January Meeting Recap

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first meeting of 2016! We covered a lot of material and had a great discussion of our upcoming events for the year. If you were unable to join us, that's okay -- there's always next month! We will continue collecting dues via check or PayPal (modknoxville@gmail.com). We hope to see more new faces this year!

Our first order of business was to welcome our new officers:

• Chair: Michelle Bolt
• Special Events Coordinator: Melissa Everett
• Education Coordinator: Jennifer Grace
• Secretary: Elizabeth Rea
• Treasurer: Christy Cooper

Many members took home Quilts of Valor blocks to turn into larger 24" QOV blocks due back at our March meeting and sew-in.

Next month we will welcome special guest Terri Ayers of Mountain Creek Quilt Shop in Greenback, TN. Terri will teach us about wool applique, and member Emily Doane has designed a modern mug rug for the tutorial. We would like to be adequately prepared with materials, so please sign up in advance if you'd like to participate in the workshop. The guild would like to offset a portion of the cost of this event, with participants paying a nominal fee (no more than $10). Please bring cash or check to the meeting to cover your portion of the cost. All materials will be provided. Please sign up using this form: February Wool Applique Workshop.

One final order of business from the meeting: Our budget was approved for 2016, but it may need some adjusting for our Quilt Show collaboration with Striped Light, details of which came about after the budget was created. This show will take place May 6-8. We will be sending out a signup sheet for this event soon! Please be on the lookout, and get those modern quilts finished! You can enter one regular sized quilt and one mini quilt. If we don't have enough participants, we will then open up the floor for more submissions.

Fall Meetings Recap

As we kick off a new year with the Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild, we want to review some of our best moments and accomplishments from the second half of 2015. Check out our Facebook group page for more photos, including loads of show and tell.

Lynn Rinehart visited our November meeting and gave an informative presentation on quilt appraisals.

We completed seven Stars for Stephanie quilts and donated them to chemotherapy treatment rooms at UT Hospital in memory of member Stephanie Hicks.

We completed two more quilts for The Restoration House of East Tennessee, our local charity project. These quilts are presented to single mothers and their children when they leave the organization's transitional housing and begin new lives of hope and promise.

We pulled together to create "Improv with Intent" blocks for our guild's submission to the Modern Quilt Guild's Quilt Con 2016 show.

In October, some of our group enjoyed a few days of sewing at the Whistlestop Quilt Retreat in Sweetwater, TN. The Whistlestop made us feel so welcome and comfy, and everyone had a great time starting new projects, making progress on WIPs, and even adding to the "finished" pile. We look forward to another great retreat at Whistlestop in 2016!

We were so happy to welcome designer Lizzy House to Knoxville in September. Lizzy's Meadow Quilt Workshop was amazing and drew quilters from not only here in Knoxville but also Nashville, St. Louis, and North Carolina, among other locations. Our Meadow Quilts are in various states of completion, and we look forward to seeing more finishes in 2016. Each one is so unique!

Finally, on the business side of things, we revised our bylaws and created a 5-person board to guide our development and activities in the coming year. The board positions are Chairman and Community Relations; Education Coordinator; Programming and Special Events Coordinator; Secretary and Communications Manager; and Treasurer.

July Meeting Recap!

Be sure to check our Facebook page for some pictures from the meeting!

Our July Meeting was an absolute BLAST!  We were hosted by Sarah Shebaro at Striped Light! Can you believe the amazing mini quilt Melissa made for her!? Beautiful work, Melissa!



The KMQG is so excited to be making quilt blocks inspired by Sarah's work for our QuiltCon Charity Quilt this year.  We thought it would really help our creative process if Sarah shared her process with us!  So she gave us a tour of her studio and even gave a demo of her printing process!  Check out Facebook for a few short videos of Sarah's printing in action (One!) (Two!) and please enjoy some photos of Striped Light and their beautiful work & workspace!  Striped Light also has many classes available for purchase.  I don't know about you, but their Letterpress Calling Card class is calling my name!



