Book Review: A Quilter's Mixology


A Quilter’s Mixology
By Angela Pingel
Interweave/F+W; $27.99
Hello All! Secretary Kelly here with another quilting book review! This time it's a beautiful take on the Drunkard's Path block by Cut to Pieces blogger Angela Pingel. There are 15 projects in the book, all based on this block, and it is so cool how such different projects emerge from the same block. My favorite is the medallion baby quilt in the photo below. It might be the color combination or the radiating medallion design, but I really want to make this quilt!


The book starts with a how-to section, which is helpful for those who have never cut out or sewn a curved block. I know they can be scary at first, but with a little practice and patience (and a seam ripper!) they are fun and make amazing quilts!


Not only are the quilts beautiful in all their curvy glory the quilting is pretty darn inspired too. The quilt below and several others were quilted by Krista Withers. 


Patterns for making curved templates are included, as well as lots of detailed instructions and helpful hints. I really enjoy Angela's eye for color—each quilt has a unique look even though they all employ the same block!
A big thanks to F&W Media for sending us a copy to review! One lucky PMQG member will win this book at our November meeting! 


PMQG Retreat--February 2015

PMQG Retreat--February 2015

We're happy to announce our second ever PMQG sewing retreat! Read on for details about our winter retreat in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge and how to register.



Sign-ups for this retreat will open on Monday, November 10th, 2014 at 10 am.

When: Friday, February 27th, 2015 from 3 pm through Sunday, March 1st, 3 pm
Where: Menucha Retreat and Conference Center
38711 E Historic Columbia River Hwy, Corbett, OR 97019
Map of Grounds 
Menucha's FB Page

We will be in Wright Hall which has an assortment of regular beds and bunk beds.


Cost:
  • $170 for two night's stay plus 6 meals (Friday night Dinner, Saturday all meals, and Sunday Breakfast and Lunch.) Sample Menus
  • If you require a special diet such as gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free, or other, there is a $12 additional fee for the weekend ($182 for the weekend with special needs meals)
  • If you would like bedding and towels provided for you, there is an additional $10 fee. Linens are not provided in the building we are in, so you must bring your own sleeping bag/bed linens and towels. 

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 What to bring: Clothes and toiletries, bedding/sleeping bags and pillows, bath towels (unless you would rather pay the $10 bedding/towel fee to have that provided for you), sewing machines, projects, rulers etc. An iron if you really like yours and would like to share. Hiking shoes if you wish to partake in the wild outdoors. Snacks for late night and alcohol if you like (alcohol not allowed in dining room or in public areas when other guests are present).

*Other things we decided would be useful after our first retreat: Lights, as the space we sew in can be a bit dim in some areas. If you have an Ottlight or desk light to light your sewing space, please bring it. Also, the guild has some extension cords, but please bring your own extension cords and power strips

An additional list provided by Menucha

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Schedule: When we're not eating or sleeping, we'll probably be sewing! Most of the time we will have Open Sew but we also will have an optional Workshop, Charity Sew, and possibly some group projects. Schedules will be e-mailed out to participants as the retreat date approaches.

The Fine Print:
There are 30 spots available for the weekend. Registration will open Monday, November 10th at 10:00 am.

Payment can be made with check (at a meeting or mailed to our PO Box) or online with debit/credit via Square with a small fee added on (approximately 2.75%).  Payment must be received by the guild within 3 weeks of signing up via the form below.

Refund Policy: Full refunds will only be given if your spot is able to be re-sold.

If the 30 spots are not filled with PMQG members by January 27th, we will open up registration to local individual MQG members and other MQGs in the area. *FYI, the last retreat did sell out in 7 days.


Please click this link to be taken to the retreat page and the sign-up form at the bottom of the page (sign-up form will appear at 10 am on Monday, November 10th, 2014).



2014 Holiday Swap

Our December Holiday Party is fast approaching, and with it our annual Holiday Swap!

