“There’s time enough, but none to spare.”

Quote from Charles W. Chestnutt

The clock is ticking and we need more quilts–in both the judged category and the special exhibits.  Quilt Show entries are due by the August 12th guild meeting.  Enter some of those beautiful quilts you’ve made.

You can find Registration Info and Entry Forms via the following links:

Quilt Show page

Registration Info

Judged Quilts Entry Form 

Workshop Special Exhibits Entry Form

Quarantine Quilts Special Exhibits Form

Letter from the President

By Linda Neal

It was so great to see everyone at the July guild meeting at the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas.  A big thank you to  Pam and Chuck Wingate for all of their hard work organizing the space and hosting the meeting.  Chuck was able to set up Zoom simultaneously on the big screen for those members who did not want to meet in person.  It was great to visit with those members who attended  the meeting in person.  Many of them I had not seen in over a year.  It was kind of like a family reunion–without the potato salad and deviled eggs.

At the meeting I was finally able to give out the Lone Star Awards that I had been wanting to give out since last year.  Some things are OK to do on Zoom and some things I’d rather do in person.  This was one of those “gotta do in person” kind of things.  We have had so many members go above and beyond this last year to keep the guild going during the pandemic.  In case you missed it,  I awarded the Lone Star Award to: Julie Schaefer, Dena Smith, Jeanne Vogel,  Jeanne Smith, Janet Carver, Sharon Schenke, Ashley Stovall, Diane Poor, Dolores Williams, Monica Hendewerk, Diana Florence, and Donna Petrick.  I could not have survived the last 2 years as President without everyone’s help.

I would also like to thank Dolores Williams and my small group for my President’s award.  2 awesome bags for my  iPad and quilting supplies.  They were made from the red and white fabric from last year’s raffle quilt and some great matching dog fabric.  What a great choice!  I love the bags!

Now that August is here, it is time to get serious about our quilt show.  It seemed so far off, and now it’s 2 months away.  Volunteers–we need you!!  Please sign up online.  If you have questions–contact Donna Petrick.  It takes everyone’s help to make our show a success.

Until next month–keep on stitchin’.

Credit Card Charges and Fees:  The cost of doing business in today’s world.

By Linda Neal and the QGP executive board.

This is the time of year for renewing membership dues.  Many of you have commented on the 4% credit card fee the board decided to charge for renewing membership dues using a credit card.  I would just like to talk about why we felt this was the right thing to do.  First of all our dues are $30–which is a bargain.  The board worked hard to keep the dues at $30 (compared to the Dallas guild $45 membership fee).  The guild normally raises the rest of the funds with our raffle quilt ticket sales and quilt show income.

Then came 2020 and COVID.  We were unable to have a quilt show–so that’s zero income.  Raffle quilt ticket sales were way below what was projected, since we were unable to take the quilt to other guilds and sell tickets.  Most retreats were cancelled–where members could have sold tickets.  And TAQG was cancelled–another place ticket sales were usually brisk.

Meanwhile the guild still has expenses–storage unit, speakers on Zoom, website fees, CPA, insurance, credit card fees, etc.  The board has worked very hard to trim the budget in every area.  I think the average quilter would be shocked to see what it costs to run a guild–I encourage you to look at the guild financial statements online.  Yes, the guild has a substantial amount of money in the bank.  But, we have no guarantee the quilt show we have planned will be profitable.  It has been in the past, but unexpected things could happen–bad weather, COVID restrictions.  A painful example is the Dallas guild show of 2020–they had to shut it down 12 hours before it was due to open.  It cost the Dallas guild over $100,000–most guilds would have gone bankrupt with that level of debt.

So, let’s talk about credit card fees.  I love to use my credit card and get the points back so many credit cards offer. But, when you’re on the other side it’s not so great.  For every charge card swipe on the hand-held virtual terminal (done in person) the guild is charged 3.5% PLUS $0.30.  For the Square online we are charged 2.9% PLUS $0.30 for every transaction.  So, now instead of collecting $30 free and clear, the guild is having to pay an average of $1.20 for every swipe.  For small charges, the fees really add up.

Now comes the painful part–when we add up the credit card fees.  So far this year from 1/1/21 until 7/27/21 we have paid out $352.99 in credit card fees.  Last year (all of 2020)  we paid 430.98–and that was without a show and all of the credit card swipes there.  In 2019–when we had a quilt show and many people renewed their membership in person by check–we had $703.96 in credit card fees.  Ouch! (and for you math geeks–that total is $1487!)

