Meeting Recap (April 9, 2022)

Our in person meeting last weekend was a rollicking good time as we got to know each other a little better with our mixer and fabric swap. If you missed us Saturday keep reading for some important and time sensitive updates.

Guild Business:

• Gail (Treasurer) went over the guild's finances. If you are interested to know more, please contact her or see her report on the group Facebook page.
• Octavia (Secretary) covered our current membership which is currently 167 members. If you're not a member yet, learn how to join HERE.

**DEADLINE SOON**

Be sure to save the date for the STLMQG's 3rd quilt show, which will be held July 16-17, 2022. Set up will take place July 15, and we'll need all hands on deck over the course of the weekend (volunteer signups to come), so please plan accordingly.

But for now -- we need your quilts! Click here to register your modern quilts.

Registration is open to members through April 16 -- that's this coming Saturday! Please join us in showing off our members' wonderful work. We'd love to show something (or several somethings) from each one of you! You will find all the information you need for registration here. Please review the document carefully before submitting quilts or emailing us with questions.

If you have any questions after reading the instructions, please email the committee at stlmqgquiltshow@gmail.com. We hope that as many members as possible will participate so we can really put our best foot forward for the show. And don't be shy about entering multiple quilts/items; each member can register up to nine quilts/items (though acceptance of all entries is not guaranteed).

 

We also need you to publicize the show! You can download the full-resolution .jpg here or .png here for sharing on Instagram, Facebook, etc. (We also made a few updates, so if you've already downloaded the old versions, go ahead and switch to the new ones. Thanks!) Help us get the word out!

Thank you!

STLMQG Quilt Show Committee

**WORKSHOP SPACE STILL AVAILABLE**

Email the guild if you are interested in joining a workshop. If you registered and have not yet paid, please do so as soon as possible to keep your spot. Details below.

Papper, Sax, Sten: Jenny Haynes is our guest speaker in May. There will be NO IN-PERSON meeting that weekend. All of these events will take place via Zoom. Please note the change in time. She will chat with the guild on May 14 from 9:30-10:15 AM CDT. Paid workshops will take place May 14 and 15 from 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM CDT. Workshop descriptions can be found HERE.

Items Covered:

• Home Sew Happy Hour: Jump on Zoom April 19 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: Patti Baymiller was our winner for March and also the first to get her blocks posted the day after our last meeting! 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.
• April BOM: Speaking of the block of the month, the next tutorial is live on the blog. We're focusing on variations of the square-in-a-square block, so choose your adventure and get sewing. Post to Instagram using #stlmqgbom or email a photo before our next meeting to be entered for a prize. We will select a winner for April even though we won't meet in May. Tutorial can be found HERE.

• Committee updates: 
•  The Swap and Challenge committee collected the "Lockup" blocks made from the fabrics traded at our "ugly" fabric swap last meeting. Cathy Jones and Dottie Vaughn each won a bundle of blocks. Congrats!
• The Swap and Challenge committee also initiated the "inspirational" fabric swap, due in June. See the rules HERE.
• The Quilt Show committee emphasized registering your quilts and promoting our show in July. Not sure how to share the image on social media, get in touch. Talk it up outside of social media too! See important info above.
• The Charity committee asked our membership to consider making gender neutral or using traditionally male color schemes for a portion of the quilts we donate. Our donations generally overlook this group and young men do reside at TWSH with their mothers. We'd like to be able to give them quilts that more easily fit their tastes.
• The Charity committee also collected fabric donations from members to make kits for the Women's Safe House Project. Want to hear how we did? Keep reading.

The Women's Safe House Project

I know everyone is excited to hear how much fabric we collected for this endeavor, and it was quite the party at the donations table, but first let's recognize our speaker from TWSH, Mary Ann Owens. Mary Ann went over the specifics of what makes her organization stand out above the rest and most importantly, how they empower women to lead lives beyond their current circumstances. We are excited to partner with them and encourage you to learn more about them and ways to get involved HERE. 

So how much fabric did our members donate to this awesome charity? According to the Charity committee we collected 534 and 1/4 yards - enough to reach the top of the Gateway Arch and back, with over 114 yards to spare! Or for you Cardinals fans, over 256 Albert Pujols'!! Go crazy folks, go crazy! Thank you guild members.

