We currently have 125 members in our guild and had 83 in attendance at the April meeting. If you know someone who has been a member in the past, remind them to renew their membership. Although this is not a quilt show year, in order for a member to show quilts in the show of June 2016, a member must be in good standing as of the beginning of December 2015. So why not renew sooner than later and enjoy the benefits of membership.

If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to email me.

Remember to bring your nametag in order to win a door prize. Congratulations to our April winners: Edna Simpson and Rita Douglas. Nametags are available if you forget to bring yours and are $1.00 each.

Have a happy month of stitching!
Joan Herrin

Our final workshop for the spring, Shattered Angles, is quickly approaching. We are happy to obtain sufficient enrollment to run it! An email was sent to all those registered, with the supply list. If you did not receive it and are registered, please let me know. We still have a few spots left, if you would like to join us.

There will be a questionnaire distributed at the next General Meeting, as we would like to know what topics you are interested in learning about. The next workshop is being planned for October, with registration beginning at our June meeting.

Jane Andrew

Our March meeting featured Robin Fisher and her wonderful design journey. Her artistic quilts were inspiring to myself and many other members. Also last month I was lucky enough to attend our guild workshop given by Shirley Prakke on Mola fabric art. The style originated with the Kuna Indians. We are all connected through our handwork.

This month I learned about the breadth and reach of the wonderful local community of which we are a part. On April 11th, Sherry John (Workshop Committee), Betty Clarke, Genevieve Tobin (Programs) and I attended a Guild Gathering with 17 other representatives from 10 other guilds (arts, modern, traditional) in Langley. The Guilds range in size from 30 to 200+ members. We shared ideas for speakers, and teachers. TAGOR (the Textile and Arts Guild of Richmond) is the smallest guild, and invited our members to attend several of their upcoming workshops (Bonnie Hwang May 23, and Joy Kirkwood on June 27th). With only 30 members in their guild, they too are challenged to fill workshops! And a reminder to register for our upcoming workshops with Eileen Wright (Apr 24/25) and Susan Purney Mark (May 23). Of course, we had a mini show and tell.

Speaking of community, let’s all do our best to support the north shore’s only quilt store, The Stitch & Bobbin, recover from a costly and scary break-in last month. The party responsible was passed out on the store floor when Stephanie and her young son opened in the morning. Several sewing machines had been thrown across the room, and the place was trashed. The police came, the party was apprehended, and of course, the Insurance rates will rise. So let’s go shopping.

Bena Luxton,
President

Hello… Just back from Paris!

Just as the song ”I Love Paris in the Springtime” suggests, Paris is truly beautiful in the springtime. The flowers are blooming and all the attractions are as promised—spectacular!!

Remember to wear your name tag in order to win a door prize. If you forget your name tag, sticky tags will be available for a donation of $1.00.

If you did not pick up your membership card at the March meeting they will be available at the meeting. The new membership list will be emailed out with the May newsletter.

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you still have not registered our membership form can be found on our website.

Happy Quilting!
Joan Herrin

It seems summer is just around the corner, and we will soon be winding down the workshops for the summer.

We received lots of positive feedback from those attending the Mola Workshop. Our instructor, Shirley Prakke, is a lovely lady, who provided great instruction, and lots of encouragement, along with very interesting information about the natives of Panama whom Mola originates from.

Excitement is building for our next workshop, Twisted Bargello. Hopefully those enrolled are well on their way with choosing and preparing their fabrics, as this two day workshop is quickly approaching! We still have room, so if you know anyone who might be interested please have them contact the Workshop Committee.

There are three more sessions of the Canadiana in Cloth series, which winds up in June. It is so interesting to see each quilter’s interpretation of the material, and the colors and fabrics each is working in!

We have space left in the Shattered Angles workshop scheduled for May 23rd. Susan Purney Mark, the instructor, has kindly extended the deadline for finalizing this workshop. Registration is therefore still open, and we will be available at the April meeting for sign up, or you can contact me. We are also welcoming participants from outside the Guild. If we don’t get sufficient registration, we may have to cancel or postpone.

Hello from your newly appointed president. Does the name sounds familiar? Likely you remember me from my previous role as treasurer of our guild for four years, ending in 2014. Now I need to learn everyone’s name.

Membership in our wonderful guild for approximately 10 years has provided me with new quilting friends, opportunities to attend retreats, to participate in workshops, COPS days, and our bi-annual Quilt Shows, and of course, Community Quilts. As president, I want to see all these wonderful happenings continue! So please volunteer where you can and continue the excitement. Our guild gives back so much to each of us. Let’s all give back.

So what is my quilting style? Hard to say, perhaps eclectic. I like paper piecing, Japanese handwork, hand applique, hand embroidery, machine applique, making quilts from photographs, wool work, etc. etc. Most of all, I enjoy learning new skills, and playing with (storing?) fabric. And I am excited to be attending Krista Hennebury’s workshops on the cruise to Alaska in June.

To everyone who participated in Community Quilts Days (March 5–7), thank you! And congratulations to Anita JonesGould and her stellar team for all their efforts in making it a successful, participatory event.

The Fraser Valley Quilters Guild is inviting the guild to participate in an “IRON Quilter Event” at their Quilt Show on June 12–13. Do we have one or two groups of 4 people wanting to participate? It is amazing what a team of four quilters can do in two hours. Registration is by March 31, so if you are interested in putting together a team, let me know, or check out the details at the meeting information table.

