VMQG Memberships expire on October 31st. At our October meeting, members voted unanimously to increase our annual membership fees to CAD$70.00. We haven’t increased our membership fees in over five years, and the extra funds will cover guest speaker fees and cost increases such as venue rental.

To register for the 2024-2025 year please fill out this form and send your fees by e-transfer to treasurer@vancouvermodernquiltguild.ca.  We look forward to another great year together.

Liz Young

We’re delighted to shine the light on Liz Young, one of Vancouver’s most prodigious modern quilters. Not only is she good with fabric, as the VMQG treasurer, she’s also good with financials. You can see more of Liz’s work on Instagram at @foreveryoungquilting.

When did you join the VMQG?
I joined the VMQG in 2021. I had taken a lengthy break from quilting (10+ years) and had started quilting again in January 2020. I had transitioned from traditional to modern quilting and was looking for a community to become involved with.

What do you like about being a member?
There is a lot to like about being a VMQG member. There is the comradery of getting together with a like-minded group of individuals; sharing friendship and knowledge. There is, of course, the accessibility to workshops and speakers. I enjoyed being part of the Showcase Committee in 2022. I currently volunteer as Treasurer on the guild’s Executive, and also volunteer with other guild members in the Art Therapy program at Covenant House Vancouver.

When did you start quilting? What was your inspiration?
I started sewing when I was quite young, but it was when my daughter was born (1987) that I learned to quilt. I wanted to make a quilt for her bed when she moved out of her crib so took a ‘Sampler’ quilting class at The Thread Bear in West Vancouver. After a few years of taking classes, I started teaching classes. I taught for a number of years at The Thread Bear, The Cloth Shop and Bear Paw Quilting.

Tell us about your creative journey, and life outside your sewing room
In 2005 with both my children in school, I enrolled in the Textile Arts Program at Capilano University. I spent four years immersing myself in all things textile…weaving, dyeing, surface design, colour theory, design theory, art history, and so much more. It was wonderful and it was exhausting! Creating on demand drained me. When I graduated in 2009, I gave up anything and everything related to textiles. I didn’t step foot in my studio, eventually giving away all but my favourite tools. In January 2020 I went to my first quilt retreat since 2005. That was it, I was hooked again.

Although some may think I spend the majority of my time quilting, in actual fact, I am very physically active. I work out weekly at Innovative Fitness, I love urban hiking, and I am a cyclist belonging to two different cycling groups. My husband and I have cycled extensively in Italy, France, Germany, Majorca, the USA and most recently in PEI.

What is your favourite type of quilt to make or design?
I am very much a modern quilter. I work exclusively in solid fabrics. Several years ago I challenged myself to overcome my fear of sewing curves, embarking on a 100 day challenge which turned into a full year challenge, resulting in several circle motif quilts. I now design all of my own quilts and most involve curves in their design. I am a huge fan of the Bauhaus School of Design and of Sonia Delauney’s work, and their influence is evident is my designs. I favour crisp, clean, precise lines within a bold geometric design. I am at heart a perfectionist, struggling to reform, to believe that ‘good enough’ is in fact acceptable. Its an on-going battle.

What lessons have you learned about quilting?
On a very basic level, I have learned that cutting precisely, sewing an accurate ¼ inch seam, and pressing your work as you go…in my case, seams always open…has a direct impact on the final product.

On a deeper level, I have learned that there are so many phenomenal quilters in the quilting world, many of whom showcase their work on Instagram. Their designs are amazing, their use of colour is stunning and their skills are enviable. Let their work inspire and motivate you. Do not let it make you feel ‘less than’. We are all on our own journey. Whether you sew someone else’s patterns, your own designs, or a combination of both, take pleasure and find joy in what you are doing. Do what makes you happy! Do you! Comparison is the thief of joy!

What am I working on next?
I have a few things on the go at the moment. I have three designs finished and waiting for me to get to work on. But before I can start on the actual project, I need to experiment with construction techniques. As my designs become more complicated, so does how they go together.

I just designed and submitted a block in response to CQA’s call for submissions for their 2025 QAL. If accepted I will be working on drafting the pattern prior to the QAL starting in the new year.

Thanks for stepping into the spotlight Liz!

Have you created a new pattern? Are you featured in a publication? Have you won an award at a quilt show? Perhaps you’re participating in a quilt or quilt-related show, or you’ve done something recently that you’d like to share with other VMQG members.

Please share a little about yourself if you’re new, or reintroduce yourself if you’ve been a long-time member. If you’d like to be featured in our newsletter, please fill out the short form here.

Who doesn’t love a good modern-fashioned swap?! Here’s your opportunity to get in on one. We’re gearing up for the December meeting and organizing a modern pouch swap, read on for the details…

Design, size, and fabric is up to you, please make it modern. Since it’s holiday time, we thought it’d be nice to include a little bonus—a small sewing notion, valued at no more than $10, such as a package of needles, a spool of thread or a stitch ripper. If you don’t want to buy anything—that’s totally fine—make something out of your scraps, like a mug rug or pin cushion, and pop that into the pouch. We’ll randomly swap the pouches ensuring every participant receives a pouch made by another member. Gift wrapping the pouch is optional.

We’ll have VMQG modern pouch swap labels available for those who are participating in the swap, you can pick them up at our October or November meeting, or make your own label. Details in the sign-up form.

Don’t wait,  sign up here  (shortest form ever!)
 

Would you like to help shape the future of our Guild? Do you have ideas or suggestions about what our Guild could do in the coming year(s)? Do you want to connect with other members? Do you have a skill to share? Our guild needs you! 

There are Executive roles that are available: Education, Communication/Social, Treasurer, and Secretary. You can find more information about Executive role descriptions on our website, under the About tab, or click here.

The new Executive changes over in November. If you’d like to step up and volunteer, or if you have any questions, please reach out to any exec member at the upcoming meeting or at executive@vancouvermodernquiltguild.ca

November Block Lotto—Scrappy Wonky Star

Scraps are a ‘side effect’ of sewing so let’s look at how to integrate them into projects. The Scrappy Wonky Star by Karen at Quilt Expressions is a fun, colourful block. By choosing different values for the star and background fabric your star will jump out at you.

Block measures 6.5" x 6.5" (finished 6" x 6")
Quilt block photos by Karen Hanson (left) and Sue Westrup (right)

 Block Instructions 

Fresh Content in the MQG Resource Library

Membership in the VMQG is your ticket into the MQG. If you haven’t poked around the Modern Quilt Guild website in a while, this is a good time of year to check out some fresh content, and maybe take on a new project.
 

Empty Rings by Augusto García
The Empty Rings design, by Augusto García, an Individual MQG Member, is inspired by “Unfinished Boxes” by Spanish artist Jorge Oteiza. The distinguishing feature of this quilt pattern is the innovative incorporation of negative space. Log into the MQG website to download the pattern. Finished size: 60" x 60" | Skill level: Intermediate.

 Get the pattern 
 

👉 Reminders 

 WIPs DRAW The WIPs draw will be held at our November meeting. We’ll start a new WIP program in the new year. 

Show ’n Share Photos: Send us your quilt pics, we’ll post them on our IG. Email photos@vancouvermodernquiltguild.ca

Round Robin: Make sure to bring your Round Robin bag to trade with the next person.

Sew Good Quilts: If you have any quilt tops, backs or finished quilts to return to Megan, please bring them to the meeting or get in touch by email.
sewgoodquilts@vancouvermodernquiltguild.ca