August Meeting Recap!

Happy end-of-summer!  We had a lot of fun at the August meeting, with lots of great giveaways!  Here is a quick recap of the meeting:


1.  We discussed the chicken block swap and enjoyed looking at all the different chicken variations.  We will turn them into a quilt to donate to Project Linus.

Chickens galore!

2.  We discussed our quilting "favorite things."  We had everything from a great Ikea design board, to a little stiletto, to fabric.  It was great sharing our finds and favorites with each other!


Ikea design board.


3.  We had a huge giveaway, thanks to the Warm and Natural Company's free gift box for our guild!  We discussed their wonderful batting products and gave away lots of exciting items.  We also had a giveaway of holiday-related fabric donated from Project Linus and lots of magazines donated from members.  It was a giveaway bonanza!

Freebie box from the Warm and Natural Company!
5.  We decided to make a group quilt, which we will submit to QuiltCon for consideration into their show!


There is still plenty of time to make a block (due at the October meeting), and the results should be great!  Click HERE for instructions. 


Fabric for the Group Quilt.
6.  Quilt News and Events:
--The Boca Raton Museum of Art will be hosting a show called "Politics Not as Usual:  Quilts with Something to Say," starting in September!  See below for our tour info.
--The Gold Coast Guild is hosting a contemporary quilt show at the Highland Beach library from August 1st to October 26th!
--Quiltcon (the Modern Quilt Guild's first convention) will be hosting a quilt show in February. 
--StitchCraft is hosting its Summer Sewing Challenge!  The completed entries will be on display at the store for the next few weeks.  Vote for your favorite and enjoy the creativity of our local quilters!
--Quilters are donating quilts to aid and comfort forest fire victims in the Western US.  General guidelines are: adults 72x80 inches, children 60x70 inches, and babies 45 inches square.  The quilts are being mailed out by the end of October.  If you're interested, email me for more information.

7.  We discussed the Round Robin quilt and the Bee Blocks for August.  Love the colors!

Round Robin Quilt - Top completed!



August Bee blocks!

8.  We discussed the new Pinterest board for the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild, which you can find here:  http://pinterest.com/patchworkduck/south-florida-modern-quilt-guild-projects-and-insp/

9.  In lieu of "Things to Bring" for September, we are just making our QuiltCon group quilt blocks.  Feel free to also bring in show and tell!

SEPTEMBER MEETING REMINDER:  We look forward to seeing everyone at the abbreviated September meeting, on Saturday, September 22nd from 11am to 12pm!  Please note the time and date variation!

Directly afterward, we will meet at the Boca Raton Museum of Art (about 1 mile away) for a tour of the new quilt exhibit at 12:15pm!  Non-members and quilt-friendly family/friends are welcome to join us for the tour!


If we have 15 people or more, we have discounted admission ($4) and a docent-led tour.  If we have under 15 people, we have regular admission and a fun self-guided tour.  Come one, come all!



October Meeting:  Save the date for Saturday, October 20th!  We will have a very talented long-arm quilter guest speak about the ins-and-outs of longarm quilting.

Show-and-tell:  As a final wrap-up, here are some great August show and tell photos!








Quiltcon - Group Quilt Entry Instructions!

For those who weren't able to join us at the August meeting, we discussed the upcoming Quiltcon convention in Austin.  Quiltcon is the first convention for the Modern Quilt Guild, our umbrella organization!

Quiltcon is hosting a BIG quilt show, and they have a call for entries!  Group quilts are one of the categories, and it would be fun to submit a South Florida Mod quilt for consideration!  We are not guaranteed to get into the show, but it is a great opportunity for fun and member collaboration.

Accordingly, here are the instructions for making a quilt block:



--FABRIC:  We have chosen the above beautiful citrus-y Kaffe Fassett print for our "focus fabric."  It is Florida-ish while still staying modern.  Use the "focus fabric" as part of your block, and add your own coordinating fabrics as well!  Think Floridian and modern!

StitchCraft has a bunch of fat quarters available.  Just ask them (it is about $3.00 per fat quarter).

--SIZE:  Make a block either in a 4.5" square, 8.5" square, 12.5" square or 16.5" square unfinished block size.  We will piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle after we receive the blocks.

