REMINDER: Jacquie Gering at the DMAQG Meeting

Just a reminder that Jacquie Gering is the speaker at the DMAQG meetings tomorrow, October 27! She will be presenting two different programs:
1 p.m. Honoring Tradition
7 p.m. You’ll Know It When You See It
Meetings are at West Des Moines Christian Church, Building 2, 4501 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines

Our funds from dues helped bring this modern quilter to Des Moines, so let's show our support with our presence at the meetings as well. I hope to see some of you at the workshops this week too!

Call for New Leadership & Activity Ideas

Volunteers Needed

Hi Modern Quilter! Have you been a member of the DSMMQG for long? Or are you a new member looking to get more involved and make this group what you'd like it to be? We need new members of the "Steering Committee" for 2016 year. That's right, I didn't say "Board"! As a small group, our leadership is a little more relaxed than a board...but we still need some folks to make decisions and keep us running. If you haven't helped out in that way yet or you think now is the time you could make a contribution, please let us know.

The job doesn't involve too much work. You'll probably need to have 1-2 extra meetings a year to decide what the activities for the regular meetings should be. This year's group did most of our planning and decision-making through email!  You'll share the responsibility of being at the meetings to help them run smoothly, share announcements, bring the basket of fat quarters, make sure someone brings treats and talk to the Community Center staff when they have questions and to keep our space reserved. Also there is a website and Facebook page to update, if you're interested in helping with either of those things.

Ideas & Presenters Wanted

Also please think about whether you have any ideas for programming in 2016. We want topics to discuss, activities, challenges and/or presenters. If you would be willing to be a presenter, please let us know. You can teach a technique you know, for a whole meeting or just a 10 min. tip if you want, or give a trunk show and tell us your story about quilting.  Comment on this post, talk to a current Steering Committee member (Leila, Jill, Emma or Eva Marie) or speak up during a meeting if you have ideas! And thank you! Our meetings have been and will continue to be a great place for inspiration and sharing of modern quilt ideas thanks to our members!

Meeting Details for October 15

Our next meeting is next week Thursday, October 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Polk County Community Center, 134 6th Street, WDM (in Valley Junction) [click for map]. It is in the first block of 6th street, just north of Railroad Blvd. We hope to see you there!

 

1 Yard Challenge Reveal

If you attended the August meeting and played musical chairs with us, you know...this is the meeting to show what you made from the variety of fabrics you left with! We'll be ooohing and ahhing at your creations with no judgement on how well you "followed the rules" because our challenges don't have rules!  I hope you were super-creative and enjoyed the challenge!

If you didn't make it to that meeting, of course, please bring other Show and Tell.

Holiday Ideas

Then, we are repeating another very popular meeting topic, our holiday ideas swap! Please bring actual samples, books, printouts, pattern names or blog URLs to some of your best holiday ideas. Whether its a great gift idea, decoration or a pretty holiday quilt, think of what your friends at the Modern Quilt Group would like to see and bring us some inspiration.

You might want to get started on holiday sewing soon, so here's the kick-off to start your list!


Eva Marie signed up to bring treats, so there's another reason you'll want to come to next week's meeting! See you there!

Facebook

Oh, before I forget, I want to mention that Eva Marie also made us a Facebook Group! Yay, thank you!! So go visit that and join the group...we're already having discussions there about sewing machines, what we're working on, sharing resources and there's sure to be more. Here's the link.

Meeting Details for September 17

This is the week for the Des Moines Modern Quilt Group!! Our monthly meeting is this Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Polk County Community Center, 134 6th Street, WDM (in Valley Junction) [click for map]. It is in the first block of 6th street, just north of Railroad Blvd and there is a good sized parking lot right next to the building. Please note that the Community Center is hosting a garage sale that day, so there may not be spots available in the parking lot. We should be fine to find on-street parking nearby, though. And maybe you'd like to come early and do some shopping, I heard someone brought fabric...

Scraps, Scraps, Scraps

Our planned activity will center around Scraps! Bring scrappy quilts to show, ideas for scrappy quilts and little projects to use up scraps. AND we will talk about ideas for storing & organizing your scraps. What do you use in your quilt studio to tame the scraps? Or do you just let them fly?! Please come ready to share your love of fabric scraps!

Also Bring Show and Tell, the bulk of our meeting is seeing what you have been making in the last month! Finished projects or in progress works bring whatever you have to show.

Refreshments: Melissa is bringing treats and drinks for this meeting. Thank you for your generosity, Melissa!

Also this week...Sewing Day!! 

Saturday, September 19,  9 a.m. - 10 p.m., Ankeny LDS Church, 721 E. 1st St, Ankeny, IA.  Why sew alone when you can sew with friends? Imagine what you could get done if you came to sew all day with your Modern Quilt Group of friends!  Pack up your current projects, sewing machine and supplies and join us. Invite your friends and neighbors too, participants need not be members of DSMMQG. We will have an abundance of space for you to spread out and work! Our hours are open, drop in when you can and stay as long as you want!

PLEASE RSVP if you would like to stay or come past 6 p.m...thank you!

Sewing Day, September 19

DSM Modern Quilt Group Sewing Day
Saturday, September 19
9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Ankeny LDS Church, 721 E 1st St, Ankeny, IA

Why sew alone when you can sew with friends? Imagine what you could get done if you came to sew all day with your Modern Quilt Group of friends! We snuck this on the calendar and hope you noticed, all are welcome. Pack up your current projects, sewing machine and supplies and join us.

Invite your friends and neighbors too, participants need not be members of DSMMQG. We will have an abundance of space for you to spread out and work! Our hours are open, drop in when you can and stay as long as you want!

Comment on this post if you're coming and will bring things like an iron, ironing board or cutting mat to share. Also, we were thinking it would be nice to not have to stop for lunch, so bring a pot-luck-type food or snack to share.

Meeting Help Needed for Tonight

Hey! I forgot to mention that we need to have a few rotary cutters and mats available at the meeting tonight. Please bring one if you can. Also, I don't have anyone signed up for treats again. (whoops!)  If you can comment on this post on the blog to let me know you'll be bringing either treats or drinks, that would be great!
Thanks, Emma

p.s. Don't forget your beautiful yard of modern fabric to join in our game & challenge

Hi Modern Quilters! Hope you are having a wonderful summer and finding lots of time to sew...even though summer camps & vacations can sometimes get in the way!

I just wanted to fill you in that the DSMMQG steering committee met and planned a few things for the rest of the year. We want our group to remain relaxed, fun and low key, but we still want to have some activities planned to keep you excited about coming to meetings. So, please check out the calendar page for what we've come up with.

Details for the Upcoming Meeting August 20, 2015

For the August Meeting, bring one yard of any kind of modern fabric you like. Make sure it is quilt store quality, prints or solids are ok and think about your friends in this group when you make your choice. We'll play a game where cut up our yards, swap the pieces and end up with a mish mash of many pieces that all add up to a yard. Details when you come to play!!

THEN, you'll be challenged to do something with those pieces. We'll continue our tradition of no rules for the challenge. Do your best to use all the pieces you received, add to them, cut them up however you want and make something quilted like a wall-hanging, quilt, bag, pillow, up to you!

Note: If you can't come to the meeting, but really want to participate, send your yard with a friend who you know is coming. We'll do our best to make a pretend you to play the game and send the pieces home with the same friend who brought your yard.

Join us Thursday, August 20, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Polk County Community Center, 134 6th Street, WDM (in Valley Junction) [click for map].