February 2015 Meeting

It was a good meeting last Saturday.

Mike, the MQG Liasion, gave us a tour of one section of the MQG. The goal is to get us more familiar with the benefits of that site since our BAMQG membership includes an MQG membership.

Karen, the 2015 Challenge Coordinator, gave us a small lecture on "What is Modern?". Stop with the eye rolling! It was interesting and a little off the beaten track. She took some principles of 'modern quilting' and showed us these elements in modern quilts as well as 'non-modern' quilts, including quilts from the 1980s and 1990s as well as vintage quilts. It was a cool presentation! Some of the elements she included were:

• Improv
• Pictorial
• Graphic
• Negative Space
• Bright Colors
• Alternative Grid (drop an element to mess up symmetry, space elements oddly, irregular spacing between element, etc)
• Text was added in during the discussion.

The result of this fabulous presentation is a challenge quilt due in July (??) using an alternative grid. Charity presented two completed quilts and a new charity block. You can download the Stair step piecing directions (PDF) or go to the guild website and look at the directions.




Some of the Hawaiian quilts are finished. Angela handed out binding and talked about the quilts. I think she got some other people who couldn't attend the Sew Day to take some pieces and parts and finish them.

Joy-Lily is the 2015 Swaps Coordinator and the first swap will be in April. We are each to bring a quilt book with which we have finished and trade with someone else for one. In the future, there will be a 'Sew As You Go" bag swap.
 Upcoming events:

• Amish Exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles ends 2/28/2015
• Manteca Quilt Show, March 7-8, 2015
• SCVQA Show-March 14-15, 2015
• Playcrafts has a challenge going using the Pantone Color of the Year, Marsala

Binding Bee: After the meeting ended, a bunch of us sat around finishing up the binding of the guild's opportunity quilt. The quilt is a monster, but it is also an amazing monster.

Ruth designed it and the design is very unique. Marci Gore designed the quilting and stitched it out on her computerized longarm.

The first opportunity to buy raffle tickets will be at the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association Show. It was fun. People would walk up and comment that it was just like an old fashioned quilting bee. The next Sew Day will be at The Intrepid Thread, which will be dangerous. ;-)

Meeting Tomorrow!

Hope to see you all at the meeting tomorrow!

A quick reminder about our meeting:

Saturday, February 21, starting at 1:00 pm -- we'll be meeting at the Redwood City Library, in the upstairs community room. 

Things to bring:

*Show 'n Tell

*Something that represents the Color of the Year (Marsala)

*Your name tag

*Charity blocks and quilts

*Small Group projects (Tula blocks, Hand Quilting)

*Schnibbles -- Amanda will be collecting these for cat beds

*Checkbook -- dues are, well, due now. Also, you'll want to sign up for the retreat!

*Information about local/national quilty happenings

*Non-messy snacks

*Enthusiasm and a positive attitude! 

Please note: this list is not necessarily all-inclusive. It's quite likely there's something important that's been left off, so if you think of something that should be added, please speak up! 

There will be lots of time to visit, too, especially after the meeting. So plan to stick around and have some fun!. Meet new friends, chat with old friends, and eat some yummy snacks!

If you have any questions, please reply here, or see me at the meeting.

New Charity Block!

Stair Step Charity Block Piecing Directions February 2015

The blocks will be 14 inches finished size. The quilt will be 4x6 blocks with an extra border on the left side and the bottom, bringing the quilt to 60 X 88 inches.
Each block will need:
Focus fabric: 1 square 7.5 raw and 2 squares 4 inches raw.
Background (grey): 1 square 7.5 raw, 2 squares 4 inches raw, and 1 rectangle 4 X 14.5 raw.

Start with the four smaller squares. Sew one background square to one focus fabric square to make two units of two squares.

Sew one of these two-square units to the larger square of the background fabric.
 Place the larger background square on the right and the two-square unit is on the left with the bottom of the focus fabric lined up with the bottom of the larger background square.

Sew the other two-square unit to the larger focus fabric square. The larger focus fabric square is on the left and the two-square unit is on the right with the focus fabric square lined up with the bottom of the larger focus fabric square.

Sew these units together so that the focus fabric makes a stair step.

Sew the rectangle to the right hand side of the block, as shown.

Find a PDF on Jaye's blog. Ask Michelle or Peggy for assistance.

Charity Sew Day - TOMORROW!!!

We are having a Luau!!! Come join us in the opportunity to raise some funds to benefit our Charity projects.  We have been commissioned to make 10 lap/throw size quilts from Hawaiian fabric for a Hawaiian family who recently lost their mother-grandmother.  The fabric and batting will be provided.  Bring your sewing tools and join us for a sewing Luau. Wear your Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts (if you have them).  
Or you can just join us with your own projects to work on.  Hope to see you there.

• Tomorrow: Saturday, February 7, 2015
• 10 AM to 11 PM
• Los Altos Library meeting room
• 13 S. San Antonio Road
• Los Altos, CA

 If you plan on being there, PLEASE reply to the discussion on the Ning so we can get a head count. 

If you are first to arrive,  please go to the librarian in the children's room and ask to have the doors opened to the room and to the supply room.

Shout out if you can bring these items to share

• Light non-messy snacks
• Irons (3)
• Ironing boards (3)
• Large cutting mats (need 2)
• Design walls (need 2)

Plan to bring your own:

• Extension cord and/or power strip
• Sewing machine
• Cutting tools (your own personal mat if you want)

Charity Sew Day - Hawaii Style

We are having a Luau!!! Come join us in the opportunity to raise some funds to benefit our Charity projects.  We have been commissioned to make 10 lap/throw size quilts from Hawaiian fabric for a Hawaiian family who recently lost their mother-grandmother.  The fabric and batting will be provided.  Bring your sewing tools and join us for a sewing Luau. Wear your Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts (if you have them).  
Or you can just join us with your own projects to work on.  Hope to see you there.

• Saturday, February 7, 2015
• 10 AM to 11 PM
• Los Altos Library meeting room
• 13 S. San Antonio Road
• Los Altos, CA

 If you plan on being there, PLEASE reply to the discussion on the Ning so we can get a head count. 

If you are first to arrive,  please go to the librarian in the children's room and ask to have the doors opened to the room and to the supply room.

Shout out if you can bring these items to share

• Light non-messy snacks
• Irons (3)
• Ironing boards (3)
• Large cutting mats (need 2)
• Design walls (need 2)

Plan to bring your own:

• Extension cord and/or power strip
• Sewing machine
• Cutting tools (your own personal mat if you want)