Important Quilt Dates October - December 2016

October 2016

8: CLMQG member sew-in at Sew Generously (Evite sent September 11)

13-15: Original Sewing & Quilt Expo at the Renaissance Convention Center Schaumburg. Includes exhibit of the QuiltCon 2016 Traveling Show

14-15: Prairie Star Quilters Guild 2016 Show at DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton.

19-22: MQX Quilt Festival - Midwest in Springfield, IL

20: MQG Creative Webinar - Color Theory with Kim Eichler-Messmer.

23: CLMQG monthly meeting with Guest Speaker Laura Wasilowski.

Quilt submissions for inclusion in the upcoming Modern Quilt Guild coffee table book are open through October 31, 2016. 

November 2016

5: Bonus Workshop for CLMQG members - Sew Together Bag (Evite sent September 15)

16: MQG Creative Webinar - Quilting Inspiration from Reclaimed Textiles with Blaire Stocker.

19-20: Northern Lake County Quilters Guild 2016 Quilt Show in Antioch, IL.

23: CLMQG monthly meeting with Member Trunk Show and Photography/Instagram workshop.

Quilt submissions to QuiltCon East 2017 are continuing through November 30, 2016.

December 2016

4: CLMQG Member Holiday Party at Biaggi's Restaurant in Algonquin Commons

October 2016 Block Lottery - Houses

Our final block lottery for 2016 will take place at the October 23 meeting, and the focus this month is house blocks.  

There is only one design rule this month - the background of your house block must be low volume fabric.  It can be a single fabric or scrappy, but the entire background must be low volume.

You can make your house any size, shape, or color that makes you happy.  It can be a stately Colonial, a classic Saltbox, a cozy cottage, or a wonky tilted residence.  It can be pieced, appliqued, or foundation paper pieced.  It can be embellished with embroidery, applique, buttons, or trims.  You can make one or as many as you like!

We've located a few websites with free house quilt block patterns to give you inspiration.  You can print these free patterns at home or make up your own - the only limit is your imagination :)

• Craftsy Scrappy House Block pattern
• Quilt Inspiration blog links to 36 free House Quilt patterns
• New Moda Be My Neighbor program with a weekly free House block pattern September-December Local shop A Touch of Amish in Barrington will have these free patterns posted on their website each week.  

October 2016 Block Lottery Guidelines:

• Lottery participation is completely voluntary.
• Use only quilt store quality fabrics.
• Blocks can be any size square or rectangle.
• Background fabric(s) must be low volume.
• If you were lucky enough to win a previous lottery, you must show a completed project using all or some of those ‘winnings‘ to be eligible for this drawing.
• Label each of your blocks with your name (a small sticker on the back works best for this.)
• One block = one chance to win. There is no limit to the number of blocks you may submit.
• Bring your pressed block(s) to the October 23 meeting. A volunteer will ensure that participants have followed the rules and award the lottery tickets!

Member Feature - Julie Warren

In San Diego this year at a Cubs game.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I live in Elgin, and I've lived in the area most of my life except for college and a few summers elsewhere.  I've been married for 13 years with an awesome 19 month old little girl.  I'm a quality manager at an electronics company.

How long have you been quilting, and how did you learn?
I tried to learn in college by self-teaching but wasn't so successful.  Four years ago I took a class at JoAnn's, and since then I've learned most everything else via book or internet.

What are your most and least favorite parts of quilting?
Shopping for and picking out fabrics are my favorite part.  I think part of the reason I quilt is so I have an excuse to buy fabric!  Besides basting (does anyone like that?) the quilting part is my least favorite - I feel like I need a lot more practice to enjoy it.

What/who inspires you most in quilting?
I really admire Jacquie Gering, but my quilts look nothing like hers!  I mostly end up doing quilts that are modern-ish interpretations of classic blocks.

What quilt/s are you working on now?
Summer Sampler 2016 and Elizabeth Hartman's Fancy Forest are current active quilts.  I have a few others that are hibernating for now.

My daughter seems to like this Fancy Forest quilt top I made for her.

I'm afraid to quilt it, so it is in timeout right now!

What is on your quilting "bucket list"?
Cathedral Windows quilt by hand.


Where do you sew? How often/how long each week?
I'm fortunate to have a room all to myself - an extra bedroom.  I do most of my sewing either really early in the morning or during my daughter's naps on weekends.

Do you tend to follow patterns or make your own designs?
Lately I've been following patterns, but I have done my own designs on occasion.

What is one (or more) quilt technique you'd like to learn or are afraid of trying?
I want to learn more hand techniques - EPP and applique.  There are so many other quilts to make that I've just never gotten around to it.

