(REVISED NOVEMBER 2021)

As you know, our AGM is coming up in February 2018 and six Executive positions will be open for election. We hope you will give serious consideration to letting your name stand for one of them. Those of us who have done so in the past can attest to the fun we have had and the new friendships that have been made. If there is a position you think you might be interested in, make a point of finding out more about it from the person or people currently in it. You may be surprised to find out that it is not as daunting as it may first appear.

The positions open for election are:

Vice-President

The Vice-President takes over the duties of the President in the absence of the President. He or she also oversees the storage locker and the post office box.

Treasurer

The treasurer looks after all the financial business of the guild. This includes preparing year-end financial statements, filing tax returns, preparing the annual budget and presenting financial and budget details to members ahead of and at the AGM.

The treasurer prepares a monthly budget vs actuals for the monthly Executive meetings. 

The treasurer – acts as a bank signing officer and facilitates changes of signatories; handles the collection of funds by e-transfer, cheque or cash; pays all invoices by cheque; works with the technical support person to set up any forms being used to collect funds (memberships, workshops, etc.); and files financial records in the Library and in the Guild’s cloud storage. 

Communication Coordinator (formerly Newsletter Editor)

Communications is responsible for compiling the guild news, events, information etc. each month and synchronizing the posting of the information with the communications team, per the decisions made at monthly Executive meetings. The team consists of volunteers looking after the guild website and social media (Facebook and Instagram) platform hosts and may also include the tech support volunteer(s). The Communications Coordinator is responsible for sending communication alerts (once a month)  to all guild members via guild distribution email. This person is the primary contact for general inquiries and is responsible for forwarding those emails to appropriate Executive members. Communications is also the backup contact for Membership Lists when the  Membership person is not available.

The Communications Coordinator is responsible for arranging the setup of any virtual meetings with tech support volunteer(s) (if necessary).

Librarian

The person responsible for the library puts out the books for each meeting and stores them away afterwards. They record books in and out, collect library fines, purchase new books for the library, cull outdated books, and organize the Annual Book Sale.

Member-at-Large

There are two Member-at-Large positions, each serving a two year term. One new Member-at-Large is elected each year. The Member-at-Large greets people arriving at guild meetings, looks after the 50/50 raffle which includes applying for the annual license, assists with Show and Tell, keeps and monitors the Suggestion/Feedback box and gives entries to the President, and is another avenue for members to communicate with the guild Executive. They also communicate congratulations or condolences to fellow guild members on behalf of the guild. In the second year of his or her term, the Member-at-Large is the Nominating Committee Coordinator for the upcoming elections.

Phones membership to look for nominees to fill vacant executive positions, plans the Feb election

Program Coordinator and Committee

The Program Coordinator and members of the Program Committee are responsible for planning the educational part of our Guild meetings. They contact speakers to determine availability and cost, and are responsible for all correspondence with them, determining if special equipment or setup is required. (A list of speakers and presenters is available from the local Guild gatherings.) Committee members assist speakers when they arrive at our meetings, and introduce them. The Program Coordinator attends the Executive meetings. Programs will already be finalized until June 2018.

The Programs coordinator also connects with Communications with all information in order to then have the information sent and posted to the communications platforms at least two weeks in advance of a Guild meeting.

The Programs Coordinator and team work with the tech support volunteer to ensure all necessary equipment is available and set up for the speaker (including virtual meeting invitations)

We have a very talented group of people in our guild. We hope you will consider sharing your talents with your guild by putting your name forward for one of these Executive positions.

The gloomy days of November are upon us; what a perfect time to spend quilting! I don’t know about the rest of you but I still have to decide what I am entering in our June show and calculating how much time it will take to get it (them) done. My family says I am the “Queen of Procrastination” and need deadlines to get anything done. I can’t imagine where they get that idea from! I hope everyone will enter one or more quilts in the show. Our show is about our members work and showcasing where we are at in our quilting journey. Some are at award winning levels but for the rest of us, we are joyously sewing away, with the support of family and friends, creating memories and good times.  All quilts are equally valuable to our show.

