Welcome new members! I’m so excited to see all the new faces at our meetings and even at Zoom Drop-in Sew. We do our best to welcome everyone whether you are new to quilting, an experienced quilter, or somewhere in between. We are so glad that you have found us.
This month we are celebrating our 7th Birthday. Our June meeting will be a hybrid meeting (in person at Arlington Library and on Zoom) with guest speaker, Sheila Frampton Cooper speaking to us via zoom. Sheila will also teach a2-half-day class via Zoom on July 3rd and 10th, and we will join from our own sewing rooms. Remember to sign up early, as the class is limited to the first 20 quilters. The price is $45 for guild members and $55 for non-members.
It is hard to believe that we are already in May, 2022. Wasn’t QuiltCon just a few weeks ago? What a great turn-out of IEMQG members we had, and I’m already looking forward to next February 22-26, 2023 when we meet in Atlanta.
Speaking of QuiltCon 2023, be on the lookout for email from the MQG with a schedule of classes, lectures and sign-up dates. There will be a separate email regarding hotel reservations. The MQG block of rooms sells out quickly, so now is the time to start planning.
May Meeting Recap
Our May meeting was in person at the Lake Mathews Community Center where we were able to share ideas for up-cycling our left over quilt blocks (orphan blocks) and even swap a few blocks. Our talented members shared bags, pouches, rug mugs, pin cushions, pillow tops and even quilts made with left over blocks. Members also brought their left over blocks to the meeting for adoption by others who left the meeting inspired to give the adopted orphan blocks new life. It will be fun to see what members do with their adopted blocks. Maybe we’ll see some get turned in to Sew Powerful Purses! Go to www.sewpowerful.org to learn more about how these purses keep African girls in school! Give your finished purse to Laura Green before our August meeting.
Announcements
We need volunteers to help sell Opportunity Quilt tickets at the Long Beach International Quilt Festival August 4th – 6th. Email us at iemodernquiltguild@iemqguild.com
Don’t miss our Retreat on November 7th-10th at Vina De Lestonnac, $100 reserves your spot. Total cost is $410 for four nights and all meals.
Join our 12 x 12 Challenge! learn more at 6 pm before Drop-in Sew.
Please consider making a Sew Powerful Purse for African girls. These easy-to make purses keep girls in school! Get the free pattern and see how important these purses are at www.sewpowerful.org Finished purses can be given to Laura Green for delivery.
Submit your MQG Make-a Difference Challenge quilts by August 8th. Go to the MQG Website for all the details. This year the theme is OCEANS to support Oceana, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the worlds oceans on a global Scale.
Keep an eye on your email for QuiltCon announcements from the MQG!
What a great turn out we had at QuiltCon last month. IEMQG members who attended QuiltCon totaled nearly 20. Not at all bad for a small guild. We were spread out in many different hotels, but that didn’t stop us from having several meals together with lots of laughter and hugs too.
Several of our board members helped to make 25 masks with our IEMQG logo. Surprising that we were the only guild with custom masks. We had several compliments on how unique they were and even a request to purchase one. The keynote speaker, Latifah Saafir was spotted wearing one after her keynote speech. For those of you unable to attend, we will have them available for all 2022 members at our in person events. For those of you unable to attend, we will mail them.
Next year QuiltCon will beheld at the Atlanta Convention Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 23-26, 2023. Keynote Speaker will be Chawne Kimber. All 2022 members will receive information via emails from MQG in the next few months about classes, lectures and hotels. It is never too early to make plans to attend. Trust me, we will have fun.
QuiltCon 2024 will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina. The exact dates have yet to be announced.
A special thank you to Lynn Hanna, Patti Reyes, and Kelley Bachli for their work on designing and quilting our 2022 Challenge Quilt. There were several very nice quilts, but none of them compared to the one from IEMQG. A few people stopped and asked me about our quilt and said they thought it was great and loved the custom quilting. We will have it back soon and will bring it to our in person events until it is sold or donated.
