January 11 Guild Meeting Highlights

Irons ready for testing

(Updated 01/14/15 - please see the note below about changes to our April workshop plans.)

There are many exciting changes coming in 2015 for the San Diego Modern Quilt Guild! If you couldn't make it to our January meeting, here is what you missed:

First, we thanked our outgoing President, Deb, with a gift card to use at QuiltCon. She'll surely find some sewing projects there to fill her newly free time!

Then we asked everyone to tell us about the books which are inspiring our 2015 projects. So many great titles, both new and classic were recommended.

Our new Charity Coordinator  Nancy, presented a new Charity Quilt project, and passed out fabric packets for improv blocks based on the "Missing U" quilt from Sunday Morning Quilts. Bring your finished blocks to the February 8 and March 8 meetings.

SDBee blocks for I-Chun and Jen were collected, and Chris presented her block request: wonky Log Cabins & Houses. Contact her if you didn't get a bag of scraps at the meeting. Chris's blocks will be due in March. Next month Theresa M. will be Queen of the Bee.

Two exciting new projects will be kicking off in February: we will announce a contest to design a new Guild Logo (to be used on swag like T-shirts!), and we will be rolling out a new Web Platform with a new blog, real-time calendar, and private discussion groups. Many thanks to Andrea for donating her technical skills to get this up and running. Beta testers were enrolled at the meeting, and the new site will go live in February. Watch this space for more details!

Also in February, we will have a Swap of Novelty Charms. To participate in the swap, please sign up here by January 29. 

Regional Activities: Space is still available for our January 31 South/East County Sew-In at Memory Lane Quilt Shop. Visitors who are interested in Modern Quilting but who can't make it all the way north for guild meetings are welcome to come! 
We didn't get enough interest for a carpool to Road to California, but if you have plans to attend and don't want to drive, we hear there might be a few spaces left on the Quilt in a Day Bus Trip. Contact the shop for more details.

Save the Dates - We don't have the details finalized yet, but we're trying to plan a Trunk Show and Workshop with Jacquie Gering on April 18-19. (Update 01/14 - unfortunately, Jacquie's schedule is already full for 2105, so we will see if we can bring her in next year. We are exploring other options for a workshop in April.)
We're also planning to have our guild's first ever Quilting Retreat on September 25-27, most likely at the beautiful Inspirations on Big Bear Lake.

We had a special guest for our monthly Demo - Darlene from QuiltShopGal came in to give us some tips on iron maintenance and then set up an experiment testing several different models of irons to determine which get the hottest. Which was better - the nearly $200 Oliso, the retro dry iron, or the bargain Hamilton Beach? The answer might surprise you! She promises to publish full details on her blog soon.

Then it was off to Sew and Tell! Besides the usual range of wonderful quilt creations, our members are branching out into book publishing and pattern design. Check out all the photos on our group Flickr page. 
(Members of the SDMQG are also encouraged to post their own photos in the group pool whenever they have something to share, so check in frequently to see what's new!)

There will be plenty more to hear and see at our next guild meeting on Sunday February 8, 2015, starting at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day. Hope to see you there!

January 11 Guild Meeting and Sew-In

You definitely don't want to miss the January SDMQG meeting!

Please join us at 11:00 am on Sunday January 11 at Quilt in a Day, where we will be talking about lots of exciting plans for 2015, including a multi-functional new web platform, a contest to design a new guild logo, upcoming regional activities, and a new charity project. There might also be a special guest or two...

Do you have any Quilting Resolutions for 2015, or a favorite new quilting or sewing book that's inspiring you? We'd love to hear about them! 

For our Demo, Darlene will lead us in testing irons to see whether that expensive new model is really worth it. Bring in your favorite iron (and any special type of water it might require) to be part of the experiment.

If you're participating in the SDBee, be sure to bring your finished blocks for Jen and I-Chun, and get ready for a new block from Chris. If you are doing the Vintage Quilt Revival QAL, bring your latest blocks to share your progress. We'll also be finalizing plans for a carpool to Road to California, and spaces are still available for our South/East County Sew-In on Jan. 31. And, of course, don't forget to bring your latest project for Sew-and-Tell!

