Can you believe our BNMQG meeting is next week already?!? It seems early, but with 5 Tuesday’s in May, it is almost time!
Our meeting on May 23rd will be a dual meeting – in person at Christ Lutheran Church in Normal as well as via Zoom. Social time will start at 5:30 pm CST and the meeting will begin at 6:00 pm CST.
Our very own Laurie S. (aka “The Bag Lady”) will be our featured speaker. Laurie will be sharing with us the basics of bag making – stabilizers, hardware, etc., along with a trunk show.
We will also be choosing the bag pattern for the workshop that Laurie is teaching on July 8th. Workshop signups will be available at the meeting and also via our Events and Workshops page.
If you have a spot signed up for the retreat, don’t forget that your deposit of $50 or the full amount is due at our May meeting. If you are out of town, please mail it to our post office box. BNMQG, PO Box 154, Normal, IL 61761.
If payment is not received by the May meeting, your spot is forfeited and will be given to the next person on the waiting list.
If you are not signed up yet, please grab a spot on the waitlist on SignUp Genius.
Prior to the start of the meeting, members enjoyed shopping the Destash Sale with items brought in by various members. The April meeting of the Bloomington Normal Modern Quilt Guild was then called to order by President Lisa B There were 54 members in person and 16 attending virtually. One guest was present. We currently have 124 members.
Lisa noted that there were no treats at tonight’s meeting because members failed to sign up. She asked for a show of hands if members were interested in continuing the refreshments. The majority raised hands that they enjoyed having treats. This is an easy way to support our guild – treats do not need to be fancy. Those volunteering to bring treats should sign up on Sign Up Genius under hospitality.
The BNMQG meeting was called to order by President Lisa B. She welcomed the members and guests as well as our speaker.
Sarah Ruiz presented an interesting program called “100 Days of Creative Bliss”. Sarah shared some of her background including working at NASA on the space shuttle program. She reminded everyone that we are the boss when doing a 100 days program – do what works for you. That could be doing 1 day at a time or catching up doing a week at a time or mix it up during the 100 days. Sarah also graciously included a discount code for BNMQG members, that code expired on April 2nd.
Following the program Lisa thanked the volunteers who provided the treats tonight: Barb B., Kathy C., Erin H. and Nancy B.
Mary Rose H., co-chairman of the hospitality committee, mentioned that we need one more person to provide treats for the April meeting as well as several for upcoming meetings. Treats do not have to be elaborate – store bought is fine.
Those willing to bring treats can sign up on Sign up Genius.
This is a way to be part of the village – it takes a village to keep the quilt guild up and running!
Our March meeting will be back to a dual meeting, so we will be in person at Christ Lutheran Church, but Zoom will still be available. It will be great to see many of you in person again! Social time will begin at 5:30 pm CST, with our meeting starting at 6:00 pm CST.
Our speaker, Sarah Ruiz, is joining us via Zoom. Her lecture is “100 Days to Creative Bliss”. Sarah will discuss the benefits of daily of a daily practice and explore what she has learned about creativity from 10+ years of 100 day projects and similar creative goal-setting. Whether you are looking for renewed focus and motivation in your quilting work, planning to practice a new skill, or simply wanting a bit of daily joy, this lecture will help get you started!
The Bloomington Normal Modern Quilt met via zoom on February 28, 2023 with 62 members present. President Lisa B. called the meeting to order and reminded members that next months meeting will be a dual meeting with members able to attend in person or via zoom,
Prior to introducing the evenings speaker, Lisa asked the group “do you know what pojagi is”. 83% of those attending said No while only 17% said yes. Lisa then introduced the speaker, Elizabeth DeCroos who gave a very informative program on pojagi. She spoke of how she learned the Korean art when living there 14 years ago. At the end of the program, the majority of the members indicated they would like to try it themselves.
President Lisa B. called the meeting to order and welcomed those present. This was a zoom meeting with 67 members and 3 guests present.
Lisa then introduced the evenings program “The Power of Color Composition” presented by Caroline Oneto. She presented a very informative program using primary, secondary, and tertiary colors in quilting. Her explanations and examples were very helpful in the understanding of color theory. She will be hosting a workshop on January 28 for members who have signed up.
Following the program, the business meeting resumed.
Noemi reported that we currently have 114 members.
Noemi reported that the Shop Hop committee will be meeting on Friday to work on plans for the shop hop to be held later in the year.
The BNMQG met December 27, 2022, via zoom. President Lisa B. welcomed members reminding members that future meetings will be zoom until March at which time the meetings will be dual. There will be a zoom sew day from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. on January 17 and February 7.
Noemi reported that to date we have 112 members noting that we are now at a new assessment level in Modern Quilt Guild
Noemi explained the Board has discussed the possibility of sponsoring a Shop Hop in 2023. Noemi will head up the subcommittee and asked that anyone interested in being on the committee contact her.
The Kona mini challenge was explained. As announced by Kona, the color of the year is Crush and is beginning to be stocked in area quilt shops.
