Greenville MQG Officially Approved

It is with great pleasure to announce...

The Greenville Modern Quilt Guild is an affiliate member of the Modern Quilt Guild Guild, Inc. Through a group exemption with the Modern Quilt Guild, Inc., we are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.

Benefits of membership:

• Access to our online community
• Access to our monthly webinar series
• Access to our free monthly pattern
• Opportunities to participate in inter-guild swaps and challenges
• Discounted fees to enter MQG quilt shows
• Discounted rates on conferences and events
• Priority and early-bird registration on conference and event admissions
• Discounted small business and personal insurance
• Discounts and special offers with MQG sponsors and affiliated companies
• Membership Card
• Pin
• Blog Button
• 10% discount on online MQG merchandise purchases and more
• 
  

We should be receiving our membership cards and pins soon!

Registration:

For those who have paid local dues through the GMQG you can now create an online user name and password by going to this link at the Modern Quilt Guild. You can also upload a picture to your profile.  Under the communication preferences you can check to receive the MQG members only newsletter and other correspondence.
If you were already an individual member of the MQG, you will continue to navigate the website as usual.

Community:

Be sure to explore the MQG Community, the members only section of the website.  In Galleries tab you can see pictures of challenges, QuiltCon and more.  You can find out more about upcoming webinars, lectures and quilt shows in the Events section. You can meet other MQG members from around the globe and discuss the latest topic in the Forums section.  And lastly, in the invaluable Resources tab, you will find the patterns of the month, previous webinars and much more.

Join Us:

If you are in the Greenville area and interested in learning more about modern quilting please consider joining us for a future meeting. We would love to have you!

July Meeting Recap

Location: Bernina Store

President Cheryl Brickey called the July 11, 2015 meeting to order shortly after 1pm and welcomed everyone. 17 members and 3 visitors were in attendance.

Announcements

• Charleston Modern Quilt Guild is collecting blocks (3.5" x 6.5" unfinished) to be made into a quilt for the Emanuel AME church.  Details about the project can be found on their Quilt for Mother Emanuel blog post.  They are requesting the blocks by August 1st.  
• Registration has begun for QuiltCon West which will be held February 18-21, 2016 in Pasadena, CA.  QuiltCon East will be held in February 2017 in Savannah, GA.
• QuiltCon West Challenge entry deadline is Nov 30th - There are two challenges, the Michael Miller Glitz Fabric Challenge and the EZQuilting Challenge using the mini triangle templates.  Even if you were not able to sign up and receive the fabric or the templates, every MQG member is welcome to enter
• Entry is open until Nov 30th for the juried and judged QuiltCon quilt show.

Upcoming meetings

• August 15th @ Bernina 10am-3pm tentative: Paper piecing workshop by Darlene and Riley Blake challenge reveal (Note the date change and the longer meeting time for the paper pieced workshop) - See bottom of post for supply list and more information
• September 12th @ Bernina 1-3pm: Digital quilt design and Unloved fabric swap
• October 10th @ Bernina 1-3pm: Favorite notions

Riley Blake Fabric Challenge

• The fabric for the 2015 Modern Quilt Guild challenge is The Cottage Garden by Amanda Herring (The Quilted Fish). The deadline is at the end of July. We will present our finished projects at the August meeting. Details are in the April Meeting Recap post.  We should be a full guild through the MQG by the deadline for the challenge so members should be able to upload their projects to the MQG website for a chance to win prizes.

Mystery Quilt

• It's not too late to join in the fun with Cheryl's Midnight Mystery Quilt-A-long which runs through March 2016.  Fabric requirements and July's cutting instructions have been posted with sewing to begin August 6th.  All instructions are available on the Meadow Mist Designs blog and there is an active Facebook group for the quilt-a-long.  

Philanthropy

• A lap-size quilt will be auctioned at a silent auction at a December 2nd fundraiser for the Meyer Center. The goal is to have all of the blocks for the quilt complete by August and to arrange the blocks into a quilt top design at the August meeting. Darleen volunteered to piece the blocks into a quilt top and supply the batting. Fannie has volunteered to do the quilting and Cheryl volunteered to bind the quilt.

Block of the Month

• Many blocks were collected and added to the other blocks to be incorporated into the philanthropy quilt. July's block of the month is Half Square Triangle / Log Cabin (HST/LC) Tutorial by Natalie at Greenleaf Goods. Please continue to use fabrics in blues and greens. Here are some of the blocks turned in this month:

Business

• Dues were collected from 5 new members bringing the total paid membership to 25. 
• All the required paperwork has been submitted and we are awaiting official word that we have become an official chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild.

Show and Share

• We had some wonderful quilts shown at the meeting

Program - Quilt Show Preparation/Binding Fit for a Judge by Paige Alexander

Paige gave an informative talk about various quilt shows and tips on entering shows including photography, design permission, hanging sleeves and shipping. She explained the jury and judging process with the main focus on finishing your quilt with bias binding including the following:

• Binding should be equal front and back with secure stitching
• Binding should be filled with batting
• Corners should by mitered and stitched closed
• Corners should be square and edges straight, if intended
• Diagonal seams are preferred on binding strips

Paige encouraged everyone to enter their quilts into the next quilt show.  A great opportunity is the Asheville Quilt Show coming up October 2-4, 2015.  There are many categories including Modern Style.  The entry deadline is August 24th.  Your quilt could come home with a ribbon and if not, you will receive constructive feedback on how to improve your next quilt.

