To Boston With Love

Hi Everyone! Tammy here today.

Once upon a time I wanted to be a runner, and on a whim I signed up to train for a marathon with Team in Training. What started that Saturday afternoon in a library meeting room brought me years of fun and some great friendships (along with lots of early morning runs, sore legs, and a few blisters.)

I've run some pretty amazing races, but running the Boston Marathon was never in my future... to run in Boston you need a 'qualifying' time, and I was always lucky to finish a race before the whole thing was shut down, never mind ever being fast enough to qualify for anything. But it still broke my heart to see the aftermath of the bombs that went off at the Boston finish line. The finish line is such a magical place... all the hard work you've put into training... all the Saturday mornings you've been up at 4am just to get a long run in... and to cross over that finish line and see your friends, family (and total strangers) cheering you on is amazing!

So when I saw that Vancouver MQG was putting together a banner of hand-crafted flags for the city of Boston, I knew I had to be a part of it. And last weekend, somewhere along I-10, driving back from Disney World, I emailed Berene to let her know Houston MQG was in!

All of the specifics for the flag size and how to make the fabric ties can be found in this post at the Vancouver MQG blog.

All flags need to be in Boston by May 21st in order to be included in the initial display (more to be announced on that soon... keep an eye on VMQG's blog). You are welcome to send flags on your own, but if you would like to send your flags as part of the Houston set (all tied together), please have your flags to me no later than May 13th.

To Boston, With Love... Houston Modern Quilt Guild

Heather Ross Briar Rose Winner

Sorry it has taken me so long to pick a winner. It has been a long week.  I picked Mara - of http://grecomara.blogspot.com/.  Her prize will be on the way soon & congrats Mara!  

Show Off Your Studio Series - Becky

Welcome to our first installment of the "Show Off Your Studio Series".  Our first generous volunteer is Becky showing off her tidy and functional sewing space in her own words.

Becky’s Studio

So, here is my sewing area – part-time desk, part-time sewing station.  Nothing very fancy at all.  Just like all you guys, I have a sewing machine (What kind you ask?  It’s a Pfaff Smarter C1100 Pro I received for Christmas purchased from Fabrics Etcetera), ironing board, radio, and a room of left-over furniture that doesn’t belong anywhere let alone go together.  But hey, my kid brother’s very old toy box works great for stashing linens for the guest futon and old license plates and who could get rid of a rocking chair?  And that bureau?  Yeah, you guessed it - stuffed with fabric.  Just as it was when my mom had it in her basement crafting area. 

So Becky, what’s that I see on the desk?   Shh.  Let’s keep it a secret until the June wedding it’s being made for.  No, you’ll see it done at the next show and tell in May (or maybe June) – that’s my deadline (May, yes, May – I gotta ship it guys).

And what the heck girl, your room is neat!  Well, honestly, I cleaned it for the photo.  And I painted it last week (show-and-tell spurs all kinds of long-contemplated action) so everything had to be out of the way else risk paint splatter.

But do tell, what is your organization scheme?  Ok, so the bureau houses batting scraps and unwashed fabrics.  The closet houses washed fabric, fabric scraps, supplies, and a multitude of other things.  So there are a set of bins on both sides of the closet.  The left side is the sewing side and I have frequently-used things like scissors, pins, feet and needles in the small upper drawers, boxes of thread in the upper large drawer and piles of fabric, sorted by color in the bottom drawers.

I recently cleaned out the closet as well and cleared several shelves to store in-progress things – bobbins and thread currently being used, fabric for current and next-in-line projects, etc.  I received the book Sunday Morning Quilts by Nyberg and Arkison as a door prize at the 2012 HMQG Quilt Festival Meet-Up and it suggested sorting your scraps as well.  I already had these bins and took their advice.  I decided to sort larger scraps by color, and I have 1 bin for strips and 1 bin for selvages.  Fellow HMQG’er Becca made a quilt with cool selvage binding last fall and so I decided to start saving the selvages I once threw out, just in case.

So there we have it, a modest quilter’s corner.  Easily reproducible in fine small spaces everywhere.

- Becky

Denyse Schmidt Florence Challenge {giveaway}

Denyse Schmidt's new line Florence for Free Spirit Fabrics

Great News! Houston Modern Quilt Guild members have been invited by Denyse Schmidt to participate in a really amazing challenge. She has mailed us fabrics bundles from Florence, her next collection for Free Spirit Fabric. This collection will debuted at Portland’s Quilt Market on May 17th and will ship in August. We have until July 15th to make something awesome. Denyse will display her favorites on her website and Facebook pages. I need 30 wonderful members to commit to producing something by July 15th and posting photos onto the Denyse Schmidt Florence Challenge Flickr group by July 15th. Also, look for a special DS Sew-In in the near future.


