What is main purpose of quilt guild website?

LEBANON, OREGON, November 20... Surfing quilt guild websites, one finds quite a range of ideas & non-ideas. This leads to the question — What is a good set of reasons & designs for a good quilt guild site?

Most quilt guild front pages you always skip
Many sites have front pages that are static. They don’t really serve any function.

In contrast — E-commerce sites, news sites & similar sites have proactive front pages.

Front pages need newsy info designed to attract public
Look at big quilt shows (Sewing and Stitchery Expo ), flower shows (Philadelphia Flower Show), fair websites — Their front pages have news, frequently updated information, interesting photos & 1 click to helpful stuff.

Some guild sites have such features — They serve members proactively and offer "hooks" to attract non-members.

Some quilt guild front pages help members, public
St. Andrews Bay Quilt Guild has some proactive member & non-member attraction aspects.

SABQG front page offers recently updated news items, info

• Next meeting date, time, location & potluck lunch
• List of update dates & what's updated
• Direct link to latest newsletter
• BOM thumbnail graphic link
• President's "Head shot"

SABQG has 1 click to other active pages

• Member services
• Scrapbook page... Photos text —Shows they are a fun guild!
• Calendar has photos of quilters
• Meeting location map
• Quilt show... Photos, list of winners, preview of next show, entry forms... More than just poster

Front page — Guild’s best chance & place to help & attract members & non-members

• Why a front page saying, in a static message, “Welcome to our guild”?
• Why a front-page with no new info?
• Why a front-page with more than 2 clicks to find where, when, what & who is the next meeting?
• Why not What? — Headline* main meeting program, agenda item, fun activity
• Why not Who? — Headline* program quilting speaker & topic

*Headline NOT label — Gudrun Johansdottir shows Spoon Licker: 13 Elves styles of Icelandic Christmas quilts — NOT— December Show & Tell by Gudrun Johansdottir

Why not update front page at least monthly?
Even a small guild website is updated monthly — At a minimum guild newsletters are added monthly. When your Webmaster does that quick FTP — Add 3 to 5 other quick updates...

• Put newsletter update date on website front page
• Put 1 or 2 main newsletter headlines on website front page
• Link both directly to newsletter
• Add photo of most recent guild Show & Tell
• Photos of recent youth class quilts

Why have a guild website?
In many cases a guild board or publicity committee needs to decide what is the mission or purpose of the guild’s website.

If you don’t have a guild website mission or purpose — Why have a guild website?

What are 10 main purposes, functions, missions of a quilt guild website?

1. Stimulate guild activities?... Active stimulating? Or just source of links?
2. Reference for members?... Bylaws? Members list & contacts? Routine, scheduled updates?
3. Guild news for members?... On front page? More frequent than newsletter?
4. Attract new members? ... News/photos on front page?
5. E-commerce for guild?... Cookbook sales? Community service? Guild specials?
6. Place for guild talk?... Forums or blogs? Past BOM source?
7. Place for guild photos?
8. Newsletter source?... Link directly to latest newsletter? Newsletter headlines?
9. Guild promotion?... Quilt show posters? Quilt show PR? Meeting program PR? Guild classes PR? Guild community service promotion?
10. Guild calendar?
11. Website committee?
12. Share guild photos?
13. Guild members post quilt related articles, tips, info?
14. Share guild BOM, patterns, recipes?
15. Updated regularly?
16. Guild contact source?
17. Next meeting date, time, location & potluck lunch on front page?
18. List of website update dates & what's updated on front page?
19. Direct link to latest newsletter on front page?
20. BOM thumbnail graphic link on front page?
21. President's "Head shot" on front page?
22. Member services pages?
23. Scrapbook page?... Photos text —Shows they are fun!
24. Calendar has photos of quilters?
25. Meeting location map?
26. Quilt show info?... Photos, list of winners, preview of next show, entry forms... More than just poster
27. Guild meeting notices & details?... Date, Time, Featured program/speaker, main agenda item?
28. Show off work of our talented, award winning quilters?
29. Lists of guild quilt show winners?
30. Guild budget?
31. Guild bylaws?
32. Quilt show forms?
33. Public guild info?... Meeting minutes, etc.
34. Promote self-confidence & skills of beginning guild quilters?
35. Showcase (i.e. YouTube, MyFace) for youth quilters?
36. Give non-quilting public exposure to & info about guild?
37. Educate quilting & non-quilting public about quilting?
38. Show public our commitment & level of community service?
39. Promote to public guild events & activities?
40. Seek public input on future guild activities & events?
41. Initiate discussions on guild activities?... Like comments on blogs, forums, newspaper articles
42. News for guild members
43. Reference for guild members
44. Attract new members
45. Promotion of guild events & activities
46. Educate public about guild
47. Educate public about quilting
48. Link to guild newsletters
49. Please post your ideas of most important purposes

Thanks Chris (Peggy's husband)

2007 Quilt Show Over, Countdown to Christmas Begins

Great new quilt show needs more planning, more publicity

LEBANON, OREGON, October 22, 2007...Its a relief to have the 2007 Santiam Scrappers Quilt Show behind us.

