WHAT TO BRING TO THE MEETING

Name tag
Block party block
Show-and-Tell
Program items
Door prizes for names beginning with S, T

BIRTHDAYS

No March birthdays.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

WOW!!! What a wonderful sight to see so many at the February meeting. We have some exciting and challenging projects, and I look forward to many more. We have such talented members in our group, and Margaret was so kind to share with us about hand piecing. I have done some hand work but had never heard of making the back stitches when stitching the seams. It is always nice to learn something new. As we continue with the cold weather here in the Metroplex, I hope we are all taking advantage of staying indoors to keep warm and are spending time at our machines. Also, this is a perfect time to put on bindings as the quilt will keep you warm. I hope none of you have to battle the flu this season and look forward to seeing everyone at the March meeting.

Sue Heard

REMEMBRANCES

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Debi Cypert and her family on the loss of her husband, Tommy on February 11th.

MINUTES

Sue Heard called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and welcomed everyone. She reported on her impression of the TAQG meeting and is more enthusiastic than ever with all that is happening.
There are five birthdays for February; Debi, Carol, Jeri, Janis Hill and Sue Taylor.
Remembrances: Long time Grand Prairie resident Ralph Giessner has passed away.
The minutes from the January meeting were approved as written in the newsletter.
Michelle reported that the Audit Committee (herself, Shirley and Elisabeth) met after last month’s meeting and all is in order.
Barbara stated we have a bank balance of $1,446.51 (beg. bal. $1,236.51 plus $485 dues minus $275).
Shirley reported we had thirty members present tonight with one visitor (Elizabeth Cooper from the Arlington Quilt Guild, showing the raffle quilt for the 2014 Quilt Show and had tickets to sell).
We had four new members with three new ladies joining tonight: Valerie Sellers, Leona Shivji, and Robin Vercoe. Liza Faust joined but wasn’t present. We now have 34 paid members.
Michelle read a thank you note from the church thanking the guild for the $250 donation. She also reported 11 ladies have signed up for the May retreat with two on the waiting list. The next retreat will be in October and she will begin taking deposits for that retreat after the May meeting. She also gave a brief summary on the newsletter and “liking” on Facebook…QGOGP.
There were five door prizes tonight and were won by: Margaret, Tory, Lauren, Grace and Katrina. Sue explained about how to donate to the door prizes and the birthday fat-quarters to the new members.
Janice Overton reminded everyone about the workshop scheduled for Saturday, February 15th from 9:00-3:00 with a potluck lunch. So far 11 ladies are planning to attend. She suggested that everyone have the flying geese completed before the meeting and she had the paper piecing pattern available. The complete instructions were in last month’s newsletter. She also suggested that color #5 needs to POP.
Tory had 25 B-O-M blocks were won by the new member, Valerie.
She also had the directions for March’s B-O-M Amish Ohio Star.
Evelyn updated the group on a new day for scissor sharpening (2nd Friday of the month) at her fabric shop in Irving.
Sue Taylor had lots to report on the TAQG meeting that she, Grace and Sue Heard attended in January.
We need to submit a “flyer” from our guild.

Three grants of various amounts were given, so maybe our guild needs to apply for one.
We need to submit some pictures from our Guild happenings to the newsletter and Michelle stated she would submit a slide show also.
There are approximately $1,500 rally day prizes available and we need to donate a $25.00 item for the door prizes, plus we need to have 500 small items for the gift bags (book marks and coasters have been suggested). We will decide what to do at our next meeting and will finish them up at the May meeting.
Mini quilts need to be donated for an auction. There will be a viewer’s choice prize and Sue has the entry forms available.
There are T-shirts for sale –pre order tonight and at the March meetings only (Teal blue color/2 styles available).
We need to check the TAQG newsletter for programs and speakers for rally day. Pat Speth will hold a two-day workshop…attendance forms are available.

If you need further information, please contact Sue Taylor.
Ruth reported that “Oh Sew Cool “quilt shop would give our guild a 10% discount if we tell them before they ring our purchase up.
Michelle had information available for a Star Block Challenge with NASA astronaut, Karen Nyberg.
Show & Tell..Kathleen, Katrina, Nancy Mills-Dickens, Christina, Michelle, Carol and Jeri had nice items to show.
Programs…Grace and Jeri had more information about the mystery block challenge and we got our brown bags tonight. The completely finished blocks can be between 12 to 24 inches. The front needs to be made from the 3 fat-quarters but you can add a different material on the backing if you need to. Grace stated the March program will be “Nickel Quilts” with Sherry Worley from the Plano Quilt Guild. We need to bring 20 different 5” squares to the meeting. Since she is not charging the guild for coming, Grace asked for gas money. Michelle made the motion and was seconded by Christine to pay the standard 55 or 56 cent x milage. Then after further discussion, Christine rescinded her second and Ruth made a new motion and Janice seconded, to give her $50.00. This motion passed.
The program for April will be Peggy from Peggy’s Quilt Studio.
I was asked by Grace to do “Hand Piecing” for the program tonight. She said several people had requested it on the forms she had us to fill out. I showed the group how to make a fool-proof knot and how I start and stop my seams. I was very happy to share what I do with the group and I hoped that I helped someone. I enjoy our Guild very much.

