Join in the fun... Sew-In, Swap, BOM & more

February was a great meeting.  Thank you to Ellen Lemaux for her presentation on applique and the interesting technique she uses.  Her work is beautiful!

One of Ellen's amazing blocks

Elaine & Kelleigh practicing their applique

BLOCK-OF-THE-MONTH

The February BOM was fun and colorful.  Elaine won the drawing for the Modern Applique book and I (woohoo) won the block drawing.

The March BOM will be Dinner Date by Film In The Fridge blog.

Block:  Dinner Date

Blog:  Film In The Fridge

Size:  4 small squares combine to make 1 block (see example below)

Colors:  ALL SOLIDS - Any gray for background, white strips, your choice for other colors

You can find the tutorial here: http://filminthefridge.com/2010/06/25/dinner-date-block-tutorial/

p.s.  Be sure and check out this block on her blog.  I was very surprised how the blocks come together in the quilt and love the design.

Dinner Date Block - Tutorial on Film In The Fridge blog

MARCH SEW-IN
A sew-in this month!

Date:  Saturday, March 15
Time:  10 - 2
Location:  Dowd Y - 7th Floor LARGE Conference Room


SWAPS
Xandi announced our next swap - JOURNAL COVERS.

Swap:  Journal Covers (Any size, include the notebook)
Due:  March Meeting
Swap Style:  All can join in, just bring your journal to the meeting and you're in!
Tutorial:  http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2012/08/tutorial-journal-covers.html


And I saved the best for last...

The Inspired Mini Quilt swap concluded this month, and WOW were we impressed.  Here are the gorgeous projects.

Gorgeous quilt made by Liz for Elaine
(Inspired by a collection of paint chip strips)

The back of the quilt made by Liz (above)

Great mini made by Iris for Liz
(Inspired by a graphic leaf photo)

Touching and fabulous quilt by Elaine for Kelleigh
(Inspired by Kelleigh's love of pigs & her wonderful work with the hearing impaired)

p.s.  The sign is I LOVE YOU.  Elaine, this quilt was so loving of you!!!

Kelleigh made this cool mini for Iris
(Based on a photo called Black Falling Leaves)

Thank you all for the inspiration!

Karen E.

Meeting this Thursday

Hope you can join us for our February meeting this Thursday.

Date:  Thursday, February 27

Time:  6:00 - 8:00 PM

Location:  Dowd YMCA - 7th Floor Conference Room

Program:  Ellen Lemaux - Applique IS for Modern Quilters
Don't forget to bring a few supplies so you can practice Ellen's applique technique:

- 5-6" light square of fabric
- applique needle
- thread
- scissors
- a few pins


February BOM:
During our snowy weather I made a block for the BOM drawing.  It was fun to use up some of my scraps.

My scrappy block

Don't forget that this month we have a book giveaway (The Modern Applique Workbook).  Each block you turn in for the BOM drawing also gets you a chance to win the book.


Inspired Mini Quilt Swap:
It is time for the wrap-up of the Inspired Mini Quilts Swap.  This month we will see the original inspirations and how everyone translated the inspirations into mini quilts.


Officer & Committee Nominations:
We will discuss the various officer and committee opportunities in our guild and take nominations.  It would be great if everyone could get involved and help carry our guild to the next level.  If you don't have a lot of time, think about splitting a position among several friends.  This helps lighten the load for everyone and can be a fun way to get involved with the guild.


Hope to see you soon,
Karen E.

Join in the BOM / book giveaway

Let's have some fun this month with our Block-of-the-Month (BOM).  As always, we will have a drawing for the lucky person that gets the blocks, but this month we will also have another drawing for a fun prize.  In honor of our February meeting topic, Modern Applique, we will be giving away a copy of the new book The Modern Applique Workbook.





So, each block you make will get you an entry to:
1.  Win all the blocks
2.  Win the book

The BOM for February is the String Star.  Our colors will be scrappy on a white background.  Click here for the String Star Tutorial.



Make more than one block and increase your chances!  This might be a good project to line up for the messy weather they say is coming our way this week.

Brrrr......  I'm ready for spring!

Karen E.

Upcoming events & programs

Thank you to Amanda Murphy for the great program in January!! She talked about 'What was new at quilt market" and gave us an insider's view of the process, booth set-up and the whole whirlwind of market.  Check out Amanda's site HERE.

Amanda's New Book

FEBRUARY BLOCK OF THE MONTH

This looks like a fun one!

Block:  String Star 

Tutorial Link:  http://www.littlemissshabby.com/2012/08/string-star-tutorial/

This will be a 12" finished (12.5" turned in) block with background being white and the colors are scrappy.

