Paper Piecing Workshop

The next meeting of the Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild will be January 5th from 10:00-12:00 at the West Newbury Town Annex at 381 Main Street, West Newbury, MA.  The topic will be paper piecing, taught by Amy Friend.

I (Amy) was struggling to think of a block design for this meeting.  I settled on a sewing machine because I figured that everyone in a quilt guild should appreciate that subject!  I designed a block that is simple enough for the beginner with no curves or Y seams.  There are only 4 spots where seams need to meet.  But there is also enough detail to make the block interesting and to provide "teachable moments." 

I will send everyone in the guild the pattern. Please print it out and bring it to the meeting with you, along with your sewing machine, a size 90 needle, thread and your fabric selections.  You should also bring a couple of pins, a seam ripper and scissors.  It would be helpful to have multiple cutting mats, rotary cutters, irons and ironning boards.  If anyone is willing to bring theirs, it would be appreciated.

When you are selecting fabrics, look for prints that might have the name of a sewing machine that you could fussy cut. I didn't  have anything like that so I used stamps and printed "Janome" becuase that's what I own.

We will have refreshments at this meeting, coordinated by Robin Lent.

Also, bring your show and tell as usual!

Madrona Road Challenge

We had a nice time at the sew in meeting held Dec. 1st.  Thank you to everyone who came out and braved the first bit of weather this winter!

We distributed the fabric for the Madrona Road Challenge at the meeting.  Michael Miller provided enough for each of our 12 participants to receive a fat eighth of 6 prints and one coordinating solid.  Peg from Sew Fresh Fabrics provided a fat eighth of the farm and pick up truck print on the top of the stack to round out the collection.  Thank you Peg! For this challenge, we decided to limit ourselves to pillow covers. You may make a pillow cover of any size or shape using this collection. If you want to add more fabric, you may only use solids or other prints from the Madrona Road collection. Both Peg and Becca have these prints available in their shops if you would like to support your fellow guild members. The challenge ends January 31st. If you have a blog or Flickr account, please go ahead and share pictures of your project at that time. We will share the projects at our February 2nd meeting and will take pictures at that time to share for those who do not have blogs.

We will vote on our favorite pillow at the meeting in February and award a prize!

December 1 Meeting Reminder

This is a reminder that we will  be meeting this Saturday, December 1 from 9-1 at the West Newbury Town Building Annex, where we have previously met.

This meeting will be a sew in so please bring your machines, extension cords, power strips, fabric, notions and anything else you need to sew.  We will provide two ironing boards and irons and two cutting mats, as well as tables and chairs.


I don't think we planned anything as far as refreshments are concerned for this meeting.  If you would like,  you could bring something to share or pack a lunch since it will be a long meeting.

Please remember to have your handmade name tag ready, bring a show and tell, and bring your ugliest fat quarter to swap.

Meetings for the Next 4 Months

I just wanted to make everyone aware of our meeting times and places for the next few months. Agendas to follow. December 1 West Newbury Town Annex, 9-1 sew in January 5 West Newbury Town Annex, 10-12 February 2 Fremont Public Library, 10-12 (Samantha Russell is contact for meeting place) March 2 Stratham Library, 10-12 (Paula Krolikoski is contact for meeting place)

December meeting

Our December meeting will be held on Sat. Dec. 1 from 9-1 at the West Newbury Town Building Annex, where we have previously met.
I extended the time at the request of a couple of the members so that you can get more done at the sew in after having lugged your machines in and set them up.
Please remember to make your handmade name tag for that meeting and bring an ugly fat quarter if you want to participate in that swap.

November 3rd meeting with Alissa

We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to hear Alissa Haight Carlton speak this afternoon at our SMQG meeting.  She shared images of many of her quilts and also managed to carry six or so in her luggage to show us!  We were joined by the BMQG for this meeting which was the first of many joint ventures, I hope.

Alissa spoke about her personal quilting progression from wonky log cabins through her current work, her two books, and the establishment of the MQG.  Her little baby boy was an angel through her whole talk (thanks in part, to her twin sister who was caring for him in the back of the hall).

