June 2016 Meeting: Making Traditional Designs Modern

It's that time again... Meeting announcement time!  June's meeting is all about taking traditional blocks or designs and tweaking them until they feel modern.  The best part is that decision is solely yours.  Everyone has a different threshold for "modern".  Sally is going to walk us through several traditional blocks and cover the different ways that you can alter them until they feel right to you and still honor the original intent.  On the other hand, you might want to steer away from traditional piecing, but you need a starting point.  Using an orphan block or traditional design in an entirely new way might help you get there.  Feel free to bring paper, crayons, pencils, etc to play around with designs. Sometimes the input from the quilter next to you is exactly what you need. :)  

PLUS, it's Paint Chip Challenge Time!  Bring your mini quilts and your entrance card (if you are entering) to the June meeting.  Amanda's last email covered adding the colors to the card and labeling the mini to ensure that you get it back.  They will be hanging at Spool and judged by the public.

All partner emails for the PAMQG Mini Swap have gone out.  Remember, the information you received is for the person you are creating FOR.  If you have any questions, ask Cheralee.  

2017 QuiltCon Charity palette

Last, but not least... The latest QuiltCon Charity Quilt Challenge has been released.  Bring your ideas (drawings if you have them) and your enthusiasm.  We are going to be voting on the coolest one!

May 2016 Meeting Recap

If you missed the sew-in day at St. John's last week, you might want to put next year's on your calendar now.  There was homemade gnocchi, lots of sewing and a really funny gadget discussion.  :)

Our members are amazing! Here's what @ljonkman was making at our #pghmqgsewin Woot! #pghmqg

A photo posted by Pittsburgh MQG (@pghmqg) on May 11, 2016 at 9:20am PDT

Does this one fabric remind you of Tony the Tiger and Alex from Madagascar?  Anybody?  Bueller?

How about this #swoonpatternbag #stellaweekender that @atwirlyskirt was rocking?! And member Gerri has the start of @themqg May 2015 free pattern Sunshowers by @staceyinstitches #pghmqgsewin #pghmqg

A photo posted by Pittsburgh MQG (@pghmqg) on May 11, 2016 at 9:27am PDT

A monocled cupcake tee?! @dreamingstardust Too cute! And those teeny tiny pandas are so cute! The piecing and blocks were both member @mrs.barley Nice! #pghmqg #pghmqgpcc #pghmqgsewin

A photo posted by Pittsburgh MQG (@pghmqg) on May 11, 2016 at 9:32am PDT

Member @somethinglikelaughter couldn't resist and found this soft flannel online. @schottsandra8235 went to a last minute Judy Niemeyer retreat and made the gorgeous star pattern. The lower left was made by a member and quilted by @thegirlwhoquilts!

A photo posted by Pittsburgh MQG (@pghmqg) on May 11, 2016 at 9:43am PDT

The top 2 pics are the front and back of an applique quilt done by a member's friend, Barb. *swoon* Member @nanacherylhayes made the two lower pics. Loving that mini with the @rileyblakedesigns border! Plus she made a darling smaller version of the @themqg March 2016 pattern City Lights by @playcrafts Great work!

A photo posted by Pittsburgh MQG (@pghmqg) on May 11, 2016 at 9:50am PDT

Oh, @sewsmall_by_zsofia ... What a month! 😍 She was a pattern tester for @tartankiwi, finished her #mqgfabricchallenge @rileyblakedesigns quilt (AND was featured in the @themqg newsletter!) Plus she finished her #pghmqgpcc mini. She needs to give a guild talk on time management. 😘

A photo posted by Pittsburgh MQG (@pghmqg) on May 11, 2016 at 9:58am PDT

Congratulations to all of the members who have won in the spring quilt shows!  We are so proud to have such accomplished members!

For the favorite gadget portion of the meeting, there were alot of "AHA" moments when a member described their favorite tool and others agreed that they needed one of those.  There were also several instances where members didn't know exactly what to call their tool, but announced it was their favorite and they couldn't live without it! :)  The Purple Thang, a Hera Marker, a needle threader, a seam ripper, a binding tool, a chalk marking tool, a cup holder that clamps to the table and specific rulers were among the tools mentioned.  (The links for each item are not affiliate links or even the least expensive option if you are considering buying these items.  They are just the first one that had a decent picture that could be found.)  If your favorite gadget isn't listed, leave a message in the comments and it will be added!

Things to remember:

• The Paint Chip Challenge mini quilts are due at the June meeting!
• If you want to sign up for the PA MQG mini swap with the Capital Area MQG, Friday (05/20) afternoon is your last chance!
• The Bridge Quilt is hanging at Spool for the next few weeks.  We were featured again on the MQG Facebook and Instagram accounts, too!
• There wasn't alot of interest in the Fat Quarter Club, so we will review it for the new members in June and decided if we want to continue it or take a break for a bit.
• If you took fabric to complete a charity block, please bring it to the June meeting. 

All in all, it looked like a really relaxing day, full of proud moments as progress was made on all kinds of WIPs.  Thanks to everyone who helped to set up and break down!  Your help was greatly appreciated!