Great Meeting Last Night!

The Des Moines Chapter of the MQG is gaining in numbers, gaining in strength, and we have found our momentum and stride!

Last night's meeting was FABULOUS--our speaker was member Karen Thompson (raised and reared in India, but an Iowan for 9 years now) who educated us on India's fabric production, the styles, the traditions, and brought YUMMY fabric to share from her recent trip home to visit her parents.  Every month brings more fun and inspiring Show & Share items!  Last night was no exception.

New visitor (and hopefully soon to-be-member) Peg brought her Craftsy BOM blocks to share with us--great stuff for a beginner!  Emily C. brought her Birdie Stitches BOM blocks (from Little Miss Shabby's blog) including a few she drew herself to change out from the one's provided in the BOM--way to go, Em!  Crystal, Jill, Marny, and Linda all brought quilts they worked on at the Sew-In in January to share their finished projects--BEAUTIFUL!!!

NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, APRIL 19th:

The programs is "Free-motion Quilting: Choosing Designs and

Tips & Techniques" with Linda Hungerford---those of you who have been asking for more info on Free Motion Quilting, now's your chance!!!

We meet in May, on the 17th (Program TBD)

and mark your calendars for June 21, Janet Pittman will be teaching "Machine Applique: The Basics & Beyond" 

Please consider joining us, the meetings get better every month!

LOCATION CHANGE for this week's meeting!!!

The meeting this Thursday, March 15, will be at the Waukee Arts Center, 405 Maple Street, Waukee, IA.  (It is the old Catholic Church Building near downtown).

Please bring an item to show and share, either a finished project or a WIP--we like to see them all!

Our program will be presented by Karen Thompson, and the topic will be the fabrics of and quilting in India!

Have you HEARD THE NEWS?!?

The First Modern Quilt Guild Convention will be held in february 2013 in Austin, Texas:

http://www.quiltcon.com/

Pillow Swap -- Announced

Hello, fellow modern quilters!

We’re excited to announce our guild's first ever Pillow Swap. If you’re familiar with Flickr Pillow Talk Swap, ours is similar. But instead of mailing pillow covers to each other, we’ll swap them in person at our April 19 meeting. If this is your first Pillow Swap, you're in for a treat!

Blue ribbon pillow by member Veronicamade

 These are the swap requirements:

• You must have an online Flickr account and you must post a mosaic of some of your favorite quilt blocks, pillows, fabrics, or color combinations. Please create your mosaic BEFORE proceeding to the next step. (See below: “How to Make a Mosaic”). Because we are members of The Modern Quilt Guild, we're using all the online conveniences we have available to us. If you don't yet have a Flickr account, sign up. It's free! You should also join our guild's main Flickr group (http://www.flickr.com/groups/dmmqg/).

Grinch Pillow by member Crystal

• The swap is secret, but to let your partner know your personal tastes and preferences, you must complete a Google Docs online form AFTER you create your Flickr mosaic. Go to: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFBqU2pOaDREaFl2aW9oa2xYZFFiYnc6MQ#gid=0

Please be as specific as possible about your likes and dislikes. Indicating your preferences will make it much easier for you to create, and your partner to receive something you'll both love.

After submitting the completed form you’ll be paired with someone with similar sewing skills and design interests. Then, you’ll receive your swap partner's name, and list of likes and dislikes. Use the list and her Flickr mosaic as a guide to help you make a pillow that suits her. Please understand that this swap is about making something your partner likes, not what you like. Consider fabrics, designs and colors that your partner has specified she prefers. You may be required to buy some new fabrics in her style or colors. While you aren't required to buy the exact fabrics your partner lists, it's very considerate to do so.

How to Make a Mosaic

Go to www.bighugelabs.com. In the middle of the screen, click the pull-down menu "Jump to…" Select "Mosaic Maker.” Choose as many images as you want in your mosaic. Then copy and paste into URL boxes, the photo links for your mosaic. If you already have photos in Flickr Favorites, use those photos as your links. When all your photo links are in the boxes, click “Create” to see your mosaic. Copy the HTML code in the box below your mosaic. Click on the Share button at the top and select Flickr. Paste the HTML links into the Description box if they aren't already in there. Click Upload. Your mosaic should appear in your Flickr photostream with hyperlinks for each photo below it. If the hyperlinks aren't showing up in Flickr, paste the type again in the Flickr description box.

