Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Zipper Pouches

Our guild is having a zipper pouch swap so we thought it would be helpful to share some patterns and tutorials! Part of our swap entails interviewing our partner to learn more about them and then make a pouch based on their wants and needs. We'll also be stuffing them with $10-$15 worth of goodies!

Short on time? Melly Sews has a great tutorial for a 15 minute zipper pouch. This is a great tutorial to use if you're just getting familiar with zippers and looking for a quick and satisfying pouch. 





Noodlehead has a great 2-size pattern called the Petal Pouch that is for an advanced beginner. This pattern suggests adding applique or patchwork to add a personal touch to the exterior pieces. 


We couldn't share zipper pouch patterns without sharing one from the bag lady herself, Sarah Lawson of Sew Sweetness! The Annex Double-Zip Box Pouch includes two zippers and two separate storage areas. An online workshop is available for this pattern if you need a little help getting your zippers right.


I'm a Finch Box Subscriber and my August box included fabric, notions and the guide to make canvas travel bags. You can get your own mini Finch Box with the tools you'll need here on their website.


Want a side of quilting with your zipper pouch? Try this tutorial from Purl Soho for a quilted zipper pouch.


Not feeling a square or rectangle shaped bag? Make your zipper pouch shaped like a triangle! Video tutorial and a guide for the fabric and notions used is available from Missouri Star Quilt Co

Ah, the Sew Together bag, this bag is very popular in the quilting blogger universe so why shouldn't we all have one.  This bag includes three zippers pockets, four open pockets, and even a pincushion! 

A lot of our members purchased the Quilters Planner this year and there's a zipper pouch pattern in the companion magazine that was designed by Karin Jordan (who visited us last year for a trunk show). This pattern has you use chunky stitches to hand sew in the zipper, it's very pretty! If you don't have the planner, you can buy just the pattern magazine for $12!






-Carolanne, President NHMQG



Thursday, April 12, 2018

April 2018 Meeting Reminder

Our April meeting will take place on Tuesday April 17th at 7pm!!

Doors open at 6:30 if you would like to come early for some pre-meeting sew-cializing!

Programming: For our programming this month we'll all have the opportunity to share our favorite quilting book and any projects we've made from it.

Q1 Finances: Beth will share a financial report from the first quarter of 2018.

Spring WIP Challenge: You can still sign up for our Work In Progress challenge at our April meeting. For the spring challenge you may sign up for as many projects as you like, and you have to pay $1 for each entry. Your items must be completed by our June meeting and if they are you'll be entered to win!

Gypsy Wife Quilt: For those participating in this quiltalong, there will be a sewing day in Manchester, NH on 4/28. Carolanne will share additional details.  

Shop Hops: We are looking for shop hop leaders for June-September. Please see Alison if you are interested. For every shop that you visit with the guild you will receive a stamp/sticker in your Shop Hop passport that enters you for a fabric store gift card in September! The more shops you hop to, the more chances to win. 

Anna Maria Horner: Our workshops with Anna Maria Horner are this weekend. If you're taking a class and have any questions please send an email to nhmodernquilt@gmail.com and we'll get you an answer. If you're not taking a class, come visit for the pop-up shops!

Giveaways and Raffles: Our giveaway item this month is a Mesh Bag Kit. These bags are great for gym clothes, wet bathing suits, or sandy toys!



* Raffle #1: Lisa The Unicorn Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman and Four 1/4 yard cuts of Kona Bright to get your started!



* Raffle #2: Making Faces in Fabric Book: Discover how to create freeform, raw-edge appliqué faces. Melissa Averinos walks you through the process step by step, from a comprehensive lesson on drawing faces, to translating your sketch into fabric, to stabilizing the piece with stitching, to incorporating your stylized face into a finished project! 

We'll see you Tuesday at the First Baptist Church!

Our Weekend With Anna Maria Horner Is Nearly Here!

Many of our members are taking part in workshops with Anna Maria Horner in West Newbury* this weekend, but for those of you not attending a workshop, there will still be fun for you!

Each workshop will be hosting a pop-up shop from a local quilt shop. Guests, friends, and fellow guild members are welcome to come and shop the pop-up during the lunch break from 12-1. We will ask guests to depart when the workshop resumes at 1.

Each day will feature a different local shop.

Pintuck & Purl on Friday

Crosscut Sewing Co. on Saturday


Gather Here on Sunday


*The pop-ups will take place in the same area as the workshops at the West Newbury Town Hall Annex, 381 Main St., West Newbury, MA.

Sunday, April 8, 2018

March Show & Tell



Simone went to Quiltcon in Pasadena. She took a paper piecing class, which belatedly she found out was English Paper Piecing.  She took three Free Motion Quilting classes and two drawing classes.  Tip from one of the teachers was "Don't draw the line, be the line," not really all that helpful. 
Simone liked the special Carolyn Freidlander display.. 


Gail showed her latest Mighty Lucky project piecing.  This is the top and second row.  Line separates two rows.  More to come, eventually.  This is a year project.

 Carolanne made her shirt in under an hour -- maybe she should do a tutorial for us!!

Carolanne also showed a Red Rainboots wooden quilt block.  Lastly she showed a gift quilt with stars and constellations (but did not allow a picture!). 


 Susie did this quilt top over the weekend.  Pretty!  Minky on back.


I think that this is minky on the back of the above quilt.  Very cool. 


René had this quilt back from quilter Laurie.  Retreat quilt with ombre fabric. Lovely!



 Next Ellen showed us a quilt for her mother-in law.  Very colorful origami garden, made with scraps and finished at sewing bee.

This is Eileen's (Ellen's sister)  quilt with lots and lots of negative space that Lisa quilted for her!


Ophelia was experimenting with her long-arm.  Learned to use long-arm machine to quilt around ladybugs. 


Ophelia also showed jelly roll rug made with jelly roll and batting scraps!  Very colorful!


 Laurie had a kit that she wanted to use the fabric from using the quick curve ruler on a different design. Very graphic look! 


 Michelle has been been busy.  This is Little Man by Camille Roskelley.  Nice colors and design! 

Michelle also did as part of a blog hop a table runner from Modern Plus Sign Quilts by Cheryl Brickey and Paige Alexander with Camille Roskelley fabric.   

Michelle's last item was the Odori Fat Quarter Shop pattern with Little Town fabric by Amy Sinibaldi. She used a creative grid spiderweb rule.



Patti put left over triangles together with great colors within the dark grey background.

That's it!

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

2018 Shop Hops


We are excited to announce that starting this month we will be hosting members only shop hops!

There are some great local quilt shops that our members frequent, but others have never heard of. Let's all share our favorite spots and buy some fabulous fabric!

The shop hops will take place on the first Saturday and the second Tuesday of each month and will go from April-September.

Each shop hop will have a hop leader who will choose the locations we visit.

2018 Shop Hops:
April 7th - Carolanne will be the shop hop leader and we will be visiting the Seacoast area.
April 10th - Alison will be the shop hop leader and we will be visiting the Concord area.
May- There will not be shop hops this month because we will be on retreat!

We are still in need of shop hop leaders for the following days:
June 2nd-
June 12th-
July 7th-
July 10th-
August 4th-
August 14th-
September 1st-
September 11th-

Please see Alison or Carolanne if you would like to be a shop hop leader.