Visitors are always welcome at SDMQG meetings (your first two meetings are free), but if you are ready to join/renew your membership, it would help us a lot if you could pay your dues at the January meeting. SDMQG dues ($40, cash or blank check preferred) include membership in the national Modern Quilt Guild, and all the sweet perks that brings. (e.g. QuiltCon!)

After the talking is done, we will have our usual Sew-In until the store closes at 4:00 pm. Bring your sewing machine and get some work done, or just hang out and chat with your fellow Modern Quilting nerds.

Hope to see you there!

Packing list: Iron, inspirational quilting book, SDBee and QAL blocks, dues, Sew-and-Tell items, etc.

December Meeting Highlights

Snowmen and earmuffs might not be common sights during December in San Diego, but that didn't stop us from celebrating the end of 2014 with our final guild meeting and Potluck party!

If you couldn't be there, here is what you missed:




Business:
1) Membership Renewals - Our new Treasurer, Angela G., started collecting dues ($40 for 2015) from those who wanted to renew their memberships for next year. We will have to pay our guild's dues to the national organization by January 15, so please make every effort to renew your membership at the January 11 2015 meeting if you haven't already. 

2) Regional Group activities - our North County members have already organized two informal meet-ups, but the South/East County folks are right behind them with plans for a Sew-In on January 31 at Memory Lane Quilt Shop in El Cajon. We have to charge a small fee for this event to cover the room rental, and space is limited, so reserve your spot now!
The Central members are still waiting for a non-rainy weekend to reschedule the Photo Day in the Park. Watch this space for more details.

3) Anyone planning to go to Road to California in Ontario, CA on January 22-25? We're trying to organize carpools for either Friday the 23rd or Saturday the 24th. If you're interested, sign-up here. Even if you don't need a ride, check in for details about meeting up for lunch or a tour of the exhibits!

4) Upcoming Special Events - We are trying to plan a workshop on improv piecing with Jacquie Gering, director of the National MQG and popular author of Quilting Modern, to be held in March or April. Watch this space for more details!

Also in progress are plans for a Quilting Retreat to be held in September or October. Unfortunately, our first choice of venue, Sisters in Temecula, is booked up for all of 2015 already, so if you know of any other good venues that could accommodate 12-15 people and sewing machines, let us know.

5) Report from the Field - Speaking of Temecula, Susan M. reports that the recently opened Needle in a Fabric Stash is definitely worth the drive! She showed us many pictures of their wide selection of modern fabrics and supplies. 

Activities:

1) Charity Quilts - Our QuiltCon Charity Challenge Quilt is finished! Thanks to Chris for quilting and binding, and thanks to everyone who contributed a block and helped us assemble it in the October meeting.
Soon it will be off to Austin TX to be exhibited during QuiltCon 2015!

After the con, the quilt will come back to us so we can donate it to a local youth charity. Nancy, our new charity coordinator, proposed we give it Just in Time for Foster Youth, an organization which helps set up households for young adults as they age out of the foster care system. 

Susan K., our outgoing charity coordinator, also brought along 2 big boxes with the quilts we've made and collected in 2014. Several guild members were enlisted to help sew on our guild labels to make the quilts ready for donating. The smaller ones will go to the NICU at UCSD Hillcrest Hospital, and the larger ones will find their way to senior and oncology units.

2) Bee Blocks - We took a bee break for the holidays, but be sure to finish your blocks for Jen (October) and I-Chun (November) by the January 11 meeting. The January block will be presented by Chris, followed by Theresa in February.

3) Demo - Sue Bouchard gave a very timely demonstration of a quick and easy, 1-yard, lined shopping bag pattern, based on a Lazy Girl Designs tutorial. Might be just the thing for those last-minute gifts!

Which do I want?

4) The Pouch Swap was a big success! We had 21 participants, and lots of stealing. Ilene was especially unfortunate. But we all went home with a handy pouch and an extra gift inside!


