Greetings fellow BIG RED QUILTERS GUILD members! Your feedback matters!  We have new and existing members that would like to join in the fun at the many area quilting bees, but they may not know where to find them, or when they meet.  I announced at our last guild meeting that we’d soon be collecting information about all the different quilting bees in our area.  However, we need to hear from you in order to do that.  Once compiled, the information will be available to our membership on our soon-to-be-launched website…..which is also very exciting!

The next step requires you, and it’s very simple.  Tell us about the bee(s) you are in using the information below.  If you would like to join a bee, tell us that too.  As you are filling out the info, keep these descriptions in mind:

1.     OPEN bees – always open to new members/attendees (these typically meet in churches or public spaces)

2.     CLOSED bees - not able to take new members based on limited meeting space (these usually meet in homes)

Here’s an example to help you get started, then return this to me with your information NO LATER THAN MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016.

Bee Name:   Always in Stitches

Contact:   Sally Leep, 616.772.2041, quiltbug51@gmail.com

Day:  1st and 3rd Thursday of the month

Cost:  None

Time:  6:00-9:00 PM

Place:   Zeeland, Howard Miller Library

Open or closed:  Open

Looking for a bee:

Thanks in advance!

Barb Schippa

BRQG Secretary

Sew In Reminder.....

Treat yourself to a relaxing evening quilting among fellow guild members this coming Monday, March 28, for Big Red Quilters Guild Sew In Night. Bring your machine, hand work or cutting project and join us from 6:00 -9:00 PM at the Lodge at Beechwood Church. 

See you there!

Barb Schippa
BRQG Secretary

BRQG General Meeting - School House Techniques

BRQG General Meeting 2/22/16

6:30 pm social time/7:00 pm general meeting

Beechwood Church

Pat opened the meeting at 7:00 pm. We will have announcements then move into our evening program

PRESIDENT/Pat Navis

Pat asked 3 new members to stand and be welcomed.  So glad you decided to join us!

At also shared we are looking for a volunteer to lead our charitable effort, children’s comfort quilts for the police department in difficult situations such as accident scenes, home fires, or when they are removed from their home. These could be completed at our sew in or at separate times.  Please consider this important new guild effort if you have a heart for helping children.

SECRETARY/Barb Schippa

Beekeeper- the guild will begin collecting bee information sometime in the next month, both open (always taking new members) and closed (in home, limited by space) bees. Once the info is collected it will be organized and made available on our soon to be created website (yes, you read right….we are getting a website!).  Please be sure to complete the bee information request so we can share with all guild members soon.

June/Red & White Challenge – the guild is very excited to see all the various entries in our upcoming red and white challenge. Important dates to keep in mind – entry forms must be turned in by April 25 program night so we can determine how much space/time will be needed to display and judge the quilts. Quilts need to be delivered by June 25…..see the entry forms and rule sheets for more specific information.

QUESTION – what does ‘made during the challenge period’ mean? – Quilts considered for judging must be made between the time we announced June 2015 and June 2016.  Some members have vintage or antique red and whites they’d like to share, but these will not be considered for awards.

PROGRAM/Kathy Mueller

April 25, 2016/2 time Art Prize winner Ann Lovelace program and workshop

Kathy has supply lists plus we will put it on the blog (see below).

All spots are full, plus 5 waitlisted….don’t give up!  Members get priority if space opens.

Workshop will be in the lodge, and start time will be announced soon.

Be sure to invite friends to the evening program as it’s sure to be a great time!

February/School House Techniques

Kathy has an evening filled with fun and learning, and while getting to know other guild members. She asked everyone to stay within their initial group which will rotate through each class segment every 15 minutes.

The following teachers stepped forward to share their skills, each having handouts for everyone:

1. Barb Schippa - Hand Applique 101

2. Mary Voss - Half square triangles 

3. Kathy Mueller - Flying geese

4. Barb Bredemeier – Binding techniques and more

5. Kris Kennedy - Twice as nice clever cutting techniques 

NOTE – normally pictures are taken during this time, but Barb was busy teaching. So sorry!

PRIZE DRAWINGS

Several people won great gifts!  Get busy quilting……

SHOW & TELL

A wide variety of sizes and styles were shared at the end of the evening….all were very inspiring!

Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 pm. 

Barb Schippa

BRQG Secretary

Program reminder - February 22, 2016 !!

