Quilter

The QU directory will be available at the March guild meeting. Members, please check in at the membership table and pick up your copy.

If you have not yet renewed your guild membership, please do so. Dues are $30 for the year ($32 if you need the directory mailed). At the guild meeting, you can pay dues by cash or check. If you would like to pay using a credit card, you may do so at any time from our website.

After the February meeting, the 2024 Directory will be finalized and sent for printing. Renewing by the February meetings helps us with getting an accurate count of our print needs. Also, if any of your information needs updating, please let me know at the meeting, or send an email to membership@quilttallahassee.com.

This is the last chance to take a photo for inclusion in the 2024 Directory. Michele Hackmeyer will be taking photos at the QU Library table, so don’t just be a “logo” in the director
Kerry Cohen, 2024 Membership Vice-President

You’re probably working on a quilt that will be a great entry when it’s finished. But please ask yourself, “What can I enter right now?”

• Quilts that were too big for previous QU shows (King- and Queen-size quilts are welcome in 2024 — and will be too big for LeMoyne in 2025 — this year is their moment to shine!
• Quilts that you’ve made in the past that were too many for the LeMoyne show (Your show committee hopes you’ll enter THREE quilts AND a Challenge quilt this year!)
• Quilts that are imperfect (Remember: this is not a juried show; you might see a flaw where show visitors would see a delightful creation!)
  The entry form is live! The sooner entries are in, the sooner we can start planning the display. Please don’t wait!

Marvin Hodges was awarded a Quilt of Valor at his home in Dothan, Alabama on December 19, 2023. Marvin served 18 years in the US Army, which included tours in Germany and Viet Nam. He retired as a Staff Sergeant E6. During his career he earned numerous medals and awards. His quilt was made by Roberta G. and quilted by Linda F. He is shown with his wife and son.

Submitted by Roberta G.

The team has been busy little elves over the holidays. Our goal is to use as much of the fabulous donated fabric that QU has received (and that has been graciously stored at Ann’s home). With this goal in mind, a lot of time and energy has been spent just going through all the various types and sizes of donated fabrics (cottons, linen, silk, upholstery etc.) and making a determination on its best use for the boutique. The team is also testing/editing patterns and creating sample boutique items. Once the patterns are ready and kits assembled for distribution, you should start seeing kits at the February meeting.

HOW CAN YOU HELP! QU members are being asked to take a kit (includes fabric and pattern), then create and return the item no later than the August meeting. For those who are unable to attend the meetings to grab a kit, patterns will also be available online for you to make at home (and assist you in reducing your own fabric stash).

Remember, it’s your quilt show, and we need your help in making the boutique successful to offset show related expenses.

WHAT WE NEED! Does someone have a stuffed dog that could be used during the show to display the dog bandanas or a tabletop Christmas tree to display ornaments

Below is the list of boutique items we currently plan to offer for sale at the QU Show. The list has been vetted through many people experienced in this type of project. The team will re-evaluate and determine if additional items are needed and will attempt to be at every QU meeting with kits, if available, to distribute, and to collect completed items.

Boutique Items:

• Soup bowl cozy (small & large)
• Cosmetic bag (small and large)
• Drawstring backpacks
• Dog bandanas (Small/med/large/teeny tiny)
• Key Caddies (square and rectangle)
• Patchwork & Infinity scarfs
• Journal covers with books
• Bookmarks (4” x 4” squares)
  

P.S. While busy creating awesome items for the boutique, consider trying to add regular movement breaks into your life, ideally 5 minutes every half hour. Check out the interesting information about the Body Electric Challenge on NPR.org. Information is based on best practices that came out of NPR’s study with Columbia University Medical Center researchers and more than 20,000 listeners in October.

If we want to continue sewing – we need to take care of our bodies! Thanks, Andrea, for sharing!

Thanks, Dawn Griffin

Hello to the Quilters Unlimited Membership – to all who can attend the monthly meetings and to those who cannot but read the newsletter to stay current. I am Ann Gaber and will be coordinating the Philanthropy activities for the first few months of 2024.

I am so happy to introduce our new Co-Chairs Evelyn Gonzalez and Marion Millet. They both bring new ideas to the mission of our philanthropy projects. We had a third co-chair who is also very dynamic, but fortune dictates she will be moving at the end of January. So, we are looking for another wonderful person to co-chair in her place. Please consider volunteering for the chance to create fun patterns and utilize our fabric donations.

Below is a rough report of our donations for 2023:

• 27 – NICU (many more are given to Shellie Woodyard directly)
• 228 – Sleep in Heavenly Peace
• 6 – Sew 4 Hope (who create many more for the Hope Mission)
• 31 – Big Bend Hospice
• 23 – Big Bend Hospice and Westminster Oaks Fidget Quilts
• 110 – Big Bend Hospice Pillowcases
• 15 – Veteran Wheelchair quilts or Quilts of Valor (Many more are given to Roberta Granville directly)