5) Sew and Tell! the best part of the meeting! All the wonderful projects from quilts to bags to scrappy teacher gifts! We can't post all the photos here, so click over to our Flickr Pool to see them all!

Just the beginning....

We wrapped up the meeting with our annual Potluck Lunch. Though there were some yummy vegetables and salads, our members also exhibited some serious skill in the cookie and desert arts! (That's why we only do it once a year...)









That's all until next year! But get ready - at our January meeting, we'll be doing Book Reviews and Iron Testing. Bring a new or favorite quilting book and tell us what's great about it. Pack your old trusty iron, and we'll use high-tech scientific equipment to evaluate which models work best. And don't forget your dues...

Join us for our next guild meeting on January 11, 2015 starting at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day. See you there!

December 14 Guild Meeting and Potluck Party!

The Holiday Season and the end of the year are rapidly approaching, so it's time for a party!

Please join us on Sunday, December 14, 2014 at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day  for the last SDMQG meeting of 2014.

We'll catch up on regional activities, see how the charity quilts turned out, watch a quick & easy bag demo, and maybe hear about some exciting plans for 2015! 

We'll also have a Yankee/White Elephant-style swap of zipper pouches (with small gifts inside), compare progress on our latest projects during Sew-and-Tell, and wrap it all up with our annal Potluck Lunch. Bring whatever holiday (or non-holiday) food or drink you like to share! Plates, cups, and silverware will be provided. 

After all that, we'll have the spacious classroom for free sewing until they chase us out at 4:00 pm! Finish your secret projects away from prying eyes, or just hang out and chat, we won't tell.....

November Meeting Highlights

If you were out enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and couldn't make it to the November 9 SDMQG meeting, here is what you missed:

Business:

1) The Venue Research Committee (Marisa, Ilene, I-Chun, and Pam) have compiled an extensive list of alternate meeting locations. They didn't turn up a place that could beat Quilt in a Day for cost and capacity, so they recommended we stay in our current location for now, and review our options in two years. If you have comments or suggestions, let us know. Otherwise, we will vote on the venue recommendation at the December 14 meeting.

2) The Board of Directors for 2015 were elected by a unanimous vote. Congratulations to:

          Chris Broehmer - President
          Marisa Thompson - VP Operations
          I-Chun Chen - VP Activities
          Susan Kephart - Secretary
          Angela Greenwald - Treasurer

We also welcome Nancy Littlefield and Jen Collins as Charity Coordinators, and Theresa McLellan and Angela Greenwald as SDBee Coordinators. Special thanks to Jen for also being our new Greeter/Welcoming Committee.

3) Regional Activities are beginning to come together! 

    The North County Sew-in and meet-up on Oct. 25 was a big success, and a follow up coffeeshop hangout for Sunday Nov. 23 is in the works. Watch this space for more details!

    The Central Photo Day in the Park scheduled for Nov. 1 was unfortunately rained out, but will be rescheduled for next year, once the holiday rush is over.

    A South/East event at Memory Lane Quilt Shop in El Cajon for an upcoming Saturday is in the works. Watch this space for more details!

4) Who is interested in a Quilting Retreat in 2015? According to our member survey, 92% of you are! Chris is trying to schedule a weekend retreat (Fri am - Sun pm) at the Sisters Retreat Center in Temecula. We are hoping for availability in early Fall (September or October?). 


Group Projects:

5) I-Chun presented a demo on fussy-cutting to go along with her Polaroid Blocks for the SDBee. Contact her for fabric if you didn't pick up a kit at the meeting. We collected some great blocks for Jen's Scrappy Sampler quilt. The rest will be due at the December 14 meeting. Marisa is still missing a few blocks from her month - check behind your sewing table to see if any are hiding!

There will be no Bee blocks presented at the December meeting - we're taking a holiday break. But Elizabeth is on deck for January. Can't wait to see what she has dreamed up!

6) Charity Quilts: Susan M. gave our first Wonky Star charity quilt a lovely lime green binding, and Susan K. promises to get the quilting on the second one done by the end of the year. The QuiltCon Charity Challenge top is off to Chris for quilting and binding, and should be ready to mail to Texas by the (early!) January deadline. Meanwhile, Nancy curated our Scrap Swap pile (see below) into many ideas for next year's projects!

