Kelly Cole of Vintage Fabric Studio
Our December meeting / Holiday Party had something for everyone: Guild members selling handcrafted items and destashing fabric, a Wheel of Fortune with prizes for all, a tasty dessert potluck, a container swap featuring Santa himself, so many raffles, and the last Show and Tell of 2017.
The first part of the meeting was dedicated to shopping, spinning, eating, and grabbing 2018 memberships in time to be entered into the special 2018 member raffle.
Then we had a few announcements:
- Sally Geller, Fabric Depot's marketing manager, told us about some upcoming events at the store:
- January 27th: Cindy Cloward of Riley Blake Designs with a 4-hour Introduction to EPP class;
- March 17th: Mister Domestic with a new EPP Class;
- April 28th: Elizabeth Hartman doing a Meet & Greet featuring a trunk show of her new quilts;
- May 15th - 24th: Fabric Depot School House featuring classes, trunk shows and events with Tula Pink, Violet Craft, Cotton+Steel, Nancy Chong, Ann Shaw, Marti Michelle and Doug Leko
And Sally brought 50% off coupons for all! Thank you, Fabric Depot, for being one of our business sponsors and for all of the collaboration this year!
- We're still looking for some 2018 Volunteer Coordinators:
- Someone to run the New Members/Guests Welcome Program (this is a really important role and is not a huge time commitment);
- A second volunteer for:
- Sew Day at Fabric Depot (this would involve either setting up or breaking down the room one Saturday a month - you would coordinate with Michele Nichols)
- Free Tables (you would coordinate with Marjorie Elliott to organize and oversee the Free Tables before and during the meetings and then donate any leftover items)
- Charity Table (you would coordinate with Patty Turner to organize and oversee the Charity Table before and during the meetings)
If you would like to volunteer for any of these positions, please email the Guild.
- Avoid the lines in January and purchase your 2018 membership on our website now!
Thank You!
Our 2017 president, Tamara King, thanked the 2017 Board for all their hard work and great ideas this year, and then, on behalf of the Board, she thanked all of our Volunteer Coordinators, everyone who volunteered this year and everyone who participated in our Charity Quilts and Charity Zipper Bags programs. It was a fun and action-packed year for the PMQG, and it took a lot of people to make that possible. Thank you to all of you, and thank you to the 2018 Board, who will be leading the Guild to a fun and exciting 2018.
Our Vice-President, Tania Johnston, then presented a very surprised Tamara with a beautiful quilt planned by Tania and our Secretary, Anne Matlak, with blocks made and inscribed with messages by the members. It was a complete success -- a total surprise and an absolutely wonderful quilt that will be treasured.
Container Swap
Container by Christine Yi
The theme of this year's holiday swap was Containers, and the rules were simple: using their own fabric, members made a thing that can hold other things (a bag, box, wallet, journal cover, etc.). Sign up wasn't required; anyone who wanted to participate brought a container and was given a number. Fifty-four cool containers were made by our members, and Santa even dropped by to hand them out at the break.
Raffles
We had four raffles:
- The 2017 Queen of the UFOs was crowned by our UFO Club Coordinator, Marcia Mersky. For each project completed, club members got one entry. A name was chosen from the UFO jar, and the winner was Karen Bailey, who won half of the UFO Club entry fees of $125. The other half of the fees goes to the PMQG Scholarship Fund. Congratulations, Karen!
- The winner of the 2017 Block of the Month Quilt, Stars Galore, designed and made by Anne Matlak, was our 2017 Membership Coordinator, Karen Lee! The Guild raised nearly $1,000 for our charity programs from the sale of raffle tickets! Congratulations, Karen!
- The winner of the 2018 Membership raffle (you just had to renew your membership before or at the meeting to be entered) was Cindy Smith. Cindy won a fabulous prize with items donated by PMQG member Bill Volckening, Hoffman Fabrics, MonaLuna Organic Fabrics, Noodlehead, and June Tailor. Congratulations, Cindy!
- Anne Matlak made a special raffle prize for those who brought a BOM quilt or a top to show at the meeting (so many of you did, and they were so beautiful!), and the lucky winner of that handmade gift was Alice Ringquist. Congratulations, Alice!
Wrapping Up (The Year)
Everyone who had finished a Block of the Month quilt or top brought them to show at our December meeting. There was an impressive number of quilts, and they were all fantastic. Thank you for such enthusiastic participation and, as usual, you blew us away with your creativity.
Summer Hibard's Pickled Beets
BOM Quilt by Betty Colburn
We had a really spectacular Show and Tell to finish off 2017. You can see all of the BOM quilts, all of the Show and Tell quilts and some photos from the party on Flickr.
Thank you, Matthew Stovall, for being our photographer all year - you are the best! (And thank you, Juline Bajada, for filling in for Matthew in April!)
Every PMQG President ever, from 2010 to 2018, was at the party. Three left before we could get a photo, but we got a photo of six former and current presidents!
We had a great 2017 and we're looking forward to a fantastic 2018! See you next year!