Call Cindi Woody (BOM Captain) with any questions. 

February BOM - String Star

FEBRUARY MEETING

Date:  Thursday, February 27

Time:  6:00 - 8:00 PM

Location:  Dowd YMCA

Program:  Ellen Lemaux - Applique IS for Modern Quilters

Ellen is a local applique specialist (and a friend of CMQG member Elizabeth P.). Ellen helped Elizabeth learn this technique so she could complete the gorgeous quilt shown below!

This program is intended to be interactive so we can all try her technique. Please bring the following supplies to the meeting so you can join in the fun:

- 5-6" light square of fabric

- applique needle

- thread

- scissors

OFFICERS / COMMITTEES

Also at the February meeting we will discuss nominations for officers/committees for the upcoming guild year which will start in June.  We would like to get the new board elected in March so they will have plenty of lead time to get things planned/lined up for the new year.

President 
Leads meetings; Chairs the board

Vice-President 
Heads Program Committee; Assists President; Fills in for President when necessary

Treasurer 
Receives dues & checks in members/guests; Pays expenses; Maintains checking account & reports finances to guild

Secretary/Web 
Communicates information to the guild through the blog/emails; Takes pictures to include on blog

Librarian 
Maintains the guild library

Block-of-the-Month Captain and/or Committee 
Plans the BOMs; Provides block samples

Swap Captain and/or Committee 
Plans and organizes swaps

Program Committee 
Selects and organizes monthly meeting topics and arranges speakers

I hope many of you will consider one of the above positions.  It is a fun way to get involved and get to know our members.

SEW MODERN RETREAT

The Sew Modern Retreat is scheduled for April 3-6, 2014 in Blowing Rock. Local quilter, Joyce Mullis, is planning the retreat again this year and complete details can be found over on her website  http://heartsdesirecreations.wordpress.com/modern-guild-retreat/.  

You can contact us with any questions or comments here CMQG Email.

Thanks,
Karen E.

January & February Meetings

Happy new year to everyone!  Here is the information for our upcoming January and February meetings:

JANUARY

Date:  Thursday, January 30

Time:  6:00 - 8:00 PM

Location:  Dowd YMCA

Program:  Amanda Murphy - Best of Quilt Market

Amanda is a surface and quilt designer based here in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She is a book author, fabric designer, Craftsy instructor and MUCH more.  See more details on her work here on Amanda's Website.  Come hear Amanda talk about what was new and hot at the quilt market this past fall.  

January Block-of-the-Month

http://pippinsequim.blogspot.com/2013/08/tutorial-more-birds-in-airr.html

Block:  More Birds In The Air (12" Version)

Tutorial Link:  http://pippinsequim.blogspot.com/2013/08/tutorial-more-birds-in-airr.html

This will be the 12" block with background being white and the colors are any colors you want in solids.

Call Cindi Woody (BOM Captain) with any questions. 

FEBRUARY

Date:  Thursday, February 27

Time:  6:00 - 8:00 PM

Location:  Dowd YMCA

Program:  Ellen Lemaux - Applique IS for Modern Quilters

Ellen is a local applique specialist (and a friend of CMQG member Elizabeth P.).  This program is intended to be interactive, and a future post will list the items to bring to the meeting so you can try her technique.

You can contact us with any questions or comments here CMQG Email


Stay warm,
Karen E.

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.

Holiday Party Round-Up

I'm so so sorry I missed the holiday party, but Bianca was great and sent me some pictures. It looked like you all had a fun time, and the ornaments were wonderful!

And WOW what fabulous show & tell quilts.  Are there quilting elves?  I could use a few to finish my projects!!

See you all in the new year,

Karen

Party This Thursday

I hope everyone can join us for our holiday party this Thursday!

December Party

Thursday, December 12

6:00

Dowd YMCA - 7th Floor

Bring a dish, dessert, or appetizer to share

Fun things you can join in:
- December BOM
- Ornament Exchange
- Upcoming Inspired Mini Swap (Complete forms this month, items due in February)

December Block-of-the-Month
Join in the fun of the monthly BOM.  For each block you turn in you get a chance to win them all.

Block:  Magic Hourglass
Tutorial:  http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/?p=457
Color Scheme:  Yellow, Rusty/Orange With White Background
Due:  December Party


December Ornament(s) Swap
We will be swapping ornaments at the December party.  Anything handmade...  fabric, fiber, yarn, clay, paper, anything!  For each ornament you bring you will get to swap for another handmade ornament.