Gratitude and Growth

As you are well aware, our guild is comprised of all volunteers.  That means that the best way for you to influence the direction of the guild is to get involved.  I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all of those who have stepped up and volunteered for board and committee positions next year.  Our guild is one of the most vibrant here in Colorado (and, I would like to think across the country), so it is great to know that it will be in capable hands moving forward.  

We have so many exciting opportunities in the works for next year, including the Festival of Quilts and a hybrid programs calendar that maximizes our ability to share the talents of instructors near and far (including Australia).  Hopefully this will provide opportunities for all members to be involved at some level: either through online workshops and sewcials or the in-person quilt show and meet-ups.  We still have lots of opportunities if you would like to volunteer and help – both short term and long term commitments.  If you have questions – please reach out to any of the board or committee members for more information. You can find a consolidated list of ACQ Leadership on our website.

Despite the unprecedented challenges brought by COVID, we have continued to grow over this past year and a half.  As a result, we did a deep dive into the guild’s by-laws and standing rules to make sure that they reflect the direction our guild is heading and incorporates the changes brought by technology.  We are providing notice of the changes to the Bylaws in this newsletter. Members present at the September Guild Meeting will be voting on the Bylaws changes.  One of the most important changes to the Bylaws is the update of the purpose statement to:

The purpose of Arapahoe County Quilters, Inc., the Guild, is to expand the art of quilting through providing educational opportunities to grow and learn about quilting, to share the talent of quilting through charitable activities, and to gather to enjoy the fellowship and friendship of other quilters.

This better identifies the three primary tasks of ACQ – education (presentations, workshops, Festival of Quilts), charity (charitable quilts, CPNLS, Quilts of Valor), and fellowship (guild meetings, workshops, drive-thrus, outings).  When we look for future opportunities, we will ensure that they fit within at least one of these three primary tasks.

I know that some members still have reservations about the Zoom meetings.  I urge you to give them a try once again.  This month we have an awesome speaker, Tammy Silvers, who is going to talk about spicing up your quilting style with different fabrics and colorways.

President’s Block: Intersection

Each month of this year I will be introducing a new block.  You may take this as an opportunity to build your own skills.  Additionally, I encourage you to post your block creations either on our ACQ Community Facebook page or on Instagram using #ACQPresidentBlock2021.  Each block you post will be entered into a monthly drawing for a fat quarter bundle.  If you aren’t on social media – no problem, just send me an email with your photo (pond.jennifer@comcast.net).  We will draw the winner at the next guild meeting, and you don’t need to be present to win (although we hope you will because we have a great line-up this year!).  The winner of August’s block will be announced at the September meeting, and the September block winner at the October meeting.

Drive in, Drive by  or Drive thru. No matter what you call it, be sure to stop by the First Plymouth Church on the SW corner of Hampden Ave & Colorado Blvd on September 25. ACQ has been hosting drive-thru events most every month since we went virtual in April 2020. These events have always included an opportunity for members to drop off finished charity quilts or pick up a quilt or 3 to piece, bind or quilt. Always present are the gals supporting Colorado Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Services. The blankets made by ACQ for this organization are simple in their design and touch the hearts of parents facing very complex emotions.  If you haven't participated in this charity work, I invite you to stop by in September and pick up a few kits to sew Sewing them is quick and very rewarding. 

The September drive-thru will also be the place to hand off your donated auction items. That's right, we're hosting ACQ's 2nd online auction taking place October 17 to October 24. A donation form is attached here. Good items to donate are anything seasonal like wall hangings, placemat & table runner sets. Bags and other craft items will work well for the holiday shopping public. 

We hope to see you at the next drive thru.  

News from the Library Corner

BIG NEWS!!!!! We are going to have an in-person book fair this year. It will take place from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon on October 30 at First Plymouth Church at Colorado Boulevard and Hampden Ave. Over 700 books will be offered for sale, may that were donated to ACQ from the estates of 2 well-loved ACQ members. Be sure to mark your calendars now. 

To help facilitate the book fair and to minimize clustering of individuals inside the space, we will have the books grouped and displayed by category.  The books are listed in a spreadsheet which includes links to book descriptions.  More information will be posted to ACQ’s web page and in October's newsletter as we finalize all of the book fair details.

An event this big needs your help. If you are able to help on Saturday 10/30 or have any questions, please contact Ann Roman at annroman8858@icloud.com or Mary Rogers at mary.c.rogers@outlook.com.

Happy shopping, happy reading and happy quilting!

Submitted by:  Ann Roman and Mary Rogers

Notice to Members

The Bylaws of Arapahoe County Quilters require notice to members before certain votes by the membership can take place. This month the Board of Directors is making two such notices to members. First is a notice of the slate of 2022 officers for election. There are opportunities for nominations from the floor at the Membership meeting on September 9. Please consider how your time and talents can support this organization. Remember, you get the most out of an organization like ACQ when you contribute your best to it. 

