Coming Up

The first official meeting of the Central Jersey Modern Quilt Guild is coming up.  Will you be there?

The meeting stats are:
Tuesday January 10th @ 7pm
Pennington Quilt Works, Pennington NJ

We will (hopefully) be electing officers at this meeting, so we hope to have a large attendance.  If you weren't at our organizational meeting and have a desire to be an officer (pres, VP, secretary, treasurer), email me ASAP and we'll discuss the responsibilities.

We will be doing some fabric play.  Bring 10-20 fabrics (fat quarters or larger, marked with your name on masking tape).  They will not be cut, so don't worry, you'll get them back intact.  We'll get to know each other a bit better by challenging our fabric selection skills.

The challenge for this first meeting is scraps.  Bring a quilt (to this meeting) that uses at least 50 different fabrics and is still modern looking...

We'll also have general show and tell so please bring your latest project.

I have set up a Big Tent group for our guild.  I'll be sending out invites to join to all the emails we currently have on file.  If you're new and didn't make our organizational meeting, please send me an email and I'll send out your invite.  The memberships will be guest memberships until you have paid your dues.  Dues of $50 be can be paid this month or next month.  Guests can come to one meeting free then pay $5 to come to another meeting but then they must join.

I'd really like everyone to RSVP on Big Tent.  Of course, we won't kick you out if you don't and I don't mind if you do it last minute (well, a few hours before the meeting) but it really helps us to have an idea how many are coming.

Can't wait to see you all there!

Jessica

Organizational Meeting

It's taken me a bit longer to get to this than planned, but I wanted to thank everyone who joined us for our organizational meeting.  We had about 30-40 potential members!  I just KNEW there was interest in a NJ Modern Quilt Guild…

I don't have official minutes, but here's how it went down:

- First, general chatting and niceties.

- Then Deb and I welcomed everyone and introduced ourselves.

- We shared our vision for the Guild - a friendly, fun, and inspirational place to get together and socialize while learning a bit more about modern quilting

- Next we broke for an ice breaker - we paired off (based on random fabric scraps taken at the start) and interviewed our partner.  Each of us then introduced our partner and told where they were from and why they were there that night.  Most popular answers = wanting to learn more about modern quilting, to be challenged, and to have fun hanging with each other.

- Next we discussed what modern quilting is.  The topic is a big one to tackle.  Some of our major points were:

            - we don't want to be exclusive so all are welcome, but we're going to focus on modern quilting

            - we believe the movement has some major elements like: asymmetry, use of solids, improvisation, sparse/clean look, functional rather than art quilts, and modern color palettes and fabrics.

            - traditional "rules" of technique can be learned from, but are no longer a requirement

            - modern quilting is very internet based with lots of emphasis on virtual inspiration and learning from blogs etc.

            - We had some varied examples of modern quilts that we shared. Everyone loves Show and Tell right?  We didn't think to ask everyone to bring something, but I brought a few and so did Candi Weinrick, Liz Hawkins, and Liza Prior Lucy. (So sorry but I forgot the idea of taking pictures until after Liz and Liza had shared, but here's a picture of Liza as proof we did in fact have celebrities like her and Liz in attendance!  She showed amazing quilts from her next book with Kaffe Fassett).

- Then we discussed a need for officers and some of the description of positions.

- We took an informal poll on possible activities/swaps/workshops etc. to better understand what people are interested in.

- We talked a little about the next meeting which will be on the 2nd Tuesday in January (Jan 10) where we will nominate/elect officers.  Our challenge for that meeting is scraps.  Your quilt must use at least 50 different fabrics.  That's the only rule, but let's see how you can keep it modern!

-And finally everyone filled out a survey so we can begin to get to know our members.

I think it was an immensely successful meeting and I'm so excited by all the cool people that showed up.  If you couldn't make it, we want to meet you at the next one.  Between now and then we'll be working hard to get things going strong in the new year!  Look for more details on the January meeting here later…

Jessica

Whoops!!!

Last night was so much FUN!!! The organizational meeting of The Central Jersey Modern Quilt Guild was well attended... THANK YOU all for coming. I believe this guild is what we have all be waiting for!! So many of you have volunteered for positions on the Executive Board as well as Chairpersons... I am so thrilled with the excitement, energy and enthusiasm you all have!! 

However; a 'faux pas' was made last night which needs to be corrected... Our regular meetings  begin in January 2012 and will ALWAYS be the SECOND Tuesday of the month... NOT the FIRST Tuesday as reported. I hope this doesn't cause a problem for any one.

Photos of the meeting and minutes will be posted in a day or two... so check back here if you weren't able to join us last night.

Keep on quilting!

Deb Hunter

Woo! Hoo!

Woo! Hoo!

We are excited to announce...

The Central Jersey Modern Quilt Guild

 is up and running!!!

Join us for our very first meeting

Tuesday October 25, 2011

7PM to 9PM

Pennington Quilt Works

7 Tree Farm Rd

Pennington, NJ 08534

The Modern Quilt Movement is sweeping the country like wild fire. Modern Quilt Guilds are popping up all over the world... New York, Philadelphia, Australia... let's add New Jersey to the list. To learn more about Modern Quilting... check out the website of our 'mother ship'... The Modern Quilt Guild, the first Quilt Guild to have started the movement in California.

ALL quilters are invited to join. From beginners to 'old hands'... traditional to art quilters... and everyone in between. Don't be put off by the title 'Modern Quilt'... there is something for everyone at these meetings.

Just as in a quilting bee 'many hands make light work'... a guild runs on the same theory. This is going to be a very ACTIVE guild which needs MANY helping hands. Sharpen your pencils and be ready to jot your name on a few sign up sheets available that night. We need Officers, Historian, Librarian, Swap Co-Ordinator, Webmaster, Education Co-Ordinator, Bee Co-Ordinators just to name a few... every position is up for grabs!

Yes... there will be dues (amount to be determined and voted on... between $50 to $65 a year). Yes... there will be FREE fabulous fabric. Yes... there will be get togethers in other parts of the state. Yes... Yes... Yes... Pretty much anything you can ask, the answer will be Yes... (unless of course you ask me to stand on my head) but we need YOU to help. This is YOUR guild.

Currently there are no officers... only a steering committee consisting of Deb Hunter and Jessica Levitt... with encouragement and guidance from Jan Crane. We need YOU to step up and pitch in to make this guild ROCK!

Why join this guild??? The obvious answer is... to meet and talk with others that share your passion for quilting. But really there is so much more than that. The vision for this guild is to be social, educational, and FUN! We hope to make you stretch your creativity by learning new techniques, sampling new fabrics, make you think outside the box. Show and Tell, a lending library, fabric swaps, field trips, sewing bees, and speakers... oh my!!! 

Jan Crane of Pennington Quilt Works has graciously offered her shop for our meetings. We are on her calendar for the 2nd Tuesday of each month beginning in January.  The shop is easy to get to from just about anywhere in the state... just of Rt 95... on Rt 31 N. We are also looking for other shops and spaces to host us for 'sew ins' and 'bees' in addition to 'field trips' and such... with the goal being to use the entire state to satisfy our OBSESSION of fabric and quilting :-)

PLEASE feel free to email us with any questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, etc at:

centraljerseymqg@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you.

If you cannot make it to our meeting on Oct. 25th, but want to keep in touch... click on the FOLLOW US button on the right side of this blog... or send us your email addy and we will let you know what's going on.

We can't wait to meet you!!!