Coachella Valley Quilt Guild

May/June 2022 Newsletter

Message from the President

 Happy Summer Everyone,

 

As I finish out my presidency this coming June, I look back over the past two years and am amazed at the changes we have made in our guild and the way we are doing things.  I also realize that things will continue to evolve as we go forward in consolidating a new way of doing our meetings and classes and get togethers with each other.  Who thought two years ago that our snowbird members and members outside the Coachella Valley would be able to join us year round? 

 

 It just took a friend asking me if we would be doing Zoom meetings and the willingness of members like Annie Houston and Heather Keenan to create those Zoom meetings.  Then there were the six members who had planned on opening their sewing spaces to guild members during a Studio Tour in June 2020 who were willing to try it using a PowerPoint presentation via Zoom since the physical presentation wasn’t possible.  A big thank you to Pat Siegel, Leslie Gardiner, Janna Calkins, Kathy Dunham, Mary Gorfine and Kathy Markley for making those first Zoom meetings possible.

 

The quilting world seems to have embraced Zoom and YouTube presentations making it possible to have speakers and teachers share their expertise from around the world.  At times it has seemed overwhelming but it has worked.  As we go back to meeting in person (which is so wonderful to see members again beyond the computer screen), we need to take advantage of what virtual meetings also have to offer to us.  There are pluses and minuses to being in person or virtual.  It is wonderful to be able to access things in one’s own sewing space but it is also great to have the teacher in person to really see what you are doing. I am looking forward to seeing how the incoming Board takes advantage of all we have learned these past two years.

 

So as I say good bye as the president of the Coachella Valley Quilt Guild, I want to say thank you to everyone who served on the board with me and to those who have supported the guild on the various standing committees.  They have really gone the extra mile and I appreciate the work they have done.  

 

I also want to say thank you to all the members who were willing to try the Zoom meetings and activities.  It is challenging to try something new like this — but remember it does keep that mind active and going — just like creating quilts does. So keep learning and keep quilting.

Kathleen Herring, President

Thank you to the 2021-2022 Board Members AND STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Treese Pflum, VP of Facilities

Heather Keenan, Annie Houston, Pat Siegel, VP of Programs

Theresa Lake, VP of Opportunity Quilt

Calvin Trimpey, Treasurer

Patti Reyes, Secretary

Tony DeZego, Membership

Janna Calkins, Parlimentarian

Jackie Mason and Judi Moran, Philanthropy

Kelley Bachli, Newsletter

Leslie Herbst, Sew What Table

Robert Tucker, Facebook

Heather Keenan, Instagram

Sharon Rooker, Historian

 

Upcoming Programs

May

Guest speaker Judi Kirk, "What Judges Are Looking For"

 

June, July and August

Zoom only.  Wait to see what we have in store for you.  Watch the email blasts and check the website and feel free to invite your friends as the summer Zoom meetings will not have a guest fee.

 

September

Guest speaker Kathryn Pellmen, "Storytelling Through Quilts"

 

October

Guest speaker and workshop with Pamela Hadfield.  Trunk Show on Saturday and "Whimsey Wedges" class on Sunday (in person only)

 

November

Guest Speaker and workshop with Lyric Kinard. "The Elements of Art for Every Quilter" on Saturday afternoon and workshop "Bead it like you mean it" in the afternoon (3 hour virtual class)

 

Wool Sew Along

In addition, In May and June we will be having a zoom sit and stitch the Sunday following our meeting.  There will be free instruction and help with wool embroidery.  Check the home page for more info.  It’s not too late to join.

 

You can sign up for all of our classes on our website.

         

We need one more volunteer to host a Zoom Studio Tour during the summer.  Get in touch with Annie Houston or Pat Siegel if you are interested.  No stress involved.  We will help you get set up.

 

Annie Houston and Pat Siegel, Programs

2022-2023 Board Officers

Congratulations to the Board officers who were selected for the next term!  They are: 

 

Tony DeZego, President

Cheryl Quesnell and Nancy Wilhelm, VP of Programs

Patti Reyes, VP Opportunity Quilt

Treese Pflum, VP Facilities

Kathy Dunham, Secretary

Cal Trimpey, Treasurer

Stephanie Beasley and Marcia Ulrich, Membership

Janna Calkins, Parliamentarian

Jackie Mason and Judi Moran, Philanthropy

 

Janna Calkins, Nominating Committee

Holiday silent auction

Think about your donation to The Holiday Silent Auction.  It will be in person this year on Saturday, December 3, so you will actually be able to see all the wonderful items in person.  It is not too early to begin creating your donation.

FAcebook and Challenge

Summer will soon be upon us. There will be bonfires on the beach, colorful boardwalks, consuming ice cream, spontaneous road trips, days in the pool, watermelon slices, hours in air conditioning sorting fabrics and sewing up a storm. Ahhh, some of the many joys of Summer.  One may even think and plan a quilt for the 2024 Desert Guilds Quilt Show. It is never too early.