The Charity committee will be busy assembling kits for the children's quilts to be distributed at the June meeting. But you don't have to wait to get started!! Start sewing those masterpieces now. We will be collecting quilts for women residents and their dependent children throughout the year. TWSH is one of the few residential programs that accept male children 12-18 years of age, and we know with our amazing members we will be able to meet that need as well. Please visit the blog HERE for quilt needs and size guidelines. And again, thank you for your overwhelming generosity.

Mixer and Inspirational Fabric Swap

Do you prewash or not? Drive your machine barefoot or with shoes? Questions like these helped us get to know each other a little better as we divulged our highly personal quilting preferences and habits. At the end we all lined up around the room in order of how long we'd been guild members. Almost half of our current membership joined since the pandemic first shut us down in March 2020! Afterwards, we traded fat quarters within our groups and chatted about what inspires us when choosing the thing that keeps us all sewing - pretty fabric.

It's awesome seeing our membership grow and watching you all get to know more about one another.

• Fabric Raffle: One of our brand new members was a winner this month! Congrats to Tee Perdue and Candice Marshall on snagging those Hibiscus FQ bundles donated by our lovely sponsor Cotton Cuts. We're grateful for your support.

• Show and Share: We wrapped up the meeting with another great Show and Tell. Pics have been 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!

2022 Block of the Month Sampler - April

 

        

Welcome to Month Four 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 May meeting to be entered to win this month's prize. If you don't use Instagram, you may email a photo to the guild email. 

(We're not meeting in person in May because of our Zoom program and workshops with Paper, Sax, Sten. Be sure to check your email and this blog next month for the May blocks!)

This month we will be making FIVE 6-inch square-in-a-square blocks, or variations on that block. Easy peasy! You can make five of the same or mix and match as you see fit. In the whole quilt mock-up, you will see them all as small "x blocks" if you want to use that to plan. The whole quilt mock up can be found in the Block of the Month Introduction post. 

The square-in-a-square block is a quick and easy block that uses a center square, set on point, and two smaller squares, each cut on the diagonal, and sewn to the center square. 

The x-block variation uses a plus as the center block. The economy block variation add an additional layer, so it is essentially a square-in-a-square in another square. Both the square-in-a-square an the economy block are great places to try some fussy cutting if you are using prints in your quilt. 

You could certainly do the math to figure out how to make any size square-in-a-square using the Pythagorean Theorem (a² + b² = c²) but I highly recommend skipping all that and using this Square in a Square Calculator from Quilter's Paradise. 

When I input the finished size of 6-inches into the calculator, the result is that I will cut my center square at 4¾ and my two corner squares at 3-7/8. I prefer to round up and will cut those corner squares at 4-inches and then trim the finished block. 

CUTTING DIRECTIONS

These directions are for a single block. You should decide how many of each variation you want to make and adjust your cutting accordingly. 

Square in a square

Inside: (1) 4-3/4 inch square
Outside: (2) 4 inch squares, cut on the diagonal

X-block

Inside (x fabric): (1) 2" x 5" rectangle
                            (2) 2-inch squares

Background: (4) 2-inch squares
                     (2) 4 inch squares, cut on the diagonal

Economy block

Inside: (1) 3-1/2" square

Middle: (2) 3 inch squares, cut on the diagonal

Outside: (2) 4 inch squares, cut on the diagonal

SEWING DIRECTIONS

Square in a square

1. Line up the long side of each triangle with one side of your center square. 

2. Sew together using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

3. Press open. Trim to 6½ inches. 

X-block

Make the X

1. Sew a 2-inch background square to two opposite sides of a 2-inch square of x fabric. 

2. Add the 2" x 5" rectangle to the middle to finish the x. 

**this center section will finish at 5". Trim to 4¾ by lining up the center of the x at the 2-3/8 mark on your ruler.**

3. Line up the long side of each background triangle with one side of your center x. 

4. Sew together using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

5. Press open. Trim to 6½ inches. 

Economy block

1. Line up the long side of each small triangle with one side of your center square. 

2. Sew together using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

3. Press open. Trim to 4¾ inches. 

4. Line up the long side of each larger triangle with one side of your small square-in-a-square. 

5. Sew together using a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

6. Press open. Trim to 6½ inches. 

Choose your block, and make five total, or mix and match!

