SAMQG August Meeting Show'n Tell

With school starting soon, we are back on track meeting in our regular location with fun quilty programs. Here's a peek at August's Show'n Tell.

At the July meeting, Leslie opened her dye studio to let us play with a few thickened dyes in the colors determined by the national MQG chapter for the upcoming charity quilt challenge. We made some interesting pieces!

Member show'n tell quilts do not disappoint!

This first quilt is Mary Ruth's Fancy Forest.

Stacy used the softest green fabric to feature this Cotton and Steel layer cake in a HUGE quilt.

You'll recognize this next quilt from the cover of a magazine. It was made and designed by Joanna, our guild president.

Susie brought her copy of the magazine for an autograph.

The scrap quilt below is by Jen. She designed the pattern and had to buy extra fabric for the cream background. 

Susie made this quilt featuring the number 5. It is huge and possibly still growing.

These beautiful pineapples are a gift and made with the quick curve ruler.

  

Show'n Tell is always a treat at the San Antonio Modern Quilt Guild. Please be sure to stop by our meeting at the Jewish Community Center on the first Thursday in September to see a whole new batch of quilts.

October 2014 Demo Days - Glue Basting

October 2014 SAMQG meeting was "Demo Days" in a round robin style where there were 4 stations set up and 4 guild members each demo'd a technique or style or method used in their quilt-making.

Glue Basting for everyone!  Thanks so much to Christine, who showed us how to glue baste our seams for more speed and accuracy.

This is the super-expensive, hard-to-find, elusive, magical quilting tool needed for the Glue Basting technique. (*sarcasm implied*)  Glue.  White Elmer's School Glue.

Christine does recommend using a fine-tip from Sharon Schamber's shop online.

Let me appolgize in advance for not having the best pictures from this Demo station.  She really did a great job and I didn't document it as well.  SORRY!!

Ok, so in this picture (or more accurately NOT in this picture)  Christine had added a small bead of glue within the seam allowance of one square.

Once the glue is applied, you add the second piece of fabric, right sides together, just as if you were getting ready to add in pins.  Instead of pins, however, you line up your edges and hit that glue with a hot iron.  

The glue becomes every-so-slightly stiff and your two squares are joined.  (She's holding the joined pair up, right outside the camera's frame in the photo above.  Dangit.)

Because fabric can shift a tiny bit when pinned, glue keeps the pieces ridiculously accurate.  This is a perfect no-shift option to exact intersections on your quilting designs.

Christine recommends cutting one day, pressing the whole pile of squares another day and then stitching the third.  Or at least, doing these steps in 3 different processes.  She also shared this awesome tip:

Use the WHITE glue, not the gel glue.  The gel doesn't set at strong.  With the Glue Basting method, you can actually glue and entire row of blocks at a single time, without having to get up and down to go to the sewing machine.  Just park that ironing board right by the design wall.

Turns out, you can also glue baste those English Paper Pieced hexagons, too!  

(!!! Get right outta town !!!)

Use a glue stick and remember the elementary school adage "A Dot is A Lot" when adding glue to the back of your prepared pieces. 

 Once all the glue is applied and the fabrics are folded over, simply whip stitch your project together and remove the paper.  

Creations in Kerrville - Summer Retreat

Welcome welcome welcome, guest-member blogger, Emily.  Emily attended our guild's retreat, recently, in Kerrville.  Here's her review:

Have you ever been to Creations in Kerrville? If the answer is no, then I suggest planning a trip as soon as possible. Once there you will find a perfectly curated collection of fabrics including, but not limited to, beautiful modern finds that are organized in a logical and inspiring manner. Kaffe Fassett? Check. Tula Pink? Check. V and Co.? Check. Cotton + Steel? Check. Could I go on and on? Check! In addition to the glorious yards and yards of fabric, they have a room filled with books and patterns, another filled with notions and sale items. The charming house is stuffed full of fantastic finds and fabulous staff who are there to help around every corner.Truthfully, I was only in the store for thirty minutes or less, sprinting through in a mad dash to see what they had and return to my sewing station at The Main House. I was there on a quilting retreat after all. Because I sprinted through, I am sure I missed entire areas or even rooms (gasp!) but I can say it is without a doubt the best quilting store I have ever patronized. The finely attuned attention to detail that is so striking in Creations is readily apparent in The Main House, our home for the weekend of August 3-5. 