Bias Binding with mitered corner and stitched closed

Links to quilt organizations, judging and binding information:

• Modern Quilt Guild and QuiltCon
• American Quilter’s Society
• The National Quilting Association, Inc. 
• International Quilt Association
• Asheville Quilt Guild 
• Cobblestone Quilters Guild, Charleston, SC 
• A Mount Quiltfest, Pigeon Forge, TN
• The Modern Quilt Guild Creative Webinar Series, June 2015 – Panel: Quilt Show Jurying & Judging (MQG members only) by Jacquie Gering, Stevii Graves, Shannon Page and Heather Grant.
• AQS QuiltTV – Scott Murkin, Certified Quilt Judge at AQS QuiltWeek in Paducah He and Bonnie Browning, AQS Executive Show Director, discuss the judging process and various aspects of judging quilt shows. 
• Modern Quilts, Traditional Shows: My Interview with Scott Murkin Part 1 and Part 2 by Mandy Leins, on her blog, Mandalei Quilts
• QuiltCon 2015 Quilt Show on the MQG blog post gives great information on choosing a quilt to enter, the categories and judging process
• Quilt Binding Joining Ends presented by Marci Baker of Alicia’s Attic
• Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations has a double fold binding tutorial with excellent photographs.  Part Two is a tutorial for handing stitching the binding.  Both of her techniques are slightly different, but will achieve the same great results.

More Details for Paper Piecing Workshop 

What should I bring?

• Sewing machine of course
• Open toed foot is best
• Rotary cutter and mat (small if you have one)
• Rotary rulers (Small is probably all that you will need.  I will have my one for squaring up if anyone needs it.)
• A 90/14 needle if you have one.  The larger needle will help to perforate the paper template.
• A few irons along with small pressing mats.
• I'm thing we could put one small pressing mat between 2 people to share.

Fabric requirements

• You will need less than 1/2 yard of the background fabric.  I would suggest that you bring at 1/2 yard just in case.
• The rest of the star requires about 1/4 fabric or maybe a bit more.
• Bring lots of scraps.

Darlene will be bringing copies of the templates.  We WILL finish the block by the end of the day.  We are going to have fun.

LUNCH SURVEY

What would you like to do for lunch?  Please fill out this survey so we can decide what to do for lunch (bring your own, purchase a group meal, potluck, etc.).  We will announce the lunch decision at least a week before the workshop.  Survey link.

Reminder - Meeting this Saturday (July 11th)

Just a reminder that we have a meeting this Saturday...

When: Saturday, July 11th from 1-3pm

Where: The new Bernina Sewing Center

2310-4 East North Street
Greenville, SC 29609
864-235-5031
shop@berninagreenville.com

At the July meeting Paige will talk about entering regional and national quilt shows and how to finish your quilt with a binding fit for a judge.

Remember to bring:

• $20 dues to join the GMQG for 2015 (if you have not already done so and are planning on joining the guild)
• Show and Shares
• Block of the Month - Album - Red Sky Block by Tales of Cloth. Please continue to use fabrics in blues and greens. 

See you there!

June Meeting Recap

Date: June 20th, 2015

Location: Bernina Store

President Cheryl Brickey called the meeting to order shortly after 1pm and welcomed everyone. 18 members and 3 visitors were in attendance.

Announcements

• Leslie welcomed the Guild to the Bernina store and introduced Bernina's Row by Row quilt pattern for the summer shop hop.
• Lizzy House will be teaching some workshops at the Charleston Modern Quilt Guild at the end of August.  Dates, cost, location, and how to sign up is on the Charleston Modern Quilt Guild website http://charlestonmodernquiltguild.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-classes.html 
• We took a vote and decided that future meetings will be held at the Bernina store.
• Asheville Quilt Show coming up October 2, 3 & 4.

Upcoming meetings

• July 11th @ Bernina 1-3pm: Quilt show quilt preparation and binding techniques by Paige.
• August 15th @ Bernina 10am-3pm tentative: Paper piecing workshop by Darlene and Riley Blake challenge reveal (Note the date change and the longer meeting time for the paper pieced workshop)
• September 12th @ Bernina 1-3pm: Digital quilt design and Unloved fabric swap

Riley Blake Fabric Challenge

• The fabric for the 2015 Modern Quilt Guild challenge is The Cottage Garden by Amanda Herring (The Quilted Fish). The deadline is at the end of July. We will present our finished projects at the August meeting. Details are in the April Meeting Recap post.  We should be a full guild through the MQG by the deadline for the challenge so members should be able to upload their projects to the MQG website for a chance to win prizes.

Mystery Quilt

• Cheryl passed out June's instructions for fabric requirements for the Midnight Mystery Quilt-A-long which runs through March 2016.  Instructions are also available on the Meadow Mist Designs blog and there is an active Facebook group for the quilt-a-long.

Philanthropy

• A lap-size quilt will be auctioned at a silent auction at a December 2nd fundraiser for the Meyer Center. The goal is to have all of the blocks for the quilt complete by August and to arrange the blocks into a quilt top design at the August meeting. Darleen volunteered to piece the blocks into a quilt top and supply the batting. Fannie has volunteered to do the quilting and Cheryl volunteered to bind the quilt.

Block of the Month

• Many blocks were collected and added to the other blocks to be incorporated into the philanthropy quilt. June’s block of the month is Album - Red Sky Block by Tales of Cloth. Please continue to use fabrics in blues and greens.  Here are some of the blocks turned in this month:

Business

• Treasurer Paige Alexander collected dues from 6 members bringing the total paid membership to 20. 
• Paige is working now to complete and submit all of the required paperwork for us to join as an official chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild.

Show and Share

 Lynn, Paige, Cheryl, and Debby all had beautiful quilts and sewn projects to show.

Program - Faye Jones

Faye Jones, with the help of her two lovely granddaughters, Emma and Sadie, gave a wonderful talk about all different kinds of fabric dyeing and surface printing.  She had samples to illustrate all of the different techniques.  Faye is working on having small groups to her house for a hands on workshop.

Without further business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 3pm.