Thru the Eye of the Needle

From the President

Hello quilters,

The first cool mornings have arrived and I love it! It means the Gulf Coast Arts Festival is right around the corner. Take the time to call Carolyn McMullen or stop by the membership table and sign up to help. For those of you that are new to our guild, it’s a great way to volunteer by working a shift at our booth. Sharing our love of quilting is one of our main purposes. The exposure that the Arts Festival provides helps our guild grow and be more of a presence in our community.

There are many requests throughout the year for donations by our members to help support our guild. We ask for two donated items for the Arts Festival and also for the Quilt Show. There is an opportunity to do the Block of the Month and donate these blocks to Community Quilts. Many of us are working on Silent Auction Quilts for the Quilt Show. These are just a few of the opportunities to share. I would like to thank all our members for their generosity and giving spirit. You are an awesome group!

The nominating committee’s task this month is to fill all the positions for our 2010 board and committees. They will be calling and asking you to participate. Don’t be shy. It’s fun and there are a variety of jobs available. New members to the board and committees bring new ideas! You might even take the initiative and call Carolyn Milligan and explore where your talents might best be used.

Take care and I’ll see you at our meetings,

Joyce Thompson

Day Chapter

I would like to thank all those who shared borders & bindings tips at our September meeting. No matter how long you’ve been quilting, it’s amazing how often you can find a new or better approach to doing things.

The October program will feature “string quilts.” So, in addition to any new items that you bring for Show and Share, I’m asking that you bring any string quilts or blocks that you have. The more member participation we have, the better the program will be, and for those who’ve not yet made a string quilt, I know they will be inspired to do so!

Sheree Jimmerson

Night Chapter

Thank you, Cena Harmon, for such a great program last month! The Show and Tell was also wonderful – I love seeing the work of the Guild members.

We are winding down the year with just a few months left. The program in October will be given by Toad U Sew, a local company based in Navarre. They will have a lot of their quilts with them and will tell the story behind their unusual name and how the company got started.

November’s program will be our Jumble sale. I will start taking money to hold your table at the October meeting. The cost is $5 a table. Remember that both the November and December meetings are early: November 16, the third Monday, and December 14, the second Monday. I need volunteers to help with the December party planning – if you are interested, please call or e-mail me.

Hope you all have a great month and we will see you at the next meeting.

Ingrid Whitcher and Deila Hiebert

Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival—Nov 6-8, 2009

Counting down to the fantabulous, fantastic, fanwonderful Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival! It’s coming up fast, but there is still time to get involved. So, knock out a couple of donations, sign up for the fun and frolic of festival booth womanning, and get your consignment ducks in a row. Guidelines (in case you missed them!) are as follows:

  • Items should feature some actual quilting, piecing, or appliqué.
  • Items should be clean and free of any obvious flaws.
  • Items should demonstrate quality craftsmanship.
  • Consigners are limited to 2 large quilts, 3 medium quilts, 5 baby quilts or quillows, and 5 medium items (placemat sets, aprons, etc.)
  • You may consign an unlimited number of small items, but please limit your- self to no more than ten of any one type.
  • Pricing is always a difficult question – we don’t want to price ourselves out of the market, but we don’t want to sell ourselves short, either. Prices should reflect your considerable time and talent!

If you are consigning only a few small items this year, you may bring them to the October meeting and turn them in, along with a completed consignment sheet, to either Barbara Doster or Carolyn Milligan. If you are consigning large items or a large number of items, you will need to bring them to our booth at GGAF on set-up day, Thursday, November 5, between 2:00 and 5:00 and pick up any unsold items at the close of the festival on Sunday. Your consignment sheet should be completely filled out ahead of time; your items should be priced and ready to go.

So look for us at the October meeting… Sandy Miller and Linda Siska will be accepting donations and handing out consignment sheets. Carolyn McMullen will be scheduling volunteers (don’t forget that if you have consigned items you get a price break by working a shift or two!). And if you have any questions, just ask!