The design is to be original and must contain at least one of the modern elements: Negative space; Asymmetry; Improv; Alternate grid; and Minimalism. The finished 20″ x 20″ quilt should have a sleeve on it for the purpose of hanging in shows. More details are available here. Please sign up on Sign Up Genius.
Participation in the challenge has a fee of $2.00, which will include a quilt label, which can be paid for and picked up at the March meeting. Quilts are due at the March meeting. There will be time to add the label prior to delivery to exhibits.
Lisa then presented a video by Karen Brown on organizing a quilter’s sewing area. It was the consensus of the group that we all could use a little organization. Along those lines, it was announced that we will be having a Destash sale in April. Please bring fabric, notions, patterns, books that you no longer need and are willing to donate to BNMQG to the April meeting! Funds raised go to support BNMQG programs and projects. Clean out that pile of fabrics waiting for a project… then come ready in April to take something new home! Members should pre-price their sale items in whole dollar amounts. Magazines will not be permitted at the sale. Items that do not sell are to be taken home by the member who brought them.
The Mission statement of the guild needs to be revised. Barb S. will be the Board representative for this revision. Anyone interested in being on the subcommittee please contact Barb or any Board member.
Nancy announced that the quilts are back from the Sewing and Quilt Expo. Please contact Nancy to pick up your quilt. Participants will receive a special label to place on the back of their quilt.
We have been invited to participate in the Decatur Art Exhibit August 4-24, 2023. Those wishing to place a quilt in the exhibit will need to have them submitted electronically by the end of March. There will be an area on Shutterfly to place a photo of your quilt.
The prize drawing for participants in the Modern Mystery quilt to date were drawn and awarded to Marge E.; Dawn P.; Jamie W.; and Karla M. The winners each received a book of Improv patterns.
The January meeting will be a presentation by Carolina Oneto – “The Power of Color Composition”. As always, her lecture is free for members, but guest tickets are available on the Events and Workshop Tickets page.
Carolina is also offering a workshop on January 28 – “Curves and Transparencies”. There are a few seats left. You can purchase a ticket on the Events and Workshop Tickets page. Workshop supply list is also available on that page. Nancy P. has taken this workshop in the past and said that you most likely will have the quilt top completed during the workshop.
At various intervals throughout the meeting, those who participated in the Holiday Pillow Swap opened their pillow along with their swap partner. Interesting and beautiful pillows were shared with the group.
Show and Tell was held with members displaying items they had completed. Several of these were Christmas Gifts.
Prior to the start of the meeting and during the break, members enjoyed delicious treats furnished tonight by Ary A., Sandra F., Karen G. and Sally H.
Lisa B called the meeting to order. This is our last dual meeting until March. We will be meeting via Zoom only from November through February.
Noemi B. reported that we have 103 paid memberships. Present at tonight’s meeting were 42 members and 13 members attending on zoom. New member, Dee W., was introduced.
Previous members who have not renewed were contacted to see if they plan to rejoin. The new password was sent to paid members on November 1st to allow access to our Members Only area of the website.
Lisa B. reported on the recent Quilt coat workshop with Erin Grogan from Love Sew Modern. Karen G. and Maria C. showed their beautiful completed coats, including a wonderful catwalk – we didn’t capture all of the pics for that, but what a fun time!
Our next meeting is Tuesday, October 25th – social time at 5:30 pm CST with meeting starting at 6:00 pm. We will be doing a dual meeting, but I am trying something new, so bear with us as we make this attempt!
Hands on stations will include quilted greeting cards (Nancy P.), decorative quilting threads (Vickie A.), facings (Betty W.), envelope pillows (Barb S.), and zipper bottom pillows (Pat S.). Just a hint that the last two stations might come in handy for our holiday swap….
Thanks to the BNMQG members and board members for volunteering their time and talents!
For those taking the Quilted Coat Class with Erin Grogan from LoveSewModern , our second class is this Saturday, October 22nd from 9am CST to 12pm CST via Zoom. Pocket pattern was received from Erin Grogan today and was emailed out today. Can’t wait to see what everyone has done!
We are scheduling a Zoom Sew Day on Tuesday, November 8th from 7 pm CST to 9 pm CST. Join for however long you like and sew on whatever you want to sew (could be finishing up 10th Anniversary Improv Log Cabin quilt tops – I know I need to get some finished!).
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President Lisa B. with 52 members and 3 guests attending in person. Twenty members attended by zoom. We currently have 122 members. During the social hour prior to the meeting, members enjoyed the delicious treats provided by Teresa A., Judy O., Katie R., and Connie Jo C.
The new Board was introduced consisting of Lisa B., President; Pat S., Vice President; Anita T., Treasurer; and Barb S., Secretary. Betty W. was re-appointed by the Board to serve as Executive Director.
Members were given an ice breaker handout and challenged to “Name that Block”. Even though several members do traditional quilting as well as modern quilting, it proved to be quite challenging. The game gave everyone a chance to mingle with members at different tables and those they may not know very well. Nancy P. gave the answers to the blocks.
Bloomington/Normal Modern Quilt Guild 