Upcoming program reminder, for next Monday, February 22,2016. Be sure to join us and be a life long learner!!  You will be able to brush up or learn a new twist on techniques you may already know or dabble your feet in a new technique you've always been drawn to at our February program:

School House Techniques

5 groups will rotate for 12 minute sessions

1. Barb Schippa - Hand Applique 101

2. Mary Voss - Half square triangles 

3. Kathy Mueller - Flying geese

4. Barb Bredemeier - Binding and more

5. Kris Kennedy - Twice as nice clever cutting techniques

Check in and social time begins at 6:30, the program begins at 7:00. Bring a friend that loves to quilt, and something for SHOW & TELL.

AND......as always in west Michigan in winter, watch the blog and Facebook in case we have classic lake effect weather. Our board watches this very close in order to keep our members safe.  

Happy quilting!!

Barb Schippa

BRQG Secretary

Sew-in and 2016 UFO program

President Pat Navis opened the meeting at 6:05 with the following business:

Pat reminded everyone that our February program is School House Techniques

5 groups will rotate for 12 minute sessions

1. Barb Schippa - Hand Applique 101

2. Mary Voss - Half square triangles 

3. Kathy Mueller - Flying geese

4. Barb Bredemeier - Binding and more

5. Kris Kennedy - Twice as nice clever cutting techniques 

April/Ann Lovelace program and workshop will be held in the lodge. All 24 spaces are now filled!

Kathy will provide start time and supply list at our February program

“Red & White” challenge quilts due – We have 2 size and style categories: Small – anything below a total of 216” total (outside dimension) and Large – anything above 216” total (outside dimension)

The two style categories remain the same – Traditional and Art/Modern, so you can enter 4 quilts, a small and large Traditional style, and a small and large Art/Modern.  Entry forms and challenge requirements are available tonight, as well as emailed to all members. For now…….get quilting!

OTHER:

Janet Haines volunteered to be webmaster. The position will be added as a board member. Barb Schippa nominated her and Kathy Mueller seconded the nomination, with the group voting for.  Welcome Janet, and thank you for volunteering your expertise.

Pat announced future program will have refreshments, and ask for volunteers, such as bees, or individuals

Carmen Smith volunteered for February

Name tags can be purchased for $12, or you can make your own.

Tulip Time Quilt Show forms are available.                                                                       

No drawing for door prizes this month as it’s a regular sew in night.

Kathy asked each UFO participant to sign up if 1) we were exchanging our project or 2) committing to finish them. Either way, we need to complete the project by October 2016. Kathy will advise details for the unveiling later. Meanwhile, each person showed their project and told a little background about it…..their initial inspiration, what they liked, or…..why they stopped and never finished. We could all relate to unfinished projects, and so many of them were SO CLOSE!!  Here’s a snippet of our humble beginnings.  Can’t wait to see what these 5 brave souls do with their swapped projects! Sorry for the blur, but you ask a quilter holding fabric to stand still, and its not going to happen!

Pat adjourned the program around 7:15 and we continued with our informal sew in time

Monday, January 25, 2016 Program Reminder!!

REMINDER OF OUR NEXT PROGRAM:

When - Monday, January 25, 2016 6:00 - 9:00 PM 

Where - The lodge at Beechwood Church

Program - combined Sew-In (bring your sewing) and postponed December 28 program (bring your UFO's for a new challenge)

Additional reminders for January 25 -

......renew your annual BRQG membership if you haven't already

......sign up for the April 25 Ann Loveless workshop 

......pick up your Red and White challenge entry forms and rules 

NOTE - be sure to watch Facebook, the blog and your email for weather alerts or closings

Quilt Surface Design Symposium 2016

Attention fellow quilters! The 2016 Quilt Surface Design Symposium is sponsoring 4 sessions beginning May 30 thru June 12, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio. Classes will be held at the Columbus College of Art and Design, adjacent to the Columbus Museum of Art and a quick drive to the Short North Arts District, the hub of Columbus art and social scene.  Classes will be taught by globally known teachers, in art quilting, surface design, hand and machine sewing, composition, color theory, embroidery, fabric dyeing, multimedia and much more.

Classes are open to all skill levels. Artists interested in textile arts and related media gather from around the globe in a creative atmosphere of intensive learning in a supportive and sharing environment.  If you’d like to push the boundaries of textile craft and fine arts, these classes may be for you! For more information, complete class list and registration information check out www.qsds.com .

If you are interested in sharing rides or rooms, post your request on our Big Red Quilters Guild Facebook page.