Meeting #119 (April 9, 2022)

Anyone else loving the flowering trees and "longer" days? Spring has officially sprung in St. Louis and we are excited to embrace the new season with you at our meeting this Saturday! Zoom is available if you cannot join us in person.

**Highway 44 at Big Bend will be closed this weekend. More info HERE if that is your usual route.**

Date: April 9, 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
• Committee updates
• Women's Safe House speaker - Mary Ann Owens

---Break--- 

-April Activity - Mixer and Fat Quarter Swap

Our Programming and Swap/Challenge committees have partnered up again to bring you some get-to-know-you fun! Do you use steam when you iron? Do you prewash your fabrics? Do you drive your machine barefoot? This month's activity is going to be a rambunctious, riotous good time as we mix you all up and then ask you to reveal all your quilty preferences! Afterwards, you and your new quilt buddies will swap fabrics that inspire you for the upcoming challenge. Swap and Challenge details can be found HERE. 

-Meeting Wrap-up

• Fabric raffle winner announcement - Thank you Cotton Cuts!
• March Block of the Month winner announcement
• Attendance Prizes
• Show & Tell (time permitting)

-------------------------- Reminders ------------------------------

• Don't forget your charity quilt fabric donations! Find the info HERE.
• Bring your Lockup blocks! (made with "ugly" fabrics)
• Bring an inspired fat quarter to swap!
• Wear your name tags.
• Buy raffle tickets online HERE.
• Free table items.
• Bring your Show and Share goodies!

Meeting Recap (March 12, 2022)

We hope you were able to join us on Zoom or in person last Saturday. We had lots of laughs with the "ugly" quilt show and our committees got us excited for some of the activities planned for you this year. Take a moment to find out what we're up to!

Guild Business:

• Gail (Treasurer) went over the guild's finances. If you are interested to know more, please contact her or see her report on the group Facebook page.
• Octavia (Secretary) covered our current membership which is currently 159 members. If you're not a member yet, learn how to join HERE.
• Em (Vice President) went over a few local workshops taking place soon and encouraged members to share when they hear of something coming up. Em also recommend the many classes Perennial STL offers. Some might even be taught by a guild member. Details below:
• Intro to Embroidery - Saturday, March 19, 10 AM-1 PM at Perennial STL; LEARN MORE
• Blooming Star - Friday, March 18, 10:30 AM-2:30 PM at Jackman's Fabrics; LEARN MORE
• Quilt-Alongs: 
• "Beads" by Modern Handcraft. Begins March 16.
• "After the Rain" by Quilter's Candy. Begins April 4.

Items Covered:

• Hand (Home) Sew Happy Hour is March 15 from 6-9 PM. Bring some handwork, finish that binding, or just get to know a fellow guild member better. Come and go as you please throughout the night. The next one is April 19 so mark your calendars!

• Papper, Sax, Sten: Jenny Haynes is our guest speaker in May. There will be NO IN-PERSON meeting that weekend. All of these events will take place via Zoom. Please note the change in time. She will chat with the guild on May 14 from 9:30-10:15 AM CDT. Paid workshops will take place May 14 and 15 from 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM CDT. Sign ups for workshops will begin March 31 at 8PM for members. All members will receive a registration link by email. Details can be found HERE.

• Quilt Show 2022: The guild will put on it's first quilt show since 2019! The quilt show committee has procured several vendors for the show and has just one quilt registered at this time. Jessica Schunke went over many of the details to register so enter those quilts! 

"This Is Modern" will take place July 16-17 at the Kirkwood Community Center. Registration began March 1 and is open through April 16. We'd love to see your modern quilt in this show! All the details are HERE. 

• Block of the Month: Stretch your skills and make a sampler quilt with us! There's prizes to be won for joining in and sharing what you make. Kerry Caverly is our February winner! For all the info look HERE. It's not too late to jump in.

• March BOM: Moving right along into March, we are tackling 8 half rectangle triangles and quarter square triangles! Em assured us they are quick to make, so don't sweat the increase in blocks. Post to Instagram using #stlmqgbom or email a photo before our next meeting to be entered for a prize. Tutorial can be found HERE.  

