Omaha Modern Quilt Guild: February 2023

Monday, February 13, 2023

Modern Quilting on the Prairie Art Gallery Exhibition

The Omaha Modern Quilt Guild is delighted to invite you to “Modern Quilting on the Prairie,” a quilt exhibition in collaboration with the International Quilt Museum (IQM) in Lincoln and Gallery 1516.

Our exhibition features nine sets of quilts each demonstrating an aesthetic quality of modern quilting: Minimalism, Scale, Negative Space, Transparency, Alternative Gridwork, Modern Traditionalism, Applique, Handwork, and Improvisation. Each set includes one historical quilt from the IQM’s extensive collection, thoughtfully paired with one or two quilts made by artists from OMQG. As you view the juxtaposition between old and new, our hope is that the historical roots of modern quilt aesthetics are evident.

As can be seen here, historical quilts were rarely strictly functional. They were expressions of the maker’s daily circumstances; a visually restrained Amish quilt, an opulent “crazy quilt,” and quilts utilizing every last available scrap of fabric. You’ll find our contemporary OMQG artists have also made quilts that emanate our daily experiences.

Not to be overlooked, our special exhibit features 10 quilts inspired by the word “prairie.” Made by OMQG artists, these quilts are dynamic and varying, just like the prairie herself.

Nearly all works in the exhibition are original. A small handful are made from patterns, and all quilts from patterns are noted as such, and displayed with permission of the designer and/or copyright holder.

Thank you to our collaborative partners: Gallery 1516 and The International Quilt Museum; our sponsors Dan and Shirley Neary and the Nebraska Arts Council; committee members Susie Bonder, Heidi Carpenter and Jenny Henry; and the artists of the OMQG for giving their time and talents to make this show possible.

We hope the show brings you as much joy and inspiration as it has for us.

The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported this arts event through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Visit: www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov for information on how the Nebraska Arts Council can assist your organization.

We are also hosting Sarah Walcott, Collections Manager at the IQM, for a lecture titled “Early Roots of Modern Quilting” on Saturday, March 11th, at the Gallery from 3-4pm, with a social hour from 2-3pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Thank you to committee member Heidi Carpenter for setting up this event.

The Exhibition will run from Friday, February 17th until Sunday, May 14th at Gallery 1516 in Omaha. The address is 1516 Leavenworth St, Omaha, NE. The gallery is open Wednesday - Sunday from 11am until 5pm. They ask that you please make an appt to visit on their website which is listed below but they will accepted walk-in visitors as well. The Opening Reception will be Friday, February 17th from 6pm-8pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Admission is free.

If you have any questions, please reach out to board@omahamqg.com

Omaha Modern Quilt Guild

International Quilt Museum

Gallery 1516

Nebraska Arts Council

Sunday, February 12, 2023

April 2023 Block Lotto - Arrows Away

April Block Lotto

Arrows Away

11.5" unfished square. Blocks are due at the April meeting. Each block you make will get you one entry toward winning the lot. If there are enough blocks to make more than one quilt, we will draw more than one winner.

Arrow side of HSTs - Medium to Dark Blues

Border and Light side of HSTs - white/low volumes

Make 4 HST’s per block that measure 4 ½” unfinished. Please use either the 4 at a time tutorial below or use the 8 and make enough for 2 blocks at once.

Border strips – 8.5” x 2” (2 qty)

11.5” x 2” (2 qty)

Layout 4 HST in the pattern below and sew together into a 4 patch block and press your seams. Attach the 8.5"x2" strips to each side and press. Attach the 11.5"x2" strips to the top and bottom and press. Trim to 11.5" unfinished.

4 HST at a time tutorial (handle w/ care will have bias edges)

https://homemadeemilyjane.com/4-at-a-time-half-square-triangles/

8 HST at a time tutorial if you want to make 2 blocks. This method also doesn’t have bias edges.

https://beechtreelanehandmade.com/2017/01/26/make-eight-half-square-triangles-at-a-time-with-this-super-fast-method/

February Meeting Minutes

February meeting minutes have been posted to the Meeting Minutes tab.

Sunday, February 5, 2023

1st Quarter Challenge - Panel Challenge

Our 1st Quarter Challenge for 2023 is the Quilt Panel Challenge! This will be due at our March meeting on the 7th. 

Rules for the challenge - 
**Choose any printed panel you’d like but you must add something to the panel or change it in some way. You can’t just quilt the panel and bind it. But you don’t actually have to cut into the the panel - add a border, sashing, fun embellishments, etc. 
**You must ensure the panel or piece of the panel are still the main feature of the quilt.
**Minimum size of 36”x60” and Maximum size of 54”x78”
**Once completed you may choose to keep or we can work with you to donate it based on the proper audience. (Babies vs adults) 

We will have a vote at our March meeting for the most creative use of a preprinted panel and award a ribbon to the winner! 

Have fun with this challenge! I’m sure most of us have a panel or two laying around that we bought 1-12 years ago thinking we’d do great things with it. Well here’s our chance!! 