 

 














 





 

 

 

 



Announcements

2015 Dues
Dues are $40.00 for the 2015 calendar year.  If you haven't paid your dues, please fill out this Membership Application and pay your dues via PayPal or by check (details are on the application).  It's not too late to join! 

Stars for Stephanie
We're so excited to have 2 more quilt tops that have been completed in memory of our member, Stephanie Hicks. These will be quilted soon!  Thank you to everyone for your generous donations!  A special shout out to the Cincinnati MQG, the Music City MQG and the Central Jersey MQG who sent along blocks.  And of course our own KMQG members!  We have enough blocks to make at least 5-6 quilts for chemo rooms in the area.  Members are still hard at work constructing the quilts - we'll keep you updated on the progress.







Two Color Striped Charity Blocks

Pick any TWO colors from this palette and cut some strips and sew them together!  Strips can be any width, but each block must have only two colors and all strips in your block must be oriented in the same direction. Your inspiration is here!
Blocks must be 12.5" unfinished.


KMQG Summer Mini Quilt Swap!  
Thanks to everyone who participated in the mini quilt swap!!  The quilts were absolutely stunning!! Great work everyone! 
 

Fall Retreat!  October 15-18, 2015 at Whistlestop Quilt Retreat in Sweetwater, TN
SIGN UP HERE for our Fall Retreat!
Cost is $65 for Thursday night and $85 each for Friday and Saturday nights.  Total for three night reservation is $235.00 and two night total is $170.  Upon making a reservation, half of the reservation total is due asap.  The final half will be due August 22 at the meeting .  You need to pay deposit as soon as possible.You will be e-mailed with payment instructions.
We will be taking just 10 reservations with a minimum of 6.  Each person will get their own twin bed, but you will more than likely be sharing a room with 1-2 others. 
Priority registration for KMQG members will end on June 6, 2015.  So if you want to come, reserve your spot now!
We will have two potluck meals, but you will be on your own for the rest of the meals.


Technicolor Galaxy BOM
Are you participating?  We would love to see your progress!  And share your work on instagram with #technicolorgalaxy!


QuiltCon West is Now Accepting Entries!
Entries will be accepted until November 30, 2015.

QuiltCon West Charity Quilt Challenge
We love participating in the QuiltCon charity quilt challenges! This year is no exception!  You can read more about the MQG rules for the 2016 challenge here - (KMQG Rules here).  The quilts this year must be made in an "Improv with Intent" style. We have decided to visit local letterpress studio Striped Light and use their work as inspiration for our improv charity quilt!  If improv seems totally alien to you and makes you a little squirmy, fear not! The national MQG has hosted lots of great webinars; one that you might find useful for this project is Improv with Intent with Cheryl Arkison from July 2014.  You can find the webinar here. 

Upcoming Events

September 16-19  - AQS QuiltWeek in Chattanooga, TN


September 19 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

October 15-18 - KMQG Fall Retreat!  - Spots still open! (No meeting)

November 21 - 10:15 AM - 5PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting + Sew In to finish QuiltCon Charity Quilt! 

December 19 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

February 18-21, 2016 - QuiltCon WEST in Pasadena, CA

February 23-26, 2017 - QuiltCon EAST in Savannah, GA!

Please e-mail us at modknoxville@gmail.com with any questions you might have.

KMQG QuiltCon Charity Challenge Quilt 2016 Details

Our fabrics have been distributed and the block making can begin!  Let's recap what our plan is:

 

 

Using improv with intent and inspiration from Striped Light's textile inspired work, as seen in the photos, create an 11 in x 17 in rectangular quilt block. Please use only the solid fabrics provided, if you need more fabric, all can be found at www.fabricshack.com :

Kona White
Kona Bone
Kona Ash
Kona Black
Kona Capri
Kona Corn
Kona Red

Feel free to use all the colors or limit the colors you use.  If you sign up to make a block and receive fabric, you must deliver the completed block to our November 21, 2015 meeting.  At the November meeting, we will construct the quilt top. The blocks can be as complex as you like or as simple but inspired by the shapes and colors in Striped Light's work.  There are many resources to help you begin, or we will also be working on these at retreat.  See more information on the QuiltCon West challenge here.  Sign ups are closed.