We had a little time for show and tell.  Rebecca from the BMQG shared two of her beautiful quilts.

This quilt satisfies the fairy love of a little girl and the modern quilting aesthetic of her mom!

Laura's spectrum quilt was made from a pattern in Elizabeth Hartman's new book.

Nancy shared a paper pieced table runner.

Stephanie made a fun pincushion for a swap.

Here are the members of the BMQG who were in attendance, along with Alissa. My little munchkins sneaked into the picture.

The next meeting will be Dec. 1, hopefully at the Annex (I will confirm that this week). It will be a sew in-we plan to have a cutting station and an ironing station set up so you need to bring fewer items. Remember to bring one ugly fat quarter for swap and to make a creative nametag!

10/20 SMQG Meeting

Today we held our very first Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild and had a great turnout of about 22 people!

After completing surveys, we concluded that Sat. mornings were best for meetings.  We decided to meet on the first Saturday of each month.  Taking our cue from the BMQG, we will charge $36 dues for a year.  Becca (Sew Me a Song) has offered to open the bank account so she will do that within the next couple of weeks and we will get a second person to sign on the account as well.  A few members are looking into the specifics of using meeting rooms in their libraries, condos, etc. for future meetings so that we can have some meetings in southern NH.  We decided to hold off until January to vote on officers to allow everyone to think about what role they would like to play in the guild and to get to know everyone.

We talked a bit about our meeting on November 3 from 1-3 (same location) with Alissa Carlton.  A number of people volunteered to bake fall snacks and bring apple cider for refreshments.  Please feel free to bring show and tell again in case Alissa wraps up early with time to spare.  Otherwise, we can save the items till December.

We will plan to meet in the same location again on Dec. 1  from 10-noon provided the room is available (will confirm soon).  We thought we'd just have a sew in that day in order to get to know each other   Please bring your sewing machine or hand sewing projects.  A couple of members volunteered to bring refreshments.  Our assignment is to all make creative nametags for this meeting.  We will also have an ugly FQ swap so bring your worst.

Then we moved on to show and tell.

Here is Peg with her garden patchwork quilt top.

These blocks are all variations on the log cabin, made by Samantha.  She is trying to decide how she will put them together!

These are also Samantha's logcabins, intended for her bed quilt.

This is a quilt top in progress made by Robin.

Here is Stephanie showing one of her new pillow covers using the mod mosaic design.  She's been practicing her free motion quilting.

This is a sweet baby quilt made by Samantha for her cousin's baby.  She did a great job on the woodgrain FMQ.

These projects by Diane were a part of an online course she took with Angela Walters.

Laura shared her Spinning Stars quilt top that she is in the process of handquilting.

Nancy made this Swoon quilt top for a friend's baby.  The mom doesn't like pink, imagine!

Lisa is working on a long term scrap quilt project intended for her bed.

Gillian just finished up this quilt using Anna Maria Horner's Feather Bed pattern and voiles.

Aimee made this plus mini quilt using her shot cotton collection.  Notice how she pieced that binding!

Then we distributed the door prized and chatted a bit.

Thanks everyone for the great turnout!

More Goodies!

Here are some more doorprizes for our meeting this Saturday.  These charm packs are brought to you by Becca from Sew Me A Song--Marmalade and Odds and Ends!

Don't forget to bring your show and tell!  What have you been sewing lately?  WIPs are ok too!

An Important Word about Directions

I just realized that I needed to alert you to the fact that the Rocks Village Bridge is closed for repairs.  It connects Haverhill to West Newbury.  If you are travelling to the meeting from 95N or 95S and your directions tell you to take the exit for route 113, you do not need to worry about this.  If you are coming from 495N or 495S and your directions have you get off the exit for route 110, you will want to take an alternate route.  You can take any of the other Haverhill exits and use the Bates Bridge that connects Haverhill to Groveland and travel up route 113 that way.  If you have any trouble figuring this out, email me and I will help.

Door Prizes to Tempt You!

The lure of a new modern quilting guild starting up in the Seacoast area should be enough, but if it isn't we thought we'd tempt you with some door prizes!  Lucky winners at the first meeting, will each take one of these prizes home with them!