 

On the topic of the Desert Guilds Quilt Show we should all be proud of the outcome of the 2022 show. As the Coachella Valley Quilt Guild Challenge Rep I was happy we had so many entries and such creative ones at that. For the 2024 show I will be the Challenge Chair which means the challenge will be of my design and I have a great idea for the challenge. A lot of thought has been put into this and my plan is to appeal to the traditional, modern and art quilter.  It is too early to reveal the challenge at this date, but I will keep everyone updated and informed when the time is right. 

 

In 2015 I took on the Facebook account/page for the CVQG and post at least once a week and often more than once. If you do not follow us on Facebook please do and tell your friends. In our last newsletter I informed our readers that on the first day of the Desert Guilds Quilt Show a post I created about the show reached 4,684 people. I am delighted to announce by the close of the show that same post had reached 11,078 people! This is proof of the power of “ sharing “ posts. 

 

For those staying in the desert this Summer stay as cool as you are.

 

Robert Tucker, Facebook and Challenge Quilts

Charity Quilts

March was another big month and April continues in that vein.  In March we received 52 quilts, 26 from guild members and 26 from the Deep Canyon group.  So far in April we have received 25 quilts.  15 quilts were donated to the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center in March, and 20 to Family Hospice.  Our contact person at Family Hospice commented that the quilts are becoming more lovely with each group she receives.  In April 10 small quilts went to the Comprehensive Cancer Center and 10 quilts to Bristol Hospice.   19 quilts are ready to deliver to Olive Crest; this will leave us with no quilts in reserve.  We know that will quickly change!

 

Holli Hainer was the March winner of the Sew What Table Certificate, and Jer Williams was the April winner.

 

While we are meeting in person, there will be no scheduled dates for donations other than at guild meetings.  Once we are back to just Zoom meetings, we will let you know about drop-off dates and locations.

 

We have posted on our website suggested sizes for donation quilts, with additional notes that quilts are to be washed before they are turned into Philanthropy, but labels will be attached by Philanthropy.  

 

Thank you again for all of the work and love you put into making philanthropy quilts.   

 

Jackie Mason and Judi Moran, Co-Chairs, Philanthropy

Sew What Table

Well, our hard work paid off!  A huge thanks to those people who volunteered to prepare, setup, staff, and clean up after our Sew What Table on Saturday!  I know you worked as hard as I did, and everyone did their part extremely well. The event ran smoothly and the flow of traffic was handled expertly!

 

How’d we do, you want to know?

 

The event was fantastic!  I really thought that with some of the Snowbirds having departed, the number of shoppers would be smaller, and the financial support to the Guild would be less.  I was half right:  54 shoppers signed in, (though we think a few may have slipped through without signing in), compared to 68 in January - plus, of course, our staff of 15, who also get to shop!  But our membership, our Friendship Group neighbors, The Joslyn Center’s support, and the sewing community at large, came through in a big way because we raised exactly $10 more than we did in January!  Plus, 5 people redeemed a total of $125 worth of gift certificates.  And we’re on track to exceed our goal for the year by a wide margin!  So thank you, thank you, thank you to those to came to support us!  

 

In addition to what we raised for the Guild, shoppers contributed more than $140 to The Joslyn Center, plus food for Penny’s Pantry.

 

Keep telling your friends about the Sew What Table.  The next event - in the Fall - will be a little different!  Stay tuned for more details later in the year. 

 

If you have fabric to donate, or any questions about the Sew What Table,  or if you have input to help us improve our events, contact me -- I’d love to talk to you.  I’m particularly interested in expanding our promotion of these events, so if you want to help with that, please let me know.

 

I don’t have a Sew What Table Finds item for you today.  Maybe we’ll run across something great for next time!  Till then – keep quilting, and have fun!!

 

Leslie Herbst, Sew What Table Coordinator

Save the date for upcoming sampler platters

July 30 & 31, 12-3pm

 

Links to these virtual events will be sent to members only when the dates get closer.  More information is available here.

2021/2022 Board Members and Committee Chairs

Kathleen Herring, President

Treese Pflum, VP Facilities

Theresa Lake, VP Opportunity Quilt

Annie Houston, VP Programs

Pat Siegel, VP Programs

Patti Reyes, Secretary

Calvin Trimpey, Treasurer

Tony DeZego, Membership

Janna Calkins, Parliamentarian

Kelley Bachli, Newsletter

Patti Reyes, Newsletter

Robert Tucker, Facebook

Jackie Mason, Philanthropy

Judi Moran, Philanthropy

Kathleen Herring, Website

Leslie Herbst, Sew What Table