--PATTERN:  Make at least one "Modern" block of your choice.  Extra blocks are great.  Wonky, non-wonky, etc. are fine.  Think about "what modern quilting means to you" as an inspiration!

--ENTRY:  Please finish your blocks no later than the October meeting (preferably by the September meeting). We need to enter photos of the quilt by November 30th, so time is ticking!

Please feel free to contact me with questions!  Happy sewing!

August's "Things to Bring"

For August's meeting, here are the "Things to Bring:"


1.  Chicken Block!  Members are each bringing in one paper-pieced chicken blocks (in colors and fabrics of their choice) for August.  We will be making the completed blocks into small quilts to donate to Project Linus.

You can print the free pattern HERE.  For the beak and eye, feel free to applique or draw in those areas.

Sample block.

2.  A "Favorite Thing" that you use for quilting or sewing, for show-and-tell!  This can be a favorite piece of fabric, favorite notion, favorite pattern, etc.  Share your best find with your fellow quilters!

3.  An apron for show-and-tell.  This will be an ongoing Apron Challenge for the summer!


As always, please also bring the standard items found HERE to each meeting.  See you soon!

From the Mailbag

Here are a few items we received from this month's email inbox:

1.  How to Label Quilts:  this post has seven great ways to label your beautiful quilts!  Quilt labels are not the most exciting part of a quilt, but they are an important way to keep track of your quilts and preserve their history for years to come!

Sample quilt label (photo linked from the post below).
Check out the post HERE.

2.  Quilting Tutorial Pinterest Board:  Pinterest (a great, free website) has a ton of interesting quilt tutorials!  Charlotte suggested one in particular for some great options that will keep you busy for a long time!

Check out the Pinterest board HERE.

3.  OUR Pinterest Board:  Don't forget, we have our own Pinterest board!  Use it to view our projects and inspirations.  If you want to contribute (feel free to add as many pins as you like!), please start following the board and then EMAIL ME to tell me that you want to contribute.  If you don't email me, I won't necessarily know that you want to contribute to the board! 


You can see our Pinterest board HERE.

July Meeting Roundup!

We had a great turnout at July's meeting and welcomed some new members into the guild!  Here is a quick recap of the meeting:



1.  The new members introduced themselves and talked about how they got into quilting.
2.  We discussed the zipper swap and using zippers on sewing projects.  Everyone made great items!

Some of the zippered items.


Great quilting on the zippered pouch!
3.  We had two mini-tutorials:  one on how to make self-binding blankets, and the other on how to paper piece quilt blocks!

Here is a video tutorial on self-binding blankets:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqwdNqMZ8Ro
Here is a video tutorial on paper piecing:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uaW26igygE

Explaining the self-binding quilt




Sample of the paper pieced block used in the demonstration.
4.  Quilt News and Events:
--The Boca Raton Museum of Art will be hosting a show called "Politics Not as Usual:  Quilts with Something to Say," starting in September!
--The Gold Coast Guild is hosting a contemporary quilt show at the Highland Beach library from August 1st to October 26th!
--Quiltcon (the Modern Quilt Guild's first convention) will be hosting a quilt show in February.  We discussed making a Florida-themed group quilt for entry.
--StitchCraft is hosting its summer sewing challenge!  Stop into the store for a free piece of fabric, turn it into something wonderful (quilts, bags, etc.), and win prizes!

5.  We discussed the Round Robin quilt (didn't get a photo) and the Bee Blocks for June and July.  Love the granny squares!





6.  We discussed the new Pinterest board for the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild, which you can find here:  http://pinterest.com/patchworkduck/south-florida-modern-quilt-guild-projects-and-insp/

7.  We discussed the "Things to Bring for August":
a)  A completed paper pieced chicken block, which we will turn into quilts for Project Linus!  You can find the pattern for printing here:  http://www.yvonnes.dk/chickenpattern.htm
b)  A "favorite thing" for quilting (notion, fabric, pattern, etc.), to discuss at the meeting!
c)  An apron for show-and-tell!

