July President's Message
July 2017
Some friends took me to my first quilt show in Williamsburg around 2002 and I was amazed at what could be done with fabric. Last week, I received my issue of AQS Magazine and was amazed again. The issue contained the winners at recent AQS shows. The imagery, colors, techniques, and quilting were way beyond my capabilities and as much as I admired them, they also made me feel pretty inadequate. Then, I remembered our shows. I go around the exhibits and am impressed by the ability and imagination displayed by our members. Our skills range from talented first timers to over-the-top veterans. Our quilts bring joy, comfort and warmth. In addition, our skills are enhanced by each other. It can be called a special synergy—our whole is much greater than the sum of our parts. My skills have increased because of the motivation I received from seeing your work. I can see where I could do something a little different then the pattern; maybe combine some colors that I wouldn’t think as going together, etc.… Quilts in magazines awe me but your quilts inspire me. Please, please continue to enter your quilts in the shows and bring your quilts to chapter meetings for show and tell—I need you!
We had a discussion at the Executive Board meeting about our changing roles outside of the home and how it limits our participation in things we would like to do. We make time for those things that are important to us and we must be careful not to over schedule ourselves. I think the guild is important to us or we would not go to the meetings. In order to have the best use of our time at the meetings, we need to encourage participation in the planning and execution of them. The Night Chapter needs a treasurer and as these jobs go, this is a simple one but an important one. The budget is less than $1,000 a year and the treasurer keeps track of it by giving out receipts for money taken in by the side tables and writing checks for expenses. A simple worksheet helps with that and does the math for you. The Chapter Treasurers do not attend the Executive Board meetings and the Chapter Board meetings are only required every three months. Most of the time, these meetings are before or after your chapter meeting. Please consider volunteering for this job as a way to keep our guild moving forward. Many of my friendships within the guild have evolved from working behind the scenes and I can say without a doubt that I have never regretted my decision to get involved.
Ann Walls TQG President