IEMQG Members at QuiltCon with IEMQG Community Challenge Quilt
Patti Reyes found Lynn Hanna’s quilt at QuiltCon. It was on display at the SAQA booth
QuiltCon Winners
Best in ShowBest Piecing and People’s ChoiceBest in Show: “2020 Vision” by Hillary Goodwin. Best Piecing and People’s Choice Award:”Pride and Joy” by Veruschka Zarate
Best Machine QuiltingQuilting Excellence Award WinnerBest Machine Quilting: “Aroha” a Group Quilt quilted by Christine Perrigo. Quilting Excellence Award Winner: “The Jinx” by Danielle Robbins
Special Exhibit
As the 2022 Keynote Speaker, Latifah Saafir Received standing ovations before and after her speech. Her lecture, “Finding My Creative Identity: Standing tall as a Quilter” encouraged us all to find and be true to our inner artist. Latifah’s quilts were featured in a special exhibit at Quiltcon, and while she is well known for her glorious curves, clean lines and bright colors, the quilt shown above was certainly a show stopper. The raised fist evolves from a traditional log cabin block symbolizing strength and structure. It was made from the worn jeans of Steven Taylor, a 33 year old black man who was killed by a police officer just 40 seconds after entering a Walmart in San Leandro, California. Latifah volunteered to make quilts from his clothing for his loved ones. In addition to this quilt, she made three more quilts from Steven’s clothing to comfort his family.
Save the Date!
February 28th – Drop in Sew from 7 pm to 9 pm
March 5th – General Meeting via Zoom: Hobbs Batting
A lot of people make the statement “I’m so glad this year is over!” But what’s different on January first? Changing our hearts and attitudes toward focusing on others instead of ourselves is what will make a difference. I guess I’m still a Hippy at heart – peace and love are where it’s at!
And, even after almost non-stop sewing all year, I don’t feel like I’ve made much of a dent in my UFO’s! I’m trying to get better at documenting my finished projects, but I think it’s a losing battle! How are all of you doing in that department? Better, I hope! One thing I can say is that I’ve been consistent about putting labels on finished projects. Generations to come will want to know who made these amazing quilts!
Well, we’re getting ready for our first in-person meeting – our annual Christmas party! It should be lots of fun and I know Laura has some surprises up her sleeve! The Temecula retreat a few weeks ago was AMAZING and it felt really good to see people in person! I don’t feel like I’ve had a chance to get to know a lot of the membership this past year, but it was wonderful to be able to have one-on-one conversations at the retreat. We have some very talented and inspiring members in this Guild who are willing to share their knowledge and resources. Just sitting off to the side and listening to everyone sharing tips and tricks, helping each other with problems, sharing supplies and their expertise was heartwarming!
This will be my last month as President and I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Board and chairpersons for their help and guidance during my tenure and encourage all of you to step up and volunteer in some capacity this next year. The Guild is only as good as we make it!
See you at the party – don’t forget to wear your favorite holiday sweater!!
Greetings, fellow quilters! With the weather we’ve had the last few days, it looks like fall could be just around the corner! Where did this year go!!?? Time flies when you’re having fun, and the IEMQG has plenty of fun to offer!
The Vina de Lestonnac Retreat is just around the corner in November – fall in wine country is beautiful! Can’t wait! Berene introduced us to a fun swap project at our last meeting. Laura is asking for a few more people to join in – looks like fun! Then, several of us are participating in the QuiltCon Group Challenge blocks – we’ll be laying out the blocks and putting it together at the retreat in November. It was a super simple string technique triangle with fabric provided – easy peasy! The Churn Dash /Alternate Grid Challenge is due the Wednesday before the October meeting – I’m having some trouble with this one – anyone else?? Tune into the next Zoom Sit and Sew to get some direction on this, if you need it. Our next Meet and Eat is at the Casa Blanca Library on September 18th in their outside area. The time has been changed to hopefully beat the heat – 9am – 1pm. The address is 2985 Madison St. in Riverside.
Whew! No wonder time is flying by! We are busy, busy, busy! I know I have a lot of my own projects thrown in there – there’s always a UFO lurking in the background wanting some attention!
I hear several people are attending QuiltCon – February 16 – 20, 2022 in Phoenix. Some have signed up for classes already – I’m sure it’s not too late to make plans to go!
FYI – We’re hoping to be meeting in person for our December 4th meeting – stay tuned for updates and location.
I pray you’re all staying safe and healthy and keeping busy at your sewing machine!
Spring has sprung! (Or maybe we’ve already skipped spring and headed right into summer!) Either way, it’s beautiful outside and I’m having a hard time staying inside to sew!
Our membership is growing and one thing nice to come out the Covid experience is that even though some of our members have moved out of the area they can still join us for our meetings and drop-in sew nights on Zoom! Ah, technology (I’ll still be happier when we can meet in person)!
I’d like to say a BIG “Thank You” to all the Board members who have gone above and beyond! Laura, keeping our interesting program options running smoothly; Candy, taking care of our finances; Becky, for keeping the Members’ Corner up to date and sending updates to our membership; Lynn, for keeping our records accurate and doing a fantastic job on the “What is a Modern Quilt” series; Patti, for taking care of social media; Kim, for taking care of new members and the roster; and Gayle, for organizing our Opportunity Quilt and all the charity quilts / pillowcases for the House of Ruth. BRAVO!!!