8.  We had our zipper swap and a beautiful show and tell!




















We look forward to seeing everyone at the August meeting, on Saturday, August 18th from 10am to 12pm!

And SAVE THE DATE for an exciting guided tour of the Boca Raton Museum of Art's quilt exhibit!  We will have an abbreviated meeting on Saturday, September 22nd (11am to 12pm), with the tour directly afterwards at 12:15pm!  More information to follow.

July "Things to Bring"

For July's meeting, here are the "Things to Bring:"

1.  Item for zipper swap!  Please make something using a zipper, which we will be swapping with the other members.  It can be anything with a zipper (makeup pouch, handbag, change holder, notions bag, etc).


Here are two great tutorials to get you started:
A.  http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.com/2009/05/lined-zippered-pouch-make-up-bag.html
B.  http://tonicoward.blogspot.com/2010/05/zippered-pouch-tutorial.html  


2.  Bring in an apron for show-and-tell.  This will be an ongoing Apron Challenge for the summer!




As always, please bring the standard items found HERE to each meeting.  See you soon!

June Meeting Roundup!

I hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th!  Summer is in full swing, and everyone is beating the heat by sewing and staying busy at the South Florida Mod Guild.  Here is a recap of the meeting from June:


1.  We made introductions, recapped the last meeting and had an icebreaker.


Love the Florida souvenir-style fabric!

2.  We discussed the potholder swap.  Everyone made beautiful potholders in various styles and sizes (unfortunately, I forgot to take photos)!  


One of hte potholders in the swap!

3.  Topic of the Day:  Incorporating quilting items into the home.  Some great ideas:


--Mug rugs, mini wall quilts and seasonal quilts, table runners, shower curtains, drapes, potholders, dish towels, scrap catchers, coiled bowls (classes available at Stitchcraft!), kindle and iPad covers, makeup pouches, water bottle straps, keychains, coffee cup cozy, coasters.



Quilted iPad Covers

4.  Quilt News:  
--The Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts in Melbourne is hosting a Florida-themed quilt exhibition through August.  Click HERE for more information.

--The Boca Raton Museum of Art will be hosting a show called "Politics Not As Usual:  Quilts with Something to Say" starting in September!  Click HERE for more information.





 
5.  Quilt Events:
--Quiltcon, the Modern Quilt Guild convention, will be hosting a quilt show in February.  We discussed making a Florida-themed group quilt for entry.  We will monitor the entry dates and requirements.


--The Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild is hosting an EZ-Dresden challenge, with great prizes!  Photo submissions are due in early September.  Click HERE for more information.


--StitchCraft is hosting its summer challenge!  Pick up half a yard of their free, fun fabric, and make something with it.  Entries are due in early September.  



6.  We looked at the beautiful Bee blocks for June, and we exchanged the Round Robin quilt.


The latest Round Robin piece!  Love the gnome in the corner.





June Bee blocks.
Alternate layout.


7.  We discussed summer meetings and hands-on ideas.  For the July meeting, we will have a hands-on demonstration of a self-binding quilt technique and a quick how-to on paper piecing.  


Self-binding quilt.

8.   Swaps:  We are having a zipper swap for the July meeting!  Make anything (pouch, bag, etc.) containing a zipper for our swap.
--Future swap ideas: scissors cover, needlebooks, cup cozy, set of coasters.

9.  Apron Challenge:  Make or bring in a homemade apron for show and tell!  This can be a summer-long challenge.


10.  We discussed making a South Florida Mod Pinterest Board, for sharing ideas and inspirations!  We started one at:  http://pinterest.com/patchworkduck/south-florida-modern-quilt-guild-projects-and-insp/ .  I'll send around an email soon, explaining how to become a contributor to this board.


11.  We had beautiful show and tell!




















We look forward to seeing everyone for our next meeting on Saturday, July 21st at 10am!

May Meeting Roundup!