Linda Siska

Calendar News

Okay, ladies, I know you’ve been waiting for this one. Our first ever, simply spectacular, Pensacola Quilters Guild 2010 calendars are hot off the press. These lovely wall calendars not only feature our stunning challenge quilts of 2008 and 2009, they are also jam-packed with dates of local events. And all for a bargain price of $15! But wait, there’s more! Buy two and the price is only $14 each, or three for a mere $13 apiece, or break the bank with four or more at only $12 each . . . and all for a good cause! If you neglected to sign up for a calendar or two at the September meeting, have no fear, we ordered extras and should have plenty to go around. Look for Linda Siska at the October and November meetings and get your calendars before the big rush!

President-Elect

I can’t believe the end of the year is approaching. Our Nominating Committee members for 2010 are:

  • Carolyn Milligan, President-Elect
  • Barbara Doster
  • Deborah Broxson
  • Dorothy Bare

I am asking your help to complete our list of officers for the Guild. Have you asked yourself lately what have you been doing to carry on the Guild’s work? There is a job in this Guild for everyone regardless of your age, years of experience quilting, time or talents. If you like to be behind the scene or out front, we have a job for you. There is so much talent in our guild and a large portion is not being shared with others.

I am searching for a Membership Chair for the day meetings. This person must have computer experience and working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Carolyn McMullen, our current Membership Chair, will explain job duties and help with your training. Please call her if you are interested in this position.

If you have always thought you would like to take a position, now is the time to give it a try. You might be surprised what talents you have or what you can contribute to the Guild and to your community.

There are officers I have not contacted yet to see if you want to keep your position. I will be out of town most of the month, so contact another member of the committee or wait until I return in November.

Carolyn Milligan

Sunshine

How sunshine perks up our lives! How it gives warmth and comfort! The sun nurtures life!!

If you know of someone in the guild who is sick or has had a death of a spouse or family member, please contact Frances Asbjornsen, (contact information in directory). We will send a card with sunny wishes from the Guild for getting better or condolences from our quilting community.

If no answer, please leave a message with Frances on her voice mail with the name of the member, the reason for the sunshine card and a return number where the caller can be reached if any additional information is required.

Library News

Please, accept our apologies for the inconvenience of no library at the last day meeting. Somehow, even with good planning, communication broke down resulting a closed library for September….That’s the bad news….The good news is that in October BOTH day and night meetings will have access to the whole library. Also, returns for either the day or night books will be taken by both librarians. There will be no fines for this last month for the day books as the problem was ours, not yours in returning the books!

Be sure if you are looking for a particular title or author, that you consult our library catalogue that is on our PQG website. You can browse there at your convenience and come to the meeting and find your selection very quickly and check it out. Also, if computer-less, the entire catalogue is contained in three volumes at the library at every meeting where you can search by author, title or category. By the way, categories are marked with colored dots on each book and the key is on the door of the library cabinet. This should aid you in the pursuit of your selection. Sign the books out using the card inside the book and mark the date there, too. Please don’t take books outside the library room without signing them out! Overdue fines are $1 per item per month. Just a little review for all our new members! Remember, we librarians are always looking for your input for new materials. Leave suggestions with the librarians at any meeting!

The library needs some additional help. First, an assistant (or two) to the day librarian, which entails assisting with the workings of the library during meeting days only. The regular librarian will still maintain the books, etc., and work with the library computer data. Helping to locate materials, checking books in and out, and shelving are the main tasks. Once in a while, the assistant would work the library in the librarian’s absence. Second, I need someone to help with the books that will be for sale at the 2010 PQG Quilt Show.

This job requires assisting with book collection at meetings, help with sorting, some computer work – not necessary, but helpful – and helping on show days with sales and keeping track of what is sold. PLEASE, call Mary Beth Svoboda, Librarian (see directory for contact information), if you can help or have some ideas! Thanks….

Book Donations for the 2010 Show book resale can be left with both Day and Night Librarians…Check your stash of books and share some for the sale! Please, check book donations with the librarians before you put any on the free table!

2010 Quilt Show Grab Bag

For the 2010 Quilt Show, grab bags are being assembled for the boutique.. These will contain fabrics, sewing notions and small brochures (instructions) for projects. Frances Asbjornsen is assembling these bags. Donations of fabrics, no less that a fat quarter, notions and instructions can be left with the librarians at the October, November, and January meetings of the guild. These will be forwarded to Frances.Asbornsen OR call her directly (see directory for contact information) for further details.

