Reminder -- MLQG Board Meeting -- Friday, March 1st

Reminder - Board Meeting Friday, March 1, at 10AM at the Gmeiner.

All officers, chairpersons, and interested members are invited to attend. Sharing your knowledge and ideas is valuable to the board and the entire guild! If you can't make the meeting, but would like to bring something to the board's attention, please contact one of the guild officers.

Agenda Items:

· Review/Accept Previous Minutes

· Feb/March Calendar Items

· Old Business

o Job Descriptions – Membership, Hospitality, Local Workshops, Historian

o Quarterly Reconciliation of Budget

o Upcoming Programs

o Budget Sheet for Chairs

o When are tax forms due

o Update on Quilt Raffle

o Possible Changes to Exhibit

o Christmas Party/Picnic Update

o Public Documents

o Survey

· New Business

o Feedback discussion

o Local Workshops

o Future National Quilter

o New Member Packets

o Golden Needle idea

MLQG Quilt of Valor Quilt Finished

The Quilt of Valor that many MLQG members worked on at our November 2018 Veteran's Day outreach workshop is now completed! Thank you to Sylvia L. for leading the project.

To see photos of the process of making this at the outreach workshop, click here.

MLQG February 2019 Program Photos

Thanks to guild members who demo'd some interesting techniques and products at this month's meeting!

(click on photos for a larger view)

Nancy S. demonstrating English paper piecing

hexagons made using English paper piecing

Kathy P. demonstrating a neat way to make nine-patches

Tammy T. demonstrating the Accuquilt cutter and dies

Tammy T. demonstrating the Accuquilt cutter and dies

Ronda H. demonstrating machine embroidery

Ronda H. demonstrating machine embroidery

Raffle Quilt Volunteers Needed!

MLQG will be having a Raffle Quilt Preparation Bee at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center on Monday, March 4th, 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM (during the usual open sewing time). We will be pressing, cutting, and sorting fabrics that have been donated in preparation for the March 16th mini-retreat.

If you have time and can help, bring cutting tools (matt, rulers, rotary cutter). Bring your lunch and help with the beginning of our 2020 raffle quilt.

If you have fabric to donate, you can drop it off at this time, or bring it and stay to help.

If you have any questions, contact MLQG Raffle Quilt Chair Tess McC. (her contact info can be found on the guild roster and newsletter). Or you can comment on this blog post and we'll make sure Tess gets your message.

If you missed the blog post with details about the raffle quilt design and fabric requirements, click here.

And if you missed the details about the March 16th mini-retreat (at which we'll be working on the raffle quilt), click here.

MLQG February 2019 Meeting Show-and-Tell

Look at all these wonderful quilts made by MLQG members recently!

(click on photos for a larger view)

Greta Marie T.

Greta Marie T.

Greta Marie T. showing some interesting fabric

Grace S.

Grace S.

Bonnie H.

Tess McC. showing a sample of "layered patchwork" by our 2019 national speaker Lynne Hagmeier

A "Stone Soup" quilt for outreach

Sylvia L. with a "Stone Soup" outreach quilt

Sylvia L.

Peggi Y.

Barb A.

Barb A.

Kim C. with her daughter's wedding quilt

Dawn P.

Dawn P.

Dawn P.

Kathy P.'s "One-Block Wonder" quilt

Kathy P.'s "One-Block Wonder" original fabric

Another panel used by Kathy P. for a "One-Block Wonder" quilt

Kathy P.'s "One-Block Wonder"

Anya T.'s "Disappearing Hourglass"

MLQG "Stone Soup" Quilts

Look at all the beautiful Stone Soup Quilts that our "souper quilters" have made recently! These quilts will soon be warming the hearts of children in foster care and nursing-home patients. Thanks to all MLQG members who continue to support this project with donations of fabric, skill, and time!

Not sure about what the MLQG's Stone Soup Quilt project is? Click the "Outreach Projects" tab on the top of this blog page for details.

A big thank you to all from MLQG Outreach Chair Susan McC.

(click on photos for a larger view)

MLQG Board Meeting -- Friday, March 1st

There will be an MLQG board meeting on Friday, March 1st at 10:00 AM, at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center in Wellsboro, PA.

All board members are encouraged to attend, and ALL MLQG members are welcome to attend the board meetings at any time. Your opinions and suggestions matter!

National Quilting Day Mini-Retreat

MLQG will be holding a mini-retreat on National Quilting Day, Saturday, March 16th, at the First Presbyterian Church in Wellsboro, from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. The hall will be open to members to set up at 8:30. This mini-retreat is being held so members can help make blocks for the guild's 2020 raffle quilt.

The quilt will be a scrappy quilt, and fabric will be provided for the blocks. Tess McC. will do three demos during this mini-retreat.

The cost is $10 for MLQG members, and $15 for non-members. Lunch and water is included. If anyone wants to make a snack or dessert to share, please do so.

Signups began at the February MLQG meeting. If you are interested in signing up for the mini-retreat, please contact workshop chair Ann Krohn. She will accept payment at the time of the mini-retreat if you have not already paid. Ann's contact info can be found on the guild's roster and monthly newsletter. Or you can comment on this post, and we'll make sure Ann gets your message.

Come spend a fun National Quilting Day with fellow MLQG members working on our next raffle quilt!

Raffle Quilt Chair Tess McC. showing a sample scrappy block for the 2020 raffle quilt. We'll be using lots of different fabrics for a very scrappy look -- reproductions, batiks, brights, country, etc.

Your Opinion Counts!

