president’s message
Hello, fabulous quilters of Thumb Butte!
First, I just want to say how impressed I am with your resilience and quick thinking. When life threw us a curveball with last month’s unexpected non-meeting, you all stepped up and spread the word faster than a rotary cutter through fabric! Whether it was email, text, or the trusty ol’ phone tree (okay, maybe no actual smoke signals, but close!), every single member was kept in the loop. Bravo!
Now, let’s talk about what’s coming up because the best is truly yet to come!
First up: our Quilt Quik Off has been rescheduled for January, and trust me, it’s going to be worth the wait! Prepare for a day jam-packed with creativity, fun, and maybe a little competitive spirit. Mark those calendars now because you won’t want to miss it.
In February, we have the wonderful Jean Impey joining us! If you haven’t already, check for openings in her classes—they’re filling up faster than a fabric stash sale! Jean is an absolute gem, and her visit will undoubtedly leave us all inspired.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—2025 can wait! First, we’ve got to talk about the holly-jolliest event of the year: our Holiday Party on December 9th! This is your chance to enjoy some holiday cheer, delightful treats, and maybe a little surprise or two. But beware—Santa’s elves are on standby with their bags of coal for anyone who dares to skip out. So, bring your holiday spirit, your biggest smile, and let’s celebrate in true Thumb Butte style.
You all continue to amaze me with your energy, passion, and creativity. Together, we make this guild more than a community—it’s a family. Let’s keep that spirit alive as we quilt our way into the holidays and beyond!
Happy stitching,
CoCo Alaniz, President
membership
HOSTESSES
December party hostesses are Dana Swain, Joy Swartz, Susan Sweet, Sheryl Townsend, Linda Trudeau, Sandra Turczak, Mary Turley, Karen Varela, Christi Weedon, Maria Williams, and Marti Winkelman.
If you cannot attend the meeting, when it is your turn to be a hostess by bringing a treat, please arrange to trade with someone. Plan to arrive early for setup and stay for cleanup.
BIRTHDAYS
celebrants – When it’s your birthday month, bring a wrapped gift suitable for a quilter, something you would like to receive, with a value of at least $10
Happy December Birthday to Marylou Clemmons, Shirley Fox, Sharla Peterson, Shelli Leffert, Karen Adams, David Charity, Phyllis Byrnes, Jessica Brothers, Wendy Morring, Raene Kinion, Carol Wright, Linda Craig, Barbara Stein, Nancy Lefler, CoCo Alaniz, and Iris Lacey.
PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS
December 2025 Holiday Party
Please plan to attend our December 9th Guild meeting for our annual Holiday Party! Here are the details for this year’s event:
We will be hosting a WINTER WONDERLAND themed light brunch for our members and guests beginning after the general meeting at approximately 10:00 AM. The tables will be set for you to sit in groups of eight for today’s meeting. The December hostesses will be providing a brunch-type menu of coffee cakes, pastries, juices, and fruits for you to enjoy.
Following our brunch, each table will be participating in a GIFT EXCHANGE . We ask that each member bring a wrapped gift that a quilter would enjoy for this gift exchange (maximum value $15.00). We will have a new game to play as the gifts are exchanged at each table.
As tradition has it, the WINTER WONDERLAND table decorations will be raffled off to one lucky quilter at the end of our gathering together.
Questions? Please contact someone on the December Hostesses Team: Dana Swain, Joy Swartz, Susan Sweet, Sheryl Townsend, Linda Trudeau, Sandra Turczak, Mary Turley, Karen Varela, Christi Weedon, Maria Williams, and Martie Winkelman
January 2025
newcomers
The Newcomers met at Cloth Plus on Tuesday, November 19th. Our project was making a no-sew Scandinavian Star! It was a lot of fun and started some holiday wonder.
Mary Ellen Coe, Chair
QUILT SHOW 2025
Small Quilt Silent Auction
Since our November meeting was canceled and we won’t be doing the kickoff until January, I wanted to make you aware of the small quilt silent auction. We are hoping to get enough quilts to do an auction on Friday and on Saturday of the quilt show. That being said, we need donations of small quilts (no bigger than throw size) and wall hangings. I would like to be able to collect everything at the May guild meeting. I figured I would throw it out there now for those of you who want to get started. We are looking forward to having a successful show. And by the way, if anyone would like to volunteer to assist me, I would welcome the help. Thanks!