• Committee Updates: 
• It's never too late to lend a hand. Please email the guild if you would like to help. If you have already signed up you should have received an email. Let us know if you didn't.
• The Sew-Me committee introduced it's large group of volunteers and went over what this event's all about for new members. 
• The Quilt Show committee went over the email they sent out March 1 and have asked members to start sharing this image on social media (HINT: Right click the image and select 'Save image as...' if using a desktop or tablet):
  
  
  
• The Swap committee initiated the "ugly" fabric swap and shared samples of the finished block to turn in. See the details HERE.
• The Swap and Challenge and the Programming committee have joined forces for April's meeting activity. They're throwing a mixer where you and another member will trade a fat quarter of fabric that inspires you. Details will be posted HERE.
• The Charity committee shared plans for the first charity the guild will assist this year. More details below.

• The Women's Safe House Project: Our charity committee gave a moving presentation on our newest collaboration. We will be working with the Women's Safe House Project Aftercare Graduates to provide them with a quilt that may be one of their only personal possessions since entering the Safe House. We will collect at the April meeting donations of a minimum 3/4 yards continuous cut of quilting cotton or cotton blend fabric to prepare kits that will be distributed to our members at a later meeting. You are welcome to contribute more according to these parameters. More details will be posted HERE.

Loving the Unlovable - An "Ugly Quilt" Quilt Show: It was so much fun to see our participants' interpretation of what an "ugly" quilt might look like. Hearing the members booing in jest at the quilts they didn't find ugly enough was a laugh riot. Thank you to everyone who shared a quilt, judged the entries, and kept the atmosphere light. These members took home ribbons for their entries:

Susan Muszynski - Worst Example of an "Ugly" Quilt

Tess McMahon - Best Example of an "Ugly" Quilt

Cathy Jones - People's Choice Award

• Fabric Raffle: Thanks to another very generous donation from our sponsor Cotton Cuts. Christine Taour and Gail MacCartney won a colorful fat quarter bundle of Alison Glass fabric and goodies!

• Show and Share: We wrapped up the meeting with another great Show and Tell. Pics have been 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!

Women's Safe House Project Charity Quilts

 2022 St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild Charity Project

The Women’s Safe House

The Women’s Safe House mission is to empower women and families to rebuild their lives free of domestic and sexual abuse through emergency services, education and advocacy. Mary Ann Owens, Director, will speak with our guild at the April meeting. If you would like information on the organization, please consider their website:  www.twsh.org

The STLMQG will be creating quilts for women and children who complete the residential

Program and advance into the Aftercare Program. These quilts will be given as a gift of their

individual accomplishments.   

 

The finished quilt sizes are as follows:

Adults: 48” x 48” and 48” x 60”

The adult size will include young men (10-18 years of age), gender neutral or masculine fabric

choices will be encouraged.

Children (including infants & toddler): 36” x 36” and 40” x 40” 

 

Call to Action:

• Members are encouraged to make any size quilt from the above size guidelines.
• Members can donate quilt shop quality cotton/cotton blends from your stash with a minimum of ¾ continuous yards.
• If possible, please measure your fabric and put a piece of blue/green painters tape with the yardage.
• Kits, including patterns, will be made from donated fabrics to make the Children’s sized quilts.
• Kits will be distributed at the June 11^th meeting
• Completed quilts will be collected throughout the entire year.

 

**Use the hashtags #stlmqg and #stlmqgcares on Instagram and Facebook to share your fabric donations and finished quilts.**

Don’t delay, starting sewing today!!!  

2022 Block of the Month Sampler - March

  

Welcome to Month Three 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 April meeting to be entered to win this month's prize. If you don't use Instagram, you may email a photo to the guild email. 

This month, you will finish EIGHT blocks! We will make four 9-inch half rectangle triangle blocks (8 total HRTs) and four 6-inch quarter square triangle blocks (QSTs). 

Coincidentally, if you are a member of the Modern Quilt Guild (and if you are a member of STLMQG, you are, by extension, also a member of the national organization), there is a full downloadable article about HRTs in your latest issue of MQG Journal, so go check that out if you want to learn more. 

If you still haven't had enough, here is a great resource for HRTs from Swim, Bike, Quilt. 

