Sunday, December 30, 2018

January's Activity


As you may know, each of us will choose a "word of the year" at the January meeting to quilt in the medium of our choice. We recommend that you bring sketching paper, drawing materials, and a 2019 calendar to the meeting. The directions below give an idea of the scope of the project. 

This is the tutorial for the pennant base that will be done in grey:


https://www.incolororder.com/2017/06/enamel-pin-banner-tutorial.html



Large Banner (10"x14")

- 1/3 yard of fabric

-     5/8 yard of woven interfacing (SF 101)


Cutting:

From fabric:

- Cut (2) 10.5"x14" pieces

- Cut (1) 2"x20" piece



From interfacing:

- Cut (2) 10.5"x14" pieces



To help you consider some different lettering options...Nancy and Diane will share some examples and these sites might be useful too.






And



https://pin.it/o2ar4njvqkxvlt






Extras you might find helpful.

Terial Magic fabric Stabilizer (for appliqué)

Sulky Iron on Transfer Pens (for embroidery)






Wednesday, December 12, 2018

January Meeting Reminder

As 2018 draws to a close, it's an excellent time to look ahead to 2019 and reflect on our hopes and aspirations. At our January meeting we are asking each of you  to select your "word of the year” -- nothing fancy or hard to remember, but a word that has personal meaning to you or expresses a theme for the Guild in the upcoming year. We will be working toward quilting that in the medium you desire, so bring your sketchbooks and drawing materials.

Members will also have the opportunity to vote on the programs that will be the focus of our creativity during our meetings in 2019. 


The meeting will be held on Saturday, January 5, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Wiggin Memorial Library in Stratham, N.H.

Please note that 2019 dues are due. Payments can be mailed to the Guild's P.O. Box at the address below, submitted via PayPal, or brought to the January meeting.

Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild
61 Pleasant St. Unit 1606
Newburyport, MA 01950

Sunday, December 2, 2018

December Meeting Recap


SMQG Meeting Summary
December 1, 2018


The Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild (SMQG) met at the Annex in West Newbury, Massachusetts on Saturday, December 1st from 10:00 am - 12 noon. Judy opened the meeting, welcoming 16 guild members in attendance. A short business meeting preceded the end-of-year party fun.

Newly elected board members for 2019 were announced and thanked for their willingness to assume responsibilities.  They are:
President – Mary Orencole
Vice President – Paula Krolikoski
Treasurer – Bethany Aycaner
Secretary – Barbara Mahoney 

As announced at the November meeting, a change to the guild bylaws was needed in order to accommodate the change of the guild location and mailing address.  The change involved only the first paragraph of “Article I – Name, Location & Tax Exempt Status”.  It changes the location from “West Newbury, Massachusetts” to “Newburyport, Massachusetts” and the mailing address from “PO Box 774, West Newbury, MA 01985” to “Unit #1606, 61 Pleasant St, Newburyport, MA 01950”.  There was unanimous agreement to accept this change. 

Barb followed with the Treasurer’s Report, detailing the amounts paid out for speaker related expenses and for retreat deposit to the Franciscan in Kennebunk, ME as well as the amount taken in from 2019 dues payments.  She collected dues from some members at this meeting. If you have not yet paid your 2019 dues, payments may be mailed to the guild mailbox.  Please NOTE: There is a new address for guild mail:
            Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild
            Unit # 1606
            61 Pleasant St.
            Newburyport, MA 01950

JoAnne again made available pricing for the 2019 retreat to be held in May and announced that she would hold a brief meeting of those interested in joining the retreat committee immediately following the December meeting. 

Judy provided follow up on the 2019 Quilt Con charity quilt.  Andrea had completed the binding and attached a sleeve to the quilt which she displayed to the delight of all, especially when it was noticed that tiny piecing had been incorporated into the binding!.  Thank you, Andrea!  Kate has offered to machine embroider a label for the quilt as soon as we have the MQG guidance on what it should say.  It was discussed that a second label could be prepared to swap off once the quilt returns from 2019 QuiltCon and before it is donated. 
The organization that will receive this year's QC charity quilt is the Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Program in Newburyport, MA, which is part of the Department of Children and Families' DARE program.  Our thanks to JoAnne for reaching out and providing contact with DCF. 
Judy also noted 3 other Massachusetts charitable organizations that she has identified for potential future donations.  These include Lucy's Love Bus in Amesbury, Hospice Care of Haverhill, and Pelican Intervention Fund, serving the greater Newburyport area.
                                   


