Quilt Day – Saturday, September 21 – In person and by Zoom
Fall Instructors
Next Online Sew-in – Our next monthly virtual Sew-In will be Saturday, September 14, 2024, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This is a casual meeting where we trade creative ideas, helpful hints, and get acquainted. All guild members are welcome, and you can come and go as you please. It is especially helpful for those of us who aren’t able to meet in person or who need access to all our tools and stash for a particular project. Members will be sent a Zoom invitation to this meeting two days before. If you have problems getting in, please call Lynne Bryant at 313-590-0505.
Guild Past Summer Events
Please check out our GAAQG website for additional information about the guild.
If you are not currently a member, you can join the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild on our website, there are links to join at the top of every page. We would love to have you!
Sincerely,
Marge Venema,
GAAQG President
Quilt Day – Saturday, July 20 – In person and on Zoom – In person: Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the meeting begins at 9:15. Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Building. Click here for directions. Zoom: Invitations will be emailed on July 18. We open the meeting for Zoom attendees at 9:00 a.m.
The final day for the Ann Arbor Art Fairs is the same as our July Quilt Day. Depending on your location, you may need to plan for extra travel time along surrounding highways because there are a lot of lane closures. There is plenty of parking at the WCC campus for the meeting. Feel like visiting the Art Fairs after the meeting? Check out their website here.
Our Quilt Day speaker will be Deb Strain. She will be lecturing in person about designing fabric and her experiences working with Moda Fabrics. Deb will be bringing 6-8 door prizes and will have some of her fabrics available for purchase. Learn more about her on the gaaqg.com website.
There will be the usual atrium activities including the SafeHouse fabric table. Be sure to see the demo, a sneak preview of one of the quilt show special exhibits, and a new small group opportunity.
Demo: Linda Lindsey will demonstrate how you can print your own designs on fabric using direct printmaking techniques and brayering. She will inspire you with numerous examples of fabric and finished goods she created using her hand-carved blocks, original stamps, and found objects.
New Small Group: Ida Copeland, one of the GAAQG founders, is interested in starting a Sue Spargo Slow Stitching Club. Here’s Ida’s “pitch“: I have taken several classes and have finished none. Anyone else in the same boat? Raise your hand! If you would like company, jump starting a project, this is for you. First, we need to identify your interest; then develop a plan of attack! How about if we have our first meeting at Quilt Day July 20, just for a meet and greet? After the meeting I will have a table in the atrium. Look for the sign. We will share ideas on how to proceed. Please feel free to voice your ideas at this time or beforehand.” Questions? Contact Ida at idayeararound@yahoo.com.
Batting – Members if you need batting for your SafeHouse quilts, please contact Lynne Bryant at safehousebatting@gaaqg.com no later than July 15 so that you can pick them up on Quilt Day.
Quilt Show – The members of the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild are “Celebrating Our Quilts!” We have big quilts! Little Quilts! Quilts for sale! A Gift Shop full of items made by our members! We have vendors selling sewing and quilting supplies and quilt-related items! This is all for just a $10 entrance fee that is good for both days! We will be open Saturday, July 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 28, 11 a.m. to 5p.m. at the beautiful Morris Lawrence Building on the campus of Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor. We hope to see you there!
Quilt Show Artists Please Note: Some last-minute help is still needed from GAAQG members. Please check our Signup volunteer page (on the website Membership page) to see where you can help. At the time of publication, we still have some open slots at the admissions table, the information booth, white gloving, signs around town, and take down on Sunday. It’s okay to take on an extra shift. If you have a large vehicle and can help with moving stuff from and back to the storage unit that weekend, please sign up for one of the transport slots. Also, at the July Quilt Day, please stop by the signs table and take one or more signs to put up in your neighborhood to advertise the show.
Please be sure to drop off your quilt(s) 7:30-10 a.m. on Friday, July 26. The pick-up time will be roughly 5:30-6 p.m. on Sunday, July 28. Please be patient and kind to your fellow guild members. Also, remember that even if you sign up for several volunteer positions, you will be expected to pay $10 to enter the show the first time you arrive. We hope everyone can attend. Tell your friends, neighbors, family members, random grad students (I have done that) about this show.
Workshops for September and November are now open and ready for member registrations. Please note that we will open registration to non-members on July 1, so sign up now if you want to be sure to get a spot. For September, we have Beth Helfter from Eva Paige Quilt Design by Zoom. She likes to have fun in her classes and will be showing a different way to make HST (Half Square Triangles). She will have many other tips on quilting and some laughs, too. In November, we have Brandy Maslowski from Quilter on Fire in person. Among many of Brandy’s talents, she is the new editor of Quilting Arts magazine and interviews people in the quilting industry on her podcast, Quilter on Fire. She will be teaching “Colorways” and “Whole Lotta Hexies.” Learn more, see the supply lists, and register for both of these workshops on our website.
Virtual Sew-in – Members can join us in an online sew-in each month. These sew-ins are a great time to ask questions, share ideas and make new friends. Our next events will be on Saturday July 13th and August 10th, 9a.m.-12 p.m. An email invitation goes out to members before the event.
