Notes from WestSide Modern's October Meeting

Guest Speaker - Mo Bedell

WestSide Modern welcomed fabric designer Mo Bedell who designs for Andover to our October meeting.

Mo learned to sew from her Grandma who grew up with nothing which forced creativity and a make-do attitude.

Mo's first quilt was a baby quilt for her baby. She worked as a color designer at Nike and started designing prints.
She wants all of her fabric designs to be original to her.

This quilt was in her award winning booth at Houston.

Click this link for the Full Moon Lagoon pattern from Andover.

(love the seahorses!)

This quilt is from her new line "Hothouse Flowers"

Mo thinks that the Modern Quilt movement should not become something divisive between quilters.  She believes it should be about doing what you like and putting your own interpretation on it.

Here is some new fabric to look forward to called "Hey Sugar".

Tip from Mo:  Keep a sketchbook with ideas that inspire you. 

Show and Tell

Do you remember our modern block challenge this Spring?

Carol won half the blocks and designed, pieced and quilted this!

Way to go Carol!

Here are some more quilts that were shared.

Ellen was inspired to make this from a class she took from Jean Wells.

Cathy was inspired by a Nancy Crow class.
(She's going to cut this up and re-sew it.)

Nancy shared two amazing quilts with us.
She is moving to Sisters to work at The Stitchin' Post.  We will miss you!

And these are all by Judith and they will all be donated to CARES Northwest.  
She makes tons of quilts for CARES Northwest using fabric from her stash!

Sneak Peek

Here are samples of the new Marcia Derse fabrics - arriving in December.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is Wednesday, December 4th.

Christmas Stocking and/or Cookie exchange

Take as many cookies as you bring.

WestSide Modern Club - Bridge Quilt Inspiration

Our last WestSide Modern Meeting was on August 28th.  We took a break during the month of September and meet again on October 30th.

In August, we welcomed quilt designer and teacher Lisa Crnich to help us get started thinking about how to design our Modern Bridge quilts.

Her presentation can be seen in the following two slideshows.





Then we had fun with some show and tell!

Betsy's interlocking squares

Connie's strip quilt for a raffle.  Quilted by Carol Peales

Matching pants…. what are the odds?

Nancy's Race For the Cure Auction quilt

N 

Cindy's quilt

Elisa's Maple Leaves

Elisa's Baby Quilt

Linda's Blue Bird quilt

Shaye's first quilt… she's only 13!

Join us on October 30th for our next meeting at The Pine Needle Quilt Shop.

WestSide Modern July Meeting Notes

Challenge Block Entries 

Here are the blocks that were brought in using our challenge fabric.  
Two lucky winners won 12 blocks each 
and will be putting together stunning quilts.


Portland Bridges Now 

Geri gave some updates, information and tips about the bridge challenge. We are looking for a "modern" interpretation" of one of the Portland Bridges, not for a landscape quilt. Quilts are due April 1st, 2014 - because they might be traveling to Ireland before being shown at NW Quilting Expo. 

Here are some ways to get inspired.  

 

A Book
This is a great resource -  "Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts" by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen. It has suggestions for how to design a quilt using a grid technique.  

 

 A Class
For those of us who would like a group process for designing our bridge quilt, Lisa Crnich will be teaching a class this Fall called the "4 C's of Quilt Design - Concept, Creativity, Construction, and Completion with a special emphasis on Bridges. Saturdays October 5 & 19, November 2 and December 7 from 10-1.  Cost is $60. Call the store to sign up for this class - before it hits our Fall Catalog!


 


A Boat Tour
Take a boat tour of the bridges to see them from the water.  Portland Boat Tours has a bridge tour that goes under 9 of Portland’s famous bridges. Learn about the history of the Willamette River while you relax and enjoy our incredible city.








A Party on August 10th
Get up close and personal with the Broadway Bridge 100th Birthday Celebration on August 10th.

Bike or Walk the Bridges on August 11th

Providence Bridge Pedal     

 (includes walking option of Fremont and Steel Bridges

Still don't know where to start?   One suggestion for the faint of heart is to try designing a "modern quilt" table runner or place-mat first, rather than an entire quilt. Another suggestion is to design a "modern quilt" to donate to CARES Northwest.

Inspiring Blogs to Check Out

Pam Raby shared some more of her favorite blogs. 
Be sure to click on the blue links to check them out.

This video by Marci Baker from Alicia's Attic
 shows how to do perfect mitered bindings on all angles.

Carrie Bloomston, Such Designs

 

Jeni Baker, In Color Order

 Katie Pederson, Seattle artist - Sew Katie Did


Upcoming Modern Quilting Events 

you won't want to miss

Pacific Northwest Modern Quilt Guild Meet-up - August 15-19This event begins with a picnic in Laurelhurst, followed by mini-classes on Friday, charity and open sewing on Saturday, dinner and a Sunday Brunch.  $25 to Register.

