Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Meeting Recap (June 11, 2022)

We had a busy meeting on Saturday, chock full of information. The committees facilitated handing out quilt kits, quilt show postcards, and fabric swapping. Keep reading to stay up to date on everything we covered.


Guild Business

  • Cathy (President) covered the upcoming BOM, in Em's absence, and general meeting reminders.
  • Gail (Treasurer) went over the guild's finances and our current membership numbers. If you're not a member yet, learn how to join HERE.
  • Octavia (Secretary) went over some Instagram basics for sharing your work with the guild online. We love sharing what you are up to. Some things to keep in mind:
    • Privacy: Set profile to public if you want to share on guild IG. Membership can still see your work through the hashtags.

    • Hashtags: #stlmqg - guild account || #stlmqgbom - BOM blocks || #stlmqgcares - charity projects || #stlmqgswap22 - swap/challenge projects in 2022
    • IG Handles: I don't know every member's screen name and won't share your work unless I know you're a member. Just send me a quick note telling me who you are.
    • Tagging Others: Use @ symbol to directly notify a user
    • Content: Keep it modern. Also, consider this bonus material. Stories may not happen everyday or highlight everything you share.

  • Member announcements:
    • Guild member Heather Dye is looking for pattern testers for her new pattern. Contact info in the member drive if you are interested.
    • Sewing volunteer opportunities available at the new community sewing room SewHope STL.


Activity: So You Want to Go to QuiltCon?

    Did you know you that being a member of the St. Louis Modern Quild Guild means you are also a member of the national Modern Quilt Guild? Have you heard about this thing called a "Quilt Con" and wondered what kind of person tricks people into quilting? (Didn't have to trick you into it, am I right?) Since QuiltCon 2023 is being hosted in Atlanta, GA, a reasonable distance to drive, we knew we needed to help our newer members get a grasp on exactly what QuiltCon is.

    Our panel of guild members who have attended previous QuiltCons gave us all the scoop on the nitty gritty details of making the most of the event. Gina covered taking classes, Pam discussed attending lectures, Leila went over the show floor and vendors, Emily covered registration, and Dottie covered volunteering. One big takeaway was that if you are interested in attending it is wise to get clear on the how-to's of registering BEFORE registration opens.  We opened the floor to questions and directed post meeting questions to the event we created on Facebook. Check it out!

The Modern Quilt Guild posts all the information and updates HERE prior to the event.

Committee Updates
  • Sew Me
    • Jenn from the Sew Me committee went over what the event is for new members and gave updates on the details of this three day sewing retreat. SewMe updates will be posted HERE.
    • If you have demonstration ideas, wish to offer a demonstration, or have donations for the raffle please get in touch with the SewMe committee through the guild email.
  • Quilt Show
    • The Quilt Show committee began accepting quilts for the show. If you still need to drop yours off the details are HERE. Bags to keep your quilts clean can be purchased for $2/bag. Cash only.
    • All members are requested to complete two 2.5 hour volunteer shifts during the show. Sign ups are HERE
    • We also need your help publicizing the show. Right click the images below to download and save them. Then send them to everyone you know. You can also share the Quilt Show events created on the Facebook group. Use these links to find the event July 16 & July 17.


  • Charity
    • Between member donations and a committee workday, the Charity committee created over 100 quilt kits to distribute at the meeting. There are still a few left, so if you were not able to attend or would like an additional one, please contact Tess through the guild email.
    • New quilt labels and batting pieces were distributed, and instructions given on when and how to properly return the charity quilts. Info can be found HERE.
    • The committee has created a comprehensive document in the member drive full of pattern suggestions for those wanting to go a different route then the kit patterns. Quilt parameters are HERE.

  • Swap and Challenge
    • Guild members who participated in the Inspirational Fabric Swap used part of the break to trade fat quarters.
    • The committee went over the Swap Fabric Placement Challenge they have devised using those swap fabrics or something from your stash.
    • Challenge blocks are due in November and there may even be some prizes, although this is not a contest.
    • Official rules can be found HERE.

