Greetings Stitch Brothers and Sisters!!
Some of us have been able to enjoy classes again sponsored by the Guild. Christ Lutheran Church has had COVID guidelines, and that made everyone feel that the safety of the participants and everyone in the building was very important. It has been wonderful to be with each other, learning techniques and patterns. In June, Barb Steckel taught a great class using the Creative Grids Scrap Crazy 6" Ruler Set. The things she taught us about creating different patterns from this ruler set were eye opening, limited only by one's own imagination. The tips she shared will be used for more than the patterns shown. In July, Pam Ventgen came from Anchorage to teach the Alaska Quilt by Laundry Basket Quilts' Edyta Sitar. Templates, you say? Well, we got over that pretty quickly, and hummed along creating our own version. As usual, Pam's instructions and tips were very valuable. We had so much fun! Read more about Dana Lewis' class in Karrie's news. We're looking forward to that.
We just had our executive board meeting IN PERSON! Again, at Christ Lutheran Church. Some of our board members joined us via Zoom. There were some challenges with that, but overall, it worked out fine. Here are a few of the things we discussed:
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Records Retention. We are moving forward with this, which will lighten the load on many of the executive board positions. So, never fear, taking a position on the board in the future may not mean 10 totes of extra stuff! Work is being done.
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One of the things our Treasurer has been working on is the new budget, which will move forward for approval at our October meeting. Marsha has also been busy making sure everything is as it should be, and is researching backwards to insure consistency. In researching types of accounts, she recommends keeping our bank accounts where they are as well as the types of accounts. We are avoiding bank fees with the aid of Marsha's diligence.
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Upcoming meetings. Our October meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 2nd. We are keeping current with the COVID protocols of Christ Lutheran Church, so will be able to update you closer to time of those protocols. You always have the option of zooming instead of attending in person. This meeting is historically the one where the drawings for the retreat and retreat scholarship will take place. However, since there have been concerns regarding everyone's health due to COVID, we are doing things a little differently this year. See the Retreat Report for more.
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The meeting dates for 2022 are: Annual Meeting - Saturday, April 2, 2022; General Membership Meeting - Saturday, October 1, 2022. These dates will be posted on the front page of our website, along with Executive Board meeting dates.
You are encouraged to mail your membership registration. October 1 is the beginning of our fiscal year. The membership form is available on the website, all details are on the form, such as how much, where to send the form and fees, etc. Remember, you must be a member in good standing to attend the retreat.
I can tell you that your safety is uppermost in the minds of our Retreat Chairs, and they are trying to work out the best scenario. Retreat Registrations will be available on December 1, and the deadline to submit your registration will be December 31. Due to the shifting health concerns, the health of all attendees is of the utmost concern. There will be fewer attendees to provide for social distancing, masks may be required as well as vaccines. If the pandemic continues to worsen, the retreat may be canceled. The Retreat Committee are all navigating the shifting sands for you.
Our Education Chair has been busy as well, and we will have the third class of the season coming up in September. Other news from Karrie will be our Holiday Crafting/Getting Ready for Christmas in November, as well as demos after our October and April meetings.
Grace has a new block for us, Book Look by Kathleen never disappoints, and, despite challenges, Jan will have a list of quilty or fiber things to whet your appetite. The newsletter is a great resource for information.
At our October meeting, I will be selecting a Nominating Committee of one person from each of the three main geographic areas. This group will be finding candidates for President and Treasurer. I cannot run again, but Marsha is eligible for another term. Please reach out to me if you are interested in this committee, OR if you know of someone who would make a good President going forward.
I will also be selecting an Audit Committee of two. If you love numbers, this is for you! Please let me know if you'd like to be a part of this committee.
What a wonderful time to be a quilter. There are so many benefits:
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It's cheaper than therapy.
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We create things that make other people feel loved.
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You can run away from your troubles, or voices in your head, simply by sitting at your sewing machine.
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Petting fabric makes us happy!
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We have a superpower. How many people can say that?
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We have a secret language, and will never meet a stranger in a quilt shop.
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We will NEVER run out of things to do. The UFO pile will always be with us, even if we box it up and shove it under the bed.
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To steal from a meme: 5 steps to becoming a happier person:
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1. Quilt, 2. Quilt, 3. Quilt, 4. Quilt, 5. Quilt.
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