February 2021 Newsletter

It is now February, 2021 and the guild is up and running efficiently. Although our guild looks very different than a year ago, we are a thriving and active guild. We have speakers, an online class scheduled (Thank you Michael Davison!), many different small groups meeting, and community service -- and our Quilt Plano show 2021 is on the schedule. All of this is happening with social distancing, wearing masks, and no in person meetings. It is kind of amazing when you think about it. Almost everything is done on Zoom. Many other quilting organizations or guilds have not met in almost a year. Some groups have disbanded during this time. I am determined to keep our guild active, fiscally strong, and keep our membership numbers strong.

Our online guild meetings have been very well attended. We have even had some visitors. If you know someone who is interested in joining our guild and would like to visit, have them send an email to membership@qgplano.org. They will help provide them with a link to the meetings and welcome them to the meeting. We are not charging any visitor the $5 fee for national speakers during this time.

Our small groups continue to grow and we are always looking to add other small groups. The newest small group, Pieceful Organization, is starting in February. Members Sarah Krauss and Jeanne Vogel are leading a group to help you organize your sewing space. What a great idea for quilters! Our other new small group, Worker Bees, is lead by Emily Hall. This group meets in the evenings for members who work. Any guild member can join any small group unless it is a “closed group” that is indicated on the calendar. If you have an idea for a small group--let me know and I can help get your group started.

I realize not all of our membership is comfortable on Zoom. I know of several members who have never been on Zoom before and you are missing out on a lot! If this describes you, send me an email and I will arrange for someone to help you navigate Zoom -- a buddy to walk you through the process. If you indicate the device you want to use ( computer, ipad, phone) I will hook you up with someone with the same device so they can walk you through the process. It is very easy, but even kindergarten was rough on the first day!

For now, I will get back to sewing. I have been quilting, English Paper piecing, and appliqueing like crazy. But my stash for now is still going strong! See ya on Zoom.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is an opportunity to honor the most outstanding volunteers and recognize the impact they make. The Quilters Guild of Plano has been giving out these awards every year since 2010. The awards consist of an award document and a pin. Now it is time to order the awards for year 2020. I need your documentation of the hours you have volunteered for the Guild from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Please email your documentation to juliescha@sbcglobal.net.

February

Zoom Guild Meeting – Thursday, February 11, 2021

Debbie Maddy – Lecture: Indigo Shibori Dyeing

Debbie Maddy is renowned for dyeing fabrics with indigo, an extraordinary Japanese fabric dyeing technique called “shibori.” A designer for Moda Fabrics, Debbie’s gorgeous quilting fabrics feature dynamic shapes and patterns on cool, dark colors.

Debbie was featured in the latest issue of Simply Modern magazine by Quiltmania. The article, Indigo Journey, chronicles her fascinating “journey” through years of all things Indigo. It is a great read!

Join us for a combination slide presentation and trunk show with Debbie at our February Zoom guild meeting.

Workshop - Saturday, February 27, 2021 via Zoom, 9:00am - 3:00pm

Michael Davison: Reverse Focus Quilts

FEE: $35. Register online at michaelquilts.com/workshops

REVERSE FOCUS QUILTS: Using Large Scale Prints and Negative Space -- a hands-on workshop with Michael Davison

The idea for this workshop stemmed from two passions: Using large scale prints and having lots of negative space to plan out quilting designs, which become the main focal point of the quilt. Using the large scale prints/piecing as background and the negative space quilting as focus reverses our common notion of traditional quilt composition. The results are wonderful and can satisfy both the traditional and modern quilter.

In this workshop, you will construct a 40” x 40” wall hanging/small lap quilt to put this concept into practice. You will choose one of several patterns to piece your quilt top. These patterns use very large pieces to show off your large scale print(s) and will sew together quickly. Once your quilt top is pieced, you will create your quilting design. We will walk through steps of how to plan for quilting that draws the eye in and how to effectively divide and conquer large negative space to create interest.

Because we are creating our own plan for quilting, this class will involve some drawing and drafting. Don’t be scared – It’ll be fun! Your quilting designs can be completely free form and loose, or they can be detail drafted and precise. The goal is to come up with a design that creates focus, but also complements the printed fabric that is taking the back seat on this one. We will talk about threads and textures that beckon the viewer’s eye to take a closer look.

You will leave the workshop with your pieced top and the majority of your quilting design marked on your quilt, if not all of it. The actual quilting process will be on your own, but if you are a speedy one, you may end up preparing your quilt sandwich and start quilting before we are done.

ZOOM – This entire workshop will be conducted on ZOOM. Students should have video and audio capability. Preference is to be able to see what you are doing and hear from you throughout the workshop. However – I will do my best to monitor the chat feature for anyone who cannot connect through video and audio but will be watching and hearing me and the other students.

***OPTIONAL FABRIC KIT $35

Fabric kits will be available on my website for purchase. You may choose the kit you like or ask me to curate a custom fabric kit for you. This can be shipped USPS Priority Mail directly to your home or you could arrange to pick up from me. My website will have kit order cut-off date so that you will be sure to receive your kit prior to the workshop.

Find Michael at www.michaelquilts.com and on YouTube channel: Michael Quilts.