Angela Smith, Small Quilt Auction Chair
community service
Adult Center Christmas Quilt Display
The Christmas quilts are now on display at the Prescott Adult Center. Right now, they are in conflict with the witches’ hats and bloodshot eyeballs that are hanging from the ceiling! But, I’m sure those will be coming down momentarily.
Our talented members are getting the community into the Christmas spirit. The quits show a variety of quilting techniques: appliqué, patchwork pieced, scrap, log cabin and panel. If you have the opportunity, please stop by and see our mini quilt show at the Adult Center on Rosser Street.
Maryann Conner, Adult Center Chair
Handmade Hugs
This article appeared in the November 19, 2024 Daily Courier about a TBQ Handmade Hugs community service project. Jamie Davis, Chair
Prescott High School National Honor Society President Karlee Molster is not a seamstress or quilter.
She is impassioned about engaging her peers in community service projects that embrace those who are most in need, particularly homeless seniors, families, women and young children.
With that purpose in mind, the NHS senior leader and student representative to the Prescott Unified School District Governing Board swallowed her trepidation about reaching out to the Thumb Butte Quilters’ Guild for an intriguing sewing lesson. Karlee wanted to find out if the guild might be willing to help them make cozy blankets in early November for distribution to three local nonprofit organizations in Prescott and Prescott Valley serving those vulnerable populations as part of their gift-giving during the holiday season.
After an initial text message from Karlee, and some back-and-forth email messages, the guild’s communication representative, Jamie Davis, said she would approach fellow officers for what would be ra first-time endeavor. Without hesitation, she said about a dozen members agreed to support Karlee, one of a dozen NHS members and two advisors, eager to tackle their first blanket-making venture.
Karlee said the blanket idea evolved when in August she called every nonprofit agency in the area. Agape House suggested blankets, she said.
The students limited sewing or quilting experience prompted guild members to propose crafting no-sew fleece blankets for donation to House of Hope 316 in Prescott Valley, a program for homeless seniors; Agape House, a program to benefit homeless families, and Prescott Area Shelter Services that provides shelter and transitional housing for homeless women and their children.
NHS donated $1,000 to purchase all of the fleece and other related sewing supplies.
“And they picked out such beautiful fabrics,” Davis enthused of the fleece printed with dinosaurs, flowers, superheroes, stripes, mountain scenes and in colors reminiscent of a large Crayola Crayon box.
On Saturday, November 2, the guild members and students gathered from 9 a.m. to noon at the Stoneridge Community Center where two adults worked with each student to cut and individually tie the fabrics into blankets for babies to adults. All in all, the crew crafted just over 30 blankets.
“They were so impressive” guild member Olivia Turnham said of the NHS students who while crafting the blankets shared a penchant for community service and educational plans for the future.
“We loved working with them,” Davis noted. “They did a great j0b, and it was so much fun.”
For Karlee, the project proved to be even more special than she initially anticipated because of the connections and bonds they were able to make while endeavoring to make a difference in the community. NHS also donates time and money to other civic projects, but few that were quite as labor-intensive as this one, she noted.
A week ago Wednesday, Nov. 13, Karlee and fellow NHS member Caiden Rubio, and guild members dropped off to Agape House several garbage bags filled to the brim with blankets.
Agape House Director of Operations Deanna Webb said these blankets represent a community-instilled warmth that goes far beyond physical comfort. She said they are a symbol to their clients of the community’s applause for their willingness to transform their lives and those of their children. Agape House just celebrated the expansion of its three-month residential shelter program housed in a 19-apartment complex in Prescott to six, two-year transitional living homes for graduating families in Prescott Valley.
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Webb said these are tangible encouragement to these families as they rebuild and refocus on the future “that their stories matter and they are not alone.”
Whenever the community is willing to come together for the sake of those endeavoring to improve their lives “it’s a big deal,” declared Agape House Executive Director Mike Kimmel, who said the greater-Prescott community is beyond generous when it comes to its outreach to the less fortunate.
Like Webb, Kimmel said these hand-crafted blankets spell LOVE to these families.
“You’re helping make a great Thanksgiving and Christmas to these families as they are preparing for their next step,” Kimmel concluded.
