCA
400 East Morehead Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704.716.6100

Conference Room #4
Take the elevator to the 7th floor,
Take a left out of elevator and the room is at the end of the hall.


Some of the agenda items for this month:

GAMES
Last month you all had such great "Favorite Things".  This month we will be playing some fun games for a chance to win some of these items!

SWAPS
If you signed up for the Name Tag swap don't forget to bring your item.

BOM
Bring a completed block (or more) for your chance to win all of the July blocks.

Block - Tutorial Here

Colors - White background with reds and blues

SEW-N-TELL
Bring any items you have completed for this month's Sew-N-Tell.  If I get busy on some binding I might finally have something to show this month.  We will also be showing our completed guild quilt for charity.

Hope to see you Thursday,
Karen E.

Our Favorite Things

At our June meeting everyone brought in a few of their FAVORITE THINGS.  There were some wonderful notions and ideas.  I posted many of them over on the CMQG Flickr Group.

Here are a few more favorite things that I did not get pictures to post on Flickr:

Clover Wonder Clips
Frixion Pens
TV Tray Ironing Board
Magnetic Pincushion
Edge Stitch Foot With Guide
Tube Turning Tool
Small Handheld Vac
YouTube Video - Sharon Schamber binding technique See video here on YouTube

Thanks for the wonderful ideas,
Karen E.

Want to join in the BLOCK IN A BOX?

The guild will be starting a fun round robin type program.  It is called BLOCK IN A BOX and will kick off at the August meeting.  We have 13 people already signed up.  If you have not signed up and would like to participate you may sign up at the July meeting.

We will use the months of July & August for everyone to choose their fabrics and block pattern and make their own block.  Please bring your box to the AUGUST meeting and the rotation schedule will be made so you will know who you pass the box to. 

Block in a Box

2013 Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild Exchange

Each person participating is responsible for buying their own fabric:

Dark - 1 yard

Medium - 1 yard

Light - 1 yard

Background - 2 yards

Accent - ½ to 1 yard

Place in a sturdy box (like a Sterlite or Rubbermaid one with a lid). Wash, dry and iron your fabric if you normally do so.

There needs to be a list in your box indicating how your fabric is to be used (which one is medium, dark, accent, etc.).  Some people cut a small swatch from each and tape it to a 3 x 5 card and label it.  If you have no preference please tell us.

You may choose to include a spool of thread (optional).

You may also choose to include a fabric label in your box so that each participant can sign your quilt.

Label your box with your name and phone number on the outside of the box!  You may also include your email address if you have one.

Choose a pattern for a 12” finished (12 ½ unfinished) square.  You will make this same square each month out of the fabric in the box you receive. 

KEEP YOUR BLOCK PATTERN A SECRET! 

Make your block out of your own fabric.  Label your square with your name by pinning a piece of paper to it and set it aside in your sewing room.

Now you are ready to begin the round robin exchange.

The round robin works like this:

A list is made of all the participants.

Boxes are passed in order: 1 to 2, 2 to 3 and so on with the last person passing to the first.

            

When you receive a box you will take it home and make one square from the material in the box using the same pattern you used to make your first block.  (Remember, you are making the same square each month, just using different fabric).  Label the square with the name of the person owning the box.  You may also choose to put your name on the label so the recipient will know which block was made by whom.  Set this block aside with the other one you made. Put all of the fabrics, lists, thread, etc back in the box so it is ready to pass on to the next person.

At the end of the rotation we will get our original box back and will exchange our blocks.  When we do so, each person will have a block made by every other person on the list, made out of their own fabrics.

We will use the months of July & August for everyone to choose their fabrics and block pattern and make their own block.  Please bring your box to the AUGUST meeting and the rotation schedule will be made so you will know who you pass the box to. 

ENJOY!

June Meeting Recap

Our June meeting was held last week and we had 20 members attend and 4 new guests.  Bianca was on vacation so our VP - Elizabeth B. was our leader for a fun meeting.

1.  BOM for July
2. Swap for July - Name Tags
3.  "Make Welcome" Charity Project by Beth
4.  Upcoming Block-In-A-Box
5.  Our Favorite Things
6.  Sew-N-Tell

1.  BOM July
Our block-of-the-month program has resumed and July's block will be from the Sew Mama Sew website.  Make a block (or more) and turn them in for a chance to win the all.  Each block donated gets you a ticket to win the whole patriotic lot!

Block - http://www.sewmamasew.com/2011/10/modern-block-of-the-month-bom-october-sew-along/
Colors - White background with reds and blues

Sample block made by Elizabeth B.

2. Swap for July - Name Tags
The July swap will be name tags.  Those interested put their names in a hat and we drew names.  We will be making a creative name tag for our person and will bring it in July.  No more plain paper name tags for us!

3.  "Make Welcome" Charity Project by Beth
Beth talk about a wonderful program she is starting called "Make Welcome".  It is a craft group providing friendship, community and entrepreneurial opportunity for refugee women in the Charlotte area.  They will be teaching sewing skills and offering a chance for the women to practice English.  Contact Beth at the next meeting if you would like to learn more or have fabric or supplies to donate.

4.  Upcoming Block-In-A-Box 
Joyce introduced a fun Block-In-A-Box program that will be starting in August.  I will send out a separate post on this later in the week with complete details.  We already have 12+ members signed up.  There is still time to join in for those not at the June meeting.  Details to come...

5.  Our Favorite Things
Wow, oh wow did we get some great tips and ideas.  I will compile the wonderful "things" and send a complete list in the next few days.  I can't wait to try, buy and explore these FAVORITE THINGS.

This should make you hungry to see the whole list - Yum!

6.  Sew-N-Tell
As always, there were some beautiful sew-n-tell projects.  Take a look at all of the pictures over on Flickr CMQG Group

Carol's Swoon block