Welcome 2023!  We're so excited for the New Year and hope that you are too!

We are busy working on events and programs for our members this year. We will continue support to support our mission of fellowship, education and charity, and there are plans for new programs, a virtual retreat, and this year's quilt show. We will continue our charity quilts and CPNLS efforts as well. The UFO project will return in 2023 in a new format. Please watch for more information regarding these upcoming events.

I would like to continue our goal of 75% member participation. We want to give our members the very best, and we need your help to do this. There are so many opportunities for participation. I hope that you will contact me with any ideas or suggestions on how best to do this, as I truly want to hear from you!

Please reach out to me if you have interest in volunteering or helping to organize our events. We currently need help with Programs. This position would work with Linda Starkey to support this year's events while beginning to shape the direction for next year's programs. This is a critical role for our organization. Your input and help is greatly needed to continue our work in education.

Mark your calendar for our first online program on January 12th. Michelle Crawford from "Just Cut the Scraps" will also be presenting two 1/2-day workshops on "Crumb Quilting" and "Spontaneous Log Cabin" on January 14th. Don't miss this opportunity to discover new ways to use those scraps!

We are looking forward to sharing this year with you!

---submitted by Diane Sheriff

What a fun ride it has been.

In the past two years we have been forced to reinvent the guild- moving “seamlessly” from in person to online meetings due to the pandemic. We have refocused on the three guiding values of the guild: charity, learning and fellowship. We have successfully pulled off a virtual retreat, created in person pop-up events, and expanded opportunities to collaborate with others through Friday Night Socials and online bees. 

As we start to get back to our new “normal”, the guild is in a great position for the future. We have perfected a hybrid meeting style, allowing us to meet the needs of our virtual and in person members. We are planning a comeback of our Festival of Quilts- our guild quilt show- in 2023. We have a year full of learning opportunities through programs and workshops. We are hosting a block of the month quilt along. And, coming in February we will be again hosting a virtual retreat.

Thank you for all of your ongoing support in keeping the guild going. It has truly been a pleasure leading you over the past couple years- and I look forward to what is to come!!!

Submitted by Jen Dietz

Register NOW for our December Dinner and Social as we celebrate the Holidays and another year of fun, friendships, and giving!  This event will be held in person at the church as well as live-streamed for those who are unable to attend in person. Please select the appropriate category (Live or Zoom) when registering for this event.

We will begin the evening with a B.Y.O.B dinner.  Everyone will bring their own meal, which can be something from home or something that you stop and pick-up on the way.  Since there are those who are still not comfortable about dining from an open buffet, we thought this was the best way to keep everyone safe plus allow more time for our meeting festivities.  Nathlia (Hospitality) will provide drinks and dessert. Plates, napkins, cups, etc. will also be available.

To celebrate the season of giving, we will be also be having a small gift exchange while seated at our tables.  This will be done by playing a short Holiday game to rotate the gifts around the table.  Please bring a BAGGED or WRAPPED small gift around $10 but not exceeding $15.  The gift must be new and unused.  Sewing notions would make ideal gifts and are things that everyone can use!  The item can be something practical, unique, fun or creative. 

With the Quilt Show coming in June of next year, we have scheduled Ellen Palmer, a CQC Quilt Judge, to give a short lecture on what judges are looking for and the protocol that they follow when judging a quilt.  This will be positive in nature and will give you information to help you grow and improve your quilting. You won’t want to miss it!

 Other festivities will include:

• Installation of New Officers
• Show 'n Tell Extravaganza
• UFO Prize Winners

We hope that you can join us!

MAKEUP WORKSHOP FOR SHELLEY CAVANNA

Last month, Shelley Cavanna of “Cora’s Quilts” was scheduled to teach her “Aurora Quilt” workshop on November 12^th showing her tips, tricks, and techniques for making beautiful, mosaic-inspired quilts.  Unfortunately, her workshop was canceled due to Shelley’s hospitalization with pneumonia.  We are rescheduling this class for Saturday, January 21^st from 10 am to 3 pm.  Those who had previously signed up for the class have been moved to the new workshop date of January 21^st.  For those who would like to sign up and join us, we still have 4 spots available.  This is a 3-hour workshop at half the cost of our regular 6-hour class.   You will need to purchase the pattern and do a little prep work in advance, so please plan accordingly.  Full details can be found on the event’s page.  

 Zoom presentation.

2023 Programs Coming soon !!!!

We had a wonderful response to the BOM program that is starting in February taught by Pat Syta.

There are a few spots left.  Check out the details by clicking  BOM.   Something that Pat wrote in her Runaway pattern really struck me as the whole goal of the meetings and workshops we sponsor.  “Grow and learn in your process of quilting --- take as many classes as you can – you will ALWAYS learn something. “  I think that is so true, and any time we can learn another skill or practice the ones we already have the more we will grow as quilters. 