7) The Vintage Quilt Revival Quilt-along folks met to share tips and tricks for their latest blocks. There are some great-looking projects taking shape!

Swaps:

We asked for your extras for the Scrap Swap, and boy did you provide! Even after everyone had filled their bags to bursting, there were lots of scraps left over charity projects. 





At our December 14 meeting, we will be swapping Zipper Pouches with a small gift (~$10)inside. For ideas, check here for some links to pouch patterns and tutorials.

Upcoming Events:

Our December 14 meeting will feature our annual Potluck Lunch! Bring your favorite food or beverage to share. 

Bring your irons to the January 11, 2015 meeting - we'll be putting on our science hats and doing some research into which models work best. Old or New? Cheap or Expensive? IR thermometers will be employed...

And if all that wasn't enough, we had a great Sew-and-Tell! Visit our Flickr page to see all the latest projects. There are some lucky babies and newlyweds out there who will be getting some special gifts from their quilter friends!

Our last guild meeting of the year will be held on Sunday December 14, at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day. Bring your swappable zipper pouch and something yummy for the potluck. Hope to see you all!

November 9 Guild Meeting and Sew-In

Please Join us for the next meeting of the San Diego Modern Quilt Guilt on Sunday, November 9, 2014, starting at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day, San Marcos.

We will vote for Guild Officers for 2015, get an update from the Venue Committee, learn about Regional Group activities, and check in on our QuiltCon Charity project. 

I-Chun will be presenting her block for the SDBee, and if you have finished your blocks for Marisa, be sure to bring them in.

Our last scrap swap was a big hit!

And if that's not enough, get ready for another Scrap Swap! Bring a bag of scraps, as small or large as you want. We'll dump them into a big pile for redistribution. You can take home as much as you bring in. It's a great way to add variety to your stash!

If your shelves are cluttered with other fabric you just don't love any more, we'll also collect unwanted yardage for future charity projects, even if it's not particularly "modern".

Be sure to bring your latest projects for Sew-and-Tell! We love to see what everyone is working on and share the inspiration and creativity. 

After the talking is done, the Sew-In will continue until they toss us out at 4:00 pm. Get caught up on your holiday sewing, or maybe all those scraps will inspire a new project?

Hope to see you there!

October Meeting Highlights

QuiltCon Charity Quilt in progress

We had a full business agenda at the October 12 SDMQG meeting, but that didn't stop us from having a lot of creative fun as well! 

If you couldn't be there, this is what you missed:

Business: 

1) 2015 Dues: The board proposed dues for next year be raised to $40 ($20 if you join after July 1). The National Modern Quilt Guild (the Mothership) asses dues to the member guilds based on size, and since we are growing, our dues are going up too. The motion was voted and passed with no dissent. Dues for 2015 can be paid starting at the December 14 meeting.

2) Nominations were taken for the 2015 Board of Directors positions. So far, we have these candidates:

President: Chris Broehmer
VP Operations: Marisa Thompson
VP Activities: I-Chun Chen
Treasurer: Pam Sadler
Secretary: Susan Kephart

Nomination will remain open until 5:00 pm, Sunday, October 26. If you still want to throw your hat in the ring, e-mail Deb [dsdonovan23(at)gmail(dot)com] or Marisa [marisa(dot)thompson(at)gmail(dot)com] by that time. Descriptions of the officer roles can be found in our bylaws. Elections will be held at the November 9 guild meeting.

3) Volunteers were taken for various committees:

Welcoming Committee/greeter: Jen Collins
SDBee organizers: Theresa McClellan and Angela Greenwald
Charity Committee: Nancy Littlefield and Jen Collins
Location Committee: Marisa (No. County), I-Chun (central), Ileen (So. County)
Extra curricular activities: no takers yet, will twist arms as necessary throughout the year...

Anyone is welcome to join any committee at any time - there are many ways to contribute! 

