admin

July 2020 Newsletter

Posted on June 30, 2020 by admin

COVID-19 cases in Texas are zooming... And so it is time for the guild to Zoom too! THE QGP board had already canceled meetings and our quilt show, but with the number of COVID cases increasing the board needed to make some tough decisions to keep the guild going. The QGP board had already been meeting by Zoom for the past 3 months. It has been going very well. Most of us were new to Zoom but found it very easy to use. My personal small group has been having weekly meetings on Zoom too. It has been great to keep up with friends and see what projects everyone has been working on.

We realize that Zoom will be new for many people. So we are going to ease into it. First, you will need to go to the Zoom website and create an account. It doesn't cost anything to create an account. When we are going to have a meeting, an email with a link will be sent to you the day before. The email and the link will tell you the date and time of the meeting. You will just need to click on the link when the meeting is ready to start. If you are on a desktop computer you will need a microphone and a camera if you want the other members of the guild to hear and see you (but YOU will be able to hear and see us without it). The other option is an iPad or iPhone (or similar device). They already have a built-in microphone and camera. You will be able to see and hear the other members of the group.

Our plan is to have a practice time so everyone can get used to getting onto a Zoom meeting before the next real guild meeting on July 9th. Our first guild meeting is going to be very simple. VPs will give their reports followed by a show and tell. We are hoping members will send in pictures of the projects (email photo’s to googlemanager@qgplano.org) they have been working on at home during the pandemic. Diane Poor will be our moderator and mute members at times so only one person can tell about their project. Pictures will need to be sent in ahead of time to give Diane Poor time to put together a slideshow presentation.

Changing the meetings to Zoom is a big change for all of us. But, it allows us to keep meeting as a guild. It has a lot of possibilities too. We will be adding speakers to our Zoom meetings who can lecture and do demonstrations from their homes. We can also look at adding other sewing bees or small groups that want to work on a project together. The possibilities are endless. In the upcoming weeks, we will be having information on our guild web page. So, please check back often. I miss seeing all of you--but until our guild meeting--Stay well and keep on stitching!

QGP has by-Laws and Standing Rules that are in place to “aid and assist board members the tasks required to successfully run the guild.” They can be found online under membership and guild documents. By-Laws are filed with the state and if amended, need to be refiled with the state. Standing rules are rules that can be changed by membership vote.

As the guild grows and changes, so must our governing rules. They are usually reviewed by the board and updated every few years. The previous QGP Boards could not foresee a global pandemic and the need for social distancing, causing the cancellation of all board and guild meetings. These are “Exceptional” times. We need to put in place some new standing rules that will allow the QGP board to continue and change to an online format until it is safe to return to regular meetings.

The board is proposing to make the following changes to our Standing Rules. Between the Purpose and the Standing Rules insert:

Exceptional Conditions:

1.1 During Federal, State or County emergencies, government guidelines will override our policy and procedures.

Online meetings can take the place of a general meeting.
Guild office terms can be extended with a majority vote at an online or customary general meeting.

We will be having the July guild meeting online with Zoom. We will be discussing and voting on this Standing Rule change.

Proposed Slate of Officers for QGP 2020-2021

President: Linda Neal
VP of Community Service: Dolores Williams & Valerie Salter
VP of Guild Activities: Leigh Knox
VP of Finance: Chanda Smith
VP of Education: Joan Hammett
VP of Membership: Sue Rentz & Karen Edmonson
VP of Media: Diane Poor
VP of Programs: Jeanne Smith & Janet Carver
Secretary: Julie Schaefer
Quilt Show Chair: Donna Petrick

If you would like to serve on the board or assist with a board position, please let us know! Getting involved on the board is a great way to meet other quilters in the guild. Email Linda Neal at lindanealmck@hotmail.com if you are interested. We would love to have you join us!

I hope this finds you well and with some unfinished projects completed and new projects started.

Programs are taking a different turn in the near future. Beginning in September at our Zoom based guild meeting, we will be hosting a guest speaker. We are quite excited about this new format of bringing quilting talent to the guild. The speakers that are scheduled for September, October, and November may not be set up for Zoom teaching. In that case, we will reschedule them for the future when we can meet in person and schedule others. A list of speakers will be posted in the August newsletter.

Our workshops through the end of this calendar year are canceled. Those of you signed up already will be issued a refund by August 1.

We are adapting in order to stay well and safe in this challenging time.

Keep sending in photos of your completed workshop projects!

Have you bought your raffle quilt tickets? Are you trying to sell tickets to family and friends? Your guild needs you now. This is the only chance we have of raising funds for the guild this year. We currently have collected just under $3000. Since we will not have a show, we will not have a chance to sell as many tickets as we normally do. We really need to have everyone helping to raise money on the raffle quilts.

Think of how much you aren’t spending by not having a quilt show. Maybe some of that money can go toward raffle tickets. If you will send a check and address labels to me, I’ll fill them out for you. Joan Hammett and I both have tickets if you want to get some to sell.

The board is planning to offer guild meetings and activities to the membership in a different format due to the Covid-19 quarantine. We will need money to pay any speakers who may be able to lecture and teach via Zoom. Please stay engaged in the guild and participate in upcoming activities and buying raffle tickets.

We have heard from a lot of members that they have been working on Community Service quilts while staying at home. So, on June 9 we had a Drop-off, Pick-up day. It was very successful. We received 57 finished quilts, 79 pillowcases, 21 tops, 5 cuddles, 93 Christmas Stockings and I brought home 10 quilts that needed binding. That was quite a take.

We are so happy that you are thinking about helping people even though we are still staying isolated. We have learned that some, if not all of the organizations are now going to start accepting donations. Thanks to our generous guild members we will be able to send quilts to them.

I have mentioned over the last couple of months that the organization called One Thread, is making masks to donate. We have given them fabric on three occasions, with over 100 yards of fabric going to them. (They are a non-profit organization that teaches sewing and are now concentrating on masks.) They actually reached their goal of 1000 masks, but are going to continue making more. They have donated masks to organizations around Frisco, plus gave out masks at a local grocery store to anyone that wanted some. I am happy we have been able to help.

We will be doing another drop-off/pick-up day in August. The guild will be drawing the winner of our Raffle Quilt on August 8. Since we need a lot of people at the drawing time, we will coordinate with the drawing and do another drop-off and pick-up then. More details will follow in the next newsletter, plus we will have emails go out.

Keep quilting and safe.

Hi there all,

Looks like we are moving into the hot dog days of summer. What better time to stay indoors and sew.

We will have an activity for August. I will have two patterns for a summertime table runner. You will have your pick - show off your applique skills or learn how to applique using this table runner or a table runner using a border print. Stay tuned for details.

It isn’t too late to send me pictures of your ‘quarantine’ quilts for a slideshow I’m in the process of creating. I know you guys got some UFOs done so send me those photos. If you have a story, include that with the photo(s).