Who is ready for the DS Challenge???  This challenge is open to all members of the Houston Modern Quilt Guild so get your name on the Flickr list!  Contact Deirdre for more info.

And for fans of Denyse Schmidt not in the HMQG, we have a giveaway for you too!  We have set aside one fat eighth bundle of Florence for the person with the most creative idea!  Post your comment describing your idea and we'll pick the best one and mail you the bundle. You must commit to follow the same rules as the HMQG listed below. 

 Rules:

1. Your project must use Denyse Schmidt fabric from the Florence line provided by DS. You can of course swap among the group if anyone wants to change up the fabrics in their Fat Eighth bundle.
2. Quilt Shop Quality Solids can be supplemented as needed on the quilt top or as backing/lining etcetera but the work’s focus needs to be the new collection.
3. While there are no minimum or maximum size requirements, use your judgment to make sure that you are using a good portion of the fabric that was included in the bundle.
4. If you took one of the bundles you must post a photo of the finished item in the Denyse Schmidt Florence Challenge Flickr group by July 15th and be willing to loan it to Denyse Schmidt or Free Spirit for photos.

Denyse works with Free Spirit Designer Solids and pulled the following solids colors for Florence coordinates :White, Cream, Natural, Salmon, Tango, Red, Scarlet, True Red, Black, Manatee, Slate Grey,Dogwood, Chona Brown, Aqua, Bahama, Parrot Blue, Oriental Blue, Rocket Blue, Chartreuse, Apple Green, Slate

Kona Cottons she recommended include:  Aloe, Old Green, Spruce, Orange

Now if you are a member, please sign up! If you aren't a member but want to be an honoree just post your comment here with what you will make with your Florence bundle. 

Heather Ross - Briar Rose Debut & Giveaway

During QuiltCon I was lucky enough to get to see Heather Ross's new line - Briar Rose. She let us touch and feel lots of the wonderful fabric during her tutorial. The line debuted on April 8th on her website and will ship from Windham Fabrics in July.  There is a special free quilt design for the collection and it is beautiful and features all the bright colors of the line. If you have seen the cool Washi dress (I saw tons of folks wearing it at Houston Quilt Fest and QuiltCon) then you know the work of Made by Rae who created the Briar Rose quilt pictured above!

Briar Rose Lilac

Briar Rose Meadow

Briar Rose Pink

So now for the giveaway!  I know you just can't wait for July for the fabric.  Leave me a comment saying what you want to make out of a charm pack of this new springy line and it will be hopping its way out to you.  2 winners and the deadline for entry - April 18th.  Thanks Heather!!! 

WIP Challenge 2013

 Back by popular demand,  the HMQG is hosting a Work In Progress (WIP) Challenge pushing members to finish up some long lingering projects. This year, there are prizes for people who finish their WIPs by April!  

The challenge began at our January meeting, when members were encouraged to dig deep in their closets, dressers, and trunks to reveal WIPs they are determined to finally finish this year. A couple of our members are churning their finishes out! Here's a sampling: 

Girly string triangle quilt, by Amy

   

30 year old WIP-no more, by Mona

How are your WIPs coming along? How old is your oldest WIP? Come on spill it the dirty details!

Giveaway Winner ~ Anna Maria Horner

The winner of the Anna Maria Horner Field Study Bundle is Fiodhna!

Congratulations Fi! 

Thank you to everyone who replied. I truly valued hearing how each of you have found Anna Maria inspirational. She truly is a lovely person! 

Charity Sew In April 6 - AHOPE

Last month I received an email from my friend Kerry asking me if I wanted to be part of something special.  I thought I had won a trillion dollars from a far away prince or was being recruited to sell Amway.  Kerry was inviting me to join her Ethiopia Upcyling sewing team.  Ethiopia Upcycling sewing team is a wonderful group of ladies who sew year round making all sorts of items to sell on Etsy to benefit HIV orphans in Ethoipia.  Last year they raised $5000 to benefit AHOPE.

More information about AHOPE can be found here - http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/.

Kerry and I share a fondness about adoption.  Kerry adopted her second child, Tay from Ethiopia and I'm adopted.  We both have girls born in late Spring of 2008 which is how we met.  You can read about Kerry's journey to Ethiopia and how this group got founded.

Scott, Piper, Tay and Kerry

I have been collecting burlap coffee bean bags from roasters around Houston.  Kerry and Megan (who is also involved in Ethiopia Upcycle Sewing Team) sent me bags.

You can read about Megan's adoption journey and life with her kids here:   www.blueberrybuzz.wordpress.com.

Some other sweet adoption blogs are Findingmagnolia.com, motherparadox.blogspot.com, and kevindhendricks.com/abby and you will see why adoption is a tie that binds people together. 