Please check out our GAAQG website for additional information about the guild. If you are not currently a member, you can join the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild on our website–there are links to join at the top of every page. We would love to have you!
Sincerely,
Marge Venema, GAAQG President
Quilt Day – Saturday, May 18 – In Person and on Zoom
Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Building. Doors open at 8:30 and the meeting begins at 9:15 (Zoom invitations will be emailed on May 16. Zoom sign in begins at 9:00a.)
At our next GAAQG Quilt Day on Saturday May 18, our speaker will be Robin Koehler. Her lecture is titled “How Hard Can It Be.” Intriguing, for sure. Learn more about Robin on the gaaqg.com website Workshops page. Through my many years as a GAAQG member, there is one thing I can be sure of: I will be awed and inspired by the quilt day lecture. We may sometimes tell ourselves, “I’ll never be able to do that,” but it never fails that a talented speaker’s words and work plant a seed of possibility. Most of our speakers learned about quilting from people who remain anonymous to us, but who gently supported their choices.
There are many quilting artists to inspire us personally and creatively. We have all been reminded of this by the recent passing of Faith Ringgold, art quilter, children’s book author, and advocate for Black people and women in the artworld. Many of you have quilting heroes who have helped you in your personal journey of self-expression. We each have our own creative path in the world, and it can take us to surprising places. Remember that any of us can be a role model for another member, so be kind, constructive, and encouraging wherever your quilting journey takes you and whoever you meet along the way.
The May 18 meeting will also include an Opportunity Table, inspiring Show and Tell of SafeHouse quilts and other member creations, including a slide show of the Book Club quilt challenge entries for the Quilt Show.
2024 Workshops: The next round of workshops and speakers will be shown at the quilt day meeting. For a sneak peek, go to our website Workshops page. Members can register beginning June 1 for the rest of the year. We will open these workshops to the public on July 1.
Fabric Sale: The Guild Fabric Sale will be held on May 18 following the lecture and Quilt Day meeting. We have had some lovely donations, including deceased member Judy Thornton’s entire stash. Several members (as well as non-members) have been doing their Spring cleaning which has rounded out the inventory nicely. Come ready to shop! As always, fabric is sold by volume and proceeds from the sale support our SafeHouse quilt-making activities such as the purchase of batting, labels, etc. We are often able to make a direct monetary donation to SafeHouse as well. You know what you have put in your bag, so it is up to you to donate generously! Need more information? See our recent blog post or contact Roberta Myyra at fundraisingfabricsale@gaaqg.com.
2024 Quilt Show – Saturday July 27 and Sunday July 28
As of May 1, we have nearly 200 quilts entered for the main show and more than 50 quilts in the Special Exhibits show. It truly IS our time to shine! Thank you for offering your beautiful work! If you have not yet signed up for volunteer slots for the show, please do so soon. Liz is looking for three or four people who own large vehicles and who would be willing to transport stuff from the storage unit before the show and then back to the unit on Sunday evening. We have some 10-foot-long rods, so a vehicle large enough to accommodate those would be especially appreciated. Please contact Liz if you can help.atquiltshow@gaaqg.com (Yes, transportation counts as volunteer hours.) If you have ambiance items to offer for the show, please let us know at quiltshow@gaaqg.com. Quilt Show flyers will be available at the May Quilt Day. Take as many as you can distribute to appropriate locations or meetings.
Gift Shop: A very popular feature of the Quilt Show is the Gift Shop where a wide variety of items made by Guild members are for sale. Shoppers are delighted to find so many wonderful things at such reasonable prices and the proceeds help to defray the cost of putting on the Show. Members’ donations will be accepted at the May Quilt Day meeting.
Please check out our GAAQG website for additional information about the guild via the links included here and so much more. If you are not currently a member, you can join the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild on our website (there are links to join at the top of every page). We would love to have you!
Sincerely,
Marge Venema,
GAAQG President
March Quilt Day – Saturday, March 16 (in person and on Zoom) – WCC Morris Lawrence Building. Doors open at 8:30 and the meeting begins at 9:15 (Zoom invitations will be emailed on March 14. Sign in at 9:00a)
Speaker: Our speaker will be Deborah Boschert and her lecture is entitled “Exploring Art Quilt Collage” See more information about Deborah by following the links for her Face Book and Instagram.Demo: Quilting Tools and Techniques: The Latest and The Greatest. Non-members can purchase a $10 lecture ticket to attend in-person or via Zoom on our website store. If you are taking one of her classes, the Quilt Day Meeting and lecture are included at no extra charge.
Demo: Whether you’re new to quilting or have years of experience, there are always tools and techniques to make your quilting easier and more fun. Lynn Aleman and Carol Makielski, both long-time quilters, will share many of their favorite (and unusual) tools and ideas before and after the meeting. Bring paper and pen, and your phone/camera, as you’re sure to leave with lots of great ideas.
Vendor: Our vendor for Saturday will be something a bit different. a scissor sharpening event. The Roaming Stone has agreed to do their thing at the Morris Lawrence Building (see their tent outside). Be sure to bring your scissors (or even knives or gardening shears) with you on the 16th. What could be simpler? Drop your items off before the meeting and pick them up after. Their prices are: Straight Edge Knife $7 Serrated Knife $7 Scissors $10 (excludes hair/grooming shears) Hedge Shears $10. They use Square for payment (debit or credit cards) and do not accept cash for the safety of their sharpeners.