Now that you have all the info, let's go ahead and get started with our HRT blocks! We'll continue with the QSTs below. 

HALF RECTANGLE TRIANGLE BLOCKS

Make 8 HRTs that will finish at 4.5 x 9 inches (5 x 9.5 inches unfinished) for a total of (4) 9-inch blocks (9.5 inches, unfinished). 

CUTTING DIRECTIONS

Since we want our HRTs to finish at 4.5 x 9 inches, we are just going to cut 8 rectangles that are 1.5 inches wider and 2 inches longer than our finished size: 6" x 11". 

I used 4 background color blocks and 4 foreground color blocks, but you could mix it up and skip the background here, or use a print as your background instead. 

Now, cut half of your rectangles on the diagonal from top left to bottom right. Cut the other half of your rectangles on the diagonal from top right to bottom left. 

Side note: You can cut them all in the same direction diagonally, but if you want a diamond or elongated pinwheel in your finished blocks, you must pay attention to the direction of your diagonal cuts. 

SEWING DIRECTIONS

Match up two halves of a HRT, and line up right sides together along the diagonal cut. There will be a bit of the point that will hang over the edge at the ¼ inch mark. 

Sew along the diagonal to connect each pair. 

Correct trimming is important in achieving an accurate HRT block!!

We are trimming our HRTs to 5x9.5 inches. I used a dry erase marker to make a dot ¼" in from each corner. When trimming, this is the mark you will use to line up with the diagonal line of you HRT. Your ruler most likely will not line up squarely with the HRT when trimming. It will be slightly askew, but you are using your diagonal as a guideline for trimming. 

Now, pair up your individual HRTs and sew them into 9-inch blocks. In the final quilt, you might choose a triangle, diamond, or elongated pinwheel arrangement. 

   

QUARTER SQUARE TRIANGLE BLOCKS

We will make four 6-inch (6.5 inch, unfinished) QSTs.

CUTTING DIRECTIONS

Cut 4 squares at 7¼". 

SEWING DIRECTIONS

Start by making half square triangles. If you're new to HSTs and you just jumped in to this Block of the Month, you can head back to the January block for more detailed directions. Line up two squares, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on the back. Sew a scant ¼" to each side of the drawn line. Cut apart on the line. Iron open. 

Now, repeat the process, using two different half square triangles that you just completed. 

Place two HSTs right sides together. Be sure to line up the seams on the top and bottom blocks. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner so that it crosses perpendicular to the seam in the HST. 

Again, sew a scant ¼" to each side of the drawn line, cut apart on the drawn line. 

Iron open. Trim to 6.5". 

Meeting #118 (March 12, 2022)

Happy almost springtime quilters! We hope you can join us this weekend, either on Zoom or in person,  for a swapping good time and honoring the quilts of "alternative" beauty.

Date: March 12, 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
• Committee updates
• Ugly fabric swap

---Break--- 

-March Activity - Love the Unlovable: An 'Ugly Quilt' Quilt Show

    

'Ugly Quilt' Quilt Show Info: Sure, sometimes crap is crap, but perception is everything and pulling back the curtain on some of these things can be so enlightening to others. We might learn that even the most ‘talented’ among us have made some truly terrible things. And we might learn that what we think is our worst is really quite beautiful to those around us. And hey, even if crap truly is crap, what good is it if you can’t laugh and cringe about it with those who will understand it the most?

So dig out that project that you swore you would never share with anyone, EVER, and get ready to commiserate in the most positive and jovial way possible with your fellow quilt makers. Ribbons will be awarded to some of the ‘Best.' We can’t wait to see what you bring!

**Quilts and quilt tops are preferred; other projects that fit our guild are welcome.**

- Fabric raffle winner announcement - Thank you Cotton Cuts!

-Block of the Month February winner announcement

-Attendance Prizes

- Show & Tell (time permitting)

-------------------------- Reminders ------------------------------

• The guild will be adhering to CDC mask guidelines for St. Louis County at this meeting. Please join us on Zoom if you are not feeling well.
• Wear your name tag for a chance to win a prize!
• Don't forget to bring an ugly fabric to trade.
• Bring your 'ugly' quilt for the quilt show.
• Remember your goodies for the free table.