February Block Lotto — Connemara Flower

two Connemara flower blocks

For our February block, we’re making Connemara flowers! Because these will be turned in at the March meeting, we’re going with an Irish theme for St. Patrick’s Day. Connemara is a beautiful area on the west coast of Ireland in County Galway.

This block uses standard piecing techniques (half square triangles, flying geese). It’s also well suited to the eight-at-a-time half square triangle technique and the four-at-a-time flying geese technique. As usual, please use modern fabric for this block. We’re looking for cheerful, bright spring colors!

Follow Quilting Daily’s tutorial to make your block using the following guidelines:
— The flower should be pink or yellow.  You can use different fabric for the petals and the center if you’d like but they should be the same color.  
— The leaves should be green. You can use two different green fabrics for the leaves if you’d like.
— Background should be white or a white-on-white print.

As a reminder, these blocks will be turned in at the March meeting and the lotto is open only to current, paid members.

many Connemara flower quilt blocks scattered on a table
blocks turned in at the March meeting

January Block Lotto — Leaf/Feather (or Feather/Leaf!)

four feather/leaf blocks

For our January block we’re making leaves! Or feathers! It’s open to interpretation but this is a pretty block that’s super easy to make.

Follow Intrepid Thread’s tutorial using the following guidelines:
— For the actual feather, use low-contrast, coordinating fabrics. We’re looking for a subtle effect here, not high contrast. Refer to the pattern picture and example blocks.
— For the stem, use a dark color.
— For the background, use a fabric that reads as white or white-on-white. These are the snowballed corners of the block.

As a reminder, these blocks will be turned in at the February meeting and the lotto is open only to current, paid members.

several leaf/feather blocks on a table
some block lotto entries turned in for the February meeting

IMQG Mini Challenge!

As part of this year’s exhibit in July, we’re having a mini-challenge in the guild’s colors.

  1. Your challenge quilt can be any shape or size as long as the perimeter is no longer than 84″. For example, that might be a square with 21″ sides, a circle with a diameter of 26.75″, a hexagon with 14″ sides, a 18″ x 24″ rectangle, or anything else with an edge that adds up to 84″ or less.
  2. The color palette is pink, coral, dark teal, light teal, and white, meant to honor our guild’s logo.
  3. You may use as many or as few of these colors as you wish, but you may use ONLY these colors in SOLIDS only. This rule applies to the front of your piece only. Your back can be any fabric you choose.
  4. The challenge is to work within the color limitations and size—the theme of your piece is entirely up to you.
  5. There will be no entry fee or selection process for this challenge. However, you must be a paid member of the guild to participate.  Not a member?  Join here.
  6. You may work with others on this project, but everyone must be a member of the guild.
  7. Your entry must be a quilt: three layers, secured with stitches or ties, and have finished edges.
  8. Please securely LABEL your entry on the back with your name and phone number. While we do not forbid it, we highly suggest not using a paper label as paper tears and these pieces will get handled during the setup and tear-down process.
  9. Your challenge quilt is due by the June meeting. Please bring your challenge quilt to the IMQG meeting, send it with another member, or coordinate another arrangement with Sacha Brady. Please ensure that it is easy to associate your quilt with you by attaching a label to the back with (at least) your name.
  10. All challenge quilts that meet the guidelines will automatically be eligible for display at IMQG Exhibition 2020, pending final approval by Garfield Park Arts Center.
Color Fabric Suggestions
Pink Free Spirit Calypso or Kona K001-1295 Pomegranate
Coral Tula Pink Designer Essentials in Persimmon or Kona K001-185 CREAMSICLE
Dark Teal RJR Cotton Supreme Solids in Schooner, Free Spirit Spruce in CT bundle or Kona K001-1183 JADE GREEN
Light Teal Free Spirit Gulf Stream or Kona K001-1061 CANDY GREEN
White Free Spirit Arctic White or Kona K001-1387 WHITE

These specific fabrics are suggestions meant to be helpful not requirements.