Stay cool stay well.

Pat Fowler donated two lawn and leaf bags full of Christmas fabric. All of it is neatly folded and looks great on the shelf. I can’t wait until next year to begin to enjoy making kits from this fabric.

Truthfully, I have not worked much on stockings, other than to try to make the formal dining room more useable and appealing.

I have begun to inventory both stockings and goodies. More on that later. We always need homemade items such as coasters. Those are such a favorite with veterans and active service members.

I still have not been able to do anything with the shelter pet beds you gave me the day before the lockdown, but keep up the good work. Did you notice that a Plano quilt group was on the news for making masks? Keep doing the textile stuff that blesses others. I say textile because we have branched out beyond just fabric to paper (coffee filters) and other materials. Exciting times!

Recently some of us quilters have been nominating each other for the 10-day quilt challenge. Post a quilt every day for 10 days and nominate another quilter. On Facebook, there are some masterfully done works of sheer genius, but not mine. At first, I did not think I would have 10 quilt photos to post, but I find that I do. None of mine will win best of show. Few have even been photographed! Nope, I make simple quilts as gifts intended for people to use and enjoy. Most of the quilts I have given to folks did not even get a photo! It did not occur to me to document my work until I joined a quilt guild.

So, one dear friend makes art quilts that look like photographs, another designs quilts and writes articles for magazines. And here I am with my 6-inch squares, photos include loved ones. But you know what the best part is? These incredibly gifted and talented artisans consider Me to be THEIR friend!

June 2020 Newsletter

Posted on May 31, 2020June 1, 2020 by admin

It's June and time to think about officers for 2020-2021. Due to COVID-19, members have been quarantined, guild meetings/workshops canceled, the church where we meet is not allowing outside groups to use their facility at this time, and our quilt show is canceled. Workshops have been canceled and money refunded, and board meetings are taking place on Zoom. It’s hard to know when things are going to return to "normal." It has been a very challenging few months for the guild board as we have had to navigate through all of these obstacles. The current board of officers has worked well together. We have had to make decisions that are best for the guild, its members, and for the future of the guild.

Normally by June a nominating committee is formed by members at our meeting. But, these are not normal times. We have many members (and board members) who have not left their homes in months, and have no plans to leave their houses. We will not be meeting at Hunter's Glen Baptist Church at least through the summer. So, forming a nominating committee, finding members to serve, presenting a slate of officers at the August meeting, and voting at the September meeting will not happen as outlined in our standing orders and bylaws. Our rules were not written with a pandemic in mind. So, we are having to make unprecedented changes to ensure the guild will have an effective board and can continue on during this pandemic. Every guild, family, and business in the country has had to figure out how to keep things running and moving forward.

With that being said, I think the best way to keep the guild going strong is to continue with the current board of officers. All of the Vice Presidents and myself will have served on the board for 1-2 years when our terms are up this September. But, in order for this board to continue on for another year, we need to amend the standing rules to allow guild officers to serve a 3rd term. Standing rule Number 1 states that board members can only serve two consecutive years. We need to change our standing rules to say that if there are extenuating circumstances, a board member may be able to serve a third term. I think a pandemic certainly qualifies as an extenuating circumstance. To modify our standing rules, we will need 50% of the current membership to vote and approve this change. The voting will take place in July after the July newsletter has come out online. Voting will be online (all of our bylaws and standing rules can be found easily online under Membership - click on guild documents).

In August, we will announce the slate of officers for 2020-2021 and we will accept any nominations from the membership. In September, we will vote for the slate of officers (most likely online), induct them into office, and then the board will continue on for another year.

I am also concerned about officers for 2021-2022. I don't think it would be a good idea for the entire board to be replaced by a completely new board. So, by amending our standing rules, the nominating committee could decide to allow a few members to serve a third year for continuity.

Just to recap, here is the 2019-2020 list of board members:

President: Linda Neal
VP of Community Service: Valerie Salter & Dolores Williams
VP of Guild Activities: Leigh Knox
VP of Finance: Chanda Smith
VP of Education: Kathy Scott/Joan Hammett
VP of Membership: Sue Rentz & Karen Edmondson
VP of Media: Caroline Gagnon-Hartman
VP of Programs: Jeanne Smith & Janet Carver
Secretary: Julie Schaefer
Quilt Show Chair: Donna Petrick

Please feel free to email me with any concerns or questions at lindanealmck@hotmail.com

It’s hard to believe it’s June and we are still having to deal with COVID-19, quarantine, and social distancing. I am tired of cancelling retreats and meeting off of my calendar. I miss my friends, I miss my small group sew days, and I miss our guild meetings together.

I have never had this much “down” time in my entire life. What was on my schedule last week?- nothing. What is on my schedule this week? - nothing. And next week?... Nothing! And yet I am so busy!! About three weeks ago I discovered underneath piles and piles of fabric- I own a Gammill quilting machine. I dusted it off, oiled it, (thanks to Youtube tutorials) loaded a community service quilt, (thanks again Youtube) and I started quilting.

Do you remember the old movie Forrest Gump when Forrest started running? He ran and he ran and then he ran some more. My quilting Community Service quilts have been just like that. I have been quilting in the morning, quilting in the evening, quilting on the weekends. Quilting one top after another. Pantographs, meandering, freehand... Who knew how fun it could be. Apparently it took a pandemic to get me started.

As of today, I have quilted 43 tops for Community Service. Number 44 is loaded and ready to go. Number 45 is on the big board ironing table. I still have a pile of tops in a storage bin. I have a stack of old DVDs I listen to as I quilt. How many tops will I quilt? I’m not sure… How far did Forrest Gump run?

“Life is like a box of chocolates.”- Forrest Gump. Sometimes you get caramel (yum) and sometimes you get coconut (yuck). I have decided to eat the entire box of caramel and enjoy my quarantine time. Quilt, applique, talk to friends, play with my two Great Pyrenees, and do stuff around the house I have been put off for too long.

Now if I only had a computer on my Gammill…

Stay well everyone and know that you are missed. The board is looking into other options for meetings (Zoom etc.) and more information will be coming soon. Keep quilting and keep in touch with one another. Remember- we are all in this together. And if you like to bind- I will be bringing 45+ quilts to the Community Service drop off day (June 9th) that have binding and are ready to go!

Just to recap what you probably already know, we have cancelled the quilt show for August 7th & 8th, 2020. It’s just too risky at this point. I’m terribly disappointed as I know you are. But there is always next year and we will make it a wonderful show.

The dates have been set for the Quilt Plano 2021 – August 6th and 7th, 2021. We will have most of the event center beginning on Tuesday, August 3rd. Then the complete event center beginning on Thursday. Our deposit for the center was transferred to the 2021 contract. While it shows on this year’s expense, it will actually offset event center charges in 2021.

We will draw for the 2020 raffle quilts at the regular time – 3:30 pm on Saturday, August 8th at the Plano Event Center (in the parking lot) as our tickets state.