Work towards the quilt show is picking up. It won’t be much longer before we can post the logo and publicity information about the show. We are getting very positive responses from the vendors who are anxious to be back in business.

Joan and I still have several committee positions open. If you would like to be part of the production of the show, please look at the help wanted section of the website to see if you are interested any open position. This is a great way to get to know more people in the guild and to learn what it takes to put on our fun show. All show committee meetings will be held on Zoom until it’s safe to meet again in person. Contact me if you have questions about any position: petrickdl@outlook.com

The raffle quilt is ready for binding and then should be ready to photograph and be seen by the public. It’s beautiful. Tina Connolly, Patricia Fowler, and the rest of their group have done a lovely job. The guild will be very dependent on the members in selling tickets this year since we will not be able to take the quilt to the different quilt guilds. We also sell a great number of our tickets at the quilt show.

Are you planning on a special quilt to enter this year? Time to get started on it. We will post the entry forms for the show in late February. I’m expecting an abundance of quilts since so many quilt shows had to be cancelled this past year. Should be a spectacular year for quilts.

Hope you are getting excited about the show and will be ready to volunteer to produce it. With more people getting vaccines every week, we are looking forward to being together again. As time gets closer to the October show time, we will know more about the requirements for group gathering at the Plano Event Center. We will adhere to whatever requirements they have in order to have a safe show.

The next Take-in/Pick-up day will be February 9, at Valerie Salter’s house, 7619 Lancaster Gate, Frisco, TX, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Call Valerie with questions or curbside pick-up at 972-965-0755. We will have quilts that need binding, quilts that need quilting, pillowcase kits and some quilt top kits. We hope to see you then.

If you have items that you need to get out of your home, email communityservice@qgplano.org and we will make arrangements for a contactless pick up.

We finished 2020 with 2,500 stockings for Soldiers' Angels. Thank you all and great job!

Hoop It Up - Donna Petrick

The “Hoop It Up” zoom small group had a really interesting meeting in January. Tisha Harms gave a presentation on quilting in the hoop. I think a lot of us are ready to try it now. This group meets the third Thursday each month to help each other with machine embroidery. You are invited to join us if you are a beginner or more experienced and want to share your knowledge. Contact me at petrickdl@outlook.com if you want to receive the Zoom codes to join in the fun.

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

Worker Bees - Emily Hall

For those of you yearning to meet with your quilty friends in the evenings, whether that be because you work during the weekdays or because you just love to sew at any hour of the day, please join us for our new evening group. We would love for you to join us! We are meeting on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm. Our next meeting is February 16th. We’ve had 2 meetings so far and have gained new friends each time. For this group, please have your favorite quilting activity, current work-in-progress, block-of-the-month, etc. ready to work on during our meetings. Any quilting activity is welcomed! We are “sew” excited to make new friends and keep our “sew-jo” thriving. Contact Emily at emilylaurenhall@gmail.com or (214) 533-2489 for the Zoom link.

Featherweight Fellowship Groups - Jeanne Vogel

Dust off your Singer Featherweight and join us while 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! We started out with just a few but had 10 and 11 at each of the groups in January so got to see and share with other chicks!

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)

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

Pieceful Organization - Sarah Krauss & Jeanne Vogel

Sarah and I learned some skills we would like to share with the others in getting your sewing supplies organized . We are not claiming to be professional trainers but learned how fun working together on a specific organizing area for a specific time in a group setting can be. Social organizing is more fun than going solo. In the group we will have:

No judgement
No criticism
No apologies
No commitment—pop-in for an hour once or join every month for an hour or more.

3rd Wednesday from 1-3 pm. We will be there for support & inspiration. Contact pickincotton26@verizon.net for an invitation.

We had a good turnout at our January Zoom meeting, with at least 89 members and one guest in attendance. Our door prizes came from Quilt Country, Box Car Quilts, Sew Let’s Quilt It, and Stitch House. The winners were chosen using a clever spinning wheel of names. They were Susan Berger, Robin Clayborn, Chanda Smith, and Lori Hutyra.

If you are a visitor to our website and wish to join our guild, you can do so by choosing Membership on the menu, selecting Membership Information, and then clicking on Membership Form in the first paragraph. Fill out that form, and mail it with your check for $30 to the address given on the form.

Quilters Guild of Plano, Inc.

Letter from the President

ZOOM Help!!!

Presidential Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA)

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Programs

February

Debbie Maddy

Debbie Maddy's Indigo

Michael Davison

Reverse Focus Quilts

March

Quilt Plano 2021 News and Views

Community Service

News from the Zoom Bees

Hoop It Up - Donna Petrick

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

Worker Bees - Emily Hall

Featherweight Fellowship Groups - Jeanne Vogel

Pieceful Organization - Sarah Krauss & Jeanne Vogel

Guild Activities

Membership

February Birthdays

Projects by Members

Valentine fabric postcards made by Diane Poor for an online swap and to send to friends and family

Top for a baby quilt made by Emily Hall

Made by Jeanne Vogel for her cousin's grandson on a dairy farm.

Baseball quilt made by Jeanne Vogel for Community Service.

Month Meeting Photos

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General Meeting Minutes

Board Meeting Minutes