OFFICER TEAM
Congratulations to our newly elected officer team!  The officers were unanimously approved by the guild members present at the meeting.  Maggie Aisenbrey motioned to approve them and Nikki McDonald seconded.  You can look forward to the following people serving as our guild leaders for the next year starting in March:
  • Laura Capello, President
  • Denise Bane, Vice President
  • Lesley Latham, Treasurer
  • Kate Walz, Secretary
  • Laura Herron, Tech Coordinator
CHALLENGES
The Kansas City Arts Challenge was announced at Thursday’s meeting.  The details of this challenge are:
  • Create a quilt inspired by one of the following KC arts venues (there is a PDF with photographs of each venue attached to this email): 
    • Union Station
    • 18th & Vine/Jazz Museum
    • WWI Museum/Liberty Memorial
    • Nelson Atkins /Kemper Art Museums
    • Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts 
    • Bartle Hall
  • There is a maximum of 10 people allowed per venue.  
  • Measurements of the finished quilt must be:
    • Height: 24″ – 60″
    • Width: 24″ – 45″
  • Deadline for the challenge is the April guild meeting.  
  • If you have questions or would like to sign up for the KC Arts Challenge, you can email Karen Hansen at [email protected] or Mary Kay Fosnacht at [email protected].  
SWAPS
I-70 Swap
The Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild is partnering with members of the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild to create the I-70 swap.  Each participant is to create one quilt block to turn in at the March 10th KCMQG meeting.  Blocks should be between 8: – 12″ and should contain some of your favorite fabrics and style.  The block you supply will be shipped to the STLMQG for one of the members there to create your finished project.  You will receive your partner’s block during the April 14th KCMQG meeting.  Your finished project will be collected at the June guild meeting and the project reveal will occur at the August meeting.  
After receiving your partner’s block in April, you’ll use it one of the following complete projects that will be collected at the June guild meeting:
  • Tote
  • Pillow Cover
  • Table Topper / Table Runner
  • Wall Hanging / Mini Quilt
  • Tablet Cover / Book Cover
  • Surprise Me
If you’d like to participate in this swap, you’ll need to complete and/or bring these things to the March guild meeting:
Contact Nicole Moore with questions at [email protected].

WORKSHOPS
An email went out on Friday regarding our next upcoming workshops.  In April, Heather Jones will be our guest speaker and she’ll be holding two workshops; one on Friday and one on Saturday.  
Workshop 1: Marrakech: Large Scale Piecing
Looking for a project to showcase your favorite prints?  This is it.  In this workshop, you’ll use Heather’s Marrakech quilt to learn the technique of creating “stitch and flip” components to build large scale sections of the pattern that are the perfect place to focus on large prints.  You will also learn how to successfully manage large cuts of fabric and pattern pieces, in addition to tips and tricks on fabric selection, cutting, and construction methods for working in this manner.  A discussion of the roots of large scale piecing, the effect of reducing design elements, and the simplification of the overall design of a quilt will also be included.  Note: This project works beautifully with solid fabrics as wells as prints.  
Students will learn how to increase the scale of quilt blocks using graph paper and simple math, how to manage large cuts of fabric and large pattern pieces, how to work with large areas of negative space, and cutting and construction methods for working in this manner.  

Workshop will be held Friday, April 15th, 10am – 4:30pm (with 30 minutes for lunch) at Roeland Park Community Center, Room 6.  Cost is $85.  Students will need to purchase the pattern separately from Heather for $10.  
Supplies needed are:
  • Fabric 1: 1/2 yard (navy floral)
  • Fabric 2: 1/4 yard (coral floral)
  • Fabric 3: 1 yard (lavender floral)
  • Fabric 4: 1 yard (aqua print)
  • Fabric 5: 3/4 yard (blue geometric)
  • Fabric 6: 1/2 yard (blue floral)
  • Fabric 7: 5 yards (for background and borders)
  • Sewing machine, coordinating thrad, pins, basic sewing supplies, 6″ x 24″  quilting ruler, rotary cutter, cutting mat, marking tool, blue painters tape or masking tape, permanent marker
  • To finish the quilt (outside of class) you will need: 5 yards of backing fabric, 5/8 yards of binding fabric, full sized batting

