Member Spotlight: Misty Benson

The May Member Spotlight is focused on KMQG co-Secretary, Misty Benson.🔦 Keep reading to learn more about Misty.

How long have you been quilting?

Since 2009


Who or what inspired you to start quilting?

I started quilting with my grandmother who had Alzheimer's. It started as a way to keep her hands busy so she could be calmer.

Tell us about the first quilt you ever made.

My first quilt was a Yellow Brick Road. I had only done garment sewing before so I prewashed all the fat quarters. It was a mess.


What is your favorite quilt you’ve ever made?

The pattern is a 4-Patch Posie and I made it with Alexander Henry dragon fabric with a 24" repeat. That quilt makes me very happy.


What kind of sewing machine(s) do you have?

My main machine is a Pfaff Performance 5.0 but I'm in love with vintage Viking Husqvarnas from the 70's. I have a 6430, a 6440, and a 6460.



What is your favorite sewing tool or notion?

That's a toss up between my hand turned seam ripper handle or my mini tart pan wrist pin cushion.


What are your favorite colors to use in quilts?

Blue, green, and purple.

Describe your quilting style in one word.

Unfinished


What other hobbies do you have?

Knitting, garment sewing (not alterations!) and embroidery. I've also dabbled in blacksmithing and Bladesports competitions.

Do you collect anything? (Other than quilting fabric, of course!) If so, what?

Needle minders


What is your favorite movie?

The Princess Bride

What is your favorite book?

A Wrinkle in Time

Who is your favorite author?

Neil Gaimen


Do you have a celebrity crush and who is it?

Toss up between David Duchovny and Bruce Campbell.

If you could have dinner with one legendary person, living or dead, who would you choose?

Amelia Earheart


What is your favorite food?

Butterscotch flavored anything

Coffee or tea?

Neither, I'm a recovering Diet Mountain Dew addict.


Sweet or savory?

Sweet


What is your dream job?

If I could fiigure that out I might be doing it!


Where is your dream vacation destination?

Antarctica


Which is your favorite season?

Winter

If you won millions in the lottery and had to selfishly spend it on yourself, what would you treat yourself to?

After I built the addition for a new, larger sewing studio and fully stocked it, I would move on to a fancy sports car.


Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Mountains


When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I mounted a piece of quilted artwork on canvas.

Would you rather be able to run at 100 miles per hour or fly at 10 miles per hour and why?

Fly, because everything is closer "as the crow flies".

Want to learn more? Follow Misty on Instagram! Interested in learning more about KMGQ? We're on Instagram too and would love to see you there!

Member Spotlight: Charla Brown

The April Member Spotlight is focused on Charla Brown. 🔦 Keep reading to learn more about Charla.

How long have you been quilting?

Just about a year and 4 months!


Who or what inspired you to start quilting?

I wanted to learn how to quilt for years, but I had never even sewn. Finally, my mother in law got me a sewing machine for Christmas in 2019. I made my first quilt, and haven't stopped since!


Tell us about the first quilt you ever made.

I found a blog through pinterest of "the perfect beginner quilt" using half hexies. I definitely could have made something easier if I'd know any better. 😅 But I picked out barely coordinating fabrics from Hobby Lobby and just went with it! It took about 3 months to finish because I hand quilted it, but I still love that quilt. And I always remember how far I've came since it.


What is your favorite quilt you’ve ever made?

I made a baby quilt using the Suzy Quilts campfire pattern with floral and pinks. I love it so much I'm planning a king size one in almost the same fabrics!


What kind of sewing machine(s) do you have?

Janome

What is your favorite sewing tool or notion?

Thread! I love picking colors and sizes to create different quilted looks.


Who is your favorite fabric designer?

Bonnie Christie or Sharon Holland


What are your favorite colors to use in quilts?

Any dark colors. Dark blue, dark green, dark purple, etc, etc.


Describe your quilting style in one word.

Modern


What other hobbies do you have?

I love to read, bake, and go camping!

Do you collect anything? (Other than quilting fabric, of course!) If so, what?

Books


What is your favorite movie?

Can I pick a TV show instead? Probably Jane the Virgin.


What is your favorite book?

Either Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers or Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.


Who is your favorite author?