Tina Connolly and Pat Fowler are spearheading the 2021 raffle quilt. From what I’ve seen so far, it is stunning. Their group is very talented and always produces a beautiful quilt.

It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of May and by the time this is read, we will be in June. Since we are not able to meet currently as a guild, we still need to stay involved with the members of the guild. I miss seeing all of you each month. I will be so glad when we are back together.

Some members are sending in their money for raffle tickets. Thank you. If you will send me labels with your name and phone number printed on them, along with your check, I’ll fill out the ticket stubs for you.

Consider buying more raffle tickets with the money you would have spent at the quilt show.

When we have the community service transfer day, June 9th, we will have the raffle tickets with us. (Read more about the transfer day in the Community Service section) If you have ticket stubs to turn in, or money to turn in, or would like to get more tickets, we will be able to take care of it. The CS transfer time will be 10:00 am to 12 pm. We will be in the parking lot in front of Plano Sewing Center.

I hope everyone is staying safe.

There will be no Community Sewing Day in June.

Instead, we will have a ‘Drop-Off ---- Pick-Up’ day.

When: Tuesday, June 9, 10 am to 12 noon.
Where: In front of Plano Sewing Center, 2070 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX
What: We will accept tops, quilted quilts, finished quilts, pillowcases – just like we do at the meetings.
What Not to Bring: Donations of fabrics, books, etc. We cannot store any more donations. Dog Beds. At this time, we are not giving out dog beds so do not want any more to store.
What else: Raffle tickets can be dropped off or picked up.
Who: Valerie Salter, Dolores Williams, and Donna Petrick will be outside the store in our cars. Our car trunks will be open. We will limit contact.

I have heard from a lot of our members that this self-isolation is allowing us to get a lot of projects done. I like to have simpler projects to do while working on one that requires a lot of thought and work. Community Service quilts are perfect for some simpler projects. I like to experiment with designs and colors on quilts that I don’t need at home so I make the tops for Community Service. Also, quilting a small, simple quilt for Community Service is a good way to practice quilting on your sewing machine.

So come by Plano Sewing Center on June 9, and pick up quilts that are spray-basted and ready to quilt. We will also have pillowcase kits, quilts that need binding, and some kits to make quilt tops.

Even though our quilt show is cancelled for 2020, we are still required to have the drawing for our raffle quilts on August 8. We had sold tickets before the pandemic and the date for the drawing was on the tickets, so we must do the drawing. The raffle quilt is a major fundraiser for the guild, and it is unfortunate that we will not get many tickets sold this year. So, we figured you can pick up tickets from us to sell. Bring labels and a check if you want to buy the tickets yourself. We can put the labels on for you. Remember the chances of winning are greater when there are fewer tickets sold. Also, this year there are two quilts.

Hey there everyone out in newsletter land! Are you still out there? Hmmm, rumor has it we are all getting caught up on projects so SHOW ME WHAT YA GOT! I would love for you to send me photos of your bright shining faces and your project(s). Send them to activities@qgplano.org. I have a couple of ideas on what I want to do with them, but until I work out the details (translation: I figure out how to use Powerpoint) it is a secret. Make sure you include your name, pattern name, and the quilts' "story".

Also, I’ve been trying to figure out an activity we could do, and I would love your input. It would help me to know A) do you use Facebook; B) would you be open to using Zoom for a virtual Sit n Sew; C) if I don’t hear from anyone it will tell me no one reads the newsletter; D) you really are happy doing your own thing and don’t really need an activity.

Happy sewing!

Leigh

Kathy Scott -- 6/1
Diane Poor -- 6/2
Deanna Sanford -- 6/4
Celia Apple -- 6/6
Ida Sue Rostosky -- 6/8
Jenny Hilton -- 6/8
Marvel Reese -- 6/9
Page Samuel -- 6/10
Carolyn Cosgriff -- 6/12
Sarah Krauss -- 6/12
Anna Marie Larrabee -- 6/13
Janet Lindsey -- 6/13
Jean Johnson -- 6/14
Jeana Kubik -- 6/14
Lynnette Maytubby -- 6/14
Christina Vilmar -- 6/16
Michelle Wierman -- 6/16
Trae Flesher -- 6/16
Adrienne Poppe -- 6/18
Dolores Williams -- 6/19
Wendy Kent -- 6/20
Donna Strongin -- 6/21
Kathy Czekaj -- 6/21
Marie Flanders -- 6/22
Katherine Barney -- 6/24
Barbara Ilaoa -- 6/26
Pat Young -- 6/26
Chanda Smith -- 6/27
Maria Eakin -- 6/27
Sharon Zeiner -- 6/28
Terry Cardona -- 6/29

While we make only a small part of the ministry of Soldiers Angels, I think that this thank you note posted to the Soldiers Angels website includes us:

"I would like to say how grateful I am to all of the members associated with this program as it has been a fantastic morale booster for both my current deployment and my deployment back in 2015! Your team truly spreads joy during the hard times and provides a great opportunity of friendship for those of us who are limited on family communications. Between the letters and the care packages to share in the shop, we all feel a little more appreciated out here. For me, it has been the Angels that have given me the support I need to complete the mission and push forward each and every day! Thank you again, for everything that you and your fellow Angels do!" –Tiffanie (found on Soldiers Angels website 2020)

It would seem that Corona has affected every part of our existence these days. In the email that I got from Soldier’s Angels this month, she talked about how Covid-19 has changed the way that they bless soldiers. She explained that great care must be taken when they try to bless those who are the most vulnerable. Also, gone are donations from businesses that have had to close due to the shutdown.

Here is the website

www.SoldiersAngels.org

Masks: I know that many of you have switched from stockings to mask-making. While I cannot “officially” endorse mask-making, I think it is valid to try to find out real information on the topic so that we can make informed decisions on how best to help out in this shortage. There has been some discussion out there in the rest of the world about whether masks accomplish any good. Here is a Pinterest by someone who has done an excellent job of researching juried articles written by people who did real research on materials that people have tried to use. Some are pretty entertaining.

Her pattern is a good one, as well.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/358036239132256860/

In preparation for our stockings for next year, I could use more Christmas fabric, as well as novelty prints that would make good stockings, also ribbon in red and blue.

Linda Neal emailed me to ask whether shelters were taking beds anymore. The articles that I found were all from 2019, well before the lockdown. So, I called the shelters that I take beds to. I got voicemails. One called me back. The guy from Wylie told me that due to Coronavirus, the guidelines that they have to follow are such that they cannot take donations of any kind. So please store the beds that you make for a time this summer when we can once again help in this way. I have one of those giant Rubbermaid tubs that I will be storing mine in until we can begin to take our beds to shelters again. Life will come back sometime this summer. In the meantime keep Pinteresting ideas for things to do with usable scraps. And, if you want to help shelters or pet-related charities, go to their websites and donate money online. Pet needs continue unabated and kitten and puppy season is here.

