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Upcoming Programs
Tuesday
February 25, 2014
Sew Sew Joyful
DMAQG Small Group
1:00 p.m.
&
7:00 p.m.
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
8th & Grand
West Des Moines
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Greetings!
It's February 21 and there are only 27 days until Spring! The best thing about this weather is all of the quilting one can get done.
I hope you are thinking how you can "continue our legacy" as a member of the Guild. There are so many worthy projects you can support. I have begun to make a twin-size quilt for the community service project. I thought I would use up some of the leftover pieces I've accumulated over the years. I started sewing pieces, strips of various widths, and leftover blocks together. As you may have guessed, I have barely made a dent in the one container from which I was choosing my fabrics. It's kind of like trying to shovel snow - I have a path, but you should see the big mound on the side of the path!
I was thrilled to attend the classes presented by Dawn Cavanaugh. What a wonderful teacher! I think the February programs will also have a great deal to offer. Several mini classes will be offered and taught by our own talented guild members.
It was wonderful to see the great attendance we had at our January meetings. I think everyone might have been suffering from cabin fever and needed the comfort of quilting friends.
I continue to encourage you to bring a friend, young or old, male or female to a Guild meeting. Who knows, they might get the bug - quilting bug that is.
Stay warm!
Mildred Agena
President
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DMAQG Spring Retreat
"The Quilting Games"
April 10-13, 2014
It's Retreat Timmmmme!!!!!! And we will be stripping away. Quilt strips, that is.
Please come to the Spring Quilting Games in scenic Sochi, I mean Wesley Woods Camp, outside of Indianola, Iowa. Our games will be held April 10 through April 13 and are a steal at $140 for members and $165 for nonmembers. That is, in comparison to the price of a flight to Russia!
We have limited attendees to 32 due to our space constraints. 28 quilters have already registered. Places will be given on a first come first served basis. Please contact Terry Holt at 515-287-6734 or terryannholt@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining the fun. The retreat registration form can be found on the DMAQG website.
Oh, the poem, I almost forgot. Thanks for asking.
I see the moon,
The moon sees me,
God bless the moon,
May God make the quilting splendid for thee.
P.S. The night sky views are spectacular at camp. Remember to look up at the stars.
Terry Holt
Retreat Chair
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2014 Quilt Show News
Several of you picked up packets at the December Tea to make a block for our show quilt. Martha Henrichs is working to assemble the top. We then plan to hand quilt it at Sacred Heart Church, 16th & Grand, in West Des Moines on Wednesday mornings starting in February. Please call Deanna Wilson, 515-987-4618, for more information about joining the quilters.
If you have a string quilt for our Treasured Quilts display, please send a photo to Barb Eckoff at reckoff@radiks.net.
At the quilt show in October, we will display the twin-sized quilts you have made for the YMCA Supportive Housing Campus, which is the Guild's community giving focus this year. So please make lots and lots!
Kathie Anderson and Deanna Wilson
2014 Quilt Show Co-Chairs
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Community Giving Report
At the January meeting we collected 80 placemats, 12 crib/lap size quilts, 1 twin quilt, and 16 pillowcases. We also received 3 twin quilts and 1 lap quilt that need quilting and/or binding. These will be available for check-out at the February Guild meetings. Toiletries and pop tops were collected, but have not yet been weighed.
We have been asked about the dimensions for the twin quilts for the YMCA Supportive Housing Campus project. Any size between 60 and 63 inches wide, and 80 to 85 inches long will work well.
We are also still collecting fabric and notions for the Des Moines Schools. As a quick reminder, they can use flannel, cotton, knit (no double knit, please), and fashion fabrics. Interfacing and Insulbrite are also needed, as well as zippers, thread, buttons, elastic, etc. Special requests have been made for 2-3/4 yard cuts for pajama pants, and 1 yard plus 1/3 yard contrasting fabric for Middle School projects. Please be sure your donations are clean, free of pet hair, and of good quality.
The Community Sewing Day will be on March 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the West Des Moines Library Community Room. This also happens to be National Quilting Day. Our focus will be making quilt tops and backs for twin quilts for the YMCA Supportive Housing Campus project. One ironing board and iron will be provided. Please bring your own tools for cutting, and a machine if you are interested in sewing. The Guild will provide fabric for piecing and binding, but we could use extra batting and larger pieces of fabric for quilt backs.
Thank you all for your commitment to Community Giving.
Phyllis Blood and Sandy Lanning
Community Giving Co-Chairs
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My Brothers' Keeper Update
Several guild members have contacted me recently about the current status of My Brothers' Keeper and whether donations are still accepted by that group.
My Brothers' Keeper (MBK) is a non-denominational, non-profit group that makes quilts, pillows, and other items for the homeless and others in need. In the past, this group had a drop-off site in Prairie City and members worked there regularly to sort donations, make quilts and other items, and then prepare them for delivery to those in need. The Prairie City drop-off site is now closed.