Sew Fresh Fabrics is offering a charm pack of Amy Butler Spots!  What a fabulous basic.

During Quiet Time is offering a package of fifty die cut hexagons, cut from cardstock, for English Paper Piecing.  

You could also win a BasicGrey 11" x 14" Canvas Sampler. They are fun to design, using bits of your favorite papers or fabrics as well as buttons and other embellishments.

I believe that there is also a giveaway coming from Sew Me A Song. You just might have to come to the meeting to see what it is!

Remember, the meeting will be held on October 20, 2012 from 10-12 in the morning at the West Newbury Town Annex located at 381 Main St., West Newbury, MA 01985.  The main building will say "1910 Building."  We will be meeting toward the rear of the building--there will be a Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild Sign.  Additional parking is behind the building.

We (Peg, Becca and Amy) can't wait to meet you!

Alissa Haight Carlton to Speak in November

Alissa Haight Carlton, the co-founder and Executive Director of The Modern Quilt Guild and author of two modern quilting books, Block Party and Modern Minimal, will be visiting family in New England and has agreed to spend a bit of her vacation speaking to our guild!  

"Intersections" by Alissa Haight Carlton

Alissa may not be able to bring many quilts with her as she will be travelling on airplanes with an infant and all the baggage that requires!  So come prepared with lots of questions to ask her about her inspiration, her experiences, etc.

 "Broken Plaid" by Alissa Height Carlton

This special meeting will be open to all paid members of the Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild (you may pay at the door the day of the event).  We are also extending the invitation to all paid members of the Boston Modern Quilt Guild.  The event will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at the Town Annex located at 381 Main Street, West Newbury, MA 01985 from 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon.  There is parking in the front lot as well as behind the building.

We'd like volunteers to bring baked goods and drinks to the meeting.  Please email me if you are willing to help at amybfriend@gmail.com.

Are you excited?  I am!  

Founding the Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild

Who wants in?  I hope you do!  Becca from Sew Me A Song, Peg from Sew Fresh Fabrics and I (Amy from During Quiet Time) have been talking about founding a modern quilt guild for those north of Boston for awhile.  Now, we are actually doing it! I am a member of the Boston Modern Quilt Guild (and will continue to be) but I can't make it to as many meetings as I would like because the meetings are just far enough away that they consume most of my day.  For those of you with young children, you know that can be a deal breaker.  I'd love a guild that was close enough for me to be a more active participant.  We hope that this guild will be a sister guild of sorts to the Boston Modern Quilt guild, maybe sharing swaps or retreats, etc.  We'd like to reach out to those in Northern Massachusetts, Southern Maine and Southern New Hampshire.  All skill levels are welcome!

Our first meeting will be held on October 20, 2012 from 10-12 in the morning at the West Newbury Town Annex located at 381 Main St., West Newbury, MA, 01985. The main building will say "1910 Building" above the door, the Annex is located at the rear. We'll have a sign on the door.

West Newbury is about an hour north of Boston; 32 minutes south of Portsmouth, NH; 50 minutes south of Manchester, NH; 35 minutes south of Kittery, ME.  The room is large and spacious and there is a free parking lot in the front of the building and an additional parking lot in the rear of the building.  Nearby Newburyport, MA would be a great location for lunch if you are travelling.

The first meeting will be a time to meet each other, talk about our goals and interests, and preferred meeting times.  We will also have a show and tell so please bring your latest or favorite creation or a work in progess.  There will also be door prizes sponsored by Sew Fresh Fabrics, Sew Me A Song, and During Quiet Time.  I nearly forgot, there will be snacks as well!  The first meeting will be free with donations accepted at the door to help get our group going while we iron out little details like the cost of dues.

Thank you to Maureen from Maureen Cracknell Handmade who designed our logo. If you'd like to grab a logo, please feel free to grab this one that is more appropriately sized for your sidebar than the one above!

Also, please follow our blog:  Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild Blog

And "Like" us on Facebook too of course: Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild

Please let me know if you have any questions.  All are welcome and we hope you will attend!  I look forward to meeting you!