December Meeting Recap

Our last meeting of the year was packed with fabric, discussion, friends, and of course, quilts!

Discussion: We presented our favorite traditional quilt blocks, which we can use in so many versatile ways as modern quilters!

Kathleen chose Anna Maria Horner's feather from her free Feather Bed pattern.

 Jamee showed us many versions of her favorite, the log cabin.

 

 Jamee also whipped out this lovely Hunter's Star quilt when another member mentioned it. :)

Swap: At the break, 23 members swapped 6x10" bricks of solids of their choice. Now we have a gorgeous rainbow of solids to play with!
 

Can you believe how alike our minds think? Thanks for the picture, Kathleen!

Block of the Month: We're almost finished with the KMQG Block of the Month! 2 members showed off their December blocks, and few members brought their completed quilts.

 Neva and Meg

 

 Elaine

 

 Jamee

We also chose our next Block of the Month: Patchwork City by Elizabeth Hartman! Books that were ordered from Pennington Quilt Works at the meeting will be delivered at the January meeting. First blocks for the BOM will be due in February. This is an optional, laid back BOM - more info coming shortly!

Bee: Members made "Love Where You Live" blocks for Laura B, based on New Jersey. Wow! Check out their talent. Amazing job, bee members!

Challenge: We shared gifts we are making for the holidays.

 

 Lindsay is making rope bowls!

Maggie hand-stitched cardigans.

 Kristina is making this graphic quilt to gift!

Show and Tell:

 Lori's graphic quilt that she's keeping all for herself!

Every year, Lori (left) raffles off one of her quilts on Facebook to those who make a donation of time or money to a local charity. Our very own Lee was the winner this year!

Laura Petrovich-Cheney brought one of her wood quilts for us to marvel at! Her work is currently exhibited at the Michener Museum in Doylestown, PA, amongst several other venues. We're excited to welcome Laura as one of our new members for 2016!

 Kathleen shared this lovely quilt made from Amy Butler fabrics.

 Michele showed us this purple stunner.

We gifted Meg a red tablerunner as part of our Quiltmakers program.

Jessica L. shared her finished project from the Jacquie Gering workshop!

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January Meeting

 
Welcome to Year 5 of the CJMQG!

Guests welcome, as always!

 
Please see our guest policy here.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016
6:30 optional shop/social time, 7-9:30 meeting time

Pennington Quilt Works, Pennington, NJ

-Board Elections - be there to cast your vote and celebrate the new board!!

-Dues are due! $50 to Central Jersey MQG by this meeting

-Collect mini quilts from Cloud 9 Fabric challenge for February - include your name on the back and "Central Jersey MQG" - this is the last day to collect them for the Hillsborough Library display

-WIP It Up Contest prize drawings

-Swap: Secret Quilter Holiday Swap

-CJMQG Bee - 3rd round

-Guild QAL – work on your quilts for March!

-Show and Tell

See you then!

A peek at some of the prizes for the WIP It Up Contest! More soon!

-Jess S.

November Meeting Recap

Our November meeting was quite a busy one! 

Swap: Our members made fall or winter themed potholders for the blind swap! Here is a picture of the makers with their makes before the swap. Great job everyone!

Scrap Swap: We have a huge plastic bin that we bring to a couple meeting a year. Members can bring their fabric scraps in a plastic bag and swap them with whatever they want from the bin. Vultures, I tell you!

Lori and Jess have their game faces on.

Challenge: Neva shared her reverse applique piece, which she is teaching at Mid-Atlantic Mod in April (by the way, all CJMQG spots are full for the retreat, but general registration is open on Dec. 2 for anyone).

Lesson: I gave a lesson on Alternate Gridwork in Modern Quilting. It's one of the parts of the Modern Quilt Guild's definition of modern quilting, and it's also one of the easiest ways to modernize your quilts. See the quilts below for some examples and this post for resources.

 Sisterhood Quilt

 Sisters' Ten Quilt

Sisters' Ten QAL by AnneMarie Chany

 Pebble Cascade

Block of the Month: Kathleen finished her whole quilt!! Great job, Kathleen!

Here are blocks from September, October, and November. Our members are still going strong!

 Bee: Kim R. requested bookshelf blocks, and our members responded! Look at all the unique details!

 Show and Tell:

Tatiana's slice and insert quilt from the Jacquie Gering class

Christina's quilt

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December Meeting

 
Guests welcome, as always!

 
Please see our guest policy here.

