Our Purpose

Established September 2014 through our shared interest, appreciation and desire to educate and promote all quilting styles including traditional, modern and art for future generations.

Monday, September 21, 2015

HUGE Quilters Garage Sale!!!!!

Huge quilters garage sale!!!!! Quilting books, quilting patterns and fabrics plus other related items for sale. Many wonderful treasures await you. 

Grab your quilting friends and stop in Monday, September 28, 2015 6:00-9:00 PM at The Lodge at Beechwood Church, 895 Ottawa Beach Road, Holland 49424. Sponsored by Big Red Quilter's Guild. 


NO EARLY SALES

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Hands All Around Bee from Downers Grove presents "challenge ideas" trunk show

7:00 PM Monday, August 24, 2015

Janet Steinke opened the meeting at 7:00 promptly with the following business:

Budget: Without your dues, and money in the bank, we would not be able to book the great speakers we’ve been able to, like Sue Nickels. Our prudent budgeting (thank you Vicky!) allowed us to book several great quilt artists Sue Holdaway-Heyes and Ann Loveless in the upcoming months.

Membership renewal is next month. Be sure to turn in your form and $30 annual dues at our next meeting. 

Election of Officers – this is our last official meeting of the year….Congratulations on our first year!! The guild DOES NOT work or exist without hard working Board members/volunteers.  Newly appointed officers will start in October.  Three board members are needed to rotate in/out each year to maintain continuity (so the entire board is not new). Thank you to Marie Yutendale, Char Litwinski and Barb Walsh for all their work this inaugural year. Possible positions are:
·        President (key) – Janet Steinke would like another member to step up
·        Vice President – nominated Barb Bredemeier/Betsy Muir as co-chairs
·        Treasurer – Vicky Gray volunteered for an additional year
·        Secretary/Blog – Barb Schippa volunteered for an additional year
·        Membership – nominated Sally Leep
·        Programs (Key, 3 people needed to search presenters, hospitality, set up) – nominated Kathy Mueller, and support team members

We are looking for 2-4 more volunteer teachers for our February 22, 2016 SCHOOL HOUSE PROGRAM.  Do you have a technique or skill (or know someone) you can share with other guild members?  Guild members will tour each of the teachers for mini sessions learning different techniques. 

Guild Fundraiser - Donations are still being taken for our quilty garage sale/guild fundraiser, September 28, the 4th Monday, in lieu of our sew in date.  All proceeds go to BRQG.  Items not sold will be donated to Gilda’s House. If you have donations or would like to volunteer, please see VP Marie Yutendale.  Be sure to grab your quilting BFF’s and stop by. Items will be organized and priced as follows: Books - $3, Patterns - $2, Fabrics – $1 a yard

Freedom Village Scholarship $5 raffle tickets will be available at their bazaar, Sept 10-11.
 “Red & White” Guild challenge – We have 2 size and 2 style categories:
·        Small – anything below a total of 216” total (outside dimension)
·        Large – anything above 216” total (outside dimension)
·        The two style categories remain the same – Traditional and Art/Modern
·        This means you can enter 4 quilts, a small and large Traditional style, and a small and large Art/Modern.
·        Your entries need to be complete by our June 2016 meeting.  Entry forms will be made available later, and turned in at our April 2016 meeting.  For now…….get quilting!

 BRQG Member Pins – are available to guild members for $12, with $2 going to the guild.  Please see the member table when you check in at the next meeting for a form.  Several pins were delayed, but will be available next general meeting (so very sorry!)

October 26 Program – Quilt artist Sue Holdaway-Heyes will present a power point presentation sharing her step by step process and sources of inspiration, followed by a trunk show of her beautiful art quilts. Sue has won many awards including the American Quilt Society Show, the Ella Sharpe Museum, and the Ann Arbor Art Center.  Her work has been published many times, and is represented in many public and private collections including a doll in the White House Collection. Clear your calendars, you don’t want to miss this!

Other future programs:
·        September 28, 2015 – Guild Garage sale, Beechwood Lodge
·        November 23, 2015 – Sew in night, Beechwood Lodge
·        December 28, 2015 – Game night and social time
·        January 25, 2016 – Sew in night, Beechwood Lodge
·        February 22, 2016 – Schoolhouse night, volunteer teachers share their talents and expertise in a round robin evening event.  We are looking for 2-4 more teachers……come forward and share your knowledge!
·        March 28, 2016 – Sew in night, Beechwood Lodge
·        April 25, 2016 – Ann Loveless, 2013 Art prize winner and quilt artist
·        May 23, 2016 – Sew in night, Beechwood Lodge
·        June 27, 2016 – Red & White Challenge Quilts – Show & Event
·        July 25, 2016 – Sew in night, Beechwood Lodge
·        August 22, 2016 – (Tentative) Garage Sale and ice cream social

Door Prizes – This month sponsored by FIELDS FABRICS, congratulations to winners Linda Carlson and Cynthia Lindsley!!  Board members work hard soliciting donations from west Michigan quilt shops. If you have something you’d like to offer please see your Board.


 Welcome The Bee from Downers Grove! – A warm and hearty welcome was given to “Hands All Around Bee”  from Downers Grove, five ladies that have quilted together FOREVER (est. 1983) including our very own Program Chair Barb Walsh, forming years of wonderful quilts and an unending bond of friendship.  They number 15 current members that meet monthly at rotating homes. Some have moved away, and some have passed away. They’ve shared personal joys and sorrow, pride, creative genius, and ‘silly flubs’ along their journey together. The group presented a trunk show and shared how they organized group challenges over the years.  They inspired us with challenge ideas including Ugly fabric, Over-Dye, 9-patch and Applique, Clue Word, Mug/Cup, and Cruise Mystery to name a few of over 16 challenges.  They supported and helped each other along the way, creating far more than quilts…..a strong and lasting bond of friendship.  Bee inspired!