Our November retreat at Vina de Lestonnac in Temecula is now full, but have started a wait list in the event spots opens up. Payment of the balance will be due by the September meeting at which time we’ll send out more details about the retreat.
We’ve got some great speakers and workshops coming up as well as our Member University later in the year. If you have a skill, technique or little trick of the trade you’d like to share, please let us know!
Hello there quilters! I hope everyone is weathering Quarantine Quilting. About a month ago I came to the realization that no matter how you are experiencing the Corona Virus it was all stressful. Stressful to be home, stressful to be in the work place. We’re all dealing with anxiety and either way it feels isolating and there doesn’t seem to be any especially good way to get through it. We just are. I won’t pretend; it’s been hard for me as I’ve continued to work and I admit I adopted a bit of a ‘head in the sand’ coping mechanism. I need to express my thanks our board members and committee people who have carried on with their guild duties. I appreciate their efforts.
As quilters we have inner resources that likely made this experience more bearable. For myself I can definitely say that the peace of my quilting and sewing are a vital part of how I’ve coped. The sanctuary of my sewing room after work and on the weekends has probably kept me saner than I otherwise would have been.
At this point we are looking forward to a regular meeting in August: hopefully, we will be cleared to hold meetings by the State of California. We are also waiting for news about the Riverside Main Library branch location since they will be preparing to move to the new building in the near future. Have a look at the design of the building located at 3911 University Ave, Riverside here: https://www.johnsonfavaro.com/riverside-main-library We’re excited about the new facility, but it’s tentative when our first meeting there will be available. It’s likely that we’ll take advantage of one of the other library facilities in the meantime. Stand by for news of our August meeting as it becomes available. If you haven’t joined us on Facebook or Instagram they are both good sources of quick updates, along with the website/blog.
We are all looking forward to getting together! Take care of yourselves and we’ll see you soon. Gayle
And now, updates from our Guild Board Members
First up is Judy Racine, of Membership:
Hi everyone! We now have 46 IEMQG members. We are really sad to see Jennifer Adams and Simone Bradford leave our group as they are both moving out of the area. They’ll be so missed!
I was trying to think of a gift I could give you all and decided on this recipe that I found, and then modified from 365daysofcrockpot.com. (spoiler: there is nothing healthy about this!) I know we are passing out of soup season, but if you’re ever in the mood for Marie Calender’s Potato Cheese soup, this is the recipe for you:
CopyCat Marie Calender’s Potato Cheese Soup
32 oz. chicken broth (one box) 6½ cups potatoes (6-7 cups), peeled and 1/4 inch sliced ½ cup white onion diced 1½ cups celery diced (JR: I added 1 tsp. of garlic and a couple TBS of butter at the beginning) 16 oz. Velveeta cheese (this is the smaller box) 8 oz. sharp cheese grated (do not buy pre-shredded or it won’t melt well)
Add the chicken broth, potatoes, onion, and celery to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours (Cook’s Note: You can also simmer this on the lowest heat on the stove keeping an eye on it – turning it off a couple times to simmer ~ 4 hours since my husband moved my crock pot to the garage and now he can’t find it!)
At the end, cut the Velveeta into small cubes, add that and the shredded sharp cheddar to the slow cooker, stir gently until the cheese melts. (Some potatoes will break apart, this is ok because it will help thicken the soup.)
Taste, then add salt and pepper to your liking.
My mom is a great cook and she told me it was better than Marie Calender’s, so — there’s that! Hoping to see you all soon!
Candy Scott, Treasurer:
All finances are accounted for, checks and cash from our last meeting has been deposited. We also have a balance in our checking account, with no bills outstanding.
On a more personal note, like many people, I spent the first two days of quarantine just researching various face mask patterns. Fortunately, I had ordered elastic from a wholesaler in L.A. before many people realized there was going to be a shortage. To make it interesting I used fabric with sports, music, food, or animals, etc. Whether we made just one for ourselves, or 100 or more for front line and first responders, family or friends, we are all doing something to help flatten the curve. Thank you. Now I’m taking a break from mask making and working on a couple of baby quilts.
