Challenges

Swap Fabric Placement Challenge
June 2022-November 2022

Using the fabrics you received during the guild swap or fabrics from your stash, you will create one block style three different ways by changing the placement of your chosen fabrics. Creations will be shared at the November meeting. All the details are HERE.
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"Inspired" Fabric Swap
April-June 2022

Bring a Fat Quarter of fabric that inspires you to the April meeting. You will swap that inspiration fabric with another member after a fun ‘get to know you’ activity and mixer at the meeting. Your inspiration Fat Quarter will be returned to you at the June meeting along with three more coordinating quilt shop quality Fat Quarters selected by your swap partner. You can then choose to use those four fabrics in the challenge to be announced in June!

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"Ugly" Fabric Challenge and Swap
March-April, 2022

---Official Rules---

Please bring a piece of your “ugly”, unloved fabric in an envelope or ziploc bag labeled with your name to the March meeting. The fabric piece should be no smaller than 5 in x 10 in. A fat quarter or a piece from a layer cake is plenty. We will record the names of the participants and initiate the swap. The challenge details can be found on this post.
 
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Two Color NICU Quilt Challenge
September - November, 2021

---Official Rules---
Participants will use 2 colors pulled from a random selection to create a quilt for our PICU charity project. The challenge details can be found on this post.

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Get to Know You Challenge and Swap
March 20-June 27, 2021

---Official Rules---
Participants will  fill out the google form and get to know one of your fellow guild members and then make a mini 12-24" quilt for them inspired by their answers. 

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 Postcard Quilt Challenge
March 17 - November 14, 2020

---Official Rules---
 For this year's Challenge we have chosen a postcard inspired quilt. We want this quilt to portray a story, just as a postcard would.  Select a destination, event or life happening and make a postcard like quilt to tell us that story! 

All of the challenge details can be found in this post. 

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 Mini Masterpiece Challenge
August 10-November 9, 2019

---Official Rules---
 Members can make a quilted "masterpiece" measuring no more than 10" square using just three to four colors chosen using paint chips.

All of the challenge details can be found in this post. 

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No Excuses Challenge
February 9-May 11, 2019

---Official Rules---
 This year's challenge will allow members to harness all of their creativity with a wide-open challenge using modern solid fabrics. Members can make any quilted item their hearts desire using at least one color from the provided mini charm pack.

All of the challenge details can be found in this post.

Thank you to our Member Swap and Challenge Committee for putting this together and to Free Spirit Fabrics for the
Denyse Schmidt Modern Solids mini charm packs.

 

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 Colors of the Year Challenge
March 10-November 10, 2018**
**NOTE: The deadline has been extended to our November meeting, so you have lots of time to participate.

---Official Rules---
 This year's challenge will celebrate items made using one of the 2018 colors of the year -- either Pantone Ultra Violet OR Kona Tiger Lily -- as their focus. Categories include minis, finished quilts, and "just the top."

All of the challenge details can be found in this post.

Thank you to our Member Swap and Challenge Committee for putting this together.


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Officer's Book/Pattern Challenge
 January 15-September 9, 2017

---Official Rules---
Edited 3/11/2017

Each participant will start and complete a new project using a pattern/book published within the last five years and show the completed item and its source at the September meeting. This is a fun way to tackle one of those items on your "Maybe One Day" list, while also sharing your insights on some of the many excellent patterns and books that are out there.

In the spirit of this being a challenge, the project must be something completely new...not a work in progress. Additionally, as this is a modern quilt guild, please be sure that your completed item is in the spirit of the guild.

Members can choose which of the three categories below they wish to enter any time prior to September. We have placed a limit of 1 challenge entry only to ensure that there are different winners, as we want this to be a fun and motivational challenge, not a "how prolific a quilter are you" contest.
1.  Pincushion / Pouch / Normal Item   (Prize: one winner - $10 gift certificate to Janie Lou)
2.  Bag / Mini Quilt / Baby Quilt  (Prize: two winners - $20 gift certificate to Janie Lou)
3.  Lap-Size Quilt or Larger   (Prize: two winners - $30 gift certificate to Janie Lou)

Items will not be judged; winners will be selected at random and prizes awarded accordingly at the September meeting. In order to have your name included, you must do ALL of the following:

1.  Select a "new to you" project from a pattern/book published within the last 5 years. 

2.  Share on social media (or send us an email if you do not participate online) the photos mentioned below, taken throughout the challenge. Be sure to include the hashtags #stlmqg and #stlmqgofficerschallenge. You can certainly share more photos, but these three are the minimum requirement.
First: Photo capturing your pattern/book selection
Second: Photo of your in-progress project
Third: Photo of your finished project

3.  You must bring the fully completed project and the pattern/book to the September meeting and participate in the Challenge Show & Tell, which also includes giving a quick review of the pattern/book.

So, which project will you tackle this year?

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Crayon Challenge
July 9-November 12, 2016

---Official Rules---
Each participant will draw three random colors from a box of crayons and make a project featuring those colors. In the spirit of this being a challenge, please try to match the colors you draw as closely as possible. Participants may also add up to one additional color and any neutrals that they wish.
Projects are due at the November 12th meeting, and members can enter the challenge at any meeting before that one (Casey York will have crayons for participants to select from at each meeting between July thru October's SewMeSTL).

