Monday, June 16, 2014

June Online Activity!

Here's the online activity block for our July meeting:


It's the "X Marks the Spot" block from SewCraftyJess. You can find her tutorial here. Please make a 12-1/2" block as Jess shows in her tutorial.

As you can see after visiting her tutorial, I switched up the colors a bit. Please use grays of any shade in the background (where hers is white) and then use a solid (any color) for the X and a coordinating print or solid for the middle square.

This means that you'll need to make 28 HSTs that are half a solid color and half a gray print (or solid). So you'll start with (14) 2-7/8" solid color squares and (14) 2-7/8" gray prints. (I happened to have 7 different gray prints, so I cut two each of those 7 prints to make my 14 gray squares. You can use a greater or a smaller variety of gray fabrics depending on your stash. Then you'll need (1) 4-1/2" print or solid square for the center. Follow Jess' directions or your own preferred HST method to make the 28 HSTs and then assemble as her tutorial shows. The block will be 12-1/2" unfinished, and will finish at 12" square. 


Submission/Winning:



  • Submit a photo of the completed block by July 25.  We want this to be fun and easy, not stressful, so we have several options for submitting your photo.
    • If you have a Flickr account, please post the photo to Flickr, add it to the Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild group pool, and tag it GLMQG-Jul14. *Adding the tag is key, because it allows the photo to get into the slideshow on our blog.*
    • If you have a Facebook account, you may post the picture to the Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild Facebook page. 
    • You may email your photo to glmodernquilter@gmail.com 
    • If you do not have access to a digital camera, contact me (Lisa) and I will arrange to photograph your block.
  • How to win all the blocks:
    • We are going to draw for a winner of all the blocks at our next live meeting, which is July 26.  You do not need to be present to win.
    • IMPORTANT: If you want to be entered in the drawing but will not be at the meeting with your block, please make sure to let another attendee know. We try our best to make sure everyone who submits a photo of their block gets entered in the drawing, but making sure a friend puts your name in the hat will guarantee you have a chance to win!
    • You get your name in the drawing each time you enter a block.  So, if you submit two blocks, your name goes in the drawing twice!
    • Please bring your completed block to the July meeting so all the blocks can be delivered to the winner.  If the winner is not at the meeting, we will mail them to him/her.
    • We'll post the name of the winner here on the blog.  So, if we don't have your email address, check the blog so you can see if you won and can send us your contact information.  (If you are at the meeting, you'll get your blocks on the spot!)
    • If you will not be at the meeting, either
      • Give the block to a friend to bring it for you, or
      • Mail it in.  E-mail us at glmodernquilter@gmail.com, and we'll send you the mailing address where you can send your blocks.


  • That winner must assemble the blocks into a finished quilt before being eligible to win again. Fair enough?


And just for fun, while I was playing with color combination options for making this block, I laid out four blocks to see what the layout will look like. Fun, isn't it?!


Any questions? Leave a comment below. See you at our July meetin
g!



Tuesday, June 3, 2014

May Meeting Recap (+ show and tell!)

We held our May meeting on the 14th at Bernina Sewing Center in Kalamazoo. 

A couple highlights from the minutes:
1. Elections! A BIG thank you goes out to Holly and Mary, who are stepping down from our executive board. Our guild wouldn't be what it is without your roles in our first year of existence! 
Congratulations to our elected board, unanimously approved at the meeting, serving from May 2014 through May 2015:
President: Stephanie
Vice-President: Jillian
Treasurer: Terri
Web Coordinator: Carolyn
Secretary: Joanne

2. Guild retreat! Scheduled for November 14-16. Find preliminary details here, and watch for more details both here on the blog and at the July meeting.

3. Upcoming online challenges! I (Lisa) will be posting the Challenge for the July meeting soon, as well as details about the text fabric swap for the July meeting (with fabric to be used for the September Challenge).

4. Sharon and Pam shared two different binding techniques--thanks ladies!

Here, Sharon demonstrates her preferred method:


And Pam shows hers:

And now, onto everyone's favorite...show and tell!

Jill shared her finished quilt made from the wonky star blocks. 

Lisa shared her finished quilt (except for hand stitching the binding, which has since happened) from the improv herringbone challenge:

Stephanie shared her liberated medallion work in progress from the Gwen Marston workshop:

Stephanie also shared some adorable zipper pouches she's been making:

And a few more (I think she had 4 of the pencil version?):

Pam shared her liberated medallion from Gwen's workshop:

Terri shared a piece she made at a class at the AQS show in Paducah:

Mary shared her small studies piece from Gwen Marston's workshop:

Joanne shared 3 quilts she's made:

Joanne's second quilt:

And Joanne's third quilt:

Jane shared her liberated medallion piece from Gwen's workshop, made primarily with Kaffe Fassett fabric:

Jane also shared this modern Christmas quilt top she finished:

Jackie shared two different star block projects in progress: 

And Jackie's second star project--great fussy cutting!

Jill shared a saw blade quilt she's been making for her dad:

Tina shared a baby quilt she made from a pack of 2" squares she won:

Connie shared a purse that Joanne made for her:

As well as her piece from Gwen's liberated medallions workshop:

Lisa shared her small studies piece from Gwen's workshop:

And her liberated medallion piece:

Carolyn shared a hexagon piece that she made and hand quilted:

Holly shared her small studies piece:

And her liberated medallion piece:

Teri brought in several projects to share: First, a drunkard's path design:

This neat lantern-looking design:

Love the scrappiness and the colors in this quilt of Teri's:

Wonky bullseyes from Teri:

And one last one from Teri:

Sandy shared her hexy project in the works: great color scheme!

Mark your calendars for our next meeting on July 26! More details to follow.
And...if I made any mistakes in the information about the show and tell pictures, please leave a comment letting me know so I can fix it!