Programs - Speakers, many with national reputations, regale us with their witty, informative presentations. This is a great opportunity to examine prize-winning quilts and to gain inspiration from innovative techniques. Some months, participants enjoy member-conducted mini-workshops or tie community quilts.

Block-of-the-Month - Look in the newsletter for the current month's pattern. Participants make one or more blocks at home, and turn them in at the meeting. Each contributor becomes eligible to win a group of blocks. Some months there are more than one winner.

Secret Pal - Have you noticed those creatively wrapped packages at meetings? Secret Pals sign up in January. If you are a Secret Pal, you give small gifts anonymously to the person whose name you have, and someone else does the same for you. In December, Secret Pals celebrate with a revealing party.

Show & Tell - One of our most popular events, Show and Tell encourages members to share their needlework projects with the group.

Ways and Means - Meeting attendees may buy tickets for the Ways and Means drawing. Winners claim small prizes, which are donated by members or supplied by the guild. Proceeds from Ways and Means go to the Library Fund to purchase new books.

Quilting Opportunities

Challenges - Anyone can offer a challenge by setting up a few rules for a quilting project. This activity encourages creative use of specific patterns, fabrics, colors, or shapes. Completed projects may be displayed at meetings, our quilt show, or in public buildings.

LAFS (Ladies Academy Finishing School) - LAFS participants meet at the Holy Redeemer Church, the third Saturday evening each month to work on unfinished projects and to socialize.

Quilts - Each year Piecemakers design and assemble quilts such as the Opportunity Quilt for a fund raiser and the Fair Quilt for a quilting demonstration at the Alameda County Fair. Sometimes we also make quilts for other organizations.

Tie-Ins - Our Community Quilts project provides members with opportunities to set up frames, and baste or tie quilts. This is a no-experience-needed activity, and a good chance to learn some basic skills while we visit. The newsletter announces dates and places.

Workshops - Each year we invite professional quilters with national reputations to conduct workshops where participants learn skills by working on a project. On other occasions talented Piecemakers share their skills by leading classes either at meetings or events.

Community Quilts - Piecemakers Quilt Guild members turn donated fabrics into quilts of all sizes for local agencies and organizations, as our primary public service project.

School Grants - The Piecemaker Quilt Guild awards grants to local schools to teach quiltmaking to children.

Quilting Demonstrations

Alameda County Fair - For one week during the fair, members hand-quilt a previously pieced quilt while visiting with fair attendees.

Ardenwood - Since 1985, Piecemakers Quilt Guild has participated in special events at Ardenwood Historic Park in Fremont. In addition to displaying quilts, we demonstrate basting, tying, or quilting as we chat with visitors.

Shinn House - This historic residence in Fremont also holds special events, and asks Piecemakers Quilt Guild to demonstrate quilting skills.

Major Events

Quilt Show - (every other year) Open to the public, the show runs for two days. We collect quilts, clothing and dolls to display, and invite vendors to sell their wares. For fund raisers, we show the Opportunity Quilt, provide refreshments, and hold a boutique.

Camp Stitches - (every other year) These two-day workshops in September or October provide opportunities to learn new methods in an informal atmosphere. The workshop leaders usually come from our membership. In years when we don't have a quilt show, we sponsor Camp Stitches.

Retreat - (annually) for a fun-filled weekend away from home, participants gather for workshops and activities.