March Newsletter 2025

March is coming in with sunny skies, but cold temperatures – so I’m not sure if that is like a lion or a lamb! Our quilt show in February was fantastic. Sooooo many beautiful quilts and so many fun baskets to bid on. Thank you to EVERYONE that participated in the show. A very special thank you to Kandra for all of her hard work preparing for the show and Sue for her work organizing the basket raffle. Congratulations to Betsy Zimmerman for her Best of Show Award – so many 1 inch squares so beautifully pieced! Congratulations to Karla Zadnik for winning the special judges award, her use of a teal background really set that quilt apart! Congratulations to Barb MacVean for winning the viewer’s choice award, those flowers were stunning! Jennifer Thurmond was the winner of the raffle quilt- which was a good thing because she was going to have a hard time parting with that quilt! Thank you to everyone that helped with the show. Many hands make light work and it is appreciated.

Looking forward to our March meeting on the 25th! Scott Jones will be our speaker. He is a textile and surface designer, digital artist, and printmaker. He blends hand-pulled screen prints with his original textile designs to create what he calls “functional pop art” in the form of handbags and wallets. His work is featured at some of the top fine art and craft shows across the United States and is represented in several galleries, including the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus. In addition to his studio practice, Scott has consulted for the Ohio Craft Council and led educational events for Ohio designer Craftsmen. His work has been published in Fiber Art Now and American Craft and he draws inspiration from the bold, graphic aesthetics of mid-century commercial art and design. He will have items for sale at our meeting.

Thank you to Tina and Melanie for working through our new membership program and helping us all get enrolled on the new platform! Thank you “Melina!”

A big shout out to Melanie for organizing our winter in town retreat. It was lots of fun and very well organized. Thank you Melanie!!!

Just starting this year, but already planning for next year. Melanie Dodd created a survey to help guide planning for next year’s presenters. She posted it on Facebook so if you already have responded great, but if you haven’t it is also attached to this newsletter. You can email it to Melanie sews4fun79@gmail.com or bring it to the meeting in March.

Out of Town Retreat

Its  that time of year!  The CT Spring retreat is scheduled at the Berlin Inn and Resort, 5330 County Road 201, Millersburg Ohio 44654. The retreat  dates are May 15-18,2025.   We will open registration March 25, 2025 at the monthly meeting.  Please bring a check and roommate name when registering in person.  We will have registration forms at the meeting for you to complete. There will also be the option of on- line registration.  Registration will close April14, 2025.  If you need to cancel after that date, there will be no refund, unless you find someone to take your place (need to coordinate with your roommate).  According to  the bylaws the retreat  must break even.  Because of increasing  fees and room tax there may have a slight increase in the registration fee.

Treasurer update

• Quilt show - $1,087 in revenue ($210 entries, $877 from raffle quilt and raffle baskets), less expenses (judging, ribbons, food for volunteers) = $163 net income.

• Current bank balance: $7,650.43. Several checks still not posted from quilt show, but balance reflects guild rent to St. Catharine's paid for all of 2025. Year to date income is $6,091.12 and year to date expenses are $7,129.35.

SWAPS 

Scrappy Triangle swap: Several people expressed interest in participating in the swap, but I think we were all concentrating on the quilt show last month. You have one last chance to bring in your scrappy triangles! The link for the patterns is

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60943aa70c791e486226c157

Make three each of the five patterns for a total of 15 blocks. Sew only the pieced side so that the recipient can use a fabric of their choice for the big triangle. You can make multiple sets of 15.

There is still time to join the Friendship swap. You must contact Mary Hoffman via email hoffman.62.mary@gmail.com or text 614-519-8616 by Sunday March 23 to participate.

Bring your fabric tote to the March meeting. Details for the Friendship swap: 

What is a Friendship Block Swap?

A Friendship Block Swap is a small group swap in which you provide fabric and each month someone makes two quilt blocks for you. In the end, you will receive 12 quilt blocks to assemble your friendship quilt.

What Do I Have to Do?

1. Sign up with a group of 2-7 people, or individually. 

2. Choose your fabric. Suggestions: 12 –15 fat quarters and 2 yards of background fabric OR 6-8 half yards and 2 yards of background fabric OR any variety of fabrics that total about 5-6 yards. 

3. Bring your fabric in a plastic tote to the MARCH guild meeting. 

4. Take home another person’s tote and make them 2 – 12.5” quilt blocks using their fabric. Leave them a note pinned to the blocks you made for them (note is optional but nice).

5. Bring the tote and completed blocks to the next meeting.

6. Pass the tote on.

UNSEWN SWAPS

Monthly FQ Raffle: Spring is almost here…bring your favorite flower colors (yellows, pinks, purples, etc), think spring bouquet! You’ll receive a ticket for each FQ you bring.

Birthday FQ Swap: We will celebrate birthdays for Kathy Hamilton and Lori Foor!!! We will have the bags at the swap table ahead of the meeting.

Please check out the website! Information about the retreat, March meeting, and April Speaker and workshop will be accessible on there!

Happy Spring Sewing!

Carol and Bev