Author: Heart in Hand

President’s message

Hello Quilters,

May your bobbin always be full,

May your seams be straight and quarter inch,

And your fabrics fall soft upon your lap,

And until we meet again,
May all your finished quilts be bound with love.

Erin Sullivan – TBQ President 2018 – 2019

quilt show 2019

Wow!  The “Sisters of the Thread” 2019 Quilt Show met and exceeded all expectations!  What an amazingly rewarding experience to see this all come together in a few hours, after a year of planning!  We received countless congratulatory compliments throughout the two days, to which Suzie and I continually replied, “Thank you so much, but we did not do this alone.  We had a tremendous team!”  We had the entire Guild behind us!  We are going to admit that we were concerned following the May meeting that we would not have enough volunteers to pull this all together.  But you came, you worked, you smiled, and you continually asked, “what else can I do?”  From both of us, we say thank you!
I likened the experience to that of an Amish barn raising, when the entire community comes together to accomplish an enormous task in a matter of a day…with everyone working together.  Those of you taking down the quilts, and pole and drape were in the middle of it, and did not see it from afar.  What appeared to be a Quilt Show at 4 pm on Saturday at closing was non-existent at 4:35 pm.  Everything was down, granted, it took a bit longer to pack it all up and return it to storage, but the tremendous task was completed by 6:30 pm!!
Well done, Thumb Butte Quilters!!  Heartfelt Gratitude!  It was a GREAT Show!  Rosemary Carr and Suzie Fields, 2019 Quilt Show Co-Chairs

2019 quilt show awards

Congratulations to our award recipients.  We want to showcase our award winners at the June meeting.  (Please plan on bringing your quilts and ribbons to the June meeting)
Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame Award recipient:
    Cheryl Giovenco – A Primitive Garden
Co-Chair’s Choice Award recipients:
    Mary Vaughan – Christmas Star
    Shirlee Smith – Featherweight Christmas
Viewers’ Choice Award recipients:
    1st Place – Cheryl Giovenco – A Primitive Garden
    2nd Place – Norma Kurr – Latte Quilt
    3rd Place – Laura Davis – Basket Full
    4th Place – Mary Vaughan – Christmas Star
    5th Place – Shirlee Smith – Hanging Gardens II
    6th Place – Norma Kurr – Sassy Flowers
    7th Place – Karen Adams – Blue Eyes
    8th Place – Trish Charity – Me, My Selfie, and I
    8th Place – Eva Lively – Dragonfly Circus
    Membership

New Members:
We had a great month in April, with 13 visitors and 6 new applications for membership submitted. Give a big welcome to our 2 new members who joined in May (the remaining 4 applications will become effective in July).  Welcome Brenda Metz and Anita Wilbur.

Important Reminders:
(1) DUES for 2019-2020 MUST BE PAID NO LATER THAN JUNE 15.
(2) The new TBQ directory is currently being developed. PLEASE review your listing in the current directory and report any changes or corrections to the Membership Chair as soon as possible. Forms are available on the website or at the welcome table.  Dianna Dunn, Membership Chair

ways and means

We are winding down with promoting the Opportunity Quilt. Thank you to

all our volunteer members who manned the booth at the Home and Garden Show. It was very busy. “Joyful Garden” was a hit. We ended up making $475.00 !! Another outstanding outcome was we handed out many bookmarks inviting the Garden Show participants to our Quilt Show! We also invited interested quilters to our Guild meeting. It was a fun venue. I will send out an email reminder for the volunteers who will be working the Opportunity Quilt booth at the Show.  I look forward to seeing who will be the lucky person to win our beautiful quilt.  Patty McClearn and Yvonne Blitch, Co-Chairs

mentor’s table

block of the month

hostesses

If you cannot attend the meeting when it is your turn to be a hostess, please arrange to trade with someone. Plan to arrive early for set-up and stay for clean-up as needed.

Sharon Melpolder, Melodie Merino, Barbara Merkel, Donna Meyer, Mary Anne Meyer, Sandy Mitchell, Linda Morriston, Pat Noel, Brenda Norris, Alice Obrenovich, and Susie Opdahl

birthdays

Birthday celebrants – When it’s your birthday month, please bring a wrapped gift suitable for a quilter, something you would like to receive with a value of at least $10.

Cynthia Falzone, Carol Godfrey, Dawnell Muecke, Kay Wentworth, Cynthia Crull, Pat Hopgood, Jean Ehlers, Cathy Day, Sharon Melpolder, Ara Whetten, Carlotta Brandenburg, Diane Grayson, Norma Kurr, Sandy Mazzurco, Janet Shields, Carrie Casto, Barbara Gall, Lori Sandura, Brenda Metz

Newcomers

community service

Adult Center Display

Handmade Hugs

St. Luke’s Community Cupboard

Please remember to keep those less fortunate in your thoughts as you shop, and pick up a few extra food items for the St. Luke’s Community Cupboard benefiting the food banks of the Quad-City area.  Throughout this past year TBQ contributed over 1900 food items!  Thank you all for your continued support!!  Place your contributions in the food wagon as you enter the Parish Hall.

