Quilt Top Sewing Day

This past Saturday the CAMQG met to put together a quilt top to be quilted at the Pennsylvania Farm Show this winter. 

 

 

Ann- Our Fabulous Quilt Designer!

JJ

Lois and Sigrid

The completed blocks!

Check back to see the top come together, or better yet, plan on checking it out at the PA Farm Show this January and putting in a few of your own stitches.

Up next for the Guild- Tuesday November 19 6:45pm- General Meeting.  
If you are interested in joining, please email the capitalareamqg@gmail.com for details!

One More Great Night of Quilts!

 

 Our final gallery evening is Friday 10/18/13

Third in the Burg runs from 5-9 and includes numerous fabulous locations in Harrisburg. 

Come check us out at Harrisburg Historic Association. 

1230 North Third Street 

(across from Mid Town Scholar and Broad Street Market)

Hope to see you there!

3rd In the 'Burg Gallery Evening

Just a quick reminder- tonight is our second gallery showing for the quilt exhibit.  

Third in the Burg runs from 5-9 and includes numerous fabulous locations in Harrisburg. 

Come check us out at Harrisburg Historic Association. 

1230 North Third Street 

(across from Mid Town Scholar and Broad Street Market)

Hope to see you there!

Exhibition Opening: Gallery Walk

The CAMQG Quilt Exhibition officially opens this week for Harrisburg's Gallery Walk weekend.  And as someone who had the pleasure of previewing the exhibit while hanging the quilts--I really can't recommend a visit enough.  Our ladies are just so talented!  

Not really sure what modern quilting is? It can be pretty fiercely debated amongst quilters, so your not alone.  The quilts represent a wide variety of the modern spectrum and we'll have guild members at the exhibit to answer questions.

 Sunday September 8th, 2013

Open 11am-6pm

Harrisburg Historic Association

1230 North 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA

Please make sure to check us out and all the fabulous art of Harrisburg on the Gallery Walk. 

Members Modern Quilt Exhibition

The Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild is thrilled to be partnering with the Historic Harrisburg Association to present an exhibition showcasing the talent of our members and exploring the modern perspective on quilting. 

Exhibit Times

Gallery Walk- September 8th 11am-6pm

Third in the Burg- September 20th 5-9pm

Third in the Burg- October 18th 5-9pm

CAMQG Fall 2013 Member Quilt Exhibition

We are pleased to announce that we are currently accepting submissions/applications from our guild members for the CAMQG Fall 2013 Member Quilt Exhibition.  Modern perspective quilts and other projects will be on display during September and October at Historic Harrisburg Association in conjunction with Gallery Walk and 3rd in the Burg.  If you are interested in guild membership (required for project submission) please contact us.  More information about the exhibition will follow in August.

(Quilts shown for promotional purposes are courtesy of Lois Bruno, Jill Stemple, Sigrid Plajer, Mary Zanolini, and Rose Haury.)

CAMQG July Meeting

We will be holding our CAMQG July meeting on Tuesday, July 16th, at 6:30 p.m. at Meg Connor's home (address will be sent with RSVP).  Please feel free to bring along a dessert or appetizer to share (Meg will provide drinks and paper products).  The focus of the meeting will be:

• Local guild dues
• Member quilt show
• Fall programming/activities
• National Modern Quilt Guild membership steps/planning

At this meeting, we will be collecting our first official dues for the guild.  Due to the number of items that need to be completed prior to official Modern Quilt Guild national membership, we have decided that we will first begin collecting local dues and working toward completing the items necessary for national membership by the January 1 renewal date.  Dues for the first 6 months will be $15 (July-December). Checks should be made payable to Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild.  For membership in the guild, you will simply need to pay your dues and make sure that you have submitted a member information sheet.  Dues for the 2014 calendar year will be around $30 (still be determined) and will be collected in December.  FYI...in order to display a quilt in the fall member quilt show, you must be a dues paying member (quilt show information will follow this post).

We are asking that you please RSVP for this meeting by July 12th.  We hope that you can join us for the evening!

Here's wishing you happy stitching!

Meg and Jill

Caitlin's Smiles Sewing Day

As a young guild we still have a lot of firsts, but this past Saturday was a particularly great one as we gathered for our first charity sewing day (hosted by the very generous folks at Smile Spinners). 

We're lucky to be neighbors with a pretty amazing organization called Caitlin's Smiles who distributed over 10,000 "Bags of Smiles" to children facing serious illness in the hospital.  The bags are filled with games, toys, and craft kits to help make the time in the hospital go just a little bit faster.  Their mission is amazing, as is the story behind it, and they share it beautifully in this video, if you're interested in learning more.  

Twenty six bags have already been delivered and we hope to at least double that with some home sewing follow up. 

The next big first for the CAMQG is a members quilt exhibition, so stay tuned for more details on where you can see some of member's awesome work in person this fall!

Community Service Sewing Day...Tomorrow!

We are ON for the community service sewing day tomorrow, Saturday, June 15th, from 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Smile Spinners.