Happy June!  I wasn't able to make it to the May meeting, but Charlotte was a wonderful Guild hostess.  She sent me some photos and a recap of the events that I wanted to share with everyone:





1.  We discussed pincushions and displayed some beautiful examples of pincushion styles.  Lots of fun options and information!  We also discussed pincushion fillings:  
--Wool roving
--Sand
--Emory sand
--Crushed walnut shells
--Flax seeds
--Steel wool (they sharpen needles and pins, but there was concern about rust in the Florida humidity)
--Rice (inexpensive, but there was also concern about the Florida humidity)








2.  Amy came up with the idea for a potholder swap for June's meeting!  
--Charlotte has some great examples on her Pinterest board:  https://pinterest.com/charlottenoll/pot-holders/
--You can also see some great examples on Flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/potholderpass/


3.  We admired the Round Robin quilt addition, and Carolyn took the block for the next go-round!  Can't wait to see how it turns out!





4.  We talked about upcoming quilt events:
--Project Linus is having their annual "Make a Blanket Day" on Sunday, June 24th at Temple Torah in Boynton.  It is on the corner of Jog and Gateway.  Come to the next meeting to find out more information about this wonderful event, or email me for more info!


--The Coral Springs Quilters is having a special event in June!  On June 27th at 7:15pm, Debby Jones is having a lecture about her beautiful landscape quilts, and how fabric scraps can become fine art.  On June 28th from 10am to 4pm, Debby is hosting a workshop to help you create your own fabric masterpiece!  You can see more about Debby's work here:  http://www.debbiejones.com/.  The lecture is $5, and the workshop is $45.  Email me for more information!


--The first ever Quiltcon is coming up in February, which will bring together all of the Modern Quilt Guilds around the county.  They have some great block challenges and quilt contests coming up!  Check out:  http://www.quiltcon.com/get-involved/quiltcon-block-challenge/ for more information!  


5.  We discussed topics for upcoming meetings:
--Labels for quilts
--Self-binding quilts
--Totes and bags
--Hand applique
--Tips and Tricks
--Appraisals


6.  We had the idea to start saving selvages for a challenge!


7.  We admired the Bee blocks from previous months and upcoming months.  Lots of beautiful flowers!








8.  We admired the completed Project Linus quilts, had show and tell, and adjourned the meeting!  Here are some great photos of the May meeting:
















See you at our next meeting THIS SATURDAY, June 16th!

Latest Quilt News and Events

Over the past month, we received some quilt news and events in our mailbag.  Here is a selection of news and events you might find interesting! 

1.  Quilt Exhibit:  The Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at Florida Institute of Technology announces its first juried exhibition of art quilts, FLORIDA IN FABRIC, Wish You Were Here!, which will feature 15 original quilts created by Florida artists. The center will also present an exhibition featuring national artist Yvonne Porcella entitled Yvonne Porcella: Quilt Selections 1986 - 2012.

These quilts will be on view at the Funk Center in Melbourne, Florida, from May 19th to August 18th.  You can find out more information HERE!


2.  Serger Quilt Pattern:  At our charity quilting day in May, someone mentioned serger quilts.  Charlotte found a great free pattern for a serger quilt!  You can find the free pattern HERE!


3.  Quilt Show Entry:  Quilters are invited to enter up to four (4) quilts in the 2012 Quilt Expo Quilt Contest, held in Madison, Wisconsin from September 6th to 8th!  Cash prizes of up to $1,500 are available.  The entry form and materials must be submitted by June 29th.  Click HERE for more information and entry forms. 


4.  Quilt Show Entry - For Kids!  As part of the 2012 Quilt Expo Quilt Contest, a special contest is being held for quilters ages 15 and under!  This is a great opportunity to have younger family and friends participate in their first quilt show and win prizes!  The entry form and materials must be submitted by August 24th.  Click HERE for more information and entry forms.

Have any quilt news you would like to share?  Email us and we'll post it on our website!

May Meeting "Things to Bring"!

For the May meeting, here are your "Things to Bring!"

1.  PINCUSHIONS!
--We will be holding a pincushion swap.  Make one (or more) pincushions for swapping with other members!
--Bring in your pincushion collection for discussion and sharing ideas.
--Feel free to make your pincushion in any size and shape you like.  THIS SITE has a list of 30 free pincushion tutorials!
--If you need inspiration, check out Charlotte's great Pinterest board HERE!


Great sample pincushion tutorial HERE!


