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.

Days for Girls SAMQG Sew-In

As you may know, the SAMQG issued a charity sewing challenge to create items for the Days for Girls Organization. (Read about the challenge here.)

I'm thrilled to report the results from our sew-ins have been great!

Thank you to Mesquite Bean Fabrics for hosting our two events. A small, but mighty army of stitchers went to work.

We had the serger set up and rockin' along. And we had the ironing station moving at a brisk pace.

The easy easy assembly line was in full swing.

With a couple finishing touches, we were able to finish every pre-cut kit in the box!

If my math is right (cough, cough) I think we will be able to share at least 80 bags with the organization at our May meeting. I encourage you to keep stitching! A representative from the San Antonio chapter will be joining us in May to receive the sewn items. We will also be awarding our randomly drawn volunteer prize, donated by Mesquite Bean, at the May meeting, too.

Keep up the amazing work and we'll see you in May! 

ps- If you are a member with specific questions, ask them in our closed facebook group. 

Days for Girls Sewing Challenge

Today we're kicking off the SAMQG Days for Girls Sewing Challenge!

One of our members, Linda, brought the Days for Girls organization to our attention after seeing a presentation from one of their volunteers. The work Days for Girls does is amazing. Please take a moment to click that link.

Days for Girls Mission: Creating a more dignified, free and educated world through access to lasting feminine hygiene solutions.

You can also see the organization's founder, Celeste Mergens, TEDtalk as she shares the story of how Days for Girls started and why listening to the wisdom of those you serve is vital for creating culturally, socially and physically relevant solutions that change lives. -from DfG website. Video Link Here.

So what is our sewing challenge? 

The SAMQG is hosting a challenge to create drawstring hygiene bags (pictured above) which we will donate to the organization. Our sponsor, Mesquite Bean Fabrics, has donated a prize to be given to the randomly drawn volunteer. Each person who turns in a sewn item at the MAY meeting will have their name entered once.  {{See the bottom of this blog post for additional information and sewing opportunities.}}

How do you make a drawstring bag? 

I'm so glad you asked! 

Complete pattern directions provided with exact specifications are included on the Days for Girls official pattern. Please be mindful of the fabric prints required and restricted.

You will be able to pick up the Days for Girls label/patch at the April meeting. Each bag is needs a patch.

Will there be kits? 

For our last sewing challenge we offered kits cut from donated flannel. This round will be the same! Hooray for generous donors!! Thank you so much! We have about 65 kits ready so far. {{Kits are for drawstring bags. Scroll to the bottom of this post for additional sewing opportunities.}}

Each drawstring bag kit contains:

• 1 rectangle of fabric measuring 11" x 28"
• 2 pieces of grosgrain ribbon 36" long
• 1 Days for Girls label/patch

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

Official Sew-In Days are:

• March 22nd from 10a-2p at Mesquite Bean Fabrics 
• April 8th from 10a-2p at Mesquite Bean Fabrics. 

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

Kits will also be available at spring retreat, if you are looking to make a quick bag in your quilt-y down-time.

Of course, you are encouraged to sew as many drawstring 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.

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Additional Sewing Opportunities:

I recently met with a representative for the local San Antonio Days for Girls chapter. It was quite eye-opening. The drawstring bags we create will be used to hold hygiene kits:

The kits include a couple different sewn items, including (2) shields and (8) flannel liners.

Get the shield pattern here and shield template here. The liners are every bit as easy as our previous blanket sewing challenge. 

The design is two layers of prewashed flannel, stitched together, turned right-side out, and stitched again. These are the liners which, when folded, fit into the shield pockets:

They are octagons folded in thirds. In the pattern HERE, you'll also find a square method for making liners using a serger.

Easily make a few liners by downloading THIS TEMPLATE and following THESE DIRECTIONS.

Cut pre-washed flannel easily by laying the template like this and cutting through two layers at once.

Easy, right?

Please be mindful of the fabric print requirements and restrictions listed on the pattern.

Bring any Days for Girls projects to the May meeting. Anything you stitch is a more than welcome donation! Thank you!!