Donna Petrick did find a shelter that was accepting dog beds and delivered 20 dog beds to Dallas Dog RRR (Rescue, Rehab, Rehome)!

Many of us have been spending even more time in our sewing room than we usually do! While quilting is wonderful exercise for the brain, it may not contribute that much to our overall physical health. It seems like the more we sit, the more we ache! If you already have the green light from your healthcare professional, here are a few stretches specifically for quilters:

AQS – Ten Exercises for Quilters

Quilter’s Planner – Stretches for Quilters

Chair Yoga for Quilters

Of course, before you begin any new type of exercise, please consult with your healthcare professional!

Stay healthy and in shape to continue quilting for a very long time!

May 2020 Newsletter

Posted on April 29, 2020April 29, 2020 by admin

By the time we are reading this newsletter, the decision will have been made and announced. Quilt Plano 2020 is not going to happen. The health risk is just too great. At this time, we do not know when group gatherings can safely happen. Most of our members are in the age group most vulnerable to the virus. We cannot take a chance of causing harm to them or to the visitors who might come to the show.

By canceling now, we will not have the major expenses of the show. Some money has been spent. While not recoverable, it does not put us at risk financially. We are trying to move our current deposit of $8k with the Plano Event Center to 2021. Other contracts can be canceled with no penalties. Guild expenses will not be as great as we have to cancel speakers this year. And we carry a large bank account to cover emergencies such as this.

We still can and must sell tickets for our raffle quilts. While we cannot sell tickets online, as raffle quilts fall under the gambling laws, we can let it be known that members have tickets available. With so many guilds not able to hold meetings and with TAQG canceling Rally Day, we are losing chances to sell tickets. It’s going to be up to the membership to sell to friends and relatives. Please make an extra effort to get tickets and sell them before August 6th.

It breaks my heart to make this decision, but it is best for the membership.

Joan Hammett and I will co-chair Quilt Plano 2021. The guild will come back with renewed vigor and be ready to make great plans for 2021. With so many of us home quilting now, there should be an abundance of quilts for that show.

Stay home. Stay healthy. Enjoy the time you have to create beautiful new quilts.

As I stated in my show report, by not having the quilt show this year, we lose a great deal of sales on our raffle quilt. This is our only opportunity to raise money for the guild this year. We need for all members to redouble their efforts to sell or buy raffle tickets. Please see if you can spare the time and/or money to bring these quilts up to their prospective earnings.

Once the quilt stores reopen for walk-in customers, please see if you can take the quilts to a store and sell tickets for a day.

Joan Hammett and I both have tickets. We can meet you someplace or you can come by our houses to pick up tickets, leave money and stubs or pick up the quilts to take to quilt stores.

We cannot sell tickets through the internet due to raffle quilts falling under the gambling laws. However, you can mention on social media that you have tickets for sale. We can then make arrangements to deliver the stubs and collect the money.

Thank you for your help. These are tough days for the guild. We don’t want to put a burden on anyone. But we do need to rescue what we can for the year.

Community service was ‘closed’ for the month of April. A lot of our guild members were asking if there was a way to help our community. Many wanted to help with the mask and gown shortage. We thought of putting patterns on the website but then realized that our quilters would be at risk trying to get the masks and gowns distributed.

While we were discussing solutions, we were contacted by Ayda Sow from the One Thread Nonprofit Organization. One Thread (onethreadofficial.wixsite.com/website/) works with the Frisco ISD students to do community projects. They asked our guild for fabric help with their Mask Making Campaign. They wanted neutral fabrics. We were able to give them several bolts of fabric plus some flat folds. Their goal for the month was to make 300 masks. Ayda said they get about 100 masks with 8 yards of fabric. We gave them enough fabric to make at least 400-500 masks. I also told them that we would give them more if they need it. The picture shows me with Ayda and her stash of fabric. I am so glad we were able to help.

Their website has a video on making a mask that will hold a filter. It is a pretty good video.

Keep safe and do lots of sewing.

It is with a heavy heart that the QGP board voted to cancel our August 2020 quilt show due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The board also voted to cancel guild meetings for May, June, and July, along with all guild activities. The safety and well-being of our members is the board’s first priority. We join the long list of cancellations in our country: schools, graduation, prom, all professional sports, church activities, movies, and eating out. Almost everything that is fun! Only essential stores/services remain open. I was ecstatic to hear that quilt shops have been deemed “essential” businesses since they sell fabric for making masks. Like all quilters, I have always believed that quilt stores are essential. Now it’s been confirmed by our local government- so it MUST be true!

Our quilt show revenue is how we pay for speakers and guild expenses. Previous QGP boards have been very careful to set aside money for emergencies in case the show had to be canceled for bad weather. While this is not bad weather--it does constitute an emergency. Deciding now to cancel the quilt show was difficult. But it had to be done. To continue to spend more money in preparation for a quilt show that is not going to happen would be irresponsible. How will the pandemic be in August? Hard to say. But, I think we can all agree that attendance would be dismal. We would not have enough volunteers, and the vendors would lose money. The guild will lose some money that we have already spent, but the majority (deposits for example) will be forwarded to Quilt Plano 2021. Please read Donna Petrick’s newsletter article this month for more information.

The only other source of revenue we will have for this year will be the 2020 raffle quilt. The canceling of TAQG Rally Day and other guild meetings we would sell tickets at is also going to decrease the money we could have made. Therefore we really need members to step up and help us sell tickets. The quilt will still be drawn for at the same date and time. Please contact Donna Petrick if you need more tickets to sell. Or if businesses start opening and you could take the quilt and sell tickets.

It’s hard to predict when it will be safe for all of us to meet together as a guild. Truthfully most of our members are considered high risk. And while I think quilting is my life, it’s not exactly true. It’s a hobby (for some a profession). Even when government officials start lifting restrictions on groups meeting, I am sure many of our members (and board members) still won’t feel safe attending a meeting for quite some time. The board will continue to meet virtually monthly and evaluate when we feel it is safe for most people to attend.

So for now, just try to enjoy the little things in life. Enjoy and organize your stash--you’ve spent YEARS acquiring it. Enjoy the time you have to complete UFOs. Start a new project that is out of your comfort zone. Phone a friend. Keep up with your pals in your small group. Try using Zoom to have a small group meeting. Adopt a new dog/cat (we just adopted ANOTHER Great Pyrenees rescue--lol that’s a whole new story). Post pictures of your quilts on Facebook. Quilt a quilt on your domestic/longarm machine. Learn to English Paper Piece. This list could go on and on. Until next month’s newsletter-

Stay well and Happy Stitching!

Helloooooooo out there in newsletter land! I really hope we all get to have a social time/meeting soon. I need quilty friend time. I am one of those that has had to go into the office everyday, and while I love my husband and I enjoy my co-workers, my quilty friends and retreats are what keeps me sane.

