January Meeting Minutes

If you weren't there, you missed a fun meeting!

Bonnie T did an excellent job as President for the day. She survived to tell about it and loved the experience so much she encouraged everyone else to do it.

1. The Quilty Question this time was "what is the smallest quilted item you have ever made". Answers, as usual ran the gamut. Some answers were:

• table topper
• Fimo earrings with quilt block themes
• placemats
• 12x12 paper pieced block
• mug rug
• Go cutter heart door hanger
• coffee cozy
• pincushion mice
• pyramid chicken
• coaster
• journal quilt
• potholders
• nametag
• Christmas ornaments
• eye patch (no joke!)
• Barbie bikini (sewn not quilted, but still tiny!)
• Tooth Fairy pocket
• postcard

Don't you want a pattern for a pyramid chicken?

2. Dues are due. Pay using PayPal by sending $40 to bamodernquilt@gmail.com. You can also pay by check. Contact Claire for more information.

3. New Officers  and Volunteers were introduced
During the first 6 months of the year we will have President for the Day. Ruth B will help with coordinating the agenda during this time. In July, Joelle will take over as President from July to December.
Lynette B and Gerre D are co-VPs
Annemarie has taken over (and is doing great so far!) as membership coordinator
Peggy and Michelle will stay on as the Charity Girls
Cindy C and Jessica H are Retreat Coordinators
Ruth B, in addition to coordinating the agenda, will act as Swap Coordinator
Karen M will continue as Challenge Coordinator
Mike will continue as MQG Liaison
Anna started as photographer (and already posted the photos to the Ning!)
Ann S and Alison S will work on the Opportunity Quilt
Angela is Workshop Coordinator
Jaye will continue writing blog posts
Cheryl will act as Random Number Generator
Amanda is now the Coffee Queen
Mary agreed to be Sew Day Coordinator

There are still volunteer opportunities available. You do not have to do jobs yourself. You and a friend can share. You will get a lot out of volunteering, because people appreciate your work and tell you so. Also, you get to meet a lot more people. Please sign up to do something! The Guild needs:

• Secretary/official notetaker
• more writers for the blog 

If you want to volunteer, leave a comment or contact an officer

4. Next meeting date: Saturday, 2/13/16 from 1:00pm-5:00pm. See the full list on the meeting date page.

5. Demo Series
A series of demos on design will start at the next meeting. In February, Ruth will talk about  positioning elements on a field of negative space. If there is a topic about which you want to learn, contact Ruth B.

6. Small Groups are still going strong

• City Sampler (on hiatus, but still alive)
• Hand stitching - contact Rhonda
• Improv (IRR) - contact Cheryl
• NEW! Mighty Lucky Quilting Club (you must have purchased the series to be a member) 

7. Mighty Lucky Quilting Club
This a new program from  Lucky Spool publishers is independent of the guild, but a good way to improve your skills as a quiltmaker. Also, you can have fun comparing notes with your fellow guild mates. Each month you will receive a challenge from a 'name' modern quiltmaker. The first month is about bias tape!

8. Library
Kelly arranged with Lucky Spool Publisher to receive a seed box of books for the guild. She will be the new guild library person and has devised a checkout system for the books. You are requested to post an honest review on Amazon of the books you borrow. Books are due at the next meeting.

9. Charity
 Amanda brought parts for cat beds, which were quickly taken.

There are a number of quilts that need to be quilted. Batting and backs are provided.

A ton of postage stamp blocks are available to be put together into tops.

Directions for Wheelchair quilts are available

10. Library Show at the Los Altos Library
Was put up in December and will be taken down January 31.

11. Quilty Happenings
Oakland Museum has an Eli Leon show up through Feb 21
Sherri Lynn Wood will be at Books Inc in Alameda on Friday Jan 15 at 7:30 for a free ruler free demo 
Joy-Lily is teaching at Scruffy Quilts this month on borders and next month on a 'mortgage free' house block. Check the Scruffy blog for details

January 19, 2016  at SFQG • Sheila Collins From Fashion Designer to Graphic Designer to Fabric Artist. See their calendar for details


12. MQG Website demo
Mike showed us how to renew as individual members and transfer all of our information

13. Challenges

All the participants in the Carol Van Zandt/Crayon box challenge showed their work. 

