Question of the Week

This week's question is about what you listen to while working on a project. Do you listen to music, audio books, the t.v.? What gets your blood pumping and ready to create? 

Saturday Sew-In

Everyone ready for the Saturday sew-in? I know that I am! For those who don't know about our sew-ins, we have them once a month. Bring anything you want to work on, something to snack on, and join us for a fun day of sewing and friendship. If you don't want to bring your sewing machine and all the necessary quilting goodies, feel free to bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery, handwork, etc. There are no rules! It's all about having fun and enjoying the time with each other. 


Tomorrow's sew-in will be at Strawberry Patches, from 10:00 - 4:00. There is no refrigerator or microwave for us to use, so pack snacks that don't need these amenities. There's a good pizza place at the end of the shopping center and several other places to buy food within a couple of blocks of the shop. 


See you tomorrow!


Lynn

Meeting Wrap Up

Last Saturday's meeting was all about adding Piping Hot Binding to your projects. Susan Cleveland has an awesome ruler for measuring and trimming your piping, and it's well worth having in your basket of nifty gadgets! Susan has also created a couple of great video tutorials on YouTube. Be sure to watch both tutorials to learn the tips and tricks of adding this fun trim to your quilts! 

As always, we also had a great show 'n tell! Cindy made an opportunity quilt for Relay for Life. She used all of the soothing colors of water and added some appliqued water lilies to it. On the back, she added a panel that lists all of the things that cancer cannot do! What a great, encouraging piece of art!

Nicci shared her Daisies and Bubblegum quilt. It's a beautiful girly quilt! The tutorial for this quilt can be found on the blog of Cluck Cluck Sew. 

Liz is expecting a little boy in July, and he was more than happy to serve as mama's design wall! Liz drafted the block pattern and is using luscious Kaffe Fassett fabrics. 

Mark your calendars for next Saturday, April 28th, for our monthly sew-in. We will be meeting from 10:00 - 4:00 at Strawberry Patches. Bring a project, something to snack on, and join us for a day of fun! 

Until next we meet,

Lynn

President, BMQG

Question of the Week

With Modern Quilt Guilds popping up all over the world, I'm curious about the types of tutorials that other guilds are doing for their meetings. What tutorial has your guild done that you found the most useful?

P.S. About Saturday's Tutorial

Also bring an open toe foot and cording foot if you have them. 

Upcoming Saturday Program

The regular meeting of the BMQG is this Saturday, April 21st, 2:00 - 4:00, at Strawberry Patches. We will be learning how to add piping to your quilts to give them that extra little pop of color! You will need to bring your basic quilting and cutting tools, one fat quarter of solid fabric, and your sewing machine with a zipper foot. You will also need to purchase the Piping Hot Binding tool kit, available at Bolts to Binding. Jeri ordered extras for our group. If you have any questions, post them here, or e-mail the BMQG at bakersfieldmodernquiltguild.gmail.com 


See you on Saturday!


Lynn

Question of the Week - Thoughts on Handmade Gifts

One of the things associated with modern quilting, is the making of handmade gifts. I used to sew all the time when my boys were little, and I was very involved in tole painting. I gave a lot of handmade gifts, and I enjoyed the process of choosing a project, gathering the tools, and constructing something special for the recipient. I participated in a Secret Pal group at church, and I made something on a monthly basis for my partner. I would wonder if these gifts were "good enough", as I was the only one in the group that didn't give store bought gifts. When the secret pals were revealed at the end of the year, my partner announced to the group that she'd never enjoyed a secret swap as much as she had this one. She did a little show 'n tell of everything I'd made, except for the cookie mixes, and talked about how much she appreciated the time and effort I'd put into things I'd made. As my kids got older and I got busier, I quit making gifts. The kids are now on their own, I have a little more time, and I'd like to get back to the joy of making things for my friends and family. 


Where do we go for hand-made inspiration? The internet, of course! There are so many books on the market which focus on small, easy-to-make gifts, that I'm totally baffled about which book(s) to start with. 


Do you make gifts for friends and family? What is/are your favorite book(s) or resources to go to for handmade inspiration?