Ankeny Area Quilters' Guild

Hi Quilters:

Thank you to everyone that made pillowcases for the soldiers.  Wow

what a great response in such a short time, you all deserve a pat on

the back.  Well here it is already the end of th year and I have so many

projects to get done for the holiday and for guild.  I was hoping for

a snow day to sit and work on them.  This nice weather makes me

think I should be outside walking etc.  

Dont foget the Dutch auction at our December meeting, Iam anxious

to see what everyone brings. 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and got to spend time

with family.

See you at the December meeting/potluck/auction.

Louise Whitlow

Cathy Wierzbicki will be returning to Ankeny in late March and has offered to do a workshop on Saturday, March 19 (and hopes to join us for the Friday night sew-in on the 18th).  This will be announced at both the December and January meetings to see if there is enough interest.  Contact Sharon Lesan at sharonlesan@yahoo.com if you want to sign up.

Hello all,

Here is the sign up sheet for the Ankeny Area Quilters Retreat 2011. Please print it out and send it to me  or wait till the January meeting to turn it in. 

MaryLee,

Quilt retreat Chair

mleetex2001@yahoo.com

I know you’ve been waiting for a report on the pillowcase project AND I’ve been wanting to give you a report but every day I come home from work and another bag of pillowcases would be hanging on my front door, donated by another generous quilter.  I have sent 6 paper boxes and two regular boxes full of pillowcases (and some reading material to help fill in the cracks) to the troops in Afghanistan.  Due do your generous donations we are sending a total of 311 pillowcases!!  I can’t believe we were able to get THAT many pillowcases made in such a short amount of time!    Thank you, thank you, thank you…311 pillowcases!!!    I can’t believe what a great talented and generous group of quilters we have.  Thank you so much!!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Tamara Watts-McPhail

Hello everyone!

I have a question for those of you that are thinking about going to the retreat in April. On Thursday night which would you prefer to have Pizza or subs from, like Subway or Quiznos? Which ever gets the most votes wins!!

I am working on getting the sign up sheet on here also. I could use some help with this! If I can’t get it then you will have to wait till January meeting to sign up.

Thanks,

MaryLee Martz,

Retreat Chair

Wow what a great meeting in November.  I was totally amazed at

the number of polka dot challenges.  We will have to do

the voting and presentation different with that many items.

Like I announced at the November meeting we will be having a

Dutch Auction for a fund raiser for the Guild.  You will bring an item

that everyone will want to have and we will bid on them for 1 hour,

the item receiving the highest bid wins a prize for the person that

brought it that night.  You could do some gift shopping and

help the Guild.  So fellow members think what would be a good

item to bring and let’s bid!  I got a couple of items I think will be

a hit.  Bring your friends as guests and bid up your item.

Louise Whitlow

Louise called the meeting to order.  Guests and new members introduced themselves.  There were 75 members and 12 guests present.  Louise thanked the members for helping to dress 50 Salvation Army dolls.  The budget was approved.  The December meeting will be pot luck.   Check the web site for the food type you should bring.  In addition to delicious food, members are asked to bring an item for a Dutch auction.  Louise announced there will be a prize for the person whose item brings in the most money.  Vice President Tamara Watts-McPhail thanked everyone for donating pillowcases for the troops.  Two hundred twenty-four pillowcases were turned in tonight!  There were 38 members that participated in the President’s polka dot challenge.  Diane Weirich received the most votes.  Just a reminder the February President’s challenge is Color Your Name.  Quilt Show Co-Chairs Janeen and Tamara discussed the first FREE sew scheduled for this Friday at the church from 6 – 11 p.m.  Quilting Connection from Ames will be demonstrating a project called Twister.  One charm pack can make the adorable table topper.  Sign-up sheets are available for the sewing night and the classes being offered during next summer’s Quilt Show.  Ilene Bartos, instructor for the summer class, shared information about it.  Retreat Chair MaryLee Martz advised the retreat planning is underway—the theme is Earth, Wind, Fire and Water.   Sign up will begin in January.  There will be room for 40 quilters. 

Sharon introduced our speaker, Edie McGinnis—Presenting: Feedsacks—From the Barnyard to the Bedroom.  Edie has published over a dozen books that were offered for sale after the meeting.  Edie’s love of feed sacks started out with just 10.  She decided to start her first quilt from them when she had collected 167.  She told fascinating stories about all she has learned.  Her trunk show included many samples of the ones she has collected as well as quilts made from them.   Edie shared that printed feed sacks were made from about 1937 to the 1950s.

