Community Service Sewing Day...Tomorrow!

We are ON for the community service sewing day tomorrow, Saturday, June 15th, from 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Smile Spinners.

If you are able to join us, you will need to bring:

• Your sewing machine and basic supplies
• A neutral and a dark thread (poly or 100% cotton)

It would be great if you could bring:

• Fabric (non-holiday or religious)

If you are unable to attend but would like to still participate, please feel free to make your own bags (just following the basic guidelines for Caitlin's Smiles Bags) and contact us to arrange drop off.  Any questions, please let us know.

Looking forward to sewing and wishing you happy stitching in the mean time!

Meg and Jill

Quilt Blocks for Boston...from CAMQG, with love.

Our wonderful members donated 9 blocks for the Boston Modern Quilt Guild's Quilts for Boston project....

Block set #1

Block set #2

Blocks were collected at the May meeting and shipped to BMQG the next day in time for inclusion in one of the many quilts that this wonderful guild is creating for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.  Head over to their page to see the progress!

What are YOU doing this Saturday, June 15th?

So what are you doing this Saturday, June 15th?  You could join the Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild for a community service sewing project at one of our local quilt shops!

We will be holding a Bags of Smiles (for Caitlin's Smiles) assembly workshop this Saturday, from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.  Both of our LQS's (Smile Spinners and Quiltmakers Cottage) have been gracious enough to host if we have enough volunteers to "staff" both locations.  However, if we are not able to confirm a minimum of 7 for each location, we will host the event at Smile Spinners.  We will notify all participants by Thursday as to which location they will be sewing at.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 12, and include which location would be your preference....please take into consideration that if we do not have enough to "staff" both locations, Smile Spinners will be the main location for the event.  Again, all participants will be notified Thursday of where they should "report" for the sewing day.

No matter which location you end up sewing at, you will need to bring:

• Your sewing machine and basic supplies
• A neutral and a dark thread (poly or 100% cotton ok)

It would be great if you could bring:

• Pre-cut fabric, according to the attached directions

I have attached the directions for the bags...the directions for cutting are at the top.  Again, we will be sewing these bags production line style on Saturday.  If you are unable to attend but would like to still participate, please feel free to make your own bags (just following the basic guidelines for Caitlin's Smiles) and contact me to arrange drop off.  Any questions, please let me know.

Looking forward to sewing and wishing you happy stitching in the mean time!

Meg and Jill

May and June Activities

We are dedicating our activities in May and June to community service!  Here's what we have planned:

Tuesday, May 21st:  Meeting, Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Harrisburg, PA, 6:30 p.m. socializing and set-up, 6:45 p.m. meeting.  (Please RSVP via email so that we can prepare materials)

• Show and Share (please bring along any projects, complete or UFO, you would like to share)
• Discussion of the CAMQG Member Quilt Show/Exhibition (to be held in September)
• Fabric Cutting Session:  Caitlin's Smiles Totebags
• Caitlin's Smiles is a wonderful local charity that puts together Bags of Smiles for children in hospitals with chronic or life threatening illnesses.  The bags consist of crafts kits, journals, handmade cards, books or small toys, journals, and other goodies and are distributed to hospitals in a several state radius.
• We will be cutting the fabric at the May meeting and then sewing the bags at our June sewing day.
• We are looking to our members or anyone in the community to donate stash fabric for this activity.  High quality cotton, denim, upholstery fabric, or the like (prints or solids) can be used.  The bags will be used for kids from preschool through high school, and for both boys and girls.  No religious or holiday prints may be used.  1-2/3 yards of 42" fabric would yield 4 complete bags.  Smaller amounts of fabric can be used....the main panel to make the bag will need to measure 15" x 32" and the handles will be made from 2 - 5" x 10" pieces of fabric (or 1 - 5" x 20" piece).  Handles and bags can be made from different fabrics.  
• The bags will be simple tote bag style, around 13 x 15 inches, finished, with 2 handles and unlined.  This will be a simple pattern utilizing french seams and would be a great beginner project!
• PLEASE BRING YOUR FABRIC, ROTARY CUTTING MAT, RULER, AND ROTARY CUTTER!  We will only be cutting and organizing the fabric at this meeting.  Sewing will take place in June.
• We will distribute the pattern at the meeting (currently tweaking the pattern).
• Quilts for Boston Quilt Block Collection
• The Boston Modern Quilt Guild is sponsoring and completing this great project!  They are collecting completed quilt blocks to be included in quilts to be donated to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.  
• We will be collecting completed quilt blocks for Quilts for Boston and making one shipment on behalf of our guild.  Finished blocks need to measure 12 1/2" tall by any width and can only use blue, gray, white, and yellow fabric (Boston Marathon colors).  Please click on the link above for more information on the block requirements.
• Our shipment must be postmarked by May 24th so blocks must be brought to the meeting.  If you would like to donate but are unable to make it to the meeting, please contact us to make other arrangements.
• This would be a great way to support our sister guild and those affected by the tragedy.  Blocks can be of any style, simple or complex.  Consider making one the next time you sit down at your machine!

