The 2021 Calgary MQG Community Challenge Quilt, with the signature "YYC" graphic was recently displayed at the Calgary Stampede. Here's a few pictures from set-up.
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Sunday, August 2, 2020
Community Outreach Quilt Challenge - 2021
Things are finally underway for this year's Community Outreach Quilt Challenge - formally known as Quiltcon Charity Quilt Challenge.
The Calgary MQG Challenge quilt, along with those from the other MQG Guilds and Individual Member Teams will be part of Quiltcon Together Online.
Last week we had a Zoom planning session with 17 members in attendance, and several others wishing they could attend. We had several suggestions put forward and loved many of them. After much discussion, we managed to narrow it down to one. Something we needed to consider this year was not being able to get together and sew, but we have a plan, and it's already being put into action!.
Theme: Curves
This year the design focus is on curved piecing. You've probably seen the trend. Calgary MQG has had several workshops on curves, so hopefully, most of our members will be up for the challenge. If they are not ready for curves, there are some sections that will be straight sewing, so we have them covered too.
Colour Palette
Each year, along with a theme, The Modern Quilt Guild also puts out a colour palette. We can use solids and/or prints and must use at least 2 of the colours.
What's next?
The fabrics are off to be made into kits. Not long and they will be ready for distribution!
Thursday, April 18, 2019
2019 Charity Blocks
We are not announcing a block lotto at May meeting, instead, we are encouraging you all to make lots of blocks for our charity Sonshine House. Please bring blocks to our June meeting, or Charity Sew days - June 21 and 22. (we are giving you a head start so you have a couple of months for block making) :-)
Susan M has modified the Two by Four block from Film in the Fridge, to make use of 2.5in strips, and has written it up as a pattern.
Think jelly roll and binding scraps!
Susans modified 2x4 pattern
We are not asking for any special colours, just choose fabrics with contrast.
If using a solid, please pair it with a print.
Please keep your choices modern - ish. Let's not use civil war fabrics for this one. :-)
Put the darker fabric in the top right position.
If you are using scraps and not WOF, you can use strips 18-20 in length.
The finished blocks are 7x8.
This image shows 4 blocks.
Susan M has modified the Two by Four block from Film in the Fridge, to make use of 2.5in strips, and has written it up as a pattern.
Think jelly roll and binding scraps!
Susans modified 2x4 pattern
We are not asking for any special colours, just choose fabrics with contrast.
If using a solid, please pair it with a print.
Please keep your choices modern - ish. Let's not use civil war fabrics for this one. :-)
Put the darker fabric in the top right position.
If you are using scraps and not WOF, you can use strips 18-20 in length.
The finished blocks are 7x8.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Quiltcon 2018 Charity Quilt
Thanks to everyone who volunteered to sew Dresden Plates and Rail Fence squares for our QuiltCon 2018 Charity Quilt! Following what was discussed at the meeting, below are some further instructions:
Rail Fence Low Volume Blocks: Please sew 11” square blocks with the fabric provided and do not trim - we will do that when constructing the quilt. If you want to add more fabric please ensure it is low volume.
Dresden Plates: Please feel free to make any variation of a Dresden Plate. There are many tutorials and patterns online including:
Please make approximately the size of Dresden Plate indicated on your bag of fabric, without stressing too much (9.5” rather than 10” is fine, etc.). Please remember if your final Dresden Plate is 10” each wedge will be 5” (because there are wedges on both sides of the circle, completing the 10”).
If you want to add a bit of fabric from your stash, please stay within this palette provided from MQG. Thanks for your help everyone! We can’t wait to see all of the finished blocks and Dresden Plates at the October 19th meeting!
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Delivery of Charity Quilts to Sonshine Community Services
Last week, Jera and I had the opportunity to deliver the charity quilts to Sonshine Community Services. When we arrived at the location I was struck by the fact that this building is a women’s shelter. It’s likely that I have driven by this place over a dozen times and had no idea of the incredible work going on inside.
Women can stay at Sonshine for up to a year and access the supports they offer. During this time the families are supported by a large group of people ranging from counseling to career skills and education. As a teacher I was most impressed by the supports being provided to children. Sonshine has its own childcare facilities that specialize in treating children who have experienced trauma. This is also available to children who will benefit from the services who are not housed within the facility. The difference this care will make in the lives of these children is immense!