Tuesday, December 8
6:30 optional shop/social time, 7-9:30 meeting time

Pennington Quilt Works, Pennington, NJ

 

-Pay dues for 2016 - $50 to "Central Jersey MQG"

-Collect mini quilts from Cloud 9 Fabric challenge for display in February - include your name on the back and "Central Jersey MQG"

-Discussion: Favorite quilt blocks - feel free to bring examples - we can talk about both traditional and modern uses

-Swap: Solid fabrics  - purchase a yard of fabric and cut into (24) - 6"x10" bricks and you'll receive 23 back to use for a February solids challenge (or whatever you choose!)

-Challenge: Share a sewn gift you are giving this holiday season

-CJMQG Bee - 3rd round

-Guild QAL – December Blocks

-Show and Tell
 

See you then!

-Jess S.

Resources for Alternate Gridwork

In anticipation of my short lesson on Alternate Gridwork at the upcoming meeting, I'm posting these resources for you to peruse. I will be referring to some of the quilts and ideas here. Thanks!

Alternate Gridwork Resources

A Modern Quilt Guild blog post by Heather Grant (Alternate Gridwork basics, plus interactive graphics and links to more technical gridwork information)

Alternate Gridwork Webinar by Heather Grant (must be signed in to view on MQG site)

Rule of Thirds from Cambridge in Color

Alternate Gridwork Quilts – Pinterest Board by Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced

Alternate Gridwork Quilts – Pinterest Board by Jess Skultety of Quilty Habit

 


-Jess S.

November Block - CJMQG QAL

R-E-D-H-O-T what do we got (clap clap)

We gotta lot (clap-clap)

we gotta guild that's REDHOT!

And you ARE red hot if you have made all of the blocks up to October and are ready to tackle November's Diamonds block!

Running behind?  It's not too late.  You can catch up?  A great venue to crush the blocks you are behind on is the November Retreat Weekend at the Hyatt House. Spots are still available!

 

​The Diamonds block uses techniques you've played with in previous months.  My only suggestion is that instead of cutting 3 7/8" squares as stated in the directions cut 4.25" instead to provide extra room for trimming.

One more month to go!  YOU CAN DO IT!

 

-Neva

Day Passes Now Available for CJMQG Fall Retreat!

Day passes for the weekend of November 13-15 are now available:

Friday  - 3 spots

Saturday - 1 spot

Sunday - 2 spots

Cost is $30 for members and $35 non-members. 

(Limit 1 spot per person for the weekend)

Note: One whole weekend spot at $70 for members and $90 non-members is still available (Fri - Sun). See all info here.

Please send an email to Neva (n.asinari(at)gmail(dot)com) to secure your spot.

Payment must be received by the November 10th meeting to hold your spot!  If you are unable to attend our treasurer, Kristina, must have receipt of your payment prior to the 10th. Email Neva for Kristina's address.

Thank you!

-Neva A. and Jess S.

November Meeting Invitation

Please join us for our November meeting, right before our retreat!

Tuesday, November 10

 6:30 (optional social/shop time); 7-9:30 meeting

Pennington Quilt Works, Pennington, NJ

Members can RSVP here.

Guests welcome! Please see our guest policy here.

-Lesson: Alternate Gridwork by Jessica Skultety
-Challenge: Make and/or share something you made, using reverse applique (by machine or hand)
-Swap - Holiday themed quilted potholder
-Swap - Scrap dump/swap (bring a gallon bag or two of your scraps and swap for others - must be larger than a 2" square)
-CJMQG Bee - 3rd round
-Guild QAL – November Blocks
-Show and Tell


See you there!

-Jess S.

October Meeting Recap

There was so much to see at the October meeting. I feel like it was one of our funniest meetings yet! Thanks for a great night, guild!

Lesson: Neva gave us a very thorough, useful, and entertaining step-by-step lesson on reverse applique by machine, with props included. Thanks Neva! Remember members, try out reverse applique or bring something that you have reverse appliqued to the next meeting.

I "scoped" on Periscope live from the meeting! The #honestcraftroomies were sharing about quilting community, so it was only fitting. Thanks for being good sports and interacting with the camera, everyone! Unfortunately, the scope is no longer available, but from now on I have figured out how to save them (at the link above).

You go, CJMQG QALers! The few and the proud! I hear one of these members (at least one, maybe more) has finished the December block already... remember, you can make as few as 6 blocks from this year into a finished quilt for a prize in March!

Challenge: Two color quilts

 Terri impressed us with her stunning hexagons in all shades of purple and green. You can read more about them in her blog post!

Lindsay is one of our newest members, and she came in with this gorgeous scrappy version of a mini quilt from Canoe Ridge Creations!

Maggie, another new member, created this beautiful leaf quilt! Check out that quilting!

Helaine was excited to show us this pretty blue and white quilt! Great work, Helaine!

