crystal Coast QUilters' guild

Dear Members,

I’m sorry that I missed the October guild meeting. I hope it proved to be a fun-filled evening with a lecture by Claudia Martinez, the drawing for our raffle quilt, voting for officers, and refreshments! What more could one want? Thank you, Lisa and others, for filling in for me in my absence. And congratulations to the 2022 raffle quilt winner!!

As further explained in an article below, the survey asking members their opinions about hosting a quilt show in the future has closed. Thank you to those who participated. Short answer is that members do not want to host a quilt show. I can give more details at the November guild meeting.

Don’t forget about the Greenville Day of Sharing in December. If you’re interested in going, let me know by November 6th. I need to send our information in to them. More details in the body of the newsletter.

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!

Keep stitching,

Laurie

Dear Guild Members,

As a reminder, several members been asking whether the guild was going to host a quilt show in the future. Since this issue was part of the Listening Sessions that were conducted while Cathy was President, I had thought that most members were against having a regular quilt show and preferred hosting various exhibits instead. Since we have several new members, and members were asking, we thought people’s opinions may have changed. There is a survey addressing this concern on the website. Please take the time to complete the survey and let us know how you feel about having a “Traditional Quilt Show” or something similar. Only a few members have completed the survey at this time. Please do so before the deadline of October 10th. Thank you.

Another thing that was discussed at the last meeting was what to do about a raffle quilt for 2023? Several things have been suggested and discussed. The Board has decided to accept a donation from Susan Foster of a completed quilt top that she made using one of The Quilt Show’s Block-a-Month designs. Also, Vicky has said that she would take care of managing the tickets for us. Thank you, Susan, for this very generous donation! And thank you, Vicky!

I’m afraid that I will miss the next guild meeting but hope that everyone tries to come out for the Zoom lecture that is scheduled with Claudia Martinez. It’s going to be a fun-filled night! We will be drawing the winner for the 2022 Raffle Quilt (so make sure to get your ticket stubs turned in!), and I understand that some special refreshments will also be served!

For those of you who missed the September meeting, the Nominating Committee, Mary Frankle and Chris Pochwat, nominated Jeanne Biddle for Vice-President and Pat Bowes for Secretary! Voting, and any nominations from the floor, will take place during the October meeting. Thank you, Mary and Chris, for presenting these fine nominees, and thank you, Jeanne and Pat, for being willing to step forward to help our guild. Until next time…

Keep stitching,

Laurie

Dear Guild Members,

I’d like to thank everyone for the cards and warm wishes sent to me after I underwent surgery recently. For those who did not get my email, after tripping and falling last May, I had a CT scan, where they found some nodules on my thyroid. Long story short, I needed to have my thyroid removed, and that was done on August 16th. Everything went well. I only stayed one night in the hospital and have been feeling better day by day.

Since Lisa was out of town for the guild meeting, Vicky stepped in and ran the meeting for me. Thank you, Vicky! One of the things she discussed was whether the guild wants to pursue hosting a quilt show in the future. Several members have heard others ask about it. The board is going to put together a survey to get everyone’s opinion on the matter. We will be sharing the survey soon.

Don’t forget about the different road trips that the Eastern Carolina guilds are putting together. The group is interested in organizing a road trip to quilt shops in the Fayetteville/Fuquay-Varina area for the weekend of April 13-16, 2023, as well as organizing a trip to Houston in November 2023. If either of these trips interests you, please let me know. The road trip in April would involve ladies driving their own vehicles, not renting a bus. Both sound like fun events, and if you've never been to Houston, it is FABULOUS!!! Every quilter should go at least once!

I hope you can make it to the September meeting. Since there was interest in how I was preserving the antique quilt that I shared recently at a guild meeting, I’m going to share how I am doing that. I am also going to show an easy (yes, I said easy) way to fold fitted bed sheets. If you have been challenged with that in the past, bring a fitted sheet with you that night to learn how to make that challenge a distant memory! Until then…

Keep stitching,

Laurie

Dear Guild Members,

A BIG “Thank You” to Lisa Rechkemmer for organizing our Birthday Luncheon in July. A good time was had by all, and we had fun playing a trading game similar to Right, Left, Center. I came home with less items that I arrived with, so I consider that a WIN!

Thank you, also, to those who responded to our survey about where we should hold our meetings and Drop-In. The overwhelming majority of those who responded showed a preference to return to the church. Beginning in August, we will be back at the church for our monthly meeting on Thursday, August 18th at 6:00 and we will start off with only meeting twice for Drop-In during August on the 9th and the 23rd. We will return to weekly Drop-In gatherings in September. We expect to continue to offer Zoom during our monthly meetings, but I am unsure of whether we can do that during Drop-In. That will depend on if members at Drop-In are comfortable with managing/hosting the Zoom meeting. The times for Drop-In will be from 9:00-12:00.