2012 Holiday Swappers

If you're unfamiliar with the process, here is how it works: Anyone who wants to swap puts their chosen fabrics in a sandwich sized ziplock bag. Along with your fabrics, include a slip of paper with the following info~ Name, Email Address, Blog/Pinterest/IG, and a few options for ideas of things you might like to get your partner started. 



Note: If you missed October's meeting or forgot to pick up a bag, feel free to use your own bag or to pick one up at the beginning of November's meeting. Don't forget to add the info above!



 At the November meeting we'll swap bags of fabric and we'll make something for the recipient, to bring back at the December Meeting/Holiday Party. You'll then receive an item back made with your own fabric. Happy Swapping!

PMQG October 2014 Menucha Retreat Recap

PMQG Members had our first official guild retreat earlier this month at Menucha Retreat and Conference Center in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. It was 48 hours of gorgeous views, delicious meals, visiting with friends, and almost non-stop sewing! Here are some pictures of the fun we had, and don't miss the announcement at the bottom of the post about our next retreat!

The views were amazing and most people managed to slip away from their machines for at least one walk on the grounds at Menucha. The officers arrived early on Friday to get ready (and take selfies outside!)



A few views of the workroom we sewed in all weekend. The balcony that was open to the second floor was a great spot to hang finished and in progress quilts from!

L-R: Pretty fabric just begging to be photographed, Secretary Kelly holding up her finished Guild Medallion quilt, and some blocks in progress from Tracie on one of the design walls.

L-R: Heather's Finished Lizzy House Meadow top, Elisa's Color Wheel Top, and Anne's Plus Quilt after finishing the last of the  hand stitched binding in a cozy nook on the balcony!



Our Wonderful sponsors helped make the Goodie Bags and Door Prizes overflow with wonderful products!


Soak Wash donated Flatter for our ironing stations and Nail Polish. Michelle had cats and bubbles stamped on her nails with the Denyse Schmidt curated set of Soak Polish.

PMQG member and Sew Mama Sew Proprietress, Kristin, sponsored our candy table, and boy, did she deliver! She set out a beautiful, Haloween themed spread of candy and other treats that we enjoyed all weekend!

The results from a little improv exercise, and we made sure to never be late to meals with such yummy food on the menu!





VP Suzanne got more work done on her epic Spiderweb quilt!



It was quite the weekend for working on Guild Medallion Quilts! Kory and Brittany's Medallions


Ok, so after looking at all those awesome pics, you're probably thinking, "Self, that looks like a lot of fun, I need to get in on the next retreat!" (Or maybe, "Self, that was really fun, we have to make sure to attend the next retreat as well!). Well, you are in luck then, because the next PMQG retreat is already scheduled! We will return to Menucha the last weekend of February and do it all again! Sign-ups will open sometime next week, so keep your eyes peeled for an email and blog post in the next few days announcing it!  Menucha is so popular that is the only weekend we could get in all of 2015! We are also looking into having a Fall 2015 guild retreat at a difference venue.

Thanks to Gail, Jolene, Michelle, and Suzanne for sharing their pictures for the blog!

We Want YOU To Be A 2015 PMQG Officer! (Nominations Closed)

It's self-nomination time! We're getting ready to select our 2015 officers and we want YOU! We are accepting self-nominations now through November 15th, and we will vote on officers at the November meeting. Nominations are now closed.




Requirements:
1.) You must be a PMQG member in good standing, and have been a member for at least 6 months.

 That's it!

 Other qualities that are great to have in an officer are: communication, teamwork, leadership, blogging, photography, speaking in front of groups, organization (not all skills needed for all positions).

So what are you committing to exactly? You're committing to one year of being an officer, which is attending one guild meeting and one officer meeting per  month. It's also great if you can attend as many other guild events as possible, such as Sew Days,  Charity Sews, Hand Sew Happy Hours, and New Member Mixers.

You're also committing to meeting a ton of new people and making new friends! The friends I've made in the last two years are amazing, and it's kind of awesome how much fun we can have while planning (and running!) a meeting. If you need a little push to get out and meet people, this is a wonderful way to do so.