Other Items Covered
  • Home Sew Happy Hour: Jump on Zoom June 21 from 6-9pm with your favorite beverage and some tedious sewing that's better with friends. This is a casual event where you can come and go as you please.
  • Block of the Month Winners: Macy Sprunger won the prize for April and Gail Luther was our May winner. Have you joined in the Block of the Month sampler quilt party yet? It's been so fun seeing everyone's take on Instagram. For all the info look HERE. It's not too late to jump in.
  • June BOM: Speaking of the block of the month, the next tutorial is live on the blog. We're tackling 45 degree angles in a gorgeous Lone Star block. Don't sweat it though. Em takes you through all the steps HERE. Post to Instagram using #stlmqgbom or email a photo before our next meeting to be entered for a prize. 

  • Fabric Raffle: Who won the Tula treasure you might ask? Thanks to Cotton Cuts we gave away two FQ bundles of Tula Pink's Tiny Beasts to Robyn Passig and Susan Muszynski. Hooray!
  • Show and Share: We wrapped up the meeting with another great Show and Tell. Pics are being posted to our Instagram and Facebook pages. Join us there to see pictures of quilts that were shared, and to stay up to date on what's to come this year!

Swap Fabric Placement Challenge

 Swap Fabric Placement Challenge

June 2022-November 2022

We hope all members will take advantage of this challenge to learn more about how Value, Contrast, Volume, and Scale of their fabrics affect the appearance and, perhaps, success of a quilt.

Guidelines:
  • Participants will select ONE of the three quilt blocks presented by the Challenge Committee- Easy, Moderate or Advanced. These can be found in the member drive in the Swap/Challenge folder or you can right click on your selected block below. Then save to your device.


  • Then, taking the four fat quarters from our Inspiration Swap OR four fat quarters of their choice, make THREE (or four, if desired) of the block pattern selected from those four fabrics but SWAP the placement of the fabrics in each block. These can be found in the member drive in the Swap/Challenge folder or download from above.
  • These blocks will be due at the November meeting where we will showcase the results for all to appreciate.
  • Blocks may be presented unfinished OR finished as desired, e.g. table runner, mini quilts, charity quilt.
  • This is not a competition, but there may still be prizes!
  • Below are instructions on piecing quarter square triangles. These are also located in the member drive or you can save to your device by right clicking the image and choosing the save option.


Quilt Show Updates - June 2022

 STLMQG 2022 Quilt Show


(Setup Friday, July 15, 7pm-10pm)

Saturday, July 16, 10 am-5 pm

Sunday, July 17, 11 am-4 pm

Kirkwood Community Center

111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122


Suggested Donation $7 (cash or credit via QR code)

Children ages 5 and under and current STLMQG members free


  • Thanks to those who dropped off their quilts at the meeting and to those who took postcards to drop off at local quilt shops, libraries, etc.  Thanks also to all the committee members who have been meeting since October to plan our Quilt Show.
  • Volunteer sign ups! All members are asked to sign up for at least two (2.5 hour) shifts. A variety of jobs will be available. We cannot run this show without you!  Times include set up on Friday evening, staffing the show Saturday and Sunday, and taking quilts down on Sunday.
  • Sign up here:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4FACA822AA8-sltmqg
  • Next quilt drop-offs:  July 9 (10am-1pm) and July 10 (noon-3pm) in the Shrewsbury Center lobby.
    • Quilts wider than 40" need a sleeve
    • Place your quilt in a large plastic bag, labeled with your name, the name of the quilt, and the category
  • Help publicize the show! Post quilt show info on your social media and share with everyone you know. Right click on these images to save to your device, then share through email or social media.


  • At the show we will raffle off our Charity Quilt, "The Divide", with proceeds to benefit the St. Louis Area Foodbank. We will also have a pattern for sale, created for the show by Kristy Daum ($10), have vendors (including scissor sharpening but only on Saturday), along with our members' wonderful quilts!  Voting for one winner per category and Viewer's Choice will also take place on Saturday.  See you there!

Ready, "Come and Kit It," Sew!!!!

Thank You to members who picked up a “Come & Kit It” quilt for The Women’s Safe House.  

 


We have a few kits still remaining, so if you were not able to attend the meeting, please

reach out to Tess McMahon through the guild email.

 

Turn In Dates:

  • Sew Me St. Louis,  October 7, 8 & 9
  • STLMQG Meeting, November 12

 

Reminders:

  • Please attach the “STLMQG CARES” label included in the kits
    • Members can pick up labels at August and September meetings
  • Return quilts in the plastic bags provided

 

And don’t forget, you can create your own quilt:

  • Resources are on the STLMQG Member Drive
  • Orphan Blocks and/or Bee Blocks

Saturday, June 11, 2022

2022 Block of the Month Sampler - June

 


Welcome to Month Six of the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild 2022 Block of the Month Sampler!