Discussion of potential new policies remains tabled until 2019.

Six lucky winners were selected for door prizes.

Pillow cases were collected from those who had completed them since the November meeting.  Barb didn't have the exact count but estimated at least 175 pillowcases have been contributed, far exceeding the goal of154.  A very successful effort!  Thanks to all who contributed!  Catherine will deliver them to the Tewksbury hospital for those in the residential program. 

Show and Tell came next.


Paula shared her finished project for the MQG Michael Miller Challenge as well as a pillow she made using the printed image of her house block from the Strawberry Banke quilt that Diane gave her.  Diane also gave her the fabric she used to back the pillow.  There was some discussion of whether or not this pillow should belong to Diane!



Nancy is making matching flannel pajama pants for the whole family and a “brain” needle turned appliqued pillow for her daughter. She is hoping that image of braininess has a positive effect! 


Everyone agreed that Kelly's sister will love this “Big Foot” quilt that Kelly has made for her and the wood grain quilting Kelly did on her home machine was much admired.



Kate used self-designed fabric that she had printed through Spoonflower for her QuiltCon entry, which she finished in a very short time! 

We all enjoyed the wonderful array of food items that everyone had brought before our Yankee Swap and a game of Left-Right-Center, which Barb won. 

Incoming and out-going board members met for a transitional meeting following the fun.  Stay tuned to hear from them concerning the meeting plans for January. 

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Welcoming Michelle Wilkie

This morning, we enjoyed a wonderful presentation at the Newburyport Public Library from Michelle Wilkie, our Region 4 MQG representative and textile artist.  Michelle spoke about her design process and shared a slideshow and several quilts to illustrate her lecture.  She is inspired by everything she sees from storm drains to aerial views.  She takes lots of photographs and finds in them her inspiration for design as well as color palettes.

Jungle Ave Tapa

Sunday Best

The designs for both of these quilts were inspired by Tapa cloth.


This quilt palette and design were inspired by a photograph of the Colosseum taken by Michelle...or her husband.  There is a debate surrounding that point!

Succulent found on Sew, Mama, Sew
 This quilt palette was taken from Design Seeds and is called Succulent.

Abstract Trio found in Love Patchwork and Quilting

Abstract Trio found in Love Patchwork and Quilting



Michelle shared pictures of her inspiration, which do not photograph particularly well!  Here is one example though, of print trays, translated to cloth below.
B is for Blue

San Francisco Bustle

Phased Circles

Park Lamps found in Love Patchwork and Quilting

Negative Crosswalk front

Negative Crosswalk back


This last quilt will be featured in Michelle's upcoming, self published book!

Please take a moment to visit Michelle's blog which you can find here.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

November meeting recap



The Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild (SMQG) met at the Newburyport Library in Newburyport, Massachusetts on Saturday, November 3rd from 10:00 am - 12 noon. Judy opened the meeting, welcoming 21 guild members in attendance. 

Barb followed with the Treasurer’s Report and spoke about the payment of annual dues.  She collected dues from some members today and will be available to collect payments from others at the December meeting.  Payments may also be mailed to the guild mailbox.  Please NOTE: There is a new address for guild mail:
Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild
Unit # 1606
61 Pleasant St.
Newburyport, MA 01950
Judy noted that the change in address for the guild will need to be made in the By-laws.  The by-law change will be voted on at our December meeting. 

Judy provided follow up on the 2019 Quilt Con charity quilt, noting Andrea was binding and applying a sleeve to the quilt and will have it ready for the December guild meeting. Thank you, Andrea, and everyone that contributed to this special quilt!

As per our by-laws a vote was taken by show of hands to decide if the membership wanted to renew the guild's membership in the MQG.  It was decided unanimously that the guild will renew that membership.  

Voting for 2019 Executive Board members was held by paper ballot.  The 4 positions were uncontested and 19 members completed ballots.  The remainder of our members can vote on line and may do so until November 10, 2018 at which time voting will be closed.  The choices on the  ballot are as follows:

President – Mary Orencole
Vice President – Paula Krolikoski
Treasurer – Bethany Aycaner
Secretary – Barbara Mahoney  (It should be noted that Colleen Haggerty has volunteered to help Barbara by handling social media posts.  