Fun fact: Have you noticed we don't use the term "board" anymore, and rather only say "officer?" Well, that's because according to the bylaws we drafted last year, we have a board of directors and it's different (a bit) from the current officers! The actual board is made up of 10 people: the current year's officers and the officers of the previous year (so that means this year's board is only 9 people I guess, since I am counted twice since I was an officer last year!)

 To self-nominate for a 2015 officer position, please carefully read the officer descriptions below and then fill out the self-nomination form.

Remember, these positions can be flexible! Your group of officers can share and trade duties as long as everything is taken care of! Maybe the secretary isn’t as comfortable with taking pictures as the Programs Coordinator, so they switch from the “assigned” tasks(we did that this year). Each team of officers can see what works for them, don’t count yourself out of a position because one part of it doesn’t fit you. Also keep in mind that we've cut down on some of the work by sharing out some of the current jobs of President, Treasurer, and Programs Coordinator into Committee Chairs for 2015.

 Duties of President
  • Arranges meeting locations, sew days, and other events
  • Leads meetings
  • Keep insurance policy updated 
  • Helps VP with blogging and other social media
  • Makes sure other officers know their assigned duties and are carrying them out
  • Checks email daily and replies to members, sponsors, guests, etc
  • Note: no longer responsible for retreats and workshops

Duties of Vice President
  • In charge of blog and all social media
  • Helps run meetings
  • Runs meetings in case president can not attend
  • Is main liaison with business members

Duties of Secretary
  • Takes minutes at Officer Meeting
  • In charge of Show and Tell
  • Head of Procurement, works with sponsors to get door prizes and other items
  • Takes photos of Show and Tell and uploads to Flickr

Duties of Treasurer
  • Must be an accountant!
  • Makes and keeps track of the budget
  • Approves other officers' spending
  • Files taxes
  • Deposits checks at bank and checks PO Box once a week
  • Note: no longer responsible for membership

 Duties of Programs Coordinator
  • In charge of challenges and swaps
  • Works on getting speakers unto town and setting up other meeting presentations
  • Supervises the Charity Coordinator and the Quilt Show Coordinators
  • Note: no longer responsible for charity sews

All Positions 
  • Must be able to attend monthly meetings and officer meetings
  • Must be able to work as part of a tight knit group, have good communication and be flexible
  • Must be a PMQG member in good standing and have been a member for at least 6 months

Book Review: Mollie Makes Embroidery

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 I've seen Mollie Makes Embroidery popping up all over the internet lately, so I was extra excited to review a copy for PMQG! This book contains projects from many different fiber artists, including Alyssa Thomas. The first half has projects, many based on nature, animals, or geometric designs, and the second half is all about technique.
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Some of my favorite projects from the first half of the book are the animals, particularly the whimsical Polar Bear and Owl with Umbrellas and the Mama and Baby Owl projects. The variety of stitches and colors used in the various projects are very inspiring and make you want to go grab a needle and floss and get started!

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The technique section covers all of the basic stitches with really clear pictures and diagrams. There are also sections on Crewelwork Embroidery (stitched with wool thread), Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Counted Cross Stitch, Canvaswork, Bargello, and Free Motion Embroidery. As quilters, we may have a special interest in the last two. I had only heard of Bargello quilting before, but the Bargello Embroidery in Mollie Makes Embroidery is quite striking and beautiful!



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 One thing I really appreciate about this book is the suggestions for the completed project. So often I finish an embroidery project and am not sure what to do with. I usually resort to hanging it on the wall or leaving it to languish forever in a drawer. Although various framed embroidery art is featured in this book, there are also projects for a runner, pillow, throw blanket, tea cozy, greeting cards, and even a phone case, among others!

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 I will definitely have to purchase a copy of Mollie Makes Embroidery for my own craft book library, because we'll be giving away this copy at our PMQG meeting tonight! All members will have a chance to win in the door prize drawing!