Please share photos on Instagram and tag with #kmqgcharitychallenge #quiltconcharityquilt

You can find more photos of Striped Light's work on their Facebook page or Instagram.  If you would like to see/purchase the prints they are available for sale at their shop located at 107 Bearden Place -- all one of a kind prints!

Most importantly, HAVE FUN!  Enjoy the process.  Take your time.  Melissa

June Meeting Recap

Be sure to check our Facebook page for some pictures from the meeting!

Thanks to our fearless leader Melissa for leading us in some creative exercises to help us to experiment with the improv process!  Here are some of our finished creations!









Sunsphere Inspired Quilt Blocks!!



Striped Light (a local letterpress studio) Inspired Quilt Blocks!

 

Announcements

2015 Dues
Dues are $40.00 for the 2015 calendar year.  If you haven't paid your dues, please fill out this Membership Application and pay your dues via PayPal or by check (details are on the application).  It's not too late to join! 









Stars for Stephanie
Here are two more quilt tops that have been completed in memory of our member, Stephanie Hicks.  There are at least 2 more quilts still in progress.  Thank you to everyone for your generous donations!  A special shout out to the Cincinnati MQG, the Music City MQG and the Central Jersey MQG who sent along blocks.  And of course our own KMQG members!  We have enough blocks to make at least 5-6 quilts for chemo rooms in the area.  Members are still hard at work constructing the quilts - we'll keep you updated on the progress.


Anvil Charity Quilt Block (Due at the July Meeting!) 
We are collecting more of 'The Anvil' quilt blocks for our charity block drive. Please use ONLY solid fabrics.  The background should be yellow or white and anvil designs can be in any rainbow color.  Here is the tutorial.  Please note this is a 12.5" unfinished block.  Feel free to make as many as you like and bring them to the July meeting.  


Two Color Striped Charity Blocks

Pick any TWO colors from this palette and cut some strips and sew them together!  Strips can be any width, but each block must have only two colors and all strips in your block must be oriented in the same direction. Your inspiration is here!
Blocks must be 12.5" unfinished.


KMQG Summer Mini Quilt Swap!  
Partners have been assigned for this swap.  Remember to keep this secret, as this is a secret swap!  You only know who you are making for, but no one knows who is making FOR them!  Feel free to share details of your project on social media over the next few months, if you'd like, but be careful not to give too much away that might let your partner guess who they are!  #kmqgswap on Instagram!

Quilts are due at the July 18 meeting.  Please make sure that you'll be there to exchange, or, if something comes up and you can't come, please make arrangements to give your quilt to someone else to bring.  We want to make sure everyone who signs up receives a quilt at the meeting!

You aren't required to give any other goodies along with your mini quilt, but feel free to add some in if you'd like.  Ideas include another small handmade item (mug rug, pincushion), maybe some candy, or a few cute sewing supplies.

Most importantly, have fun and be creative!  We can't wait to see what you make!

If anything comes up between now and July 18 that will make you unable to finish the swap, please contact Jennifer or Melissa as soon as possible.

Fall Retreat!  October 15-18, 2015 at Whistlestop Quilt Retreat in Sweetwater, TN
SIGN UP HERE for our Fall Retreat!
Cost is $65 for Thursday night and $85 each for Friday and Saturday nights.  Total for three night reservation is $235.00 and two night total is $170.  Upon making a reservation, half of the reservation total is due asap.  The final half will be due August 22 at the meeting .  You need to pay deposit as soon as possible.You will be e-mailed with payment instructions.
We will be taking just 10 reservations with a minimum of 6.  Each person will get their own twin bed, but you will more than likely be sharing a room with 1-2 others. 
Priority registration for KMQG members will end on June 6, 2015.  So if you want to come, reserve your spot now!
We will have two potluck meals, but you will be on your own for the rest of the meals.

