Blog updates

Hi everyone, Cheryl here. I've been very lax about updating the blog, and I apologize about that. Of all the bazillion things there are to do, it seems like it's the one to fall to the wayside. I'm hoping to get all board members updating on a regular basis. But the silence over here does not mean that we aren't out here and doing lots of fantastic things!

We have a Facebook ad running, which is generating interest! I'm hoping to see lots of new faces at the upcoming meeting. If you have friends who might be interested in our group, please bring them to our meetings!

I'd like to hear from you about where you would like to see our group go in the next few months. I, for one, would love to see more about the modern quilt movement -- the aesthetic shown in the work of many of the founders of the parent group, The Modern Quilt Guild. To that extent, we've added member Candy Parker to the board to help bring us closer to that group. She will be reporting on the goings-on of the national group at our meetings!

Speaking of the national group, are you aware of QuiltCon? It's the first annual conference put on by the MQG and even if you can't go, you can be a part of it! We're going to be sending our blocks in to represent our fantastic group of sewists. You can find all of the information on the QuiltCon page. We'll be having sewing days at Quilting Adventures on June 2nd and 27th. See their calendar for details! They even have put together bundles of the official QuiltCon colors to make our blocks with!

And don't forget that Karen Sievert is coming in June! She'll be doing a trunk show at our regular meeting on June 15th and then will have a workshop the next day, June 16th. We are able to provide this class to members at an unheard-of class fee of $35 (and a kit fee of $6 payable to Karen on the day of the class). You don't want to miss this opportunity! Check out this link on Quilting Adventures' blog to see a beautiful version of the workshop quilt!

Finally, also in June, we will be revealing our final quilts in our current swap. So much fun! I can't wait to see mine!

Happy Quilting!

New location starting in September (yes, that's this month)!

Hi everyone,

In case you weren't at the meeting last month, we have found a new, permanent (at least for the next year -- does that still mean it's permanent?) location. We'll be at Mt. Pisgah Church in Midlothian. It's just about 1/2 mile east of Quilter's Corner.

Here's a link to a map showing where Mt. Pisgah is!

Quilter's Corner has been great in letting us use their space so far, but we're starting to get a little crowded in their classroom. Moving to Mt. Pisgah allows us to not sit on each other's laps! Also, we will be able to use the other spaces for classes and events.

Our next meeting is Friday, September 16, at 6:30 pm. We start gathering at 6:00.

Hope your round robin is going well! Remember, if you have problems, contact an officer!

Round robin!

July's meeting was great! It was wonderful to see all of the different postcards everyone made and to see the beautiful Swirly Girls Design studio!

I hope everyone is excited about our next challenge: a round robin quilt. If you've never done a round robin before, they are a great way to stretch your quilting legs. And this one is small, so it won't cost you much in fabric. Here is the way it works:

1. Everyone makes a center square. The square should be 6 inches finished, so be sure to include a 1/2 inch for seam allowances. Put the square into the envelope you received at the meeting (if you weren't there, it's fine; we'll have more at August's meeting).

2. We'll swap envelopes. You will add a border to the block you get.

3. We'll swap again. Lather, rinse, repeat until December when...

4. You get your original block back with four borders (or other additions) by new friends!

Here is a link to my personal blog -- this is everything I've posted in the category "round robin." You will see some completed quilts and some rows or blocks that I did individually. Keep in mind that some of the round robins I've been in have been row quilts, so instead of a bunch of borders, you'll see rows done by individuals and then put together. I'll be sure to bring some samples of round robins to the next meeting. If you have some samples of your own, please bring them for show and tell!

Here are some questions I thought might come up:

Q. Do I have to include fabric in my envelope?
A. Only if you want to.

Q. What if I can't come to a meeting?
A. Send it along with someone else or drop it in the mail to our PO Box. Just make sure you mail it at least a week before.

Q. What if I really don't want a certain color/style?
A. Just note it on the envelope. Try to not put too many restrictions on it, though. It's more fun when the sky is the limit. A quick "no Thimbleberries" or "I love batiks!" is fine.

Q. I'm new and don't know what to do!
A. One of the officers would be happy to meet with you and go over some ideas. Round robins are supposed to be fun, not stressful. Of course, you want to make sure you are putting your best effort into what you're making.

Any questions I didn't cover? Post a comment and I'll add it here.

Let's go!