2016 Dues Reminder

New Year for the McKinney Modern Guild!

Our January meeting will start a new membership year for the guild, and time to pay dues for the new year.  I wanted to give a heads up about how we are going to handle the dues, and what you need to expect at the meeting.

First and foremost – MEMBERSHIP WILL BE SETUP AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM – get in line around the back side of the shop.  This will do two things, first it will give room for a line to form as people pay their dues and check in.  Second, once the meeting has started, we can transact business without interrupting the meeting.

Second, dues for the coming year are $50.00.  Checks can be made out to the McKinney Modern Quilt Guild, or you can pay in cash. Please bring EXACT CHANGE, we will not be in a position to make change for everyone.  We do not accept credit cards.  If you were a member in 2015, I will have a printout with your information for you to review.  If nothing has changed, then you do not have to fill out another form, just initial and pay your dues.

Third, we have had a number of requests for some kind of electronic directory.  When you renew, you are agreeing to have your name, email address and Instagram handle published to the membership only as a directory.  There will be a place for you to opt out of the directory, that is up to each person.

Please let me know if you have any questions about your membership,

Martha Wolf
Membership Chair
McKinney Modern Quilt Guild

January Meeting Prep: Paint Chip Challenge Details



Our paint chip challenge is due this next Tuesday, January 5. Just a few reminders:

  • 3 colors were drawn out of the bag (if you need colors the bag is at Stitched with Love)
  • You may make anything- the product should feature the colors provided but you can add an additional color or neutral if needed. All 3 colors don't have to be featured equally. 
  • Bring your item and the paint chips (pinned to the item works well) with you next week for Show & Tell



We can't wait to see what you make! 

December Meeting Minutes 2015

Meeting Minutes of the meeting of 1st of December 2015

The meeting was called to order by President Sarah Huechteman on time.
38 members and 2 guest was in attendance.

Committee Reports
Welcomed and performed introductions of guests.  Advised that all the minutes have been posted to the blog.

Treasury report was given by Chris.

Charity blocks and charity quilts were collected. 26 quilts were presented to Lynn Farestad to be donated to Alberta's Hope.  We well surpassed our goal of 15!
 
New Business
Spring Retreat will be held February 11-14 at Sunset Retreat Center.  You must turn in your money by January 1.  You can pay Alice tonight or make arrangements to send payment to Sunset.

Christmas fat quarters were collected. Two drawings occurred.   Next month’s theme will be announced soon.

Election of Officers - 
  Sarah Huechteman presented the following slate of officers:
      President - Stephanie Schroer
      VP Programs - Ellyn Zinsmeister
      VP Membership - Martha Wolf
       VP Events - Alice Dutton
       Treasurer - Chris Simon
       Secretary - Rachel Reid
       Communications - Catherine Dutton
Nominations were opened to the floor.  None were received.  A vote was taken and all were voted in office.

Handmade Ornament exchange happened.  

Paint Chip Challenge was announced for January.  Each person drew 3 paint chips from the bag being passed around.  You need to make "something quilted" - mini quilt, bag, quilt, pillow, etc.  using some of each of your colors.  

Show and tell occurred

Door Prize drawings occurred

Birthday certificates were handed out.

Next meeting will be January 5, 2016.

Meeting was adjourned timely.

Members were invited to eat and visit with other members.

Things to bring to January Meeting:
·      Any fabric to be donated to community service
·      Bee Blocks

·      WIP Challenge Oath

November 2015 Minutes

Meeting Minutes of the meeting of 3rd of November 2015

The meeting was called to order by President Sarah Huechteman on time.
34 members and 2 guest was in attendance.

Committee Reports
Welcomed and performed introductions of guests.  Advised that all the minutes have been posted to the blog.

Treasury report was given by Chris.

Elections for new board will occur in December.  We need a nominating committee.  1 person to head up and 2 people to help.  President’s position will be open.  See Sarah if interested.

Charity blocks and charity quilts were collected. 9 Improve blocks were collected.  We will reveal all of the quilts at the December meeting.  Chris Simon won the drawing.

Our next retreat will be February 11-14, 2016 at Sunset Retreat Center.  Spots are still available.  Contact Alice Dutton to get signed up.
 