Bigger Show But Less People
But I was really disappointed at the turnout. We had so many beautiful quilts and only about half of our usual attendance (never very good any year). But those who did attend really enjoyed seeing the quilts! We have some really talented people in our guild!

New Location Needs More Planning
We were at a new location this year and it seemed to take forever to figure out how to display everything to the best advantage. But it all came together and only took us over 5 hours. I am so grateful that so many members showed up to help. It made such a difference to have enough room to properly hang the quilts.

Guild Needs Publicist Promoting Guild Shows, Events
We now hold enough sizable events and activities that we need to add a publicist to our board. It should be someone with a liking and a talent for writing.

Quilts pulled off walls, put back on beds—It’s Lebanon’s Bed Turning

LEBANON, OREGON, JUNE 23… In a year of quilt shows, Lebanon’s Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild presents a new mid-summer event. It’s an old-time quilting tradition–a Bed Turning. Several quilts are layered on top of one another. As each quilt is turned back, it reveals another beautiful pattern. You’ll see antique and family quilts as they were meant to be seen--on a bed. As you view each handcrafted quilt, you’ll hear stories behind the quilts. Stories of quilters’ lives, quilting techniques and skills used to sew these coverlets of cloth and comfort.

The June 23rd Quilt Bed Turning, Mini Show and Sale is from 10am to 5pm at Santiam Place, 139 S Main St, Lebanon. Scheduled bed turnings are in the garden at 10:30am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Stop by any time for questions and turnings. Admission is free with small gifts and seating provided. Also there are quilting demos and art quilts for sale.

The quilt show is part of an Antiques and Yard Art Sale. It’s all outdoors—Santiam Place’s gardens are filled with vintage, heritage antiques and older collectables. Vendors and food sales are sprinkled in the backyard gardens. Contact Sally Skaggs, 541 259-4255 for vendor information or http://santiamplace.com.

Quilts are a big part of Linn County’s long heritage
2007 is a year of quilt shows and events for Linn County and Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild. They just finished working with the Lebanon and Fern Ridge Garden Clubs to add a quilt show to the 98th Strawberry Festival Flower Show. Upcoming quilt shows and events include:

June 15–17, 2007 — Quilt and Fiber Arts Show, Linn County Pioneer Picnic, Brownsville, Oregon — For 120 years, Brownsville has held Linn County’s Pioneer Picnic. This tradition of celebrating Oregon heritage continues at the Quilt and Fiber Arts Show in Pioneer Park this weekend, sponsored by the Brownsville Friends of the Library. You will enjoy beautiful handiwork of vintage and new quilts and other fiber arts on display in the Community Arts Building at Pioneer Park, Noon-6pm Friday and Saturday, and 11am-3pm Sunday. Come vote for your favorite display. This year there are afternoon demos by lace makers. Friday demos are by Mid-Willamette Valley Tatters from 1pm–4pm. On Saturday, it’s Oregon Trail (Bobbin) Lacemakers from 1pm–4pm. Hardanger (Norwegian Drawn Work) whitework-embroidery demos are Sunday from 1pm–3pm.

June 15-16, 2007 — Fiber Arts Show at Living Rock Studio, Brownsville, Oregon — Spinning, needle felting, and tapestry weaving demos are 10am–5pm at Living Rock Studio on Highway 228 in Brownsville. Many beautiful tapestries on exhibit and Oregon’s largest painted canvas ceiling, “The Tree of Life.”

June 23, 2007 — Bed Turning, Lebanon, Oregon — The Quilt Bed Turning, Mini Show and Sale is from 10am to 5pm at Santiam Place, 139 S Main St, Lebanon. Scheduled bed turnings are in the garden at 10:30am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

July 19–22, 2007 — Linn County Fair, Albany, Oregon — Santiam Scrappers has quilting demos plus displays of guild community service comfort quilts. Guild quilters are working on their own projects, plus answering quilting and sewing questions and talking about quilting. Children and adults can do quilt projects and play quilting games. All this quilting fun is in the main exhibit hall at the Santiam Scrappers demo table in the quilting exhibit area. Quilting demos daily 11am–7pm.

July 26–28 — “Riding the Dream” Albany Quilts Downtown — Albany’s annual downtown quilt show has quilts displayed in store and business windows throughout downtown. A raffle quilt, a viewer’s choice award and more quilting activities let you “Ride the Dream”. Santiam Scrappers participate in this event.

September — Quilt County, Benton County — A biennial community exhibit of quilts throughout Benton County venues in Corvallis and Philomath. Lebanon’s quilters display quilts at the Corvallis Library.

