Vitamin one
Vitamin 2
-
The President’s Challenge
One of the newer features of the bi-annual quilt show is the President’s Challenge. Those of us that have worked previous shows or in conversations while selling raffle tickets have been asked if there would be any quilts for sale. Coupled with the pillow case initiative for UIA hospitals pediatric department and other Prairie du Chien’s annual Christmas initiative for children, quilts of valor participation and other charitable activities members participated in, the board began discussions about how we might as a guild blend selling quilts and support a broader number of charities. Out of those discussions the President’s Challenge was born.Members who want to participate make and donate a quilt or donate a quilt they have previously purchased. This might be a crib size, lap quilt, throw size, whatever. The quilter decides what charity they want the proceeds of the sale of their quilt should go to. Examples of charities have included, and are not limited to:
Child Care Programs such as Sunflower Child Development Center, Postville Child Care
Foster Care organizations such as Project Care, Operation Santa
Senior Hospitality Programs in multiple cities
Animal Rescue Programs/Shelters
Local Civic Organizations such as Decorah Chorale, Food Pantries, Oneota Film Festival
And so on.The items donated are auctioned through silent bids with an opening or base price established by the quilter. An instant purchase price may also be established. Checks from the purchasers go directly to the designated charity. With the changes in the 2026 tax law, tax payers are able to directly deduct up to $1000 in charitable giving per person. Quilts that have not received a base level bid are returned to the quilter. If you have additional questions, Mike Ellingsen has facilitated this part of the quilt show and can answer them. Our first event yielded over $4400 given to more than 25 organizations. There’s an opportunity for you to join the fun! Do you have a project that isn’t spoken for and might interest one of your quilt show guests? Do you have a charity that you’d like to support? There’s still time to get your contribution registered for the President’s Challenge booth. The guild website has the details that are needed for the auction paperwork or you can contact Mike Ellingsen and he can resend the info to you in an email – mike.ellingsen.quilts gmail.com
**************************************************Vitamin 3
What a dreary Saturday. I’m trying not to complain, however I miss the sunshine that wards off depression as these days get shorter. So what is something productive I can do that will cheer me up.
I have a stack of Quilting Arts and other magazines from this year that I haven’t dealt with. I just brewed a cup of tea and the cat has plopped down next to me. I’m going to try and get thru these so I can donate them to the rummage sale.
Have you made it thru your magazines and patterns to see if there are any you are ready to let go of? Looks like it might be a good day (or one of these next couple where we are supposed to have showers) to peruse what you have and see if there are any you are ready to rehome. While we don’t earn a lot from the rummage sale, I’m excited that someone else might get some use out of these items that I won’t use in the future. At this point I have so many patterns and fabrics that I could quilt quite a while and not have to buy anything. Bet you have a pantry (stash) at your place too.
Whatever you decide, you can bring items you want to part with at our October meeting, the 15th, 16th or 17th when we are setting up and starting the show. I’ll try to remember to bring a box again like I did in September where you can toss in items that you are ready to share with others.
Now for sipping and perusing!
Sue
##################################################Vitamin 4
This summer I had the opportunity to go through a tote that includes files on many of the past guild quilt shows. While we have not had a booth the last several shows, there was some historical information on Quilts of Valor participation. It caused me to pause and reflect on the elements I have come to understand are important about the people who make up our guild members. I’m not sure I can explain it well, but here are a few thoughts.
One element focuses on the giving hearts whether its teaching, sharing their craft with us and others, sharing their knowledge freely, answering endless questions, etc. Another element is their charity. Many of the members belong to service organizations within their communities. Some travel a significant distance to participate with others in charitable endeavors. And as I mentioned yesterday, many have chosen to participate in the President’s Challenge where their work is being sold to benefit a charity of choice freely donating their time, effort and materials.
So the tie here is the Quilts of Valor chapters that a number of our quilters belong to. I had not known much about this QOV prior to hearing about it at guild meetings. As a result of one member sharing that an event was going to occur as part of Nordic Fest a few years ago, I attended a service where a friend received a quilt. It was such a moving experience. If you have not attended one, I would encourage you to do so.
While I don’t want to spend a considerable amount of time on this topic in this One a Day Quilt Show Vitamin, I think it helps give a context by knowing a couple things about our quilters –
—The quilts they make are done to a pattern of their choice, although patriotic themes and colors such as red, white and blue are often completed.
