Letter from the President

By Jeanne Vogel

Letter from the President - Jeanne Vogel 

April showers bring May flowers–-and lots of great donations of fabric, notions, patterns and more will be on the Bones Table May 9th, so bring some unwanted items and walk away with great prizes you do want and need.  Our tastes do change over the years so if you need more of an older line, you might just find it here!  A big Thank You for this crew who volunteered to help set up this fun activity:  Sue Rostosky, Carol Esch, Judy Curtis and Lisa Pruett.

The items not claimed will be donated to the International Rescue Committee that helps people affected by humanitarian crises recover and rebuild their lives.  If you have a working sewing machine that you would be able to donate, that would be greatly appreciated.  Our thanks to Denise Castelli for coordinating this effort to help women in need of sewing supplies. 

Need help registering your quilt for the Quilt Show?  Come with a picture on your phone and we’ll help you fill out the online registration!  How fun is that!!

Membership

By Raj Aggarwal and Barbara Goetz

April’s meeting was well attended for our speaker, Audrey Esarey.  There were 112 members, 16 on Zoom, and there were initially 10 guests, 3 of whom decided to join as members by the end of the meeting.  Welcome Joyce Jones, Janet Bockmehl, and Kay Smith!  By the way, we have a member who would love to have a ride to meetings if you live near the Frankford/Tollway area.  The May meeting is in need of Greeters.  Please contact Raj Aggarwal in Membership, or speak to her at the meeting if you are able to help with either of those needs.

The New Member Day Retreat was held on April 20th, even though we had to basically swim there through the storms!  Eighteen members spent a rainy Saturday sewing, sharing ideas and stories, and generally having a great time.  Lorrie Gray gave a demo on English Paper piecing, so new techniques for some to enjoy.  Door prizes were given, and two gift certificates to the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas were given as our grand prizes.  Sally Pitre and Donna Allenbaugh were our winners.  Thanks to all of you.  We had a wonderful time getting to know you.

Programs and Workshops

By Beth Swiatek and Linda Sullivan

Hope everyone enjoyed our April lecture about Audrey Esarey’s quilting journey.  Amazing that she started by filling in for a family member who couldn’t attend a quilting class, and has ended up a nationally known, award winning quilter, designer, and speaker….all while still working full time!!!  The quilting bug bit her really hard.  Workshops were full of laughter and fabric sharing as we tried to absorb Audrey’s tips on color theory and precision curved piecing.  Be sure to finish your projects and enter to display in Quilt Plano 2024 Special Exhibits to show everyone some of our workshop masterpieces.  (Not mentioning any names, but I know one lady on her third Watercolor quilt just since attending the workshop!)

In other news, (WOW!) our planned June Bag Making Fun sewing days coordinated with Chris Fredericks from Guild Activities appears to be a big hit!  Over 30 people signed Interest sheets at April’s meeting for Fun Days at BLRCT watched over by Donna Petrick and Dolores Williams!  If you gave us your info, you should have already heard from us thru email with a Registration Form and Experience Questionnaire.  Please return both for planning purposes.  Space is limited, so don’t wait to send them in; leftover spots will be opening up as you are seeing this newsletter.  Use the link below to print sign up paperwork.  See Guild Activities below for more details.  See you at the May Guild meeting as we hear Show and Judging Seminar details and start to sign up for Show volunteer spots.

May Guild Meeting - Thursday, May 9, 2024

Quilt Plano 2024 Show Rollout and Judging Seminar Info Talk

Details of the Show will be presented and there will be opportunities to be first in line to sign up for your favorite positions to help out Show days!

Guild Activities

By Chris Fredericks

The Pot Holder Exchange was a big success–it was so much fun to see what fellow quilters had sewed up and exchanged with fellow guild members.  The May 60’s Challenge has been extended to the June meeting.  Time to get your creative juices flowing and create an 18 x 20 wall quilt depicting an event from the 60’s.  Think JFK, MLK, Walking on the moon, music, etc. and start quilting.

June brings about a joint effort from our Programs and Workshop team of Beth Swiatek and LInda Sullivan and Guild Activities.  On June 14th and 15th, we will be hosting Bag Making Fun classes with Donna Petrick and Dolores Williams!  So much fun will be had at the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas as we gather with our resident experts to learn the art of bag making.  Refer to Programs and Workshops for all the details.

The July and August months bring about hot days, ice cream and most importantly Quilt Plano 2024.  With everyone’s focus on the show, and knowing we will all do our part to make the show a huge success, Guild Activities will be ready in September to kick out some exciting new projects for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025!