This is hard! Potentially Kristin Hannah, but I also really enjoy Lisa Gardner.


Do you have a celebrity crush and who is it?

I would have said no, but my husband said I like Jude Law so probably him 😂


What is your favorite food?

Tacos

Coffee or tea?

Tea


Sweet or savory?

Both!


If you were a dessert, what would you be and why?

A lemon cookie. Cookies are a classic favorite and lemon is the best tangy sweetness!


If you were stranded on a deserted island, what five things would you want to have with you (not things you need to survive, but things you would want to have)?

A comfy bed. Is an entire library one thing? A huge quilt to work on hand quilting. A board game/card game. And my husband if he can count.


What is your dream job?

A zoo keeper (it was almost my real job!)

Where is your dream vacation destination?

The UK


Which is your favorite season?

Fall


If you won millions in the lottery and had to selfishly spend it on yourself, what would you treat yourself to?

Traveling the world


Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Mountains!


When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I started a business in March. That was definitely a first.


Would you rather be able to run at 100 miles per hour or fly at 10 miles per hour and why?

Fly! Seems like you would miss a lot running that fast.

Want to learn more? Follow Charla on Instagram and checkout her website! Interested in learning more about KMGQ? We're on Instagram too and would love to see you there!

March 2021 Meeting Recap

The Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild met via Zoom on March 20th. We had 17 members in attendance.

The latest KMQG Quilt-along was introduced at this month's meeting. We're using the Hyphenated pattern from Art Gallery Fabrics. Several of our members have contributed resources to assist with the planning of this quilt.

 

Our Featured Freebie, provided by Elizabeth, is a drawstring bag by s.o.t.a.k. handmade. The link is available in the Feature Freebies section of our website here.

Our Member Spotlight this month is Melissa Everett. Check out @knoxmqg on Instagram and www.knoxvillemqg.com for more on Melissa, including photos of her work.

KMQG Volunteer Opportunities

The KMQG is looking for members to contribute to our Featured Freebies Program. If you have a free quilt related tutorial or project that has served you well we'd love for you to share it with the group. Contact modknoxville@gmail.com.

We've really enjoyed getting to know some of our members better through the Member Spotlight Feature. Each month we're featuring a different member here on our blog and on our Instagram account. Contact modknoxville@gmail.com to sign up for your month.

Community Outreach

Our charity quilt groups checked in on their progress. Patterns and color palettes have been chosen and progress is well under way. Our charity quilts go to graduates of The Restoration House of East Tennessee. More information about them can be found here.

Put your orphan blocks to good use or just play around with new designs to create quilted placemats for Meals on Wheels. Standard size is approximately 14 x 18 inches. Deliver or mail to Twisted Sisters Quilt Shop in Maryville.

Events IRL

A Mountain Quiltfest is happening in Pigeon Forge May 5-8 with classes starting May 4. More information can be found here.

The Smoky Mountain Quilters 40th Anniversary Ruby Jubilee quilt show will take place July 30-31 at the Knoxville Expo Center. Entries are due by June 1. Their information can be found here.

Events Virtual

Access to Textile Talks is at https://www.saqa.com/resources/textiletalks.

The Chattanooga MQG has virtual programs in April and May that are open to nonmenbers for a small fee. Sign up for their newsletter to be notified about available events. Schedule and info is available at https://www.chattmqg.org/.

Our next virtual Sit'N'Stitch is Saturday, April 24th at 7pm.

Next meeting

Our next meeting is via Zoom on April 17th. Social time at 10:15, meeting at 10:30. Check your email for Zoom info.

Member Spotlight: Melissa Everett

This month's Member in the Spotlight is textile artist Melissa Everett. Keep reading to learn more about Melissa.

How long have you been quilting?

Since 2012


Who or what inspired you to start quilting?

The birth of my son, I wanted to make something for him he could have forever.

Tell us about the first quilt you ever made.

The first quilt I ever made was the Bizzy Kid, cluckclucksew pattern. My favorite part is I embroidered the backing. It says, To: Eli, My first quilt, Love, Mom


What is your favorite quilt you’ve ever made?

Oh that’s so hard?! Can quilters pick a favorite?!

What kind of sewing machine(s) do you have?