The Meadow Quilt Workshop with Lizzy House  September 5, 2015 - ONLY 3 SPOTS LEFT



 SIGN UPS OPEN!
The class will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 Northshore Dr., Knoxville, TN; beginning at 11:00 AM and concluding around 6:00 PM with a lunch break. You will learn the piecing of Lizzy's famous Meadow Quilt during the class. The cost of the class will be $125 for Modern Quilt Guild members and $150 for all others. We will need a 50% deposit due upon completion of this form. The balance will be due in mid-July. There are 18 spots available.

Technicolor Galaxy BOM
Are you participating?  We would love to see your progress!  And share your work on instagram with #technicolorgalaxy!


QuiltCon West is Now Accepting Entries!
Entries will be accepted until November 30, 2015.



QuiltCon West Charity Quilt Challenge
We love participating in the QuiltCon charity quilt challenges! This year is no exception!  You can read more about the rules for the 2016 challenge here.  The quilts this year must be made in an "Improv with Intent" style. We have decided to visit local letterpress studio Striped Light and use their work as inspiration for our improv charity quilt!  If improv seems totally alien to you and makes you a little squirmy, fear not! The national MQG has hosted lots of great webinars; one that you might find useful for this project is Improv with Intent with Cheryl Arkison from July 2014.  You can find the webinar here.  Please join us as we visit the Striped Light studio this month!

July Meeting Location Change!
The July Meeting will be held at Striped Light! We are so excited for Sarah to share her facility, process and inspiration with us!






Upcoming Events

July 18 - 10:15 AM - 12 PM - Striped Light Letterpress Studio - Monthly Meeting + Studio Tour!!  Please note, Striped Light is NOT air conditioned, so please wear comfy, cool clothes and bring a water bottle. (Mini Quilt Due, Anvil Block Due)

August 15 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

September 5  - 11:00 AM - 6 PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - The Meadow Quilt workshop with Lizzy House - SIGN UPs OPEN!

September 16-19  - AQS QuiltWeek in Chattanooga, TN


September 19 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

October 15-18 - KMQG Fall Retreat!  - Spots still open! (No meeting)

November 21 - 10:15 AM - 5PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting + Sew In to finish QuiltCon Charity Quilt! 

December 19 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

February 18-21, 2016 - QuiltCon WEST in Pasadena, CA

February 23-26, 2017 - QuiltCon EAST in Savannah, GA!

Hope to see many of you in July!  Please e-mail us at modknoxville@gmail.com with any questions you might have.

May Meeting Recap

Be sure to check our Facebook page for some pictures from the meeting!

Thanks to our VP, Jennifer for teaching up how to easily applique English Paper Pieced Hexies to make Mug Rugs and Mini Quilts!  Have you finished your Hexi project yet?!



Announcements

2015 Dues
Dues are $40.00 for the 2015 calendar year.  If you haven't paid your dues, please fill out this Membership Application and pay your dues via PayPal or by check (details are on the application).  It's not too late to join! 







Stars for Stephanie
Here are our first few quilts that have been completed in memory of our member, Stephanie Hicks.  Thank you to everyone for your generous donations!  A special shout out to the Cincinnati MQG, the Music City MQG and the Central Jersey MQG who sent along blocks.  And of course our own KMQG members!  We have enough blocks to make at least 5-6 quilts for chemo rooms in the area.  Members are still hard at work constructing the quilts - we'll keep you updated on the progress.

Congrats to the Smoky Mountain Quilters Quilt Show Participants and Winners!
It can be an intimidating thing to submit a quilt to be "judged" for a show and then hung up for everyone to see and analyze.  So we are so grateful to our members who entered their modern quilts in the local Smoky Mtn Quilters show this year!  Thank you so much for sharing your work with our community and representing our guild and modern quilting!  By sharing your work, you have allowed people to see quilts in a new light and have hopefully inspired some quilters to try a new style - or even inspired someone new to begin quilting!

Due to photo reproduction restrictions, we cannot share photos of the quilts from the show without permission from their creators.  As such, we will only be sharing KMQG members' quilts.

Michelle B.- "Maxifiori" - entered in the "Modern Quilt" Category (below)



 KMQG Members - "Mod Petals" - entered in the "Group Quilt" Category (below)
Winner of an Honorable Mention!



