EVENT: Pioneer Quilt Show April 2016

Just a reminder that the annual Pioneer Quilt Show is coming up! This is an amazing quilt show in our area that showcases a wide variety of quilts from traditional to modern and features quilts from EMQG members! Everyone is encouraged to attend this great show! Feel free to comment on this post if you are looking for someone to go with, or to chat about what times/dates other members will be there!

This year's show is called The Unbroken Thread, and the featured quilter is Ann Rogers Pfrender. There will be daily speakers, demonstrations, a quilter's boutique, a raffle & more!

Date: April 5 - 10
Time: 10am to 4pm each day
Location: Lane County Historical Museum, 740 W 13th Ave., Eugene, OR (fairgrounds)
Admission: $7 per day OR $15 for a show pass
For more information, visit the Pioneer Quilt Show website here. 

Posted by Shawna Haynes

Meeting Re-Cap: March 2016

30 members in attendance 

• Our EMQG president, Kelly, called the meeting to order promptly at 7pm and welcomed our new guest, Ruby Tarkington. 

• Announcements were made and housekeeping issues were addressed by Kelly in lieu of a guest speaker:

1. Kelly is looking for volunteers to assist with reviewing of the 2014 by-laws with the intent of updating them for our current needs. Three members volunteered.
2. Only the January skill building blocks will be used for a donation quilt. The other monthly blocks are for members to create for personal use.
3. Consensus was reached that the Guild will NOT pursue making a raffle quilt this year. If a specific need for fundraising arises, the group will revisit the idea or other fundraising methods. 
4. There are 7 butterfly quilts (for Bags of Love) that need to be finished. We will plan to finish them at next week's sew night as they need to be delivered to Bags of Love. Daisy will finish cutting them before sew night. 
5. We will be having our first "Sit & Sew" luncheon at the Market of Choice on 29th and Willamette on March 29 from 10am to 1pm. This is a social event that encourages members to come, hang out, grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee and do some hand sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, etc.

• EMQG members that attended QuiltCon West gave recaps and highlights of their experiences. They all reported it as being a positive, entertaining and amazing event. Jayne showed the buttons she collected and Kim said it was the best time she has had in years! Kathy told us that the quilters were encouraged the "find their voice" and look for inspiration.

• The March Skill Builder Block of the Month was "Improv Free Form" and Shawna was the presenter. The instructions are in the March Skill Builder post and were handed out at the meeting. The block is a free form, straight line style that is great for scrappy and bold looks. 

• If you are following along with the Skill Builder Block of the Month program, please bring your completed blocks to next month's meeting (April), so that we can share them and see everyone's work so far! A group photo is wanted! 

• The swap for March was iPad covers and there were some amazing ones! April's swap is decorated tea towels! 

• March Permission to Play was "Going in Circles" and April's is "Transparency". 

• The March bee blocks for Pat J. were turned && everyone turned in a block!!!

Photos coming soon!!! 

March Skill Building BOM

2016 Eugene MQG Skill Building BOM

Month: March

Topic: Free Form with Straight Lines

Presenter: Shawna Haynes

Objectives:

• Learn how to use up those scraps and make a block using no pattern and no real rules! 

• Let your imagination and creativity flow. 

• Learn tricks on how to open up and let "all the rules go out the window." 

• Learn that not everything needs a plan, pattern or to be planned out. 

Tutorial websites

Main site I used for this block inspiration and a great tutorial: http://blog.spoonflower.com/2013/10/free-piecing-quilt-block-tutorial.html

Other line free form, improv tutorials and inspirations: 

Woven Improv Strips http://thequiltingmill.blogspot.com/2014/11/woven-quilt-by-kati-spencer-in-scraps.html

Wonky Log Cabin Strips http://ellisonlane.com/2011/07/wonky-log-cabin-tutorial.html

Improv Stripes http://filminthefridge.com/2015/12/21/carkai-improv-stripes/#comment-835107

Improv Cross Block Using Strips http://thelongthread.com/?p=7551

Pick Up Sticks Block https://happysewlucky.wordpress.com/2015/05/10/pick-up-sticks-quilt-block-tutorial/

Tula Pink Totally Tubular Method: http://thecottagemama.com/2013/01/totally-tubular-stacked-block-quilt/

Proposed Quilt Block (16.5” unfinished)

A scrappy improv block consisting of straight line strips to create a wonky, free form scrap buster block! Scraps! This is a great scrap buster block. There really are no set fabric requirements for this improve block. 

The fabric I used (make sure that the strips are at least 16.5” long: 

Solid (I used black KONA): Strips of varying widths - 1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", 1 3/4", 2", 2 1/4", 2 1/2" Prints (I used only 2 different prints, but each strip could be a different print, or all the same, etc.): Strips of varying widths - 1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", 1 3/4", 2", 2 1/4", 2 1/2" 

I will be showing 2 blocks: one with fabric I purposely cut for this block and one where I just grabbed a handful of scraps from the scrap bin and "made it work". 

When constructing the block, you will continue to add strips until the block is at least 16.5” wide.

March Sew Night

We will be meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the McNail-Riley House on Jefferson and 13th on Wednesday, March 16th,  to finish the butterfly blankets for Bags of Love and sit and sew. Bring a project to work on or just come and socialize. We'd love to see you.

March Swap Item Details

The swap item for March is a tablet cover. For those of you making i-pad covers, here's a little more information. There are two common sizes:

The smaller i-pad is 10-1/2" x 6-1/2". Add an extra 1" all around for the cover.

The larger i-pad is 13-1/2" x 8-1/2". Add an extra 1" all around for the cover.

Happy Sewing! Can't wait to see what people create!

posted by Daisy

Quilt Viewing Opportunity, March 11-12, in Coburg

One of our members alerted us to this two-day opportunity to see quilts. Please note this will be the public's only chance to see these quilts in this facility. Here's some information about this special exhibit:

Quilters are invited to view an art quilt project during rare public access to Serenity Lane’s new campus in Coburg:

Mary Nyquist Koons designed, sewed and finished nearly 50 quilts with inspirational sayings as part of her “Slogans for Serenity” project. The quilting was completed by Celeste Percy. Mary donated the quilts to Serenity Lane, and they have been placed throughout the campus to help in providing a healing atmosphere.

Self-guided tours are available on Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12. Serenity Lane’s inpatient facility is in Coburg on Industrial Way, which parallels I-5. The tours occur from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with a grand opening ceremony on Friday at 10:30. Parking will be available on Industrial Way or the campus, with a large golf cart available to those who are disabled or have had to park at a distance.

After March 12, the facility will close to the public and begin accepting patients. Read more about the campus at http://www.serenitylane.org.