Block of the Month
Each month members may purchase the pattern for a different quilt block. Sometimes fabric is provided for a part of the block. Those purchasing the pattern make up the block, turn it in at the next month’s meeting, and receive a raffle ticket. The lucky ticket holder wins all the blocks—enough for the whole quilt! This is an opportunity to learn a new technique and create a new block. Participation is optional.
Bus Trips
Two bus trips are held each year so members may attend quilt shows. A fee is charged to cover the cost of the bus, entry to the quilt show, and gratuity for the bus driver. In January the Guild ventures south to the Road to California, and in October the Guild heads to the Pacific International Quilt Show in Santa Clara.
This is a guild competition. The guidelines are determined by the committee chair. Members complete original quilts that are then exhibited at a fall meeting and judged by the membership by secret ballot. Several categories for judging quits are listed, and offer cash prizes are awarded to the winner(s). In the past, our winners were then invited to show their quilts at the national quilt show in Paducah. Participation is encouraged but voluntary.
A table is set aside so that members may bring their quilt-related items to donate to others, except for the months the Guild has a speaker. Donations may be magazines, fabric or patterns—free for the taking. Any leftovers must be picked up by their donors.
Fabric Club
Members may purchase carefully coordinated fat quarters for a year or for six months by signing up in advance with the committee chair. Each month prepaid participants will receive a fat quarter bundle. If there are bundles of fat quarters remaining after distribution to those who paid, other members may purchase the bundle. This is a good way to pad your stash. Participation is optional.
Each month a color or theme is chosen for the fat quarter donation/drawing. Participants may donate up to five fat quarters for the drawing. The donated fat quarters are then bundled and the lucky winners go home with new fabric.
Required Size: Fat Quarter—An 18” x 22” cut of fabric rather than a standard ¼ yard (9” x 45”). |
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Friendship Groups
Friendship groups have been started by various individuals over the years and are not governed by the guild. Friendship groups usually have from 6 to 10 members, meet on a regular schedule in the members’ homes, and engage in various quilt-related projects. New friendship groups start from time to time as the need arises. If you wish to belong to a group, please alert the president who will make a general announcement to possibly generate interest in a new group.
Throughout the year the Guild has guest speakers who present a lecture that is usually followed by a workshop for members. Workshops are held either the afternoon of the meeting or on the Friday following the meeting. These workshops cover different skill levels and there is a reasonable fee charged for participation. This is a good way to increase your quilting skills, learn new techniques, and meet other Guild members. If you have questions about these events, contact the program chairperson.
Komforters for Kids
This is the guild’s charitable activity. Members construct child-size quilts and donate over 400 per year to various law enforcement agencies throughout Kings and Tulare Counties. The peace officers have quilts available in their vehicles to give to children they come across in their daily duty activities. A small group meets to complete these quilts on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. On an ongoing basis, members are encouraged to participate by piecing quilt tops from the precut squares in kits found in the middle of the tables at the meetings, making quilt sandwiches, or finishing the quilts. This is a good way to become involved and meet guild members.
The mystery is that participants do not know what the final result of their quilting will be. Each month directions are distributed—first, the fabric requirements, then the cutting directions, then the block assembly instructions. Month by month the puzzle is revealed. Eventually the final directions are given and members can complete the design. By a designated time, most participants will have completed a top, which they can then show to the group. The results are diverse and amazing. Participation is optional.
Opportunity Quilt
The Opportunity Quilt is the Guild’s major money-making activity. A committee chairperson is chosen to oversee the project for the year. Members assist with the piecing of blocks, appliqué and assembly. Once the top is completed, the hand quilting is done as a quilting bee to demonstrate the art of quilting at events throughout the year. Tickets (opportunities to win) are sold to the general public at these events. As a requirement of guild membership, each member is required to sell a minimum number of tickets; and the ticket fee is collected at the time dues are paid. The Opportunity Quilt drawing is held at the December meeting of the Guild. The funds from the sale of these tickets are used to underwrite quilt events and Komforters for Kids.
Members who have extra or unwanted blocks turn in their “orphans” to the committee chair. Members who are interested are asked to piece an “adopted” kit composed of assorted coordinated orphan blocks and create interesting tops. Other members then complete the quilting and yet others finish the binding. The completed quilts are sold to members at a silent auction in November. This exciting sale generates funds for program expense.
Retreat
Each fall guild members retreat to Wonder Valley Ranch for delightful days of quilting and fellowship. Sign-ups for this annual 3 or 4-day event begin in early spring, and the reservations are usually filled quickly. The retreat is a fun-filled escape to quilt, shop, chat, show your projects, make new friends, eat, sleep, and laugh.
Members bring their completed quilt-related projects to the meetings and share them with the members during a designated Show and Tell period at the end of the meeting. It is a time all enjoy as it gives an opportunity to reflect on and admire the skills of the members of the VOQG. Everyone is encouraged to participate in this activity.
Theme Quilt
This quilt project is completed over the course of a year. The blocks chosen for the quilt design are assigned on a monthly basis. Members are encouraged to show their completed blocks monthly. By November or December most participants have a completed top to share. This is an opportunity to try a new technique or pattern and to complete a top block by block, one month at a time. Participation is optional.
Fund-Raising Activities
Opportunity Quilt—Described above.
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Orphan Blocks—Described above.
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Silent Auction—As a program for one of the meetings during the year, members of the guild contribute handmade, homegrown items or quilt-related goods. The items donated include such things as aprons, purses, dish towels, quilts, vegetables from a garden, jams, gift certificates etc. This meeting generates much interest and the proceeds add to the operating budget.
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Donation Baskets—At the “Best of the Valley Quilt Show” in April our Guild booth sells raffle tickets on baskets which have been donated by groups within the Guild. Basket themes are registered with the chairperson. The income from this raffle has proven very significant.
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Big/Little Quilt Sale—Our Guild booth at the “Best of the Valley Quilt Show” sells quilts and quilted items donated by our members. Usually the articles are small (such as wall hangings, table toppers or other quilted projects). The interest is great among show attendees and the income is good. All members are urged to donate to this project.
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Yearly dues—Dues are payable in January and payment guarantees inclusion in the published Membership Directory and in the mailing list for the Newsletter. Dues and fund-raising activities help defray the cost of monthly facility rental.