4) Location search and regional activities: 

    Although we love our Quilt in a Day meeting space for its big classroom that we can all spread out in, we realize that San Marcos is a long drive for some of our central and south county members, and it may even prevent some interested quilters from joining our guild. To overcome that, we are exploring new sites for meetings and other special events. The Location Committee will identify and assess alternate meeting spaces, and their findings will be presented to the guild for discussion in the first half of 2015. 

    Meanwhile, we've asked members to identify what regions of the county (north, central, south, east) they hang out in, and whether they'd be willing to plan informal regional meetups. We're going to kick it off with a Photo Day in Balboa Park for the centrally located folks (and anyone else who's interested!).

5) A summary of our Survey results was sent on October 9 to members using the e-mail addresses we had on file. If you did not get one, please contact Chris [cbroehmer(at)gmail(dot)com]. There were lots of good suggestions for future activities and speakers! But don't wait for the next survey - we will now be featuring a Suggestion Box at our meetings to collect all your great ideas.

6) The San Diego Quilt Show planners are looking for our input for next year! They would love to have some of our members help organize the 2015 show, and they are seeking suggestions for Modern Quilting-friendly vendors, teachers and speakers to invite. The Planning Committee meets the 4th Wednesday of each month, 6:30pm, at Rosie’s Calico Cupboard, 7151  El Cajon Blvd., San Diego.  Meetings start in January. Contact them at info@sandiegoquiltshow.com.

Swaps: We swapped Polka Dot Charm Squares this time, but now it's time to start gathering up your scraps for the November 9 Scrap Swap! Bring a bag of scraps, as small or large as you want, we'll dump them into a big pile for redistribution. You can take home as much as you bring in! And if you have larger scraps or yardage you don't want, we'll take it for future charity projects. (Even if it's not especially modern, we'll find a use for it.)

At the December 14 guild meeting, our swap will be zipper pouches with small ($10ish) gifts inside. 

SDBee: Jen kicked off Round 3 with her Scrappy Sampler concept. If you need fabrics, contact her on Flickr. I-Chun is on deck for November. A few blocks for Marisa might still be out there - check behind your sewing tables!

Charity Quilts: Carrie gave us some awesome swirl quilting on our Wonky Star charity quilt and will hand it off to Susan M. for binding. Meanwhile, we took the QuiltCon Charity blocks made by our members and collaboratively designed the top. With many volunteers, we were able to piece the whole top during the Sew-In, and it's now in the hands of the talented Chris B. for quilting. When she's done, Susan K. will bind it, add a hanging sleeve, and see it's sent off to Texas by the January 3 deadline.

Even after all that, we still had an amazing Sew-and-Tell: Some Halloween projects, some finally-finished WIPs, and some great quilts from new members were on display. Pictures are worth thousands of words, so check out the guild Flickr Group for all the details! (now if the photographer could just work her camera properly after the software upgrade...)

Then it was off to the free sewing time. There are many interesting projects in progress - can't wait to see the results! 

Hope to see you all at our next meeting, on Sunday November 9, at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day! 

 

October 12 Guild Meeting and Sew-In

Polka dots and charity blocks

We need all hands on deck for the next San Diego Modern Quilt Guild meeting because we will be discussing important issues for next year and the future of the guild!

Please join us at 11:00 am, Sunday October 12, 2014 at Quilt in a Day, San Marcos. We will be voting on dues for 2015, and taking nominations for next year's officers. (Elections will be held at the November 9 guild meeting). 

We realize it's a long drive to QiD for some members, so we are asking for volunteers for a committee to find more central locations for future meetings. We also need people to oversee charity projects and help plan regional activities. This is your chance to make the guild better for all!

Our swap this month is Polka dot charm squares. Check the link for who has signed up and how many to bring. Meanwhile, start collecting your scraps for our fall scrap swap in November, and don't forget the zipper-pouch swap in December...

Please bring your charity blocks for the QuiltCon Challenge project so that we can assemble the top during our Sew-In after the business meeting.

Jen will kick off Round 3 of the SDBee - can't wait to see what she's dreamed up this time!

And most importantly, bring your latest projects for Sew and Tell - we love to share your inspiration and creativity!

