Meeting Recap (January 5th, 2013)

Thanks to everyone who came out Saturday for our 1st meeting of 2013.  While the meeting was brief, I think it set us up for a lot of great things to come...so stay tuned. 

In the meantime, if you want to know more about what was discussed, check out the recap below.

• Mary Claire led our first monthly Fabric Raffle; which was a success.  We made $56 for the guild, $20 of which will be used to purchase next month's raffle item.  Don't forget your $$ next month...chances are $1/ticket.
• Kelly, our new Secretary, announced a free open-sewing opportunity at the Webster Groves Library next Saturday, January 12th from 9am-4pm.  Space is limited, so hop on over to our Flickr page to learn more and to sign-up.
• We can't wait to see what interesting projects you all have taken on in the Madrona Road Challenge.  Jackie showed us the quilt that she made today, wasn't it grand?
• Members continued to pay their 2013 dues, which are $30 for the year.  Being a due-paying member allows you the opportunity to participate in our Quarterly Sew-In Saturdays, take on guild Challenges, etc, etc.  Don't forget if you are a returning member, you must pay by February's meeting.
• Kristy discussed the comments/suggestions what were left in the Comment Box from December and asked members to offer suggestions for future activities.
• Show & Tell brought out some great projects and shook away some of the Winter-Blues.

Here's some of the opportunities you might want to know about.

• The MQG in collaboration with STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books is hosting an Essay contest, due January 25th.  The Question is... How has Kaffe (Fassett) influenced you in the past and how will that help you grown as a quilter in the new year?  The grand prize is 3 books and a 30piece FQ set.  Check out this link to learn more.
• Interested in having your modern quilt hang in a Quilt Show, then consider participating in the brand new "Modern" category opened by HMQS (Home Machine Quilt Show) held in Salt Lake City.  Entries are due April 13th and you can of course use a modern quilt that was made a few years back too.  Check out this link to learn more.
• Janie Lou Quilts (new shop on Manchester Rd) is having their Grand Opening next Saturday, January 12th.  If you haven't visited this new shop, what are you waiting for.  Let's continue to support Small Businesses!
• Are you interested in getting to know a little more about your fellow STLMQG member, want to learn some new piecing techniques and play with yummy fabric.  Consider being a part of the new quilting bee that is starting up in February.  Sign-ups will close soon.  Interested?  Drop us an email.

Thanks again for another great meeting.  We'll be back to our 2nd Saturday of the month meetings, so join us on February 9th and until then, make sure you check us out on Flickr, Facebook, Pinterest and here on the blog.

Happy New Year!!!

Meeting #29 - January 5th, 2013

Hello Modern Quilters,
Happy New Year!!!
Did you forget that our January meeting is this coming Saturday, the 5th.  This is due to a scheduling conflict at The Heights and was announced at December's meeting.  We'll be back to normal 2nd Saturday meetings for the rest of the year (except October).  Hope to see you all! 

New to our group, Welcome! Bring a friend, the more the merrier.

Date: January 5th, 2013
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Location: The Heights

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Agenda:

-Welcome & Guild Business
   :: Membership #s for 2012/2013
   :: Financial Information
   :: Special Announcements/Quilting News
-Madrona Road Challenge ongoing
-Open discussion of activities/events for 2013
-Dues for 2013
-Show & Tell
-Next Meeting Date (February 9th)
-Remaining Questions/Comments
-Mix & Mingle

***Have you made your nametag yet?  Have you been wearing it to the meetings?  Let's not forget that a nametag enters you into the DoorPrize drawing.

***We'll be collecting 2013 dues if you didn't pay them last month.  Yearly dues are $30, checks payable to the STLMQG are accepted as is cash of course. 

***Don't forget for those participating in the Madrona Road Challenge, your finished project is due at February's meeting.  Need the rules, you can find them here.

***Please bring your activity, demo and event ideas with you, as we will be having an open discussion of what you would like to learn in 2013. 

***Been busy sewing over the Holidays, or received some great modern fabric or books?  Why don't you show us what modern things you have been making or received during Show & Tell. 

Meeting Recap (December 8th, 2012)

We hope everyone enjoyed the meeting activities yesterday as you helped us send off 2012 with a Bang!  Here's a brief recap of the activities and things you may have missed or want to know more about.

• Our membership numbers ended with approx. 85 members for 2012.  We hope to see all of you next year and don't forget, if you didn't pay your dues for 2013, you will have another opportunity in January.
• 20 Members elected to participate in the Madrona Road Challenge.  They were each provided with 7 Fat Eighths, prints as seen in the photo below.  Challenge rules can be found here, and don't forget about our Madrona Road discussion thread on Flickr too.

• We want to Thank everyone who donated items and bought tickets for our Raffle.  It was another big success and the $$ we raised will help us with Speaker/Workshop fees, Retreat Reservation costs, and of course paying for our space at The Heights. 