Show and Tell:

 Laura B. - mini quilt

 Jess S. - Selvage Rainbow Bookcase quilt

 Linda S. - modern Dresdens in solids

 Teddi - bee quilt from the last round

 Nicole - Moda Modern Building Blocks

Teddi - appliqued alphabet quilt

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Next Meeting

Tuesday, November 10

 6:30 (optional social/shop time); 7-9:30 meeting

Pennington Quilt Works, Pennington, NJ

Guests welcome! Please see our guest policy here.

-Lesson: Alternate Gridwork by Jessica Skultety
-Challenge: Make and/or share something you made, using reverse applique (by machine or hand)
-Swap - Holiday themed quilted potholder
-Swap - Scrap dump/swap (bring a gallon bag or two of your scraps and swap for others - must be larger than a 2" square)
-CJMQG Bee - 3rd round
-Guild QAL – November Blocks
-Show and Tell


See you in November!

Jess S.

Quilt Retreat Spots open!

We have just a few spots left for our annual November Sewing Retreat, and we'd love for you to join us!

Work on WIPs, challenges, gift sewing or start a new project. It's up to you! Get ready for great conversations and lots of laughs! If you are new to the guild this is a great opportunity to for us to get to know you!

D E T A I L S

Dates: Friday, November 13th starting at 10:00 a.m. through Sunday, November 15th, 8:00 p.m. (come and go as you please - the price is for the whole weekend)

Place: Hyatt House Branchburg, 3141 US Highway 22 East, Branchburg, NJ 08876 - (908) 704-2191 (this is the OTHER Hyatt House - down the road from the one we stayed at last year)

Spots: 6 out of 20 available - email n.asinari@gmail.com

Cost (Fee for conference room): Guild Members $70.00, Non- Members $90.00

Payment: Make check payable to "CJMQG." There is a "no-refund" policy on payments received.

Accommodations: Call 908-704-2191 to book a hotel room. There's no guarantee that there are rooms available at the moment.

*If you'd like to room with someone and don't have anyone, let us know!

Commuting: You do not have to stay at Hyatt House to participate! Come and go as you please during the weekend!

Day Passes: Will be offered at the beginning of November if openings are available.

Questions: Contact Neva at n.asinari@gmail.com

Hope to see you there! :)

-Jess S.

October Meeting Invitation

Please join us for the October Meeting!

Guests welcome, as always! Please see our guest policy here.

Members can RSVP here.

Tuesday, October 13

6:30 optional shop/social time, 7-9:30 meeting time
Pennington Quilt Works, Pennington, NJ

-Demo: Reverse Machine Applique with Neva

-Challenge: Make something (or show something) that uses only two colors (can be different shades)

-Recap: PNQE exhibit/give back all of your quilts!
-Recap: Quilters Take Manhattan

-Swap - Scrap dump/swap (bring a gallon bag or two of your scraps and swap for others - must be larger than a 2" square)

-Start the third round of the CJMQG Bee!

-Guild QAL – October blocks

-Show and Tell

-Sign up for the Nov. retreat!

See you then!

-Jess S.

September Meeting Recap

At our September meeting:

Swap: We had a fabric postcard swap! Susan taught us about her process last meeting, and we used it to create some beauties. Thanks to all who participated!

Bee: Members gave Lori her bee blocks. Lori gave them black and white fabric, a color, and free reign to create any block them wanted. Check out all that creativity and individuality! 

Challenge: Nicole and Jess shared their Cirrus Solid Mini Quilt Challenges, sponsored by Cloud9 Fabrics. Check out the rest of the minis here.

 

 

Charity Quilt: We handed in improv blocks for our guild's QuiltCon Charity quilt, spearheaded by Laura B. Thanks, Laura!

Lori also shared the quilt we made for the faculty at Mott Hall Bridges Academy. Thanks to Lori for all of her work organizing this.

Discussion: We shared our favorite fabrics ever and why!

 Tatiana's wasn't the sheep but the lining of her bag - a light tan linen.

 My favorite is this large print from Anna Maria Horner. I want to use the rest of what I have as a backing.

 Laura B. is a huge Lotta Jansdotter fan!

QAL: Members shared their blocks for August and September. Great job with those improv curves!

 

Show and Tell:

 Meg shared this special, touching quilt that the Quilt Alliance recently made for her.

 Kathleen shared this lovely hand-quilted beauty.

 One of our guests, Maggie, shared some of her work. This is two people arguing over the sound that lasers make! How cool is that?

 Jamee shared this stunning kaleidoscope quilt.

 Lori can't stop making selvage notebook covers!

And last but not least, Neva shared sewing themed quilt she finished and quilted from Mid-Atlantic Mod retreat this year. It was a collective effort of about ten sewists. Beautiful!

See you in October!

-Jess S.