After the talking is done, the Sew-In will begin. We have Quilt in a Day's spacious, air conditioned classroom until they close at 4:00 pm. Help us with the QuiltCon challenge quilt, or just get some uninterrupted sewing time for your own projects.

Hope to see you then!

September Meeting Highlights

Sammy contemplates his human's pillow swap prize

Lots of Angela-Walters-inspired quilting on display at the September 14 SDMQG meeting! If you couldn't be there, here is what you missed:

Business:

1) Membership cards and pins for new members should be here soon. We no longer have to wait 3 months for them to come in.

2) We're adding members' shops and blogs to the blogroll to the right. Let us know if you have a link to add. Shop local! 

3) Board elections will be in November. If you are interested in getting more involved in the guild, we will start taking nominations/volunteers at the October 12 guild meeting for the offices of President, VP of Activities  VP of Operations, Secretary, and Treasurer. We could also use a new Charity Coordinator.

4) Speaking of elections, The Modern Quilt Guild is taking applications for a Region 1 representative (covering AK, AZ, CA, HI, NV, OR, UT, WA). Our own Sandi Sawa Hazlewood is the current representative. Applications are due Oct. 15. Request an application here.

5) Membership Survey results are still being processed. There was some interest in having regional activities so that South and East County folks wouldn't have so far to drive every time. We are looking for volunteers to be regional directors and plan local activities on an occasional basis. With that in mind, we are considering a Balboa Park Meet-Up for mid October. Stay tuned for details!

On the Road:

1) Our own Susan Kephart will be giving a presentation on Modern Quilting to the Chula Vista Quilter's Guild on October 8 at 7:00 pm, using quilts made by several fabulously talented SDMQG members. If you're in the area, come and offer moral support. Otherwise, help her compile a list of Modern Quilting Resources to share with our CVQG friends.

2) The first ever Quiltfest Oasis Palm Springs is the weekend of October 2-4. Or if that's too far, the Temecula Outdoor Quilt Show is also October 4. Take a long weekend and hit both!

3) But if you're trying to save gas, why not register for The Sewing Party on November 8? This online craft festival will feature classes on Quilting, DIY fashion, home decor, and much more! And you have 90 days after the event to stream whatever classes you like. Use promo code HV97248 if you do register.

Charity Quilts:

We decided on a concept for the QuiltCon Charity Challenge - Random Chevrons, and distributed fabric kits for "blocks". Thanks to Carrie for providing the fabric at cost! We will collect the "blocks" at the October 12 meeting and use the Sew-In time to assemble the top. More info on the Flickr link.

SDBee: 

We wrapped up Round 2 by collecting blocks for Marisa and Grace. There are a few slots left for Round 3, but they are going fast! Sign up on Flickr, and Jen will start us off in October.

Swaps:

This time, we swapped pillow covers, to the delight of our feline associates, as seen above. 

At the October 12 meeting, we will be swapping 5" Polka Dot Charm Squares. Sign up at the Flickr link by September 30 so we can determine how many squares each one of us needs to bring.

The November 9 meeting will see the return of the ever-popular Scrap Swap. Scraps and unwanted yardage will be welcome. More details to come.

And finally, the December 14 meeting will feature a zipper-pouch swap. Make a (non-seasonal, please) zipper pouch, and bring it with a small (<$10 worth) gift inside, and we'll swap at our year-end potluck party.

Demos: 

Both Marisa and Deb gave quick presentations on tricks to make inserting zippers in your projects easier. Wonder tape actually lives up to its name!

Sew-and-Tell:

Many wonderful projects both large and small were shared and can be seen in our Flickr Pool. Seems like half of them featured quilting techniques from the Angela Walters class last month! We were delighted to have first-time visitors like Suzanne and Maho share their projects this time, and it was great to see how Lori has mastered free-motion quilting in such a short time.

Go check out all the projects and let their creators know how much you like them!

Quilt Along: 

The folks participating in the Vintage Quilt Revival Quilt Along met to show their blocks and and share sewing tips. Check out the schedule to see which blocks are up next. There are going to be some amazing quilts coming out at the end of the QAL!