Ideas for things to bring:  peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, canned tuna, canned fruit, canned beef, canned vegetables, tomato sauce, canned beans, canned chicken, boxed cereals, powdered milk, pasta, rice, canned soups, and dried beans.

President’s Message

Hi Quilters, 

 

Well after saying last month I couldn’t wait to see all the green trees and blooming flowers boy did I get  a surprise. Sadly along with that came A LOT of wind blowing pollen everywhere! Not only was I hit hard, but sadly so many of our members were too. I hope you are all resting up and staying inside as much as possible. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to lead the April meeting, but I knew I could count on our Vice-President, Karen Adams and others to get the job done.  

I was able to attend a portion of Janet Carruth’s class on Tuesday before I had to head home.  I understand her presentation on Monday was excellent. 
The plans for our upcoming 2019 Quilt Show are humming right along thanks to our Co-Chairs, Suzie Fields and Rosemary Carr and the hard working Quilt Show Committee. If you haven’t given your raffle basket to Kathleen Semerau, please contact her right away. We will have amazing items to purchase in the Market Place and some excellent vendors at our show too. All vendor space has been filled! 
I can’t wait to see your President’s Small Quilt Challenges due at our May meeting.  Thank you for all you do to make Thumb Butte Quilters Guild the best!

As always, I leave you with these words:

 

May your bobbin always be full,

May your seams be straight and quarter inch,

And your fabrics fall soft upon your lap,

And until we meet again, May all your finished quilts be bound with love.

Erin Sullivan – TBQ President 2018 – 2019

 Elections 

The candidates for President will have the opportunity to address the membership prior to balloting.  Members of the nominating committee will then distribute, collect and count the ballots.

membership

New Members
We had a great month in April, with 4 members joining at the meeting and 2 more after the meeting. Give a big welcome to our 6 new members:
            Mary Temme, Kathy Spry, David Charity, Trish Charity, 
Barbara Robinson, and Eva Lively.
Reminders:
(1)  We are continuing to collect $30 annual dues.  If you have not renewed your membership, please pay at the May or June meeting at the welcome table.
(2)  Remember to report any address, phone or email changes to the Membership Chair, so the guild membership can always have updated contact information.  Forms are available on the website or at the welcome table. 
Dianna Dunn – Membership Chair

Ways and means

Our 2019 Quilt Show pins will be available to purchase for $5.00 at the Ways and Means table May 13.
If you haven’t picked up your packet of 12 Opportunity Quilt tickets, please plan on picking them up at our meeting. The packets are $10, payable when you pick them up.  Let’s make this Quilt Show a record year for selling Opportunity Quilt tickets.
Thanks to all of you who signed up to sell tickets at the Mountain Artist Guild’s Art and Wine Festival in May.  We are waiting to hear if we will have a booth there and will notify you as soon as we find out.
If you hear of any other opportunities to sell tickets, please let Patty or Yvonne know so we can follow up.
Patty McClearn and Yvonne Blitch, Co-chairs

block of the month

April’s block, the Friendship Star was won by Nancy Bernas.
This month our block is May Flower Basket. Remember to make two, for two chances to win – one for the Block of the Month drawing, and one for the Quilt Show Market Place.   Also, a special request to those submitting Market Place blocks, please submit your June block at the May meeting to be included in the Calendar Block Sampler kits for the Quilt Show.  Thanks everyone!  Cheryl Giovenco – Coordinator, and Rosemary Carr, Quilt Show Co-Chair who has been requesting all those extra blocks each month.

hostesses

If you cannot attend the meeting when it is your turn to be a hostess, please arrange to trade with someone. Plan to arrive early for set-up and stay for clean-up as needed.

Jane Holland, Pat Hopgood, Wanda Hughs, Karen Johnson, Pam Jones, Shirley Kelliher, Pam Kidd, Norma Kurr, Patty McClearn, Tina McCowan, and Sandy McGarry.

birthdays

Marilyn Weber, Cindy Phare, Karen Comeau, Suzy Davidson, Gayle DeBoom, Mary Anne Meyer, Tina McCowan, Karen Johnson, Diane Belveal, and Lynne Chamberlin.

newcomers

Newcomers gathered at the home of Cheri Heinecki in Chino Valley late in March.

We shared “Show n Tell”, new ways of doing simple things and discussed our various interests in quilting.

community Service

Adult Center Display

Handmade Hugs

A BIG THANKS to ten busy ladies for their dedication at the March Hugs Workshop.  Twelve quilts were put together with batting and backing.  As you see in one of the photos below, we were very saddened because we used up our yearly allowance of batting.  All twelve quilts have been generously taken home by various ladies to be quilted by long-armers (as I call them) and will soon be returned for distribution. 

The Hugs Team is working fervently finishing up quilts for the big Adoption Day with CASA.  I hope some of our quilts will be selected by the children being adopted.  Watch for photos to follow, in May, from the heart-warming Adoption Day.  CASA should be receiving about 20 quilts  for the Adoption.