—The quilts have an ideal size of 60×80 and may not be any smaller than 55 x 65” and no larger than 72 x 90”
—The piecers often purchase their fabric, batting and backing although donations are welcome.
—The quilts may be hand or machine quilted, not tied.
I have asked that a booth be put together so that information may be shared with attendees at the show. In addition, I’d like to include a summary in that booth of QOV groups in our area. If you know of a group, please forward the location and if the group has a name that info would be nice too. Your help is appreciated!
******************************Vitamin 5
#5 on the Move
One of the ways we advertise our quilt show is by circulating the raffle quilt to places where it can be viewed. Our current quilt has been to fairs, farmers’ markets, quilt shops, the Iowa Quilt Museum, the Porter House Museum during Airing Out the Quilts, local bank lobbies, and even to our own guild meetings. Today it was dropped off at its final location until the quilt show. This process of rotating locations has been called On the Move. The efforts of several guild members to make this happen is one way you can help in the future. How? Be sure to share your ideas of locations and/or events with members of the quilt committee! Although the quilt won’t be traveling again this year, we have a file tote where summaries of each quilt show are kept. As we wrap up this year’s show in November, we will have a file that forward info to the next quilt show chair. It is our goal each time a quilt is made, to have it On the Road by April the year of the show. Thank you to all of you who helped with this year’s rotations for both publicity and raffle ticket sales. Your efforts have been appreciated!
******************************************
Vitamin 6
* The show is open from 10-5 on Saturday the 17th and 10-4 on Sunday the 18th.
* There’s a nominal entrance fee of $5
* The raffle quilt will be on display and you’l be able to buy a ticket there
* There will be hundreds of quilts and projects on display
* A special section with donation quilts to purchase will be available. The quilts will have been made by a member and your purchase check will go directly to the charity designed any the quilter.
* Area vendors showing their support of the guild’s show will have a booth with Quilty items available for purchase.
* A luncheon area will be available featuring sloppy joes, potato salad and homemade pies!If you’d like we still have some of the postcard size posters if you’d like one to use as a talking tool. We will have them handy at the October guild meeting or you can contact me and arrangements will be made to get some to you. Looking forward to a great show that is well attended.
Sue
Vitamin 7
Work Schedule
It’s been a busy week taking care of details for the Quilt Show and handling the normal life events. I don’t know about you but I also played hooky for a little while yesterday when the sun was out. I am, however, still keep an eye on the things we need to accomplish to make our quilt show a success! Now that we’ve turned our calendars to October, its time to talk schedules.
Let’s talk where we still need folks. I know Arlene has posted the work schedule for Under the Stars on our guild site (
https://www.neiqg.com/
). We have some holes to fill so I’m hoping you’ll take a moment to check your calendar and see where you could fit in a couple hours on either Saturday or Sunday.
The canister raffle just recently got added to the work schedule. We need 1-2 for each of the time slots on Saturday: 10-Noon, Noon to 2, 2 to 4. These same time slots are needing 1-2 folks for each. HELP!!! Jen Hertrampf is facilitating this area.
The other area where we need some committed help is with the kitchen. Duties include cutting pies, serving customers at the lunch counter, wiping down the trays, other dishwashing items, and cleaning off tables. Both days, almost all the shifts.
If you don’t feel you can be on your feet for a couple hours, we’ll find something to fit your needs – e.g. staffing the raffle ticket area, admission table, plating pieces of pie.
Here’s the schedule
https://www.neiqg.com/
Let Arlene (arlene.klatt@gmail) , Bert (randrhass gmail) or I (schulzpsy yahoo) know and we will get you on the list.
Vitamin 8
Do you have one of those “unfortunates” … a fat quarter that came in a pack, one that didn’t fit with the project you bought it for, a color you don’t foresee using, whatever. Here’s your chance to pass it along.
The rummage table includes fat quarters on the suggested donation sign. The key, if you as a member see one you want its your chance to snatch it up for only $1. In addition to fat quarters, there may be pattern or magazine you want. Sooooo, be sure to bring a few dollars and some change along with you when you come to work.
Sue will have a sturdy box with her this Tuesday for the guild meetings. Please feel free to drop your items that you are donating into it. It will also be out Thursday during the frame set up and Friday during the hanging of the quilts and setting up our special events areas.
Looking forward to the goodies we can set out. Anything left over will be donated to The Depot. The Depot provides grants for a wide variety of civic organizations and area projects. We chose The Depot because of its “give back” policy using funds it earns from items donated.