So for activities I wanted to let you guys know that GE Designs is hosting another one day quilt-along on Sunday, May 3. If you miss it, you can watch it on Facebook or YouTube later.

This time she is collecting a small donation and she tells you about that in the information.

Here is the link:

https://gequiltdesigns.com

Did any of you participate in GE Designs Elvira in March? I decided to at the very last minute and I was determined to just use only my stash. Once it was completed I had to rename mine. I affectionately call her Elvira’s homely cousin (chuckle chuckle). Maybe just maybe I’ll get brave enough to show her sometime at a meeting.

If you see any other quilt-alongs or fun activities on Facebook, please share.

Ok, that is it for me!

Sew on!

Joan Caldwell -- 5/2
Barbara Graves -- 5/6
Sue Rentz -- 5/7
Diana Hafele -- 5/8
Jeanne Fletcher -- 5/8
Tami Marlar -- 5/8
Trudy Gomez -- 5/9
Becky Woods -- 5/12
Tracy Spruell -- 5/16
Laurie Tanas -- 5/17
Elizabeth "Libby" Triolet -- 5/18
Valerie Pearson -- 5/19
Debbie Smith -- 5/23
Lori Hutyra -- 5/24
Deborah Cooley -- 5/25
Emily Hall -- 5/25
Ceidys Butterworth -- 5/26
Nancy Worst -- 5/26
Fonda Brinlee -- 5/28
Joanne Clements -- 5/28
Roxanne Doelling -- 5/28
Joan Hammett -- 5/30
Margaret Lakie -- 5/30

I know that almost everyone is making masks. If you were worried that this important work might rob time from stockings, don’t because we have met our goal for stockings for our October deadline. Good work, guys!

So, what needs to happen now is that any unfinished stockings need to come back. As you do your “shelter-in-place spring cleaning” look for kits that you may have taken in the past and put them in your “take to guild” basket. I assume you do the same as me. I keep a laundry basket that I put anything I find that I want to take to the guild. In it, I also keep a gift bag for any Chatskis for door prizes. The rest of my life is not very well organized, but that basket is!

In terms of what do I need? I could always use fabric that would make cute stockings. I have plenty of cuff fabric. And I especially need ribbon in red, baby blue, royal blue, navy blue.

I must confess that I have not done much with pet beds. I have been leaving the house as little as possible since the shelter-in-place order. As a result, I have been letting the ones that I make pile up. In the stocking fabric, I sometimes find some that would not be good for stockings, and I make bed bags out of these.

I was reading an article that said that shelters are really hurting for volunteers while people are staying home. Also, adoptions are down. Folks are simply not prioritizing the needs of animals over their own in this pandemic.

April 2020 Newsletter

Posted on April 1, 2020April 1, 2020 by admin

While everything is still fresh on my mind, I want to share a little of what happened to the Dallas Quilt Show and why your officers are trying to be as fiscally responsible as we can.

I know there have been comments and questions in the past about why we keep a large balance in our bank accounts. The week of March 12th shows all of us why. We have to have money to refund payments received for events that won’t happen, to pay for contracts for future activities that have been canceled, and to pay for running the guild for the next year if no revenue is received this year.

Dallas had twelve hours warning that the quilt show was not going to happen. The guild president and show chair had not been told that anything was imminent. On the 10:00 pm news Thursday night we learned that at 11:00 am the next morning, groups of 500 or larger could not gather. The committee members watching the news that night started contacting each other to make plans. Cindy Matthews, show chair, sent out an email to ask each chair to take charge of their own area and we would take down the show on Friday as though it were Sunday. Everyone responded well, did their jobs well and we stopped our quilt show before anyone could even come in the door.

The Dallas guild board will now take care of their business in completing the show records. But this gives us the chance to look at what could happen to Plano and to plan how to survive not receiving any revenue to run our guild should it happen to us. AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO PLAN TO CANCEL QUILT PLANO 2020.

The city government of Plano has met and decided to close the Plano Event Center for two weeks. Anyone with an event during that time will be refunded. However, any event canceled after that will not be refunded, rather funds will be transferred to their next event at the center.

We have already collected deposits from vendors and sponsors for Quilt Plano 2020 of about $14,000 that we would need to refund. We have spent around $2,000 on show costs that cannot be recovered. The guild budget for 2020/21 for running the guild and paying for the excellent programs we are enjoying is approximately $28,000, not including any show expenses. We would need at least that much for a second year before we could have another show to bring in revenue to pay for expenses.

The guild budget and financials are posted on our website under Documents under Membership for members to review.

We have a vibrant guild and are enjoying some tremendous programs. We want to keep doing that. That means that we cannot be frivolous with our monies, but need to keep our business minds looking at the future and making good plans for the guild.

We had a great program at our March guild meeting thanks to Tammy Vonderschmitt with Moda. She inspired us with all the wonderful quilts that she brought and displayed. Moda’s fabric lines are outstanding and I just bet the majority of us are using some right now during this “stay at home” time. Thanks so very much, Tammy. You came right before we knew that we needed your inspiration!

Maria Shell’s presentation and workshops have been cancelled. We have rescheduled her for September 2021! Maria is now at home with her family in Anchorage Alaska safe and well!

Let’s all create, stay well and enjoy our families!

Years ago when I first started to quilt, I remember hearing about a quilter’s “stash.” I had no idea what they were talking about until I went to someone’s house. “Jane Doe” showed me a walk-in closet filled with fabric to the ceiling. It was amazing! I had never seen so much fabric outside of a quilt store before. “Jane” showed me several fabrics and talked about going on “shop hops” to quilt stores all over the state. And then Jane told me about quilt shows. I was hooked!

After seeing her stash, I turned around to leave the room. It was then I saw an entire wall of shelves filled with fabric to the ceiling! Prints, stripes, florals, batik’s… “Jane” had it all. I wanted to be like “Jane.” Instead of buying kits, or fabric for a particular project, I started buying fabric for my “stash.” Fabric for a rainy day… It was so much fun. I purchased fabric from my local quilt shops and then branched out to other quilt stores while on retreat or family vacation. I bought lots of fabric in Alaska- they have great quilt shops. California has lots of great quilt shops too. I often shipped back dirty clothes and packed my suitcase with yards of precious fabric and thread. Don’t even get me started about thread…

But, now I know the truth. “Jane” was a hoarder! She had way more fabric than anyone could use in a lifetime. In fact, I can now say that I am a hoarder of fabric. I am OK with that. Many of my friends are hoarders too. I am OK with that too.

Who knew all of our years of hoarding fabric would actually pay off?

Now it is April, 2020 and I am staying home with my fabric. Only venturing out for food or necessary supplies. All of my retreats have been cancelled. But, every day I get to go to my studio and play with my fabric. So many projects I wanted to make with my stash- now I have time. I took an empty shelving unit and pulled fabric and patterns I want to make. Every shelf has lots of fun projects. Some are Community Service, some are kits, and some are UFOs. I have also been following Edyta Sitar’s blog and making her mystery blocks.