If you are able to join us, you will need to bring:

• Your sewing machine and basic supplies
• A neutral and a dark thread (poly or 100% cotton)

It would be great if you could bring:

• Fabric (non-holiday or religious)

If you are unable to attend but would like to still participate, please feel free to make your own bags (just following the basic guidelines for Caitlin's Smiles Bags) and contact us to arrange drop off.  Any questions, please let us know.

Looking forward to sewing and wishing you happy stitching in the mean time!

Meg and Jill

Quilt Blocks for Boston...from CAMQG, with love.

Our wonderful members donated 9 blocks for the Boston Modern Quilt Guild's Quilts for Boston project....

Block set #1

Block set #2

Blocks were collected at the May meeting and shipped to BMQG the next day in time for inclusion in one of the many quilts that this wonderful guild is creating for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.  Head over to their page to see the progress!

What are YOU doing this Saturday, June 15th?

So what are you doing this Saturday, June 15th?  You could join the Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild for a community service sewing project at one of our local quilt shops!

We will be holding a Bags of Smiles (for Caitlin's Smiles) assembly workshop this Saturday, from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.  Both of our LQS's (Smile Spinners and Quiltmakers Cottage) have been gracious enough to host if we have enough volunteers to "staff" both locations.  However, if we are not able to confirm a minimum of 7 for each location, we will host the event at Smile Spinners.  We will notify all participants by Thursday as to which location they will be sewing at.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 12, and include which location would be your preference....please take into consideration that if we do not have enough to "staff" both locations, Smile Spinners will be the main location for the event.  Again, all participants will be notified Thursday of where they should "report" for the sewing day.

No matter which location you end up sewing at, you will need to bring:

• Your sewing machine and basic supplies
• A neutral and a dark thread (poly or 100% cotton ok)

It would be great if you could bring:

• Pre-cut fabric, according to the attached directions

I have attached the directions for the bags...the directions for cutting are at the top.  Again, we will be sewing these bags production line style on Saturday.  If you are unable to attend but would like to still participate, please feel free to make your own bags (just following the basic guidelines for Caitlin's Smiles) and contact me to arrange drop off.  Any questions, please let me know.

Looking forward to sewing and wishing you happy stitching in the mean time!

Meg and Jill

May and June Activities

We are dedicating our activities in May and June to community service!  Here's what we have planned:

Tuesday, May 21st:  Meeting, Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Harrisburg, PA, 6:30 p.m. socializing and set-up, 6:45 p.m. meeting.  (Please RSVP via email so that we can prepare materials)

• Show and Share (please bring along any projects, complete or UFO, you would like to share)
• Discussion of the CAMQG Member Quilt Show/Exhibition (to be held in September)
• Fabric Cutting Session:  Caitlin's Smiles Totebags
• Caitlin's Smiles is a wonderful local charity that puts together Bags of Smiles for children in hospitals with chronic or life threatening illnesses.  The bags consist of crafts kits, journals, handmade cards, books or small toys, journals, and other goodies and are distributed to hospitals in a several state radius.
• We will be cutting the fabric at the May meeting and then sewing the bags at our June sewing day.
• We are looking to our members or anyone in the community to donate stash fabric for this activity.  High quality cotton, denim, upholstery fabric, or the like (prints or solids) can be used.  The bags will be used for kids from preschool through high school, and for both boys and girls.  No religious or holiday prints may be used.  1-2/3 yards of 42" fabric would yield 4 complete bags.  Smaller amounts of fabric can be used....the main panel to make the bag will need to measure 15" x 32" and the handles will be made from 2 - 5" x 10" pieces of fabric (or 1 - 5" x 20" piece).  Handles and bags can be made from different fabrics.  
• The bags will be simple tote bag style, around 13 x 15 inches, finished, with 2 handles and unlined.  This will be a simple pattern utilizing french seams and would be a great beginner project!
• PLEASE BRING YOUR FABRIC, ROTARY CUTTING MAT, RULER, AND ROTARY CUTTER!  We will only be cutting and organizing the fabric at this meeting.  Sewing will take place in June.
• We will distribute the pattern at the meeting (currently tweaking the pattern).
• Quilts for Boston Quilt Block Collection
• The Boston Modern Quilt Guild is sponsoring and completing this great project!  They are collecting completed quilt blocks to be included in quilts to be donated to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.  
• We will be collecting completed quilt blocks for Quilts for Boston and making one shipment on behalf of our guild.  Finished blocks need to measure 12 1/2" tall by any width and can only use blue, gray, white, and yellow fabric (Boston Marathon colors).  Please click on the link above for more information on the block requirements.
• Our shipment must be postmarked by May 24th so blocks must be brought to the meeting.  If you would like to donate but are unable to make it to the meeting, please contact us to make other arrangements.
• This would be a great way to support our sister guild and those affected by the tragedy.  Blocks can be of any style, simple or complex.  Consider making one the next time you sit down at your machine!

June Sewing Day:  Caitlin's Smiles Tote Bags:  Tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 15th  (RSVP request to follow)

• Specifics on time, date, and location will be announced within the week.
• Join CAMQG for a day of community service sewing!
• We will be assembling the tote bags for Caitlin's Smiles.