Drafts of 3 new policies were emailed to all members prior to the meeting for review.  The policies concern Reimbursement, Fee and Refund, and Budget.  The majority in attendance agreed that more time was needed to review the policy drafts so discussion was tabled.  Members can email the board with feedback over the next 2 weeks.  The Board will review all feedback at the end of this 2 week period, update the draft document as appropriate, and resend out to the guild membership prior to the December meeting. Discussion and voting on these will take place at a future time.  

The December meeting will be held on December 1, 2018 at the Annex in West Newbury from 10:00  AM to noon.  This will be our annual end-of-year holiday party .featuring a Yankee Swap, a game with fat quarters (Left-Right-Center), and a potluck brunch. 
  • Members who would like to participate in the swap will make a shopping bag tote. Judy brought an example of the tote and has included a link to the Roomy Grocery Bag tutorial here: .https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/6a20ff_afc2975fea3549f3ab78372bc4f347fa.pdf.  The totes may be made in your fabric(s) of choice. Please place your grocery bag in an unlabeled gift bag.  
  • Members who would like to participate in the game Right-Left-Center should bring a total of 3 fat quarters 2 of which are solids and one that is an “odd or unusual” print.  
  • Lastly, members are invited to bring a brunch item to share, sweet or savory.  It's best to come with a good appetite!
Judy has also provided information on the President's Blocks that she would like made. She is asking for scrappy low volume and scrappy prints and solids in all colors, made into Irregular Courthouse Steps blocks. (CLICK HERE FOR THE BLOCK INSTRUCTIONS.)
Example block for Judy's President Blocks

JoAnne provided an update on the 2019 SMQG Retreat, being held at the Franciscan Guest House in Kennebunk, Maine, May 2, 3, 4, and 5th, 2019. The same number of rooms will be available as last year, including single room options and multiple person room options. For those individuals that want to share a room, please make those arrangements with one another as the retreat committee will not be making room assignments. Reservations for retreat attendance can be made in one, two or three payments, beginning on February 1st, with subsequent payments due on March 1st and April 1st.  Payments may be made via cash, check, or PayPal. Payments made through PayPal will be assessed a 3% transaction fee. At the meeting, JoAnne shared two detailed handouts, (CLICK HERE FOR FLYER) and noted that additional updates will be forthcoming.

Jane B. provided an update on the multi-guild (SMQG, Cambridge MQG & NH MQG), multi-day Bryan House Quilt event being held October 25, 26, 27, 2019. Rebecca Bryan will be presenting a trunk show on Friday and all day workshops on both Saturday and Sunday. The “Playful Color Theory” workshop will be offered on Saturday and “Design Improv with Triangles” will be offered on Sunday. Additional details, such as event location(s), are currently being worked out. Updates will be forthcoming.



Our usual Show and Tell began with Jane F. sharing a darling baby quilt.




Kate Q. shared two prototype quilts for a quilt pattern she is designing, studies in color field reversal. Based on a rhomboid, each block is a separate pattern and includes repurposed fabric. One quilt is for Kate’s son, and one for a friend. 


Mary O. is ready for the fall season! Her sweet fall panel quilt wall was completed with free motion quilting.

Sue Ann finished her quilt for Strawberry Banke on a Saturday; displayed it on the same day, and later that day, she sold it! The very happy recipient had apparently come back twice to view the quilt and was so taken with it, inquired about purchasing it. Lucky recipient! 


Letty's WIP challenge
Nancy's WIP challenge
Barb's WIP challenge 
Bethany's WIP challenge
Suzanne's WIP challenge

Andrea's WIP challenge
Andrea finished two!
Jane's WIP challenge
Judy's WIP challenge
Lou's WIP challenge--Lou was the winner!
We ended the meeting with the finished WIP Challenge, each quilt with a story to tell. Each finished quilt earned a chance at a raffle prize. There were quilts that were begun many years ago, with one as far back as 1980. There were quilts that were challenging; some with intricate piecing methods; quilts that were hand-tied, hand quilted; ones that were made with all repurposed fabrics, and one that was inspired after a visit to the African American Museum in Washington, D.C.  In the end, the winner of the WIP Challenge was Lou, whose beautiful starry quilt was made using up fabrics from her fabric stash! Congratulations, Lou!