So, instead of raising our membership fees, admission ticket fees, etc, we just added up what the fees really are: 4% per transaction.  Yeah it’s not fun.  Sadly, it is just the price of doing business these days.  We hope this helps everyone understand; however, if you still have questions, please let us know.

Nominating Committee Report

By Jeanne Vogel

The nominating committee composed of Jeanne Fletcher, Lynn Wagner, Dianne Cronenberg, Sara Lindsay and Jeanne Vogel have filled the positions for this coming year.  Sarah Krauss and Lori Hutyra were the alternates. Current nominees are:

• President: Donna Petrick
• Secretary:  Sue Rentz
• VP Community Service:  Linda Neal
• VP of Guild Activities:  Michael Davison
• VP of Education:  Cindy Skarin
• VP of Finance:  Michelle Cotton
• VP of Media:  Diane Poor
• VP of Programs:  Tisha Harms
• Quilt Show Chair:  Joan Hammett
• VP of Membership:  Mary Alice Caffarel

These positions are all being posted in this edition of the newsletter as required by our Policy and Procedures. These nominees are submitted for your review for the officer slate for 2021-2022. Voting will be at the September meeting.

Programs

By Jeanne Smith

Maria’s Teaching Philosophy:

“I believe there is great value in cultivating original work and creativity in every individual. Making is an act of empowerment that can be a very gratifying experience for everyone involved. All of my workshops are designed to work with a variety of skill levels within the same class. While each of my workshops cover color, pattern, and repetition which are core components of my work, the focus—indicated in the title of class—allows us to zoom in on a particular aspect of quilt design. Subject matter includes, but is not necessarily limited to the following–exploring color theory, composing abstract design, improvisation-ally cutting and piecing fabric, working with prints, and trouble shooting patchwork construction issues.” 

       This Zoom workshop is held on 2 consecutive Fridays:  September 10th and September 17th from 1:00 – 4:00pm

Workshop Fee: $45 members/$55 nonmembers 

Kit Fee: $35 (this includes a curated scrap bag, handouts, and shipping)  

This workshop is for scrap-a-holics. Learn how to shape, sort, and piece your fabric bits into art quilt masterpieces. While learning how to work with bits and pieces, students will also be given information about improvisational piecing techniques and ideas for taking these techniques and creating original quilts.

**  To register for the workshop and to order the kit, go to qgplano.org. ** 

Quilt Plano  —  October 8 & 9, 2021

By Donna Petrick

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our live meeting in July.  Thank you for showing up and being so responsive to the show roll out.  It’s a great start.  And of course, we need more……more volunteers, more quilts, more hours in the day.

Cut off for quilt entries is August 12th.  We are not receiving as many as we thought we would.  I know so many of you made many quilts this past year.  Pull a couple of them and put them in the show.

We will be printing the first set of show tee shirts in the near future.  We will announce the pick-up place and time for these shirts soon. The latest date to order shirts will be August 31st.  The shirts are $18 for sizes small through 2X.  $20 for 3X and larger.  Sales tax is included in this price.  Notify Valerie Salter if you are interested in buying one.  They will not be available through the web site.

If you want to buy your lunch for either or both days of the quilt show, please contact Carolyn Cosgriff.  Choice is either ham or turkey sandwich including chips and cookie.  Cost is $15.00 plus tax (total $16.23).  We are obligated to buy a certain amount of food from the Plano Event Center and these lunches help us fulfill that commitment.

Raffle ticket sales are going well.  But we need more places to display the quilt before it is show time.  Leigh Knox has scheduled “Must Love Fabric”, “Denton Guild” and “Box Car Quilts”.  If you have any suggestions for places to show this beautiful quilt, please let Sherry Worley know.  She will contact them to set up a date.

Our immediate need for volunteers is Admissions on Saturday morning.  We need to get people into the show fast in the early hours of attendance.  If you can spare the time, please sign up on the web site.  We also need Quilt Angels, Security and Set Up/Take Down.  All areas need more volunteers, but these are the most critical now.  Working 4 hours for the show, either before or at the show, gets you in for free one day.  If you have made a mini quilt, taken the raffle quilt somewhere to sell tickets, delivered bookmarks and posters and admission tickets, these hours count toward that 4-hour goal.

