Blue Ridge Quilters Guild of Northeast Tennessee
The VP/Program Officer may be reached at [email protected]
Sandy Fitzpatrick
Freemotion Fun & FactsRobin Beals
Ergonomics of SewingThe Annual Holiday Luncheon will be held in December and will follow the regular monthly membership meeting. Please bring a potluck dish to share. Drinks and set-ups will be provided by the Guild.
This Annual Picnic will be held at the Rotary Club Pavilion, 1001 North Broadway Street, Johnson City, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Pot Luck meal, drink, and utensils provided by Guild. Bring Outreach Quilts, library books, and your Challenge entry.
A highlight of every Guild meeting is Sew and Tell. At in-person meetings, every member has the opportunity to share quilts (Small Comforts, Ronald McDonald House Preemies, and/or personal)
For Zoom meetings, members send photos of their quilts to the Chair of Small Comforts by the Friday before the monthly meeting. The photos will be included in the Sew and Tell PowerPoint Presentation. As each quilt is displayed, members have the opportunity to talk about their work.
The Guild participates in the TriCities Consortium. The Consortium partners all the TriCities quilt quilds to capitalize on resources to host speakers, sewins and bus trips open to all the TriCities Quilt guild members. Information about Consortium events can be found on the Consortium Facebook page. All active members are able to open the Facebook pages to follow events. If you have not had access, contact Noela Frail or Pam Wilson to request access.
The Community Outreach Chair may be reached at Community Outreach Chair
The Blue Ridge Quilters’ Guild offers the opportunity to sew for children in need in Northeast Tennessee. Guild members are encouraged to make “Small Comforts/Preemie” quilts for children of all ages who are under the auspices of local care organizations.
Once a year, the monthly program is a “Mystery Quilt” presentation. This is the only time we actually sew during our meeting time. The Mystery Quilt pattern is designed to be finished quickly, meet the size guidelines of our “Small Comforts,” and use up our stash. Batting and backing are provided for this event.
Our quilts go to:
Members are encouraged to make quilts from their own stash or from kits provided by the Guild, or to assist with quilting or finishing tops made by other members.
We accept donations of 100% cotton fabrics for use in these quilts.
Quilts of any size are acceptable but the following sizes are most widely useful:
The Fundraiser Chair may be reached at Fundraiser Chair
The Guild’s major fund-raiser, an auction/sale, is usually held immediately following the Guild’s May meeting during even numbered years. Volunteers are needed to be cashier, spotters. Donations of quilting sewing related items such as books, magazines (bundled if a whole year’s worth), rulers, thread, sewing machines, fabric (quantity identified on each piece), UFO panels and tops, squares, irons, ironing boards, cutting boards, furniture, chairs, tables, storage bins, bags or scraps and quilt tops.
The Challenge Chair may be reached at Challenge Chair
Our annual Quilt Challenge theme is announced in the fall. All members are encouraged to participate as a way to challenge themselves.
Rules can specify many things such as: the color(s) or design of fabric(s) used, a theme, embellishments, a certain quilt block, size of quilt, and whether other quilted items may be entered, etc.
Votes are cast by attendees, in accordance with the judging criteria set by the Challenge Committee.
Blue Ridge Quilt Guild Challenge Quilt for 2024-25
Curvacious Piecing Challenge
The possibilities are endless – traditional, improv, whatever. Stretch your boundaries by incorporation of a curvilinear technique you’ve never used before. Consider this challenge as a chance to grow your skills. Give yourself permission to relax and try something different, taking a risk. It may not be intended as an heirloom, but it may turn out spectacular. The only requirement is a curvilinear element.
The Retreat Chair may be reached at Retreat Chair
Theme for Retreat 2025 to be determined. It will again be at the Ron Ramsey Regional Agricultural Center, 140 Spurgeon Lane, Blountville, Tn (37617) from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 12th – 14th. The entry fee for all three days is $45.00 and includes shared two person eight-foot tables, plenty of electrical outlets, an in-house commercial kitchen area, ironing space, tables for laying out quilts, a portable design wall, cutting station, and a secure location to leave your machine and equipment overnight.
On Wednesday and Thursday. 15 attendees will provide the potluck on Wednesday and 15 different attendees will provide the potluck on Thursday. All of this will probably feed us for the remaining days. You may use the kitchen facilities to plug in roasters and crock pots. Plenty of refrigerator space will be available. Those planning to participate in the potluck should sign up during the February or March meeting. Categories are salad, vegetables, main dish, and dessert. Sweet and unsweet tea as well as lemonade will be provided.
Snacks for the snack table are welcome additions.
Registration deadline is February 1, 2025 with cancellations allowed up until that date as well. Early registration is actively encouraged. We need 20 participants to break even and we will cap the participation to 30.
It is rumored . . . what happens at retreat, stays at retreat!
Please plan to join us for laughter, sewing, fabric !