The folks who sponsored QuiltCon in Austin are coming to Portland and sponsoring "SewDown Portland".  A SewDown is all inclusive weekend quilting getaway! A swanky hotel, meals and all workshops are included in the attendance fee. Live it up from Friday through Sunday with four teachers, a full load of workshops and tons of sewing fun! Can't make the entire weekend? Luncheon Lectures will be available too! registration will be open soon.  This event is February 7 to 9 at The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland.

Slide Show of Modern Quilts 
from Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2013
Modern Quilts at Sisters Quilt Show

Show and Tell

Show and Tell from July Meeting

WestSide Modern June Meeting Hi-Lites

The WestSide Modern Club is going strong on the last Wednesday of every month at The Pine Needle.  Quilters young and old gather to hear about new trends in the quilting world and to share their projects.

We had a lively show and tell session in June and the quilts are featured in this slide show.



After the Show-and-Tell, Geri gave us a sneak peek at new fabrics coming in.  New fabrics are made by our tried and true manufacturers.  ("Kanvas" is a division of Benartex, "Dear Stella" is from Timeless Treasures.)

We learned more about our Portland Bridge Challenge - called "Portland Bridges Now".  This will debut at Northwest Quilt Expo in 2014. We were encouraged to walk the bridges- both over and under and be open to what inspires us.

Lastly.... we were given some fabric and challenged to make a 12 1/2" block - "Don't Be Square - Be There"  

Join us for our July Meeting on the 31st to see what blocks we have created.

Hi-Lites from Quilt Market - Portland 2013

In May, the International wholesale quilt market for store owners, pattern and fabric designers, and all industries quilt related came to Portland.  Wow!  What a fabulous show.  We were so inspired by all the new colors, fabrics and designers.  We took loads of pictures and decided that the best way to give you an inside look is to share them in a slide show.  So here we go...

Here's what's coming....

Digital Fabric Printing
A couple of fabric manufacturers have developed a new technique for printing fabric.  Currently, fabric manufacturers can only run a maximum of 18 screens onto fabric.  This limits the number of colors they can have.  With digital fabric printing, virtually thousands of colors are available, AND  the fabric prints the same each and every time.  There will no longer be variations between dye lots.  This will give us greater color consistency and fabric that looks like art prints.  The only downside is that it will be a little bit more expensive.

Texture - Texture - Texture
We saw lots of texture in fabric.  Linen and linen-looks are hot.

Stitching designs
We saw lots of sashiko style stitching lines in fabric.

Color Trends
There's still a lot of bright and bold color.  The solids are fabulous.  They're still rich in color, but a little darker and more classic than the brights we've been seeing this spring.

New on our Bookshelf!
There are loads of new books on their way!  Here are some of our favorites.

100 Modern Quilt Blocks- Tula Pink's City Sampler

This book from Tula Pink really excited us.  You can read more about it and get a sneak peak inside on the Tula Pink website.  Look for a new class/series at The Pine Needle this Fall!!!  

Oh Baby! by Brenda Henning

Modern baby quilts!
Inspired by the modern quilt movement, these lovely small quilts will be a warm hug for children of all ages. Book includes 6 patterns.

Hexa go-go by Tacha Bruecher

Features both modern and traditional designs, including rosettes, diamonds, stars and freeform. Learn how to combine settings with other blocks, as well as how to creatively quilt hexagons. Projects are varied for any level of skill or time commitment - make a few hexagons, make a few more, or make a few hundred!

Liberty Love by Alexia Marcelle Abegg

Fall in Love Again with Liberty. A lovely array of quilts, family apparel, and accessories for your home and wardrobe. Learn how to combinethe popular Liberty Tana Lawn Lines with other fabrics. Full-size templates are included, with graded tissue paper garment patterns.

 Little Girls, big style by Mary Abreu

Every day is dress-up day. Mix and match 4 basic patterns into hundreds of adorable outfits. Complete instructions on all the basics - finishingseams, gathering, topstitching, hemmin, shirring, and more. Beginner friendly approach to sewing "boutique" clothingfor your girls. Make it your own with your favorite fabrics and embellishments.

Modern Neutrals by Amy Ellis 
Best-selling author Amy Ellis has outdone herself with this amazing collection of new blocks and quilts. With her spot on design sense, she show3s how to use neutrals - including large scale prints, solids and tonal fabrics in stunning quilts.

S is for Stitch by Kristyne Czepuryk

Two sets of adorable alphabet-themed embroidery patterns for little girls and boys. Projects include quilts, pillows, soft blocks, and wall art for the nursery. Perfect for beginners - learn basic stitches and tips for combining floss and fabrics.




Hopefully we have whet your appetite for what's coming.  If you'd like even more information about Quilt Market, here is another blog that did an excellent job of covering Quilt Market:  True Up