Special Exhibits at the Quilt Show

By Jeanne Vogel

First:  what quilts are in Special Exhibits?  Typically we have samples of all the workshops taken with the quilt speakers from the previous year.  This time we are showcasing the workshops of 2019.  If you took a workshop from any of these teachers:  MJ Kinnen, Pam Holland, Bethanne Nemesh, Melinda Bula, Edyta Sitar, Annette Plog, Paula Nadelstern, please enter them.  Also if your small group did a challenge together, that is listed at the bottom of the separate Special Exhibits entry form. 

Quarantine Quilts is another special exhibit as we are displaying any quilt you stayed home and made during the quarantine!  Fill out the form with a short description of your work on either a newly started quilt or finishing a quilt from years gone by.

Special Exhibit quilts are on display only as they are not judged.  They are hung at the entrance to the show along with the Art Quilters of Plano display of their completed art quilts.

So, there are two (2) different forms on the website for Special Exhibits.  Please consider showing your completed work without the stress of being judged, only admired and amazed at your handiwork.  Be Special!

Community Service

By Dolores Williams and Valerie Salter

We want to thank our members for continuing to support our guild’s Community Service efforts.  In July, we had our Community Service Sew Day on the 13th and there were 8 members present.  For new members, the Community Service Sew Day is the second Tuesday of the month, from 10 am to about 2 pm.  We meet at Plano Sewing Center and sew quilt tops.  Kits are provided.  All you need to bring is your sewing machine and basic sewing supplies.  We even have rulers, rotary cutters, and irons available. 

Since we are still not able to have guild meetings in person, we are also doing our community service take-in/give-out day while we are at Plano Sewing Center.  We are there from 10 am to 11:30 am.  You can drop off tops, quilts needing binding, completed quilts, pillowcases, or Christmas stockings.   You can also pick up more of the same.  If nothing else, it is great to see our fellow guild members in person.

In July, we received 23 pillowcases, 17 completed quilts, 8 cuddles, and 20 tops.  This was quite a good haul for July.  So many people are on vacation that we don’t usually even meet in July.  So again, thank you very much.

Tote Bag Mania

By Monica Hendewerk

Someone had some beautiful bright colored fabric from Guatemala and the rest is history.  A group of us got together and made unlined, very fast to make tote bags to donate to the North Texas Food Bank.  We completed 23 bags, and have 15 more that are more than half-way there.

IN ADDITION – the food bank really needs all those “free” totes that you get everywhere you go that are taking up space in your house.  The food recipients often come on buses and need the tote bags to put over their shoulders while also carrying bags in their hands.  They receive a week’s worth of food.  Imagine carrying food for 4 for a week on a bus.  Please contact Monica Hendewerk to drop them off or she’ll arrange to pick them up.  mhendewerk@gmail.com, (713) 569-8798.

News from the Zoom Bees

Hoop It Up Bee – Donna Petrick

The machine embroidery group meets the third Thursday each month on Zoom.  We talk about problems or successes we might have had in using our machines as well as having show and tell.  We are open to all levels of users.  If you have an interest in machine embroidery, please join us. 

Email me petrickdl@outlook.com so I can send you the Zoom invitation.

Featherweight Fellowship Groups – Jeanne Vogel

We have a collection of Singer Featherweight sewing machines with happy owners as we sit and sew. We share tips for caring for the machine, our best notions, and have several members experienced with problem-solving both machine and quilting problems. If you work, join us on a Saturday!  When we share a lot of tips and tricks we follow the meeting with an email to those attending.  Those who have not previously notified me, please email pickincotton26@verizon.net to get the invitation to join the Zoom meeting

• Chicks with Feathers—3rd Saturdays @ 1-3pm — (Formerly meeting at Sunrise of Plano)                                                                                                                                                                                         
• Featherweight Friends—4th Fridays @ 1-3pm — (Formerly meeting at Best Little Retreat Center in Texas) Will start to meet all day at the Retreat Center and/or Zoom from 1-3pm

Pieceful Organization – Sarah Krauss & Jeanne Vogel   (Now we will meet twice a month!)