Want to be part of Guild Activities?  Email activities@qgplano.org and let me know you’d like to join in on the fun of planning out some ideas for next year!

Quilts of Valor

By Carolyn Cosgriff

We are honored to present 10 quilts in association with the DAR in April.  Quilts of Valor are presented as a civilian award to service men and women who were “touched by war”.  Anyone can nominate an honoree at QOVF.org.  Just add a comment so the nomination gets directed to our group among the many in the state if you want the recipient to get a quilt from our guild.  

The Quilters Guild of Plano stash of quilts is low again.  The recommended size of a Quilt of Valor is 60″ x 80″; it must be a minimum of 55″ x 65″ and maximum of 72″ x 90”.  Bold red, white and blue quilts are popular.  No flag fabric please as some service personnel are not comfortable cuddling up with a flag of any sort.   

Tops are welcome.  We have several guild long-armers who are happy to donate the quilting.  Please pin your name to the quilt and note what you contributed!  We have too many orphan quilts whose recipients deserve to know who gifted the lovely work.  We want to give you credit on the label!

Quilt Plano 2024

By Laurie Lumston

If it’s the month of May, then it means we’re ready for the Quilt Plano 2024 Roll-Out Meeting.  Think of it like a Volunteer Open House!  Browse the sign-up sheets and pick the time to volunteer during the show.  You’ll find a variety of options, including ones that are done seated and ones that get some steps in.

You’ll also be able to pre-order your lunches for Friday and Saturday while you’re at the show.  We heard your suggestions from last year, so this year the Plano Event Center has added a fancy lunch salad to the menu!  We’ll tempt your taste buds with Asian Chicken Salad (grilled chicken, red/green bell peppers, mandarin oranges, cilantro, chopped romaine with crispy wontons and sesame dressing). And of course, it will include one of their famous chocolate chip cookies, too!

There will be a duo of mini sandwiches, as well.  Choose from two chicken salad sandwiches (with cookie and chips) or the combo of one turkey and one ham mini sandwich duo (with cookie and chips).  So you’ll be well fed during the show!   Sing up at the May meeting!

We’ll also have the 2024 Quilt Plano Show Pins for sale, along with the Timeless Starburst raffle tickets and Show t-shirts. 

And we have a special treat in store for you at the May meeting!  Come hear from Diane Poor as she presents the Introduction to Judging Seminar that runs in conjunction with the Show.  We’ve had a LOT of interest in what the seminar is all about – especially from folks who don’t want to become a judge, but want to know more about how their quilts are judged.  So come to hear all about it!!

I’ll echo what Jeanne said in her opening comments.  Get those quilts registered before the end of the May meeting to avoid the registration fee!  If you wait until the June meeting, you’ll incur the $20 fee. 

Lastly, MINIS, MINIS, MINIS!  Keep working on them and bring your finished mini quilts to the May meeting.  This is a significant fundraiser at the Show and we want to exceed our success from last year!

Thank you to those volunteers who are already working hard as part of the QP24 Show Committee!  This group of volunteers are knocking it out of the park already!!! If you want to be part of this amazing team, please let me or Carol Truscott know.  We’d be glad to get you connected!

Community Service

By Val Schlake and Debbie Blair

Our collection for PISD was great!  The folks at PISD were absolutely thrilled with what we brought them.  Thank you to everyone that donated to this worthy cause.  We’ll be making some new parents very happy.

We still need help with longarming.  You can pick up quilts to longarm at our guild meeting or our community service sewing day.

Our next community service sewing day will be May 14th from 10 am to 2 pm at the Plano Sewing Center.  Everyone is welcome to come, just bring your sewing machine and basic sewing supplies.  We provide the kits to sew.

Thank you again to everyone for all the great work you are doing for community service!

Introduction to Judging Seminar - August 9-10, 2024

Do you enter quilt shows and want to understand what makes a winning quilt?  Are you interested in learning to judge quilts and wearables?  Do you know someone at another guild who coordinates their quilt show’s judging process?

The Quilters Guild of Plano is proud to once again sponsor a 2-Day Quilt Judging Seminar on August 9-10, 2024, at the same time as the Quilt Plano Show.  We offered this seminar last year at the same time as Quilt Plano 2023 and it was a huge success! 

During this seminar you will learn through a combination of discussion, lecture, PowerPoint presentations, and hands-on mock judging from qualified instructors certified by the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges (NACQJ). 

The 2-Day Seminar covers all aspects of quilt judging, including the job of judging, evaluating design and workmanship, categories and awards, judging systems, setting up the judging floor, and judging versus jurying.  Discussion includes certification requirements for the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges (NACQJ), the only national certifying organization for quilt judges.