At the Eastern NC Guild Presidents’ meeting this month, several guilds in the area are interested in having ladies from outside their guild coming to teach or speak to their guild about just about anything! If you would be interested in teaching something or speaking to a group about something you have experience or knowledge about, please let me know, and I can share that with the other guilds. They are willing to pay, so this is not a request for volunteers. It is a request for teachers and speakers. Thank you.

The Carolina Pine Needle Quilters’ Guild (Jacksonville) is having their Day of Sharing on September 17. We already have several members who have signed up to attend. If you are interested, please contact me as soon as possible, so I can send your name in. Their last day to register is August 26th. There is limited space, and it’s first come, first served. It sounds like they are preparing quite an event! I’m sure everyone will have a grand time!

The Quilted Baby event is this coming Saturday. Good luck to Cathy and Chris!! I hope there’s a great turnout and you sell everything you’ve received! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. We’re going to blink, and it will be September!

Keep stitching,

Laurie

Guild Members,

We’re into the busy summer months, and I hope everyone is staying cool back home. I’m up in New England, visiting family, and relishing the cool weather we are having here. I know it will be a shocker, when we return! I’ve managed to make progress on my #10 for the UFO Challenge though!

I’m sorry I missed the last meeting but am looking forward to seeing you at the Luncheon on the 21st. It’s always a joy to gather in a more casual setting, where we have more time to visit. Be sure to mark your calendar!

I hope everyone is trying to get something made to contribute to the Quilted Baby Sale that Cathy and Chris are spearheading. The event is July 30th, and I’m sure they would love to have an overflowing table of items to sell. Every little bit helps! Thank you to everyone who has already donated items!

The guild needs to make a decision about where our meetings and social gatherings are going to take place. A survey will be posted on the website for you to express your preferences. I hope you will take the time to complete the survey. This will enable us to better determine a place(s) to meet that will suit our needs. If you do not have internet, you can call me to complete the survey: 252-622-8658. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Keep Stitching!

Laurie

Dear Guild Members,

What a delightful evening we had, listening to Audrey Esarey, of Cotton and Bourbon, sharing her journey in quilting and working on different series in her work. Thank you, Lisa Rechkemmer, for making the evening possible!

Chris Pochwat also announced the beginning of our next UFO Challenge! What a fun way to either make progress on our projects or get them finished! Let the games begin!

At the May meeting, we also started our abbreviated version for the meetings. Committee reports and reading of the minutes will not be included during the meeting, unless there is information that needs to be shared before the newsletter is scheduled to be released. Our hope is that this will keep meetings from becoming repetitive and to shorten the length of our meetings.

We recently learned that Shepherd of the Sea is now available for us to hold meetings and Drop-In. We need to decide whether we will return to the church for all of our gatherings, stay at the Rec Center on Fisher Street, or split our meetings between the two locations.

I called the church to see whether the annual $900 we were paying in the past might be adjusted, if we met there less often and also whether we could keep our library there, if we didn’t meet there at all and what that cost would be. She had to talk to the Pastor, and she and I have played phone tag since then. So, I haven’t gotten answers to those questions.

Please think about what you think would work best for you and our members, and please share any comments or concerns you might have about this with me or other Board members.

Don’t forget about getting something finished to contribute to our Quilted Baby booth at the end of July! Contact Cathy or Chris for details.

Unfortunately, I will miss the June meeting. I am going to be out of town and won’t even be able to attend via Zoom. I do plan on being at the luncheon in July and look forward to seeing everyone then!

Until then, keep stitching!

Laurie 

Dear Guild Members,

We’ve had some cool, dry weather the past few days. Summer is not far away though.

We had a fun night at the last guild meeting. Congratulations to Lisa Rechkemmer for being the Valedictorian of the PHD Challenge! Susan Hawley and I tied for Salutatorian.

The ladies who visited all of the library quilt exhibits were also recognized. Congrats to Nan Miller, Patti Marraro, Chris Pochwat, Ginger Hoell, Linda Inabnit, Mary Frankle, Paula Johnson, and Lisa Rechkemmer. Members who were able to visit some of the exhibits and posted on Facebook were also recognized. Thank you again, Nan Miller, for helping to make the exhibits happen. Job well done!

There is a workshop next Thursday, May 5 at the Fisher Street Recreation Center to support the Hero Quilts. Hope you can make it. Unfortunately, I will be out of town.

Also, we have a big treat planned for our May meeting. Audrey Esarey of Cotton & Bourbon will be our guest speaker for the program. Should be an interesting evening!

Until then, keep stitching!

