March Sew Day
Thank you to all our members (and visitors!) who joined us for our March Sew Day! It was so great to see everyone, work on our projects, and just chat about what we are all quilting! Photos from our day and Show and Tell:
March 2024 Recap - Getting your UFOs to the Finish Line!
Ever started a project with excitement, only to abandon it half way? We have all been there! Our March meeting tackled how to finish UFOs (UnFinished Objects), and our last Quarterly Challenge of the year will challenge us to rediscover our old projects and finish what we started!
President: Shared last details for our May Retreat, and closed registrations at the end of the meeting. Also shared details of our March Sew Day, which are wonderful opportunities to disconnect and spend time with friends quilting!
Updated on our QuiltCon quilt Sweater Weather, which was donated to the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
Treasurer: Updated on the financials for the guild, and requested our members submit suggestions for fundraising via the Treasurer e-mail; reminded members that everyone is welcome to attend our monthly Leaderships Meetings via Zoom
Social Media: We are launching a new portion of the website focused on Pittsburgh Area Quilt Services; any members who have suggestions to add should e-mail the Social Media chair
Program: Our guild has signed up to the Global Quilt Connection Sampler Platter, and we will all have access to six hours of demos on April 13 and 14, and for 72 hours after the live sessions
Our Show and Tell is always a great opportunity for members to share! We had members share their experiences and tips at QuiltCon, and shared their UFOs and recently finished projects!
Our March program was Getting our UFOs to the Finish Line. Mary led us through some reflection on why we don’t finish our quilts (everyone had their least favorite part of quilting to share) and what we could do with projects we lose interest in. We talked through how to find, inventory and commit to finishing our UFOs. There is a new resource on the Member Only part of the website to help you track and complete your UFOs!
We are also asking for volunteers for the next few programs; themes include:
June Round Robin - Favorite Ruler
Quilted clothing
Pixel quilting - Nicole and Pam
Quilt design apps
Quarterly Challenges:
The next meeting (April) is the final deadline to submit your 1st Quarter Challenge (Temperature Quilts). After that, we will move to our 2nd Challenge (Scrap Quilts) - we are looking for a quilted item from leftover “scraps”, using modern characteristics; you can use a maximum of one new / non-scrap fabric.
Our 4th Quarter Challenge will be on finishing UFOs - you have until May 5th to submit your UFOs, and bring them to the guild or submit via photo by Jan / 2025. This is the link to submit your UFOs: Click Here for Link.
February 2024 Recap - All About Scraps!
February is usually a drab, post-holidays blues month, but it took a whole new hue at our latest meeting! It was nice to see the display of colors, as our members showed their latest projects, and brought in their scrappiest quilts!
President: Shared the details of the Retreat (May 3-5th, at the Crestfield Conference Center in Slippery Rock, PA; prices range from $140 for day-retreat with food and no accommodations, to $275 for a single room with accommodations and food included); Registration and Payment are due on Mar. 3rd - register now via the Jan 29th e-mail link, or by clicking “Members Only Content” on the top of this page and “Event Registration”
We also voted for the destination of our community quilt (“Sweater Weather”), which is going to the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh, a local non-profit that works to “promote the health and well-being of infants and children”
Social Media: We will continue to win tickets for the year-end drawing, with two changes: (1) no more paper tickets; tickets will be tallied digitally and (2) a new prize of $200 that can be used towards the retreat or a gift certificate
Program: Asked our members for facilitators for upcoming programs, including: June Round Robin - Surface design (twilling stitch, big stitch, embellishing, couching, fabric painting), Quilted clothing, Pixel quilting, and Quilt design apps
Our February program was All About Scraps, and Mary facilitated discussion on how to store and use scraps! There was a lot of discussion in the room, from how much fabric to save, to how to use it, to differences between traditional and modern scrappy quilting. Thank you so much Mary!
We also asked our members to bring their scrappiest quilts, and look at all the beauties they brought to share:
Quarterly Challenges:
Our 1st Quarterly Challenge is Temperature Quilts, and the last day to bring yours in is on the April meeting
Our 2nd Quarterly Challenge is Scrap Quilts, and we want to see them from May to July. We are looking for a quilted item from the leftover “Scraps” from past quilt projects, utilizing modern characteristics. Your quilt can have a maximum of one new / non-scrap fabric.
As I look ahead to the coming months, I do so with gratitude for the inspiration that our guild brings into our lives. Until the March 3rd meeting, Happy Quilting!