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 Thanks to Interweave/F+W for donating this review copy to PMQG

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About the Authors
"Mollie Makes is a lifestyle and craft magazine for those who live and love handmade.Mollie Makes brings readers the best of craft online, a look inside the homes of the world’s most creative crafters, tutorials on inspiring makes, round ups of the most covetable stash and tours of the crafty capitals of the world. For more information on Mollie Makes, please visit MollieMakes.com."

October Meeting Reminder


It's true.  Photo courtesy of Sam Hunter


How do you calculate the value of a handmade quilt? And why do so many people undercharge for their work? At the guild meeting on Thursday our own Sam Hunter (Hunter's Design Studio) will talk to us about valuing our craft and how we can all help make sure that quilters are paid what they're worth.

When:
Thursday, October 16
7:00 p.m.

Where:

St Andrews Church
806 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211

The meeting will be in the community center, which is behind the main church building. There are two parking lots.

What’s in store:


  • Sew Worth It presentation by Sam Hunter
  • Why you should be a PMQG officer next year
  • Excellent giveaways
  • Post-meeting socializing at the Radio Room

Don’t forget to bring:


  • Any charity quilts or donations for Raphael House
  • A mug for coffee or tea
  • Your quilts for show and tell, of course! 

Guests

Guests and non-members are welcome at the guild meeting. Guests are free for the first visit; $5 for each visit after that.

 Modern Domestic Discount

 Modern Domestic will offer PMQG members 20% off their purchase on Thursday. They'll also be open until 7 p.m., so stop by before the meeting! 1408 NE Alberta St. 

We hope to see you on Thursday!

Susan Beal at Pendelton Store


PMQG member Susan Beal, author of Hand-Stitched Home, is having an event at the Pendelton Woolen Mill Store on Saturday. Have your copy of the book autographed, see the projects in person, learn about working with wool, and maybe shop for some beautiful fabric to make a wool quilt of your own! 


Hand-Stitched Home book signing with author Susan Beal
Saturday, October 11
1 to 5 p.m.
8500 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Portland

We hope to see you there!

2014 Medallion Along



Instead of a Block of the Month this year, we are doing a Medallion Along! Join us each month as we introduce a new round. Choose a 16 1/2 inch block to be the centerpiece of your quilt and then join along each month as we present a new round, with options for personalization!  

We will introduce new rounds through September and hope that gives people time to finish their quilts by December's meeting, where we will have a mini exhibition of them. The completed quilts should finish around 74 inches square. The newest post will be linked at the top. Please scroll down for older information.
September/Round 8 
Braided/Woven Look Border

August/Round 7
Strip Pieced "Stitched" Line with Pieced Cornerstone

July/Round 6 with Options
Square in Square Block


June/Round 5 with Options
Simple Border with Cornerstones




May/Round 4 with Options
Flying Geese with Paper Pieced Cornerstones
    
April/Round 3 with Options
Circles and Lines


March/Round 2 with Options
X Blocks, Paper Pieced or Traditionally Pieced


February/Round 1 with Options
Simple Border with or without Cornerstones


January--Making Your Medallion Center
Center Block Ideas for Medallion Along

Business Member Spotlight: Cool Cottons

Cool Cottons is our business member for October. Thanks to owner Marie for supporting PMQG--and for telling us a little more about this wonderful fabric shop!
It's the best fabric shop on Hawthorne! 


What makes your business special or different than others in your industry?  
I would like to think it our exceptional customer service. Our employees Linda Nussbaum & Teresa Coates are supremely talented, helping you choose the perfect fabrics just scratches the surface of their many areas of expertise. Plus we're in a great old house that showcases fabric beautifully.        

How long have you been doing this?  
I can't believe it but we are coming up on 8 years! 

What's the most important thing you’ve had to learn to do your job well?   
Pick one thing and try to do it  really well rather than doing a lot of things half way. Since we are a small space, we concentrate on cool modern fabrics and leave the buttons, trims, etc. to other shops that do those well.                                             


What do you see as a significant aesthetic trend right now?   
I don't see anything specific. Maybe things are in transition but everyone seems to be all over the place ... it makes things very interesting. 