That's it until our next meeting, Sunday, October 12, at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day. Hope to see you then!

September 14 Guild Meeting and Sew-In

Are you exhausted from the San Diego Quilt Show and the Back-to-School grind? Do you need some quiet time with a good pillow? Then be sure to come to the next meeting of the San Diego Modern Quilt Guild!

Be there at 11:00 am on Sunday September 14, 2014 at Quilt in a Day, San Marcos, where we'll discuss the Membership Survey results and the QuiltCon Charity Challenge. We'll collect SDBee blocks for Marisa, and take sign-ups for the last few slots for Round 3. We'll catch up with the Vintage Quilt Revival Quilt-Along, and have a double-barreled demo on zippers. 

Our swap this month is pillow covers! Make a pillow cover to fit a standard 14-, 16-, or 18-inch square pillow form, and be prepared to swap it for another member's fine creation. The pillow insert is not required.

Then the best part - Sew and Tell! Bring your latest projects to share your inspiration and creativity!

After the talking is done, the Sew-In will begin. We will have Quilt in a Day's spacious classroom until they close at 4:00 pm. (You can also probably find a quiet nook to nap in, if so inspired...)

Hope to see you then!

August Meeting Highlights

Basting Party!

We were delighted to see so many new faces at the August 10 SDMQG meeting, especially some who drove quite far to see us! 

If you couldn't be there, here's what you missed:

Upcoming Events

1) Beach Day is August 23. Families are welcome, but leave the sewing machine at home! Meet up near the playground at La Jolla Shores at 11:00am. A public parking lot is available, but it fills up early. Bring your own refreshments, handwork, sunscreen, whatever you need for a great San Diego day in the sun!

2) The San Diego Quilt Show is September 4-6. Those of you who entered quilts, be sure to have them finished by the drop-off deadline! For North County folks, that's Sunday August 24, and southern-county folks have until Labor Day, September 1. Drop-off times and locations are in the link.

Swaps

No swap at the August meeting, but lots of fun swaps coming up:

September 14 meeting - Pillow Covers. Make a quilted pillow cover to fit a standard 14", 16" or 18" square pillow form. Any style, any closure method. You don't need to bring a pillow insert with it. 

October 12 meeting - Dot Charm swap. We'll be swapping 5" squares of any dotted fabric. Demure or bold, pick your favorite style. There will be a sign-up in advance, and we'll ask you to bring 2 charms for each participant. 

November 9 meeting - return of the Scrap Swap! Start culling your scrap basket now!

Group Projects

Wonky Star Charity top pieced by Theresa

1) SDBee - Time to finish up the blocks for Grace and Marisa, and decide whether you want to sign up for Round 3. There are still a few spaces left!

2) Charity Quilts - Our Wonky Star quilts are coming along nicely. Theresa pieced this fabulous top, and handed it off to Carrie for Quilting. Susan K is still working on the second Wonky Star top.

3) QuiltCon Charity Challenge - Unlike the block challenge last time, this year's challenge asks each guild to create a completed quilt using a predetermined color palette and alternate grid work design. We need your ideas! More details and discussion on our Flickr page.

4) Vintage Quilt Revival QAL - Find the monthly blocks and post your progress photos on the Quilt-Along Page. The first two blocks are Double Z and Dakota Star!

Katherine's Marimekko quilt

Sew-and Tell - Many wonderful projects both large and small were shared and can be seen in our Guild Pool. We were especially impressed by Katherine, who drove all the way from Palm Springs to show us her Marimekko quilt. Great to see another veteran quilter exploring the Modern side!

Then it was on to the Sew-In, where we had a Pin-Basting Party! Wow, does that go so much faster when you have help!

Hope to see you at the Beach Day or the SD Quilt Show, but if not, please join us for our next guild meeting, on Sunday September 14, at 11:00 am at Quilt in a Day. We'll be swapping pillow covers, have a demo on zippers, and just maybe comparing Quilt Show ribbons! ;)

August 10 Guild Meeting and Sew-In

Now that you've recovered from the thrills of the Angela Walters weekend (and while you're waiting for your pre-ordered copy of her new book to arrive) why not join us for the next meeting of the San Diego Modern Quilt Guild?

