2016 Quilt Show
Piecemakers Quilt Guild
of Southern Alameda County
Activties
Piecemaker members are eligible to participate in many guild activities. Learn more about becoming a member by visiting our Membership page.
Programs
Many of our meetings include speakers with national reputations who present inspiring and 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 at the beginning of the year. 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. Our regular meetings ends with Show & Tell.
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.
Library
The Piecemakers Library contains books which are available for members to borrow on meeting days. You may download the list of books available from our library:
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
LAFS (Ladies Academy Finishing School) participants meet at the Holy Redeemer Church, the third Saturday each month to work on unfinished projects, get help with your projects, learn new techniques, share your ideas, get inspired, sew with friends, make new friends and have laughs and fun in a casual setting. Tables, irons, ironing boards and extension cords are supplied; just bring your project, sewing machine and a snack or lunch depending on how long you plan to stay.
Opportunity Quilts
Each year Piecemakers design and create an Opportunity Quilt. Guild members display the quilt at various venues throughout the year. Donations are accepted in exchange for raffle tickets as a fund raiser for the guild. The quilt is given away in November when we draw the winning ticket.
Work Parties
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 Piecemakers Quilt Guild awards grants to local schools to teach quilt making to children.
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 may ask Piecemakers Quilt Guild to demonstrate quilting skills.
Major Events
Quilt Show
The Piecemakers Quilt show occurs once every two years. Quilts, wearable art, and dolls are displayed. Also included with the show are the Piecemakers boutique, raffle baskets, visiting vendors, and refreshments.
Camp Stitches is held each Fall. 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.
Retreats
The twice annual retreat is a fun-filled weekend away from home, participants gather to work on individual projects.
Weekend mini retreats are sponsored by the Community Quilts committee. They are held at a local hotel, and members bring their own projects to work on and share fellowship.