However, the work of My Brothers' Keeper continues with the efforts of a group in the Dexter/Stuart/Menlo/Earlham/etc.area and with DMAQG member Marilyn Nelson's group. Marilyn currently has a full basement and garage and she is not taking more donations. The Dexter group does continue to need your donations. I continue to collect those bags left at the West Des Moines United Methodist Church on Guild meeting days and at Creekside Quilting, as well as those delivered to my home. I sort those and box them for pick up by a My Brothers' Keeper volunteer from Dexter. Last year this volunteer picked up nearly 400 boxes of fabric scraps, snippets, batting scraps, yarn, thread, and other items which were then used to make a variety of items for those in need. So far this year, 60 boxes have been picked up.
Please do continue to bring your bags of MBK donations to Guild meetings and please mark them for MBK (to avoid confusion with donations to the school project). You can also leave donations at Creekside Quilting or call me to arrange a drop-off time at my home.
Thanks so much for your continued support!
Mary Shotwell
MBK Volunteer
515-279-2368
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DMAQG Program Survey Results
Thanks to everyone who completed a program survey at the December tea or January afternoon Guild meeting.
Here are some of the results of the survey:
- Of the 120 members who returned a survey, 10% consider themselves Beginning quilters, 58% are Intermediate, and 32% identify as Advanced quilters.
- As far as the types of quilting, respondents could check more than one type so the numbers do not match the total surveys returned. 106 people indicated that they enjoy piecing and 67 enjoy appliqué. 79 like making traditional quilts, 44 like contemporary or modern quilts, and 40 like art and pictorial quilts. Several people checked all three.
- Our members like using commercial patterns, but nearly as many also like designing quilts or adapting traditional patterns.
- Members quilt their own quilts, as opposed to having them professionally quilted, almost 3 to 1.
- On average, we attend meetings 7.2 months per year.
- The biggest factors influencing whether or not members are able to attend meetings or workshops is time. The second most frequent reason for not attending workshops after lack of time was that members already have enough projects started.
Your input was very helpful for our 2015 program planning. Based on this information, we know that our Guild covers a very big umbrella with lots of different interests and skill levels. We also know that we all are busy and sometimes can feel overwhelmed by our projects. We will be using this information to try and plan lectures and workshops so that there will be programs of interest to everyone in 2015. We are going to try to add a program to help you finish up some of those projects. Look for more specific details later this year.
Martha Henrichs and Kathy Russi
2015 Program Co-chairs
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February: All Star Review
Programs
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
8th & Grand, West Des Moines
1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.: Sew Sew Joyful, DMAQG Small Group
The Sew Sew Joyful small group will share the story behind their group, show their quilts, and talk about their charity work at both Guild meetings on February 25.
Workshops
Wednesday, February 26, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The morning session will consist of 3 mini classes teaching English paper piecing, needle turn applique, and binding techniques.
Wednesday, February 26, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The afternoon session will consist of 3 mini classes teaching rouched flower construction, amazing bindings, and machine applique basics.
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Registration
For any workshop, you may mail in your registration form along with your registration fee to Ann Reed, 681 61st Street, Des Moines, IA 50312. We will also be taking reservations at our meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month. If you have any questions you can contact Nan Earll, nanquilter@gmail.com or 515-321-4949, or Ann Reed, 515-276-6005.
Location
Workshops will be held at West Des Moines Christian Church at 4501 Mills Civic Parkway in West Des Moines. To get there from Interstate 35, exit at Mills Civic Parkway, exit 70. Turn east onto Mills Civic Parkway and drive about 0.9 of a mile. The West Des Moines Christian Church will be on the north side of Mills Civic Parkway. We will meet in Building #3 which is the one closest to Prairie Life Fitness.
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| Our Website
Please stop by and visit our guild website often at www.dmaqg.org for news and information about DMAQG. Look for the photo albums in the blog from the photographers we've had documenting events for us! Also remember to check the calendar to keep up-to-date on all Guild meetings and workshops. If you have anything to contribute to the website, please send it to elainevoyce@mchsi.com. |
| Newsletter
The Piecetime newsletter is published electronically twice a month. The Programs portion of the newsletter is sent on the Friday before the Newcomers monthly meeting held on the third Tuesday of the month. The News portion is sent out the Friday before the Guild's monthly meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
If you would like to submit news or articles, send them to ktpavlik1@gmail.com.
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About Us
The mission of the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild is to stimulate an interest in quilts and quilt making, educate its members, provide for the interchange of information, and encourage community giving.
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Meetings
The monthly meetings of the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild are held January through October on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the West Des Moines United Methodist Church, 720 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines.
We have an afternoon meeting and program at 1:00 p.m. and an evening meeting and program at 7:00 p.m.
Things to bring:
■ Name tag (required to win a door prize)
■ Membership renewal form
■ Workshop registration form
■ Items for show and tell
■ Items for Community Giving
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