Laurie

Dear Guild Members,

It certainly has been a busy month for our guild! We recognized two babies born on National Quilting Day by presenting them with lovely quilts made by Maureen Flaherty and Theresa Thacker. Thank you, ladies! See the photos in the body of the newsletter! They are adorable. It sounds like members had a great workshop with Annie Smith learning about color and value. Our Day of Sharing was earlier today, and we were all treated to a festive day with lots of good food to eat and beautiful quilts to admire. Everyone there seemed very glad to be able to gather again for a fun quilting activity with fellow quilters. A BIG THANK YOU to Cindy Moeller and everyone on the Day of Sharing Committee!! Your hard work paid off and was appreciated by everyone there.

Unfortunately, bad weather and dangerous winds caused the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Day Festival to be cancelled. We’ll try again next year. Beaufort’s Publick Day is scheduled for April 23rd. Let’s all hope for good weather and a good turnout on that day. If you can, please come out and help Nancy Smith sell some tickets!

The Cape Carteret to Cape Lookout Quilt Ramble is still going on until the last day of March. Please try to visit your local library and see our quilts on display. Several members have already been able to visit ALL of the exhibits in the county. See if you can join that elite group!! Don’t forget, there was a mention of prizes to those who visited all exhibits. We have heard from the various libraries that visitors have really enjoyed seeing the exhibits. Thank you again, Nan Miller, for making this happen!

Please try to make it to our April guild meeting. Chris Pochwat is having her PHD Graduation, announcing how members have done with the PHD Challenge this past year. Who will be the Valedictorian?? And I believe that she will be announcing what the next Challenge will be for us. It should be an exciting evening. We will be meeting in the Conference Room at the Fisher Street Recreation Center this time. This will enable us to try out their system for hosting Zoom on the big screen TV they have in that room. We will be in that room for our May meeting also.

Until then, keep stitching!

Laurie

Hello Guild Members,

I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the past few days of warmer weather.  Spring is on its way!  We have a lot going on in the next couple of months.  Many thanks to Nan Miller who helped organize the countywide quilt exhibits in conjunction with our library system.  All of the libraries will have quilts on display for the public to enjoy.  We have decided to challenge our guild members with trying to visit each exhibit during the month of March.  To verify that you visited an exhibit, please post a selfie of yourself at the exhibit on our Facebook page or send it to Nan Miller, Lisa Rechkemmer or me if you are not on Facebook.  If your phone does not take photos, you can describe one of the quilts in the exhibit to verify that you visited that library.  You have until the end of March to visit all of the exhibits, which are listed at the end of the newsletter.  We hope this will be fun and encourage you to see the various exhibits.  Prizes might even be given at our April meeting to those who complete the Challenge!

We will also be donating quilts to the hospital for the first girl and boy born on National Quilting Day.  Thank you, Theresa Thacker and Maureen Flaherty, for providing quilts for these new babies this year.  What a wonderful surprise for those families!

After waiting two years, the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Day Festival is scheduled to take place this coming March 12th, from 9:00-6:00 at the Emerald Plantation.  This is a fun, family event where we have always done well with ticket sales.  If you are able to help that day, please contact me for a time slot.  Looking ahead, we have another opportunity to sell tickets for our quilt at Publick Day in Beaufort on April 23rd.  Please contact Nancy Smith about helping with that event.

Of course, our Day of Sharing is right around the corner, on March 23rd at On the Rocks in Atlantic Beach.  Please contact Cindy Moeller about helping out with this fun event.  And don’t forget to bring something to show!!

At the last guild meeting, the members who were present decided we should go ahead and reserve the Recreation Center for our gatherings over the next few months.  I’m wondering if everyone would like to return to having Drop-In on a weekly basis instead of only twice a month.  Please let me know, and I can make those arrangements. If we make that change, I will send out an email to let everyone know.

It looks like a couple of very busy months ahead for us with full calendars. These events provide our guild with many opportunities to share what we have created, our love for quilting and our desire to share both with our community.

Keep Stitching,

Laurie

Dear Guild Members,

We were able to have our first in-person guild meeting and Drop-In this month at the Morehead City Rec Center at Fisher Street. It’s nice to be able to gather with each other again. Please let me know how you like meeting at the Rec Center. It will help me to know whether to reserve additional dates or look elsewhere.

There has been a bit of a changing of the guard, so to speak. You may have noticed that Jan Willis has agreed to take over the newsletter for me. Thank you, Jan!! It is a big relief to have that in such good hands. And, after several years of overseeing our library, Patti Marraro has resigned from that position and will be undertaking the role of administrator of the guild website. Contact Patti, if you have questions about logging onto the website or navigating you way around it. She has graciously offered to be available early at guild meetings and Drop-In, if you need any help with the website and to answer questions. Also, if you have any interest in taking over the position of our librarian, please let me know.

Looking ahead, we have the Day of Sharing and the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Day Festival both coming up in March. Volunteers are needed at both of these events. Please help support your guild by helping out with them. They are both fun events where we can share our love for quilting.

Stay warm in this cold weather!

Keep stitching,

Laurie