Remember to post your block to Instagram with the hashtag #stlmqgbom before the 2nd Saturday of July to be entered to win this month's prize. (There is no July meeting because of our quilt show, This Is Modern. See you there!) If you don't use Instagram, you may email a photo to the guild email.

This month, we will be making an 18-inch lone star block. A lone star block uses strip piecing and 45° angle cuts to create multiple rows of diamonds that form the star points. A lone star can have MANY rows of these diamonds, but for this lone star, we will just be using three. 

***This block took me 2 hours and 6 minutes to cut and sew, as well as take photos for this tutorial. You may need to add extra time for reading the tutorial, especially if you have never tried a lone star before.***

CUTTING DIRECTIONS:


Fabric1 (inner diamonds of star): (1) 2¼" x 28" strip
Fabric2 (middle diamonds of star): (1) 2¼" x 28" strip
Fabric3 (outer diamonds/points of star): (1) 2¼" x 28" strip

*if you are using fat quarters or don't have fabric length for a 28" strip, you may use more shorter strips. 

Background: (4) 5" squares, cut on the diagonal to make 8 triangles 
                      (4) 6½" squares, cut on the diagonal to make 8 triangles

SEWING DIRECTIONS: 


1. Line up one strip of Fabric2 (middle) above the strip of Fabric1 (inner). Off-set to the right by 2". Place right sides together and sew the length of the strip using a ¼" seam allowance. 

Line up the strip of Fabric3 (outer) above the other strip of  Fabric2 (middle). Off-set to the right by 2". Place right sides together and sew the length of the strip using a ¼" seam allowance. 

Iron open towards Fabric2. 



2. This step requires a ruler with a 45° angle marking. Line up the 45° angle line along the edge of your strip set. Trim of the excess. 

Keeping the 45° angle consistent, cut EIGHT sections at 2¼". 

Repeat for your second strip set. 


Match each Fabric1-2 set with a corresponding Fabric2-3 set. 


**Note: I am not a big pinner. I tend to avoid them as much as possible. However, in this case, I highly recommend pinning your two strip sets together prior to sewing. 
    a. Place your Fabric1-2 set and your Fabric2-3 set right sides together. Put a pin on the seam line between the two fabrics, ¼" from the edge. 
    b. Slide the pin through to the bottom set, and again, put the pin through the fabric on the seam line, ¼" from the edge. 
    c. With the pin through both fabrics as a pivot point, line up the edges of the 2 strip sets, then angle the pin to come up through the fabric and secure the pieces together. 



3. Sew the sections of strip sets together. I can't recommend sewing through pins because that sucker could break your needle or the pin could splinter and fly into your eye. That being said, I sewed (VERY slowly) over my pins because you want that line of stitches to cross right over where your pin is inserted. You could also just take the pin out right before you sew that bit. 


You will now have eight 4-piece diamonds. These will be the arms of your lone star.

We are making four identical quadrants that will be sewn together into the finished star. 



4. Using two of your star arms, lay them out with the background triangles as shown.


5. Take one of the smaller triangles and place it right sides together along its long side with one of the outside angles of the star arm. The point of the background triangle will extend beyond the outside of the star arm at the ¼“ mark. Sew together with ¼“ seam allowance. Iron open. Repeat with the other star arm of that quadrant. 


6. Now, use one of your larger triangles, and place right sides together with a star arm along one of its short sides, as shown. Again, the point of the background triangle will extend beyond the star arm at the ¼“ mark. Sew together with ¼“ seam allowance. 


Trim off those little “dog ears” extending beyond the seam allowance. Iron open. Repeat with the other star arm of that quadrant.


7. Sew together the two halves of the quadrant along the diagonal line, matching the seam lines as you go. It will be easiest to line up your star if you start sewing from the inner corner of the star. Iron open.

8. Trim to 9½“. To ensure that the star remains the correct size, it’s best to first line up the inside of the star and trim as little as possible, just enough to square up your star quadrant. Then turn the quadrant and complete your trim to 9½“.



Repeat steps 4 - 8  for the remain three quadrants of your lone star. Sew together, again lining up seams and beginning from the inside of the star. 