Please select at least nine photos for your mosaic to give your partner a good idea of what you like. More photos are even better! If you're new to Flickr and want to look for pillows to add to your mosaic, check out the Flickr Pillow Talk Swap pool here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1197421@N20/pool/.

If you have any questions about this process, e-mail Veronica at vkoh159@mchsi.com.

A DSMMQG Flickr Swap Group

A new Flickr group has been created just for DSMMQG swaps and exchanges. After you have created your Pillow Swap mosaic, post it in this new group. Here's the link:http://www.flickr.com/groups/dsmmqgswaps/ where you’ll see two mosaics already posted.

We’ll also use the Flickr discussion forum to:

- ask and answer questions without revealing partners,

- and, provide links to online tutorials for different types of pillow back closures.

If you join Pillow Swap, be committed to making a pillow cover for someone else, and completing it by Thursday, April 19.

Should you not be able to participate in this swap, other swaps will be offered later this year.

We hope many of you will join Pillow Swap. It promises to be fun, fun, fun!

The deadline to sign up is Monday, February 20. By February 27 you’ll receive your partner's information.

Posted by Veronica Koh Eischeid, Programs/Education Co-Chair

January 2012--First Sew-In was SEW MUCH FUN!!!!

Check out these blog posts for more details, and the Sew-In album posted here on the site and o flickr.  You will want to be sure and join us next time around!!!!

Linda's post

Jill G's post

Jill M's post

Doris's post

Flickr set

We chatted about having a sew-in (without overnight accommodations) like this every other month, and having one weekend long retreat (with overnight) once a year.

The ten of us had so much fun, we hope more of our members will join us next time! Dates to come....

Posted by Doris Brunnette, President

ANNOUNCING: First DSMMQG Sew-In--Registration Now Open!

Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild Sew In

 Waukee Arts Council, Waukee, IA

January 27-28, 2012

The Des Moines Chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild is holding its first retreat! Register and come for a long evening and full day of sewing fun.

                                           Member Fee:  $10                  Non Member Fee: $25

REGISTER EARLY:  Space is limited to 24 attendees!!

Preference will be given to PAID members, so now is the time to get that membership form filled out and turned in!  Register for the Sew-In and as  a DSMMQG member all at once!!!

Member Registration for the SEW-IN:  Deadline is Friday, January 20,

**after January 20th non-members may register

Sew-In Hours

7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.  Friday, January 27

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday, January 28

Optional Swaps, feel free to join one or both:

Bring 1 quilting book and choose 1 quilting book to take home

Bring 1 fat quarter and choose 1 fat quarter to take home

Please remember NO book left behind, NO fabric left behind

Bring:

               + Please remember to wear your name tag.

               + Sewing machine, tools, notions, fabrics, etc.  A chair is available, but you

                  may bring your own.

               + Personal sewing light/lamp

               + A cutting mat will be provided but please remember your rotary cutter

                  and rulers

               + Meals are not planned so please bring any meals youwant for yourself,

                  or plan to eat out. A list of nearby restaurantswill be provided.

               + If you would like you can bring snacks, appetizers, and chocolate to

                  share.

               + Coffee will be offered, and a cooler will be available, where you can keep

                  beverages

To register for the retreat by Friday, January 20, email jillmcbroom@yahoo.com or clintcrystalella@hotmail.com. 

Payment will be needed ASAP to secure your spot.

January Meeting: Folded Fabric Flowers

Our next meeting is January 19.  We will be meeting at the West Des Moines public library from 6:30 to 8:30.  Our speaker is Emma Thomas-McGinnis.

Emma will be showing us some of her work made with folded fabric flowers. She will also be teaching us how to make one kind of the flowers.

Supplies to bring:

• Four (or more) 6" squares of fabric - good choices include tone-on-tone, nearly solid batiks and solids. Starch the squares if you have time (no need to starch batiks).

• Regular sewing needle and thread to match your fabric

• Small scissors

• A few pins

You'll leaner how to go from this:

To this:

The book she will be teaching from is "Fantastic Fabric Folding" by Rebecca Wat, so if you have a copy, bring it to follow along.

Posted by Doris Brunnette, President