October 19–20 — 5th Annual Santiam Scrappers Quilt Show — This big quilt show is really a small town quilt show with over 80 locally made quilts. Lebanon’s modern heritage is on display in baby and bed quilts, wall hangings, and guild fabric challenges—bowls, wearables, wall hangings, lap quilts, table runners, and pillows. Annual guild challenge quilts are featured. About 20 small art quilts are in the Small Quilt Silent Auction. They are in many favorite styles and are great as gifts and collectables showing old-fashioned, handcrafted workmanship. Guild quilters also have quilting demos and interactive quilting games for adults and youth. The show is daily 10am to 5pm in St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1461 Grove St, corner Milton & Williams Sts, Lebanon. Admission donation. Contact Peggy Christopherson, 541-451-4910, quilterpeg@peak.org, for information about these shows or other local quilting events.

Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is one of Linn County’s larger quilting bee groups
The Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is based in Lebanon with members from cities in Linn and Benton Counties. Guild meetings are monthly on the 1st Tuesday, 7pm. Meetings are in St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1461 Grove St, corner Milton & Williams Sts, in Lebanon Oregon. The public is welcomed and when you come, please bring your family and heritage quilts for Show & Tell. Guild members love to see your special quilts.

Quilting bees are held weekly to make community service quilts and other quilting projects. Classes and retreats are also part of Guild fun. Santiam Scrappers began in 2002 and now has about 50 local members. The guild website is http://www.santiamscrappers.org.

For Quilt Show information, contact Peggy Christopherson, 541-451-4910, quilterpeg@peak.org

Best Listing of Oregon Quilt Shows, Events

EUGENE, OREGON — For the best listing of quilt shows & related events in Oregon (and a few nearby states), check out the Emerald Valley Quilters website.

Cindy Dietrich is doing a great job keeping all these fun quilting (and related) activities listed in the Emerald Valley Quilters web calendar.

Cindy is EVQ's webmaster, and a fine master and commander she is! Keep up the great work Cindy!

BTW Emerald Valley Quilters live down in the fabled land of ducks, in and around Eugene, Oregon. Occasionally, they allow smaller beavers to quilt with them.

“Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” at Tom’s Garden Center on Mother’s Day Weekend

“Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” at Tom’s Garden Center on Mother’s Day Weekend
NORTH ALBANY, OREGON, MAY 12–13, 2007 — Mother’s Day quilts and blooms at Tom’s Garden Center offer an incredible range of color to brighten Mother’s Day weekend for gardeners, quilters, and most of all, Mothers. The Second Annual “Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” will decorate Tom’s Garden Center in North Albany with over 40 handmade quilts. During the show, these quilts, made by Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild of Lebanon, will complement Tom’s flowers and plants in the main hall. Flowers and quilts of almost every color and size will be there.

The public is invited to view the quilts hung among Tom’s beautiful flowers and plants on Saturday, May 12, 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Sunday, May 13, 9 AM to 5 PM. The second “Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” is presented by Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild. Tom’s Garden Center, at 350 NW Hickory St, North Albany, is just across the river from downtown Albany.

“Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” Has Colorful Mother’s Day Gifts, Flowers, Plants, Quilts
As you search for your Mother’s Day gifts to enhance your homes and gardens, look at the small, wall hanging quilts for sale. Other, larger quilts are for display only. Quilt Guild quilters will be on hand during the show. They will be doing quilting and sewing demos and try to answer all your questions about quilting.

While viewing the quilts, please stop at the guild table and cast your vote for the “Best of Show” quilt. Your vote will also enter you in the drawing for a special Mother’s Day prize. On Mother’s Day the first 100 guests to stop at the Guild table will receive a special Mother’s Day gift.

Do Santiam Scrappers Like Blooms & Quilts Too Much?
The Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is based in Lebanon with members from cities in Linn and Benton Counties. Guild meetings are held monthly on the 1st Tuesday, 7 PM. Meeting location is St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1461 Grove St, corner Milton & Williams Sts, in Lebanon Oregon. The public is welcomed at the meetings. When you come, you are encouraged to bring quilts for Show & Tell. Guild members love to see your work or family quilts.

In addition to monthly meetings, there are weekly quilting bees making community service quilts. Classes and retreats are also part of recent Guild fun. The Guild began in 2002 and presently has about 50 members from cities in Linn and Benton Counties. The guild website is http://www.santiamscrappers.org.

PUBLIC VIEWING
May 12, Saturday 7:30 AM–7:30 PM, May 13, Sunday 9 AM–5 PM

CONTACTS
For Quilt Show information, contact Peggy Christopherson, 541-451-4910, quilterpeg@peak.org, or Marina Rosario, 541-259-4633, appliquegoddess@yahoo.com.

What I Like about Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild

By Peggy Christopherson

In 2002 a few quilters here in Lebanon helped me convince about twenty other quilters of the benefits in forming a quilting guild. Thus, the Santiam Scrappers Quilting Guild was created.