What’s the strangest thing a customer has ever asked you?  
I had a guy ask me to hem his pants while he was wearing them. 






Any new products or services you’d like to mention?  
Since Teresa has come on board there has been talk of bringing back some classes/instruction/groups/allaroundfunstuff.  Nothing solid yet, but we'll post on our website and facebook when we have specifics.  Oh, and watch for a birthday promotion in 2015 (spoiler...you get the presents).    


Why do you like being a business member of PMQG?  
I think the PMQG does a good job of highlighting local shops and encouraging members to shop local. As a small business I cannot tell you how much that means to us.  Thank you.  In turn,  I am happy to support the guild.  I love seeing the projects you all are working on.  I especially love the medallion-along, what a great alternative to a block of the month.                                                       


If you couldn’t work in the quilting/sewing world, what would your dream job be?  
None ... I would retire and have the best small garden in the world! 

 Business Info:

 Cool Cottons
2417 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214

 503.232.0417
http://www.coolcottons.biz

Sam Hunter at Powell's

PMQG member Sam Hunter will be promoting her new book, Quilt Talk, at Powell's City of Books on Saturday! Please stop by to hear more about her great paper-pieced alphabet and techniques for making your own wordy quilt! 

Powell’s City of Books presents Sam Hunter
Saturday, October 11
4 pm
1005 W. Burnside St., Portland


Sam uses this machine to make very tiny quilts. 

About Quilt Talk
You’ve got something unique to tell the world. What better way to get your message across than sewing your words into a quilt? Fiber artist and quilt designer Sam Hunter teaches you to say it all with 12 new projects featuring modern, paper-pieced text blocks. The book includes patterns of an easy-to-read font that includes lower- and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Sam covers everything you need to know about paper piecing, choosing fabrics, and designing your own quilted words. Use Sam’s designs to get started, and then stitch up your own words to give any occasion the ultimate personal touch."

About Sam Hunter
Sam Hunter is a fiber artist and quilt designer who considers her sewing machine to be the ultimate power tool. She started sewing at age seven and has never really stopped. Sam lives in Oregon. Visit her blog at huntersdesignstudio.com.

Medallion Along : September/Round 8

Robert Kaufman sponsored guild quilt made with Carolyn Friedlander's Botanics fabrics

Instead of a Block of the Month this year, we are doing a Medallion Along! Join us each month as we introduce a new round. We will introduce new rounds through September and hope that gives people time to finish their quilts by December's meeting, where we will have a mini exhibition of them. The completed quilts should finish around 74 inches square.

Hello! You've made it to the last border of the medallion along 2014! To finish off our beautiful medallion quilts we chose a braided or woven-look border that is fairly simple to execute but looks complex. My favorite type of quilting!



To get started, measure your medallion and confirm it is 60 1/2" on both sides. Note: all seams are 1/4".

Step 1.) Cut approximately (125)  8" stripes for your border blocks that range from 1 1/4" to 2 1/2" (you may need a few more or less depending on how wide you cut your strips). Sew strips together to make square blocks, press seams how you prefer, and then trim down to measure 7 3/4" x 7 3/4".  You will need 26 blocks.

Step 2.) Separate your blocks into 2 stacks.
Stack A: place 14 blocks vertical
Stack B: place 12 blocks horizontal. Then cut each block on the diagonal top left to btm right as shown in the picture keeping the orientation correct for each stack and each block.


Step 3.) With all blocks cut into triangles it is now time to arrange your borders. I found it helpful to layout all 4 of the borders first and then sew each row. Start with an outside triangle which is from the A stack of vertically cut blocks. Next place a B stack triangle from the horizontally cut blocks. (see photo below) Repeat until you have 13 triangles laid out, 7 outside A triangles and 6 inside B triangles.


