It takes a village to run a quilt guild and we could use your help. Membership table is the first thing you see when you arrive, as a visitor or member. At times, it is a busy buzzing hive of activity. I could use some volunteers to help me before the meeting starts. Very simple, meet and greet our members as they arrive, and welcome our visitors, have them sign in and be sure they receive a name tag. On guild night, I will have a sign up list for people who would like to help out at membership. One evening a month, no other responsibility, and once the meeting starts, you are free to join your friends.

This month may be a little bit busy as there is still time to be sure your 2011 membership is current. Last month I mentioned that you had a small window of opportunity to be sure you are a member in good standing to be able to enter into the quilt show in June. That window remains open until December 8, 2011 (good thing I do membership and not accounting!!!)

To date we have 163 members in our guild (the database is now updated as of Nov 4/11) Our door prize winners for the November meeting were: Susan Patchell, Edna Simpson and Bena Luxton. Want to be a door prize winner too, be sure to be wearing your name tag at the meeting. All of your names are in the draw bag, they are entered automatically when you renew your membership.

If you have any concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at https://lionsgatequilters.wordpress.com/contact-us/email-the-membership-coordinator/

Kate Burzuk
Membership Coordinator

An exciting show taking place Sept. 28 – Dec.31, 2011. BC artists working in pairs: one fibre artist with an artist in another medium.

Lions Gate QG members taking part: Jan Bednarczyk with Lynn Green; Judy Greenwood, Leslie Forbes and Vivian Kapusta.

To see the process of the project: http://together-laconner.blogspot.com/

I attended the Bonnie Hwang workshop Turning Leaves on Saturday the 1st of October. What a great way to start the month. Bonnie was very personable and helpful. When we worried about small aspects of our project she just kept saying, “It doesn’t matter”. She said that a lot on that day. Later, I thought about all the benefits of belonging to the Guild with its variety of programs and workshops. Now these things do matter!!! Along with these benefits comes the output of time and energy needed to organize these guild activities. You know where I am going. Yes, we have an annual general meeting and executive elections coming up in February 2012 which might seem far away but it isn’t!! The positions coming up for election are: Vice President, Treasurer, Newsletter Coordinator, Program Coordinator, Librarian and Member-at-Large. There will be further information on these duties in the November newsletter so please start giving thoughts to volunteering for one of these positions. Sometimes we have cake at our executive meetings …yummmmmm.

A workshop coming up in November is titled Borders, Bindings and Sleeves led by Carol Piercy. Carol did mention that our Quilt Show does have a reputation of quilts that hang very nicely. And that is due to the fact that many of our members have taken this workshop. It does make a difference. Right now, more people must sign up or the workshop will be cancelled. Take advantage of your guild membership and sign up this month or tell Carol of your interest.

If you are getting excited about the Quilt Show after seeing those beautiful Raffle Quilt tops which many of us contributed to remember that you must be a member in good standing 6 months prior to the June 8th / 9th Show in order to show a quilt. That means that you must be a member as of December 8th, 2011 and renew in February 2012.

I want to give everyone a heads up about guild finances. Most of our workshop venues have increased their fees substantially and our membership has decreased this year. Our treasurer, Bena Luxton, will give a full report on our budget situation at our October meeting.

We had an interesting speaker, Terry Aske, along with a trunk show and many show and tell projects at the September meeting. Many people must have been quilting up a storm during our miserable July weather and/or attending the July and August COPS days. Good going folks!!

Finally, remember your name tag, your mug, your cheque book, library books and show and tell of course. See you on the 25th.

Happy Quilting,
Betty

In this workshop you’ll learn how to piece and appliqué a Dresden Plate entirely by machine. The Dresden will be framed by a border of flying geese, simply quilted, then bound to complete a 20″ pillow cover. If you prefer, your project would also make a beautiful mini-quilt wall hanging!). Charm packs are perfect for this project, providing ample selection for scrappy piecing. There will be a gorgeous sample featuring Petit École fabric by French General at the October meeting.

DATE: Saturday, February 25, 2012
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: St. Agnes Church, 530 East 12th, N. Vancouver
COST: $40.00

At our September meeting, Edna Simpson won the Jelly Roll door prize. Two other door prizes of art cards were donated by our guest speaker Terry Aske. They were won by Carol Chernov and Krista Hennebury.

Kate Burzuk
Membership Coordinator

Registration begins October 25 for:

• Pillow’s Talk (Krista Hennebury) – February 2012
• Spring Retreat – February 2012
• Bargello Quilts (Eileen Wright) – April 2012

Registration continues:

• Borders, Bindings, and Sleeves (Carol Piercy) – November 2011
• Jelly Rolls in Paradise – January 2012

Registration begins September 27 for two new workshops from Carol Piercy: Borders, Bindings, and Sleeves (Saturday, November 19) and Jelly Roll Heaven (Saturday, January 21). Details available on the Lions Gate Quilters web site: http://www.lionsgatequiltersguild.com/workshops/.

We had a great June Social Evening. Going by comments from the Executive and other members, the Mug Rug Swap and our Mystery Quilt Day Show and Tell were the highlights of the evening. My mug rug is too pretty for me to put my mug on! The food was great and the coffee/tea line did start to move a little faster once we reconfigured the set up. Thank you to The Creative Edge Quilting and Sewing Store for donating many prizes used in the Quilt-O Game. We have a couple still left which Membership will use as door prizes.

During the summer Cops Days were filled with very busy quilters. Take a look at the schedule and think about joining that group. It is a great place to get ideas and some extra help.

September has always felt like the month of beginnings for me. So, when I think of September I think about our quilt year and all of the great programs and workshops happening over the fall, winter and spring months culminating in our Quilt Show in June 2012. Wow, the year is just going to fly by.

Dianne Ritter has written her first report in regards to the Quilt Show and is in need of just one more person to round out the Quilt Show Committee. Please read her report and give a serious thought to volunteering yourself or yourself and a friend to fill that last position. It does look like a fun bunch of women to work with.

I look forward to seeing all of your tanned faces on the 27th of September. Please remember your name tag, mug, show and tell, cheque book for workshops and cash for the 50/50 draw.

Happy Quilting,
Betty

Who among us can honestly say that we have never bought a jelly roll and then don’t know what to do with it? Or wished we did buy a luscious one we saw? Well, this is your chance to make it into a quilt top – or your excuse to finally buy one, of course, to make on your own. We’ll share patterns and ideas, and get started on that jelly roll quilt. You can come with an idea, or just with a jelly roll and some yardage. The day will start with a “Jelly Roll Show and Tell.” This is a fun, no-pressure social day, with lunch included. Hosted by Carol Piercy.

DATE: Saturday, January 21, 2012
TIME: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
PLACE: St. Stephen’s Church Mountain Highway & 27th Avenue, North Vancouver
COST: To be determined

A how-to class in choosing borders, attaching borders, making, attaching and finishing binding and hanging sleeves. Make sure your quilts hang straight at the show!

We’ll cover border ideas, multiple borders, and mitered borders and finish a small (very small!) quilt top with a main panel, mitred borders, bindings, a sleeve and a simple but classy-looking label. This can be a small wall hanging or just a sample. Bring any quilt tops or ideas that you are having trouble deciding on a border for!

DATE: Saturday, November 19, 2011
TIME: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
PLACE: St. Andrew’s and St. Stephen’s Church, 2641 Chesterfield, North Vancouver
COST: $40.00