I really like doing quilting things with other quilters. When I moved here I didn’t know even one person. So I stopped by the local quilt shop! I knew I would be able to meet other quilters who would eventually become good friends. And that’s exactly what happened!

Some of the Santiam Scrappers activities I really enjoy are...
...Meeting and talking with other local quilters daily, weekly, and monthly,
...Seeing all the skill and pride that comes in our “Show and Tells,”
...Showing our guild quilts at shows, fairs, retirement homes, and Safeway,
...Going on retreats, to shows, and on trips with quilter friends (Yes that includes fabric shopping trips and Quilter’s Safari),
...Doing community service quilts and giving them to people in need of the comfort and physical warmth of a quilt,
...Educating young and old about the history, fun, and heritage of quilting, plus learning about textiles, colors, patterns, and so much more.

I have pushed the guild to participate in doing quilt shows. I am so impressed with the talent of our members, young and old, (we aren’t old, just older!) beginners and experienced, that I want others to see what we are doing.

I think it is so important to do these shows to educate people. We have to teach people why a quilt isn’t just another blanket!

We are also the driving force in creating new quilters. So now I’m pushing us to add quilts to other events such as The Strawberry Festival Flower Show, the Bed Turning at the Antique and Yard Art Sale, and to continue with our quilt show at Tom’s Garden Center. These kinds of venues are where we generate interest in those not already interested.

Lately, there have been negative comments, a lack of participation in mini programs/classes and 3rd Saturdays and a bit of dissension in guild activities. These negative things can remove so much of the fun of quilting with guild quilters.

So, now let’s not think about the negative but talk to the whole about how we can make things better.

We create a beautiful thing from bits and pieces of fabric. So lets continue to create a wonderful guild from the bits and pieces of our experiences and expectations. I really love quilting with everyone in our guild, so this is why I hope we can continue to grow and expand.

I really hope...
...We can get more members,
...Raise more money for more classes,
...Do more comfort quilts for people in our towns and villages, and
...Have so much more fun sharing our love of quilting.

Lets all concentrate on keeping the guild fun, growing, generous, and active in the community, the valley and the quilting world. I sincerely hope we can continue to grow the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild.

I really hope we that together we can move on into a future of having even more quilting fun.

Do Quilters Like Quilt Shows?

MID-VALLEY, OREGON — Quilting has a long, strong heritage of family quilting, quilting bees, and quilting frames (with little girls sitting “underneath the quilting frame at grandma’s house.”)

Nowadays the little girl may be sitting beneath the frame singing to her iPod, but there are still quiltings, quilting bees and quilting frames.

As all these quilts accumulate, some go in the baby’s crib, others hang on the sewing room walls, and some even are used as bed covers.

In the past five years Peggy has made a quilt for all six of our grandchildren—even Carter, our only grandson. We have quilts on our bed and down on Dane’s bed. She has even made appropriate quilts for our B&B suites upstairs. Our den has at least three wall quilts!

Yet with all these quilts "showing" on walls and on beds, Peggy likes to put her quilts in a real quilt show.

It's clear there are many other quilters who like to share their work with others. From “Show & Tells” at monthly guild meetings, to the annual guild quilt show, Peggy and many other quilters like to show their quilts.

In 2007, the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is involved in a large number of quilt shows, quilt hangings, and quilt bed turnings.

Here is a list of Santiam Scrapper's...
“Quilting Fun in Linn–Benton.”

—Monthly guild meeting—On the 1st Tuesday there is a “Show & Tell” during the meeting. They meet at 7 PM in St Martin’s Episcopal Church at 1461 Grove St in Lebanon.

—May 12–13 —Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show
Tom’s Garden Center, 350 Hickory NW, North Albany, Saturday 7:30 AM–7:30 PM, Sunday 9 AM–5 PM

—June 1–2 —Strawberry Festival Flower Show Adds Quilts, Art
Quilts from SSQG & Local Art. Evangelical Church Annex, 75 E Ash St, downtown Lebanon. Friday 1 PM–4:30 PM, Saturday 12 Noon–4:30 PM.

—June 23 —Quilt Bed Turning & Mini Show, Sale
Antique & Yard Art Sale, Santiam Place, 139 S Main St, Lebanon. 10 AM–5 PM

—July 19–22 —Linn County Fair, Albany
Enter your Quilts! Quilting Demos, Bed Turning?

—July 26–28 —Albany Quilts Downtown Quilt Show
Santiam Scrappers invited to participate

—September —Quilt County, Benton County
SSQG Displaying Quilts at Corvallis Library

—October 19–20—Santiam Scrappers Quilt Show
Episcopal Church, Lebanon. 10 AM–5 PM

—Mary’s River Quilt Guild, Meeting: Monthly–Last Thursday 7:15 PM, 2nd floor, Benton County Historical Museum. 1101 Main St, Philomath

If you know of any other quilt happenings this year here in the mid-Valley, please tell us. Tell us so we can tell other local quilters… Because as you know…
“Quilters Do Like Quilt Shows!”

