General Meetings are a great time to meet and talk with fellow guild members, have a chance to win the fat quarter exchange, conduct guild business, and enjoy the program. General meetings are held from September to June Sit and sew meetings are held July and August. Meetings without speakers generally have a Show and Tell… a chance to show off your latest quilted items and enjoy viewing other quilts and the stories behind them. Several general meetings have outside speakers. Speakers often explore various quilting traditions and art forms in making quilts. Programs usually range from beginner to seasoned quilter subjects.
Guests are welcome at our general meetings. The Guild charges a guest fee of $5 for meetings without speakers. The guest fee for meetings with speakers is $10. Guests cannot participate in the fat quarter exchange, the block of the month drawing, the 3 for $1 drawing, or the name badge drawing. Guests may take advantage of the “free stuff” table and the refreshments provided.
Annually, the guild holds an auction of members excess quilting supplies. This is a fundraiser for the guild and allows members to purge their stash.
The December meeting is a holiday potluck with members bringing in a dish to share. The May meeting is the annual business meeting and election of officers. The June meeting is an ice cream social for guild members.
Fat Quarter Exchange
The fat quarter themes for the 2024-2025 Guild year are on the refrigerator calendar.
At each general meeting, there is a fat quarter exchange. The monthly newsletter has the theme for the upcoming meeting’s fat quarter exchange. For each fat quarter a guild member brings, the member will receive a ticket. The fat quarters are arranged in groupings of about 10 or so depending on the number received. The President conducts a drawing of tickets. The guild member who has the corresponding ticket then wins a grouping of the fat quarters. The first person who wins decides the fat quarter theme for the next general meeting’s fat quarter exchange. This is a great opportunity for quilters to increase their Fat Quarter stash. This activity is open only to guild members.
Creative Quilt Works
Regularly, guild members are asked to show their creativity at a guild meeting. The Creative Quilt Works Committee selects a theme and the members may make an item demonstrating that theme. Then members at the guild meeting vote on the “best” creative item submitted.
Block of the Month
At the general meeting, there may be a drawing for the block of the month. Members may make as many or as few blocks as they wish. The block of the month is announced in the monthly newsletter. The President will conduct the drawing. The person holding the winning ticket receives all the blocks submitted.
Show and Tell
When the general meeting does not have a speaker, there usually is a chance for show and tell. Members come to the stage at the front of the meeting room with their completed quilts or their works-in-progress. There is a microphone for the member showing their work to share any information that they believe the others would find interesting about their work. This might include the title of the quilt, the fabric used, the challenges with making the quilt, who it will be gifted to or other such information. Show and tell gives a chance for other members to appreciate the work done by the members.
Sit and Sew Meetings
Sit and sew meetings are held in July and August. There is no general meeting. Since the meetings last less than two hours, many members bring hand work, sandwich quilts, or just socialize.