Book Quilt Challenge: It’s time to see what our members have come up with in response to The Book Club Quilt Challenge. There will be a slide show of the entries and you will be able to view most of them at the meeting. Please send the photos of your creations by March 13to Amy Hammer atasuzettehammer@yahoo.com so she can put together a slide presentation for Quilt Day.
Batting for Members’ SafeHouse Quilts: We have restocked our batting supply and will have lots of batts available on March Quilt Day. Many of our members make multiple SafeHouse quilts each year, and we are happy to be able to supply 70” x 90” batts for these quilts. Please let Lynne Bryant know how many you need by March 14 at safehousebatting@gaaqg.com and pick them up before the meeting. Any unclaimed at the end of the meeting will go to those who have not preordered.
SafeHouse Sew-In – March 16 following Quilt Day Meeting
There will be an in-person Sew-In for SafeHouse Center on Saturday afternoon following our Quilt Day meeting, after a short break for lunch. It will be in Morris-Lawrence Room 105/120, and you can bring your sewing machine and supplies to the room before the meeting. The Cut-Ups have been working hard to make sure there will be plenty of kits available for you to choose from, or you are welcome to bring your own project to work on. There are many other ways to participate: you might want to iron for others, but this only works if there are a lot of people sewing; or you could work on cutting scrap fabric (provided or use your own) into 2 1/2” strips or squares of various sizes to be used in SafeHouse quilts; or work with one or two other people on putting together a kit (this might be the most fun). So, bring your lunch, your sewing supplies, and a willingness to work with the group to see what we can put together for SafeHouse! Stay all afternoon (until 4:00), or for just an hour, or just join us for lunch. It is a great way to get to know your fellow Quilt Guild members!
GAAQG Upcoming Activities
Workshops – March 15, 16 and 17 and May 17 & 19 (in-person only)
There are still openings in all three of our March and both May workshops. You won’t want to miss out on these opportunities. Learn something new! Sew with your friends!
In March, we welcome Deborah Boschert who will be visiting from Texas to present three workshops. The first on March 15th is called “Original Art Quilt Collage-Personal Symbols.” Her Saturday lecture is called “Exploring Art Quilt Collage” and after the Saturday meeting, she will teach “Head, Heart & Hand – Developing Your Creative Voice.” Then on Sunday, March 17th she will teach “Graphic Landscape Fabric Collage.” Deborah is a well-known, respected instructor who can get you excited about your quilting. Those who took her classes at QU a few years ago raved about her! Learn more details, see the supply lists, and register on our website Workshops page (open to both members and non-members).
Our upcoming workshops for May are with Robin Koehler who comes to us from Florida. Her business name is ”Nestlings by Robin” and you can also check out her blog, Instagram and Facebook pages (links are on her website). For our guild membership who asked for traditional style quilting, Robin is that and more. She will present two workshops: Friday, May 17th called “Bounce” is a paper pieced quilt. The pattern is included with the workshop. Her lecture is called “How Hard Can It Be?”, and her Sunday, May 19th workshop is called “Flora Fauna ~ Not all Quilts are Flat,” which is a 3-D take on quilting. Learn a variety of techniques while enjoying the company of friends at these in-person workshops. Robin has a lot to share with us and is a popular instructor. See our Workshops website page to learn more, see the supply lists, and register (open to both members and non-members).
Fabric Sale – May 18 (following Quilt Day Meeting – Morris Lawrence Atrium)
Our Annual Fabric Sale has raised a lot of money in past years to cover the costs our guild incurs to support our SafeHouse activities (batting, labels, kits, etc.) and additional funds raised beyond our costs are donated to SafeHouse. Fabric is sold by quantity (small, medium, and large bags full) so the savings are amazing! Members get the first opportunity until noon, and after that the public is welcome to purchase. We hope you have spent some time going through your stash and collecting fabrics you may love but know you won’t use, so bring them to the March Quilt Day. Other members will put them to good use for SafeHouse or personal quilts. For more information, contact Roberta Myyra at safehousefabrics@gaaqg.com.
GAAQG Guild Retreat for Members – June 28-30, 2024, with June 27 option
Many of our members have already signed up for our June Guild Quilting Retreat at Creative Passions Retreat Center in Chesaning, MI but there are only 4 spots left. The deadline to register and pay the $85 deposit is Friday, March 29. Call the Retreat Center (989-845-2159) Mon-Fri between 9a-4p to pay your credit card deposit by phone (or you can mail your check and registration form, so they receive it by March 30). To register, fill out the Registration Form on our website Member Page (login required) where there is also additional retreat information. Contact Lynne Bryant at retreat@gaaqg.com with any questions.
Please check out our GAAQG website for additional information about the guild via the links included here and so much more. If you are not currently a member, you can join the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild on our website (there are links at the top of every page). We would love to have you!
Sincerely,
Marge Venema
GAAQG President
