Spring 2025 Guild Activities

In April, the annual NHMQG Spring Retreat took place at the Franciscan Guest House in Kennebunkport, Maine. By all accounts, the retreat was a great success, with many projects both started and completed. Below are some photos shared by Mary Lou and Shelly.

In March, a group of guild members visited the Fierce Planets exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts. The exhibit is a collaboration between Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) and the Johns Hopkins Wavelengths™ public research communication and outreach program. During our visit, we enjoyed an lecture by SAQA artists Gwyned Trefethen and Judith Content. You can learn more about the exhibit through the SAQA and NEQM websites linked above. Below are pictures from the exhibit.

There was also a secondary exhibit, Just Wanna Copyright for Makers, which presented valuable lessons on copyright specifically relevant to quilting and other fiber arts. After exploring the exhibits, Helen graciously hosted lunch and conversation at her apartment, just a short walk from the museum. Thank you, Helen!

                                                    

                                                   

                                                 

                                                                                     

                                         

Just Wanna Copyright for Makers

April 2025 Meeting Recap

 New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild

April 10, 2025 General Membership Meeting Recap

The meeting was led by Helen.

There were 33 members in attendance. 

Thank you, Robin, Kim, Sonia, and Carol K for attending the door and welcome table.

Thank you to Karen A and Patty M who brought food and beverages.

Raffle Winners

• Brenda won the door prize, a package of cat head pins and a magnetic pin pick up tool.
• Patty M won the raffle for the Big Board ironing table.
• Michelle C won the raffle for the Ruby Star Society Carousel Fat Quarter Bundle.

Guild Business

Helen made an announcement regarding the raffles. We are temporarily suspending online sales of raffle tickets. You can purchase tickets at the meetings.

Secretary (Mary Lou) Nothing new to report.

Treasurer (Marie/Sonia)

• Sonia reported last month’s Yard Sale yielded $716 for the Guild.
• Last month’s raffles netted $106.

Events and Programming (Laurie K, and Susan H)

• Laurie discussed a Community Outreach quilt project featuring Kona’s Color of Year fabric: Nocturne, a rich deep purple. She distributed packets of Nocturne and a low-volume background fabric to members who wanted to participate. The task is to make a 12 1/5” (unfinished) block that will be part of a quilt. If you picked up a packet, please complete your block and hand it in at the May meeting. 
• If you are cutting fabric and have any interesting selvages with words, please bring them to the May meeting. We’ll be doing an activity with them.
• The May meeting will also include a presentation by Laurie M.

Communications (Amanda and Lorri)

• Thank you to Shelly who offered to help take photos at meetings.
• If you have any interesting retreat photos, please send them to the Guild address. Communications is putting together a collage of the retreat.
• Amanda reminded members about the current New England Quilt Expo (NEQE) in Manchester.

Community Outreach (Carol K, Julie, and Leslie)

• Carol K gave two quilts to Families in Transition, and has two more available.
• Carol is helping with a pillowcase project for “Ryan’s Cases for Smiles.” She distributed kits to members who wanted to help. See the Crafty Gemini website for a tutorial on the preferred burrito method with a decorative flange and French seams for the long edges. Please sew the loose end of the flange down before turning in your pillowcase. Our pillowcases will go to the Pediatrics unit of the Boston Medical Center.

Retreats (Shelly and Ophelia)

• Our Spring 2025 retreat at the Franciscan Guest House in Kennebunkport, ME was a lot of fun!
• Our Fall retreat will be November 13-16^th at the St. Methodios center in Contoocook, NH. Participants will be able to opt in or out for meals. We will need to rent tables, and will need help setting up and taking down tables.

MEETING ACTIVITY

This month’s activity was a presentation by Mary Ireland and Bonnie Barbero of our local chapter of the Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) project. This organization has been building beds and providing bedding (including our quilts) for over 200 kids per year since 2012. Carol K and Robin have been helping with various stages of their projects, and are our representatives with the organization.

They prefer quilts sized 68” x 88”. They try to match colors and designs based on info they get from the lucky recipients. Boys generally like bold blue, red, and black quilts, with sports or gaming motifs, while girls generally like pinks and purple quilts, with unicorns or heart motifs.

SHOW AND TELL

1. Sonia showed a quilt she made from our most recent block swap project. She gave it to the SHP reps.
   
   
   
2. Michelle Cain announced that her new book, Not Your Typical Jelly Roll Quilts,  is now available for sale. Contact her to purchase a copy.
   
   
   
3. Beth L showed a small class project using Inktense pencils she made earlier in the day at a NEQE class.
   
   
   
4. Ophelia showed two quilts. First, a Chapel Windows quilt by Annie’s Attic. This is similar to the Swoon patterns by Camille Roskelley we all love, but the pieces can be easily cut with an AccuQuilt cutter.
   
   
   
5. Next, she showed us her Blakely quilt, pattern by Then Came June.
   
   
   
6. Brenda brought four items to show us. First, a mini version of the Snowflake quilt, by Modern Handcraft.
   
   
   
7. And the mini quilt she received from her QuiltCon 2025 Mini Swap Swap partner.
   
   
   
8. And a stuffed bunny she made from the 10x2 Darlings pattern.
   
   
   
9. Lastly, her Seffarine Stars quilt, pattern by Tighe Flanagan, from the MQG website.
   
   
   
10. Sarah showed her AERO Quilt by Miss Make. All money received for this pattern goes directly to racial equality organizations.
    
    
    
11. She also showed her Redwood tote bag , pattern by noodlehead.
    
    
    
12. Laurie M showed us four items. First, a Zip Up tray , pattern by Aneela Howey.
    
    
    
13. And a pink baby quilt, Cheerio quilt, pattern by Thimbleblossoms.
    
    
    
14. And her Treasure Box quilt, pattern by Katie Blakesley
    
    
    
15. And lastly, her (previously) oldest WIP, a Swoon 16 quilt that she started in 2016!
    
    
    
16. Lynn showed us a Fabric Café quilt and matching pillowcase she made for donation.
    
    
    
17. New Mom Chelsea has managed to finish a number of quilts. First, a quilt made with 36 patch blocks.
    
    
    
18. And a quilt with enlarged Pig blocks from Elizabeth Hartman’s Fab Farm pattern.
    
    
    
19. And a lovely Lucky Day quilt from a pattern by Camille Roskelley.
    
    
    
20. Patty M showed her Bjorn Bears quilt, pattern by Elizabeth Hartman. 
    
    
    
21. Mary Lou showed her Moon Dance Revival quilt, a Mini Quick Curve Ruler pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful. The jury’s still out on whether the ruler makes more or less work for Drunkard’s Path blocks!
    
    
    
22. Helen showed her blue and white quilt, made from vibrant blue and white plaid shirting fabrics she got at Mood Fabrics in NYC.
    
    
    

Thank you so much for telling us the names of the quilts and pattern designers for your masterpieces. It makes it easy to compile these Show & Tell notes and serves as a great resource for all of us!

Please note that when we were adding links to raffle prizes and quilt patterns and books, we tried to link them directly to the pattern or book designers’ webpages, but sometimes we couldn’t find the original sources and put links to popular online commerce sites that carry these products. We are not endorsing any particular commerce sites – most items can be found from multiple sources.

Please post quilts, questions, and any other quilt-related information on our private member FaceBook group. To join, click here.

Our Guild email address is: nhmodernquilt@gmail.com.

See you next month!

--Amanda, Lorri W, and Mary Lou