Elizabeth Eastmond, Communications Chair:
I have been busy behind the scenes, smoothing out the migration of our Guild’s Website. Hopefully, you didn’t notice a thing (but I also need to say a thank you to my son, Peter, who made all the difference). We are also attempting to get your email notification sign-ups transferred, but until we do, we’ll send out links via a blast email. Please make sure your email address is up-to-date, by contacting us at iemodernquiltguild@gmail.com if it is not.
Kelley, my assistant, is busy keeping Facebook and Instagram up to date. You can see either of those, by clicking on the links to the upper right. I appreciate all the work she does to keep those social media accounts running smoothly! If you have any concerns about this blog, or other communication issues, please don’t hesitate to drop me an email. We check our Guild’s inbox weekly, and will reply to you as quickly as we can.
Like others, I find it hard to concentrate during this time of COVID-19, but have been working on my Sawtooth Star quilts. Here’s a couple of pictures of the quilts in progress. I hope you’ll send us pictures of your finished quilts, so we can put them here up on the blog. Our next Guild deadline of May 25th is coming up quickly for our Urban Challenge (see below for more details).
But after that, we would like to feature your quilts in June and July. As I receive your photos, I’ll post them up. Please take a well-lit picture of your quilt, and include the following information:
• Quilt Name/Title and dimensions (can either include the measurements, or a rough approximation such as “baby quilt” or “lap quilt” or “queen-sized bed quilt” etc.) • Quilter’s full name • Origin of Quilt Design (original design, variation on an existing block, pattern, etc.) • A Few Details about what you want to say about it. This might include some construction details or things you struggled over, or things at which you were successful. It might also include what prompted you to make it, or who it is for. Pretend you are standing in front of us at our Guild Meetings, and give us the quilt’s biography. We’d love to hear it! (We’ll edit them for clarity and punctuation.)
Laura Greene and Becky Brekke, Program Chairs:
Although we aren’t having everyone-altogether-meetings, we are hard at work at figuring out how to get together. The Modern Quilt Guild (National) has made available time slots for local guilds to schedule Zoom meetings.
Please mark these dates and deadlines on your calendar: May 25, 2020: Urban Quilt Challenge deadline pictures due. Please see above for what to include. June 13, Saturday at 2 p.m. (MQG didn’t have the first week available) — We will get to talk about our Urban Quilt Challenge and other Show and Share. To do show and share, we ask that you email pictures of your quilts ahead of time; we’ll put them in a document and share them with you at that time. When it’s your turn to talk about your quilt, please use the suggested outline above. We will have a raffle for those who attend. A few days before our meeting, you will be emailed a link to click on to attend the Zoom meeting. June 14, 2020: It’s Flag Day!! Email us pictures of any patriotic quilts you have made. We’ll post those throughout June and July, as well as any Show and Share Quilts you want to send us. See above for what to include. July 4th–Happy Independence Day! (no meeting) July 29, 2020: We’re getting ready for our Zoom Meeting on August 1st, so send us your Show and Share Quilts, along with the information above (in the green box). August 1, Saturday at 2 p.m. — We will have a Powerpoint presentation by Laura Greene called “My Best Binding.” Show and Share is also encouraged; details on this to follow. We will have a raffle for those who attend. You will be emailed a link to click on to attend.
A reminder:
The Urban Quilt Challenge is due by May 25th. Just email a picture of your quilt to iemodernquiltguild@gmail.com. Quilts will be posted on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog beginning June 1. We will have two prizes; one for Participation and one for the Board’s Choice Award. Just to get you going, here are some pictures of two different Urban Challenge Quilts in Progress:
Notice that blue fabric? That’s “Lapis” by Paintbrush Studio, in their Painter’s Palette line of solids, if you need more. We handed out squares of it early this spring, and this is the common link between our quilts. That, and the fact that our theme is Urban. More information can be found in an earlier post on our blog, and we also have a Mood Board slideshow for you to see. The deadline is in just 13 days, but you can do this! Remember that these are smaller quilts, with the largest greatest measurement of any side finishing at 24.” So go dig out that square, and start creating.
Simone Bradford, Block Lotto:
We are moving to Sacramento this summer, having just sold our house. My husband is being transferred to a new area. I’ve enjoyed being your Block Lotto Chairperson, and hope you’ve enjoyed creating new blocks every other month. The blocks reside here, on this blog, and also on my blog, Simone Bradford. I will miss you all!
Lastly, a note from our outgoing Secretary, Jennifer Adams:
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” This quote by Elizabeth Andrew is one of my favorite quotes and is certainly relevant in my personal life, particularly as it relates my tenure the past two and a half years in our guild. I have been honored to serve as an Executive Board member for nearly my full membership in our guild. An experience that I have found both personally and professionally rewarding. I stepped into my first role as VP of Communications at my second meeting. This past year I have served as your Secretary.
