Meeting Recap (June 12th, 2021)

Our first informal gathering at the park last month was a smashing success even if it was a bit chilly and dreary! It was so much fun seeing everyone's faces and quilts! Be sure to check your member emails for the link to the photos of everyone's quilts!

Guild Business:

• Christine Boyd, our secretary, gave us a brief overview of our membership numbers.  We continue to grow and we couldn't be more excited to have new members - we are currently sitting at 149 strong! Not a member yet? Anyone interested should check out how to join.
  
  
• Our Vice President Em Komiskey covered some of the online happenings coming up, below is a list. 
  
  - The MQG is sewing this season to make a difference!  Tree theme to benefit Trees for the Future Submissions open July 1-21, MQG Member voiting August 4-9 MQG Make a Difference Challenge 
  - Spectacular Summer SAL with Quilted Connections June 14th - September 12th with monthly prize Drawings Check it out Here
  - Heyde Sewing Grand Re-opening Learn More Here June 19th 9am-4pm

Items Covered:

• Infromal Park Gathering- June 27th at Tower Grove Park 10am - Quilt Photographer, Free Table, Homeless Vet Quilt Collection Point, Swap/Challenge Switch Opportunity
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The Color of Connections Quilt Ladies @ the July Meeting will be speaking at our July Meeting as a reminder. These ladies are working to create a nonprofit that connects the modern quilting community, across all colors, ages, genders, and backgrounds. Through this non-profit they will be hosting quilting workshops with vulnerable youth of all colors to sew, foster relationships abd meaningful connection, and also teach self-efficacy and creativity. Learn more on their mission on their site.
  
  
• 4x5 Quarterly Bees - Quarterly Block Bees - Round 2 is underway - you should have chosen your block pattern and should be picking fabrics. Make sure to post progress pictures and tag #stlmqg4x5bee on IG
  
  
• 'Get to Know You'- Challenge and Swap - these are due June 27th - make sure to tag your photos online for a chance to win a prize - #stlmqgswapchallenge
  
  
• 2021 Remaining Monthly Events  
  July: Zoom w/ Color of Connection Quilt Ladies
  August: IN PERSON WELCOME BACK !!! Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  (we will be following the CDC mask recommendations at that time)
  September: In Person - Quilt Photographer Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  October: Working on informal sew-ins
  November: In Person - Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  December: In Person Raffle Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  
  
• Monthly Skill Builder June - Guild president Lilo Whitener-Fey will be helping teach members her tips for working on backing fabrics - matching up patterns and easy single seam piecing. Zoom with us Wednesday, June 23rd from 7-8pm. Look for your member email and zoom link reminders the night before.
  
  
• Guild Discounts
  - Jackman's - STLMQG members get 10% off at Jackmans on all non-sale items by showing their MQG membership card. Directions on how to get this card are on the member drive and the link will be in the member email.
  - Modish Quilter Annual Magazine - members get 20% off subscriptions - code in email.
  
  
• Quiltcon 2022 will be held in Phoenix, AZ Feb 16-20, 2022 Check their site for information and important dates. Members can check the Facebook group to chat about about meetups and room sharing. 
  
  
• 
  Guild Merch - we are so excited to be able to offer up T-shirts and Tote bags reminding folks to MAKE COOL STUFF - these shirts and totes sales are open to everyone and we think they would make some great gifts for the creatives in your life. Online shop will be open from June 15th - 29th. Check out the online store and buy yours now!
  
  
  
• Charity Committee Summer/ Fall Project - we will be making small quilts for the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (CG PICU). Our goal is 60 quilts - please check out the blog post for more information about sizes, color schemes and deadlines. Make sure to share your finished quilts on social using #stlmqg, #stlmqgcares, and #stlmqgPICUquilts!
  
  Vet Quilts - the deadline for these quilts has been pushed back to November so this will allow folks more time to work on these and help reach our goal. Read more here.
  
  
• Products Worth the Money
  We broke out into chat rooms with members to discuss quilting notions and items we thought were really helpful in the quilting process and total worth the money -
  
  Quilting Items with Cords
  - AccuQuilt GO! Big Electric Fabric Cutter Starter Set
  - Steamfast iron
  - Reliable irons / Reliable Velocity 230IR
  - Oliso Mini Project Iron
  - and many more check out the resource document in your email!
  

Rulers & Template

- Stripology XL
- Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmer
- Bonnie K Hunter's Essential Triangle Tool
- Companion Angle Triangle Ruler

- and many more check out the resource document in your email! 

 

Kitchen Sink

- Hera Marker
- Supreme Slider Free Motion Quilting Supplies
- Wonder Clips
- Wool Pressing Mat

- and many more check out the resource document in your email!

• Hand Sew *Home* Happy Hour June 29th 6-9 - we would love to see you there!
  
