Saturday, June 12, 2021

SMQG June 2021 meeting minutes

 

SEACOAST MODERN QUILT GUILD

MONTHLY MEETING (via Zoom)

JUNE 5, 2021

Attendees:

JoAnne D, Brenda S, Suzanne W, Mary O, Barb B, Wendy W, Lou S, Paula K, Carol B, Kate Q,

Covid restrictions have been lifted in New Hampshire.  As of now virtual meetings are still in place but as discussed (and noted in our minutes) will be reassessed while ensuring our safety.

The Thread House UK retreat is this weekend. Videos will be available for those who have signed up.

The Schoolhouse Shop Hop is July 6-31 with 4 quilt shops participating:

Quilted Threads (Henniker, NH)

Cobblestone Quilts (Townsend, MA)

The Quilted Crow (Bolton, MA)

Red Barn Sewing and Yarn Center (Merrimac, MA)

$8.00 for a “passport” which includes a free quilt pattern and Fat Quarter in each store, discounts and a Shop Hop bag to carry your goodies home in.

JoAnne suggested that during the hop we meet up one day, have lunch and a meeting.

 

The Board voted in May’s meeting to give out door prizes for the BoM, UFO, etc.  Maggie at Pintuck & Purl has gifted the guild 18-20 Fat Quarters and 5 tape measures which will be used as prizes.  JoAnne will send Maggie a Thank You on behalf of the group.

 

Committee Reports:

Treasurer’s report was given. 

Secretary’s report – noted an update (on Mary O’s EPP June presentation) to May’s minutes was posted in the blog.

Hospitality: Haley is spending time with her family. 

Retreat: No updates  

 

Programs:

UFO Challenge:

The completion due date for our UFO’s has been moved to October’s meeting.

 Speakers/Workshops:

The group agreed to have Carolina Oneto conduct a 2.5 hour workshop on Curved Shapes in our November 6 meeting.  The cost of this session is $28/person.  More information to come.

 

Month 6 of our Piece & Love Block of the Month by modern quilt designer Sherry Shish is now available on our page of her website.  Everyone has received the details on accessing it but if you need it resent let JoAnne know.

Reminder: Do not share the pattern with anyone.  It is meant to be used by members, only.

 

Today’s Member Speaker – Mary Orencole – English Paper Piecing

Mary began sewing blocks using EPP during her long commute to and from work!  A good way to pass the time and create something beautiful.

EPP can be done anywhere using mail or phone book pages and the hand stitching can be a form of therapy.  Mary has been working on a Lucy Boston block which she showed us during her talk as she walked us through how it was designed and sewed. 

We received some history on EPP which dates back to the 1700’s (using scraps and hexies) followed by geometric shapes later in the century.  An American Hexagon quilt was first seen in the U.S. in 1807.  

Tula Pink, Sue Daley and Becky Goldsmith are considered “legends” in EPP.

Mary walked us through several steps in the end to end process - collect your supplies, decide on the shapes (tessellating) and design (Marnie Mitchell’s Magic Mirror can be used to choose your design allowing you to preview/audition fabrics before cutting/sewing), choose your focal point and partnering fabrics.  And, she left us with some good tips to create a beautiful block - use the right glue (Sew fine), needle (size 11 milliners, Tulip Applique #10 which is easy on the fingers), ruler and thread (Aurifil 50 weight, orange top), when threading the needle go with the grain of the thread so it won’t know; don’t use too many stitches, it may damage the edge of the fabric.  If you use thread tiles which are magnetic, don’t put it near your cell phone.

Thank you, Mary!  Paula, thank you as well for sharing your beautiful EPP work with us.

 

Show and Tell:

JoAnne completed another block of her Gravity quilt BoM (JayBird Quilts) with Quilted Threads.  She is also working on our BoM.

Mary is sewing a table runner using a Sew Kind of Wonderful ruler

Paula – is making a table topper for her daughter’s boyfriend’s parents using Lucy Boston blocks.

Suzanne is continuing to work on her beautiful Butterfly quilt.

Brenda showed us a colorful dress she purchased from consignment at the Portsmouth Historical Society. It is made using small panels and Dashwood Studios fabric.

Wendy is working on our BoM.

Lou showed us a festive patriotic bag she made that can be used for shopping. 

Barb B showed us 2 beautiful antique quilts that her mother gifted to her.  One, which was found in North Carolina is a basket quilt that is approximately 150 years old. The other is from a kit using vibrant blues and whites that her mother hand stitched and quilted.

Kate has completed 120 blocks of her Kinship quilt top in blues and yellows and is getting ready to sandwich it.   The sashing was inspired by a quilt Barb White showed us last fall. 

Barbara M and Brenda attended the New England Quilt Museum (NEQM) display over Memorial Day weekend.  Brenda commented that the Japanese exhibit is still on display and it was quite beautiful. 

 

Charity:

Brenda inquired about what charitable organizations we work with.  In the past we’ve given to a different one every year but as of now, due to Covid restrictions we don’t have anything planned.   Brenda mentioned Chase House, a children’s residential facility but due to Covid they’re still not accepting anything. 

Quilted Threads works with Project Linus, a national group which accepts children’s quilts.  Another is Foster Quilts for Foster Children where the need is great.

The Navajo Project is always looking for fabric donations.

 

July’s meeting will be a sew in.

 

Future Meeting Dates and Locations:

Regular monthly meetings will be held on the first Saturday of each month via Zoom (adjusted for holiday weekends).

Be sure to mark your calendars:

July 10

August 7

September 11

October 2

November 6

December 4

 

Zoom meetings have been set up for all of 2021.  We will reassess as the months go on and changes will be made if we are confident that we can meet safely.

Board of Directors meetings will be held on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 7p.m. via Zoom.