Step 4.) To sew the triangles pieces together you will need to stagger the triangles so that there is a 1/4" hang on either side. (see photo below) This will allow a seam allowance for top and bottom. Press to the side each time you add a new triangle.



Step 5.) To attach the borders to the medallion quilt you will need to use Y-seams at the 4 corners. You can do this! Y-seams get a bad rap but they are easy if you set it up right in the beginning. Before stitching your border to the quilt mark each corner of your quilt at 1/4" from the end. You will end up with 8 small 1/4" marks, 2 on each side of your corners. (check out that small blue dot 1/4" from the edge in photo below)


Step 6.) Pin your border to your quilt top. Start with top/bottom borders and line up the point of your first triangle with the edge of you quilt (half of the triangle will overhang the quilt). Then start stitching at your marked 1/4" line all the way to the opposite side and the next marked dot at the end of the border. Press how you prefer. Repeat for all four sides.


Step 7.) Sew border edges with Y-seams. Take the 2 raw edges of the triangles that over hang the quilt and place right sides together and fold the quilt in half diagonally so that they lay flat from the marked points. (this might take a bit of finagling) Sew from the marked points on the quilt to the end of the triangles. Press seams open and admire that Y-seam. (don't be afraid to rip out the seam and try again if it's looking a bit bunched or doesn't lie right) (also I don't have a photo of this step but if you need help google: y-seam how to and lots of good tutorials pop up) Repeat for all 4 seams and you are done!

Step 8.) Pat yourself on the back and high five somebody 'cause you just made a medallion quilt!



If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will respond as best I can!
Thanks!
Kelly

Remember, we will be displaying these quilts in December at our holiday party/meeting, so that is your goal to finish them and get them quilted! Also, some will hang in Modern Domestic in February, how fun!

Book Review: Sunday Morning Quilts

Hello, Kelly here! I had the pleasure of perusing the quilting book Sunday Morning Quilts, published in 2012. This book is proving to be a go-to classic. One lucky PMQG member will win a copy at Thursday's meeting! 


Authors Amanda Jean Nyberg (Crazy Mom Quilts) and Cheryl Arkison work together to make simple and beautiful scrappy modern quilts.


In addition to the quilts, the ladies detail their sorting and storing methods for scraps, including making a set of color coded scraps baskets! This is little project is on my to-quilt list.


I know why this book is classic: beautiful quilt photos, practical quilting advice and straightforward quilt patterns to follow. Plus the ladies are just nice. 


Good Luck in the raffle tomorrow evening!

September Guild Meeting


Flower Path quilt top from the Monaluna Challenge--assembled by Kelly


Please join us for the guild meeting next week! It's going to be a little more casual, and tons of fun!  

When:
Thursday, September 18
7:00 p.m.

Where:

St Andrews Church
806 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211

The meeting will be in the community center, which is behind the main church building. There are two parking lots.

What’s in store:

•   Presentations on new books by members Susan Beal and Sam Hunter
•   Special show & tell (see below)
•   More social time (by members' request!)
•   Final details on the October quilting retreat at Menucha
•   Excellent giveaways
•   Post-meeting socializing at the Radio Room


Don’t forget to bring:

•   Your Medallion Along quilt-in-progress-- we'll reveal the final round this time!
•   Monaluna fabric, if you weren't able to make a charity block for August
•   A cup, if you want ice water
•   Your quilts for show and tell, of course!

Show and Tell

Bring one of your first quilts, or one where you made a mistake. We'll share what went wrong and what we learned. This is in addition to your regular show and tell of recently completed modern quilts! 

Guests

Guests and non-members are welcome at the guild meeting. Guests are free for the first visit; $5 for each visit after that.

 We hope to see you on Thursday!

Quilt! Knit! Stitch! 2014

 Did you attend the first ever Quilt! Knit! Stitch! show? There was so much to see! There were vendors selling everything from fabric and patterns to fancy irons and long arm machines. There were also classes, demos, raffles, giveaways, fashion shows, and a quilt show.