Jennifer G. - "Totem" - entered in the "Modern Quilt" Category (below)




Elizabeth R.  - "Drunkard's Path Menagerie entered in the "Wall Hanging" Category (below)




Emily D. - "Made in GDR 26" - entered in the "Modern Quilt" Category (below)
2nd Place Winner!


Melissa E. - "Outfoxed Forest" - entered in the "Modern Quilt" Category (below)
Winner of an Honorable Mention!




Melissa E. - "Scrappy Jewels" - entered in the "Children's Quilts" Category (below)
2nd Place Winner!


Thanks again to those that entered quilts! It was inspiring to see such great participation from the KMQG membership!

Anvil Charity Quilt Block (This block drive has been postponed to July) 
We are collecting more of 'The Anvil' quilt blocks for our charity block drive. Please use ONLY solid fabrics.  The background should be yellow or white and anvil designs can be in any rainbow color.  Here is the tutorial.  Please note this is a 12.5" unfinished block.  Feel free to make as many as you like and bring them to the July meeting. 

KMQG Summer Mini Quilt Swap!  
Partners have been assigned for this swap.  Remember to keep this secret, as this is a secret swap!  You only know who you are making for, but no one knows who is making FOR them!  Feel free to share details of your project on social media over the next few months, if you'd like, but be careful not to give too much away that might let your partner guess who they are!  

Quilts are due at the July 18 meeting.  Please make sure that you'll be there to exchange, or, if something comes up and you can't come, please make arrangements to give your quilt to someone else to bring.  We want to make sure everyone who signs up receives a quilt at the meeting!

You aren't required to give any other goodies along with your mini quilt, but feel free to add some in if you'd like.  Ideas include another small handmade item (mug rug, pincushion), maybe some candy, or a few cute sewing supplies.

Most importantly, have fun and be creative!  We can't wait to see what you make!

If anything comes up between now and July 19 that will make you unable to finish the swap, please contact Jennifer or Melissa as soon as possible.

Fall Retreat!  October 15-18, 2015 at Whistlestop Quilt Retreat in Sweetwater, TN
SIGN UP HERE for our Fall Retreat!
Cost is $65 for Thursday night and $85 each for Friday and Saturday nights.  Total for three night reservation is $235.00 and two night total is $170.  Upon making a reservation, half of the reservation total is due asap.  The final half will be due August 22 at the meeting .  You need to pay deposit as soon as possible.You will be e-mailed with payment instructions.
We will be taking just 10 reservations with a minimum of 6.  Each person will get their own twin bed, but you will more than likely be sharing a room with 1-2 others. 
Priority registration for KMQG members will end on June 6, 2015.  So if you want to come, reserve your spot now!
We will have two potluck meals, but you will be on your own for the rest of the meals.

The Meadow Quilt Workshop with Lizzy House  September 5, 2015



 SIGN UPS OPEN!
The class will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 Northshore Dr., Knoxville, TN; beginning at 11:00 AM and concluding around 6:00 PM with a lunch break. You will learn the piecing of Lizzy's famous Meadow Quilt during the class. The cost of the class will be $125 for Modern Quilt Guild members and $150 for all others. We will need a 50% deposit due upon completion of this form. The balance will be due in mid-July. There are 18 spots available.


Upcoming Events

June 20 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting

July 18 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting

August 15 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

September 5  - 11:00 AM - 6 PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - The Meadow Quilt workshop with Lizzy House - SIGN UPs OPEN!

September 16-19  - AQS QuiltWeek in Chattanooga, TN

September 19 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

October 15-18 - KMQG Fall Retreat!  - Spots still open! (No meeting)

November 21 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

December 19 - 10:15 AM - 12PM - Westminster Presbyterian Church - Monthly Meeting 

February 18-21, 2016 - QuiltCon WEST in Pasadena, CA

February 23-26, 2017 - QuiltCon EAST in Savannah, GA!

Hope to see many of you in May!  Please e-mail us at modknoxville@gmail.com with any questions you might have.