April meeting reminder and IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!!

Hello quilting pals!!!

Guess what? Our little group is one year old this month. Awwwwww. . .  sweet.  

Since we all tend to get reflective around our birthdays, I'd like to mention a few things. 

1.  I'm really proud of our little group and I am grateful every single month to see so many faces around the table.  It really does make me feel warm and fuzzy. I had a little dream of having friends who were into the same sorts of fabric and designs that I liked. I just never thought I'd meet so many of you. Thank you.

2.  I think that since we're one year into this, it's time to circle back and revisit the idea of what makes the kinds of quilts we make modern. Is it the fabric? Or patterns? Or quilting? It can be any one of these things or a combination. So, this month, I'd like to ask each of you to bring in a modern fabric from your stash. It could be yardage or a scrap. (Just big enough so we can all see, please.) We'll talk about what makes these fabrics (or doesn't make these fabrics) modern. This will be the first in a series of presentations about what makes quilting "modern". I'd like to tap members of our group to come up with short, 5-15 minute presentations at the beginning of each meeting so if you have ideas about something you'd like to discuss, please let me know and we'll get you on the schedule.  

As usual, our meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month so we'll be meeting next Tuesday, April 23rd at 6.30pm at the SMHA offices located at 400 Hibben St.  

If you are participating in the block swap, please remember to return Sandy's block. Linda Ambrose is up next on the list for April. If you are participating in the swap but can't attend this month's meeting, please buddy up with someone to return your block and pick up next month's.  

As always, bring your show and tell and hope to see lots of you there!

March 2013 meeting notes

In attendance:   Pat, Brenda, Linda, Rita, Ginny, Martha, Kelly M., Tamie, Phoebe, Sandy, Delynne, Alice, Geri, Jackie, Kelly B., Cathy, and Kim.

Phoebe:  April will be our one year anniversary.  

Kelly B took two quilts for the Beaufort Quilt Exhibit.  The dates of the exhibit will be April 2-May 31, 2013.

Geri:  Saw Grass Technologies is looking for quilters to design fabrics and make quilts using this fabric for samples to show their new technology in printing fabric.  They want quilts 24 or 36 inches for a July 2013 show in Oregon.  Quilts must be completed in May.  Geri will be going for a visit and will share additional information. 

Cathy has been in contact with Sheri Lynn Wood, who would like to visit with us.  We will get more information about her visit to the area.

Kim mentioned a modern quilt contest by American Quilters Society.  More information can be found at http://www.americanquilter.com/promos/2013_modern_quilt_challenge/ .  Quilts are due August 13, 2013.  Winners will be announced October 2, 2013 at Des Moines Quilt Week.  A selection of the Modern Quilt Challenge quilts will be seen by thousands as they travel to all of AQS events for a year. They must be available for AQS's traveling exhibit at AQS Quilt Week events from September 13, 2013 until two weeks after 2014 Grand Rapids Quilt Week, September 5, 2014.  Accepted Modern Quilt Challenge quilts will be returned to the owners at the conclusion of the traveling exhibit.  Prizes total $6,000.

Block Swap:

Alice received 17 blocks tonight.

Our sixth block swap belongs to Sandy.  She passed out fabric packets to be used in her block along with directions.  We will be doing a confetti block.

Linda will be our next person in the swap.

Show & Tell:

Kelly M showed a Drunkard’s Path Quilt (her third by the way). 

Brenda shared an Easter Bunny quilt and a baby quilt for her brand new grand (Thing 2).  (I apologize but don't have pictures of this quilt.)

Cathy showed a quilt made with kids.  The fabric was dyed using tissue paper.  The kids combined three different animals into one.  Buttons made of clay.

Kelly B has another quilt top done using her “Unicorns & Rainbow” bundle.  She and her writing partner created a fat quarter bundle for the Fat Quarter Shop.  The number fabric came from IKEA.

On April 20, 2012 Geri will be teaching a Wonky Log Cabin quilt for Cobblestone Quilters Guild’s Quilters Day Out. 

Alice made a stuff turtle with yo-yo’s for it’s shell.  Then a basket quilt made with a layer cake (10 inch squares) of Denyse Schmidt’s Shelbourne Falls and added the solids.  

Delynne showed a quilt inspired by our Quilt Con trip using her scraps.  

She also shared a quilt made as a group from her last guild.  Each year the guild made two quilts - one for Christmas and one for summer - and each member helps with piecing or quilting.  Blocks are signed.  Each year there is a drawing within the guild membership for the quilt.  We will open discussions for doing a similar project.

Our next meeting will be April 23, 2013 at 6:30 pm