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.

This Guild is Your Guild

Happy August to everyone. Can you believe that it is already time for us to start thinking about the 2022 board and committee selections? We have several opportunities for you to help out next year. Remember, if you want this guild to continue, we need to have members step up to help out. Many hands make light work. Below are the Board positions with descriptions open for 2022. Please contact Nominating Committee members Terry Chase or Angie Nof with your interest in any of these positions. If you know of a current member who would be a good fit for one of these positions, please reach out to them before submitting their name to the Nominating Committee. 

Secretary: Take notes at board meetings and general guild meetings. Maintain the Zoom account including setting up meetings and maintaining a master list of admin privileges. Send condolence and get well cards to members. Approximate time commitment, 4 hours per month.

Treasurer: Maintain the budget and track income and expenses using existing software programs.  Provide monthly income statements to the Board each month for publication to the newsletter. Pay Guild expenses including payments to contracted speakers/presenters. Approximate time commitment, 4 hours per month.

Vice President, Programs 2022/2023:  This is a two year term.  The first year you set the program schedule for 2023 by contracting with speakers and presenters and assist the VP, Programs, 2021/2022. The second year you assure all marketing and financial information regarding contracted speakers and presenters is available to the VP, Communications and Treasurer, respectively. Average time commitment is 4-6 hours per month.

Vice President, Membership 2022/2023: This is a two year term. The first year you assist the VP of Membership, 2021/2022 in marketing membership opportunities to current and community members for the year. Assist in contacting business members and coordinating with VP of Programs the “Business Member Virtual Shop Hops” or “Demo Night” for guild meetings approximately one time per year.  Organize the new member tea (virtual or in-person) with assistance from the board. Lead the Membership drive for the second year of your term. The second year you lead on all of the above with the assistance of the VP, Membership 2023/2024. Approximate time commitment, 4 hours per month.

Vice President, Communications & Marketing:  Create and execute a marketing plan for all Guild events in the current year. Coordinate website, newsletter and social media committees, making sure that website and community posts are updated with current information. Coordinates Zoom virtual guild meetings, hosting and making sure that meeting is recorded. Approximate time commitment, 4-6 hours per month.

These Board positions can not function at their best unless they are supported by related committees. If serving on the Board is not for you take a look at the article below about other volunteering opportunities.

Flying Geese

Each month of this year I am 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 June’s block will be announced at the July meeting, and the July block at the August meeting.

July’s block is the Flying Geese block.  

Quilts were used as secret messages for slaves escaping on the underground railroad. One such pattern was flying geese. Slaves saw that geese flew north every spring. The flying geese pattern said follow the direction of the geese and you will be going north - to Canada and freedom. The two darkest triangles in the quilt pointed to the direction you would follow. The quilt had to be carefully placed so the direction was correct.

A link to the block may be found here: https://abyquilts.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/sisters-bom-january.pdf

I love questions! I believe questions are always in order. I was recently asked a question that did not occur to me. The answer to the question is YES it is perfectly OK to use your own fabric and batting to make quilts for charity. We all have quilts we have started and need to finish. Go ahead and finish and give to someone who will love to cuddle up in it. 

More quilts were donated to the VOA Family Motel at the end of June.  Once again, they were put on chairs in the lobby. This is done so they are not forgotten in a supply closet but chosen and loved right away. Also the people who work the front desk are unbelievable busy. 

The 20 quilts donated this month were particularly bright and cheerful for summer. I hope the people and families are able to find happiness as they use the quilts for picnics or movie parties. 

The next ACQ Drive Thru at the church is Saturday August 21^st   I look forward to seeing you to receive and hand out tops and quilts.

The next Charity Zoom Sew is Sunday July 25^th 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. You are invited to join us to sew, share stories and ask questions. 

Sheila Clark 

Charitable Quilts Committee

sheila-clark@comcast.net

What’s a Show & Tell Extravaganza? It’s a recreation of the live Show & Tell we all remember but in a Zoom world.

Remember how you would pack up that recently completed quilt to take with you to that evening’s monthly Guild meeting? The only requirement was to sign up for show & tell when you arrived and line up along the room perimeter when it was time. You would have the attention of the room while standing in front of your quilt and tell us about your inspiration and the challenges you felt making the quilt. There were often 15, even 20 or more, people participating in Show & Tell every meeting. We all miss that. Some of us miss participating and we all miss seeing the beautiful work of our fellow guild members.

Here’s how we recreate that same enthusiasm on Zoom. The day of the Guild meeting, hang up that quilt you recently finished. (In our estimation "recently" at least means since the last time you participated in a live Show & Tell!) Hang it up on a wall, clip it to a bookcase, pin it to the closed curtains on that picture window - any way to make it your backdrop in your Zoom camera.

When it’s time for Show & Tell during the meeting, we’ll ask everyone who has a quilt to show to “Raise your Hand”. You’ll find that option under the Reactions button on your Zoom screen. This brings you to the top of the list seen by Carole so she can find you easily. Kind of like lining up around the perimeter of the room in the live days.  

When it’s your turn, we’ll spotlight you on Zoom. The only thing technical thing you need to know is the best way to show us your quilt is having the quilt and the camera stationery. When its your turn, all you need to do is stand up in front of your hung quilt and tell us your name, your inspiration and any other details important to you. 