The Brother PQ1500S, just a straight stitch!, and a small cheap brother from target for button holes... and most recently a hand-me-down singer serger from my aunt.


What is your favorite sewing tool or notion?

Colored thread!


Who is your favorite fabric designer?

I love solids! And prefer Michael Miller’s cotton couture.


What are your favorite colors to use in quilts?

Yellows, peach, orange!

What other hobbies do you have?

Printmaking, screen printing!


What is your favorite movie?

The Princess Bride


If you could have dinner with one legendary person, living or dead, who would you choose and why?

Bisa Butler, I listened to an interview with @thejealouscurator and fell in love with her even more beyond her artwork!

             

What is your favorite food?

Tacos


Coffee or tea?

Coffee


Sweet or savory?

Salty


Which is your favorite season?

Winter

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Beach in the fall spring, mtns in the summer and winter!

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Love doing things for the first time! As I start making quilt clothes.

Want to learn more? Check out Melissa's website and follow her on Instagram. You can find KMQG on Instagram here.

February 2021 Meeting Recap

 

Our February meeting of the Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild was postponed a week to allow our members more time to participate in QuiltCon Together. We had 13 members in attendance at our meeting. Erin, Emily, Misty, Elizabeth, Jennifer, and Sherry shared their QuiltCon Together experiences and thoughts on the virtual convention. QuiltCon 2022 is Phoenix and QuiltCon 2023 is scheduled for Atlanta.

We currently have two Virtual Sit & Stitch sessions scheduled, Thursday, 03/25/21 from 7pm-9pm and Saturday, 04/24/21 from 7pm-9pm. Keep an eye on your inbox for Zoom info.

Featured Freebie

This month's Featured Freebie is provided by Elizabeth Rea. She introduced us to a fabric-folding tutorial and video from SuzyQuilts.com. The link to it and past Featured Freebies can be found at http://www.knoxvillemqg.com/p/featured-freebie.html. If you're interested in sharing a free pattern or tutorial that you've found useful, please reach out to modknoxville@gmail.com.

Member Spotlight

Do you follow the Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild on Instagram (@knoxmqg)? Our most recent Member Spotlight is posted there as well as here on our blog. Read more about Kelly Buch and her work. This is a great way to get to know our members better -- especially while we're social distancing.

Placemat Collection for Meals on Wheels

Head's up! Twisted Sisters Quilt Shop in Maryville is collecting placemats for Meals on Wheels recipients. Standard placemat size is around 14x16 inches -- this is a great way to use orphan blocks and scraps. From Twisted Sisters:

We are collecting placemats to be donated to Smoky Mountain Meals on Wheels next November. Our goal is to collect at least 1,000 so every member served via Meals on Wheels will receive a placemat. These can be any style you want, one sided or reversible; something they can use all year. The recipients are all adults. Since we don't know the percentage of male versus female, placemats that would be good for any person will be appreciated.

Charity Quilting

During the meeting we received updates from our Charity Quilt Quilting Bees. All three groups are making good progress towards planning and piecing their quilts. We look forward to seeing the quilts as they're completed.

Quilt-Along 2021

The KMQG's Chromatic Quilt-along was so much fun last year that we're starting a new one in 2021 running March through June. The pattern is Hyphenated, a free offering from Art Gallery Fabrics https://liveartgalleryfabrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Hyphenated_Quilt-Instructions.pdf. A timeline and more resources will be sent to members following the March meeting.

Quilt Shows

A Mountain Quiltfest is being held May 5-7 at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge. Quilts can be entered at the Pigeon Forge Office of Special Events Friday April 9th, Saturday April 10th or mailed in by Wednesday March 31st. More info here.

Smoky Mountain Quilters Ruby Jubilee Quilt Show has been rescheduled for Friday 7/30 and Saturday 7/31. Entries are due by June 1. More info here.

KMQG member Melissa Everett (@mne_textiles on Instagram) has a gallery show opening April 10th at 214 Magnolia in Knoxville. It's always exciting to see her work on display!

Our next meeting is Saturday, March 20th via Zoom. Watch your inbox for details!

Member Spotlight : Kelly Buch

This month we're spending some time with one of the Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild's newer members, Kelly Buch.

KMQG: How long have you been quilting?