Second is a notice regarding proposed amendments to the Bylaws. There are six (6) Articles of the Bylaws with proposed changes. Because a change to one section may affect the change to another section, these changes are being proposed as a single amendment. You will find the Bylaws as they currently exist, the proposed amendments and the final Bylaws after the amendments are passed by membership here. Please review these documents and bring your questions to the discussion at the Membership meeting on September 9.

As stated in the President’s message this month, the proposed amendments focus our efforts to the three primary tasks of our organization. You’ll see a change to the number and title of officers in Article VI to support this focus. Some changes will allow ACQ to take advantage of expanded technology provided with the membership management software subscription with Wild Apricot instituted by the Board in 2019. This subscription software was instrumental in getting us through the tough spots that 2020 brought our way. I have great admiration and appreciation for the prior Board’s leap to such a robust technology. Some changes allow the Board to pivot more quickly as our membership grows in demographics, interests and locations. This and future Boards can look forward to instituting more advantages for members by some of these Bylaws changes. The amendment to Article III is an example of this.

 Yes, I believe we are really going to have a quilt show in less than a year.  Everyone keep your fingers crossed!  We had out first meeting on Thursday, August 5^th on zoom.  Our planning meetings are the 1st Thursday of each month. That means you can find us on Zoom September 2, October 7, November 4 and December 2.  Please get in touch with me, Nathlia Holtz, by phone (303-918-7985) or by email (nathliaholtz@gmail.com) and I will add you to the list.  

We are pulling together the quilt show committee. So far we have co-chairpersons, Nathlia Holtz and Heather Schiller. Nathlia is also chairing the reception and Heather is chairing Registration, and Volunteer Coordination with the help of Angie Nofziger. Louise Helton is the Secretary, Nancy Conklin is Treasurer and  Jan Wolfgram is chairing the hanging of the show. Marge Mieger is heading up the Boutique and Kelly Collins is leading judging. Barb Pond and Kathy Wasilewski are working together on the challenge quilt.

We still have other positions to fill. Publicity, the Sewing Station, an additional person to help with the Boutique, someone to help with Vendors and Sponsors and an additional person to help with Social Media. Also, a person for Lobby set up, one or two people to help with the logo and photography and an additional person to help with Judging. More help is needed for Social Media and

Do you have a buddy that would enjoy working together to help the guild put the show together?  Many hands, make light the work.  

 We are a fun group and want to put together a fun quilt show, but we need assistance.  Please think about lending your skills.  

Submitted by Nathlia Holtz, Festival of Quilts Chairperson

Meet And Sew On... Bee

I am so happy as I write this article for ACQ’s August newsletter. My bee – And Sew On… Bee – is meeting in person tonight for the first time in more than a year. It will be great to see everyone at our meeting. While we haven’t met in person this past year, we have stayed connected. We met over Zoom; we created our own Facebook group where we could post projects and share news.

Let me take a moment to tell you a little about And Sew On. We have 12 members. I am one of the newest members, having joined 5 years ago. The bee originally started some 20 years ago as a sub-group of a larger organization called Mothers & More. Our bee meets monthly on the third Wednesday of the month. We plan 2 retreats a year and we enjoy outings together like the quilt museum, shop hops and fabric stores. Most years we do a group project. In the past we’ve done a block exchange, project round robin, mystery project bags and more.

To gather background for this article I asked 2 questions of our bee members:  What do you like about our bee? and What projects are you working on?  Here is feedback I received about the bee:

We are a positive, happy-go-lucky group.  One member mentioned diversity:  “Just as one cross-trains to improve their sport.  We share our differences and talents, which in-turn pushes us individually to excel.”

I think that sums it up quite well.  And here are some of the things this fun-loving, creative and inspiring group of quilters are working on:

Log Cabin quilt; Nightingale quilt; Serendipity QAL; Angela Walter’s FMQ Challenge; All Hallows Eve quilt; dog portrait art quilt; queen size flannel quilt for husband; Farmer’s Wife quilt; and Smitten EPP quilt. Whew!!

When I reflect over this past year, I realize how much I missed my quilt bee and at the same time how much it has been a sanity saver. It was great to see that quilting continued, that creativity still exists and that we thrive as a community.  I imagine you feel the same with your bee.

Ann Roman

And Sew On… Bee

Six Reasons to Volunteer and Six Ways You Can Make a Difference in Your Guild

1. When you volunteer you help raise awareness for an organization and its cause. You might not even notice how often you’ll comment about your involvement to friends in conversation or on social media and that encourages more people to get involved too.  
2. There’s scientific evidence that volunteering positively affects your body and mind. 
3. When you help others, you give off positive vibes, which can rub off on peers and improve your friendships. Volunteering is also an excellent way to find your “peeps.” 
4. Volunteer to perfect existing skills or learn new ones
5. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and strengthen existing relationships as you are committing to a shared activity.
6. Volunteering also enhances your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, resources and even fun activities.

You’re donating your valuable time, so it’s important that you enjoy and benefit from volunteering. Many of the volunteer opportunities at ACQ have differing time commitments and skills needed. Do one of these fit your interest, skills, schedule or time available?

