Letter from the President – Carolyn Cosgriff

The December meeting will be upstairs.  Park in the south lot and follow the hallway to the flags, turn left through the courtyard and up the stairs or elevator.  Arrive as early as 6:15pm and celebrate the Holidays!!  Our thanks for those coming early to set up and be ready to set the table for an enjoyable assortment of goodies and of course some cookies.  We’ll have cider, tea and water to share, or bring your own beverage.   We will have a short business meeting with some tips on how to block your quilts from Donna Petrick followed by a relaxing evening of socializing, the (optional) table runner gift exchange, and door prizes at the December Holiday Party!  

Mega thanks to all who helped restore the room after the November meeting!  We had a tremendous turnout both in person and virtually.  The program by Jackie Brown was inspiring for quilters of all skill levels–there were blue ribbon long-armers and novices thrilled to learn from a master.  Jackie was generous with her knowledge and we are grateful to Jackie, the prior program team for booking her, and the current program team for welcoming her! 

Bookmarks for 2026 are here!  Please take some if you work or plan to visit any of the local quilt shops.

Want to get more involved in the guild?  We need you! 

Open positions:

Bee Keeper – coordinates the small groups and helps establish new groups.   In response to some questions, not all small groups are inviting new members because they meet in homes and cannot accommodate more people.  

Show Co-Chair – This is a person who learns the ropes by shadowing the current chair, Carol Truscott, and helping her make decisions and execute.  Carol has volunteered to serve for QP 2026.  The 2026 Show-Co chair would be expected to step into the Show Chair position for QP 2027, or earlier if Carol is unable to serve for any reason.  

Meeting Media Manager – Learn how to run the AV equipment as support for the media VP at meetings.  It’s not hard, but does require learning what buttons to push – literally! 

Please email president@qgplano.org if interested in learning more.

Important Dates

Dec 9——Sew Day (Community Service) @ Plano Sewing Center 10-2

Dec 11—–Guild meeting–Wear your lanyard for an extra door prize! Participate in the gift exchange – details under activities

Jan. 8—–Guild meeting

January 30th & 31st – Pieces of Paradise Quilt Show, Rockport, TX.  piecemakersbythebay.org

If you are new to quilting and would like to spend some time learning the basics, please join Linda Chappell and Donna Petrick in a new venture to mentor beginning quilters.  You will get acquainted with terms and gain the confidence to join in with other groups or the guild workshops.  We have a form we are asking you to complete to see the times everyone will be available and what you are interested in learning. 

At the December meeting, we will meet for a short time after the activities are finished, while everyone is eating and talking.  We’ll discuss a few of the items, get a general time of when and where we can meet.  After that meeting, Linda and Donna will determine the time and place and let you know when we will start, what you will need to bring and give you a general idea of the plan.

If you did not receive a form at the November meeting, please contact Linda at ldchappell@hotmail.com   She will get one to you to complete for the December meeting.

Membership

Christi Ables and AnnaMarie Larabee

There is a new Zoom link for the monthly meetings.  Find it here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82144960765

NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP RECAP

144 members attended the October meeting in person or on Zoom.      

We also want to welcome our guests, 

• Cheryl Olsen              

• Pam Hallman

• Catherine Palmer

DUES WERE DUE OCTOBER 1! It’s not too late to renew your membership.  Renew online or come see us at the Membership table at the December 11th meeting.  You don’t want to miss all the great programs, workshops and community service opportunities we have planned for the upcoming year!

Current Members: be sure to wear your new black Quilters Guild of Plano neck I.D. and you will receive two (2) door prize tickets!

Special Drawing

42” x 68” lap size quilt KIT

December Birthdays

Quilt Plano Show 2026 — Carol Truscott

August 14-15, 2026!

Raffle Tickets are here, they are here!!

Did you know that this year’s raffle quilt won 2 ribbons? One at the Dallas Show and one at our Plano Show last August!!

Stop by the Raffle quilt table to grab your tickets.

Tickets are $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. 

Did you know one of the reasons we keep our dues so low, at a mere $35?  That’s so each one of you can spend another 20 bucks on purchasing Raffle Tickets!!  Yes, bring your green Jackson bill to the next meeting and get your five (5) tickets for the Dazzling Dahlia raffle quilt.  We’ll check your name off as only members receive 5 tickets at this price!  All others receive 4 tickets at $5 each.