PS… We even have kind of a patchwork dog pillow. However you can be assured it’s not going to be in a quilt show!

Would you come to “Blooms & Threads”– A fun, 3-day Flower & Quilt Show in Lebanon, Oregon in 2008?

2008 JUNE– STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, LEBANON, OREGON… A few local Lebanonites are considering developing this idea for June 2008. They are asking the following five questions –

• Would mid-Willamette Valley gardeners and quilters enjoy a major, local, 3-day flower and quilt show with garden displays, judged flower arrangements, juried and judged quilt competition, art quilts, heritage quilts, local art, workshops, speakers, and a commercial vendors marketplace?
• Would Lebanon benefit from a major new tourist event at Strawberry Festival?
• Would Lebanon’s businesses and organizations like to have $5,000 to $8,000 new income?
• Would Strawberry Festival like to appeal to a new type of visitor & expand its long term potential?
• Would the City of Lebanon and Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce like to support an economic development event in the manner of Sweet Home’s Oregon Jamboree?

MEETING
If you are interested in discussing this idea, Please come to a meeting about “Blooms & Threads” Flower & Quilt Show 3-days, workshops, speakers, vendors at 2008 Strawberry Festival Lebanon, Oregon

• What– Lunch meeting – Informally discuss “Blooms & Threads”
• When– Noon, Thursday, March 29
• Where– Peggy’s Alaskan Cabbage Patch B&B, 194 S. 2nd St. Lebanon
• Sponsor – Alaskan Chocolate Quilting Company.
• RSVP– (541) 258-1774, (5410 451-4910 ACQC@alaskaquilt.com

FICTIOUS NEWSPAPER STORY

500 Gardeners and Quilters Attend 2008 Strawberry Festival Flower & Quilt Show — “Blooms & Threads”
New York Times
BY MARK TWAIN, Published June 13, 2008

LEBANON, OREGON… Festival attendees enjoyed a new event for the 99th Strawberry Festival. The 3-day Flower & Quilt Show inspired them with 5 glorious gardens, 100 beautiful floral arrangements and over 125 colorful and unique quilts.

In six scheduled classes and workshops they tried new quilting skills and learned helpful garden techniques. Local and regional artists and professionals led these sessions in exploring a variety of Blooms & Threads.

For gardeners, quilters and general shoppers, the marketplace had many specials in gardening supplies, beautiful flowers, high-tech sewing machines, and a variety of special fabrics and quilting notions.

All this fun and learning was under cover and air-conditioned inside Lebanon’s River Center. River Center has easy parking and is close to Strawberry Festival’s Open Air Country Fair and Carnival in Cheadle Lakes Park.
–30–

SPECIFIC ITEMS OF DISCUSSION
Attendees/ Market

• 500-800 – Tourists & Locals – Gardeners & Quilters – Baby Boomers & others
  

Activities

• Flower/Garden Displays with Awards– Personal & Business
• Quilt Displays wish Awards– Personal, Heritage, Antique & Artistic– Juried & Judged– Open & Invitational
• Commercial Vendors– Nurseries, Landscapers, Sewing Machine Dealers, Quilt & Fabric Shops & Dealers
• Workshops– 4–6 Flower/Gardening & Quilting/Sewing
• Professional Speakers & Artists

Funding & Support

• Generate income– $5,000-$8,000 – Admission Fees, Vendor Fees, Sponsorships, Quilt Raffle–High quality, year long raffle, Flower & Plant Sales, Silent Quilt Auction
• Tourism promotion grant– City of Lebanon “Bed tax”
• Economic Development Support– Lebanon Chamber of Commerce
• Technical Support– OSU/Linn County Extension Service & Master Gardeners. Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs, Lebanon Garden Club, Santiam Scrapper Quilt Guild

Benefits

• New Market– 3-day event targets new Strawberry Festival market – quilters & gardeners

Interested?
Think this might be a fun tourist event for East Linn County?

Give us a call – Alaskan Chocolate Quilting Company (541) 358-1774, (541) 451-4910 or email ACQC@alaskaquilt.com.

Thanks Theresa. Thanks for “Life on display”

INTERNET, ACQC BLOG… Elspeth was neither an Elizabeth Barrett Browning nor an Emily Dickinson, however El’s special journal of her Alaskan life had something neither they nor modern bloggers have — Elspeth had quilts in her letters!

Elspeth sends her thanks to Theresa Hogue for writing an article concerning mid valley bloggers and for mentioning Alaska Chocolate Quilting Company’s Alaska Quilt in Oregon blog.

Elspeth encourages all readers of this blog to click over to the Gazette-Times (Corvallis) or Albany Democrat-Herald websites for her article.

Thanks Theresa. Thanks so much!

Peggy and Chris say Thanks Theresa also.