Eighteen Hot Tamales journeyed up to Kerrville to relax, quilt, eat, and commune with one another. When we arrived we found a well-lit work room where everyone had enough room to spread out and get creative! The kitchen/lounge was well-organized and stocked even before we stuffed our delicious menu items into the fridge. Upstairs, the rooms were just like staying in a fabulous hotel, with rooms accommodating anywhere from 3-5 quilters. Each room had it's own bathroom and shower. We were staying in luxury; the attention to detail that makes Creations the best quilt shop around is evident in The Main House. I could go on and on about the accommodations, but you might want to know that we did work. 

When Christine and I arrived around two on Friday afternoon, Toni had already cut into her Liberty fabric, making a stunning baby quilt for one of our littlest Hot Tamales, Gracie. Sue was well on her way to completing her fantastic wedding quilt, gearing up for her son's wedding in September. Suzanne was hard at work putting together a beautiful quilt for her daughter, who had picked out the fabrics. They were all working together; mothers hard at work providing beauty for their children. 

Close to the busy moms was Sarah Rodriguez, speedily completing her inspiring paper pieced hexagon quilt. When she ran out of paper, Sarah started working on the BOM blocks she won in July. Boy, was this girl drooling over those beautiful blocks! Next to Sarah was a station stacked high with fabric and thread but not a Hot Tamale to be seen. Christine and I put everything away and started sewing before we even caught sight of Joanna (who had apparently been lost in Creations.) Even though Joanna spent a lot of time shopping, she somehow started and completed a fabulous mini quilt, busted out a whole bunch of BOMs, and worked on altering the pattern for and creating another Sew Together bag.

At the other end of the room, I'm pretty sure Ashley had already completed her Yellow Brick Road quilt; a stunning work that brightened up the entire work space. Ashley dubbed her corner "her little sweatshop" because she clearly came to work. I would love to think I could tell you everything she completed over the weekend, from a bag to several Farmer's Wife blocks, to a herringbone quilt but she completed work faster than I could even register. 

Christine photo-documented the entire weekend, making sure to keep all of the Hot Tamales who couldn't make it to the retreat up-to-date. She also worked on the beautiful backing for her triangle quilt, which she even got spray basted, ready for quilting. She completed a pillowcase to accompany the show and tell quilt she made for her son's bed. Finally, she worked on an inspirational improvisational quilt. We only got to see part of it come together, but we are all curious to see the finished project. I had been waiting for this retreat  because I knew I would have the precious space to lay out two quilts that needed time on the design wall; I completed the first of my seasonal bed quilts. I also completed the design of the triangle section of my Christmas snuggle quilt.

At another quilting station, Cathy worked diligently on something she loves to procrastinate. . . . binding her quilts. (I know some of you can relate to that!) She finished binding all of the quilts she brought; it always feels great to finish and see the final, executed design. She also pieced together a Minnesota Viking quilt top (presumably before she started her binding work. . . but I'll never tell!) She also fielded questions left and right about foundation paper piecing. Edna was busy, busy, busy working on her adorable summer-y quilt. Her quilt just makes you want to stop and have a picnic with some Hot Tamales. Kathleen was fervently working on charity quilts all weekend long. There was no slowing her down! Mai joyfully worked on a spunky polka dot quilt kit she got from Craftsy. Sara kept cutting out baby block kits and sneaking them to people to complete. She got all of the blocks for Yong-Li's and Katrina's quilts done. She also was working away on some UFO's and quilt backs. I'm not sure how all of these ladies got so much done since they also were telling stories to entertain the entire room!

Allison's crew joined Ashley at her "sweatshop" station and they clearly showed up to work. Allison completed her President's challenge quilt and worked on top secret quilt con entires -- you know the drill, we can't tell you or we'd have to force you to bind quilts in a dark room (with an OttLite) until QuiltCon selections were announced. Sorry. Rosemary  worked on binding a T-shirt quilt and keeping everyone encouraged and entertained. Kim finished her second quilt ever -- a quilt any Texas Longhorn fan would be happy to snuggle with! When Danielle arrived late Saturday night, she joined this group and went right to work, busting out some garments and working away on her captivating Tokyo Subway quilt. 

As you can see we had a super productive weekend! Can't wait to see you at the next retreat!

Show and Tell June 2014

Like most guilds, San Antonio Modern Quilt Guild (SAMQG) has a Show'n'Tell portion of the meeting.  Check out what all our members & guests made in June:

Quilt Appraisals

Get ready to learn what and why your quilts have value.  Find out why it is important to have your quilts appraised.  Appraisals are not just for antique treasures.  Modern, new, fresh quilts also benefit from an official appraisal.

We'll have a certified quilt appraiser at our April 3rd 2014 meeting.  Of course, you can bring any type of quilt to be appraised.

Please download and fill out THIS FORM to have your quilt appraised.