If you are not able to attend meetings and would like to purchase your raffle tickets, you can contact me, Lorelle Chambers, or Virginia Hammond and we will find a way to get them to you. We don’t want anyone left out!!

If you would like to host the Raffle Quilt at one of your events ( different guild groups/clubs)~ We have a poster size picture of our beautiful quilt that you can borrow to display in order to sell tickets. 

By the time you read this newsletter, our Show Volunteer T-Shirts will already be on their way to us!! Right now, Fran is working to make size quantities decisions!! If you would like to reserve a particular size get a hold of Fran Levy at 805-298-9743 to reserve your Show shirt. Show shirts are $25.00 for sizes M-XL, and $27.00 for sizes 2XL-3XL.  Expect to pick up your show shirt in January. 

To honor the Semiquincentennial celebration of the United States, the Quilters Guild of Plano will feature a special judged category for the Quilt Plano 2026 show sponsored by the James Billingsley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

 ShowChair@QGPlano.org

Guild Activities – Donna Allenbaugh & Sally Pitre

Come join us at our Annual Guild Christmas Celebration filled with food, fun and friendship!  There will be special door prizes! And lots of tasty treats!  Thank you everyone for signing up and contributing to the festivities.

Make a winter themed table runner (from fabrics in your stash) and come to the Holiday Party prepared to have fun!  We’ll gather while music is playing, we will pass our treasures clockwise until the music stops.  When the music ends, we will have a wonderful table runner to take home and showcase in the kitchen or on the dining room table!

Guild Guidelines and Deadlines:

1. Thank you to those that did sign up at the Activities table at the November meeting!  (Even late signer-uppers are welcome to participate)!

2. Wrap it and bring your winter/holiday table runner to the December Holiday Party and get ready to have fun!

Contact: Donna Allenbaugh and Sally Pitre, Co-VPs of the Guild Acitivites at activities@qgplano.org with any questions.

Education – Debbie Burns and Deanna Tucker

At the November meeting Christi Ables shared a helpful tip for binding quilts.  A lot of people stopped by to see the demo and learned this great tip.

Here is a link to a YouTube video Christi used for her binding demo:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3Guub-TwdZU

December is our holiday party and there will be lots of fun, food and friends. 

We will have an education demo set up with some helpful ideas on how to get all those unfinished projects out of the closets and from under the beds and get them organized and finished!

We are planning some fun and creative demos for the new year.  If you have any suggestions, ideas and /or would like to present a demo, please stop by the Education table and let us know.

Debbie Burns and Deanna Tucker

education@qgplano.org

Programs and Workshops — Kim Iverson and Andrea McMahan

We had so much fun spending the evening with Jackie Brown and her inspirational trunk show!   

If you want more information about her quilting services or classes check her out at her website:

JackiesMachineQuilting.com

This coming month we celebrate the holidays with our Holiday Soiree and a short program presented by Donna Petrick sharing with us the importance of blocking quilts.

It’s never too early to start planning which workshop you will attend in 2026 (if not all of them)!  Block your calendars now and register to reserve your spot.  Workshops make great gifts too!

Upcoming Programs and Workshops

January we welcome Sherry Mark as she present “Why Your Batting Matters” during our January meeting.  Preorder batting through Jan. 2nd by emailing Sherry at sherry@loftsupply.com

February will be a presentation by Susan Brubaker Knapp inspiring us to tap into “The Artist in You” during our regular February meeting.

March is our first workshop of the year! Joyce Hughes presenting Dimensional Thread Painting & Sketch, Color and Quilt, March 13th and March 14th.

April brings Rob Appell to town presenting Quilts from the Sea and Beyond April 10th and April 11th.

For more information about our workshops or to sign up online, check out our webpage here: https://www.qgplano.org/activities/programs/

Community Service – Jeanne Vogel and Susie Luttrell

Great tradeoff at the November meeting—Kate Rayburn and Nancy Simpson helped collect the items turned in, while we emptied the Scrap Basket with fabric, panels, notions and patterns. Make sure you come by our table to see what we have for you from donations we’ve received—bringing silk ties and more! 

Our wagon was  filled with completed quilts, pillowcases and cuddles! The sewers made 43 pillowcases and 22 cuddles, long armers quilted 19 quilts and the binders bound 37 quilts with labels ready to be delivered. Thank you to all the elves working to share quilts.

And at the last minute thanks for emptying the bin with the quilts to be quilted! 

Donations:

Member Deb Lockwood that lives in Kerrville will be taking back a dozen large quilts with pillowcases for the flood survivors.

