April 2023 Meeting Recap

 

It was a full house for the April meeting, with lots of new and old faces!  We had lots to cover, so let's dive right in!

March 2023 Meeting Recap

 

Here's to keeping this recap short & sweet!  

PghMQG Retreat - Camp Crestfield

 

Photo credit: Crestfield

Our 2023 quilting retreat will be at Crestfield Camp & Conference Center!  The location was a big hit last year and we were able to reserve space there again.  

February 2023 Meeting Recap

         

        Hello, guildies!  Welcome to the first meeting recap of the new officers and programming.  This meeting was packed with information, and some of it warranted its own blog post.  Links to those topics will be provided. Show & Tell is sprinkled throughout.  Let's jump in!

Tote Bags for WC&S

Lovely case workers at WC&S

Member Judy Irvin spoke at the February meeting about work she has been part of at the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh.  Here is their mission from their own site:

"Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh is a source of hope for survivors of domestic abuse. By offering a holistic approach to healing, our programs and services provide the safety and support survivors deserve. We welcome survivors of domestic violence at different stages in their journey and work with them to meet their personal, individual needs."

As part of their program, WC&S often provide physical resources.  The need for a sturdy tote bag to carry groceries or personal items is frequently there.  Donations of such bags are always welcome, said Judy.    

Other donation opportunities can be found here.

Totes should be anywhere from 15"x17" to 19"x22", with the larger size being very popular.  They don't need to be overly complicated, but should be finished cleanly and have strong seams.  Below are some of the links suggested by Judy.  Response to the survey sent out by Mary following the Feb meeting indicated that many members would be open to making totes at the May retreat.  

Please bring any finished totes to the guild meetings.  We will be accepting them through the June 2023 meeting.

Free Martha Market Bag pattern

Marie Elizabeth Tote Bag pattern

If you, or someone you know, is a victim of DV, help is available.

Hotline (24/7) | 412-687-8005

Text Support (9a–5p, M-F) | 412-744-8445

New Raffle Opportunities!

 

There have been some nice changes to the retreat raffle!

Now, when you participate in a variety of activities with the guild, you can earn tickets towards the retreat raffle.  In addition, taking part in the quarterly challenges now earns you 5 tickets!

● Completing Quarterly challenges - 5 tickets

● Bonus for completing all quarterly challenges - 10 tickets

● Presenting the Program for a meeting - 5 tickets

● Serving on a committee or event - 5 tickets

● Posting on social media must use #pghmqg- 1 ticket

● Participating in Show n' Tell - 1 ticket

Here's the dreaded fine print : When it comes to social media, you are on your own with remembering to use the hashtag.  Totals for the week will be tabulated on Sunday mornings.  This is not retroactive, so posts from 02/05/23-evening of 02/12/23 have already been counted. 

January Meeting Recap

One of the two quilts Gerry will be teaching at the Pgh Knit and Crochet Festival

January meetings are always a little different from the rest of the year.  We are looking at by-law changes, electing new officers and trying to both assess the past year's programming while looking ahead to the new year.  We opened introductions (and welcome to all of those new faces!) with the question of what we enjoyed most in 2016 and what we were looking forward to in 2017 for the guild.

November 2016 Meeting Recap

Let's get right to it, shall we?  Lots of ground to cover this month!  

October 2016 Meeting Recap

This month's Inspiration Challenge winner -  Congratulations Amanda!

The QuiltCon Charity quilt top is almost done!  Zsofia handed it off to Lauren at the meeting.  Thank you to everyone who created blocks and/or participated in the sew day.  We're going to be right on target for the QuiltCon submission deadline!

Don't forget the FMQ workshop at the Quilt Company with Nikki is October 22nd.  Click here for the details.

We are proceeding with the planning for the March 2017 retreat.  You should have recently received an email survey asking about your interest.  Please respond so we can get a clear picture of numbers.  The retreat will be March 24-26, 2017.

September's #pghmqgic

The December sew day will not be at the Pittsburgh Project this year.  We are finalizing the location and date.  Stay tuned for updates!

The January 2017 meeting will be our annual General Meeting as well as elections for new officers.  If you are interested in being an officer, speak to any of the current members in those positions to get an idea of the duties.  Also, if you aren't able to attend regularly, try to make the January meeting.  The 2017 focus will be discussed and we value all input.

The Inspiration Challenge blocks keep getting better and better!  This month included a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Liberty Bridge woes, solving a kimono conundrum and recent trips.  Sound intriguing?  Well, come out to the November meeting and take a look for yourself!  You can find all of the info on the Inspiration Challenge by clicking here.

Show and Tell

The MQG (Modern Quilt Guild) held a town hall webinar and is also inaugurating a MQG mini swap.    There is so much going on over there!  Click here to get more information on the upcoming television show, QuiltCon 2017, a new book and how to submit your own ideas!

Trapunto applique

The topic in October was applique.  Discussions included machine versus hand applique, raw edge versus turned under, and the new style of reverse-applique of Alabama Chanin and Alison Glass.  There were samples of different decorative stitches that could be used on your basic machine.  In addition to the handout and points covered, members were asked to air their own problems, and victories to help everyone in the group.  Solutions for sticky needles, using water-soluble thread for trapunto applique and a few throwbacks to previous meetings were shared.  A great number of JoAnn fabrics' handouts on interfacing weights were shared to the delight of some.  Templates for using in a holiday table runner were forgotten at the copier store, but WILL make it into the November announcement . :)  Some of the tips shared by the group were added to the handout and appear in a separate color.  Thank you to everyone for sharing!

Click here for the Applique handout.

The notes on the measurements for the QAYG blocks were also removed from the handout and will be in the November meeting announcement.