Following the guild meeting, a pillowcase sew-in, coordinated by Mary O. and Barb B., was held with a number of guild members. This project, planned over the past year, was begun as a way of providing a special, handmade, personal item to patients at an area health care facility. As many guild members had already completed a large number of these pillowcases, the  goal of approximately 155 pillowcases was well on its way prior to Saturday’s sew-in. 
Saturday afternoon, we surpassed our goal, and it was evident from the beautiful fabric choices and stitching that each was made with thoughtfulness and care for the intended recipients. A very special thank you to Nancy Peach and her fellow guild members at the NH Bedford Quilt Guild who spent time during their fall quilt retreat making 34 pillowcases, and to everyone that gave of their time making pillowcases for this special project, a very sincere thank you.
The pillowcases will be collected by Catherine Flowers and given to residents at the Tewksbury hospital.  If you are working on yours at home please bring them to the December meeting.

November 10, 2018 at the Newburyport library we have a guest speaker, Michelle Wilkie, coming to do a trunk show and talk about her methods and inspirations for modern quilt design.  Michelle is also our regional representative to the MQG and you will have a chance to ask questions or express your opinions about the MQG.  She is a member of the MQG board so this is direct access!  The event is free to all.  Bring some sewing friends!  

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Announcing Michelle Wilkie


The Seacoast MQG is pleased to host Michelle Wilkie, designer, quilter, pattern writer, and MQG Region 4 Representative, for a talk on modern quilt design and inspiration. Michelle is best known for her minimal quilt designs that are often inspired by her own photographs of art, architecture, and everyday surroundings. Her work with Quilt Design a Day (QDAD) results in many inspiring digital quilt designs, many of which she transforms into quilts that hang in shows or become patterns in magazines.

part of Michelle's Abstract Trio for Love Patchwork and Quilting Issue 34
Please join us at the Newburyport Public Library, 94 State Street, Newburyport, MA on Saturday, November 10 from 10 am to 12 pm for Michelle's talk and a small showing of her quilts, plus a Q&A session related to her work as an MQG rep. This talk is free to all members and guests.

San Francisco Bustle
Please note that parking for the Newburyport library is in a municipal lot and there is a small charge for parking. The pay and display system accepts credit cards, and is a short walk from the library entrance.


Sunday, October 14, 2018

October Meeting recap


SMQG Meeting Summary
October 13, 2018



Our October meeting was held on Saturday, October 13 from 9:30 am to 12pm at the 1910 Building in West Newbury, MA. 21 members and 1 guest were in attendance.

Judy opened a short business meeting asking for nominations for guild board members for 2019. The following nominations were made, seconded, and accepted:
President – Mary O.
Vice President – Paula
Treasurer – Bethany
Nominations remain open for the position of secretary and by unanimous vote of those present will be conducted via group email. Anyone wishing to volunteer or to nominate another should email Judy. It was discussed that earlier this year the current board had mentioned that the position could be divided into that of secretary and media/tech chair. Keep this option in mind for volunteering or nominating.

Voting for 2019 board members will take place at our November 3rd meeting to be held at the Newburyport library from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. There will also be new policies regarding budget, reimbursements, and refunds to be discussed and voted on.
After the annual business meeting there will be a sew-in to make pillow cases. Mary and Barb are leading this effort and you will be hearing more from them.

On November 10 the SMQG will host our regional MQG representative, Michelle Wilkie from 10:00 am to noon at the Newburyport library. Michelle will be giving a talk/trunk show on modern quilt design and will discuss her role as regional representative. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about the MQG, to ask questions, and to offer thoughts and ideas to a MQG board member. This lecture and Meet and Greet will be open to guests.

Paula spoke about the Strawberry Banke exhibit that was held on October 6, thanking those who helped and who offered quilts to be shown. The house quilt that was made by some of our members was presented to Strawberry Banke with delight. Paula also mentioned that the staff at Strawberry Banke have said we “have a home” there so plan on future opportunities to exhibit your quilts!

JoAnne said she will have Pricing for next year's retreat by our November meeting.

Barb gave the treasurer's report.

Suzanne showed the Quilt Con charity quilt that she finished quilting.much to the delight of everyone. She did a wonderful job! Andrea has volunteered to bind the quilt and Kate Quackenbush volunteered to make an embroidered label. Thanks to all three for your generosity.

Judy then introduced Sheri Cifaldi- Morrill of Whole Circle Studio who beguiled us with a wonderful talk and trunk show on her quilting process and inspiration. Judging from the gasps and comments it is safe to say everyone enjoyed Sheri's presentation. So much eye candy!

Paparazzi 


Dragonfly Dance

Ladybug Loop

Butterfly Bunch

Double Wedding Knot

Up and Away


Sew Speedy

Leaf Peepers

Sun Salutations

Big Island Blossoms

Buzz

Big Love