July Meeting Reminder

We hope you are having a wonderful summer so far!  Thanks to all who attended June’s PMQG meeting.  We would love to see what you made in Lauren's workshop, so please bring projects, completed or not, to our July meeting.

July’s meeting will be held on Sunday July 13th from 1-4pm to avoid conflict with the 4th of July holiday.

We are planning a fun, relaxing outdoor sewing project for our next meeting.  Bring a cool drink and join us in the Pittsburgh Project Courtyard for a few hours of hand sewing!  Our focus will be English Paper Piecing.  If you haven’t tried this yet, you will soon be hooked!!  You will just need a few basic supplies and some fabric scraps and you will be ready to go.  Following is a supply list and some great links to look at before our session.

EPP Basic Supplies

• fabric scraps            
• needles
• templates            
• thread        
• scissors
• glue stick

You can purchase templates online for EPP or you can generate and print your own.  These websites are helpful:

• To purchase, this is a good source:
• http://www.paperpieces.com

• To print your own, any of these will work:
  
  • http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/
  • http://www.lovepatchworkandquilting.com/free/free-hexagon-template-download
  • http://www.patchworkposse.com/2013/06/printable-hexagon-template-for-quilting/

Printing either on card stock or regular printer paper works great! We will be demonstratinging EPP using 1” hexagons (these are 1” on each side).  If you want to follow along, you’ll need to cut your fabric scraps to 2.5” square.  PLEASE BRING TEMPLATES WITH YOU!

Optional Swap

We will also conduct a 2.5” square fabric swap for all those interested!  Sharing small scraps is a fun way to try a variety of combinations and a great way to use up our scraps!  If you want to participate, bring as many as you wish to swap! 

Membership Dues

We are approaching another great year for the PMQG.  Dues are being collected at the July meeting.  Membership fee is $35 for returning members if paid before our August meeting.  Fee for returning members is $40 if paid after the August meeting date.  New members will remain at $35.  Please bring cash or checks made out to our treasurer, Lauren Jonkman.  Thanks again for being a part of our guild! 

Looking Ahead

Just a reminder that in lieu of an August meeting we will be holding our first annual retreat at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Saturday August 2nd (311 Cumberland Road, Pittsburgh PA  15237 - right across from Northland Library; accessible from McKnight Road or Perry Highway).  This will be a FULL day of sewing and idea sharing with our group! Our sewing retreat will begin at 9 am and sew on until 9 pm.  Bring a project, your sewing machine, and iron.  We hope you are as excited as we are to have a full day to sew!!!  The retreat is FREE for members and $20 for non-members.  If you would like to order lunch and dinner, please bring cash ($10-15 per meal) or you are welcome to pack a lunch and drink as well!  NON-MEMBERS NEED TO RSVP

English Paper Piecing Information

If you want to read ahead… To begin English Paper Piecing (EPP), it is helpful to find a good tutorial online and read/watch:

EPP TUTORIALS

• http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.com/2012/07/english-paper-piecing-where-to-begin.html
• http://www.sewmamasew.com/2009/08/paper-piecing-hexagons/
• http://www.buttonsandbutterflies.com/2013/03/english-paper-piecing-tutorial.html
• http://www.thezenofmaking.com/2013/06/tutorial-english-paper-piecing-hexies-part-1.html
• http://www.thezenofmaking.com/2013/07/tutorial-english-paper-piecing-hexies-part-2.html
• http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/2010/04/part-2-of-hexie-tutorial-flowers.html

There are many different patterns for EPP.  Hexagons are the most common, but there are others . . . :)

Hexagons

• http://lilysquilts.blogspot.com/2011/07/hexalong-starts-here.html

Lozenge

• http://kechquilts.blogspot.com/2012/09/lazy-day-sunday.html

Diamonds, Kites, and Stars

• http://nelliesniceties.blogspot.com/p/diamondskites-and-stars-pattern-by.html 
• http://www.bijoulovelydesigns.com/2012/06/english-paper-piecing.html

Star Blossoms

• http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/12/star-blossoms-tutorial.html 
• http://www.sewmamasew.com/2014/01/star-hexies-tutorial-english-paper-piecing/

A clever, non-traditional way to finish your quilt:

Finishing Your Hexagon Quilt:

• http://badskirt.blogspot.com/2010/05/tutorial-finishing-you-hexie-quilts.html

Free Patterns:

• http://www.connectingthreads.com/Patterns/Free_English_Paper_Piecing_patterns__L60101114.html