  
  
  
  
• Fabric Raffle 
  Thanks to another very generous donation from our sponsor Cotton Cuts Barb Phelps & Marie Hill won fat quarter bundles of the new Tula Pink fabric!

Fall 2021 STLMQG Charity Project

The STLMQG Charity Committee is happy to announce a second charity project for 2021. We will be making small quilts for the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (CG PICU). The CG PICU provides respiratory and heart flow management for critically ill children as well as those recovering from complex heart procedures and organ transplants. These quilts are the sense of home most parents need in the most trying times while their child is recovering at Cardinal Glennon.

The CG PICU was brought to our attention by a member of the Charity Committee whose own daughter spent time there after having open-heart surgery when she was just 2.5 months old. Her daughter was lovingly given a quilt to use while she was there. When she reached out to see if the hospital needed more quilts since the one her daughter used looked a bit worn, they said YES!

Here's everything you need to know about the project: 

• Quilts must be new, handmade, and washable. They should be machine quilted (no ties) and preferably bound by machine for maximum durability. 
• Quilt Size: 36” x 36” (for babies and little kids) or 36" x 48" (for big kids). Please try to stay close to these dimensions. 
• Color Scheme and Fabrics: The quilts are for all kids, not just babies. Please pick fabrics that are appropriate for children, including but not limited to pastels, bright colors, and fun prints. Cotton and flannel are both okay. No rag quilts. 
• Deadline: December Meeting. Quilts can be dropped off at in-person meetings or coordinate with another STLMQG member. 
• Goal: 60 quilts 
• A small quilt should be quick to sew, and you can use any square pattern you have. Blocks that FINISH at 3” square (12 blocks x 12 blocks = 144 total), 4” square (9 blocks x 9 blocks = 81 total), 6” square (6 blocks x 6 blocks = 36 total), 9” square (4 blocks x 4 blocks = 16 total), 12” square (3 blocks x 3 blocks = 9 total), or 18” square (2 blocks x 2 blocks = 4 total) can all be easily used for this quilt. You could also try blocks that finish at odd sizes and add a border or even try some improv! With block-based quilts, you can make your assembly even faster by using web piecing (see January 2021 Monthly Skill Builder) to put the top together. Here are a few pattern ideas to get you started: 
https://www.coralandco.com/free-baby-quilt-patterns-to-sew.html 
https://wren-collective.com/free-pattern/free-baby-quilt-patterns-20-of-my-favorites/


Kitchen Table Quilting did a year's worth of free giant block patterns that finish at 36" square, perfect for the PICU quilts. You can find them all in her shop: https://kitchen-table-quilting.myshopify.com/collections/freebies.

Thank you for your efforts! We look forward to seeing (and receiving) your beautiful quilts. And be sure to share your finished quilts on social media using #stlmqg, #stlmqgcares, and #stlmqgPICUquilts. 

-Your 2021 STLMQG Charity Committee: Jessica Schunke (Chair), Gayle Larson, Kathy Mattingly, Krista Robbins, Gina Shelley, and Nichole Witushynsky

Meeting #110 (June 12th, 2021)

Quilting can definatly be an expensive hobby. So we're curious - what products have you bought over the years that you swear by and feel were worth every penny you paid? Want to see what our members have to say? See the 'How to Join' tab if you're not a member but would like to join. 

This meeting will include:

-Welcome & Zoom Courtesy 101

Scour those sewing rooms and be prepared with an item in each of the following categories and be prepared to chat in our breakout rooms about why you think it's worth the money:

1.    Quilting items with cords (machines, irons, cutters, bobbin winders, etc.)

2.    Rulers/templates

3.    Kitchen sink (books, notions, mats, threads, patterns, etc.)

- Guild Business:
  :: Membership Information
  :: Financial Information

- Announcements/Reminders

  :: Monthly Skill Builder June 

  :: June Fabric Bundle Raffle - See your email for more details and the link.

  :: Informal Park Gatherings - Sunday June 27th, Tower Grove 

  :: Color of Connections Quilters Presentation July

  :: Remaining 2021 Meeting Plans

  :: Guild T-shirts

  :: 4x5 Bee Updates

  :: Get to Know You Challenge & Swap  

  :: Committee Updates

  :: Member Updates

  :: STLMQG Quilt Show July 2022

  :: MQG Quiltcon

- May Skill Builder Prize Winner

- June Bundle Raffle Drawing

- Show & Share (time permitting)

-------------------------- Reminders/Items Due ------------------------------

:: Don't forget to be working on your Challenge and Swap 'Get to Know You" pieces they are due at the end of the month and post your pictures on IG using the hashtag #stlmqgswapchallenge or email us at stlmqg@gmail.com to be entered one of two prizes being drawn at the July meeting.