The fat quarter drawing was polka dot fabrics this month.  The door prizes were given and birthdays were honored.   Show and tell and refreshments finished out the meeting. 

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Eve

Members present:  Louise Whitlow, Janeen Pearson, MaryLee Martz, Jan Heddinger, Tamara Watts-McPhail, Susan Body, Janet Neuschwanger, Connie Lovelady, De Tapper and Kathy Evers.

Louise called the meeting to order and the secretary minutes were approved.  The treasurer’s report was read by De and approved.  There was discussion about the December meeting potluck dinner.  It was decided to request members to split up the food for the pot luck in the following:  A-E brings Drinks; F-K brings Soup; L-M brings Salad or Vegetables; N-R brings Bread and crackers and S-Z brings Dessert.  The board will sign up next month to provide the table service.  There will also be a Dutch auction from donated items at the December meeting with bidding from 7 – 8 pm. 

Vice President Tami discussed the pillowcase project.  She is appreciative of all donations that members wish to make to send to the troops. 

Retreat Chair MaryLee discussed the upcoming retreat.  Members will be able to sign up for the retreat starting in January.  The retreat will be held at the Christian Conference Center in Newton, Iowa April 7-10, 2011.  She is still working on the food details and will provide the cost once that is established.  There is only room for 40 participants, so sign up early. 

Quilt Show Co-Chairs Janeen and Tami will have class sign-up sheets for the quilt show classes available at the guild meeting.  They reminded us that the first FREE Friday night sew will be held November 12^th.  Quilting Connection from Ames will be the sponsor.  The Quilt show committee continues to explore places to advertise the Quilt show.  The board approved ordering 100 pins for the celebration of the 20^th year of our guild.  They will be sold to members as well as given as incentive for working at the quilt show.  We are also working on the design of the bags for the quilt show as well. Meeting was adjourned. 

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Evers

Wasn’t Edie McGinnis great at our November meeting?  All those feedsacks!   All those stories!

We won’t have a speaker at our December meeting and potluck, but watch for more information from President Louise on the “Dutch auction” that she announced last meeting (proceeds going to AAQG).   I believe that there will be prizes awarded for the item going for the highest amount!   This is a great chance to invite your friends to come to do some Christmas shopping and bid up YOUR auction item!

Sharon Lesan, Program Chair

Tonight’s speaker is Edie McGinnis, from the Kansas City Star, presenting “Feedsacks:  Out of the Barnyard and into the Bedroom”.  There is still time to sign up for supper with her at 5:00 PM at Chips Restaurant.  Contact Sharon at 965-5608 or sharonlesan@yahoo.com so we’ll have a large enough table.  Remember that our themed show-and-tell is in addition to our regular show-and-tell, so we’ll look forward to seeing all your completed projects as well as “Edie-themed” items like feedsacks, Kansas City Star patterns, etc.

Hi Everyone

Here we are in November already and 50 days to Christmas.

Okay it is Polka Dot challenge month and Iam excited to see all of

your projects. So do not forget them Nov. 9th.  Iam going to make

another challenge, everyone that has any polka dot clothing wear it

that night.  Needless to say Iam having trouble finding anything

to wear that has polka dots. 

We will be voting on the budget this month so if you have any

questions give me a call.

We have had a  little bookkeeping snafu so if you did not get a

budget in the mail let us know immediately and we would like

everyone to check the membership list at Guild Tuesday night

and make sure your registration got logged and that your address

is  correct. So because of that we will not have the membership

booklets available this month, we feel it would be better to wait

a month and make sure e veryone gets in it correctly. Sorry

for the inconvience but I am sure it will all be okay.

We will have more on the Quilt show to present to you Tuesday

so don’t miss out.  Also we will discuss the December meeting

potluck and we will be trying something different.

I went to the Crazy Quilt exhibit at the Historical Building and

the stiching on some of them was impressive and I got an ideal

for using up some of my stuff… O boy another project.

Don’t forget to bring the pillowcases you have made for the

soldiers so they can be shipped off in time to get to them for

Christmas.  I put notes in mine.

Keep sewing and see you all November 9th at the meeting.

Louise Whitlow, Pres.

Special Board Meeting – Held October 19, 2010

Present:  Louise Whitlow, Sharon Lesan, Sharon McCarthy, Susan Body, Janeen Pearson, Jan Heddinger, De Tapper and Kathy Evers.

Meeting was called to order by Louise.  Discussion was held regarding the guild’s budget.  Adjustments were made on the budget.  Jan Heddinger made a motion to approve a reasonable dollar amount be included in the current year budget for the following year’s raffle quilt.  Sharon Lesan seconded the motion.  Motion passed unanimously.