At our March meeting, guests from the Boundary Bay Quilters Guild will display their raffle quilt and sell tickets. Their quilt show takes place on May 9–10.

Happy Quilting!
Bena Luxton

Happy Spring! It seems there is always lots going on with our Guild, and specifically for me, the Workshop Committee.

We continue to really enjoy the Canadiana in Cloth series, and are including a couple of pictures to show the creations which are in the works. Each block tells part of the story of Canada. We have been told that the upcoming Boundary Bay Quilters’ Guild show will have several Canadiana quilts on display, and look forward to seeing those!

Our Mola Style Applique Workshop filled up fast! It will be quite different than others we have had this year—all hand work, so no need to bring our machines.

We still have room in the other two workshops planned for this spring, Twist and Turn Bargello and Shattered Angles. Please let us know asap if you are interested in either of these, as we have opened registration up to people outside the guild. The March Guild meeting is the deadline for signing up for both of these workshops. We are having difficulty getting enough participants, and if we don’t meet the breakeven point by then, we will have to cancel or postpone them.

As mentioned in the email which was sent out, we are planning a survey of our Members, to get an idea of what you are interested in for future workshops. If you have any great ideas, let us know!

The Workshop Committee is looking for another couple of Members to join us. Please let me know if you can help out.

Jane Andrew

Well–on my daily walks through our neighbourhood in this glorious sunshine I have seen a rhododendron in full bloom, hyacinths along with daffodils and even a dandelion in bloom. It is too early to start thinking about planting our summer gardens so all we have left to do is enjoy our time quilting. And that, I can always find time to do!!

We have 99 new or renewed members signed up with the guild as of the February meeting. For those who still need to renew your membership, try out the membership form online. It is a pdf format that you can type your information right into and them print it off, sign it, and bring it along with your cheque to the March meeting.

Your membership cards will be available to be picked up at the March meeting and the new membership list will be emailed out with the April newsletter. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Remember to wear your name tag in order to win a door prize. Congratulations to our February winners: Dianne Ritter and Paula Wohlgemuth. If you forget your name tag I will have sticky tags for a donation of $1.00.

Happy Quilting!
Joan Herrin

Let me tell you about the Lions Gate Quilters Guild Executive. It is made up of 11 members who basically run the guild for us. There is the President who kind of knows what is going on overall. I chair the monthly meetings and the monthly Executive meetings. We have a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. We have two members who oversee our Workshops and our monthly meeting Programs. Then there is the Membership Coordinator and our Librarian. Our Members-at-Large sell 50/50 tickets, help with Show and Tell, and generally keep an eye on everyone, their health and their general well being. Our Newsletter editor keeps everyone informed as to upcoming Programs, Workshops and general guild activities. WHAT A GREAT BUNCH OF PEOPLE !! And just as we get into a groove of working together an AGM comes along and about half of the Executive change. Each term last two years. This year the President is leaving along with one Member-at-Large and our Workshops Co-ordinator. We are lucky enough to have our Secretary, Paulette Morton, and our Membership gal, Joan Herrin, volunteer to stay on for another term. We already have two volunteers to fill the positions of Workshops and Member-at-Large. You can read their bios in this newsletter.

These members, our Executive, take care of the whole guild but they need guidance and one person is needed to oversee all things and that person is the President. Now, that may sound a little overwhelming but there is help out there. When I first became President I read over the guild Constitution and the Calendar of Executive Tasks. These two documents were invaluable and the guild runs so very smoothly with them guiding us. Whoever agrees to accept the role of President will have such awesome support from the rest of the Executive the job will indeed be very rewarding. Mind you, there is some time required in running the guild and organizing agendas, etc. and the President does get a fair number of emails but you get used to that. Enough said.

Maureen Wood was our speaker at the January meeting and if you still want to purchase a pattern you saw or even a kit, you can contact Maureen just by googling her name. That is what I did when I realized just who I could make the Tea Time Placemats for as a gift next Christmas. She is very accommodating and she has mailed me my pattern and I have already sent her my cheque.

Because we do have a great Program at our February AGM meeting I want the business portion of our meeting to move along as quickly as possible. All Budget information and Motions which will be presented at the AGM have already been sent out by our Newsletter editor. Please read these documents and if you have any concerns or questions please email our Treasurer  or myself  and we will answer your questions as best we can. This will help our meeting move smoothly along.

Besides business we are also going to take time to acknowledge all of those members who have helped run the guild. Because of all of this activity we may NOT have time for Show and Tell. Bring your work but please beware that you may have to take it home and then bring it back next month. Rita Solkin has asked if any members have antique quilts to bring those so hopefully we will have a little show and tell from our members.

As usual please wear your nametags, bring a mug and lots of loose change for the 50/50 tickets and for visiting FVQG raffle quilt tickets. Return your library books and remember to pay your library fines. Come prepared to participate and enjoy our Annual General Meeting followed by a lovely and informative Program.

And please give me a phone call if you want to find out more about the President’s job. I guarantee you will enjoy it just because you are surrounded by such helpful, creative, funny, smart and supportive individuals. I miss them already.

Happy Quilting
Betty