Tag: crafts

Meetings

What to do with all those scraps…

MMQ Communication & Technology Chair

April Meeting Recap: Maine Modern Quilters (MMQ)

The April 5th meeting of the Maine Modern Quilters (MMQ) brought together 34 creative individuals, along with two guests, for a day full of quilting inspiration, collaboration, and community. The session, held in person, fostered learning and creative sharing through icebreakers, discussions, and hands-on activities.

Exploring Fabric Scrap Magic Kicking off with an icebreaker, members shared ingenious ways to use fabric scraps: “making fabric” from scraps, FPP, small projects, leaders and enders, collage projects, and string quilts. The group exchanged ideas on organizing scraps and transforming them into precuts.

Show and Tell Members showcased their stunning creations, including quilts, wall hangings, and donation bags.

On-Going Projects Members are encouraged to continue contributing to donation projects, including pillowcases and tote bags for organizations like New Beginnings and Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine.

Zippered Pouch Fun! The hands-on activity focused on crafting zippered notion bags, expertly led by Ann Ball and Karen Wood. The group also collaborated to produce 10 pillowcases for charity.

Upcoming Meetings Mark your calendars for the next gathering on May 3rd at the Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, where members will dive into skill-building through a round-robin format.

Thank you to all who participated and shared their creativity. Let’s keep the quilting energy alive until next month!

Meetings

Quilting should be fun!

MMQ Communication & Technology Chair

The Maine Modern Quilt Guild gathered on October 5, 2024, at Hope Baptist Church in Manchester for another inspiring and productive meeting. With 29 members in attendance, the day was filled with quilting tips, friendship, and fun!

Quilting Tips to Remember
As part of the introductions, each member shared their favorite quilting tip. From taking photos of fabric swatches for easy reference to using a lunchbox toolkit or a grab-and-go pouch for handwork, there were plenty of practical ideas to make our quilting lives easier. One key takeaway: Give yourself grace and remember—quilting should be fun!

After introductions we went to our Business meeting and door prize (Thanks Sue Duval for donating this month’s door prizes & Congratulations to Rose and Pat, who were the lucky winners!)

And as always, Show & Tell did not disappoint! From challenges like the Nomad Quilter and Household Items, to works inspired by Amazing Quilts by Grace, members old and new displayed an array of stunning projects that left us all inspired.

Thread Play Workshop
The meeting wrapped up with a hands-on Thread Play Workshop led by Dan Pellish, Anne Gould, and Dominique Healy. Members were guided through free-motion and ruler quilting techniques, as well as hand embellishment and beading for quilts. Dominique even provided quilt squares and materials for members to try their hand at creative stitching. The workshop highlighted the use of technology for design ideas, along with recommended resources like Creative Stitching by Sue Spargo and Quilted Textures from A to Zen by Bethanne Nemish. As always with Sew Days we had a lot of fun!

Looking Ahead: November Meeting and Events
Mark your calendars for the next meeting on November 2, 2024, at the Topsham Public Library. We’ll be hosting a fun “Orphan Block” swap and sew session, with an option to create charity quilts. This will be another Sew Day and we will be sharing details for the December Holiday Party meeting. So if you want to join the fun it’s not to late to become a member!

We look forward to seeing everyone in November for more modern quilting fun and friendship!