We will convene as usual at 11:00 am on Sunday August 10, 2014, at Quilt in a Day, San Marcos. 

This month we'll check in on the Vintage Quilt Revival Quilt-Along, collect SDBee blocks for Grace and Marisa, and continue sign-ups for the next round. We'll also see how our Wonky Star charity quilts are progressing, talk about the upcoming San Diego Quilt Show, and plan our annual Beach Day for August 23. 

Then the best part -  Sew and Tell! Bring your latest projects and share the inspiration!

When the talking is done, the Sew-In will begin. We have their spacious, air-conditioned classroom for sewing and socialization until 4:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

July Meeting Highlights

The Dog Days of Summer will be starting soon, and for those who made it to the July 13 SDMQG meeting, Alison's demo on paper piecing (and her adorable puppies) provided lots of inspiration for the coming hot weather.

Here's what else happened this month:

Business:
1) Please respond to the membership survey by July 20. This will help us design future guild activities to meet your needs and interests!

2) If you are participating in the Michael Miller fabric challenge, you have until July 25 to upload a photo of your finished project to the Fabric Challenge Forum on the MQG website. (You need a registered account to view the page. Dues-paying members should have access.) Winners will be announced August 1. If you can, please also post a photo on the SDMQG Flickr page so we can all see your wonderful work.

3) Don't forget the Angela Walters visit on August 2! Spots are still available for both the trunk show and machine quilting class. Registration is available to all at this link.

4) Our annual Beach Day at La Jolla Shores is planned for August 23. Families are welcome, but maybe leave your good sewing machine at home - sand is terrible for the gears! More details to come.

5) Carol from the Village Quilters Guild stopped by to fill us in on some of their upcoming speakers: Christine Barnes will be speaking on Magic Fabrics Nov. 8; our own Julie Herman will give a trunk show on January 10, 2015; and Jake Finch of Generation Q will be speaking on April 11, 2015. They meet at the Scripps Ranch Library on the second Saturday of each month, and guests can attend any of their events for only $5. 

Swaps: After our July swap of low-volume fat quarters, we're going to take August off so you'll have time to get an early start on our next swap - pillow covers! Make a cover for a 14" to 20" square pillow, and bring it to swap at the September 14 meeting. Pillow form not required. 

Bees and QAL:
1) Round 2 of the SDBee will wrap up with Marisa's Modern purple/turquoise/lime green blocks, due by the September 14 meeting. Grace's Slice and Insert Blocks will be due at the August 10th meeting.  Deb's Blue Wonky Stars were due at the July meeting, so if you haven't finished, better get cracking!

2) Round 3 of the SDBee is now accepting sign-ups. In return for making a block for one of the other bee members each month, you get a month to tell them all what to make for you! Indicate your interest here.

3) If a bee's not your thing (or not enough for you), have you considered the Vintage Quilt Revival Quilt Along? We'll be kicking off the QAL with the Double Z and Dakota Star blocks. You only have to make blocks for yourself, but you get to share in the experience with the other QAL participants.

Charity Projects:
The Wonky House Quilt is finished, and we collected enough Wonky Star blocks to make (at least) two twin quilts! Susan K. will finish one of them; Theresa M. will piece the other top, Carrie will quilt it (if we baste it for her), and Susan M. will take on the binding. We'll have a new charity improv challenge in the Fall.

Sew-n-Tell:
We tried something new this month, and held our Sew-n-Tell in the QID classroom/studio area. So many wonderful projects were shown, including some by our junior associates! Check out our Guild Flickr pool for a taste. 
(Photographer's note: Maybe it was the lighting in the new room, but some of the best quilts didn't photograph well. I especially regret not having a good photo of Sue B's Modern Migration quilt and Chris's Shanghai Red quilt top. Ladies, please post your own photos so everyone can see how great they were!)

That's all for July! Our next guild meeting is Sunday, August 10, at 11:00 am  at Quilt in a Day. Hope to see you there!