Stepping Stones recently received 11 quilts and 20 pillowcases and Hospice of the Pines was thoroughly delighted with the ten quilts that were delivered to them for their clients. 

We love your fabric, backing, and batting donations, just please remember that the fabric should be at least 5″ x 5″ square or larger.

Karen Johnson – Chair

Community Cupboard

Our monthly contributions continue to surpass  those of St. Luke’s parishioners in the same week!  Last month we contributed 124 non-perishable food items to their Community Cupboard.  Thank you all for your continued support!

 

“sisters of the thread”
quilt show
May 31 – June 1

We are less than a month away from our premier event!  Your Quilt Show committee has been working non-stop behind-the-scenes since last July!  As Co-Chairs, we have been orchestrating the efforts of this committee of 29 since our first meeting nearly a year ago.  Accolades to Molly Haney-Burleigh and Anne Marston for their unending enthusiasm to put together a fabulous Market Place with all your generous contributions.  It has become a task much greater than they anticipated, and their efforts have not gone unnoticed.  Kathleen Semerau and Pat Noel are coordinating your Raffle Basket contributions.  Your additional contributions to our Small Quilt Auction have added significantly to the success of the show.  Our unsung hero, Carol Sweeden has assured that every corner of the state has been touched in some way with publicity of our BIG EVENT!!  
The work continues as Susan Perry organizes our 230 quilt entries, and Kathleen Bond determines where they will hang on the show floor.  As Vendor Chair, Erin Sullivan has assured every linear foot of space has been sold, including a space outside for a vintage trailer housing Sewbella quilt shop on wheels.   Be sure to support our Vendors.  We want them to come back!

And now it’s your turn…the general membership of TBQ. We need the help of each and every member to put our best foot forward and lend a hand to make May 30, 31, and June 1 a tremendous success.  Many of you have signed up on the work crew sheets, yet we need more.  We have big gaps in areas of Quilt Check-in and set-up and tear-down.  It takes all of us, from taping the gym floor to mark where the quilt stands will be placed, setting up pole & drape, hanging quilts, serving as hostesses throughout the show, working Admissions, the Quilters’ Cafe, and hanging banners, to tearing things down after the 4 pm closing on Saturday and getting it all back to the storage unit.  The job isn’t done until the last pole and drape is tucked back away in storage.  If you’ve signed up to help for only one 2-hour shift on a single day, please consider a second shift on another day, or coming at 4pm to help tear down. 

And yes, we are all working, and we are contributing to Raffle Baskets, the Market Place, the Opportunity Quilt, the Small Quilt Auction, and committee work, and yes, we are asking every TBQ member (including all of us on the committee) to contribute the $5 admission fee (it’s good for both days).  The funds we raise from this two-day event enable us as a guild to bring in our guest lecturers and teachers, and fund our operating expenses, social events, and special projects for two years, without raising the cost of dues.
We so appreciate your contributions and continued commitment to TBQ! 
Rosemary Carr and Suzie Fields, Quilt Show Co-Chairs

Small Quilt Auction

Quilts Needed for Small Quilt Auction!!!
The Small Quilt Auction will take place on Saturday, June 1st at 1:00 p.m. at the  Sisters of the Thread Quilt Show. We need your quilts! We are hoping to have 40 small quilts to auction. Please consider donating your President’s Challenge Quilt or any other small quilts on or before May 13th. This auction is a fundraiser for TBQ.
We know we can count on you!! – Yvonne Blitch and Carol Wright, Co-chairs

Vignettes

Have you checked the calendar lately?!  TBQ’s Quilt Show is fast approaching!  This will likely be the last ‘regular’ Quilt Show news prior to the Quilt Show.  Here it comes, ready or not!  Woohoo!
If you have a small quilt for display in the “Sisters of the Thread” Welcome Booth, bring it to the Welcome Booth table after you take your Quilt Show entries to Check-In on Thursday, May 30.  All you will need to do is sign on a page with your name and a brief description of your quilt (like we do for “Show & Tell” at regular meetings)!
Sign-up sheets for “working” in the Welcome Booth will again be available at the May 13th meeting.  Last month was a little overwhelming with 26 sign-up boards calling for your help!  Now perhaps you’ve had a little time to think about where you will spend your time…but don’t forget to allow time to spend a little money!  “Work” in the Welcome Booth will consist of sitting and stitching on your own project and visiting with your “Sisters of the Thread” as they come into the Quilt Show.  WOW!  Can hardly call that ‘work’!

Four Vignettes are being designed by four mini-groups, and will be positioned in the four corners of the Quilt Show.  They are AppliQueens (formerly a chapter of The Applique Society), Designing Women, Featherweights, and Quilt History Study Group.  These Vignettes will display things each group does–their challenges, group projects, quilts their members have made, antique quilts. etc.  Hopefully these Vignettes will tell our Sisters of the Thread stories.  Carolyn Edwards –  Chair