A Happy Zombie Halloween at PMQG

Zombies and Halloween go together like pins and pincushions, so The Happy Zombie was the perfect choice for an October presentation to PMQG.  Of course, a little sustenance for our favorite zombie before the meeting seemed appropriate as 43 members settled in for an evening of fun, friends, fabric and inspiration!

Sweets and liquid courage supplied by Jen.

NEWS ABOUT DUES

After new members and visitors were welcomed, Program Chair, Cherri Langley, announced that dues of $25 per year would start in January 2011.  Meetings will remain free; however, benefits of being a dues-paying member will include such perks as free all day sewing days, a mention in the blog sidebar, and discounts at fabric shops.  The dues will help fund special events (e.g., bringing in out-of-state speakers for workshops/trunk shows), paying national Modern Quilt Guild dues, etc.  Although the dues go into effect in January 2011, members may submit dues to Tamara (PMQG Treasurer) at the November meeting.

TEN MINUTE TUTE

Michelle provided a Ten Minute Tute with an organizational theme.  Michelle does a lot of sewing in addition to quilting and came up with a system to organize the many different types of needles that she uses.  She uses notecards in a decorative box to keep the needles organized and handy.  Any needle still in use is stuck through the little piece of gray felt (appropriately enough for October, the felt is leftover from a previous year's Halloween costume).   For more information on types of needles and when to change them, Michelle provided these links:
Sewing Machine Needle Overview:
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3752/sewing-machine-needles-an-overview
Machine Needle Overview:
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3751/machine-needle-know-how

Michelle also showed a beautiful binder that she uses for other sewing organizational and reference purposes, including a stitch sampler, pocket for her sewing machine manual, etc.  Thank you Michelle for sharing your functional and creative ideas!  Enjoy your gift certificate to Cool Cottons.

PRESENTATION BY THE HAPPY ZOMBIE

Monica was inspirational and entertaining, with plenty of amusing stories to tell.  Monica Solorio-Snow was discovered (much like Lana Turner) after years of drawing and playing around with design (since 7th grade in Mrs. Gruffman's class.  My apologies to Mrs. G. if the name is misspelled).  

Copies of Monica's Glow Happy quilt pattern were provided at the meeting.  

Monica designs for Lecien.  Her current line is Holiday Happy, with another line coming out in 2011.

The cute bag in Holiday Happy fabric was made for Monica by her friend and partner-in-crime, Pam (aka Pam Kitty Morning).

In addition to fabric, quilts, and other sewing projects, Monica showed the group some beautiful Lecien Cosmo embroidery floss and how to make a portable design wall.

Monica donated several giveaways for the evening, including fabric and the portable design wall!

Thank you, Monica, for great inspiration and keeping us in stitches! 

OCTOBER SWAP

What could be in these plain, brown bags?

A variety of charming and colorful pincushions for a swap!  Here are just a few examples:

 SHOW AND TELL

This is always a special part of the evening, and PNCA cooperated with a little Halloween-appropriate artwork in the background....  

 Jeri

 Katie

 Tracie

 Back of Tracie's quilt.

 Kristen

 Back of Kristen's quilt.

 Autumn

 Jenn

 Jenn

 Cherri

 Petra

 Mary Ann (Quilts for Kids kit)

 Laura

 Jen

Back of Jen's quilt.

Christina

GIVEAWAYS

Sprinkled throughout the evening were a variety of giveaways (with some donated by Monica and Elizabeth): fabric, a quilting magazine, fabric, the portable design wall, fabric, Elizabeth Hartman's book (The Practical Guide to Patchwork), fabric, a mini Halloween tote, and -- of course -- more fabric!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Book Signing with Elizabeth Hartman + Sewing Night

November 13th @ Modern Domestic from 5-9 pm

PMQG Monthly Meeting*

November 18th @ PNCA from 7-9 pm

*This meeting will feature a fabric, materials, and craft swap and sale.  "Vendors" may bring their goodies as early as 6:30 to set-up; however, the doors will be closed to "shoppers/swappers" until 7:00.  

No pre-shopping, ladies!

If you plan to bring items to sell or swap, please contact Cherri via this discussion page on flickr.  Her email is also available on that page.

*There will be a Give and Get Gift Swap starting at the November meeting and ending at the December meeting: Fill a sandwich size ziplock bag with pieces of your favorite fabrics -- any size -- as long as it all fits in the baggie.  Write your name and email address on a tag and enclose it in the baggie.  Bring the baggie to the November meeting for a swap.  You will make a quilted gift using only the fabrics in the baggie + one additional fabric of your choice.  Bring the finished creation to the December meeting to return to the original fabric owner and receive your gift made from the fabrics you donated.

Questions can be posted to the PMQG flickr group page - Portland Modern Quilters.

Whew! How much quilty goodness can Portland Modern Quilters fit into one meeting? 

Well, you've just seen it!  What will November bring?....

I feel that I may have missed at least one quilt from Show and Tell.  Please contact me with any corrections/additions to the "minutes" of this meeting: joanhcallaway@comcast.net.