kay carlson

Have you ever participated in a small group which is an off-shoot from your quilting guild?

Six of us have been meeting weekly in a private home for a preplanned potluck lunch. What we contribute to lunch varies with the menu. Purchasing something from a deli is not a cause for distress. We pitch in to set up the table for lunch and clean up afterward. Timeframe ranges from 11 am to approx. 2 pm each Wednesday.

We have worked on our own projects, as well as, items for charity. From a queen size quilt to table toppers, it is fun to share our stories, stash and special interests. Fortunately, all participants are also avid readers so we share that interest in literature, history, travel, etc.

My DH knows that "Giggles" is a huge mental health break for each quilter and offers community support when our families live so far away. My quilting sisters named the group LOL before I joined. It was supposed to mean Ladies of Leisure, but we were side-swiped when presenting a quilt to a local charity to raffle. The charity representative asked if LOL meant Little Ole Ladies. He was serious!! Granted he was older than we are, but I thought he had put his foot in his mouth..... Well, we've laughed over that one. The following week two gals had a box of faux pearls on the table. Yes, we put on our pearls each time we met until that trick was worn out. :-)

If you have the opportunity to join a small group, I would encourage you to give it a try. :-) We've found a way to deepen friendships, share our talents, and keep the cost to a minimum.

DonnaR

I have belonged to a small (11) group for about a year. None of us knew each other before we had our initial meeting. We very quickly became best friends. We laugh, cry and share. But we learn new things, make projects and have fun. It is definitely great for my mental health.

Peckish

I have to be honest, I would much rather go on a 3-day retreat with my little quilting group (about 14) than a week-long vacation with my family! It is the BEST thing for my soul. The thing that amazes me is how diverse we are, both in personalities and quilt styles, and yet how well we all get along. It's the most awesome thing ever.

Mickey1

Whole new meaning to LOL!! Thanks for the post.

Divokittysmom

Very heartwarming.... I hope to find a group like this to join.

sewnsewer2

I'm in a small group too, about 10 right now, and we are called Island Scrappers. We have a blast. Each week the host will teach us something new.

mltquilt

I also sew with a small group of friends and depending on the ebb and flow of life the group gets really small sometimes but we enjoy getting together and working on our own projects about once a week. Sometimes we brown bag and sometimes we bring potluck. Really miss it when we are unable to meet. Getting together with someone else that share's your hobby is therapeutic.

mltquilt

ShowMama

I belong to a small quilting bee in addition to the local quilt guild. Our bee currently has six members, but we have had as many as eight. We meet monthly at the home of one member. Each month, if anyone has a birthday, we bring a fat quarter of her desired fabric and have cake made by the person whose birthday was the month before. In the past we've had block swaps and row robin exchanges, but lately we've been working on charity quilts. Some of us bring our machines and we make simple QAYG string quilts from a stash that was donated. We set up an assembly line with stations for sewing, ironing, and squaring up. This keeps us busy as well as helping someone at the local cancer center.