Meeting Recap (July 10th, 2021)

Talk about hot girl summer! The STLMQG hosted the HOT ladies of the Color of Connections Quilt over zoom to hear all about their mission and connection through quilting. 

Porfiria, Keyana, and Michelle - Color of Connection Quilt Ladies

May of 2020 was a rough time for America. The world was going through a massive pandemic and injustices and racism in America were making global headlines, again. Many people were feeling very unsettled and upset at things going on around them. So one woman, Michelle (GA) reached out on Instagram to check on how a fellow quilter, Porfira (NY) was feeling. One simple question became the springboard for an amazing idea. We connect over our love for quilts - what else can we connect over? They used their love of quilting as a way to open the door to talk. Three women from different parts of the United States with different skin tones, different communities all connecting over their love of quilting and each other. The more that they talked the more they wanted to share that feeling with other people.

As the two ladies talked more they roped in Keyana (OH) into their group decided to work on a pattern for their QAL. They approached a Georgia jewelry maker for help and inspiration, she was thrilled to help and her only request was that the money made from their pattern be donated to a non-profit. As the women began to search for a non-profit that fit their vision, they came to realize that maybe they should start their OWN non-profit. And this is how their non-profit was born. This was a movement. A movement for colorful change through the joy of quilting. 

Their goals were straightforward - they wanted to use the love of quilting to connect folks and give back to their communities through quilt workshops and building a supportive online community. In each of their hometowns, they would host quilting workshops with underprivileged populations. They wanted to teach, empower, and connect the next generation of quilters to share their stories through textile art.

They held their first QAL in February online to help raise awareness for their mission and build that online community and help raise money! Then their first workshop took place in Atlanta Georgia. They taught the young women of Jesse’s House how to not only sew but make their first quilt. Girls who started the day off as grumpy teens rolling their eyes at the idea of quilting - turned into smiling faces thrilled with the exciting feeling of seeing a quilt top come together. They each completed a top that day and longarmers all over the country donated their services have finished up their tops - so they can be delivered back to the girls. They will not only have a beautiful quilt that they themselves made they also now have a whole new set of skills to feel proud of. 

They will be hosting workshops in Ohio and in New York coming up this year. 

These ladies shared a lot about what this experience has taught them - mainly to pursue diversity and love through a shared love of quilting and to remember to have grace for one another. Grace, encouragement, and love are key.

Many folks in the community have donated to help make their workshops possible - if you are interested in donating you can of course buy their pattern, donate, sign up for their newsletter, join their next QAL (coming Feb 2022) and make sure to get out there and talk about it! Sometimes getting out there can be difficult - it can be uncomfortable to confront the hard things going in the world around us as the ladies say - 

"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!" 

Michelle, @meeshquilts   |   Porfiria, @mrsporfiria   |   Keyana, @collectivequilts

If you're interested in working with fellow guild members to work on similar initiatives here in STL let us know! We would love to give back to the STL community and get more folks involved - email us at stlmqg@gmail.com

Guild Items Covered:

• Around Town Quilt Happenings
   - Perennial is having a weaving class Saturday, July 17th - Check it out >
   - City Sewing Room is having a 12-hour sew-in on July 25th 10a-10p $25 - Learn more >
  
  
• QuiltCon 2022 - The 2022 Catalog is here! Make sure to check it out so that when Registration opens on Aug 4th you are ready to sign up - they fill up fast!
  
  
• In-Person meetings are BACK in August!!! August Saturday 14th 10a-12:30 at the Shrewsbury Center It's been a while we know! If you are new or need a little refresher check out this blog post for some of the things you can expect. We will hear a little from our previous president Kristy Duam about what modern quilting means and mostly we just plan on having a fun time catching up with everyone and seeing all those projects you've been saving up! (we will be following the CDC mask recommendations at that time)
  
  
• Membership up to date? Are you ready to come back in person but aren't a current member - check out this post to read how to join. Dues are half price for the remainder of the year!
  
  
• Remaining Monthly Events  
  August: IN PERSON WELCOME BACK !!! Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  September: In-Person - Quilt Photographer Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  October: Stay Tuned
  November: In-Person - Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  December: In-Person Raffle Shrewsbury City Center 10-12:30
  
  
• Monthly Skill Builder July - Guild member Octavia Pitts will be teaching us Improv Piecing on July 21st from 7-8pm. You can always read more on the Monthly Skill Builder blog. We will also be recording the monthly sessions and sending them out within 48 hours. 
  
  
• QuiltCon Community Quilt Challenge - this year it's all about angles (specifically not 90º ones!) Leila, Laura, and Lilo are heading up the charge and we could use some volunteers. Let us know if you're interested - we will be on a tight timeline to turn this around - so stayed tuned for more information to come!
  
  
• Save the Date for STLMQG Quilt Show 2022 - July 16 – 17, 2022 - Kirkwood Community Center, set up July 15
  
  
• Hand Sew *Home* Happy Hour July 27th, 6-9PM come and go as you please - join us to sew or just to chat!
  
  
• 4x5 Quarterly Bees are underway - your blocks are due at the August Meeting - make sure to post pictures on IG and use the hashtag #stlmqg4x5bee
  
  
• Guild Merch - Thanks to everyone that ordered! When they are ready for pick up we will let you know and you can pick them up from Lilo or at the August meeting if you did not have them shipped. We will also have a limited number of extras for sale at the August meeting if you missed the chance to order online. 