PMQG Members and fabric designers Mo Bedell and Violet Craft shared a beautiful booth and were selling fabric, embroidery patterns, and quilt patterns.






 On Thursday and Saturday of the show we had a couple mini meetups for PMQG members plus other PNW MQG members that were visiting. I got to meet a Fraser Valley member and the President of South Sound MQG! We took a couple pics of PMQG members too. Shoot, we're a good looking group!


PMQG had an exhibit of our mini quilts made with Michael Miller Glitz fabric. It was really fun to see them all next to each other and how everyone took the same fabric and interpreted it differently!


Anne Whiting
Megan Callahan
PMQG also participated in the Pacific Northwest  MQG Modern Metallic Challenge, with metallic fabrics from Robert Kaufman. Lots of PNW MQG guilds were represented in this exhibit!
By Terry, New Westminster, BC

By amy dame, Fraser Valley and Vancouver BC MQGs

Passage by Allison B, Seattle MQG

Asterisk by Deb Jeske, Seattle MQG

By Cath Hall, PMQG

 There were lots of other exhibits besides the two we took part in. Kaffe Fassett quilts, machine quilter's exhibits, as well as Knit and Embroidery exhibits were on display. Here were a few more that caught my eye from various exhibits as I walked around.
This amazingly detailed quilt, by Karen Echmeier, was only about 15 inches square!
It listed the source as her book, Happy Villages.

This quilt by Kathy York used so many techniques, including bleaching, overdyeing, embroidery, reverse applique, and more. I had to stare at it, read the text, and then stare at it again to try and figure out how it was constructed.


Close up of Kathy York quilt to see some of the construction details

This wonky neon medallion by Rebecca Muir Mackellar is so fun!
I love the idea of a wonky medallion!
Fabric Depot had a fun game in their booth to play with felt squares and triangles to create a quilt block. I think I want to cut some felt up myself, it was really fun to work with these pieces and seems like a great way to brainstorm a new block! Check out #quiltblockparty on IG to see other entries from this activity!

PMQG Programs Coordinator Cath helped set up the show and she learned some great things about entering quilt shows that not everyone might know. Be sure to check out her blog post to see her tips.

 See more pics on Instagram by checking these hashtags: #quiltknitstitch  #qks  #pnwmodernmetallic

 And, it's not too early to start thinking about attending next year's Quilt! Knit! Stitch!

Medallion Along: August/Round 7

Robert Kaufman sponsored guild quilt made with Carolyn Friedlander's Botanics fabrics


Instead of a Block of the Month this year, we are doing a Medallion Along! Join us each month as we introduce a new round. We will introduce new rounds through September and hope that gives people time to finish their quilts by December's meeting, where we will have a mini exhibition of them. The completed quilts should finish around 68 inches square.
Before beginning, your medallion should measure 52.5 inches square.

This month, we're using strip piecing to create our round. Alternating squares of strip pieced blocks with rectangles creates the look of a stitched line.

 Step 1:
For Strip Sets
Cut (4) 1 inch strips Width of Fabric (about 42") for center strip fabric (contrast fabric)
Cut (8) 2.25 inch strips Width of fabric (about 42") from background fabric
Cut (32) - 4.5 inch x 2.5 inch rectangles from background fabric 

For Corner Stones:Cut (4) - 2.5 inch squares from contrast fabric 
Cut (8) - 4.5 inch by 1.5 inch rectangles of background fabric
Cut (8) - 2.5 inch by 1.5 inch rectangles of background fabric
Step 2:
Sew a 1 inch strip between two 2.25 inch strips, ironing seams open.  Repeat 3 more times, creating 4 strips of 4.5 inch by 42 inch strips that have a line going down the middle.  From each of these strips,  cut (9) 4.5 inch by 4.5 inch squares.  You should now have (36) 4.5 inch by 4.5 inch blocks with a line going down the center.  
Step 3:
For each corner stone, sew a 2.5 inch by 1.5 inch rectangle of background fabric on either side of 2.5" square contrast fabric.  Press seams to the center square.  Sew 4.5 inch by 1.5 inch rectangle of background fabric on remaining sides, pressing seams to the center.

