SMALL GROUPS AND COMMITTEES (click arrow)

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Block of the Month/Mystery Quilt

Each year we offer some type of block of the month. It is an opportunity for members who would like to practice a more varied group of techniques. Participation is optional, and a member may choose to make the blocks in whatever color combination they wish. In past years we have had a mystery quilt, a Christmas Ribbon Quilt as well as appliqué projects, and different basket patterns. There usually is a nominal fee to cover the cost of the pattern. At the end of the year, usually the November meeting, members who have participated bring their quilt to share. The members vote on their favorite quilt with the maker receiving a prize. In addition, all of the names of those that participated are put in a hat and one name is drawn for a prize for their participation.

Bus Trip

Occasionally the guild plans a bus trip to shop at quilt shops. If there is sufficient interest, a trip is planned for the Minnesota State Quilt Show every June. The bus trip committee arranges transportation, meals and collects money from guild members who participate.

By-laws

This committee meets occasionally to review the Bylaws & makes recommendations for change. 

Comfort Quilts

The construction of charity quilts is an ongoing community service project. Each year our membership makes over 200 baby and youth quilts to donate to churches, Children’s Inn, Union Gospel Mission, and other agencies that exhibit a need. Supplies are often donated,but some purchases are made with the monies allocated from the guild. There are kits available at monthly meetings for those who wish to participate in this project. We also make Veterans Appreciation Quilts (VAQ) that are given to military personnel or veterans. We offer blocks to be made by the members as well as workdays in which the quilt tops are put together. As a guild, we also make quilts for the We Honor Veterans programs. This is a program that partners with hospice organizations to honor veterans who have served when they reach the end of life. The guild makes a small lap sized quilt for AseraCare Hospice patients and a bed runner for patients at Ava’s House, the inpatient hospice of Sanford Health. In addition, guild members on their own make pillowcases for both Sanford and Avera McKennan pediatric patients as well as pillowcases for children that come to the Children’s Inn. Members also on their own make small (approximately 36” square) receiving blankets made of flannel for Sanford’s Birthplace. The pillowcases and receiving blankets are collected at the monthly meetings.

Education

Education has been integrated into the normal monthly meeting as part of the agenda. It involves either lectures, demonstrations showing new tools, or new methods for making familiar patterns. Sometimes patterns are shared by the presenter. Please feel free to offer your expertise in sharing something you have discovered to help your quilting activities. Or, if you have a request for a particular demonstration, please let the chairperson of this committee know of your interest.

Historian/Scrapbook

The guild has a historian to keep a record of guild activities from past years. A scrapbook has been added to help record our history. If you have any photos or news articles regarding our guild or its members, please feel free to share these with this committee.

Holiday Party

In December, a Christmas party is held in lieu of a meeting. The Members at Large are responsible for planning, securing the location, food, entertainment, door prizes, and decorations.

Hospitality

This function is to provides a “Welcome Table” each month at the meeting, and greets everyone as they enter, providing sign in sheets, as well as temporary nametags. He or she may also schedule members (2 per month) to greet members and guests and also offer assistance to visitors, if they have any questions. See the membership table for your first name tag and lanyard.

Membership

The responsibility of this committee is to help recruit new members and to make the newly joined members feel at home. If you have any concerns, please see the committee chairperson or the president of the guild. They are also responsible for collecting dues each year.

Dues for the year are due in February.

Monthly Meetings

Monthly meetings of the Sioux Falls Quilter’s guild are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Southern Hills United Methodist Church (3400 E. 49th St.). Meetings begin at 6:45. Please feel free to come early to visit with quilting friends or take care of business.

Our June meeting has sometimes been an Ice Cream Social held at the church or another designated location. The December meeting is a Christmas party held at a designated location. We had meetings via Zoom during the COVID pandemic when it was not safe to meet in person.

Newsletter-The Patchworder

The Patchworder newsletter is mailed monthly via email to paid members around the first of every month. It consists of notifications of past and approaching events, calendar items, birthdays, meeting minutes, treasurer’s report, and articles of interest. Newsletter items must be submitted to the editor by the 20th of each month.

Nominating Committee

Three members are appointed by the president to recruit members to run for office. The committee explains the role of each officer. They present a slate of officers prior to the October vote. The nominating committee shall conduct the election and announce the new executive officers.

Program

Each month after the business meeting a program is held for the members present. The Vice President is the chairperson for this committee. Programs typically are trunk shows or area shops presenting new items they have recently received.

Publicity

This committee notifies area guilds, quilt stores, newspapers, radio, and TV stations of upcoming events for the guild. If you have any suggestions for promoting quilting to the general public, please contact this committee.

Quilt Show-Dakota Pieces

Sioux Falls Quilters’ Guild has presented DAKOTA PIECES quilt shows on odd numbered years since in 1991. Members display their quilts and quilted projects for public viewing. The show offers quilt shop vendors, demonstrations of new tools or techniques, door prizes and a raffle quilt that the guild makes.

Raffle Quilt

This committee will create the quilt, which will be raffled off at the upcoming Dakota Pieces quilt show. They also keep track of the newest raffle quilt for the next quilt show (held every odd year) and arrange public viewing opportunities and provide raffle tickets to be sold. Members are also asked to sell raffle tickets.

Show and Tell

Members are encouraged to bring works in progress or finished projects to show at our monthly meetings. Show and Tell is usually done after the program. At that that time each quilter will be asked to “Show and Tell” about their project. Everyone enjoys seeing the other members’ accomplishments and getting inspiration for future projects.

Small Groups

One of the best ways to get acquainted with other quilters and to learn new techniques is by joining a small group. Typically, small groups number from 6-12 persons, meeting monthly in a public place such as a library.

Currently there are 3 small groups:

Machine Quilting—members of this group discuss machine quilting techniques and review books by prominent machine quilters. 

Embroidery Group—this group gets together to stitch projects by hand. 

Art Group—this group explores the more artistic modes of quilting. 

Wool Group –this group works with wool. 

Miscellaneous groups—There are some small groups that meet within the larger guild group. Members are usually by invitation, and they often meet in homes.

Sunshine

Acknowledgement of births, deaths, career advancements, hospitalizations, transfers of quilt members, etc. will be made by the committee chairperson when he/she is made aware of this information. Reports of cards mailed will be included in each monthly newsletter. Members are encouraged to notify the Sunshine committee chairperson if they are aware of an event needing acknowledgement.

Visitors

Visitors/Guests are welcome to come to our monthly meetings twice before being asked to join and pay membership dues of $20 per year.

Workshops

This committee has the purpose of finding out what we want to learn and contact the teachers to put on the workshops for us. They have brought several nationally known quilters to our guild-in 2002 we had Karen Stone of Dallas, Texas; in June of 2004 Elly Sienkiewicz presented workshops and an evening lecture; in 2006, Ruth McDowell did 2 four-day workshops and 2 evening lectures. Nationally known quilt instructors are usually scheduled 2 years in advance. Guild members have first opportunity to sign up for these workshops before they are offered to non-members.