Heart of Dixie Quilter’s Guild, Board Meeting Minutes, Feb. 28, 2010

The board meeting on Feb. 28, 2010 was held at Beth Arnett’s home, beginning 2:15 pm ending approx. 4:20 pm.

Attending officers: Mary Ann Raley, President; Diana Kennedy, First Vice-President; Linda Layfield, Second  Vice-President; Beth Arnett, Treasurer; Meg McKinney, Secretary.

Discussions covering numerous guild topics were covered.

Mary Ann Raley asked about who the original guild founders’ were, and where are they today. Dianna Kennedy and Linda Layfield responded with information on some.

Mary Ann has updated the guild’s website with current contact information, a new e-mail address — hodquilters@hotmail.com, which she checks daily.

The board agreed to have links to quilt shops, guilds,  publications, book companies, on the site. Some of the links are C & T Publishing, TwistedStitcher.com, Batiks Galore; ogpqulitshop.com. One is Country Bumpkins.com.au (Australia); also Quilt Woman, Quiltropolis, and more.

The board discussed the guild’s flyer and promoting the guild. It was agreed that the guild needs to improve publicity and bring in more new members. Membership is 30. Members need to participate by posting flyers in libraries, quilt shops, public places. A design for a 1-side card was discussed, along with a tri-fold brochure, and other designs from the guild’s history. Mary Ann presented samples she designed, along with prices at printing and office supply stores.  The board agreed that the Publicity Chairmanship and a committee, needs to be revived.

Also discussed were labels for the baby quilts for NICU donations. Mary Ann showed several designs for labels and cards, also a label made from grosgrain ribbon, to be handed out with the quilts. Mary Ann said 1000 printed business cards could be made for $30 at Staples,, and showed samples.

Also discussed were venues and outlets for publicity. Meg McKinney agreed to look into publicity from the Black & White newspaper, Birmingham.

Activities were discussed, as were the results of the survey taken at the February meeting. Work days, scrap exchange, mystery quilt, sewing bees, were among the popular items. Location(s) are needed to hold activities, which include members’ homes, churches, the Exceptional Foundsation.

It was agreed that the guild will not host a quilt show this year.

Current treasury levels were discussed with the need for fund raising. Current guild income is only from membership dues.

Also discussed were shop-hops for northern Alabama, parts of Georgia, as a guild activity.

Also discussed was the UFO contest, possibly revising the categories.

The Heart Ball quilt was discussed, and the board agreed that it needs a committee to involve more members, and to begin the work earlier in the year; July was mentioned.

Mystery Quilts are popular, and we need a member to be in charge, use the guild’s website to distribute instructions, supply list, etc.

Sewing Days for Baby Quilts and UFO’s was discussed. Locations are needed. Scheduling 3-4 a year was discussed.

Diana says we need more programs. Board members came up with several suggestions: fabric quality; a turkey swap for November; Meg will present paper piecing a fan block on coffee filters at the March meeting; the exchange gifts for the December party will be the choice of 3 half-yard cuts of quilt shop quality fabric, or 6 fat quarters.

Note: a turkey swap was defined as a quilt project or related item that one member has no intention of finishing, and is placed in a paper bag, and traded for another turkey. Keeping the quality and content fair will be discussed at future board meetings.

The scrap exchange will be a possible activity this coming year, with Meg as chair. Will need to see how many will want to attend a planning meeting to discuss blocks, fabrics, designs, etc. Members who are interested in a scrap exchange will need to start thinking of quilts and blocks they’d like to exchange. This will be discussed at the meetings.

Meg McKinney,

Secretary