Step 4:
For each side of the medallion, you will use (9) - 4.5 inch square line blocks and (8) - 2.5 inch by 4.5 inch rectangles of background fabric.  Start with a lined block and alternate sewing together a lined block and a rectangle, pressing seams to the rectangle side. Sew four strips. Take two of these strips and stitch to the top and bottom of your medallion. Press as you like. (I generally press in towards the center of the medallion). Sew a cornerstone to each side of the remaining two strips, and then sew them to the left and right sides ot the medallion. Press as you like.

 Your medallion should now measure 60.5 inches square. Only one more round to go!

August Meeting Reminder

It's Picnic Time! Please join us next week for our annual picnic in the park meeting! We will be starting at 6:30, please note the time change!

 Who: PMQG members and their families, friends, visitors. Bring the kids, the hubby, your grandma, it's our annual time to mingle with family! Baby-sitters will be provided (see below for more info).

Where: Laurelhurst Park,  at SE Cesar Chavez Blvd (39th) and Stark Street, Picnic Site E (on the Ankeny/north side of the park near the restrooms, see picture at end of email).

When: Thursday, August 21st from 6:30-8:30. Please note time change! We need to beat the sun setting! 6:30-7:00 will be setting up your picnic area, eating, and mingling. We'll officially start promptly at 7:00.

What to Bring: 
  • A quilt/blanket or chair to sit on
  • Dinner/drinks for yourself and food to share if you like. Alcohol is allowed if you would like to bring your own. 
  • Name tag  
  • Show and Tell! No need to bring your Medallion this month, we won't be able to hang them up.
  • Monaluna Challenge Blocks! If you ended up not being able to make any blocks, you also need to bring your fabric back. If you made any blocks the extra fabric is yours to keep!

What's in store this month?
  • Monica Solaria-Snow will show off her new line of fabric from Cloud 9, Sew Yummy!
  • A representative from our 3rd quarter charity, Raphael House, will be there to talk about their organization. Check out our blog post on Raphael House for more info! 
  •  A presentation from our August Business Member of the month, Modern Domestic.

 Babysitters
Feel free to bring your kid/grandkids! There will be baby-sitters provided by the guild to take them over to the playground area. The guild will be paying the baby-sitters, but tips are also appreciated.



PMQG Quarter 3 Charity: Raphael House

Our charity for this quarter is Raphael House.

From their website:
"Raphael House of Portland is a multi-faceted domestic violence agency dedicated to ending intimate partner violence for good. We serve individuals and families of all backgrounds, cultures, ages, and sexual orientations. If you or someone you know is in crisis, we hope you will find the support you need here or by calling a crisis line."

 Here is a little bit about their needs right now:


What size quilts do we need?
All of the beds in our emergency shelter are Twin size, so these would be ideal!  Since families generally come to us with little or no possessions, when they leave our space, we provide them with all the comforters/quilts, sheets, pillows, towels, etc. that were in their room.  With about 100 families staying here every year, we go through quite a few of all these items!

Other items we might need?
In the realm of bedding and such, we could definitely use more Twin sheet sets and bath towels!

Also, we’re holding a Back to School Gift Card Drive through September & we could most definitely use help spreading the word and collecting gift cards!   It’s our hope to empower families to do their own back-to-school shopping, since that’s such an important experience for kiddos and such an expensive one for moms… You can find lots more information about this on our website at
 http://raphaelhouse.com/events/raphael_house_special_events/back-to-school-drive/.

A representative from Raphael House will be at our meeting next thursday to tell us a little bit more about their program. If you have a twin sized quilt to donate, be sure to bring it to our September meeting! Charity Sew days are being scheduled, stay tuned for our next one.

Wonky Kite Quilt from our last charity day
courtesy of Wombat Quilts