We are still looking for a CQA Liaison for our guild. The job is what you make of it – you would not have to stand up at meetings to report unless you wanted to. The idea is to gather information about what is going on with the CQA and to let them know what we are up to. For example, Quilt Canada 2018 is in Vancouver next year and the information about workshops and lectures is now up on their website.

Speaking of reps., it is never too early to start everyone thinking about volunteering for one of our executive positions. At our February AGM we will be voting for six positions, Vice-President, Treasurer, Programs, Communications (formerly Newsletter Editor), Librarian, and one Member-at-Large. Being on the Executive Board is a great way to get to know your fellow guild members. More details to follow from the Nominations Committee.

Happy quilting everyone and I hope to see you all at our Winter Social November 28.

Cheers, Kathryn

Date:                           Saturday, January 20, 2018
Time:                          9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location:                    St. Stephen’s Parish, 24^th Street and Mountain Highway, North Vancouver
Cost:                           $25.00

Join us on Saturday January 20, 2018 at St. Stephen’s Parish Church for our annual extravaganza!   We will work on one of the bright and cheerful fat-quarter quilts by Emma Jean Jansen, the author of the ‘By the Bundle’ book (with her approval and generosity to use the pattern). We will create a lovely scrap version, play a game of make-one, take-one, and prizes. Come join in the camaraderie, bring a sweet, savoury, or fruit/veggies to share and be prepared for a fun filled day with many surprises!

You can also use this day to work on your own project, or a community quilt.   The more the merrier for this event!   We’d like to fill the hall with busy quilters.

Date:              Friday and Saturday, March 23-24, 2018
Time:             9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location:      St. Agnes Anglican, 530 12th St. E. North Vancouver
Cost:               $100.00
Optional Silk Kit: Cost to be determined
Class size:      Maximum 15 participants

Join us for a two day workshop with Leslie Forbes using raw edge techniques and misty-fuse, along with exploring the use of value to bring a floral or floral grouping to life!    Take one of your favourite colour photos, enlarge it to 22” x 22” or a variation of this (easy to do at your local Staples shop), print another copy in black and white to help with seeing value, and before you know it you will have created a beautiful and dimensional quilt.  This could be done in cotton or silk.  Leslie has offered to provide a silk package, if desired, to complete this project in silk.   Her completed version was part of the Show and Tell items that were presented at our October guild meeting.

Date:                           May 12, 2018
Time:                          9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location:                    St. Agnes Anglican, 530 12th St. E. North Vancouver
Cost:                           $50.00
Kit cost:                      $25.00 – Includes pattern, leather handles, magnetic latch, rivets.
Add. Kits:                   $20.00 – Leather handles, magnetic latch, rivets only.

This design grew out of my experience making many purses, bags and totes designed by others. I wanted a stylish every-day bag that didn’t have a lot of complicated hardware, closures or heavy structure; one that could accommodate a few extra things that I’d need for traveling or hold a few purchases made throughout the day. It is the perfect pattern for a sewist looking to learn new bag-making skills. The bag is constructed from two outer fabrics; pair a few cotton canvas or home-décor print on the upper level with cork, waved canvas, lightweight leather or vinyl on the lower level.

Skills to learn; zipper window, sewing with heavy materials like cork, leather, waxed canvas or vinyl, installing rivets and magnetic snaps, top-stitching, boxing corners.

Happy October everyone!

I was so glad I made it back in time to make the September meeting! The Panel was great giving us some insights into what it takes to run a successful business and the Pop-up Shops are always fun, although a little hard on the wallet! This month I am really looking forward to hearing about using rulers in machine quilting from Carola Russell and seeing what goodies she brings.