2.  STRIPS FOR OUR GROUP QUILT
We are continuing to bring in strips for group quilts, which we are sewing together for Project Linus' wonderful cause.  This is an ongoing project and benefits a wonderful cause!

a)  Size:  Please bring in at least one "strip" of fabric that is 44/45 inches wide (the width of quilting fabric from selvage edge to selvage edge).  It can be any height, but should probably be at least 2.5 inches tall.
b)  Pattern:  You can piece the strip with interesting patterns.  Alternatively, you can just bring plain strips (or excess Jelly Roll strips).
c)  Color:  If you piece your strips, please include at least a bit of white in the strip.  If you bring in plain fabric strips, any color is fine.

3.  MISCELLANEOUS
Of course, don't forget your standard "Things to Bring" for each meeting (you can see the standards items HERE).  Feel free to email if you have any questions.

See you on Saturday, May 19th at StitchCraft!

Charity Sewing Day Photos!

Earlier last month, some of the South Florida Mod members met at the Boca Raton library to hold a charity sewing day in honor of Project Linus! 

It was wonderful being able to sew in the same room as the other lovely ladies and see them in action!  We had plenty of beautiful donated fabric for quilts (extra fabric was given to Project Linus at the end of the day).  We also had plenty of fun door prizes and food!


Completed quilt top with stencils.

Three completed coordinated quilt tops.

Scrappy completed quilts.

Donated fabric.

Piecing a quilt top!

Another completed quilt top!

Quilts waiting to be basted.

Completed quilt top.

Completed quilt top!

Sewing away!

Pressing a quilt top.

More completed quilt tops!

Overall, we made 11 completed quilts and 20 quilt tops (which can be dropped off at any of our upcoming regular meetings).  Everyone made beautiful quilts, and we would love to see more photos of the completed quilt tops! 

Thanks again for joining us and making the sewing day a success!

Workshops, For Sale, Website, Etc!

I've received a number of emails over the past week or two, and I wanted to share them with interested South Florida Mod members:

1.  Long Arm Quilting Machine for Sale:  

  • Myra from Coral Springs has a Tin Lizzie Eighteen for sale.  She purchased it from Sunshine Sewing in Margate, Florida and has barely used it.  
  • The cost was over $8,000 new, but Myra is willing to sell it for around $4,000.  She has a second set of handles and a huge roll of batting that go with the machine.  She believes that someone from Sunshine Quilting may be able to disassemble the machine for shipping or local pick-up.
  • Please email us at southfloridamod [at] gmail [dot] com for Myra's contact information!
2.  Workshop:  Ceramic Beads, Buttons and Buckles
  • An instructor from the Museum of Art / AutoNation Academy of Art in downtown Fort Lauderdale is holding a workshop in June.
  • The workshop focuses on creating ceramic beads, buttons and buckles.
  • The dates are June 4th - 6th, from 12pm to 3pm.
  • Please click HERE for more information and registration!
3.  Threadbias:  New Website and Giveaways!
  • A member of the Portland Modern Quilt Guild recently emailed us to introduce Threadbias.com, a new website for people having fun with fabric.  The website hopes to foster conversation among sewers/quilters and provide a place to share ideas and be inspired.
  • The website is hosting a lot of free giveaways as part of its kickoff!
  • Membership is free, and you can reach the site at Threadbias.com.
4.  Quilt Commission Request:
  • Sara, one of our members, was recently contacted by a woman who wants to have quilt made for her son out of her late husband's clothes.  Sara is not able to accept the commission, but she thought that another member might be able to take on this project.
  • If one of our members is interested in making a commission quilt, please contact us at southfloridamod [at] gmail [dot] com for Sara's contact information!
5.  Quilt Block Challenge:
  • We previously posted about the Quilt Block Challenge that the Modern Quilt Guild started as part of the first-ever QuiltCon convention, to be held in February 2013.  
  • One of our members thought this would be a great opportunity for our guild to donate some blocks!
  • Please let us know if you are interested in participating.  We can also discuss this at future meetings.
  • You can find out more about the Quilt Block Challenge HERE.
Happy quilting!