Giant Fabric Sale in Lebanon Oregon

ST. MARTINS EPISCOPL CHURCH, LEBANON OREGON... The following story was is the March Snippets, the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild Newsletter.

Fabric (and related items) Sale! Even though Sharon Reece’s recent eye surgery has improved her sight signifi cantly, she is still determined to reduce her stash and sewing paraphernalia by offering up lots of good stuff for sale at half price. Our meeting room at the church will house the event on March 17th. (And remember: we are ALL Irish on St Paddy’s Day!)

Some of the items she will be selling: Fabric (she and Rusty bundled over 1000 fat quarters!), books, patterns, lots of sewing accessories, a John Flynn frame, a Q-snap Floor Frame with tilt legs, a good quality lap hoop, and a rug hooking stand. I am still trying to get past the 1000 fat quarters!

Setting out all the fabric was a lot of fun tonight. "Where did she store all this fabric and stuff?" was a question we heard over and over again. Her home is a small mobile home in the Lacomb hills. Sharon's small dog LEO was even going crazy tonight because he had so much room to run around once all the totes were loaded into the truck!

The church is at the corner of Grove and Milton streets.

Where have all the days gone

LEBANON OREGON....Can't believe it's been so long since I posted to this blog. What have I been doing all this time? Well, Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went in the usual rush to get everything cleaned, purchased, made, wrapped, cooked and mailed. I didn't get many Christmas cards out but I did make and finish a quilt for one of my granddaughters. She was the last of the grandkids to get a quilt other than the ones I made each of them when they were born.

Since the first of the year I have trying to lose some weight but today I sabotaged myself by going on a sugar binge! Now I must get back on track. I feel so much better when I stay off sugar!

I've also been on a kick to declutter this house. Have been throwing stuff away or taking it to the Goodwill. I joined Fly Lady.net last year and her system and emails have helped me set up some routines, get rid of some of the clutter, and began to put our home and life in order. I still have a long way to go but I know I can do it one step at a time. Check out her web site at FlyLady.net.

Elspeth’s Blocks Found!

RICHARDSON HIGHWAY, ALASKA… 87 years after Elspeth created her Alaskan Honeymoon Sampler Quilt Blocks, five blocks have been rediscovered! These historic quilt blocks have been added to the Elspeth’s Quilt Mystery on the Alaskan Chocolate Quilting Company website.

Creating a special journal of a new life
It was June 1920 when Elspeth and William were journeying up the Richardson Highway by wagon. While traveling from Valdez up the almost 400 miles, heading to Fairbanks and their new life, Elspeth sewed 20 block of her first quilt.

As they traveled north through the long, Alaskan summer days, she kept a special type of traveler’s journal — a series of letters and quilt blocks. Her letters were short, yet very descriptive and her 20 quilt blocks were pictures in fabric and thread of the sights she and William saw and experienced.

Elspeth only wrote eight letters to her “Dear Friend” who lived outside, in Elspeth’s old home back in Calloway county, Kentucky. The letters were “mailed” at roadhouses along the highway. Every few days a bus or truck would travel from Fairbanks down to Valdez and the roadhouse mail would be collected and delivered for shipment from Valdez back to Seattle.

Beginning a new life together — Married in Murray, Kentucky
Elspeth, b. Jan. 1901, Calloway county, west of the Tennessee river, and William, b. Aug. 1894, New Madrid county, Missouri, were married earlier that year back in Murray, Kentucky.

Their wedding was noted in the Murray Ledger & Times on June 20, 1919…

Married BOGGS – WARREN
MURRAY, Ky., June 20—At the home of the bride's parents in this city, on Saturday evening, June 16, 1919, the Rev. L. Greenfield, married Mr. William John BOGGS, of New Madrid, Mo., and Miss Elspeth Martha WARREN, of this city.

The bride is the daughter of Lawyer and Mrs. J. D. WARREN, and has grown up in this community where she has a host of warm friends. Since 1917, she has been studying music and other college subjects at Bethel Woman’s College, Hopkinsville, Ky.

The groom is a young gentleman of New Madrid co., Missouri, who was discharged from the Army Signal Corps with the rank of sergeant on June 5th, 1919. Mr. Boggs had served in the Army since August 1917. He served in France in the AEF from June 1918 to May 1919. He is highly esteemed by all who know him.

The MURRAY LEDGER & TIMES extends its hearty congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Boggs, and wishes them many years of unalloyed happiness wherever their adventures might take them.

Elspeth receives a “Female education in proper Kentucky style”
Prior to their wedding, Elspeth had spent two years studying music, nursing, and “other college subjects” at Bethel Woman’s College in Hopkinsville, Christian county. Her mother, Mary Jane, and her two older sisters, Dawn Elise, b. Dec. 1897, and Margaret Ann, b. Oct. 1899, had also studied at what was then Bethel Female College.