We hope that you can join us!  Wishing you happy stitching!

Meg and Jill

What's Coming Up for CAMQG....

Lots of plans are in the works for the Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild!  Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 19th, 2013, at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.  6:30 p.m. set-up and socializing, 6:45 p.m. meeting.  We will be sharing projects, discussing plans for our guild's growth and a member modern quilt show, signing up for our UFO sewing day at Smile Spinners on Saturday, April 20th, as well as exploring resources for modern quilters.  We would love for you to join us!  Please email us at capitalareamqg@gmail.com to RSVP or for more information.

Wishing you happy stitching!
Meg and Jill

Fat Quarter Challenge

At our November meeting we ask each person to bring a fat quarter of modern, small scale print fabric.  We then each cut that fabric into six strips and had a swap, two groups each ended up with one of their own strip and one strip from five other members of their group.  They were asked to add at least one solid fabric and make a small scale project.  Here's what a few of us came up with

Sigrid's Tetrahedron Pouch

Rose's Wall Hanging

Lois' awesome cut away applique

Meghann's Wonky Log Cabin

Jill's Wonky Star Pillow

 It was our first meeting in our new home for evening meetings, The Midtown Scholar, who were extremely gracious hosts.  Thanks to everyone who participated in the challenge!  More modern sewing coming up soon.

Upcoming Schedule

The CAMQG is excited to be growing and we'd love to have you join us.  Here's what's coming up in the next few months.

February Meeting

• Tuesday, February 19th, 6:30 socializing/set-up, 6:45 meeting
• Midtown Scholar Bookstore
• Meeting Agenda Items:
  • Introductions and Show and Tell
  • What is Modern Quilting? Presentation
  • Member Challenge Project Presentation and Voting
  • Guild Activities Discussion and Planning
  • Gathering of the Guilds, Saturday, February 23rd
  • AQS Lancaster Show, March 13-16
  • April UFO Sewing Day, Saturday, April 20th, at Smile Spinners, space for 15 attendees
  • Member Quilt Show (call for planning committee)

March Meeting

• Tuesday, March 19th, 6:30 socializing/set-up, 6:45 meeting
• Midtown Scholar Bookstore
• Tenative Meeting Agenda Items: 
• Introductions and Show and Tell
• Online Resources for the Modern Quilter Presentation
• Fabric Printing Video 
• Member Quilt Show discussion 
• Discussion and planning for growth

April UFO Sewing Day

• Saturday, April 20th, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Smile Spinners, Marysville
• Time to work on and hopefully complete some of those unfinished projects!

New members are always welcome!  Please RSVP to allow for set up.

Hexagons Two Ways

Last weekend our guild had the chance to gather for our second sewing day workshop at Quiltmakers Cottage in Hershey, thanks to Beth and her gracious staff.

Lois led the group in learning a machine piecing technique, using a butterfly seam. 

And I (Jill) got to share my love of traditional English Paper Piecing.

An all around fun day of hexies!  Our next sewing day will be in April and we're planning free sewing and social time, hopefully a good opportunity for everyone to catch up on their WIPs.   Exact dates will be up soon with our spring schedule, so be sure to check back!


 

Hexies 2 Ways Workshop...Only 2 Spots Left

We still have 2 spots left for the Hexies 2 Ways Workshop on Saturday, January 12th beginning at 9 a.m. at Quiltmaker's Cottage in Hershey.  Please read below for complete information on the event and please RSVP via email ASAP (by this Saturday the 5th) to secure your spot for this awesome workshop!

Hexies 2 Ways Workshop

Presented by our very own Jill Stemple and Lois Bruno

Jill will be teaching the hand piecing method while Lois will be showing us how to machine piece hexi blocks.

Lois will be providing pre-cut hexagon packets (enough for 2 blocks) for the machine portion for $2.  Jill will be providing paper piecing kits for $5 which will include the paper foundations (115 hexagons, 35 half hexagons) and a template for cutting the hexagons for the hand piecing process.  Please bring $7.00 (exact change) to the workshop so that we can reimburse Jill and Lois for the kits.


Along with the funds for the kits, each participant will need to bring the following to the workshop:

Machine Piecing supplies:
        Sewing machine
        Basic Sewing supplies
        Neutral thread
        Good/comfortable seam ripper (This is used in the construction process. It's not that I am certain you will make mistakes.)

Paper Piecing Supplies:
       Fabric- great way to use up scraps, but FQs or yardage is also fine
       Basting thread- basically any thread, cheap and old is fine, it won't stay in the blocks
       Hand Quilting Thread in neutral or matching color
       Hand sewing needle
       Pencil
       Fabric Scissors

Beth will have hexi rulers for sale ($8.95) at the shop the day of the workshop.  These would be used to cut the hexies for machine piecing (Lois's method).  If you are looking to continue this method, this would be a great time to pick up the tool.

Looking forward to a great sewing day!  Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.


Meg, Jill, and Lois