• Drea, our new Charity Committee Chairperson, showed us the QuiltCon blocks that our guild received as part of the MQG's first large-scale charitable project.  We will be making a quilt; which will be donated to the Austin Children's Shelter.  You can read more about this project here.
• Kacey Cowdrey, member of Missouri Fiber Arts and Thimble & Thread, was our guest.  She introduced our members to a few of the projects she is involved in and spoke with a few members following Show & Tell, about their work being included in Thimble & Thread's 2013 Quilt Expo next March.

Finally, one more bit of very important news that you'll definately want to mark in big letters on your 2013 calendar.  Due to two scheduling conflicts at The Heights, our January and October meeting will be held the first Saturday of the month (January 5th, October 5th), not the second.  We'll send out a reminder email, post it on Facebook, here on our blog, etc. 

 

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Thanks to all of our members for another great year, you are what makes this guild great.

  We have our sights set high for 2013 as we look at bringing in a national speaker, participating in workshops, offering interactive and educational programs, and as always having lots of fun.

 

Have a Safe and Happy New Year!

Meeting #28 - December 8th, 2012

Hello Modern Quilters,

We hope that you'll join us this Saturday as we close out 2012 with a Bang.  We'll get our Raffle on with lots of wonderful crafty/quilty items, and celebrate our fellow member's creativity with lots of Show & Tell.

New to our group, Welcome! Bring a friend, the more the merrier.

Date: December 8th, 2012
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Location: The Heights

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Agenda:

-Welcome & Guild Business
:: Membership #s for 2012
:: Financial Information
:: Special Announcements/Quilting News
-Madrona Road Challenge, sponsored by Michael Miller Fabrics & the MQG
-Dues for 2013
-Ticket Raffle
-Extended Show & Tell
-Next Meeting Date (January)
-Remaining Questions/Comments
-Mix & Mingle

***There will NOT be Door Prizes this month as there is so much going on; but we'd still appreciate it if you'd wear your nametag anyway.

***We'll begin collecting 2013 dues this month and in January.  Yearly dues are $30, checks payable to the STLMQG are accepted as is cash of course. 

***The Photography 101 presentation is on hold until 2013, we Thank You for your patience.

***It's Ticket Raffle time, did you see the sneak peek at some of the items up for grabs?  Do you need tickets to participate?  We'll be selling them 3 for $1, and all of the $$ goes right back to the STLMQG...this is a fundraiser after all.  Don't forget that you'll need to write you name on the back of every ticket your receive/buy...so bring a sharpie, pen, etc...or as some people did last year, small return address stickers.

***We encourage our members to participate in this month's Extended Show & Tell, where we encourage you to bring a maximum of 5 items.  As always remember this is a Modern Quilt Guild.  Kacey Cowdrey of Thimble & Thread Quilt Guild will be in attendance looking for items to put in their big bi-annual Quilt Show, Spring of 2013.  As our membership has expanded, this is a great time to bring items that you may have shown earlier in the year too.

***Finally, we'll have a Comment Box ready and waiting for you to offer suggestions on 2013 activities, things you love, things you think could work differently, etc, etc. 

 

 

Happy Holidays!!!

From your STLMQG Officers

Ticket Raffle 2012

Happy December 1st, everyone! 

As many of you may remember, this month's meeting is jam-packed with lots of events and festivities.  The agenda will be out on Tuesday, so make sure that you check back in with us.

One of the many highlights this month will be our Ticket Raffle; which was a bounding success last year...so this year is Ticket Raffle, the sequel :-)

A big Thank You to all of our members who donated items this year, there are way too many to share here on our blog; but we picked just a few to wet your appetite.

The rules are pretty simple, if you donated items at November's meeting, you will be receiving tickets which you can use towards a chance at winning some wonderful items.  If you didn't donate, or want to buy tickets (this is a guild fundraiser afterall); tickets will be available for purchase at the meeting 3 for $1.  So don't forget your wallet, cash and checks will be accepted.

Here's a quick sneak peek at some of the items up for grabs:

 

And this isn't even the half of it.  We have lots more fabric, a finished quilt, patterns, sewing notions, restaurant gift certificate and wine, etc, etc, etc.

 

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Finally, there is one item which we will NOT be accepting tickets for; but rather holding a silent auction instead.  Due to it's size, the below foldable sewing cabinet will not be at the meeting; so if you are interested in this item please make sure that you check the dimensions that are provided below.  The current owner will make arrangements with the winner and gladly drop off this cabinet, so if you have a small vehicle, it won't be a problem.  Talk about a deal!

Opening for machine : 19 1/4" x 10 1/2"

Cabinet when open (as shown in left photo): 51" Length x 34 3/4" Width x 30" High

Cabinet when closed (as shown in right photo): 24" Length x 34 3/4" Width x 30" High

If you have specific questions about the cabinet, drop us a line and we'll forward the questions onto the current owner.

 

Are you excited yet?