New Business
Striped fat quarters were collected. Two drawings occurred.  Each month we will have a theme for fat quarters.  Anyone who wants to participate in the fat quarter lotto brings a fat quarter for the lot and receives a ticket.  Drawings are held to win the lot of fat quarters.  Next month’s theme is Christmas fabric.

Bettepat Graves and Lori Hartman each showed their MQG fabric challenge pieces.  Each won a gift certificate for participating.

WIP Challenge sheets are due this evening.  If you need to remember your items, contact Ellyn Zinsmeister.

The program for the evening was demo stations.  Items could be used for easy gifts.  Tote bag, ornament, English Paper Piecing were the stations.

Show and tell occurred

Door Prize drawings occurred

Birthday certificates were handed out.

Our December meeting will be an ornament exchange and a fun night to bring a treat to share with the group.

Meeting was adjourned timely.

Things to bring to December's Meeting:
·      Any fabric to be donated to community service
·      Community Service blocks. 
·      Quilted community service quilt
·      Bee Blocks
·      Christmas fat quarter(s) for the lottery

·     

October 2015 Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes of the meeting of 6th of October 2015

The meeting was called to order by President Sarah Huechteman on time.

43 members and 4 guest was in attendance.

Committee Reports
Welcomed and performed introductions of guests.  Advised that all the minutes have been posted to the blog.

Treasury report was given by Chris.

Elections for new board will occur in December.  We need a nominating committee.  1 person to head up and 2 people to help.  President’s position will be open.  See Sarah if interested.

Community sew day will be Sunday October 18, 1 pm to 4 pm, here at Stitched with Love.

Charity blocks and charity quilts were collected. Goal of 15 charity quilts for the year has been made. We accept blocks, fabrics, quilt tops, finished quilts, etc.  Charity quilt kits were made and offered up for people to take home to complete.   Deborah won the charity drawing. Quilt tops were made at the sew day and looking for volunteers to machine quilt them.  If you bring back a quilted quilt, you get a prize.  You do not have to bind.  Quilt kits are also available if you want to piece tops.  If you have completed quilts you want to donate, we will accept those as well.  

Little bundles of fabric have been made to make charity blocks using an improve technique.  We will combine all the blocks and then make a charity quilt.  You may add solids to the fabric if you would like.  12 in finished blocks please.

19 people arrived for retreat.  Jelly roll race occurred.  Everyone had a great time, another retreat in February on Valentines weekend.  Will invite Dallas, Fort Worth, OKC guilds.  Will still occur @ sunset retreat.  If interested, contact Alice Dutton.
 
New Business
Catherine is running the bi-monthly member spot light.  If you want to be spotlighted, go to http://bit.ly/mckmqg People will be randomly selected.

Modern Halloween fat quarters were collected. Three drawings occurred.  Each month we will have a theme for fat quarters.  Anyone who wants to participate in the fat quarter lotto brings a fat quarter for the lot and receives a ticket.  Drawings are held to win the lot of fat quarters.  Next month’s theme is Stripes.

Swapping of Halloween Totes occurred.

Martha Wolf did a presentation.  “Done is Better Than Perfect”

There is an “oath” to sign and commit to completing WIPs.  Challenge is to complete some WIPs, and for every project you complete, bring in Feb and for every completed project, you will be entered into a drawing.

Bring your Modern Quilt Guild Challenge projects to the November meeting so we can vote on our favorite.  Prizes available.

Fort Worth guild has contacted us about Sherry Lynn Wood.  Author of Improve Handbook for Modern Quilters.  We can possibly book her for our group depending on cost in February.

Show and tell occurred

Door Prize drawings occurred

Birthday certificates were handed out.

Stitched with Love is looking for new instructors.

Jessie is looking for volunteers to do demo night.

Stitch school at Stitched With Love.  One Saturday a month.  A discussion around certain quilting aspects.

Next Meeting at 6:30 on November 3rd

Meeting was adjourned timely.

Things to bring to November Meeting:
·      Any fabric to be donated to community service
·      Community Service blocks. 
·      Quilted community service quilt
·      Bee Blocks
·      Striped fat quarter(s) for the lottery

·      WIP Challenge Oath

December Meeting Reminder


We look forward to seeing you all at our December meeting this Tuesday, December 1 @ 6:30pm. We will be swapping handmade ornaments (please package in small bag- no extras) and sharing treats & goodies. Also this month will be the election of officers and show & tell.