Quilt Show by the Sea - Photos

After our March meeting, a few of the ladies headed to the Quilt Show by the Sea in Fort Lauderdale.  It was a small but beautiful show, with plenty of beautiful quilts to admire and booths to shop.  Here are a few photos, for those who couldn't make it.

Quilt Entries:  Submitted by quilters in the Fort Lauderdale area.







Charlotte's amazing entry!

Closeup.

Textured art quilt.

A winner by Charlotte (on the top-left)!




The show also featured a wonderful Gee's Bend exhibit!




Made out of postal worker uniforms!



I hope everyone enjoyed the show!


March Meeting Roundup

Happy April!  It was great seeing everyone at March's meeting!  For those who didn't have a chance to attend, here is a quick recap:

1.  We welcomed everyone and had an icebreaker about the origins of our ugly fat quarters!
2.  April Sewing Day:
  • On Saturday, April 21st, we will be holding our first sewing day instead of our regular monthly meeting!  It will be held from 10am to 2pm (4 hours of glorious sewing)!   We will be sewing to support Project Linus, an amazing group that gives small quilts to children who are sick or in need.
  • The sewing day will be held at the new Boca Raton Library on Spanish River Boulevard (not Stitchcraft that month), which is a beautiful space.
  • There is a $10 cover charge per person (please bring cash), to pay for the cost of the room.  Any extra proceeds will go directly to Project Linus!
  • Bring your own sewing machine, iron (and ironing board), extension cord, fabric, batting and sewing supplies.  Snacks for the group are also certainly welcome!
  • Be on the lookout for child-friendly fabrics!  Pull from your stash, stock up online and shop at Stitchcraft.  Fabric.com and Fabric Shack online tend to run good sales.
  • Please invite knitters, other sewers and folks who want to participate in a great cause.
3.  May and Summer Meetings:
  • We will be holding our regular May meeting on Saturday, May 19th from 10am to 12pm at Stitchcraft.  Charlotte is guest-hosting the May meeting!  
  • We will be holding a regular June meeting on Saturday, June 16th from 10am to 12pm at Stitchcraft.
  • The summer meetings may be a little smaller (depending on how many snowbirds we have), so we can be creative with the meetings.  A mini sewing day, perhaps? 
4.  We started a Round Robin quilt with a hedgehog quilt block!  This paper-pieced pattern is available for free HERE, along with other great free patterns.  I enlarged the dimensions approximately 130%.

Start of the Round Robin quilt!

5.  We had a great mini-lecture from Diane (an AQS-certified appraiser) about how she appraises quilts and her background.  If you are interested in contacting Diane for a quilt appraisal, her website is HERE!

Diane's Book!

6.  We had a discussion on fabric stash organization.  If you are interested in trying out the "comic book board method" of folding fabric, there is a great tutorial HERE.

7.  We talked about quilt news in the area and handed out fliers for upcoming events.
  • A quilt guild in Orlando is organizing a bus trip to Quilt Market in Houston this October.  If you're interested, the information is HERE.
  • One Yard Wonders is calling for submissions for their upcoming book!  Submit your original project for kids/babies/parents that uses one single yard of fabric!  Information is available HERE.
  • Sewing Summit is coming up in October, which is a great conference and workshop for "modern" quilters and bloggers.
  • The Modern Quilt Guild (our parent guild) is holding its first convention in February, called QuiltCon!
8.  We laid out the strips for our strippy quilt, and we will keep collecting them for Project Linus quilts.  
9.  We decided on May's "Thing to Bring" (to be posted in an upcoming post).  There is no "Thing to Bring" for the April sewing day.
10.  We swapped ugly fat quarters, did a Show and Tell of our latest project and had a doorprize raffle.

Here are some photos of the meeting:


Finished blocks for the February Bee!

Flying geese for the March Bee!

Strips for Project Linus quilts.










Happy Passover/Easter/Spring, and happy sewing!

Coral Springs Quilt Guild - Auction this Wednesday (3/28)!

I received the below information from the Coral Springs Quilt Guild, and I wanted to pass along the information!  The Coral Springs Guild is hosting a large auction tomorrow night (Wednesday, March 28th).  It sounds like a lot of fun and a wonderful opportunity to win some goodies! 