It was discussed that the By Laws and proposed budget need to be sent to all paid members for them to have it in time for the November guild meeting.  Susan and Kathy will coordinate the mailing to the members.

Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Evers

AAQG Meeting Minutes- October 12, 2010

Louise Whitlow called the meeting to order and requested cell phones be turned off.  There were 63 members present and 1 guest.  New members and guest were introduced.  Janeen Pearson was elected to Quilt Show Chair-Elect.  Louise advised she had received a donation of 75 – 100 yards of fabric.  She will bring the fabric to the next guild meeting.  There is a request for people to sew chair bags for a teacher.  The fabric and pattern will be provided.  Contact Louise if you are interested.  The guild members have completed dressing 29 dolls for the Salvation Army as well as 15 additional dresses.  Louise will be donating them.  Remember next month is the first president’s challenge to make something from Polka Dot fabric.  Some members have requested to join small groups to sew; a sign-up sheet was passed around to coordinate this.  Vice President, Tamara Watts-McPhail spoke of her brother serving in the armed forces.  She is requesting 350 – 400 pillowcases to send to the troops by the November meeting.  Please consider making pillowcases.  A link will be posted on the web site for pattern information.  Janeen Pearson rolled out next year’s Quilt show theme:  Color Outside the Lines.  The parameter is whatever challenges YOU as a quilter.  So everyone tap into your inner child to meet this challenge.  This is our guild’s 20^th year.  Janeen announced there will be three FREE Friday night sew dates to help everyone get started on their projects.  The dates are:  November 12^th, January 14^th and March 18^th.  These will take place at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church from 6-11 pm.  Quilting Connection in Ames will sponsor the November event.  This may be a good time to invite a friend that is thinking of joining the guild to come for some fun.  The categories and awards for the Quilt Show were announced.  There are workshops already lined up and sign-up sheets are available now.  Ilene Bartos and JoAnn Belling will be the workshop presenters.  An incentive program to recognize volunteers will include an anniversary pin and canvas tote.  Directors-at-large Jan Heddinger and Sharon McCarthy awarded the winners of the fat quarter drawing.   They were Deb Koseoglu and Ann Kruse.  The door prizes went to Donita Link and Karen Hugen.  There were five members who celebrated their birthday this month.  The buddy system was announced for new members.  Sharon Lesan announced program evaluations will be used this year.

Sharon introduced Clare O’Donohue, presenting “How Alex Anderson Inspired Me to Write a Murder Mystery”    Clare has published three quilting mystery books,  Lover’s Knot, A Drunkard’s Path and The Double Cross.  Twelve years ago Clare started as a newspaper reporter and wanted to get into television.  She was hired on the spot for the show Simply Quilts because she knew how to quilt and the special language that quilters use…  She acted as interpreter for the first year of the show.  Clare shared some stories of working on the show including how Eleanor Burns got burned.  She shared some of her journey to the writing of her first novel.  She read the first chapter of The Double Cross to us… oh a good mystery AND quilting, what more can we ask for?

Members presented their show and tell and enjoyed treats.

Respectfully presented,

Kathy Evers

AAQG Board Minutes – October 5, 2010

Members present:  Sharon Lesan, De Tapper, Connie Lovelady, Janet Neuschwanger, Janeen Pearson, Tamara Watts-McPhail, Louise Whitlow, Sharon McCarthy, Linda Schlenker, Susan Body and Kathy Evers

Louise called the meeting to order and the secretary minutes were approved.  The treasurer’s report was read by De and approved.  The budget will be sent to all paid members after the October Guild meeting.  The board will be assisting with the membership drive next Tuesday.  Tami is requesting 400 – 500 pillowcases to go to our troops.  Her brother is deployed and she would like to have them by the November meeting for distribution by Christmas.  There has been a request for 28 chair bags from a teacher.  The pattern and fabric will be provided.  A request with this information will be put on the web site and facebook page. Sharon McCarty volunteered to be the contact person for the suitcase drive for Children and Family Services.  She will collect suitcases in December and May.  Guild members are to bring fat quarters of fall or Halloween fabric to be placed in a drawing.  November fat quarters will be polka dot fabric and December will be Christmas fabric.  Sharon Lesan will begin using speaker evaluations.  The board reviewed the information for the 2011 Quilt show.  The theme will be announced to the guild members at the October 12^th guild meeting.  Janeen Pearson volunteered to be the Quilt show chair elect.   Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Evers