Thirty-four people, including four visitors and one new member, met at the New Life Christian Church in Wildwood for the March 8 meeting of the Central Florida Modern Quilt Guild.
President Rosemary V welcomed everyone and provided her monthly reminder of our Purpose Statement:
“The Guild supports and encourages the growth and development of modern quilting through art, education, and community.”
Membership Chair Dee A welcomed our five visitors, several of whom joined or began the process of joining our chapter at the meeting.
Rosemary V previewed our upcoming programs:
- April 12 meeting – QuiltCon 2025 Review by those who attended QuiltCon 2025
- May – no meeting (Retreat instead)
- June 14 meeting – Kick Out Your Inner Critic with Bea Byrne
Upcoming workshops:
- April 12 (during regular meeting) – Carol W will explain how to make a postcard for our postcard swap with the South Florida MQG, to be mailed July 1. (Signup link; supply list; instructions.)
Vice President Linda H reminded everyone about the Piecing Palooza online workshop on March 20. Recordings will be accessible online if you are unable to participate on March 20, but you must be registered prior to this date to gain access. Cindy Grisdela has shared a $20 off discount code, pp25cindy.
Linda also pointed out that MQG members may log in to view this year’s QuiltCon quilts. Viewing is available until March 31. Those who have joined our Discord server received a preview from our members at QuiltCon!
Media Coordinator Courtney S has linked everyone’s photo to the membership spreadsheet in the Members Only section of the website. She is missing photos for our newest members, and some people may wish to have an updated photo.
Courtney also reminded everyone that Discord is an opportunity for our members to interact outside of meetings. About half of our members have joined so far! Discord is a messenger platform that can be used as an app on a phone or tablet, or on a webpage on the computer. There are two main steps to joining. First, you’ll need to sign up for a Discord account. Then, you’ll need an invitation to our server, which can be found near the top of the Members Only page. Once you accept the invitation by clicking on the link, you’ll soon receive permission to see the Members Only content in Discord. If this all sounds too complicated, before or after a meeting or the April sew-in are great opportunities to get in-person help!
Rosemary V explained our upcoming Executive Committee election. There is a change to the election this year. Rather than continue to elect an entire Committee every two years, elections will be staggered so that there are always experienced Executive Committee members to ease transitions. This year, we will elect President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Program Coordinator to two-year terms. The current Vice President, Media Coordinator, and Workshop Coordinator will continue to serve, and elections for these positions will be held next year. Voting will be electronic – keep an eye out for an email from Rosemary V. Votes must be cast no later than March 15.
Sew-In Coordinators Beth S and Donna P explained that no in-person sew-in will be held in March, because the Belleview Public Library was not available. However, we will have a virtual sew-in on March 22 from 10 am to 1 pm. An email link for this will also be sent out. Because of time constraints, there will not be a discussion topic. On April 26, we will return to our regular sew-in format in person at the Belleview Public Library. The April 26 discussion topic is Technology, so come prepared with questions about Instagram, Discord, or any other technology you’d like help with! Lunch on April 26 will be tea sandwiches. Signups will begin with the April newsletter.
Librarians Karen T and Mary T shared that the CFMQG Library has lots of material related to today’s program topic, Modern Traditionalism. This includes instructions for learning to put a modern twist on traditional quilting and exercises to practice. They also shared that Mary T will be stepping down as a librarian. Peggy L immediately volunteered to step in. Thanks to Mary for all her work and to Peggy for her willingness to serve!
Retreat Coordinator Patti R discussed retreat, coming up May 9-12 at Luther Springs in Hawthorne. The cost, which includes a room for four nights and meals, is $260 for a shared room or $320 for a single room. If you wish to attend and did not pay at the meeting, you’ll need to send a check to Patti (see information on the Registration form.)
Retreat forms:
Patti is also organizing a Sleep at Home retreat for us at the Salvation Army in Lecanto. The retreat would be November 13-15 from 8:30 am to 4 pm each day, with participants returning home in the evening. Patti has submitted an application for this, so stay tuned.
Please use #pickadecadechallenge if you are participating in the Designing Through the Decades 2025 challenge and share anything on social media.
Congratulations to all the winners of YLI Threads gift cards! Winners were chosen by random drawing and received emails about their gift cards.
This month’s Tenet ‘n Techniques topic was Negative Space. Several people brought examples and there was discussion of what negative space is.
Show and Tell
Judy D shared Rainbow Swirl, measuring 47″ x 47″ and made from a pattern by Destiny Dusosky. The colorful fabric Judy used has a bubble pattern, and she chose to carry this over into the background with a bubble quilting design and rainbow variegated thread. She also created a seamed binding that matches both the front and back of the quilt. This quilt was longarm quilted by Lynne T.
Karen E @sunrayatplay shared her 50″ x 70″ quilt made from the Blue Onion pattern by Saginaw Street Quilts. Karen used the Creative Grids oval ruler for this quilt and she spiral quilted it on her Janome 9450. She chose the location for her spiral using the Rule of Thirds.
Karen T @yorkie3mom shared Tula Pink’s City Sampler, a 76″ x 76″ quilt made using Tula’s 100 Modern Quilt Blocks book. Karen quilted this on her Janome 9450.
Gwen F @flaquiltz created Here’s Looking At You, a 21 x 21″ improv quilt that was the result of two workshops with Cindy Grisdela. Gwen quilted this on her Bernina 750. This quilt won 3rd place in the Visiting Artist Category at QGOTV’s Showcase of Quilts 2025.
Linda H @flourishingpalms created Party Time! This quilt measures 64″ x 69″ and was also inspired by two workshops with Cindy Grisdela, Fearless Curved Piecing and Fabulous Freehand Curves. She quilted it on her Bernina 770 QE.
Program
Linda T presented the program, Modernizing a Traditional Quilt Design. The program began with a video from the MQG Resource Library, On Demand Education: Modern Traditionalism by Holly Clarke. After the video, Linda showed photos of quilts and led a discussion about how the designers transformed traditional elements into modern quilts. Linda also created two example quilts, a traditional quilt and a modern interpretation using the same block.
Reminders
- March 22 – VIRTUAL sew-in 10 am to 1 pm via Zoom
- April 12 meeting – QuiltCon 2025 Review by those who attended QuiltCon 2025
centralfloridamqg.org 