C.S.Q.G. AUCTION    7:15     AT CYPRESS  HALL
                                              CYPRESS HAMMOCK PARK
                                               1300 CORAL SPRINGS DRIVE
                                                CORAL SPRINGS
WE PLAN ON HAVING A LOT OF FUN AND HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT!

WE'RE HAVING A LIVE AUCTION, SILENT AUCTION, AND CHINESE AUCTION.  SOME OF THE ITEMS WE WILL HAVE:   LOTS OF SPECIAL BASKETS, A FEATHERWEIGHT,  A BROTHER, HANDMADE ITEMS, QUILT RACKS, BOOKS, ACCU CUTTER GO, GIFT CERT, FROM LONGARM QUILTERS, AND OF COURSE, QUILTS!
BRING A FRIEND, ALL ARE WELCOME, SEE YOU WED. NIGHT!

QuiltCon - Block Contest!

Our parent guild, the Modern Quilt Guild, recently announced that they will be holding their first-ever quilting conference in February 2013 in Austin, Texas!  "QuiltCon" will feature amazing speakers and teachers (some of the best in the modern quilting movement), and it sounds like an incredible time.  You can find out more about QuiltCon HERE.

As part of the event, a QuiltCon Block Challenge was just posted!  Submit a 12.5 inch block in the QuiltCon logo's colors, and you could become part of the official QuiltCon raffle quilt.  All blocks that are submitted will become part of quilts for Austin's children's shelter.  A win-win!

Quiltcon Logo Colors.
To find out more, please click HERE.  Entries are open until August 15th.  Happy quilting!

March Meeting - Things to Bring!

For the March meeting, here are your "Things to Bring!"

1.  UGLY FAT QUARTERS
--We will be holding an "ugly fat quarter" swap.  One person's trash is another treasure, so give that ugly FQ a good home!
--You are welcome to bring more than one ugly fat quarter for swapping!

Sample of my ugly fat quarters.

2.  STRIPS FOR OUR GROUP QUILT
We are continuing to bring in strips for group quilts, which we are sewing together for Project Linus' wonderful cause.  This is an ongoing project and benefits a wonderful cause!

a)  Size:  Please bring in at least one "strip" of fabric that is 44/45 inches wide (the width of quilting fabric from selvage edge to selvage edge).  It can be any height, but should probably be at least 2.5 inches tall.
b)  Pattern:  You can piece the strip with interesting patterns.  Alternatively, you can just bring plain strips (or excess Jelly Roll strips).
c)  Color:  If you piece your strips, please include at least a bit of white in the strip.  If you bring in plain fabric strips, any color is fine.

3.  MISCELLANEOUS
Of course, don't forget your standard "Things to Bring" for each meeting (you can see the standards items HERE).  Feel free to email if you have any questions.  See you on Saturday, March 17th at StitchCraft!

Quilting Tag Sale in Boca Raton - March 9th!

The Gold Coast Guild is having a big tag sale on March 9th in Boca Raton.  I just received this email and wanted to pass along the information.  Mark your calendars!

Please email me if you need specific contact information (I removed the email address and telephone numbers for privacy's sake).  Enjoy!


Gold Coast Quilter’s Guild, Inc.

TAG SALE EXTRAVAGANZA

Quilting/Sewing/Craft-Related Items

Friday, March 9, 2012
3:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Location:  Grace Community Church
600 West Camino Real
Boca Raton, FL 33486
(between SW 12 Ave & S Dixie Hwy — south of Palmetto Park Rd)
________________________________________________________
Quilting Fabrics—Fat Quarters, Yardage, Scraps
Quilt Kits—Some Already Started (Pattern & Fabrics)
Patterns & Notions
Books & Magazines
Sewing Machines
CASH PREFERRED
CHECKS (at the discretion of the vendor)
All Sales Final - Everything “As Is” – No Returns

Please bring your own bags and totes!



Items being sold by members of the Gold Coast Quilter’s Guild
 and Quilt Guild by the Sea

February Meeting Recap!