The Houston Modern Quilt Guild has decided to be part of this wonderful team.

A few pictures of last year's projects:

Stockings

Tote Bag

Burlap Coffee Bean Bag

Ideas for the burlap coffee bean bags include yoga mats, bags, pouches, pillows... anything you can imagine and sew.  The only requirement is that the item have burlap incorporated.

I have 16 burlap coffee bean bags.  The HMQG has a charity sew-in scheduled for Saturday, April 6, 2013 to make items to benefit AHOPE and our ongoing efforts to make wheel chair lap quilts for elderly in nursing homes.

Where: St. Martins Episcopal Church
717 Sage, Houston

Time: 10 am until 4 pm

Items due for AHOPE sewing is August 31, 2013.

Helpful Links for Sewing Burlap:
http://www.ellaclaireinspired.com/2012/05/washing-and-cutting-burlap.html

http://paintedfurnitureideas.com/how-to-cut-burlap-so-that-it-wont-unravel/

-Karri

HMQG Giveaway - Anna Maria Horner

We are honored and ecstatic to announce our next giveaway featuring the fabric of Anna Maria Horner! Anna Maria is generously giving away a fat quarter bundle of her latest, and my personal (Becca) favorite, collection Field Study. Bold, rich, flavorful, saturated, and meaningful are words that come to mind when describing Anna Maria Horner's fabrics. And Field Study definitely captures that spirit. Take a look at each stunning color way: 

Image courtesy of Anna Maria Horner

Image courtesy of Anna Maria Horner

Image courtesy by Anna Maria Horner 

At QuiltCon, I had the honor of attending Anna Maria's lecture "Making Me" during which she explained how she came to be a fabric designer and what inspires her designs. Two themes were plainly clear. First, Anna Maria values a hand made object. She values the time and effort one undertakes when making a quilt, a dress, a painting, etc. And though at one time she created other surface designs for things such as party napkins,  Anna Maria seemed honored that her designs were being used to make objects meant to be treasured heirlooms. 

Second, family is important to Anna Maria and largely inspires her work.  Growing up Anna Maria's family immersed their children in a creative ventures. He father filled their home with his paintings, her mother was a expert sewist, beds were draped with hand-loomed blankets made by their Yiayia in Greece. These were meaningful craftings in that the act of making fulfilled both the need to create and the need to nurture and love those cherished most.  Her parents had the foresight to teach their children their crafts and Anna Maria continues their rich tradition of making.  

A picture of Anna Maria's Yiayia's loomed blanket
Image courtesy of Anna Maria Horner

Coupled with the making is the designing. Anna Maria continues to incorporate inspiration from her family and everyday life into her designs and in her own quilts.  The buck which features prominently in a print from her "Little Folks" collection came directly from her Yiayia's hand loomed blanket. In her quilt designs, Anna Maria, a mom to six with a sweet baby girl on the way, incorporates the character and personality of the recipient. Recently on her blog, Anna Maria has shared a few quilts she composed (she also a talented painter) for some of her children and how she designed each quilt to suit the child. Also, Anna Maria loves to hand quilt her quilts because it allows her to quilt alongside her family. So, many of her quilts are beautifully hand quilted. (Find her tutorial for how to hand quilt here.) 

In Anna Maria's latest book, Anna Maria's Needlework Notebook, she writes more extensively about her experiences growing up in a family of creative types. Besides being a good read, this book is filled with a yummy variety needlework-type designs and patterns. I made this clutch from the pattern "Star Crossed Love Clutch" featured in her book. 

Star Crossed Love Clutch, pattern from AMH's latest book,
Anna Maria's Needleworks Notebook

I loved making this clutch! The needlework was completed while I visited with family or snuggled on the couch with a treat after a long day (It would be much more sophisticated if I liked tea....).  I can still hear the sound of the needle drawing the thread through the cloth. While I used the same colors as Anna Maria used in her project, I customized the back and insides how I wanted. The clutch is now my favorite date-night purse. 

Here I am with AMH, Christa, and Deirdre (and the pouch too). 

Becca, AMH, Christa, and Deirdre

I think, as a busy mom myself, Anna Maria's work feels special in large part because Anna Maria meaningfully connects her work to her life and family. She encourages the maker to create something meaningful. And in fact, I feel encouraged to dig out my treasured heirlooms made by my grandmother and see what inspiration I find. 

What about you? Has Anna Maria's work challenged you? Comment here to be entered to win a Fat Quarter Bundle of Field Study by March 25!

QuiltCon Dance Party!

Becca, Anna and Deirdre

Modern Quilt Guild has just updated their site with photos from the 80s dance party.  I thought you needed to see them and get a good laugh!  They have also posted some photos from the workshops - take a look!