Fabric & Pattern Raffle

We had some gorgeous bright FQ Basics Bundles from Libs Elliot's Dear Diary provided by Cotton Cuts. Winners were Jaymie Norber & Pam Hartig. 

If you want to get beautiful fabric delivered to your door and support a local STLMQG member and fabric shop check out Cotton Cuts and sign up today!

In-Person Meetings: What to Expect

Friends. It's coming! Our first in-person meeting in 18 months (18 months!!) will be August 14, 2021! Are you ready? Yes, No, Maybe, Unsure? It's all good, we have you covered no matter your speed. Here is as much as we can think of to share with you about our meetings when you are ready to join us: 

What Happens to Zoom: Don't worry, for the remainder of 2021 we will still have a Zoom element to the meetings. It may not as interactive, but you will have a window into the action. 

COVID Precautions: We will be following whatever CDC guidelines are in place at the time of the meeting. These are fluid so be sure to check back often.

Meeting Locations and Times are located on the Meeting and Events Tab. Please note: in person meetings are 10:00am - 12:30pm which is an hour longer than when we were exclusively on Zoom. 

At the Meeting:

• General Format: 
• Arrive, Find a Seat, Get the Lay of the Land: This may include signing in, adding things to the free table, displaying blocks, etc. 
• Guild Business, Announcements, Reminders
• Break
• Main Activity
• Show and Share
• Attendance Prizes and Raffle Drawings
• Things to Do:
• Sign In! If you wore a homemade name tag you will also get to pick up a ticket for attendance prizes. 
• Purchase Fabric Raffle Tickets: pet the pretty fabric of the month and buy your tickets. 
• Check Out Library Books: The guild has a robust collection of pattern, design, and technique books. You are welcome to check one out and bring it back to the next meeting!
• Dig into the the Free Table: Add items you no longer need and take anything that looks interesting from the free table! 
• Display your bee blocks and skill builder examples on the wall!
• Bring something for Show and Share! At the end of the meeting anyone is welcome to come on stage and show off your latest make. 
• Meet someone new! Look for folks wearing stickers that let you know they are guests or new members and say hello.
• Things to Bring:
• Check the agenda posted on the blog each Tuesday before the meeting to see if anything from our activities is due.
• Your homemade nametag!
• Library books you checked out the previous month.
• Examples of your skill builder. 
• Projects for Show and Share.
• Items for the free table and a bag to take things home from the free table.
• Anything you need to exchange with fellow members: traveling quilts, bee blocks, longarm projects...
• A big ol' smile!
• A friend! Folks can attend 2 meetings to see if we are a good fit for them. See the How to Join tab for more info. 

Odds and Ends/Further Explanations:

• Name Tags: Make yourself a name tag and wear it to the meeting. When you check in you will be given a ticket and we will draw for attendance prizes at the end of the meeting. It can be embroidered, appliqued, written in fabric pen, sharpie, raspberry jam.... whatever you like! 
• Free Table: This is NOT A TRASH TABLE. Please don't bring anything you wouldn't offer to your neighbor. Feel free to save any really great items for the December raffle. 
• Monthly Fabric Raffle: We will have an online option to purchase tickets up until the evening before the meeting. Tickets will then be available for purchase at the meeting. (Potentially cash only, we are still working on this.)
• Skill Builder: Get an extra ticket to win the monthly prize by bringing your skill builder example to the meeting!!
• December Raffle: Each December our meeting is one big fund raiser/giveaway. In October and November you may start bringing nice items to donate to the raffle in exchange for tickets. You may also purchase tickets at the beginning of the December meeting. We then take time to put our tickets in the bag that corresponds to the items we hope to win. Once all tickets have been distributed, we start pulling out winning tickets!
• Member Announcements: Not on the board or on a committee but have something you want to share? Great! There is always a moment set aside for members to stand up and share announcements. 

Meeting #111 (July 10th, 2021)

Summer is in full swing here in St. Louis and as we prepare to start our in preson meetings back up we thought it would be awesome to use the unique format of Zoom one more time this month to connect up with some amazing ladies in the quilting community. 

If you are interested in joining - 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

- Special Guest Speakers - The Color of Connection Quilt Ladies

We are so pleased to welcome the creators of Color of Connection Quilt, Michelle (@meeshquilts), Porfiria (@mrsporfiria), and Keyana (@collectivequilts)! These three ladies have a goal to teach, empower, and connect the next generation of quilters, particularly in underprivileged populations, to share their stories through textile art. Their quilt a-long in February has brought hundreds of quilters across the world together to make connections, develop friendships, and bask in the glow of quilt creation while also supporting a truly lovely mission. We are so excited to hear from them!

- Guild Business:
  :: Membership Information
  :: Financial Information
  :: Quilting News

- Announcements/Reminders

  :: August In-person Meeting Return 

  :: Monthly Skill Builder July 

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

  :: Committee Updates

  :: Member Updates

- June Skill Builder Prize Winner

- July Bundle Raffle Drawing

- Show & Share (time permitting)

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

:: Don't forget to post your pictures of your quilt backing skills using the new tips you learned on IG using the hashtag #stlmqgskillbuilder or email us at stlmqg@gmail.com to be entered to win this month's prize.