It was great seeing everyone at February's meeting!  For those who didn't have a chance to attend, here is a quick recap:

1.  We welcomed everyone and had an icebreaker game.  It was fun to hear everyone's "desert island quilting" answers!

2.  We discussed our upcoming meetings and events:

3.  March Meeting and Field Trip:
  • On Saturday, March 17th, we will be having a regular meeting from 10am t0 11:30am.  We will be discussing fabric organization.  Come ready to discuss how you organize (or don't organize) your fabric stash!
  •  After the meeting, we will have a casual field trip to the Quilters By the Sea Quilt Show in Fort Lauderdale!
  • We will be caravanning down to Fort Lauderdale together (in our own cars) to see the show.  You can return home anytime.
  • No fee for the field trip, aside from the cost of show admission.
  • We encourage everyone to come to the meeting, whether or not they are attending the field trip afterwards!
  • If folks from Fort Lauderdale are meeting up with us directly at the show, we will probably arrive at the show around 12:15pm.
5.  April Sewing Day:
  • On Saturday, April 20th, we will be holding our first sewing day instead of our regular monthly meeting!  It will be held from 10am to 2pm (4 hours of glorious sewing)!
  • The sewing day will be held at the new Boca Raton Library on Spanish River Boulevard (not Stitchcraft that month), which is a beautiful space.
  • We will be sewing mainly to support Project Linus, an amazing group that gives small quilts to children who are sick or in need.
  • The fee is $150, unless at least 2/3 of the individuals live in the City of Boca Raton.  We may or may not be able to meet that criteria, so there may be a small $10-$15 cover charge (to be determined).  
  • Bring your own sewing machine, iron (And ironing board), extension cord, fabric, batting and sewing supplies.
  • Be on the lookout for child-friendly fabrics!  Pull from your stash, stock up online and shop at Stitchcraft.  Fabric.com and Fabric Shack online tend to run good sales.
  • Please invite knitters, other sewers and folks who want to participate in a great cause.
6.  May and Summer Meetings:
  • We will be holding our regular May meeting on Saturday, May 19th from 10am to 12pm at Stitchcraft.
  • Charlotte is guest-hosting the May meeting!  
  • We discussed the possibility of summer meetings, and there is an interest in holding regular meetings.  They may be a little smaller (depending on how many snowbirds we have), so we can be creative with the meetings.  A mini sewing day, perhaps? 
8.  We had a great Accuquilt tutorial from Johanna.  She also discussed Stitchcraft's 10 Buck BOM program.  Signups close this Wednesday (February 29th), so call Stitchcraft if you're interested in participating! 

9.  We discussed Round Robin quilts and Quilting Bees.
  • Bring in any of your small unfinished quilt projects for a Round Robin!  The piece will be given to another interested quilter, who will add on to the project.  It can make a few "rounds," and you'll end up with a beautiful collaborative quilt to keep!
  • We have completed our first month of the Quilting Bee.  If you are interested in participating and being a "Queen Bee" for November or December, please email me!  It's not too late to join!
10.  We talked about quilt news in the area and handed out fliers for upcoming events.
  • A quilt guild in Orlando is organizing a bus trip to Quilt Market in Houston this October.  If you're interested, the information is HERE.
  • One Yard Wonders is calling for submissions for their upcoming book!  Submit your original project for kids/babies/parents that uses one single yard of fabric!  Information is available HERE.
9.  We laid out the strips for our strippy quilt, and we will keep collecting them for Project Linus quilts. 
10.  We decided on March's "Thing To Bring" (to be posted in an upcoming post).
11.  We swapped scrap bags.
12.  We did a Show and Tell of our latest projects.
13.  We had a doorprize raffle.

Here are some photos of the meeting:

Completed strippy quilt for Project Linus!

Demonstrating the Accuquilt system.

Blocks collected so far for the February Quilting Bee!

Ideas for scrap quilting.

Strips for the Project Linus quilt.









Pillowcases made for the Conkerr Cancer pillowcase project.
I can't wait to see everyone next month!

February Mod Bee Chevron Block

For February's Mod Bee, Carolyn made a beautiful scrappy chevron block.  Here is the photo...can't wait to see it in person at our meeting on Saturday!

Don't forget, our next meeting is THIS Saturday, February 18th, from 10am to 12pm.  See you there!