Young William’s wild streak is mining, steamboating
William, Elspeth's husband, came from a family in southern Missouri. Originally his family came from the Georgia seacoast. Although William’s father was a well-to-do banker, William had a bit of a wild a streak and left home at a young age.

William has done some mining in Colorado and Utah before coming back to Kentucky and meeting Elspeth. William has also worked as a boy on the Mississippi as a deck crewman on the paddle wheel freighter Col. John Germain. Working the lower river down to New Orleans.

Two young folks meet in Hopkinsville
In 1917, William had met his future bride while she was studying in Bethel Woman’s College in Hopkinsville, Ky. He joined the U.S. Army August 7, 1917 there in Hopkinsville. He served in the Army Signal Corps and attained the rank of sergeant. He was discharged on June 5th, 1919. William served in France in the AEF from June 1918 to May 1919.

Going to Alaska with side trip to California, Oregon
William Boggs had a bit of money from his savings during Army service. His father had given him some tracts of land in New Madrid county, Mo., as part of his father’s real estate business. William sold half of his tracts in a number of land sales.

This provided money to take the railroad to California, Oregon, and Seattle. There was money for steamship passage to Valdez and to buy a wagon and goods for the trip to Fairbanks.
Before coming to Alaska, the young newlyweds had traveled to meet William's uncle in the gold mining country of the Sierra Nevadas in northern California. There they also visited with Elspeth's very old aunt (she was in her late 80s) who worked in a house on the Barbary Coast in San Francisco during the California Gold Rush (c. 1849-1860).

From California they took the railroad north to visit relatives in Linn co., Ore. This was where Elspeth’s mother had been born — Mary Jane WALKER, b. Sep. 1870, Linn co., Ore., on a farm north of Peoria, Ore.

Eventually, in Seattle, they boarded an Alaska Steamship Company steamer heading for Valdez, Alaska.

1920’s pioneers choose wagon rather than bus
When they arrived in Valdez, they found the way to Fairbanks was on the Richardson Highway. While by 1919, most of the highway traffic was motorized, William and Elspeth wanted to save money and to have a more pioneer-like experience, so they bought a wagon and team. The journey was over 360 miles and they took 16 days for their trip.

Back to Elspeth’s new found quilt blocks
Elspeth remained all her life in Alaska — she bore 7 children, raised two additional stepchildren, eventually had 3 husbands, and was a B&B operator in Tok — quilting all the while. When she passed in 1996, in Fairbanks, her quilts were stored. It wasn’t until recently that some of these old patterns were found.

Here is a bit more background of her quilt patterns.

Her wedding hope chest is filled with quilt patterns
When Elspeth was married, one of her wedding gifts was a package of printed quilt patterns.
El’s grandmother, her mother, and her sisters created this collection. They placed it in a hope chest with fabric scraps as a very special gift for their new bride. The hope chest was handmade by her father from Kentucky hardwoods.

Patterns — heritage, traditional, and LHJ, Godey’s — from her family
Grandma Elspeth Martha had cut many patterns from magazines such as the Ladies Home Journal and Godey's Lady's Book. Mary, El’s mother, had collected printed patterns from newspapers and mail order companies when she had traveled to St. Louis for the World Fair in 1904.

Dawn Elise and Margaret Ann, El’s two older sisters, drew patterns from old family quilts and made copies of patterns from mail-order companies. Her two younger sisters, Mattie (Dauphine) and Cleo (Cleopatra), collected four patterns from a local quilter who sold patterns and kits from her home in the county near the Tennessee River.

El’s Great-aunt Marcie had mailed two patterns from California. (Aunt Marcie had once been known as Madame Marcelle. That was in the early days when she worked on the Barbary Coast in San Francisco.)

Quilt block documents are traditional and special
In addition to her wedding collection of patterns, while on her travels, Elspeth pieced adaptations of traditional patterns. She also was becoming a quilt pattern designer and drew new patterns to reflect the sights she experienced in Alaska.

When she arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska, El had 41 block patterns in her collection.

Five blocks found
Moose tracks, spawning salmon, bear paws, raven tracks, and single wedding ring are El’s creations, or modifications of traditionals, which have been added to the ACQC website. Check to see if you can identify these blocks.

Send Peggy and Dawn an email with your guesses. If you are correct, they may send you a small gift and then again, they may not!

Historical note
The explosion of printed quilt patterns was part of the quilting revival of the late 19th century and the early 20th centuries. This revival, which reached it’s maximum in the 1920’s and 1930’s, was associated with improvements in sewing machine design, electrical sewing machines, and their wide distribution.

Marina’s a blue ribbon winner and we were there

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON...Where were we? We were at the 2006 Pacific Northwest Quiltfest. And getting there was quite an adventure.

The adventure began when Gail and I found out that one of Marina’s quilts, Penny’s Bird Brooch, had been accepted into the Pacific Northwest Quiltfest in Seattle Washington. This is a juried and judged exhibition of the finest quilts from Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, The Northwest Territories, Oregon, Washington and The Yukon. Just having a quilt accepted for this show is quite an honor. Only 276 quilts out of over 500 entries were accepted.