If you missed this month's guild meeting on the 18th, you missed a lot of important information! We will try to make sure all is posted here on the blog, on Facebook, and in the newsletter soon, but first please note the mini-survey below that was handed out to guild members at the meeting. Post your vote, comments, or suggestions below, or email your vote and comments to MLQG President Sylvia L. as soon as possible. Sylvia's contact info can be found on your copy of the guild roster or any issue of the guild newsletter.

Newsletter Deadline -- February 22nd

Just a reminder -- if you have something for the March 2019 guild newsletter, please send the info to newsletter editor Peggi Y. by Friday, February 22nd.

MLQG Monthly Meeting -- Monday, February 18th

February’s program is a guild-member tips-and-techniques demo evening. Several MLQG members have volunteered to demonstrate something of interest to everyone.

Tammy T. will be demonstrating the AccuQuilt fabric cutter. It is a fast and precise fabric-cutting system that allows quilters to cut fabrics as much as 90 percent faster than with scissors or rotary cutting. Dies help your designs and shapes be more precise in a lot less time.

Kathy P. will be showing us a quick and easy method of making four-patch blocks from fat quarters.

Nancy S. is going to demonstrate how to hand sew intricate patchwork using the English paper piecing (or EPP) method.

The meeting starts at 7:00 PM in the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center on Main Street in Wellsboro, PA.

Remember your show-and-tell and your 2019 dues (if not paid yet)!

Raffle Quilt Update

A group of ten MLQG members met on February 4th and chose a design for our 2020 raffle quilt. It will be a scrappy, strippy quilt. We are hoping for applique borders if there is member support to applique. A tutorial for the block can be found by clicking here.

We need help from all MLQG members. Needed is some of your stash, some of your time, your sewing skills, and your support to get this quilt finished and ready to raffle.

Specific needs --
Quilt-shop-quality fabrics

1)  Strips or strings of fabrics -- strip widths from 1 1/4" to 2 1/2 ". Minimum strip length is 5", and will happily take width of fabric. Looking for lots of variety, so please share batiks, reproduction, 30s, country, checks, plaids, stripes, and anything else you have.

2) Chunks of 2 1/2 " or a bit larger. Can be squares, triangles, and odd-shaped pieces.

3) Black fabric -- not really solid black, but reads or shows mostly black. Same strip widths as above. Minimum strip length of 12", and will happily take width of fabric.

Fabric will be collected beginning with the February 18th MLQG meeting. Please help us! For variety, please limit your individual fabric contribution to one plastic grocery-size bag at this time.

Plans are being made for a work bee/workshop in the near future. Stay tuned for information to be posted soon.

If you have questions or wish to volunteer to help with an applique border, please contact Tess McC. (her contact info can be found on your copy of the guild roster and newsletter), or you can comment on this post and we'll make sure Tess gets your message.

MLQG 2019 National Teacher

MLQG will welcome Lynne Hagmeier for a lecture/trunk show on Friday, July 19, 2019, at 7 pm, in the Gmeiner. Lynne is the designer behind Kansas Troubles Fabric. She has created hundreds of quilting patterns, designed over fifty fabric collections, and published two dozen books.

On Saturday, July 20, 2019, from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM at the Masonic Hall on Kelsey Street in Wellsboro, Lynne will be teaching a workshop entitled “30-Something”. Lynne’s signature technique is layered patchwork, and this will be the feature of this workshop, along with tips and techniques for traditional piecing. A video showing a bit about this quilt, and her technique is available at:  https://youtu.be/Uk4cjs--t4Q

The workshop cost is $45. There will be a book to buy, at half price. Reservations may be made by contacting Tess McC. Her contact info can be found on your copy of the guild roster or newsletter, or you can just comment on this post, and we'll make sure that Tess sees your message.  Your space will be held once payment has been received. You can mail your reservation and payment to Tess (check your roster for her snail mail address). A signup sheet will be available at the February guild meeting, along with a sample of layered patchwork that has been washed many times.

Lynne’s blog is: http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/

You can see a version of the 30-something quilt in Lynne's blog post here.

Sign up soon!

MLQG Raffle Quilt Plans

Plans are in the works for our next Raffle Quilt. The board decided to make it a scrap quilt, and to use, as much as possible, fabrics we all have in our stashes. We put out the word for pattern suggestions, and we have received some ideas. The next step is to meet and choose our pattern.

We, absolutely everyone interested in helping to choose our design, will meet on Monday, February 4, 2019, at 11 am, at the Gmeiner. As this is the regular Open Sewing, bring your ideas, your lunch, and a project.

We hope that everyone will get involved in some way. We hope you will share your stash, your time and energy, and our mutual love of quilting.

Hope to see you on February 4. If you have questions, or pattern suggestions, please contact Tess McC. Her contact info can be found in your guild newsletter or roster. Or you can comment on this post and we'll make sure Tess gets your message.

Open Sewing at the Gmeiner -- Monday, February 4th

Great Cure for Cabin Fever!

Next Open Sewing Session

 Monday, February 4th at the Gmeiner 10:00 - 2:00

All MLQG members of all ability levels and interests are welcome to attend the open sewing sessions at the Gmeiner Art and Cultural Center (where the monthly guild meetings are held) on the first Monday of each month, 10:00 - 2:00, to work on any stitching projects, hand or machine, even knitting, crocheting, or embroidery.

The purpose of these get-togethers is to spend time with other MLQG fiber fanatics and to learn from each other, no matter what we're all working on. Bring your projects, machine, and lunch. Stay for an hour or stay all day. Just be warned that if only a couple of people show up, we may pack up early and leave before noon. Cancellations will be posted on the guild's blog/website/Facebook page.

If you need more info, contact Susan McC., Anya T., or Peggi Y., or use the "contact us" form on the right side of this blog.