 

 

Meeting Recap (November 10th, 2012)

Thanks to everyone who came out and attended out meeting yesterday, it was nice seeing your smiling faces.

Here's a recap of things that you may have missed, want to know more about:

• QuiltCon Quilt Show submissions are due Nov. 30th.  Here's the link for more information.
• Our guild is signed up for the Madrona Road MQG Challenge, as soon as more is known, I'll forward this onto all of our membership
• Thanks to Tess, for forwarding along the eQuilter.com Quilt Relief that is happening right now for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  If you'd like to learn how you can participate in this massive relief effort, check out this link.
• Thanks to our two Secretary candidates for their lovely introductions, and inviting commentary.  The ballots were handed out, counted and our new Secretary was announced.  Here is your STLMQG Leadership/Committee Chairpersons look for 2013
• President -- Kristy Daum
• Vice President -- Lynne
• Secretary -- Kelly
• Treasurer -- Rene
• Fabric Raffle Representative -- Mary Claire
• Charity Committee Chairperson -- Drea
• Sign-ups for the Charity Committee and Member's Swap/Challenge Committee were made available and it looks like we'll have another great group.  If you were unable to attend the meeting and have interest in one or both of these committees, December will be your last opportunity to sign-up.
• Cindy Lammon will be giving her Photography 101 presentation in December; but discussed that shootflyshoot.com has offered a generous discount to STLMQG members who have interest in their online photography class; which Cindy mentioned she had taken herself.   
• Another big Thanks goes out to those members who generously donated items to the Ticket Raffle which will be held next month.  Keep an eye here on our blog for some photos of a handful of items up for grabs.  Remember tickets will be sold 3 for $1.
• Show & Tell was another great success and we are always delighted to see the variety of modern items that are shown, including lovely bags, new quilt designs and over the top inspiration.  Keep up the good work.

Since we won't be seeing you before next week,

the STLMQG wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

 

Meeting #27 - November 10th, 2012

Hello Modern Quilters,

This Saturday is going to be loads of fun as we learn a little about Photography, take a vote in the Election and collect items for our Ticket Raffle.  Also, don't forget Show & Tell.

New to our group, Welcome! Bring a friend, the more the merrier.

Date: November 10th, 2012
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Location: The Heights

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Agenda:

-Welcome & Guild Business
    :: Membership #s for 2012
    :: Financial Information
    :: Special Announcements/Quilting News
-Election
-Photography 101 Presentation by Cindy Lammon
-Ticket Raffle Donation Collection
-Election Results
-Show & Tell
-Next Meeting Date (December 8th)
     :: Ticket Raffle
     :: Show & Tell Extended Edition
-Remaining Questions/Comments
-Mix & Mingle


***Don't forget your modern quilty nametag, otherwise you won't be eligible for Door Prizes***

***It's Election time.  Those due-paying members in attendance this Saturday will be given a ballot for voting.  Election results will be provided at the end of the meeting.

***This is the month that we will be collecting ALL of the Ticket Raffle items for our event in December.  The event is not only a great fundraiser for our guild; but a way to try your hand at taking home some great items.  You don't have to donate to play either, as we will be selling tickets 3 for $1 at the December meeting.  If you are donating, your donation will be calculated based on the total "retail value" of the entire donation...not each individual item.

Check out the categories below to see how many tickets you will receive:

$10 or less = 5 Tickets

$11 - $30 you receive 10 Tickets

$31 - $50 you receive 15 Tickets

$51 and up = 20 tickets

What sort of items are we looking for? 

• Quilt shop quality modern fabric (Charm Packs, FQs, Large bag of scraps)
• Quilt Patterns/Books
• Crafty supplies (Crochet Hooks, Knitting Needles, Perle Cotton, Clear Rulers, Yarn-Not Acrylic, etc)
• Misc (Handmade Totebags/Handbags, Yankee Candles, Restaurant/Shop Gift Certificates, etc)

The above are just a few suggestions to get your wheels turning.  While all donated items do not need to be quilting/sewing related; they should be things that you are confident your fellow STLMQG member would be excited to win.  While items can be new or gently used, please keep the following in mind.

Please, Please, Please note that this IS NOT a way for you to clean out your closet, basement, garage of "trash".  While one man's trash may be another man's treasure...don't let that be your motto.  If it belongs on the Freebie Table, it doesn't belong in our Ticket Raffle. 

Finally, when it comes to fabric donations, please make sure that it is quilt-shop quality and of the basic (solids-Kona, Moda, FreeSpirit, etc) or Modern style.  While we know that our membership is comprised of quilters/sewists who like a variety of quilting styles (Traditional, Art, Contemporary, Modern, etc)...this is after all the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild :-)

The above is not meant to put a damper on the fun; but rather to make sure that our membership is presented with a ton of great items to choose from in December. 


***Also, don't forget that we love to see what modern-quilting related projects you've been working on, bring up to 3 items for Show & Tell and let's inspire one another ***