As we get ready for the holidays and the upcoming year 2015, I wanted to recap our first year. We started out this year with an interest meeting on January 30th at Calico Threads with 18 people showing up! As Donna of Calico Threads reminded me, our first meeting also was joined by the workmen who were helping deal with the flooding that had just happened in the store. It was a little noisy but it did not prevent us from continuing meeting as a quilt group. Of the 18 that showed up that first meeting, we still have as members, Amanda, Cathy C, Corliss, Emily, Julie A, Julie L, Kathleen, Kati B, Rebecka, and myself. We currently have 28 members. We became an official guild at the end of May and also a part of The Modern Quilt Guild.

What have we accomplished our first year? A lot! *First and foremost, we have made new friends and secondly, we have learned a lot. *We have learned a lot about how to start a guild, trying to find a places to meet (or not) and other various aspects of running a quilt group. *As a group we had learning or review opportunities each meeting such as an accurate quarter inch seam, how to cut fabric, paper piecing, zipper tutorial, etc. *We had a mug rug exchange, scrap bag swap, pin cushion swap, and our up and coming Amazing Christmas exchange. *We had a Block of the Month, that generated a few community quilts. *We had several Sew-Ins, and a beer social. We did a community event at the Wright Park Art Festival. And of course we had lots of Sew N Tell and laughter!

So what is in store for 2015? Lots! We have mapped out most of the year and it all started with a move to the Environmental Services Building in University Place. To accommodate the little bit further drive we will be having social time from 6:30 -7PM and start promptly at 7PM. We have a great new Block of the month planned that has more flexibility. In January we have a Member Showcase and also an awesome Destash sale to benefit TMQG. We have several swaps and a couple of challenges planned. We will also be having a retreat in October!

DUES are due in January. They will be 50.00 for the year and it will also give you access to The Modern Quilt Guild's activities, great webinars, and challenges. For the price of a loaf of bread a month or an expensive coffee drink, you can have all this and more! Plus you will get a nifty little measuring tool.

So we hope to see you at the Christmas party and I am pumped to see what everyone sewed up for their gift! Blessings to you all at this time of the year!