Kelly: 15 years

Who or what inspired you to start quilting?

My dad encouraged me to make my first quilt. His mom died when he was young, and one of his last memories of her was when they quilted together, so he encouraged me and my sisters to try it out. My oldest sister, Kristin, and I both loved it, and we've been quilting together ever since. Over the past few years, I've started to quilt without her (because she lives in Illinois and has several kids), but I try to work on a project with her once a year.

Tell us about the first quilt you ever made.

The first quilt I ever made was part of a Lutheran World Relief project. We picked up a bag of 12" squares from church and made a quilt top from that. The fabric was all donated and mismatched, and I remember spending hours moving blocks around until we liked the pattern. Turns out to this day, my favorite part quilting is when I'm the floor, placing and replacing blocks until I'm happy with the layout.


What is your favorite quilt you’ve ever made?

My sister and I made a quilt for her friend's wedding. It was kind of brick-like, with bricks that were all 1 inch by 3 inch, 6inch or 9inch. All the fabrics were shades of purple or gray. We wanted it to appear random, so we created a really detailed pattern based on sevens. We had to create a very intricate numbering and naming system to know what part of the quilt we were working on. It was so complicated, but it made my math brain very happy.

What kind of sewing machine(s) do you have?

Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.2


What is your favorite sewing tool or notion?

a wool ironing pad

What are your favorite colors to use in quilts?

Teals, purples, and greys


Describe your quilting style in one word.

pseudo-random


What other hobbies do you have?

Knitting, Tree Identification, being an aunt, inclusion and diversity in STEM, math, going to breweries, candle making

Do you collect anything? (Other than quilting fabric, of course!) If so, what?

Pint glasses from breweries


What is your favorite movie?

The Princess Bride


What is your favorite book?

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

What is your favorite food?

Crab Legs


Coffee or tea?

Coffee!

Sweet or savory?

Savory

What is your dream job?

A professor at a primarily undergraduate institution, where I can split my time between teaching and facilitating undergraduate research

Where is your dream vacation destination?

Anywhere warm. Maybe with mountains and water.


Which is your favorite season?

Summer


If you won millions in the lottery and had to selfishly spend it on yourself, what would you treat yourself to?

A personal stylist and a house with lots of guest bedrooms

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Mountains


When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Last month I made candles for the first time!


Would you rather be able to run at 100 miles per hour or fly at 10 miles per hour and why?

Run at 100 miles per hour. I am always late to things.

Want to learn more about Kelly? Check out her academic website or follow her on Instagram: @kellyyyruth. You can find KMQG on Instagram @KnoxMQG.

January 2021 Meeting Recap

The Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild met via Zoom January 16th. We had 21 members in attendance.

Our first task was voting to alter our by-laws to accommodate the number of board members for our organization. Jennifer Grace moved to accept the proposed change and the motion was seconded. Next, our membership was reminded that dues for 2021 are payable until February 28th. $45 can be paid via PayPal (friends and family option only) or a check can be sent to Christy Cooper.  If you have any questions, please send an email to modknox@gmail.com.

With business out of the way we were able to turn to more quilt oriented topics. We're asking for pictures of completed Chromatic Quilts from our 2020 Quilt Along. We'd like to have those by the end of February.

There are a couple of KMQG Zoom Sit N Stitch sessions coming up. The next is on February 12th from 7-9pm and another on Thursday March 25th, also from 7-9pm. Check your email for more details about these events or reach out if you need more information.

We're looking for volunteers for our Featured Freebie and new Member Spotlight features. If you've found a free project or tutorial that you'd like to share with the group we'd love for you to present it during an upcoming meeting. Reach out to modknox@gmail.com to sign up for an upcoming month. Also, send us an email if you're interested in doing a Member Spotlight. This is a great way for us to get to know each other especially since we don't have the benefit of regular in-person meetings.

Our charity quilt project for the Restoration House of East Tennessee is going to be subdivided into smaller groups. Those signed up for the small group charity project should get their group assignments by January 31st.

QuiltCon Together is February 18th-22nd. Several of our members are taking classes and we hope that every one gets an opportunity to view the quilt show. We're moving our next meeting date to February 27th when we'll discuss our experiences with virtual QuiltCon. We hope to see you there!