Jupiter Chapter - Inaugural Meeting Recap!

Great news from our northern Palm Beach/Treasure Coast friends!  They have started a "northern chapter" of the South Florida Modern Quilt Guild!  Here is a summary from them:

Jupiter Chapter Launch – May 18, 2013

"More than 30 women gathered at Quilter’s Choice in Jupiter to share a curiosity and interest in Modern Quilting.  Joan led the meeting, giving a short history of the movement (which counts its beginning in 1998), a definition from the Modern Quilt Guild website, and a description of her attendance at the South Florida Mod April meeting in Boca at Stitchcraft. 

Do we want a northern chapter?  YES, was the resounding answer.  We spoke about possible goals and/or activities including

·         Sharing an interest in modern quilting

·         Teaching and inspiring each other

·         Providing awareness to other guilds/shops/the community

·         Doing group quilts (charity, round robin, show entry)

We also liked the idea of piggy backing or being a northern “chapter” of South Florida Mod.  Joan described some of their activities:  a virtual quilting bee, a 10 minute monthly tutorial by a member, quilt news, door prizes and charity quilts, fun swaps, a challenge (i.e. using a particular fabric line).

Some details were established, including a meeting date to continue the 3^rd Saturday of the month, 1:30 to 3:30 pm, at Quilter’s Choice in Jupiter.  We would have a leader (Joan), note taker (Nan), photographer (Marty) and blogger or news person (Patty and Marta).  We agreed that name badges would be a good item to individually prepare for our next gathering.  They should be about  3” x 3” to 3” x 5” with our first names on them and a modern design.

A group activity sparked a welcome chord.  We debated between a “Block Party” focus from the book itself or a block per month swap. With the block party, each month a participant would specify parameters for a block to be made by others with the result that each originator would have a 12 block quilt.  With the block per month swap, a member would specify a specific block that all would make and swap.  There were about equal votes for each, so we decided that both would be possible, but that we should meet in subgroups at the next opportunity to flush it out a little more.

Joan proposed a “Quilting in Public” activity to coincide with a national event on June 15.  This would take the place of a June meeting.  Members would gather at a public location and do some handwork, thereby displaying a quilting item to raise awareness in the community about this passion that we share.  Although the Gardens Mall was nominated to be the venue, their management declined to host this activity.  Downtown at the Gardens, a second choice for location, was happy to accommodate us on that date from 11 am to 1 pm.  Mark your calendar now and email Joan (exactlysew@bellsouth.net) if you will attend, so that more details can be sent to you.

We concluded the gathering with a show and tell.  This included a display from Patty, who designs fabric.  She will tell us all about the process on July 20, when we next meet."