July Meeting Minutes 2016

Pre-Meeting   

We had such fun socializing and putting all our blocks up, we didn't have any pre-meeting activities other than social hour!  

Call to Order  

Our July meeting was called to order at 6:31 by our President, Stephanie Schroer.  

Swap


We started off with a bang!  Our nametag swap had a ton of participation and once again, we got to see how talented all our members are.  We had so many different examples of how such a small project can be completed with so much creativity! 

Committee Reports   

Our committee reports will be posted online now.  We want plenty of time to interact, have fun, and show and tell our projects.  See the minutes every month to stay in the loop with the following information:  
Membership: We had 52 members in attendance and 11 guests.  
Treasurer: We started with $5050.91, expenses were $246.50 and income was $150.00.  We ended with $4954.41.  
Secretary: Minutes from July 2016 are posted to the website (in fact you're reading them right now).  June minutes were never posted, however they will be completed by the August meeting.  Apologies everyone!

Community Service   

Community Service Sew Days have commenced!  Join the McKMQG on fifth Fridays of the month from 6-9 pm at Stitched with Love.  We will learn a new modern sewing technique or pattern and create quilts for our charity, Alberta's Hope.  Future dates include: Jul 29, Sept 30, and Dec 30.  Join us on July 29th from 6-9 pm at Stitched with Love!  
Dusty also accepts donations of fat quarter's (FQ's) up to completed quilts for our charity at the start of each guild meeting.  At our charity sew days, we mostly use donated orphan fat quarters to make charity quilts - this is a great opportunity for your mystery (i.e. it's a mystery why I bought this) FQ's or half-yards sitting idle in your stash.  You'll be entered in a drawing for a prize with quilt, quilt topor FQ(+) fabric donations.    

We will also be collecting blocks for #QuiltsforPulse up until Charity Sew night.   

Business   

We now have a set-up and tear-down sign-up for individual meetings!  It's a great way to contribute to the guild and socialize without much responsibility.  See the sign-up form to volunteer.  If there's another way you'd like to be involved, there's space for you to enter your ideas as well!  
Our President, Stephanie, has created a questionnaire for us.  Your board members want to know what you most want out of guild so we can continue to have fun together while being inspired in our crafty lives.  The link was sent in an email.  Please take a few minutes to let us know how we can best serve you.    
We are in the middle of our a new monthly challenge called Modern Mystery Block of the Month, created by Alice Dutton.  Our goal as a modern guild is to create together and continue to learn more about modern quilting techniques -- this should help expand your arsenal of quilting skills!  Our Modern Mystery quilt will be revealed one block at a time.  You must attend the meetings (or pick up an extra paper copy at Stitched with Love) to participate.  We will not post pattern instructions online.  This month's block is "The Bird Has Flown the Coop" and measures 12.5" X 24.5."  Bring back your completed block next month and you will be entered into a drawing to win a PRIZE.  Leftover patterns not handed out at guild will be left at Stitched with Love, first come first serve.  Once they're gone, they're gone!  If you need help constructing the block, e-mail alicedutton at gmail dot com.   Tag your creations on social media with #modernmysterybom and #mckmqg.    
Retreat this summer will be held at Create-Away Cottagenear Collinsville, TX, about 40 miles/50 minutes north of Stitched with Love.  The price is $130 for July 22-24th (Friday-Sunday), food is not included in the price.  Attendance will be limited to 14 participants – we chose this location based on guild participation at last year's summer retreat - we can have a great small gathering to really get to know everyone.  All monies are now due.
Our quilting bee queens collected blocks.  If you want to participate in or join a bee, we have a sign up sheet at the check-in desk.  This month, Allyson's group took a month off and Ellyn's group made Joellen faux cathedral window quilt blocks.   
Triad Modern Quilt Guild and McKinney Modern Quilt Guild will both host a Triad meets McKinney Mini Quilt Swap! If you haven't started your quilt, get going!  Quilts are due at next meeting.  Bring your completed mini to the August 2nd meeting and guild will ship to guild so NO EXTRAS for this swap, and we will receive quilts at the September 5th meeting.  If you do not send a quilt, you will not receive a quilt.   

Program  

This month we discussed labeling techniques.  We discussed information to put on the label including unique things, like the name of the longarmer, a saying or quote, number of pieces in the quilt, size of the quilt, hashtag for a social media sharing, recipient name, photo of the maker, or name of a guild/swap the quilt was made for.  You could also include a message to encourage quilts to be used, list washing instructions, or use special QR code for a story quilt label from "Story Patch Quilts."  You can also make labels out of a lot of different things - put selvedges in the quilt, embroider on twill tape, pre-printed labels, print your own label at home, print your own label via Spoonflower, or use rubber stamps to ink a label.  You can apply labels prior to quilting or stitch labels into binding for more permanent labels.  

Upcoming programs - Next month Martha Wolf will discuss Quilt Shows with us - come listen and learn how you too, can enter a show and become a winner!    

End of Meeting Fun  

Show & tell!  As we grow we will continue to ask our members to show their best finishes for the month and discuss why their creation is modern.  Several birthday certificates were handed out.  Door prizes were drawn!  Join us for our next meeting!  

Next Meeting: August 2 @ 6:30, 6:00 social hour