Our next meeting

June Meeting has been cancelled due to COVID-19. Stay home and keep on sewing!

In this edition, we included pictures of what some of our members are working on or completed while staying at home!

Special Message from the President

By Linda Neal

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

Letter from the President

By Linda Neal

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!

Programs

By Jeanne Smith

Although we cannot get together yet to have Show and Tell, I do have two workshop projects to post for your enjoyment!

Quilt Plano 2020

By Donna Petrick

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.

Raffle Quilt News

By Donna Petrick

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.

Community Service

By Dolores Williams and Valerie Salter

Guild Activities

By Leigh Knox

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

Membership

By Sue Rentz and Connie Elliott

We have been busy giving away door prizes on the QGP Facebook page. Since April, the following lucky members have won gift cards donated by our local quilt shops: Lynne Fritsche, Kim Jenkins, Ceidys Butterworth, Gwenn Erlinger, Leigh Knox, Diane Poor, and Sara Lindsay.

The new member retreat has been postponed until early fall. We will notify new members of our chosen date when one is selected.

• 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

Stocking and Pet Beds Report

By Martha O’Grady

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)!

Tech Corner

By Caroline Gagnon-Hartman

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!

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