Participants can compete in three project categories: 
1. Functional quilts (crib sized and larger); 
2. Smaller 2-dimensional projects (such as mini-quilts, wall-hangings, table toppers, etc.); 
3. Dimensional projects (such as clothing, tote bags, pin cushions, etc.).
At the November meeting, participants will show off their projects, and members will vote for one winner in each of the three categories. Winners will receive gift certificates to Janie Lou.
Don't forget to share your crayon pull and challenge progress on social media, using the hashtags #crayonchallenge and #stlmqg 
Thank you to our Member Swap and Challenge Committee for putting this together.

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Celebrate St. Louis Challenge
June 14-September 13, 2014

---Official Rules---
In honor of our city's 250th anniversary, we are challenging our members to be inspired by all that St. Louis has to offer.  Whether you are making a quilt, bag, table runner, etc., we want to see your St. Louis pride mixed with a little modern aesthetic of course.


Thank you to our Member Swap and Challenge Committee for putting this together.


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The MQG (Michael Miller) Challenge
March-July 12, 2014

---Official Rules---
1. Each participating member is given 6 Fat Eights from the "Petal Pinwheels" collection.

2. You do not have to use all of the fabric provided

3. Any added prints must be from Michael Miller, additional solids can be any manufacturer.

4. You can make whatever you want, provided it is larger then a pincushion

5. Your item must be completed by the July 12th St. Louis MQG meeting in order to be eligible for guild-only prizes.

6. To enter the official MQG challenge, you must upload a photo to the Michael Miller Challenge - Finished forum board on the community site by July 25th. 

*There will be 3 winners from all of the MQG entries. Each one will receive a posting on the Michael Miller blog and a "year of free fabric." Every month for a year, the winners will be sent a "goody box" filled with fabric from Michael Miller's newest collections. Please read the MQG Member's Only Newsletter or visit the Community forum to learn more.

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 Riley Blake Challenge
October 5, 2012-February 8, 2013

---Official Rules---
1. Each participating member is given 6 fat eighths.

2. You don't have to use all of the fabric provided

3. Any added prints must be from Riley Blake, additional solids can be any manufacturer.

4. It must be a Quilt which measures at least 24" on one side

*If you use Twitter or Instagram, be sure to tag your photos with #mqgrileyblakechallenge

Riley Blake has offered up some fabric prizes. To learn how to participate, please read the MQG Member's Only Newsletter, which came out on October 12th.

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The Ohio Star Challenge
 June 8, 2012-September 14, 2013

---Official Rules---
 Make a modern quilt by using the traditional Ohio Star block.

Rules, block construction, etc. can all be found here.
This is the same information that was provided in the handout at the meeting.

Thank you to our Member Swap and Challenge Committee for putting this together.

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Madrona Road Challenge
December 8, 2012-February 11, 2013

---Official Rules---
You are to bring a completed project to the February 11th meeting, which must follow the simple rules below.

1. Your project must use Madrona Road and if you choose you can include solids too.  You can of course buy more or different Madrona Road prints to supplement what was included in the fat-eighth bundle you were provided.

2. Some element of your item must be quilted. For example, if you are making a tote bag, then include a quilted coin purse or key chain. And yes, you can always make a quilt if you choose.

3. While there is no minimum or maximum size requirements, use your judgement and make sure that you are using a good portion of the fabric that was included in the bundle.

4. If you took one of the  fat-eighth bundles to play with, you must bring a completed item to the February 11th meeting.  Otherwise, you need to return the fabric and pay a penalty of $10 to the STLMQG. This is not meant to discourage anyone from participating but rather to ensure that no one is adding "free fabric" to their stash.

We have set up a Madrona Road Challenge discussion thread on Flickr. Feel free to post questions and check in to learn the newest news on this challenge. The MQG has also setup a separate Flickr group, so feel free to upload in-progress and finished photos there as well.

A big thank you goes out to Michael Miller Fabrics for providing the fabric for our members.

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Inspiration Challenge
May 12-August 11, 2011

---Official Rules---
You are to make a finished quilt that is at least 24" on each side. Use one of the following as your inspiration for the quilt:
Photo: as seen here 
Painting: The Purple Robe by Henri Matisse as seen here 
Book: Alice in Wonderland as seen here 
Song: Yellow Submarine by The Beatles as seen here 

Feel free to Google any of the inspiration pieces for more images. Remember, your interpretation does not have to be literal! The challenge is due at the August meeting and we'll reveal the quilts grouped by their inspiration pieces. Feel free to post any questions in our Flickr Group and have fun creating your quilt!

Thank you to our Member Swap and Challenge Committee for putting this together.

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HABITAT Challenge
July 9-October 8, 2011


Thank you Free Spirit Fabrics!
          

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Rip, Rip, Ripping Challenge
June 11-August 13, 2011

--Official Rules--
You must make something (quilt, table runner, market bag, etc.) that is bigger then a place mat using 4 of the 5 fabrics that you received during the ripping game.  You can add any additional fabrics that you choose, just make sure that each of the 4 fabrics are clearly represented somewhere in the project.  You may be asked to point them out, so be prepared.  The finished item must be brought to the August 13th meeting, in order for you to be eligible for any prizes.

Think creatively and have fun!!

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Solids Only Challenge
created in cooperation with Robert Kaufman Fabrics
January 8-June 11, 2011 

---Official Rules---
Updated 3/13: There was a size discrepancy between the paper and online rules. The size that will be allowed is between 120-180 inches total.



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