If you are feeling “abode overload,” we will:  relieve clutter, stress, struggle and feelings of being overwhelmed. We are Zooming on the 3rd and the 4th Wednesday’s from 1:30-3:30 pm using the inspiration from a workshop we attended.  Organization will change your clutter and chaos to start the day fresh with your stuff organized.  Less chaos leads to more productive quilt making. Join us to organize your mess and give tips and sometimes we offer to trade our stuff!   pickincotton26@verizon.net for an invitation.

Free Motion Quilting Bee (we actually sew during the meeting!) – Monica Hendewerk

Our meetings have been a huge success.  It turns out that Zoom blocks out background noise, so we can sew and chat at the same time!  Monica or one of the other members provide some designs to practice on a small sandwich which you can choose to use or not.  The designs are sent out in advance and include step by step instructions, with both beginner and intermediate designs.  A number of us generally “doodle” on paper first, and then sew.  Some people do the designs that have been sent out, others do their own thing.  We have beginner beginners all the way to advanced members of the group.  We also share our samples and ask/answer questions.  Meetings are on the second Monday of the month, from 1 – 3 (or longer sometimes!).  Please contact Monica so that she can send you the Zoom link if you are interested.  mhendewerk@gmail.com  (713) 569-8798

Hand Applique Small group – Linda Neal

We meet the first Monday of each month at 10:00 on Zoom. Our next meeting is August 2nd.  We work on our individual projects and  offer encouragement and lots of hints and tricks.   If you are interested in joining our hand applique Zoom group, please email Linda Neal (lindanealmck@hotmail.com)

English Paper Piecing Small Group – Linda Neal

We meet on the 3th Tuesday at 10:00 on Zoom.  August 17th is our next meeting.  Whether you are new to English Paper Piecing or a pro, we would love to have you join our group.   Our group is informal and fun!!  For a link,  please email Linda Neal (lindanealmck@hotmail.com)

Guild Activities

By Leigh Knox and Michael Davison

Hello August!  Can you believe that means our quilt show is only 2 months away.  It looks like we are in the triple digit temps, so I am pretty happy that the show is in October.

I hope everyone in the guild has either entered a quilt and/or signed up to volunteer.  The Quilters Guild of Plano Quilt Show has a very impressive reputation and it does take the ENTIRE village to make it so successful.

Activities had taken a break because I knew everyone was working on holiday gifts and quilt show entries, but now it is time for a no stress, no frills activity.

It is going to be a mystery of sorts.  This is a great opportunity to use up some of those scraps or if you have a FQ bundle or layer cake you want to use–go for it.

For the month of August take various width fabric strips at least 11” long and sew them together.  Sew them together to make a section that is 11” x 11”.  You will need 24 – 11” x 11” blocks.

You will also need 24 – 10” blocks of a background fabric.

That is it for August.  The next step will be released in the September newsletter.

Membership

By  Sue Rentz & Karen Edmondson

It was wonderful to see so many members at our first live meeting in about 17 months.  According to our count, there were 88 members present, some in person and others on Zoom.  Three new members joined that evening—Nancy Minnich, Liz Beaty, and Lily Gutierrez.  One other member joined during this month—Deborah Kay.  Also, Dawn Wester was a visitor at the meeting.

Our door prizes for the evening came from the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas, Quilt Country, Sew Let’s Quilt It, Not Your Mama’s Quilt Store, Quilt Ideas, Stitched with Love, and Quarter Squared.  The winners were selected from our “Wheel of Fortune,” and they included people who attended live as well as a couple on Zoom.  Winners were:  Sue Rostosky, Tina Steenburg, Pam Lane, J. Michelle Watts (Zoom), Beth Swiatek (Zoom), Roxanne Gross, Sharon McGinnis, Michelle Cotton, Mary Frances O’Neil, and Peggy Burrell.

Many members renew their membership at the quilt show that is usually held in August.  However, it is not until October this year, so we hope you will consider renewing soon.  Memberships expire on September 30th.

There are two ways to pay your dues, and you can pick the one that works best for you.

•         By credit card:  Login under membership, click the button labeled Pay Your Dues, and fill in necessary information to charge to a credit card.  Please be aware that we are now charging a 4% fee for online renewals.

·         By check:  Under the membership heading on the website, click on Membership, then Membership Information.  In the first paragraph on that page, click on Membership Form.  Print the form that appears and mail it with your check for $30 to the post office box indicated on the form.

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