Barb, the volunteer coordinator, who provided us with a tour of the facility, greeted us. First, you need know that Barb is the warmest person, by the end of our visit it felt like we were friends. I am happy to know that the women and children who access Sonshine’s services have someone like Barb in their corner. Second, you need to know that everyone who works at Sonshine has dedicated their lives to helping very vulnerable women and children. Through some good fortune I have never had to access a women’s shelter, although I know people who have. I have some idea of the crisis that leads a person to the necessity of accessing these types of services. I’m almost certain that every woman in our Guild knows someone who has needed these services and I am certain that’s why everyone was so enthusiastic in their support for this cause.
We delivered 48 quilts! As each new family arrives at Sonshine, their apartment will be prepared and the quilts will be on their beds. The quilts will become one of their first possessions on a hopeful journey. Sonshine passes along their gratitude for the generosity of such an extensive quilt donation.
The need at Sonshine continues and we will continue to donate quilts to their cause throughout 2016. At our March sew day (which is actually a sew night on March 18th) we will finish putting together the QAYG blocks and prepping binding for those quilts. At the February meeting attendees will get a chance to try longarming on donation quilts as well.
Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved in this very worthy project!
Women can stay at Sonshine for up to a year and access the supports they offer. During this time the families are supported by a large group of people ranging from counseling to career skills and education. As a teacher I was most impressed by the supports being provided to children. Sonshine has its own childcare facilities that specialize in treating children who have experienced trauma. This is also available to children who will benefit from the services who are not housed within the facility. The difference this care will make in the lives of these children is immense!
Barb, the volunteer coordinator, who provided us with a tour of the facility, greeted us. First, you need know that Barb is the warmest person, by the end of our visit it felt like we were friends. I am happy to know that the women and children who access Sonshine’s services have someone like Barb in their corner. Second, you need to know that everyone who works at Sonshine has dedicated their lives to helping very vulnerable women and children. Through some good fortune I have never had to access a women’s shelter, although I know people who have. I have some idea of the crisis that leads a person to the necessity of accessing these types of services. I’m almost certain that every woman in our Guild knows someone who has needed these services and I am certain that’s why everyone was so enthusiastic in their support for this cause.
We delivered 48 quilts! As each new family arrives at Sonshine, their apartment will be prepared and the quilts will be on their beds. The quilts will become one of their first possessions on a hopeful journey. Sonshine passes along their gratitude for the generosity of such an extensive quilt donation.
The need at Sonshine continues and we will continue to donate quilts to their cause throughout 2016. At our March sew day (which is actually a sew night on March 18th) we will finish putting together the QAYG blocks and prepping binding for those quilts. At the February meeting attendees will get a chance to try longarming on donation quilts as well.
Stay tuned for opportunities to get involved in this very worthy project!
Rachel Elliott
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Calgary MQG Quiltcon 2016 Charity Quilt
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| Photo by Katrina H |
In the photo you can see young people dancing at a pow-wow with tipis in the background and Calgary’s skyline in the distance. This seemed to represent our city beautifully and the idea to make a tipi quilt was born. Tipis are known in the area to have provided shelter to local native tribes throughout history. They provide warmth in the cold winter months and are a cool shelter from summer’s heat. Families gather in tipis to find comfort and kinship. As a group of quilters we knew that we wanted to make a quilt that would symbolically bring people together and provide comfort and to bring our communities together.
We met at a sew day in August to design the tipis and Jera MacKenzie created kits that members could get at meetings to create blocks for the quilt. We also have the benefit of having Cheryl Arkison in our guild so she provided us with a lesson on "improv with intent". Each person used their own inspiration to craft a tipi that represented her own style.
In November we had a dedicated sew day to finish our quilt top. Members worked together to finish making tipis and design the final layout for our quilt. You can see from the photos that we had a productive day. We all learned so much in this process! Many of our members had never attempted improv sewing like this and were excited to practice a new skill. Our layout provided opportunities for members to practice their "quilt math" and partial seams!!
The whole team agrees that seeing the quilt come together with such an incredible gesture of generosity of time, resources, and talent was the best part. We are very fortunate that our guild is growing and that members are keen to participate in these events.
The quilt was then sent to member Mary Dylke to be quilted by her expert hands. Mary added petroglyphs that have been documented throughout the prairies. Petroglyphs are are images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. The quilting was definitely the final touch that brought the quilt to life and helped to tell the story we were hoping to tell through this project.
The quilt will be donated to an organization that supports aboriginal youth in our area and provides them with resources to further their education and helps preserve their culture. It is our hope that this quilt will help to heal the relationship between our two cultures and that it will contribute as one small step in the direction of a better future for Calgary’s indigenous youth.
Rachel Elliott
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