I can’t believe how life has changed in the last month with COVID. But, as quilter’s as long as we have fabric, thread, and a machine we are set. We have phones, texts, and emails to keep up with our friends and guild mates. We can stay at home and stay well.

Happy Stitching.

Now that the Dallas Quilt Show is over, I can focus on Plano again. Everything is running along well. Except for this stumbling block of not knowing what is going to happen with the Coronavirus. Hopefully by the time you are reading the newsletter, we will all know more what to expect.

Presently, we are going on the assumption that we will still have our quilt show in August. We are currently receiving entries, vendors and sponsors are signing up, we are selling ads in the program, demos are being planned for the May meeting and for the quilt show, and tickets and posters are printed. Things are looking pretty good. Everyone - stay healthy and keep quilting. We need more entries. Entry deadline is our June 11th meeting.

While we are all in shut down mode—make another mini for the mini quilt auction. I made one this afternoon. Had done the embroidery ages ago but finally put borders on it and now need to get it quilted.

Because of the Dallas Quilt Show preview party, our attendance at the March meeting was down. We had 79 members and three visitors present.

Our visitors were Becky Garcia, Bridget Madsen, and Grace Culbertson.

We reminded our 2019-2020 new members of our new member retreat at the Best Little Retreat Center on May 30th. There are only a handful of reservations available for that event. If you can’t find your invitation email, please send a message to membership@qgplano.org to receive a copy.

Our Door Prize chairperson, Karen Edmondson, will become a vice president of Membership along with Sue Rentz.

Our door prizes came from the following:

Against the Grain Notions www.splintersandstrings.com
Linda’s Electric Quilters www.longarmsupplies.net
Savvy Quilters www.savvyquilters.com
The Quilt Asylum www.thequiltasylum.com
Not Your Mama’s Quilt Store www.notyourmamasquiltstore.com
Stitchin’ Heaven www.stitchinheaven.com
Quilt Country www.quiltcountry.com
Encore Quilt & Sew www.encorequiltandsewretreatcenter.com
Ready Set Quilt www.readysetquilt.net
Quilt Ideas www.quiltideas.com
Box Car Quilts www.boxcarquilts.com
Minding My P’s and Q’s www.mindingmypsandqs.com
Quilters Consignment www.quiltersconsignment.com
Our speaker from Moda, Tammy Vonderschmitt

QUILTING DAY, April 14, HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

I hope everyone is staying home safe and healthy. Community Service has cancelled our Quilting Day. Things may be more normal by then, but we had to cancel the Basting Day so there are no quilts to quilt. We will reschedule once the crisis has passed.

While we are all spending more time at home, I wanted to mention a way to use up all those panels you have in your stash that you don’t know what you can do with them. Also, if you are like me, you have been saving scraps as 5 inch squares or 2 ½ inch strips. Community Service had a donation of a panel with huge flowers. There were four flowers to the panel, each flower is 24 inches. We also received a panel of about 20 inches with cats.

Using my scraps I made the three quilts shown below. I got the idea from a small group that used an Orphan Block with nickel squares to make quilts for Community Service.

The one block in a sea of nickels gives the quilt a focus point and some character.

So, get out your scraps and orphan blocks or panels and make some Community Service quilts. They are fast and easy and use up a lot of your scraps.

Donna Petrick -- 4/2
Susan Autry -- 4/3
Connie Ryan -- 4/4
Jaynee Eshbaugh -- 4/4
Mychael Colyar-Long -- 4/4
Karen Bethel -- 4/5
Terri Mendelow -- 4/6
Julie Brooks -- 4/7
Glenna Brabant -- 4/8
Sara Lindsay -- 4/8
Tina Connolly -- 4/9
Carolyn Bond -- 4/15
Cristal Green -- 4/15
Beverly Geise -- 4/17
Nancie Rogers -- 4/17
Rose-Clair Fletcher -- 4/18
Elizabeth Schiller -- 4/19
Sharon Laney -- 4/20
Ann McDougal -- 4/23
Sue Landry -- 4/23
Anne Leather -- 4/27
Lori Connon -- 4/27
Mary Alice Caffarel -- 4/27
Deborah Skorepa -- 4/29
Pat Fowler -- 4/29
Margaret Burke -- 4/30

We are well on our way to our annual goal of stockings to give to Soldiers Angels. I handed out 125 kitted stockings, and y’all brought back 40. Way to go, Guys!

As I am enjoying my “Corona Hibernation,” I am ironing stocking fabric, cutting big stacks of 7x11.5” fabric ready to select from for cuffs. This makes the job much more efficient. I told my daughter that, and she said, “So, the same thing you do every day.” I have it down to 1 giant tub of fabric, from six. I did not do this work alone, but I feel like it is a major accomplishment.

I would like to share my setup.I have learned a few things that make this job much easier. I had made an ironing cover for my kitchen island. This is a great way to iron, but with my injured knee, I can’t stand all day long anymore. I also have learned that I need to move around. So, I no longer just iron, I try to process a piece of fabric completely in two rooms, instead of just making stacks of random ironed fabric.

So, first, my formal dining room table is on risers to make it a more ergonomic height, much easier on the back. Second, I cut a piece of vinyl to cover the top and protect it from abrasion. My table has the die cutter on one end, and my big cutting board on the other. Rulers and scissors store very well under the die cutter. As I stand at my work station, I have three containers: A waste basket for pieces too small to do anything with, a big Rubbermaid tub for usable scraps, and a bag for selvages. As I cut, whatever I don’t use goes into one of these.

I have one of those boards that quilters put over their ironing board placed over two TV trays. I iron a piece of fabric, take it back to the formal dining room, cut it and stuff. Then I pick out another piece of fabric and start the process over.

Right before the meeting, I got an email from Jeanne Vogel telling me that a pet adoption was going to be at the Petsmart near Willow Bend Mall wanting five beds. What a great idea! We could each target pet stores near us when they are having pet adoption, as well as veterinarian offices. Folks bring unwanted pets to vets quite often. So, these are two great ideas to take beds to. Just choose the one nearest your home, and be sure to report your hours and the number of beds. The lady in charge of the pet adoption wrote me an email thank you note. She was so very pleased to receive them.

I took 15 beds to a shelter in old town Plano. They did not want the rest right now. I took 25 to Wylie. Wylie is networked with other, less known shelters, so I like to take beds to them.

It seems like a lot has been put on hold as we wait for the pandemic to go away, yes? All in one day, I got emails from every activity that I am involved in, all cancellations or postponements. But it’s all good, right, when you are a quilter? We know how to have fun better than anyone else! Plus, we have the added pleasure of blessing our loved ones, folks in our community, even sending blessings around the world. Who else can claim such a thing?