What kind of sewing machine do you use?
Most of my sewing is done on a Bernina 750.  I also have a smaller Janome.

How many quilts do you think you've made? How many UFOs do you have?
Finished - 15 maybe? - I end up giving most of them away.
UFOs - 5 or 6

Other hobbies (crafty or otherwise)?
I knit and I run.  At this point I don't have time for too much more!

A stained glass piece (made by me) in my sewing room.

Tell us three things about yourself that other CLMQG members probably don't know.

1. I've played the viola in a symphony orchestra for 30 years (though I'm currently on a break.)
2. I minored in Latin American studies and lived in Chile for a bit.
3. Our family are big Cubs fans.  We've started to plan road trips to see them in as many different stadiums as we can.

What is your most treasured/sentimental possession?
My dad was a great woodworker, and I cherish a few pieces he made.

CLMQG Members Quilts at Quilt Expo in Madison WI

Two of our members will have quilts displayed in the Madison, WI Quilt Expo Quilt Contest this week!  Congratulations to Kathy P and Shelley N!!

Quilt Expo hosts a 10-category judged quilt contest each year with prizes awarded in each category as well as Best in Show and Viewer's Choice awards.

Kathy P entered her quilt Cannon Beach in the "Wall Quilt Machine Quilted - Pieced" category.

Shelley entered her Red Hot Dreamy Hexagons in the "Machine Quilted Bed Size - Applique, Mixed, or Other" category.

And Shelley's Tree of Life is entered in the "Machine Quilted Bed Size - Pieced" category.

Best of luck to Kathy and Shelley!

The WPT Quilt Expo runs this Thursday to Saturday, September 8-10 beginning at 9:00am each day.  Find more information about tickets, location, and event highlights at the Quilt Expo website.

Important Quilt Dates September 2016

September 2016

8-10: Wisconsin Quilt Expo in Madison, WI

11: CLMQG Monthly Meeting and Quick Curve Ruler Demo/Workshop

17-18: Countryside Flower Shop and Garden Center 17th Annual Quilt Show. Be sure to visit this free event to see quilts made by our CLMQG members including the 2016 Mystery Medallion Challenge completed quilts.

29: MQG Creative Webinar - No Tails Binding: Mitered Corners by Machine with Linda Hungerford (@flourishingpalms on Instagram).

Quilt submissions to QuiltCon East 2017 are continuing through November 30, 2016.

September 11 Meeting and Quick Curve Ruler Demo Reminder

Sunday, September 11 is our next meeting and program at the Home State Bank Commercial Banking Center (see map on the right sidebar.)

11:00am Monthly CLMQG meeting
Noon - 4:00pm Quick Curve Ruler Demo and Workshop ($5 guest fee)

September Monthly Meeting Highlights:

• Mystery Medallion Challenge  - Final judging of finished quilts and GRAND PRIZE DRAWING!
• October block lottery details announced
• Show and Tell

What you need to bring for the meeting:

• Mystery Medallion Challenge - Completed (quilted and bound) for final judging and grand prize drawing.  ** Don't forget you must leave your completed quilt with Lorrie to be shown at the Countryside Flowershop and Garden Center Quilt Show September 17-18 **
• Show and Tell - bring your modern quilted items to share.
• Secret Pal gifts
• Donation Quilts - Bring any newly completed comfort quilts for Gavers Breast Care Center. Please remember to include a CLMQG label on the back of your quilt.

What you need to bring for the Quick Curve Ruler Demo and Workshop (We will be making a few blocks from the pattern that comes with the ruler):

• 5-10 fat quarters
• 1/2 yd-1 yd background fabric
• QCR of choice and other rulers for cutting strips and squares
• Rotary cutter and mat
• Usual sewing machine and thread
• Extension cords/power strips and irons/ironing surfaces to share
• Flower head pins

We hope to see YOU then!

Don't forget to wear your nametag :)

Donation Quilts Reminder

Remember these lovely fabric bundles from our June 2016 meeting? The October 2016 CLMQG meeting will be here before you know it, and we have a guild goal to donate 30 comfort quilts to Gavers Breast Care Center in October to mark National Breast Cancer Awareness month :)

If you took one of these donated bundles with the intent to sew a comfort quilt for Gavers please make every effort to complete the quilt and bring it to either the September 11 or October 23 meeting. Don't forget to add a CLMQG label to the back of your quilt. Tax return forms will be available at both meetings for you to fill out and include with your donation quilt.

Thank you so much for your continued support of Gavers!