Speaking of goodies, I want to thank those who continue to bring refreshments to the meetings. For those who don’t know, you are welcome to bring something to share in the month of your birthday. If your birthday is in a non-meeting month, you can pick any other month to bring goodies. And guess what – nobody is going to turn down your contributions whenever you bring them – there are no refreshment police!

Also, a reminder for all of us that our Guild and Executive meetings are “scent free zones”. No perfumes or other strong scents, please. This is to make these evenings more comfortable for anyone who has allergies or special “scent-sitivities”.

Hope to see you all at the meeting October 24th and bring a friend!

Kathryn Gillis
Co-President

We had 63 members attending our September 26th Guild meeting, plus 2 new members and 2 guests, for a total of 67 attending.

The door prize winners were Dolores Bell, Anne Read and new member Jane Pannell. Prizes this month were compliments of Lorna Shapiro, owner of Quilter’s Dream Fabrics, who was one of the evening’s presenters. Remember to wear your nametag if you would like to win a door prize; everyone who signs in has an opportunity to win. Nametags are available at the membership table for $1.00 each, if you forgot yours.

The guild currently has 107 members and the members’ list has just been emailed out. If you did not receive your list by email, please contact Anne O’Brien at Newsletter Editor Please also let me know at the Membership desk, so that I can confirm your email address.

Guests are always welcome at our Guild meetings. If you would like to join, we’d be delighted to have you! A membership form is on our Guild website. Just go along the headings at the top of the page and click on the ‘Members’ heading. Then go down to ‘join or renew’. This is a PDF file which will allow you to type in your information, print it off, sign it and then drop it off at the membership table with cash or a cheque for $60.00 (new members, please ask about mid-season rates) made out to ‘Lions Gate Quilters Guild’ or ‘LGQG’. You can also pick up a form at the membership desk, and membership renewals and new registrations will be accepted at any meeting.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Katherine Morgan
Membership Coordinator

Our Freezer Paper Foundation Paper Piecing Workshop with Dianne Ritter sold out at our September 26, 2017 meeting and took place on Saturday, October 14, 2017, at St. Agnes Church. We are looking forward to seeing your work!

Upcoming Workshops

Free Motion Quilting with Rulers with Carola Russell from Sechelt, BC
Place:    St. Agnes Church, 530 East 12th Street, North Vancouver, BC
Date:     Saturday November 25, 2017
Time:    9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (1/2 hour for lunch)
Cost:     $60.00

Come join us for a day of “Free Motion Quilting with Rulers” on your own domestic sewing machine. Carola will discuss everything you’ll need to know to get started on your machine. You will add ruler work to your repertoire! Rulers are a great way to perfect “in the ditch” quilting, navigate around corners, channel quilting and make consistent shapes such as curves and circles. Do not be intimidated by the description, this class is FUN for novices!

You will need to purchase a “Ruler Foot” and “Ruler” or “Ruler set” before the class, if you do not already have them. Feet, shanks and rulers can be ordered from Carola before the hands-on class. You will receive a 15% discount on all regular priced supplies purchased from Carola.

Carola is also coming to lecture on this technique at our October guild meeting, organized by the Programs Committee. Orders from already-registered participants in this workshop for the feet, shanks and rulers required, have been placed with Carola.

For late registrations, please check with Carola at the October guild meeting for all your requirements, if you don’t already have them.

January Extravaganza 2018

We are working on our annual January Extravaganza 2018 and the exact date, location and sign-up sheets will be available for our October and November meetings.

This absolutely fun, no-pressure day will follow the same format as previous years. We will provide a theme or quilt project that you can participate in, or you may wish to work on community quilts or your own project. We will have a sign-up sheet for either a savoury or sweet contribution to our potluck lunch, and hopefully lots of rewards or prizes! So make sure to check us out at the Workshop table at Guild!

Plans are also underway to have two more workshops in March and May of 2018 and these will be announced soon.

Happy quilting,
Susan Lum and Helen Jorgensen
Workshop Coordinators