Tote Bag Charity Sewing Challenge

Tote Bag Charity Sewing Challenge

Today we're kicking off the SAMQG Health Care for Homeless Veteran's (HCHV) Tote Bag Challenge 

Many of our members are affiliated with the larger military community in San Antonio. When researching this summer's charity sewing challenge, I found Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV), which is party of the VA system. After talking with the coordinator, Peggy, we determined that a tote bag for their supplies might be a perfect fit.

HCHV Description: "Initially serving as a mechanism to contract with providers for community-based residential treatment for homeless Veterans, many HCHV programs now serve as the hub for a myriad of housing and other services that provide VA with a way to reach and assist homeless Veterans by offering them entry to VA care." -from their website

So what is our sewing challenge? 

The SAMQG is hosting a challenge to create a tote bag. The goal is to create 100 bags to be presented to HCHV in September 2016.  That gives us May, June, July and August to stitch.

How do you make a tote bag? 

I'm so glad you asked! 

With permission, we will use the Morsbag Tutorial to create our bags and kits. GRAB THE PATTERN HERE. (Labels will be provided and are only needed for this pattern.)

If you have found a different internet tutorial (for non-restricted use: meaning you can make a ton of them for charity) or have a favorite style of tote bag to sew, you can make it, too. Make what you feel comfortable making. Our goal is simply to provide tote bags.

Will there be kits? 

Yes! We are very fortunate to have fabric donations and generous members. Kits will be available at the Sew-In's and at SAMQG meetings throughout the summer. Kits will be cut for the Morsbag requirements.

Each tote bag kit contains:

• 1 rectangle of fabric measuring 18" x 40"
• 2 rectangles of fabric measuring 18" x 4"
• 1 Morsbag label

The kits are ready and the pattern is shared. What next?

Official Sew-In Days at Sew Special are:

• June 21st from 10a - 3p
• July 15th from 10a - 3p

If you are in the SAMQG, please RSVP on our "EVENTS" tab on Facebook.

Of course, you are encouraged to sew as many tote bags as you like on your own, too. You do not have to attend an event to make a wonderful donation. GRAB THE PATTERN HERE.

All About April

Rebecca encouraged folks to use their Modern Quilt Guild membership benefits and check out the webinars, free patterns and other options.  She suggested checking out the write up on Quiltcon and the latest webinar on Perfection and Procrastination.

We're looking for a Project Manager for the Quiltcon 2017 Charity Challenge.  This year’s challenge requires participants to work collaboratively to create completed quilts using a predetermined color palette while crafting a design that plays with scale.  You can get more info here. Let one of the board members know if you're interested.  If the guild is going to participate, we must sign up by July 30. You'll have lots of support, but we need a leader/coordinator.

We may have a new meeting location lined up for June.  Our May meeting is at Leslie Jennison's house.  Information on the May Mercado will be on Facebook.  It is open to all members and our current sponsors.

Next retreat will be at Creations' Main House on Labor Day weekend.  You can add Monday if you want.

We're expecting Kim Kight, Cotton + Steel Fabric Designer, to present at the June meeting.  Sarah is trying to work out details for a potential June workshop with double gauze or lawn.  Watch Facebook for details.

Jen held a charity sew-in Friday after the meeting at Mesquite Bean from 10-closing.  Mesquite Bean is sponsoring the bags charity drive for Days for Girls. Checkout Facebook and the blog post for more info.  Everyone who donates a bag gets a chance at Succulence FQs donated by Mesquite Bean.

Bring your bags to the May Mercado; get a chance to win some fabric. 

Jen is still accepting NICU blankets for Threads of Love and will continue to accept bags for Days for Girls, but every 2 months she'll issue another challenge for a different charity.

Sarah J won the April BOM blocks, but she did stack the deck a bit, contributing >20 blocks. She got the Sew Inspired ruler to square them up the 30 blocks she won.. 

The next BOM is called A Quilters Table.  Watch Facebook for details.

Members talked about their inspiration for the President's Challenge.  There is so much diversity in our guild and so many different inspirations in the world.  An album cover, song, painting, person, animated character, book, daughter/artist, movie, and video game were all cited as inspirational items by members.  This challenge, due in August, is going to be something special.  Rebecca will be looking for updates at the June meeting.

Our presentation was on the principles of design by our own Suzy Armstrong. She gave us some theory, some rules, and a lot of examples, explaining how principles of design relate to principles of modern quilts.  It was a very interesting, enlightening, and educational presentation.