In November we delivered to two new facilities:

 DIRECTION 61:3 which is a faith-based organization purposed with helping youth transition from foster care into society as thriving adults, located in McKinney, TX. Linda Neal delivered 30 pillowcases and 20 stockings.

Then to our amazement a new member asked if she could donate 17 Christmas quilts that she has ready and bound. Well, then she said she could make more to have 20 quilts ready before the 1st of December. Our miracle worker, new member, learning to long arm on her new machine—is Cari Dooley. Thank you! We are adding our QGP labels and they will be delivered by the first week of Dec. Sometimes there are angels among us. 

Medical City Plano Pedi ED with 24 cuddles and  10 small quilts for the sick and injured in their emergency room. 

As a reminder at the December meeting, we will not be bringing any items to take home to work on. But we will be there to accept any finished items you need to turn in!

Merry Christmas to all. Stay warm under a quilt this winter. 

Jeanne & Susie

communityservice@qgplano.org

Quilts of Valor – Carolyn Cosgriff & Donna Petrick

The sun shone brightly for the four recipients who received quilts on November 16 at the Flags of Honor celebration.   Robert Boerma was proud to be wrapped in a quilt made by his niece and sent to us.    The quilt’s focal point was a submarine. Mr. Boerma was a nuclear submarine technician– nuclear submarine training was a 2-year program.  He shared that they were at sea during the Cuban missile crisis, which delayed the scheduled visit to port. The crew was quite concerned about running out of food and “smokes”.  Only much later did they learn the Soviets had been actively searching for U.S. submarines during those days.  He voiced that the days would have been even more stressful had they been aware of the danger.   

Additional recipients were Jeremy McConnell, Monika McKemie and Edward (Lee) Huber.  Zack Stone was awarded a quilt at his home the following day.   Much appreciation to the many quilters who came to support these veterans! 

Every recipient asks that the makers of their quilt be thanked.  Please know your efforts are deeply appreciated and cherished, and make sure your name is attached when you drop off a quilt at any stage in production.

Meetings on Zoom

Hoop it Up Bee

1st Monday from 10am – 12pm

Donna Petrick

Hoop It Up!

Come join us for a machine embroidery Zoom meeting

Contact donna.petrick@gmail.com

Chicks with Feathers

3rd Saturday from 1pm – 3pm

Dana Braden

Sit & sew at home with your Singer Featherweight.  Tips, tricks, and advice to make straight stitch sewing simple and precise.

If you have not previously notified me, please email: pickincotton26@verizon.net to get the invitation to join the Zoom meeting.

Next Meeting: January 17, 2026

In Person Meetings

Sew Happy Quilters

Aurora Chancy

achancy@msn.com

1st and 3rd Thursday 9am-4pm

• Sam Johnson Recreation Cetner @ 401 W. 16th St. Plano

• Bring your own project, sewing machine, and supplies

• We have lunch together at the Gazebo Cafe for $5 or less

Fourth Friday Featherweight Friends

Jeanne Vogel

pickincotton26@verizon.net

Meeting at the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas from 9am – 9pm

• Make your reservation by calling 469-708-2378 or email: info@blrcit.com

• Either bring your lunch or we will go out as a group to eat together

Sit N Sew Community Service Day

Susie Luttrell &       Jeanne Vogel

communityservice@qgplano.org

2nd Tuesday 10am – 2pm

• Plano Sewing Center, 2070 Spring Creek Pkwy #326, Plano

• Bring your sewing machine and sewing supplies

For Trade: HandiQuilter Little Foot Frame

Will trade for 15 yards of quality quilt shop fabric – you choose the fabric!  I’ll take yardage, precuts, fat quarter bundles, etc.

• Must pick up in Dallas/Richardson area

• In excellent condition – nothing missing

• Includes 4 casters, 2 channel locks, super quilt clamp, 4 clamps and table overlay

• Easy to transport but must be reassembled.  No boxes.

• Reason for selling: I recently upgraded to a larger frame.

• Perfect for someone who’s just starting out and wants a reliable frame for a small space

If you have questions, contact Bonnie Cook at 214-632-5853 or bcook111698@gmail.com

Turn your treasured tees into a cozy quilt!  Our custom T-Shirt quilts are perfect for preserving memories.

Longarm edge-to-edge and custom quilting available.  Call for more information.

Liz’s Quilting Corner

Allen, Tx

214-532-1394