June Sewing Day:  Caitlin's Smiles Tote Bags:  Tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 15th  (RSVP request to follow)

• Specifics on time, date, and location will be announced within the week.
• Join CAMQG for a day of community service sewing!
• We will be assembling the tote bags for Caitlin's Smiles.

We hope that you can join us!  Wishing you happy stitching!

Meg and Jill

What's Coming Up for CAMQG....

Lots of plans are in the works for the Capital Area Modern Quilt Guild!  Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 19th, 2013, at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.  6:30 p.m. set-up and socializing, 6:45 p.m. meeting.  We will be sharing projects, discussing plans for our guild's growth and a member modern quilt show, signing up for our UFO sewing day at Smile Spinners on Saturday, April 20th, as well as exploring resources for modern quilters.  We would love for you to join us!  Please email us at capitalareamqg@gmail.com to RSVP or for more information.

Wishing you happy stitching!
Meg and Jill

Fat Quarter Challenge

At our November meeting we ask each person to bring a fat quarter of modern, small scale print fabric.  We then each cut that fabric into six strips and had a swap, two groups each ended up with one of their own strip and one strip from five other members of their group.  They were asked to add at least one solid fabric and make a small scale project.  Here's what a few of us came up with

Sigrid's Tetrahedron Pouch

Rose's Wall Hanging

Lois' awesome cut away applique

Meghann's Wonky Log Cabin

Jill's Wonky Star Pillow

 It was our first meeting in our new home for evening meetings, The Midtown Scholar, who were extremely gracious hosts.  Thanks to everyone who participated in the challenge!  More modern sewing coming up soon.

Upcoming Schedule

The CAMQG is excited to be growing and we'd love to have you join us.  Here's what's coming up in the next few months.

February Meeting

• Tuesday, February 19th, 6:30 socializing/set-up, 6:45 meeting
• Midtown Scholar Bookstore
• Meeting Agenda Items:
  • Introductions and Show and Tell
  • What is Modern Quilting? Presentation
  • Member Challenge Project Presentation and Voting
  • Guild Activities Discussion and Planning
  • Gathering of the Guilds, Saturday, February 23rd
  • AQS Lancaster Show, March 13-16
  • April UFO Sewing Day, Saturday, April 20th, at Smile Spinners, space for 15 attendees
  • Member Quilt Show (call for planning committee)

March Meeting

• Tuesday, March 19th, 6:30 socializing/set-up, 6:45 meeting
• Midtown Scholar Bookstore
• Tenative Meeting Agenda Items: 
• Introductions and Show and Tell
• Online Resources for the Modern Quilter Presentation
• Fabric Printing Video 
• Member Quilt Show discussion 
• Discussion and planning for growth

April UFO Sewing Day

• Saturday, April 20th, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Smile Spinners, Marysville
• Time to work on and hopefully complete some of those unfinished projects!

New members are always welcome!  Please RSVP to allow for set up.