So, now Gail and I wanted to go to Seattle with Marina to see her quilt hanging in the show. Plans were made for a quick trip up there for only one night, probably Friday.

Then Marina got an invitation to the awards ceremony .She had won a ribbon! But they wouldn’t tell her which award. So our plans changed to go there on Thursday so we could go to the ceremony and then on to a private showing of all the quilts.

We left for Seattle around 11am and after a stop in Olympia to pick up Marina’s friend from California we continued on our way. There was a lot of laughter as we got lost more than once finding our motel in Auburn. It was getting late and after a quick change of clothes we were on our way to the Seattle Center. It got later still because the traffic into Seattle was terrible! Gail got pretty vocal about all the crazy drivers.

So, we were on our way to get lost again! That Seattle Center is a big place and we had problems finding road signs. Then once we got there we couldn’t find any signs or people who knew were the awards ceremony was being held.

Of course, we finally found it and were really breathless when we got there. We had sent Marina and her friend Charlotte on ahead while Gail and I parked the car. Then Gail and I were really hoofing it. We were afraid we would miss the announcement of her award.

We did get there and had a front row seat. We were Marina’s cheering section when the award was announced. I even have a picture of a headless Marina doing a curtsey to us as we cheered for her. (She doesn’t remember doing the curtsey). She won $300 and a goody bag full of really nice gifts including fabric from In The Beginning and the Calico Cat and many notions. I wonder if her favorite notion will change now?

There were so many beautiful quilts at the show. The work in many of the quilts was unbelievable. We also saw Jean McDaniel’s colorful Heartstrings quilt in APNQ’s fifth invitational traveling exhibit. Seeing all these beautiful quilts made us all want to go home and work on out quilts.

After leaving the show we traveled quite a distance trying to find the Muckelshoot Casino located just 3 miles from our motel. Traffic was so bad and it was so late and we still needed some dinner. We knew that we could get food all night long at the casino. It was a really good choice. The food was plentiful and tasted really good.

The next morning we headed (the wrong way again) back to the casino for breakfast. Of course we had to stop at the Calico Cat a quilt shop in Auburn. It is a really nice shop and not too far off the freeway if you are up that way. I would make a special stop there again.

We finally got home about 10 pm, after making a quick stop at the Fabric Depot in Portland. Don’t ask Gail how to get there! She got really good a turning around during the two days!

We all had a wonderful time and were so proud of Marina. She is such a talented and creative quilter!

Congratulations again to Marina on her fantastic win and also to Jean for being invited to part of this great quilt show.

Big Red dead but quilts still there

SCIO, OREGON... Known for Linn County's Lamb and Wool Fair in May, Scio is a neat small Oregon town that used to have a chicken mascot and home made quilts at the Fair.

On July 11, Big Red, Scio's chicken mascot, met an untimely end with a tough dog. So next year, Big Red won't be pointing the way to the quilts in the school gym.

Big Red was a proud Rhode Island Red, but now he's dead. Read the full story of Scio's unofficial patrol rooster in Albany's Democrat-Herald on July 12.

But if you are a quilter or a quilter-looker, drive up Ore. Hwy 226 to Scio in May. Get an elephant ear with sugar and cinnamon, visit the train depot museum, shop in the feed store visitor shelves, and check out the quilts in the gym.

'Course there are some other neat and unusual events in Scio on Thomas Creek during the Fair.

Fair time for Santiam Scrappers

LINN COUNTY FAIR AND EXPO CENTER, KNOX BUTTE RD, ALBANY, ORE... Several of the Wednesday Ladies went to the Linn County Fair to help with displaying the items in the textile division.The Wednesday Ladies are a Sub-group of guild who meet at my house on Wednesday afternoons to sew on Community Service Quilts.

Anyway, Jenny the division manager said she needed lots of help. Well, after we helped fasten quilts to polls and hand them up to a guy in a lift there didn't seem to be much for us to do. We did sort the items into several catagories: baby; Christmas; fall; etc.;. Then we were asked to set up a display of the baby items on a table and layer them to get them all on the table.

Then, after sitting around for awhile with nothing clear that we could help with most of us left. Would have liked to have been more help.

Today we went to the opening day of the fair in 2 hour shifts of two or three guild members to do demonstrations. Last year we had 3 tables and just enough room for everyone to set up their demo. This year we only were given 2 tables and we were pretty crowded. I was just glad that my friend Leola and I changed our minds about bringing our sewing machines for a demo.

I looked around at some of this divisions displays and was disappointed that all the stuff that I and several others worked at displaying yesterday had been moved and put on different tables. Guess we didn't sort it correctly.

Maybe I'm being too critical. But I will think twice about volunteering to help next year.

My friend Marina's quilt took best of show which was great! I was lazy and didn't enter anything.