September 2022 Meeting Recap

Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild met on Saturday 17 September at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Upcoming Quilting Events

·       Currently: Registration is open for MQG Sessions, a members-only virtual event happening October 13-16, 2022. https://www.themodernquiltguild.com/sessions/
·       Currently: Registration is open for QuiltCon 2023 (Atlanta). QuiltCon is February 23-26, 2023. https://quiltcon.com/

Charity Quilts

We have enough 'Bar' blocks collected for our fifth charity quilt of the year - watch out for pictures of how they look assembled into a quilt.

Our fourth quilt is assembled and quilted, and now just has to be bound.

2022 BOM QAL

Our eighth block was revealed - a Ring block.  Look out for instructions coming soon.

Quilted Coat retreat

Some members will be getting together for a mini-retreat on 23 & 24 to work on their quilted coats.  We look forward to seeing the finished results.

QuiltCon 2023 Outreach Challenge

A group stayed behind after the August meeting to work on blocks for our entry to the QuiltCon 2023 Outreach Challenge Color Shift Quilt.  

Those blocks have been assembled, Nancy added the appliquéd circles, and we think it is looking great!  

Pat has taken this away to quilt.

Show & Tell

Leighanne

Jo

Kelly S.

Elizabeth

Caryn

Next meeting:  Saturday October 15, 2022

September 2021 Meeting Recap

A sew day in September! The KMQG had a sew day to assemble our Improv Triangles quilt top. Several of our members brought machines and spent the afternoon creating improv blocks. With the blocks that other members had previously completed, we made enough blocks to complete the top. The completed quilt will be submitted to to QuiltCon 2022 as part of the Community Outreach challenge.

Our Member Spotlight in September was Sherry Kasper. The Member Spotlight is a great way for us to get to know our fellow guild members. We get a little insight into who they are and see a bit of their quilting style. If any of our other members would be interested in participating, please send an email to modknoxville@gmail.com.

 

Our 2021 Modern Mini Quilt Challenge continues. The theme is Architecture and the minis are due at the October meeting. We look forward to seeing the minis and their inspiration photographs.

September Show and Tell

Jo H

Elizabeth R

 

Sherry K

Kelly B

Our next meeting will be Saturday October 16th. Social time, 10:15, meeting at 10:30.

September Member Spotlight: Sherry Kasper🔦

It's time for the September Member Spotlight. This month we're learning more about KMQG Education Coordinator, Sherry Kasper.

How long have you been quilting?

44 years, oh my goodness!!


Who or what inspired you to start quilting?

I starting sewing as a child-- first doll clothes and eventually my clothes. In 1978 quilts started getting more attention due to Good Housekeeping's Great American Quilt Contest, where Jinny Beyer's innovative Ray of Light won Best in Show and launched her career. That contest sparked my interest in using my sewing skills to make a quilt. When my husband and I moved to Colorado Springs as newlyweds, I discovered a quilt shop within walking distance of our apartment and signed up for a beginning quilting class.


Tell us about the first quilt you ever made.

My first completed quilt was a baby quilt for my daughter. I made it with four inch squares in primary colors and yellow gingham borders and tied it. Back in 1979 we had no idea of the gender of our babies before birth, so they were all primary colored quilts. She loved the quilt so much that the fabric shredded in many places. One time while visiting her grandmother with the quilt in tow, my mom made the quilt "a new set of clothes," another array of primary colored, 4 inch blocks.


What is your favorite quilt you’ve ever made?

My favorite quilt thus far is one is a flying geese quilt made in fall colors that I made for my husband in the 1980s. I machine-stitched the geese, hand-stitched the border fabric between the geese, and hand-quilted it. Why is this quilt my favorite? First, because he loves it, which makes me happy. Second, the color choices were not conventional; I substituted a peach for a cream background to the geese, and it works. Finally, it is technically the best sewn quilt I have made. The geese have points, and I still marvel at the hand quilting. My hands could not do the same today.


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

Bernina Virtuoso 153 Quilter's Edition

What is your favorite sewing tool or notion?

My sewing machine.


Who is your favorite fabric designer?

Whoever has the right color and design fabric I need for my project.





What are your favorite colors to use in quilts?

Having just looked over all of my quilts, it seems like I like jewel tones: turquoise, blues, reds, greens. But, I think some of those color choices reflect the fabrics available when I was making those quilts. Fabrics today are much brighter, and I think that aesthetic will appear in my upcoming quilts.


Describe your quilting style in one word.

Modern traditionalism


What other hobbies do you have?

Hiking, reading and knitting.


What is your favorite movie?

Casablanca


What is your favorite book?

This question is hard. I have many favorites. Today I will say The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd..


Who is your favorite author?

Today I will say John Irving, but it could change.


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

Janet Yellen. Weird answer, but I am a female economist. I would love to talk about her journey as an economist in a very male profession and what it has been like to help lead the world economy.

What is your favorite food?

Italian food


Coffee or tea?

Coffee


Sweet or savory?

Sweet


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

Anything made with dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is delicious, and, in moderation, it even has some health benefits.


What is your dream job?

Teacher, and I am so blessed, because I got to be a teacher.


Where is your dream vacation destination?

Any place with mountains to hike.


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?

A trip to Italy in first-class seating on the plane and planned by someone else.


Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Mountains


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

In 2018, I served as an economic advisor to a candidate for Congress.

If you'd like to connect with Sherry, you can find her on Instagram. KMQG is on Insta too - we'd love it if you'd stop by and say hi!