A Colorful April Meeting

I hope you have a couple of minutes to sit down and read because this meeting was jam packed with Modern Quilt Guild information, fun fabric challenges, and show and tell.

We started off this meeting by passing out MQG membership cards and pins. Unfortunately, we weren't sent enough pins, and some name tags were missing but they should (hopefully!) be here for the next meeting.   For those who attend the meetings and didn't get one, just shoot Michelle your email on our Facebook page. For those who have a hard time attending, your best bet may be to become an individual member and have the card and pin sent directly to you. (Click here for the Individual Membership page.) You want that membership card! Some stores, like Jo-Ann's, offer a discount with it.

Another perk of being part of the MQG is the fabric challenges. Michael Miller has donated fabric called
Petal Pinwheels. Don't you love it? For those participating, you can find information at this link.  Your project needs to be quilted and finished by June 23rd. For those looking for coordinating fabrics, check out Hawthorne Threads online. Let the creating begin!

Michael Miller Fabrics

I know, I know! When will we see some quilts?

Just one more thing about the MQG. With membership you can watch Modern Quilt Webinars for free. What is Modern Quilting? Watch the webinar, and see whether you agree. (You must be a Group or Individual member to watch the webinar.)

Now, look at these blocks!

This month our group decided to play around with some Half-Square Triangles (HST) for the monthly block raffle. The colors of the fabrics were bright and springy, a real delight after this long winter.

As luck would have it, these blocks went to Lori. On point or not? We shall see what direction this quilt takes. No pressure, Lori! :)

Of course, this led to more eye candy.  We just love show and tell. 

One of our members, Sheri, took a trip to Hawaii last month, so Lori brought in some Hawaiian quilts to share with us. They were hand appliqued and hand quilted for her children by her mother. They took at least five years to make. Simply amazing, and beautiful!

Sheri then showed us the treats from her trip to Hawaii. Quilters NEVER  plan a trip without a visit to the local quilt store or stores.

She then wowed us with this quilt made out of a good friends clothes. How much fun is this pattern? Just look at those adorable dresses. She even told us where to find it!  

And a little dress detail..

Betsy made us think blue with this fun quilt design. We love how certain shapes pop, and your eye can catch so many patterns in it. Her tool recommendation this week: The Strip Stick, which makes ironing seams easier and smoother.

Suzanne updated us on her economy block quilts. Absolutely love the attention to detail, and how they will cater to each of her daughter's interests. These will be some fun "I Spy Quilts" for her daughters (and future grandchildren).

Eileen brought in a colorful quilt full of Kaffe Fassett fabrics, and...

 ...a variation on a strip quilt. Notice the darker squares amid all the  reds, pinks, and yellows.

She shared with us a creative venture with parrot bookmarks and a band aid. Look closer and you'll find more interesting details.

Lastly, Eileen showed us a quilt that reminds her of her mom. They had picked the fabric out together, and she created a quilt from it. Love those dancing figures in the middle, and the colors. We are honored she shared it with us.

Jen brought this favorite back as a finished project. She also mentioned that she color treats her quilts by placing 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the pre-rinse cycle.

This quilt was motivated by shadows and sunshine.

The minky on the back is really cute.

Carol Anne, hidden behind the quilt, shared her rendition of Fabric Fling by Ginny Murphy Design. Look at the variety of fabrics!

Sharon and Terrie demonstrated a little bit of the process of fussy cutting a one block wonder.

Sharon also mentioned a new use for a wooden wallpaper roller. It seems that they are great at opening up paper piecing seams.

We get to see projects of all  sizes. Here's a little quilt with the name Josh on it.

Parthena brought in a memory quilt in progress for her very special nephew.

Michelle shared a block from a paper piecing block of the month several of us are putting together. Very pretty colors! A little motivation for some of us that have fallen behind.

She also shared the linear quilting on her quilt top.  Her machine actually makes knots at the beginning of a stitch. Now that is cool!

A close up look...

Finally, our crafty group branches out into other creative endeavors. Gail asked our opinion on her linen stitch scarf. I think we all agreed we loved it the way it was. The yarn was gorgeous!

Overall, a lovely meeting filled with quilting inspiration. Hope to see you at the next meeting on May 10th in Weston! Check out our Facebook page for more information.