Being intimately involved in our guild’s leadership operations provided me with an opportunity to shape our path as well as develop new skills along the way. One of my greatest accomplishments early on was learning how to revamp our guild’s website to meet the growing needs of our membership. While I have some general computer skills (and am lucky enough to be married to a software developer) I had never designed a website let alone managed a blog. The reigns of my former role now reside with the tremendously talented Elizabeth Eastmond as she continues to develop our website even more for our members. Beyond that, I got to see firsthand how important social media, both Instagram and Facebook, serve to help solidify relationships both near and far in the modern quilting world. Considering how isolated we are all right now, those virtual connections are even more important.
I really believe that while this global pandemic has changed the fabric of our world forever; leaving patches of goodness for us to all rebuild – one ‘block’ or ‘piece’ at a time. As I leave my role as your Secretary with my upcoming move out of California, I would encourage everyone to feel invested in our guild and remain connected. Reach out on Facebook with a current project you are working on or see how you can help with the guild’s operations as we move forward in our ‘new normal’. As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Stay Safe and Quilt On!
We’ll let our President have the last say:
We are in need of volunteers to help keep our Guild running smoothly, especially at this time. We are in need of a Secretary, a Fundraising Chairperson, and a Charity Chairperson. As Jennifer put it so wonderfully, invest in our guild and remain connected. We need you! If you can give a few hours of your time per month, please contact me, Gayle, at iemodernquiltguild@gmail.com. Thank you.
The IEMQG will start the new year with a special speaker Latifah Saafir. A talented quilter, pattern creator and designer of fabric, Latifah will present her lecture “How Many Ways to Sew a Curve.” If you’re like me and have never attempted a curve, or if you are curve expert, I’m sure she’ll have valuable tips and information. The January meeting will take place on Saturday January 4, 2020. Doors open by 1:30 PM and the meeting begins at 2:00 PM. The location is the Riverside Main City Library at 3581 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside. There is a $5.00 guest fee for non members. Please spread the word and bring a guest and come enjoy her presentation. Latifah will bring a pop-up shop for our shopping pleasure.
Road to California begins on Wednesday night January 21, 2020 with Preview Night, the entire show runs Thursday through Sunday, January 22 to 26, 2020. We are excited to see our guild’s forty-four quilts hanging in the atrium this year! If you have submitted a quilt for this exhibit please remember to add your four -inch hanging sleeve and a label on the back with Your Name, Quilt Name, and your Phone Number. (Tutorial for sleeve is on our website under “Tutorials.”) We will be collecting quilts at the January guild meeting and also making arrangements to collect them afterwards. Please be sure that you have turned in your quilt to me by Sunday January 12th so that they can all be delivered on time. All 44 quilts must be delivered together.
Last year the IEMQG won the $500 prize for the attendance challenge in the smaller guild category. Remember to register this year when you attend, it would be great to be the winner again! Of course, classes begin on Monday January 20th for those registered. Are you taking any classes? For lots of information on Road To California check out the blog, https://www.road2ca.com/blog/home/ , or follow them on Facebook at Road to California Quilters Conference & Showcase.
In January we will install our Executive Board for 2020. We are as follows:
President – Gayle Bennett
VPs of Programs – Becky Brekke and Laura Greene
VP of Communications – Elizabeth Eastmond
Treasurer – Candy Scott
Secretary – Jennifer Adams
Currently in Chairperson positions:
Membership Chair – Judy Racine
Hostess – Pat Klassen
Block Lotto – Simone Bradford
We have an opening for Charity Chairperson
Volunteering for the guild is a great way to get to know more of your fellow guild members. You don’t need to commit to a big job, we can always use your help.
We have a great year planned with three speakers, instructional presentations, and a new twist on the Ugly Fabric Challenge that was such interactive fun. There is a Sit and Sew planned for January at Quilters Cocoon quilt shop, more information to follow soon. The meeting space at the Riverside Main Library is working well and we’ve developed our backup plans for other library locations as needed. We are excited to see what the new Main Library will have to offer; I understand a parking structure adjacent is part of that plan.
Thank you especially to the board and volunteers that have helped me navigate this year as president and contributed their time and effort to the guild. Thank you to all of our members for being part of IEMQG and making us the guild that we are.
As we enjoy this holiday season, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah Sameach, Happy Solstice, and any other observation, or combination of, that has meaning to you.
Inland Empire Modern Quilt Guild 
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