Here are a couple of quotes from Facebook:

“Shelter in Place? A chance to quilt and to sew!”

“Someone asked, ’what if you run out of stash?’ I rolled on the floor laughing!”

March 2020 Newsletter

Posted on February 29, 2020 by admin

Guild Meeting – Thursday, April 9, 2020

Lecture: Patchwork to Artwork – Journey of an Alaskan Quiltmaker

Non-members: There is a $5 Fee for this National Speaker

Quilt Artist, Maria Shell, will share her work from her first stitches to her most recent pieces along with some fun stories about trying to quilt while raising three boys in the wild lands of Alaska. Maria’s work is grounded in the tradition of American patchwork while also connecting to both the modern and art quilt moments. It is a journey filled with laughter, dark Alaskan nights, and lots of stitching.

In the Know

Entry forms are online and we have received our first entry. Are you finishing your quilt entries? Please plan to enter your quilts, up to 4, and participate in the guild show. Without you, we don’t have a show. This is our showcase. We all enjoy seeing the work of our friends being displayed.

Then plan on volunteering for the show. It takes lots of us working together to put on this production. It’s a great way to meet others in the guild you haven’t yet met and to learn all the things we do as a group. Working 4 hours for the show will earn you a free entry for one day.

If you would like to work on the show committee, it’s time to volunteer to learn what is involved. We are currently looking for a member or two who would enjoy working with our vendors. Please contact Carol Long, Rose Davis or me if you might be the one.

I hope that all of you who gave your time volunteering for the guild in 2019 sent your hour count to Julie Schaefer by the end of January. Soon we will have a program online in which to record your volunteer hours for the guild. As soon as we are set up, you will receive notification on how to enter hours. Until then, please keep a record of your hours that can be submitted online later.

The Presidential Volunteer Service Award information has been submitted and we hope to have the pins and certificates back soon.

If you have already reached your 30 hour volunteer time for 2020, check in with Tisha Harms at a guild meeting to receive your service bar. You qualify for a service bar after you have given 30 hours of time doing any job for the guild. It could be selling raffle tickets at an event, making a mini quilt for the quilt show, sewing any of the community service items available or doing any of the many activities it takes to keep the guild running and active. Your travel time to/from such meetings also counts.

2020 RALLY DAY NEWS

Save Saturday, July 11 so you don’t miss this year’s Rally Day. Doors will open at 9am and admission is FREE to all to celebrate our 20th year!! This year’s speaker is Marti Michell. She is making a return to TAQG’s Rally Day as she was the speaker at the first Rally Day. This is the 20th Rally Day so we thought it appropriate to invite her back to help celebrate. The week after Rally Day, she will be the 2020 inductee into the Quilters Hall of Fame in Marion, Indiana. So, invite your non-guild-friends to see an internationally known speaker, have lunch provided by McAlister’s for $10, have a chance to bid on many silent auction items, and raffle gifts. Who knows, you may go home with one of the over 100 door prizes. And for those of you who love them, we will have Goody Bags to the first 500 through the door.

Many of you love workshops, so Marti will teach three. Fat Quarter Log Cabin is on Wednesday, Hexagon is on Thursday and Mariner’s Compass is on Friday. But don’t wait too long to decide as they are already filling up…Mariner’s Compass is already half full!

Our guild continues to thrive and grow- which is great! We have had amazing speakers, first rate workshops, and wonderful attendance at our monthly guild meetings. Members are participating in Community Service, guild challenges, and I have heard wonderful things about the recent retreat at the Hilton Garden Inn. Kudos to Carol Long and her daughter Dorothy for their hard work organizing the retreat for 108 attendees.

With all of this growth in guild activities and the quilt show just around the corner, we are discovering that we need help! We have lots of new members and current members that may like to join to volunteer for a job in the guild. But they don’t know where to start. So, to match up guild members with jobs, we are going to have a “classified job listing” on our website. Volunteering for a job, big or small, is a great way to meet other members and help us keep the guild running smoothly. Some of the jobs are easy and fun. Some of the jobs require technical skills (i.e. computer skills, bookkeeping, etc.). Some of the jobs help you burn calories and some of the jobs are sedentary. Some of the jobs require a short commitment and some of the jobs will be on going.

The classified will list all of the information about the job requirements, approximate number of hours per week/month, length of commitment needed, who you will be working under, and how to “apply” for the job! We hope this will make it easier for members (new and existing) to help the guild and use their talents. It takes a lot of volunteers to run this guild (and quilt show). We need YOU!

Until next month- Happy Quilting

Hi Everybody,

I hope this finds everyone in good spirits and ready for the Spring forward time change, St. Patrick’s Day, and our Pillow Exchange!

Don’t forget to bring your pillow to the March Guild meeting and make sure you sign/date it for the recipient.

If you need the pattern, it is on the guild website under the Activities tab, then click on Challenges. If you need a pillow form, I have been told that Wal-Mart has one that fits the pillow perfectly.

Please do not bring the pillow wrapped or in a gift bag.

Our next ‘guild activity’ will be participating in the Quilt of Valor for TAQG Rally Day. That will carry us through July, and then we will take a small break until after Quilt Plano.

See you at the meeting.

Thank you so much to the 105 ladies and one gentleman, who participated in the Annual Retreat at the Hilton Garden Inn in Denison this last week. We donated over 1,500 items and $830 in cash to Denison Helping Hands. For those who donated to this cause, their name went into a drawing for a new Baby Lock sewing machine that was donated by Plano Sewing Center. The winner of the machine was Ida Sue Rostosky. We made several community service quilts, thanks so much to Pam Walsh and her small group who cut and packaged the kits for the retreaters to sew.

If you would like to attend the 2021 Retreat, please send your $50 non-refundable deposit to Chanda Smith. Registration is open to Guild Members only until September 1st. Please make your checks payable to Quilters Guild of Plano.

Thank you so much for all of the kind words to myself and Dorothy, as hosts of the retreat. We look forward to next year with ya'll!

Thanks so much!

We had 125 members present.

There were 5 visitors, Gayle Meador, Margaret Burke, Mary Marrone, Grace Colbertson, Debbie Evans.

The 7 new members were: Celene Bishop, Cynthia, DeVoll, Roxanne Doelling, Gwenn Erlinger, Roxanne Gross, Linda Kaiser, Tracie Williams.

We continue to take member renewal fees.