Margaret Alsup

WELCOME!

We had three new members and one returning member join at our February meeting. We also had one new member join between the January and February meetings. Please update your membership directories with the new information. If you were at the February meeting you should have received your membership directory.

New member (information already in directory):
Liza Faust

Returning member:
Nancy Mills-Dickens
118 Douglas Place,
Grand Prairie, TX 75051
972-849-1936
n.mills @sbcglobal.net
Birthday: June 30

New members:
Valerie Sellers
2649 Fairmont
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
214-236-7307
valerie.sellers@hotmail.com
Birthday: May 29

Leona Shivji
2212 Harrier Street
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
469-463-2571
lshivji@yahoo.com
Birthday: April 18

Robyn Vercoe
1067 Twin Brooks Drive
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
817-690-8635
mrspresley2004@yahoo.com
Birthday: September 24

Be sure to welcome all these new members to our Guild!

PROGRAM

Our March program will be presented by Sherry Worley. Sherry is a member of the Plano Quilt Guild and also involved in TAQG – Texas Association of Quilt Guilds. She will present a short program on “Nickel Quilts” which is the topic of this year’s TAQG Rally Day which takes place on July 12th. We will be playing a game, so each member needs to bring 20 5” squares. Cuts should be no more than 2 -3 of any fabric in your stash. Each person will go home with approximately the same number of squares they brought to exchange.
If you were to be part of the schoolhouse program that was originally scheduled for the March meeting, please note that will be postponed to later in the year.

Our April program will be presented by Peggy of Peggy’s Quilt Studio. Watch for more details in the next newsletter.

Janice Overton

WEBSITE/FACEBOOK

The Quilter’s Guild of Grand Prairie has a website presence and a social media presence. Be sure to “like” our page on Facebook to keep up with any news before the newsletter comes out. We always put photos from the meetings, workshops and retreats on our Facebook page as well as any announcements that you might need to know about before the newsletter comes out.

Please note that I am happy to forward your e-mails to the group if it is specifically related to quilt guild business. You will get the newsletter from me as well as any reminders of meetings, workshops, TAQG Rally Day, etc. If you have an e-mail that you wish to send to the group that is not directly related to the Guild, everyone has access to all e-mail addresses with either the membership directory or the e-mail that comes with the link to the newsletter. Please feel free to use them and set up a quilt guild group in your address book.

TAQG NEWS

Mark your calendars now for Rally Day on Saturday, July 12, 2014! Pat Speth of Nickel Quilt fame will be the speaker that day. Admission is free for all members of our guild. You can find out more about Ms. Speth by visiting her website at http://www.patspeth.com and more about TAQG and Rally Day by visiting www.taqg.org .

If you would like to attend a two-day workshop with Pat Speth, the cost will be $100. Remember, though, that’s for two days. She will have a workshop (Nickel Mania) on Thursday and Friday, July 11-12, in Mesquite; and another workshop (also Nickel Mania) on Monday and Tuesday, July 14-15, in Arlington. You can get the application form from the TAQG website or from me. You will not be confirmed until your application and check are received by Sherry Worley (who will be attending our March meeting).

I will take orders for Rally Day T-Shirts at the March meeting. They cost $15-$18 depending on the size. This will be the only opportunity to get a T-Shirt, since they will be purchased from the supplier by order only. Cash or check made to TAQG.

I will also be selling raffle tickets for the pre-Rally Day Gift Basket at the March meeting. $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. The raffle basket has an approximate value of $1,500 at this time and includes an Elna sewing machine. No need to be present to win.

Sue Taylor, TAQG Rep

ASTRONOMICAL QUILTS BLOCK CHALLENGE

We briefly talked about the challenge below. If anyone is interested in making a block for the challenge, we can send in one envelope with all of our blocks. Blocks should be turned in no later than our July meeting.

Download the flyer.

MARCH BLOCK PARTY

Please visit http://www.quilterscache.com/O/OhioStarBlock.html online to view and print the instructions to the Block of the Month. The Quilter’s Cache’s terms and conditions for this pattern ask that it not be reproduced on a Quilt Guild’s web site.