busy fingers

Make sure the lighting in the room is good. You may need to bring along sewing lights - nothing worse than a dim light to sew by.

Good luck and enjoy sewing with your new sewing buddies.

petthefabric

Two, well three, thoughts: someone mentioned picking up after yourselves. We quilters are usually covered with threads and they just seem to leave a trail behind us. They can sure wrap around the beater bar of a vacumn. I would ask the quilters to try to keep threads to the trash can and offer to vacumn before leaving.
The second thought is lighting. There may be enough ambiate lighting....you could check out the room. Usually a task light is needed. And lighting over the cutting and pressing stations may be needed.
As to electricity: one standard iron can use as much electricity as 60 Clover mini wand irons. There are non-electric ways to "press" seams such as a wall-paper breyer and Clover pressing sticks. These can get the seams going the right direction and then the project only needs pressing occasionally. (When I've been to retreat centers, they ask if there's anything we might need. It's always more electricity.) With all the irons, lights and machines, the circuits can get overloaded. (Let's see....on one hand-use the elctricity for sewing OR for crock pot? DUH.)
Here's #4: electric cords loosely draped across the floor can be a hazzard. Either plan to tape them down or throw a rubber mat over them.
I may think of more...........

Tartan

Okay, back up a little. I think it's great that you want to start a group and advertise BUT start as you mean to go on. Do you really want to be supplying food for X amount of people? Is everyone going to take turns or is this going to be just for the initial meeting and everyone can bring a lunch next time? Does the library allow eating in the building? Sorry to rain on your parade.

Jennalyn

The library does allow food so long as we clean up after ourselves and behave responsibly with it. They also don't charge groups that aren't for-profit, and I verified with their headquarters before I booked the room that we would qualify.

A lot make note of and think about. You're all so marvelous - I knew that I would get the kind of answers I needed here!

gramarraine

Sounds like fun. If I lived in your area I would love to join your group.

TinkerQuilts

I'm not sure if this link will still work, but another board member put this retreat list together a year or so back (hope she doesn't mind me sharing it again).
It was very helpful:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...ent-255682.pdf

jemma

cords are a hazard as mentioned--we got the cheapest car mats [rubber] they work a treat--??insurance

lclang

There is a good quilt guild in North Platte. They meet the first Thursday evening of each month at 6:30 p.m. at McKinley Education Center at 301 West F St. Visitors are encouraged! If you don't already belong, please feel free to come and see what goes on.

There is also a sewing group just starting that will meet at the local quilt shop on the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. The purpose is to make charity quiolts so we will have a ready supply. If you are interested bring your scraps or projects you want to work on for donation and join the group.

bunniequilter

I started a group like that in the village where I lived. About 10 women were interested. Things went great until one lady decided she wanted to be in "charge". Of course things went down hill from there. Keep it simple keep it friendly keep it fun and you will have fun!

maviskw

It's wonderful to hear of quilters getting together.
Our local library was built just a few years ago with a "Quilt Wall". A very nice quilt clamp was installed near the top of the wall, and the quilts are changed about once a month. The quilts come from anyone who wants to put one up there. We just check with the librarian. They have come from many miles away, but most are local people. Our quilt group has now been asked to get their names on a list if they wish.
Instead of donating a quilt to the library, why don't you ask them if they could put up a quilt clamp. I'll bet you would have no trouble lining up quilts to go up there for one month at a time. And what a nice thing to bring people into the library.