The following quilt stores made donations for the door prizes:

Sew Dallas www.shopstitchhouse.com
Against the Grain Notions www.splintersandstrings.com
Linda’s Electric Quilters www.longarmsupplies.net
Savvy Quilters www.savvyquilters.com
The Quilt Asylum www.thequiltasylum.com
Not Your Mama’s Quilt Store www.notyourmamasquiltstore.com
Stitchin’ Heaven www.stitchinheaven.com
Sew Let’s Quilt It www.sewletsquiltit.com
Quilt Country www.quiltcountry.com

Susan Lenox -- 3/1
Rhonda Briscoe -- 3/2
Jeanne Vogel -- 3/2
Janelle Garrett -- 3/4
Sheryl Vaughan -- 3/4
Catherine Daigle -- 3/5
Martha A. Jones -- 3/6
Barbara Collins -- 3/8
Patti Griffith -- 3/11
Carolyn Kohut -- 3/11
Mary Thomas Imhoff -- 3/12
Nancy LaVerdure -- 3/13
Shirley St. Clair -- 3/13
Candi Aulbaugh -- 3/15
Denise Green -- 3/15
Laura Winckel -- 3/16
Karen Freeman -- 3/17
Karen Woodard -- 3/18
Linda Chappell -- 3/19
Alice Payn -- 3/19
Pam Walsh -- 3/19
Fran Casey -- 3/22
Erika Inglhofer -- 3/22
Marty Crouch -- 3/23
Denny Lay -- 3/23
Sharon McGinnis -- 3/25
Margaret Harkins -- 3/26
Alice B. Gore -- 3/30

Our guild members are really stepping up for Community Service. At the last meeting I gave out everything I carried in to be distributed. This included a crate full of quilts to be quilted, a crate of quilts needing binding and a small crate of pillowcase kits. I was so happy they went out so fast. Thank you Guild members, you are amazing!

I do want to remind you that we do not have sign-out sheets for the items you are taking home. Which means that if you take something home and you do not have to bring it to the next meeting, it is something you do when you have time.

QUILTING DAY, April 14

I want to remind everyone that we will be having our quilting day on April 14, from 10 am – 3 pm. We will be at the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas. The quilts will be spray-basted and ready to go. We will not be bringing quilts that need binding – there just isn’t room in our cars to get everything there.

I would encourage you to come to our Quilting Day if you are interested in learning quilting. We will do demonstrations on using your walking foot and free-motion quilting. It is a great way to learn how to quilt. Most of the quilts are on the smaller side so they will be easy to handle.

Let us know if you are coming – email Dolores at quiltingpony@hotmail.com or Valerie at salter125@hotmail.com.

Don’t forget we still have the quilting contest going. You get your name in for a drawing for every quilt you quilt. The drawing will be at the December meeting.

The Least of These

Members of the Quilters Guild of Plano have big hearts. They are concerned for each other and for members of the community. They are helpers and doers and when someone is in need, they are quick to answer the call. Once again, we are gathering items for the PISD School-Age Program Graduation Party. These parents have worked hard to fulfill the requirements for graduation and to learn valuable life skills that will improve the future prospects of their children. We have partnered with PISD to help in this process. I will be delivering your gifts of clothes, quilts, gift cards and other baby to toddler items after the May meeting. There will be a collection basket available at the next three guild meetings. Thank you for your generosity.

Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these …

I had an incredible treat and surprise from the guild this time. Someone embellished the cuffs on 2 of the stockings! That is going to really make a soldier or veteran feel especially loved!

Unfortunately, I also had a few turned in that were dirty. We don’t think about how dusty fabric is, or how dusty our sewing stations can get, but especially cotton, is dusty even straight out of the dryer. My house has gotten much dustier since I started this office. My entertainment center sometimes looks like a dryer lint screen! So, yeah, not to be mean, but we need to clean a little.

In terms of what you could contribute, I could use ribbon in certain colors: red, navy blue, royal blue, baby blue, gold, yellow. Other than that, due to Y’all’s incredible generosity, I have all I need!

I turned in 32 pet beds to 2 shelters this month. Great work guys! And thank you for respecting my rule of “you make ‘em, I take ‘em. That helps so very much.

On that note, a friend came over the other day and we sorted through a big minivan load of fabric that one of her friends had “given” her. Very little was usable. We made and filled 5 pet beds. Then the discussion was what to do with the rest. Guys, we have GOT to stop doing this to each other. We need to apply the Golden Rule when it comes to textiles. Ask yourself whether this is something the other person would actually want. If the answer is no, then find somewhere else to dump!

So, here are a few ideas:

Thrift stores. Also a great place to shop for fabric! And there are lots of them in the area.
Senior Centers and retirement centers
Various small charities. Ask around the guild. Many, if not most of our members are involved in a variety of different programs. These tend to be highly specialized as to what they want. Be sure to ask before donating. For instance, Binky Patrol wants usable quilt scraps only.

Quilters Guild of Plano, Inc.

Self-Isolation Exclusive!

Letter from the President

****** SPECIAL NOTICE ******

Changes to Standing Rules

****** SPECIAL NOTICE ******

Proposed Slate of Officers for QGP 2020-2021

Linda Neal's applique block

Linda Neal's applique block

Advertisement

Programs

Sharon Schenke's quilt from Paula Nadelstern's workshop - Sixty-Thirty: a Kaleidoscope

2020 Raffle Quilt

Advertisement

Community Service

Garden Treasure made by Donna Petrick

Patriotic Scrub Cap made by Linda Neal

Tula Pink Scrub Cap made by Linda Neal

Guild Activities

Garden Treasure made by Donna Petrick

Ruler Bag made by Donna Petrick

Membership

July Birthdays

Stocking and Pet Beds Report

Stockings

Shelter Pet Beds

Month Meeting Photos

Advertisement

General Meeting Minutes

Board Meeting Minutes

Quilters Guild of Plano, Inc.

Self-Isolation Exclusive!

Special Message from the President

QGP Guild Officers for 2020-2021

Letter from the President

40 community service quilts quilted by Linda Neal on her Gammill this month.

Advertisement

Programs

June

Pieced by Lynne Fritsche from Paula Nadelstern’s Workshop - Sixty-Thirty: a Kaleidoscope Class

Pieced by Janet Carver from Annette Plog’s Workshop - Vicksburg Stars

Quilt Plano 2020

Quilt Plano 2020-2021

Raffle Quilt News

Raffle Tickets

Log Cabin by Donna Petrick

Bags by Donna Petrick

Backpack by Donna Petrick

Community Service

Raffle Tickets

Guild Activities

Membership

June Birthdays

Stocking and Pet Beds Report

Stockings

Shelter Pet Beds

Tech Corner

Americana by Caroline Gagnon-Hartman

Semaphore Stripes (Krista Moser) by Kim Jenkins

Tangled Up in Blue by Lori Hutyra

Month Meeting Photos

Advertisement

General Meeting Minutes

Board Meeting Minutes

Quilters Guild of Plano, Inc.

Self-Isolation Exclusive!

Programs

May

Jeanne Smith - Houston Class with Gyleen Fitzgerald using Aboriginal fabrics

Quilt Plano 2020

Raffle Quilt News

Donna Petrick

Donna Petrick

Donna Petrick

Community Service

Texas Association of Quilt Guilds

Letter from the President

Linda Neal

Linda Neal

Linda Neal

SPECIAL NOTICE

SPECIAL NOTICE