Registration is now Open for 2010 Quilt Show!

Please come to either day or nght meetings to pick up your forms. If you can’t make it to a meeting, please call Suan Rivait (see directory for contact information) to work out another plan. I will be handing out forms through the month of Oct and up until November 20.

When you have completed your paperwork you can return it to me at one of the Guild meetings or mail them to me. We will have a “finish-up-the-forms” morning at Cena Harmon’s house, 9:00 am until noon, on Saturday, November 21, the deadline.

We can help you with photos or with your paperwork. Each entry form must be accompanied by $5.00, two photos of your quilt and a self-addressed envelope. If you would like to join the fun of the quilt show and I haven’t talked to you about putting a quilt in, just get a form. Your quilt does not have to be finished for the photos; we just need the measurements and the colors. With your participation, it will be a great show !!

Quilt Show News

These are the positions I still need help on. Can you do this??? Please let me know if you can fill one of these jobs.

  • First Aid person
  • Staging Coordinator
  • Door Prize Chair

ALL OF US can make souvenir blocks, sell or buy opportunity quilt tickets, and/or send post cards to our friends.

If you have items you want in the show that will not be judged, please see me at the next meeting for registration forms. There will be a $3 fee to cover insurance. This will include: antique quilts, fashion items, fashion accessories, quilted items for the home, and framed quilted art.

The show is fast approaching!!! Thanks for all your hard work!!!!!

Angie Madden

28th Annual Capital City Quilt Show: From Canvas to Quilt

Aug 28 – Nov 8, 2009, Mon–Fri 9-4:30, Sat 10-4:30, Sun Noon-4:30

In partnership with Quilters Unlimited of Tallahassee, the Museum of Florida History hosts this annual quilt show with approximately 100 beautifully crafted quilts. The exhibit also includes a Silent Auction and a chance to win the “opportunity quilt.” Admission is free and includes access to the entire history museum.

www.museumoffloridahistory.com

Guild Christmas Charity

The Pensacola Quilters’ Guild is once again supporting the Childrens’ Home Society in Pensacola. We are asking members to donate Target gift cards in the amount of $10/ each as a way to purchase gifts for these children at Christmas. If every member donates a single card, we will earn over $2000 dollars for gifts this year; what a goal! In addition, it would be wonderful to share our love for fabric and our need to create tangible, comforting gifts by creating pillow cases to present to these children as well. (There is a pattern on our website if you need instructions.)

Please bring the gift cards and pillowcases to the day or evening meetings in October and November, and we will get them to the Home’s representative in time for the holidays. If you do not have the time (or the inclination) to pick up a gift card, if you will give $10 (or more) to either Vernell Simmons Savage (day meeting) or Cena Harmon (night meeting), we will be glad to make the gift-card purchases for you.

Thanks again for supporting this cause that supports the abused, abandoned and forgotten children of Pensacola.

Dates to Remember

  • 10/15 Thursday Day Community Quilts 10:00 am
  • 10/22 Thursday Day Chapter Meeting 9:30 am
  • 10/26 Monday Night Chapter Meeting 6:30 pm
  • 11/5 Thursday Board Meeting 9:30 am
  • 11/16 Monday Night Chapter Meeting 6:30 pm
  • 11/16 Monday AHitG basket class
  • 11/19 Thursday Day Chapter Meeting 9:30 am
  • 12/4 Friday Night Community Quilts 9:30 am

Quilt Guild Fashion Show

Time to get those creative juices flowing. In addition to all the spectacular quilts we will be seeing, let’s showcase our wearable art! The items should have some quilting related work such as actual quilting, patchwork, appliqué, trapunto, crazy quilting, foundation piecing, etc. This is a non-judged event. As in 2008, the articles of clothing will be displayed throughout the show. We will need dress forms, maybe a gentleman’s butler or a hall-tree. Ideas: vest, jacket, grandchild’s outfit, whole outfit, purchased garment that you embellished. Let’s have fun with this. More later.

Sandra Miller

You can download a PDF of the newsletter.

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