#NotGoingToQuiltCon Retreat




Just a reminder that our guild will be hosting a retreat this February

Registration closes on January 1

November Meeting Reminder




This is our demo month- I hear we have some good demos on the schedule- come and learn some tricks for some quick and easy gifts!

Reminders:
Fat Quarter Lotto Theme: Stripes

Challenges: Modern Quilt Guild Challenges- Triangle Templates or the Metallic Fabric - if you've completed either bring them and you might win a prize.

Bee Blocks: Don't forget to bring them.

Show & Tell: What have you been working on? Bring those items.

Retreat: Planning on attending the#notgoingtoquiltconretreat? It's February 11-14. There's still room available Sign up asap before it fills up! http://goo.gl/forms/WSeJ7oynZv Questions about retreat? E-mail Alice Dutton (alicedutton@gmail.com)

See you tomorrow!

Member Spotlight: Ellyn Zinsmeister

Meet Ellyn Zinsmeister, one of our wonderful guild members, and a board member. If you've been to meetings, you've probably seen Ellyn! She coordinates the swaps, bees, and challenges and keeps us busy with new and inventive ideas each month. It's pretty common knowledge that her favorite color combinations include aqua, red and grey- you'll notice a trend as you see her projects!  
Ellyn Zinsmeister

Ellyn has been sewing for as long as she can remember. She was sewing her own clothes by the age of nine or ten and truly has been drawn to it her whole life. She even worked in a fabric store while in college and got to help with displays and all (so cool!). While her degree in college was in business and accounting, she admits she never considered textiles as a career at that time. 

Mini Quilt made for a friend swap.
Ellyn has a current obsession with words in quilts!
Dresden pattern: Piccadilly Circus 
by Thimble Blossoms 
She sewed clothes for her two daughters, but didn't get into quilting until her mother introduced her to it after her mom retired. While living in Colorado, Ellyn went to a quilt shop with her mom and the next thing she knew.... she's making a quilt! When she moved to Texas, things really took off as she met other quilty friends (and we're so glad!)

It's all about creativity
Ellyn enjoys exploring new aspects of quilting and sees each project as an opportunity for creativity. Our recent "Improv with Intent" guild meeting has inspired her to try some different piecing combinations.  

But maybe not about the quilting! 
When asked about her least favorite part, her response made me chuckle, "The actual quilting part of quilting."   She's tried free motion quilting and just doesn't enjoy this part of the process. Fortunately, there are plenty of people who do enjoy that part, so she doesn't hesitate to outsource for that part of the process. 

One thing she does love? Hand binding. Which has proven to be quite handy in trading parts of the process with friends.  

According to Ellyn, The Marcelle Medallion 
(pattern by Alexia Abegg in the book Liberty Love) 
is the hardest quilt she's tackled and
 the biggest challenge so far!
Modern Quilting & Online Community
Ellyn learned about the modern quilting movement online and as she said, it just "spoke to her" and fit her personal style of design. Ellyn started blogging seven years ago, mostly as a way to keep track of her projects but it evolved into so much more! She started meeting people through their blogs, and saw modern quilters. She joined a local modern quilt guild and it became a stress reliever and she learned much from the programs and speakers.  When the McKinney Modern quilt guild was formed, she began attending since it was closer to home. We're glad she did!

A little about blogging
English Paper Piecing made modern by Ellyn
If you haven't checked out Ellyn's blog, Ellyn's Place, you really should! She keeps her blog focused on creativity- things she's making and things she's received. When she travels, she often posts about inspiration she finds in other locales. A pro tip on blogging from Ellyn: Keep a list of posts to write! Since we're often making for others, and can't immediately post about them, keeping a list of projects and posts, can ensure that everything is documented. 

Learning about quilting
Ellyn describes herself as an independent quilt learner. She doesn't take a lot of classes, but instead tends to read books, watch video tutorials, or look at online tutorials. She's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the online quilting community! On her blog is a list of other blogs that are great resources for quilters. One in particular (when I pressed her to pick just one) is A Quilter's Table.

You may want to follow Ellyn's blog at Ellyn's Place or follow her on Instagram