Workshop 2: Speak Easy: Building Patchwork Letters
In this workshop, learn how to create patchwork letters to spell out anything you’d like.  Using Heather’s West Chester pattern form bok, “Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday,” and the supplemental letters only available in this class, you will learn how to work with small pieces of fabric without the need for foundation piecing to create an entire alphabet and set of numerals.  We will also discuss how to incorporate negative space in your design to create a finished quilt top.  
Students will learn how to work with small pieces of fabric without the need for foundation piecing, to create precisely pieced strips, and how to work with negative spaces as a design element.  
Workshop will be held Saturday, April 16th, 10am – 4:30pm (with 30 minutes for lunch) at Roeland Park Community Center, Room 6.  Cost is $85.  Students will need to purchase Heather’s book Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday and there will also be a $5 fee (paid to Heather at the workshop) for a supplemental pattern.  The guild will provide information closer to the meeting date if the book will available to sell at the meeting.  

Supplies needed are:
  • Fabric for letters: 1 yard (solid, print, or a combination of the two)
  • Fabric for the background: 2 yards (solids)
  • Sewing machine, coordinating thrad, pins, basic sewing supplies, 6″ x 24″  quilting ruler, rotary cutter, cutting mat, marking tool, blue painters tape or masking tape, permanent marker
  • Note: More of both fabrics may be needed to finish the quilt after class.

RETREATS
Quilt Non
Saturday, February 20, 2016, 9am – 5:30pm at Sarah’s Fabrics in Lawrence, KS.  
This retreat is currently full.  To get on the wait list, fill out the form here.

Spring Retreat
April 8-10, 2016 at Missouri Star Quilt Company in Hamilton, Missouri.  
Cost is $180 for a twin bed or $225 for a queen bed.  Queen beds will not be shared this year.  
Breakfast and Friday night dinner are included.  Lunches and Saturday night dinner are on your own.  
This retreat is currently full.  To get on the wait list, fill out the form here.


CAMP COURAGE
Some of our guild  members worked together to create a charity quilt prior to the QuiltCon in 2015.  One of our guild members, Janet Woodward, is the director of a summer camp for adults with special needs called Camp Courage.  They’ll be using the quilt as part of their fundraiser to be held on March  5th (6-8pm at the Community of Christ Building, 7842 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208) to help fund this year’s camp.  Janet spoke a little bit about her organization and the wonderful things they do with the campers for 4 days and 3 nights in June at our meeting, but if you’d like to read more about Camp Courage and the things they offer, visit their website.


UPCOMING
2/20: Quilt Non at Sarah’s in Lawrence.  9am – 5:30pm.

3/10: Monthly KCMQG meeting at 7pm.  Program is “Get to Know Your Guild”.  
Location: Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Roseland Drive, Roeland Park, KS 66205

4/8-4/10: Spring retreat at Missouri Star Quilt Co.  
4/14: Monthly KCMQG meeting at 7pm.  Heather Jones will be our guest speaker.  
Location: Kauffman Foundation Conference Center, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110

4/15:  Marrakech: Large Scale Piecing at Roeland Park Community Center, Room 6 from 10 – 4:30.

4/16: Speak Easy: Building Patchwork Letters at Roeland Park Community Center, Room 6 from 10 – 4:30.

5/12: Monthly KCMQG meeting at 7pm.  Guest speaker is Kristen Shuler of Hey Paul Studios is our guest speaker.  
Location: Kauffman Foundation Conference Center, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110

Check out the online calendar of events for more upcoming activities.


For those of our members heading to Pasadena next week for QuiltCon, we hope you have a fabulous time.  Be sure to make note of our meeting location changing back to Roeland Park Community Center in March.  Because we’ll be back in Roeland Park next month, treats can be shared.  There won’t be any sign-ups sent out for treats, but if you’d like to bring something to share, feel free!