All Guild meetings and workshops for the first Quarter of 2023 are open for registration.  January through March meetings and workshops will all be done via zoom.  Please check them out: 

January  - Scraps with Michelle Crawford of Flower box Quilts

February – Memory Quilts with Beth Sullivan of Beth Sullivan Designs

March – Using Graphic Design to create quilt patterns with Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill ofWhole Circle Studios  

April 1^st – Brilliance Quilt Workshop (in person) with Pat Syta at Holly’s Quilt Cabin

Submitted by Linda Starkey

2023 Membership Renewal

Our membership renewal process has started for 2023.  Dues for the 2023 program year are $35 and are due by January 1. Our initial renewal reminder email was issued November 2, 2022. This email message has a link to where you can make a secure payment on-line.  If you choose to make payment via check, please mail it to:

Arapahoe County Quilters, PO Box 5357,Englewood, CO 80155

A big Thank You to the members who have already renewed for 2023. We trust that you found the process easy to complete on-line. For those who have yet to renew, please keep your eyes open for another email reminder in the second half of December. You don’t have to wait for this email reminder; you can renew at any time on-line by following these simple steps:  

• Go to www.ACQcolorado.org
• Click on “join Us” in the white banner at the top of the page.
• Then Click on the blue Renew Online Today button.

If you haven’t already, please be sure to check out information already posted for some 2023 programs. Information about the January, February and March guild meetings can be found here: https://acqcolorado.org/program-descriptions

2023 will be just as fun and rewarding as 2022.  We have the quilt show plus a virtual BOM event with Pat Syta! Be sure to renew your membership for 2023 to join in all of the fun.

We repeat our favor request.  If you are part of a quilt bee, could you please reach out to any bee members who were past ACQ members or who have never joined ACQ.  Share with them what you like about ACQ.  We would love to welcome returning and new members to ACQ.

ACQ Business Members: If you would like us to feature you in a future newsletter, please contact Ann Roman (annroman8858@icloud.com) or Louise Helton (redwee@hotmail.com) and we would love to share your story.  This month’s featured business member is eQuilter.com

Meet eQuilter.com

If you haven’t already visited or purchased from eQuilter.com, we want to take this opportunity to introduce you to one of ACQ’s business members.  eQuilter.com is independently owned by Luana and Paul Rubin and is located in Boulder, CO. The business was started in the basement of their home in March 1999. Luana was looking for a way to work with fabric and design, after working in the garment industry. Their sales exceeded their 3 year business plan in 60 days, and they moved to their first 4000 sq ft warehouse by the Fall of 1999. After expanding to 11K sq ft, then 14K sq ft, they now own a 23K building and occupy 14K sq ft of the space. (They designed and built the structure, and share with 2 tenants on the 4 year old property.)

eQuilter.com has the largest online selection of contemporary quilt fabrics and quilting accessories. Over 1000 new products per month are introduced in the weekly e-newsletters that go out to 120,000 subscribers.  One feature I especially enjoy and find useful on the eQuilter web page is the ability to search for fabrics of a particular color.  This really makes finding and auditioning fabrics easy.  There is also a Design Board to audition fabrics and colors. 2-3 Free Quilt Patterns are sent out in emails each week. They have big clearance sales several times a year, and smaller sales every week. Be sure to register for the eQuilter.com e-newsletters for all of the latest products and news.

A special feature of eQuilter is their charity effort.  eQuilter donates 2% of all purchases to charitable organizations throughout the world.  This charity program has raised over $1.9 million for non-profits and anticipates hitting $2 million in donations in 2023. When you check out, you choose from 7 various non-profits to direct your 2% donation. eQuilter has raised over $330K for Breast Cancer research alone. Doctors Without Borders is another popular recipient. In addition eQuilter – in partnership with Mission of Love – has distributed over 17,000 donated comfort quilts for disaster relief locally and around the country, and the world. 

In addition to running the business, Luana has been busy with other quilting activities.  Luana was a speaker this summer at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK as well as at the SAQA conference in San Diego, speaking on the topic of “Art and Activism”. Her quilts were displayed in Birmingham, as well as hanging in Sacred Threads in Washington DC.  Another quilt is currently on display in the Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes, Women’s Rights exhibition at the Clinton Presidential Library.  Lastly, be sure to check out Quilting Arts TV for two segments with Luana airing this Fall on PBS.

eQuilter is a major sponsor of quilt festivals, exhibits and contests around the world.  This has included our own Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, the Houston Quilt Festival, International Quilt Museum, Visions Quilt Museum, New England Quilt Museum, Quilt Canada, and quilt festivals in the UK and France recently. Luana has traveled to 49 countries and recently led a tour to Churchill in Canada, to photograph the polar bears. Her polar bear quilt is traveling with the Endangered Species exhibit, and she has 2 quilts in the “Inspired by Washington DC” exhibit.