If your camera is stationary, you could also have the quilt ready to hold in front of your camera. This is a little harder for large quilts but we’ll tell you which way to move to get us the best view. 

If your quilt is hung, you could move your camera in front of it but this is the hardest way to do a Zoom Show & Tell. And if you’re holding your camera and your quilt, well, you’ll need to be a contortionist for this to work! Either way, don’t worry about it going perfectly. It never went perfectly in the live meetings either. You will bring smiles to all in the “room” and we’ll be able to see your smile too.

What about everyone watching? The good wishes in the chat are OK but the person showing their quilt can’t hear the chats and they can’t easily see your smile. Hearing and seeing you are a big part of what we’ve all missed about Show & Tell in a Zoom world, so let that quilter know how much you like their work by speaking out after they've shared their story. Yes, that might get noisy but if it gets to be too much, well, Carole has a way to mute everyone! Don’t worry, sometimes the live meetings got a little noisy too. 

I’m as excited about this Extravaganza as I’ve been about any paid lecture. I hope you’ll join us and show us your beautiful quilt. 

This month we will also decide the winner of the 2021 Panel Challenge. We'll be voting by Zoom Poll and awarding 1st, 2nd & 3rd place ribbons. Some of the Challenge quilts will be available for viewing at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum event on July 10, 2021.  

Return to Normal?

So many people have asked when we will return to “normal”, having guild meetings and presentations in person. Given so many inquiries, I thought it would be good to update everyone on where we are.  Below are some of the common questions:

Question: Churches are back to having services, so why aren’t we meeting in person?

Currently, the church is at a maximum capacity of 50 for Plymouth Hall (the room where we meet). Church leadership will be meeting in August to determine if they can raise the maximum capacity to 75. While this is good news, please understand that ACQ leadership has determined we will continue meeting via Zoom until the room is at full capacity because we do not want to be gate-keepers and turn members away when we reach capacity or if they don’t pre-register.

Even though our programs will be via Zoom, we will be looking for opportunities to meet in person. We have an in-person event scheduled for July 10^th at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. We will also continue our monthly drive-through events, and will be expanding them to include tables and refreshments. And, this is your guild – so if you have ideas on how to get together in small groups, we need you to help make those ideas happen.

Question: Will virtual sewing opportunities continue, like Charity Sew Days and Friday Night Sewcials?

Plans include continuing the online sewing opportunities for the future, as they have been well received and a great way for guild members to get to know each other. Additionally, meeting from “home” allows members to have all of their tools, fabric, and snacks at their fingertips without having to pack cars and bring everything to a central location.

We did have an “in-person” opportunity to make kits for Charity quilts. The team was able to create 40+ kits for members to pick up and put together. It went so well, that we are looking to expand this to a quarterly basis and make kits for both Charity quilts and CPNLS. We will have limited capacity, and will provide more information for those who are interested in volunteering to help. 

Question: What does 2022 look like?

While we can’t predict the future, we do know that the quilt industry is moving to a hybrid structure. Many teachers and lecturers do not want to travel and prefer to do their presentations and workshops on a virtual platform. As such, 2022 will be hybrid, with presenters and workshops being online. We are looking at options to “live-stream” the meeting and presentation so we can have both in-person and online options; however, that is still in the works. There will still be several guild meetings throughout the year that do not have a structured lecture where we will be meeting in person. So we will have a little bit for everyone.

Jen Dietz

Very sorry about not recording the meeting!  I have attached the handouts from Kate Colleran's and Lynn Roginski's demos. 

Demo Night - Labels V2 Bullet Notes.pdf

Kate's link for making a sleeve: Sleeve tips. There is also a lot of other info on Kate's website under tutorials which could help you a lot creating that quilt show masterpiece.

Mid-year Check In

It is difficult to believe that half of 2021 is already over!  The good thing is that things are slowly getting back to “normal” as we are able to resume some of the things that we had to let go over the past year during the pandemic.  That being said, all the time at home has afforded a lot of us time to work on quilting projects.  So far this year, our charitable quilt tally is rising and we have completed numerous infant loss blankets for CPNLS.  We have had three drive through events where our members (and some friends) have shared fabric, dropped off and picked up projects for charity quilts, and purchased panels for our challenge.  We have also continued our mission of fellowship through zoom sew-cials and bees, as well as charity quilt sew days.  So, while we have missed out on our “usual” get togethers, we have done a great job of pivoting and keeping the guild going.

As we look towards the next half of the year, we have some exciting opportunities to get together in person as well as resume our virtual events.  We are also kicking off our quilt show preparation early, by providing some tutorials at the June meeting that will help you plan for your quilt entry.  Our hope is that the quilt show in 2022 will be a CELEBRATION of quilting and the quilt community.  In July, we will have both a virtual and in-person component of our meeting where we will have lots of opportunities for fun and fellowship!  We will also have more workshops and presenters in the following months to learn new skills (I’m especially excited about fabric dyeing) and meet new people in the quilting community.

And, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board, committee chairs and volunteers that make this guild happen!  We are a non-profit that is solely run by volunteers, and I think that our team has done an amazing job of not only surviving but thriving over the past year and certainly the past 6 months.  If you have a desire to see this guild keep growing and offering opportunities, I urge you to consider volunteering.  It doesn’t have to be for a board or committee person – we are always in need for helpers with smaller, one-time events.  It takes a village – and many hands make the work lighter.

Jen Dietz