Participants receive handouts including resource recommendations, art and design terms with definitions, a glossary, and sample contracts and invoices among others.  This seminar does not certify students nor is it a prerequisite for certification.

Stay tuned!  More information and online registration will be available in the coming weeks.

Education

By Liz Beaty and Lorrie Gray

In May, Liz and Lorrie will be at the Education table demonstrating how to make a simple quilt label, just in time for those quilt show entries!

If you missed Deanna Tucker’s demonstration on how to make a pillowcase, instructions can be found on the guild website here:  Simple Pillowcase

If you have a suggestion for a future demo or would like to volunteer to do a demo, please either talk to Liz or Lorrie at a guild meeting or fill out this simple Google form to give your ideas:  Education Demo Ideas

Record Your Volunteer Hours!

By Tisha Harms

We want to know what you are up to.  Record your volunteer hours and receive a volunteer bar for 30 hours of service!   For volunteering at Quilt Plano 2024, you will receive a charm for your bar! 

To record your hours just email volunteer_hours@qgplano.org.  If you do not have access to a computer, you can call Tisha Harms at 214.316.5066.

Record your hours at your convenience – daily, weekly, monthly or once a year noting the following categories:   Community Service,  Show, Education or Guild Work.

Send an email or make a call and we will keep track of your hours for you.    

When you have reached 30 hours, we will notify you that your bar can be picked up at the next general meeting!  

You can purchase a Vintage Sewing Machine pin for $5.00 at any guild meeting to hang you bar and charm on.For more information, contact Tisha Harms (214-316-5066 or volunteer_hours@qgplano.org).

Sunshine & Shadows

Happy May Birthdays to the following members:

• 7--Sue Rentz
• 8--Jeanne  Fletcher
• 10--Patricia Becerra
• 12--Becky Woods
• 13--Sally Ann Flak
• 14--Kimberly Pero
• 15--Sharon Tavana
• 17--Laurie Tanas
• 18--Leandra Carroll, Libby Triolet
• 19--Valerie Pearson
• 22--Caryn Schniederjan
• 23--Debbie Smith
• 24--Lori Hutyra
• 26--Nancy Worst
• 28--Sarah Vaughan
• 30--Joan Hammett, Margaret Lakie
• 31--Lisa Pruett, Barbara Goetz

News from the Zoom Bees

Pieceful Organization - Sarah Krauss, Jeanne Vogel, Monica Hendewerk

Every Wednesday from 1:30-3:30 pm -- Join us any week you can!

Need a friend to relieve clutter, stress, struggles and feelings of being overwhelmed?  We are Zooming 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!  Please contact mhendewerk@gmail.com for the zoom link.

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

Hoop It Up!  Come join us for a machine embroidery Zoom meeting.  Contact Donna Petrick – donna.petrick16@gmail.com to get the link for the monthly meeting on the third Thursday each month from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.  We share ideas and hints as well as sew during the call.  We are working on our challenge for the QP2024 show.

From the Bee Keeper -- In Person Meetings

Fourth Friday Featherweight Friends- Jeanne Vogel: pickincotton26@verizon.net

• Meeting at the Best Little Retreat Center in Texas  from 9am-9pm.
• Singer Featherweight sewing machines where we share tips for caring for the machine, our best notions, and have several members experienced with problem-solving both machine and quilting problems.
• Make your reservation by calling 469-708-2378 or email: info@blrcit.com   
• Either bring your lunch or we'll go out as a group to eat together.

Sew Happy Quilters - Aurora Chancy achancy@msn.com  

• • 1st and 3rd Thursday 9-4pm  
  • Sam Johnson Recreation Center @  401 W 16th St.  Plano, TX  
  • Bring your own project, sewing machine & supplies
  • We have lunch together at the Gazebo Cafe for $5 or less.

Sit N Sew Community Service Day–Val Schlake & Debbie Blair–communityservice@qgplano.org

• 2nd Tuesday from 10-2 pm
• Plano Sewing Center, 2070 Spring Creek Pkwy # 326, Plano, TX
• Bring your sewing machine and sewing supplies.

 

Monthly Meeting Photos

Access our monthly meeting photos and photos from the quilt show in our Gallery.

 

General Meeting Minutes

To read the minutes, use this link:  General Meeting Minutes

Then go to Guild Meeting Minutes and pick the last dated minutes.

 

 

Board Meeting Minutes

Board Meeting Minutes can only be accessed by guild members. Please login to your account.