The next challenge is about Scale and Structure. Karen M did a presentation on what that means:

• Larger scale design, e.g. blow up a block to a large size
• One block quilt
• Architecture Displays Structure, e.g. think of lines not color
•  Literal interpretation, e.g. very linear, structural
• Incomplete structure, e.g. a block where some pieces are missing; parts drop in and out. An example is Victoria Findlay Wolfe's Double Wedding Ring quilts where parts drop in and out. 
• Highlight the structure

The challenge is to highlight the structure and make that the focus of the quilt:

• take a block and make it larger
• take a block and recreate it
• remove elements of a block or quilt 
• create a new structure

Challenge pieces are due in April

14. Kirstyn Cogan sent us 5 prizes. She is an author and fabric designer. Rules are that you must be present to win. Prizes included books and fabric.




Join us for our next meeting on Saturday, 2/13/16 from 1:00pm-5:00pm.

Members can visit the BA Modern Ning site. Join to become a member!!!

Take a look at our Flickr stream for photos of show and tell and other guild activities as well as member work.

January Meeting Tomorrow

Are you packed and ready for the meeting?

The Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild meets at the Redwood City Library downtown branch in the upstairs community room (the elevators are on the far left of the entrance). Meetings are held from 1:00 pm to 5:00pm.

1044 Middlefield Road
Redwood City, CA 94063
tel: 650.780.7018
view map

Please be sure to check here for updated information as we sometimes have to change the date or location. The first four meetings of the new year will be on the SECOND Saturday of the month rather than our usual third Saturday. Check the list of meeting dates and times and add them to your calendar.

WHAT: Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild Meeting!!!
WHEN: Saturday, January 9, starting at 1:00 pm
WHERE: we'll be meeting at the Redwood City Library downtown branch in the upstairs community room (the elevators are on the far left of the entrance).

Note updates!

* Round Robin bins and bags
*Carol Van Zandt fabric challenge pieces (Crayon Box Challenge)
*Any Lucky Spool Challenge work that you've started
*Show and Tell
* A check or cash for those last minute raffle tickets
*Your name tag *Charity blocks and quilts
*4 small gifts (new, purchased or handmade) - read more info on the forum
*Small Group projects (and ideas for new Small Groups!) *Information about local/national quilty happenings *Non-messy snacks
*Sewing projects for after the meeting *Enthusiasm and a positive attitude!









Members can visit the BA Modern Ning site. Join to become a member!!!

Take a look at our Flickr stream for photos of show and tell and other guild activities as well as member work.

Happy New Year - January Meeting is Saturday

Happy New Year! Are you ready to get back to some quiltmaking?

The Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild meets at the Redwood City Library downtown branch in the upstairs community room (the elevators are on the far left of the entrance). Meetings are held from 1:00 pm to 5:00pm.

1044 Middlefield Road
Redwood City, CA 94063
tel: 650.780.7018
view map

Please be sure to check the blog for updated information as we sometimes have to change the date or location.


WHAT: Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild Meeting!!!
WHEN: Saturday, January 9, starting at 1:00 pm 
WHERE: we'll be meeting at the Redwood City Library, in the upstairs community room. 

WHAT things to bring:

* IRR Round Robin bins and bags 
*Carol Van Zandt fabric challenge pieces
Show and Tell

*Your name tag

*Charity blocks and quilts
*4 small gifts (new, purchased or handmade) - read more info on the forum

*Small Group projects (and ideas for new Small Groups!)

*Information about local/national quilty happenings

*Non-messy snacks
*Sewing projects for after the meeting

*Enthusiasm and a positive attitude!






Members can visit the BA Modern Ning site. Join to become a member!!!Take a look at our Flickr stream for photos of show and tell and other guild activities as well as member work.

Happy Sew Year!

by Kelly O! (president 2014-2015)

Hello BAMmers!
Shortly after our December meeting, it occurred to me that it really was my last meeting as president. And I realized that I had neglected some thank yous, some encouragements I wanted to offer, and some "wisdom" I wanted to impart. I also kicked myself for not having taken a few moments at the meeting to say all these things. So here's my "going away speech."

It's been two years of fun and games for me as president of the Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild. I had a blast working with my vice presidents Amanda in 2014, and Angela and Cheryl in 2015!! They were instrumental in moving BAM forward -- if you enjoyed the speakers and workshops we had in the past couple of years, you can thank these ladies for all their hard work in arranging and hosting!;
Amanda spearheaded our opportunity quilt, too! That was a big success, and a lot of work on her part!! Thank you Amanda!!

Angela so enjoyed organizing the workshops that she's volunteered to be our guild's new Workshop Coordinator! She's already hard at work!