You're done! Great job! Remember to post your finished lone star block to Instagram with the hashtag #stlmqg. 
















Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Meeting #121 (June 11, 2022)

Summer is around the corner and so is our first quilt show in a few years! We missed you all in May. June's meeting is jam packed with information, as well as panel discussion on QuiltCon so make sure not to miss us. Catch us on Zoom if you can't meet in person.

**The guild will adhere to the guidelines set forth by the CDC. Per the CDC: In St. Louis County, Missouri, community level is High. Updates can be found HERE.
  • Wear a mask indoors in public.
  • People may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.
Date: June 11, 2022
Time: 10 am-12:30 pm
Location: 
Shrewsbury Center - 5200 Shrewsbury Ave, St. Louis, MO 63119

Agenda:

-Welcome & Guild Business
  • Zoom etiquette
  • Financial Information
  • Membership Information
  • Quilting News/Around Town
  • Reminders
  • BOM updates
  • Social media updates
  • Committee updates
    • Sew Me: Updates on the retreat.
    • Quilt Show: Quilt drop off, plastic bags for sale (cash only $2/bag), publicizing show, and volunteer updates.
    • Charity: Kit distribution and available patterns.
    • Swap/Challenge: Go over new challenge and facilitate Inspiration FQ swap.
  • Inspiration FQ Swap - use the hashtag #stlmqgswap22 to share on Instagram
---Break---
  • Swap with your Inspiration partner
  • Drop off your quilts for the quilt show
  • Pickup a kit for a charity quilt
  • Sign in

-June Activity - So You Want to Go to QuiltCon...

You asked and we listened! Since QuiltCon will be in Atlanta, GA next year, the Programming committee along with several guild members will talk to us about what it's like to go to QuiltCon. Learn the ins and outs of navigating this huge event especially tailored to modern quilters. Get your questions ready!

-Meeting Wrap-up
  • Fabric raffle winner announcement - Thank you Cotton Cuts!
  • April and May Block of the Month winner announcement
  • Attendance Prizes
  • Show & Tell (time permitting)
-------------------------- Reminders ------------------------------
  • Bring your Inspiration Swap Fat Quarters!
  • Publicize the show on social media and email.
  • Drop off quilts for the quilt show.
  • Bring cash for ziploc bags for show quilts. $2
  • Wear your name tags.
  • Buy raffle tickets online HERE.
  • Free table items.
  • Bring your Show and Share goodies!

Come and Kit It


 Remember Oprah Winfrey’s “You Get  A Car!, You Get A Car!……”

Sorry, no cars, but we will have Charity Kits!!

 

With your generous donations, the Charity Committee has assembled over 100+ kits that will be available this Saturday, June 11th!  

 


 In addition, Yellow Brick Road kits have been assembled and 6 lucky members will

receive a free pattern gifted by Terry Atkinson!    

 

Take a moment to consider many options to make your own special quilt for The Women’s Safe House.


Links to patterns can be found in the member drive.

This is Modern 2022 - Quilt Show Updates

 STLMQG 2022 Quilt Show

Saturday, July 16, 10 am-5 pm

Sunday, July 17, 11 am-4 pm

Kirkwood Community Center

111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122

 

Bring your show quilts to drop off before the June 11th meeting begins, at break, or at the end of the meeting.

  • Quilts wider than 40" need a sleeve: http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com/2012/02/hang-your-quilt-hanging-sleeve-tutorial.html
  • Consider adding a label to your quilt.
  • Place your quilt in a large plastic bag, preferably with a handle.
    • Bags will be available at the meeting for $2.
    • Label the bag with your name, the name of the quilt, and the category.
  • Next quilt drop offs: July 9 (10-1) & July 10 (noon-3) @ Shrewsbury Center lobby.
  • Quilt pickup: After the show ends, estimated 5pm Sunday. 

Volunteer sign ups coming soon! All members are asked to sign up for at least two (2.5 hour) shifts. A variety of jobs will be available. We cannot run this show without you!

Times include set up on Friday evening, staffing the show Saturday and Sunday, and taking quilts down on Sunday

 

Help publicize the show! Post quilt show info on your social media and share with everyone you know. Right click the images below and save to your device. Members can find these images in the member drive as well. We'll also have postcards available at the June meeting for you to hand out.