Webmaster:  In 2019 ACQ committed to a new website provider that allowed us to manage our Guild communications, events and membership data online. Having this software in place during 2020 was instrumental to our success going virtual. In 2022, we need a person that can focus on the job of webmaster. Preferably, that person has some experience in website development but minimal experience is all that is required. The main tasks are to ensure the content stays current by adding new texts and pictures, updating monthly information, managing our blog and posting news events consistent with the Marketing plan approved by the BOD. You are not required to attend Board meetings. Approximate time commitment is 3-4  hours per month once trained in our software. This committee person works directly with the VP, Communications & Marketing.

CPNLS Coordinator:  This person organizes the creation and dissemination of kits for the newborn loss blankets. Additionally, you deliver the finished blankets to the CPNLS point of contact 2-3 times per year. Approximate time commitment is 2-3 hours per month. This committee lends itself well to being adopted by a Bee or a couple of friends who are drawn to this cause. This person works with the VP, Charitable Activities.

Newsletter Editor:  This person compiles the monthly newsletter to be distributed timely and consistently via email through our website software. Requires some editing of presented articles, soliciting articles from various committees for regular or periodic inclusion and periodic drafting of articles. Attending Board meetings is helpful but not required. Approximate time commitment is 6-8 hours per month. This person works with the VP, Communications and Marketing.

Quilt Show Committee:  This is a huge fundraising and community education commitment of the Guild and requires lots of volunteer participation. Some volunteer opportunities run for the entire project, some are specific task during the project that may require a more intense time commitment over a shorter time period and some opportunities are during the days of the event. Planning meetings for the 2022 Quilt Show begin August 5, 2021 via Zoom. Register for this meeting to get more information.

Online Auctions:  This is a new event for the Guild and has the opportunity to be a major fundraising and community outreach event for the Guild. We need 6-8 people with one or more of the following skills or interests - Committee chairperson to handle project planning and periodic reports for the BOD, photographer, auction website creator, product descriptions editor, pricing researcher, person to collect and store goods during the auction until pick-up/delivery to winners. If you have any one of these skills or interests, we need you! The next auction is anticipated for October or November. Time commitment will vary and the commitment will be focused in an 8-12 week period. This committee works with the Vice President.

Social Media Guru:  This person assures that all social media accounts of ACQ include information on current events in line with the overall marketing plan approved by the BOD. This person works with the VP, Communications and Marketing.  

Contact any Board Member to express your interest in any of these opportunites.

Great News to report! Twenty coordinated quilts for moms and toddlers were donated to the Florence Crittenton Campus. “Way to go ACQ members!” Thank you to Gail N. for the idea, communicating with the school and helping to deliver the beautiful quilts. Don’t you love the photos from this collaboration? Florence Crittenton is a nonprofit that helps teen mothers and their children with education, health and economic well being. If you would like to learn more about Florence Crittenton check out their website.

Reminder:  It is perfectly OK to use your own fabric and batting to make quilts for charity. Many of us have Charity quilts in our homes that need to be finished. The next Charity Zoom Sew is Sunday August 22nd at 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. Join us to get these done so we can get them donated to people who will appreciate them. It’s always a good time as we sew, share stories and ask questions. Register to get the Zoom link.

The next ACQ Drive Thru is Saturday August 21. This is the best way to turn in your finished quilts and pick up your next batch to piece, quilt or bind. I look forward to seeing you there. Find detailed information about the August Drive thru.

Sheila Clark 

Charitable Quilts Committee

sheila-clark@comcast.net

Each month of this year I will be introducing a new block. You may take this as an opportunity to build your own skills. Additionally, I encourage you to post your block creations either on our ACQ Community Facebook page or on Instagram using #ACQPresidentBlock2021. Each block you post will be entered into a monthly drawing for a fat quarter bundle. If you aren’t on social media – no problem, just send me an email with your photo (pond.jennifer@comcast.net). We will draw the winner at the next guild meeting, and you don’t need to be present to win (although we hope you will because we have a great line-up this year!). The winner of July’s block will be announced at the August meeting, and the August block at the September meeting.

This month’s block is Round Rosie.  Since August is my birth month and Rosie was my first doll I thought it an appropriate selection.

Naturalistic motifs, such as flowers, leaves and vines, have been favorite textile designs for centuries, and American quilts share this tradition. Many of these quilts are appliqued because this method is best suited to the curved shapes of the flowers and vines.  This same theme is possible to create in a pieced quilt. Baskets, with flower designs, were a popular motif among quilt makers from approximately 1850 on, as they could be easily adapted to suit individual tastes, fabrics and color combinations.
The variety of patterns seems almost endless, from baskets with handles to those without, to those with appliqued fruit and flowers added to the pieced basket, to pattern variations including Broken Sugar Bowl, Cake Stand, Flower Pot and May Basket.

A takeoff of the flower basket is Round Rosie, with spring tulips in a circle.  There may be other blocks with similar names but I’m looking for the Round Roise designed by Pam Vieira-McGinnis (pamkittymorning.blogspot.com) and published in Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers, Vol. 4, p. 66. This block was used in a 2020 BOM sponsored by ABY Quilts. The instructions can be found here.