Their mission is to inspire and support quilters, and to provide specialty quilting fabrics and supplies for the creative quilter and textile artist. Luana is a Bernina Ambassador, and has designed textiles for many fabric manufacturers over the years. Her background as a fashion designer, living in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and New York City, has contributed to her expertise in the quilting industry. She has worked as a designer in the fashion, textile and quilt industry for over 40 years. Paul and Luana live in the same house where they started the business in 1999, with 3 cats and 2 dogs, 1 mile from their new eQuilter building. They invite us to come and pick up orders in person, and to schedule group tours!

eQuilter.com – thank you for contributions to the quilting community, all of your charitable support and your support of Arapahoe County Quilters.

ACQ Charity Quilts December 2022 Newsletter

Arapahoe Quilt Guild has exceeded expectations with quilt donations, over 500 quilts donated to 5 organizations. Thank you to the many members who sewed quilt tops, quilted sandwiches and affixed bindings. Please view the photos.  Jan W. delivers quilts to the VOA Clermont Commons and the nurse at VOA Family Motel shows quilty love when she chooses a specific quilt for one of her patients. 

I am looking forward to our December meeting to see people in person. If you have questions or comments, please contact me by phone, text, or email at  720.300.0973  or sheila-clark@comcast.net .

503  Total Quilts Donated 

222  Marshall Fire Victims

188  VOA Family Motel (Previously homeless families)

  53  VOA Clermont Commons (Women Veterans)

  28  Children’s Hospital

  12  At Home Hospice (New non-profit) for ACQ donations)

Crystal A. is a CNA for At Home Hospice. She found ACQ through the website and a few of us did the research on the business. Crystal came to my house to pick up. I was so pleased to see her pick up a quilt and know immediately who would appreciate it. 

Special thank you to:

Linda Starkey for bringing quilts and winning items to my house

Diane Sheriff for delivering quilts to my house

Joan Greland for delivering a completed quilt and picking up kits to sew

Terry Chase for delivering wide back fabric to my house

Cathy Zirkelbach for binding quilts, sewing labels and helping at the POP-UP Drive Thru

Jan Wolfgram for taking my place at the POP-UP Drive Thru, delivering completed quilts, tops, and donated fabric to my house

THANKFUL .  .  .

During this season of thanksgiving, I wanted to give thanks for the wonderful accomplishments our guild has collectively made during this year.  We have successfully figured out how to make a hybrid meeting work, allowing us to include our friends near and far in all of our meetings.  This has proven extremely beneficial as we move into a period where costs to meet in person have increased significantly.  In line with the survey of our members and the decision of our board, we will continue to meet in person at least once per quarter to accommodate those who prefer being together in person.  Thanks to the great volunteers, we will also be able to accommodate all of our members when we have the in person meetings, and will continue to have great programming both virtual and in person.

We have also accomplished amazing things with our charitable programs.  This year we have exceeded our stretch goal of collecting and distributing 365 quilts to community programs including Children’s Hospital, individuals in transitional housing, and women veterans.  We have also provided numerous quilts to families impacted by the Marshall Fire, and continued community outreach with other quilters across the country and world.  We are also the only quilt guild that provides infant loss blankets, and are on our way to meeting our goal of 250 blankets collected in 2022.

We have had an amazing year of programs, and workshops that have been very well attended.  We also have several spots open for our last workshop of the year - Aurora Quilt with Shelley Cavanna.  The great thing about this workshop is that it is a bit shorter than previous workshops, and is priced accordingly.  Please consider joining us to close out the year with a beautiful quilt!

Another thing to be thankful for is that we have a full slate of board members to vote on in the November meeting.  Thanks to the generosity of our guild members who have stepped up to lead us into the future.  You will be in awesome hands - and will help to bring in fresh ideas and continue the great programs and opportunities that we have developed!

And a special thanks to all of our members.  Without you, we would not be able to collectively accomplish everything we have this year.

Submitted by Jen Dietz

By now you've received an ACQ email addressing the 2023 membership renewal process. Dues for the 2023 program year are $35 (same as 2022!) and are due by January 1.  This email message has a link to where you can make a secure payment on-line.  If you choose to make payment via check, please mail it to:

Arapahoe County Quilters

PO Box 5357

Englewood, CO 80155

If you haven’t already, please be sure to check out information already posted for some 2023 programs. Information about the January, February and March guild meetings can be found here: https://acqcolorado.org/program-descriptions

2023 will be just as fun and rewarding as 2022.  Plus, there is the quilt show! Be sure to renew your membership for 2023 to join in all of the fun.

We repeat our favor request.  If you are part of a quilt bee, could you please reach out to any bee members who were past ACQ members or who have never joined ACQ.  Share with them what you like about ACQ.  We would love to welcome returning and new members to ACQ.

Submitted by Ann Roman and Louise Helton