Cheryl had so much fun as a VP that she's signed up to be our official Random Number Generator! ;-)

Claire has been, and continues to be, our treasurer extraordinaire! Claire has kept us on the right side of the (tax) law for years, and we very much appreciate it!!

This past year we introduced Mike L as our MQG liaison. He's been extremely helpful in guiding us through, and teaching us about, the MQG website. He's going to continue on in 2016! He'll be available at meetings to help you sign up as individual members of the MQG, and will help answer any questions you have about it. He'll also be keeping us apprised of upcoming national challenges, and help keep us informed of the national goings on. Thank you Mike!!

Our charity committee leads, Peggy L and Michelle B, have been angels, and are continuing their hard work for at least another year!

A big thank you to Alison S for being our membership coordinator for the past few years. Alison has worked hard to streamline our process, and her input has been invaluable! Thank you Alison!!

Joy-Lily did a great job as swap coordinator! The virtual swap (favorite blogs) was a stroke of brilliance, and I've found a few new favorites. Have you? Our December meeting's Swap-a-palooza Extravaganza was so much fun! Thank you for all your work Joy-Lily!

Karen M will continue her series exploring modern quilting concepts, and bringing us interesting challenges, through 2016!

We have some new officers for 2016, and a new "format" for the first half of 2016. Our VPs Lynette and Gerre, with the help of Ruth B, will be our guiding stars. Our monthly President for a Day positions (through June) will host the meetings. Beginning in July, Joelle will be our new President (for Life?).

Cindy C and Jessica H have signed up to co-chair our guild retreat for 2016, and they've already gathered some committee members! The retreat has been a highlight for me every year, and you can bet I'm looking forward to next year's retreat too!

BAM has a new membership coordinator -- Annemarie Q!! Let her know if you have any questions
Ruth B is our 2016 Swap Coordinator. You know she's cooking up some good ideas!!

So...just like the monthly reminder list, it's quite likely I've forgotten someone or something. I assure you, it's not intentional!  Please speak up! So many of you volunteered your time and effort, whether at a meeting, an exhibit, or making charity quilts. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The saying "It takes a village" may have referred to raising a child, but it's just as true for having a terrific quilt guild!

Over the past two years I've enjoyed hosting the meetings, and hopefully you've enjoyed attending the meetings!

One of the things I'd hoped to accomplish was to make the meetings more interactive, and discussion-based. Starting "Quilty Happenings" was a big step in that direction. I've had a lot of fun learning about upcoming events, classes, patterns, and past and future activities outside of the guild. Our introduction questions have been so much fun to think up, and a blast to listen to the answers! Show and Tell is a staple of every guild, and our have always been inspiring and *fun*!!

While writing all this, I keep thinking about what a terrific group of people we have in our guild. Each and every person has been inspiring to me in some way, whether you attended one meeting, or dozens! When I attended my first BAM meeting, I didn't know a soul. It took a lot of courage to walk into a room full of talented people. Once I met a few of those talented people, and realized how warm and welcoming, how wonderful they were/are...well, I was hooked! At every meeting I am overwhelmed -- knowing how much this guild, these people, *you* have come to mean to me.
Because it's *you* who makes BAM a terrific guild, and I appreciate very much that you've allowed me to host the meetings for so long. I've had a great time! I'm excited about the next chapter(s) of BAM -- the PfaD experiment will be especially fun, and I'm looking forward to Joelle's presidency. I will miss being in front of the room...but don't worry, I'm not leaving the guild -- you'll be putting up with me for a long time yet! You can bet I'll be sitting in the audience and enjoying the meetings just as much!

I may be a regular guild member, but I've also taken on a new position: Guild Librarian! Lucky Spool has sponsored our new guild library by getting us started with a selection of their publications. All they've asked in return is for each/any of us to leave honest reviews at Amazon, on your blog, or other social media. (I'll talk more about this at our next meeting.)

The books will be brought to each meeting, and you'll be able to look at, or check out, the books we currently have. If you have a book or two that you're interested in donating to our library, please let me know. We will be carefully curating our collection through donations and purchases.

Finally, (whew, right?), I hope you have had a wonderful 2015, and will have an incredible, creative new year. Here's to an amazing 2016 for each of us!

Cheers!




Members can visit the BA Modern Ning site. Join to become a member!!!Take a look at our Flickr stream for photos of show and tell and other guild activities as well as member work.