Starting a new quilting group - advice?
 

I've given my bestest friend the quilting bug something fierce over the past year. I convinced her to sign up for a French Braid class at a local quilt shop and now she's hooked. (It's worth noting that her braid is completed and gifted, whereas my braid is still a WIP!)

Since my Mom quilts casually, and she's gotten her Mom to sign up for a class with her, we've decided to start a little quilting group so that we can all meet up and just work on projects for an extended period without distractions. We started meeting at her house, but there's only so much space available at one small dining room table. Also, it's a bit of a drive for Mom 'n me.

We've found a library at a nice midway point between us and booked the room for six hours on the 23rd. If all goes well, we plan to book it again every few weekends and keep meeting up! We're calling ourselves "The Wonderbolts" because we're all fans of the new My Little Ponies series and it's a double-reference between fabric and the show.

Question 1: How can I go about advertising the meeting for any other local quilters who might be interested in joining us during that time? I don't expect many, if any, since we have to stick to weekends (work) and a lot of quilters seem to be busy during the weekends. But still, there might be someone else in the area with the time and interest.

Question 2: What should I bring? We're going to be meeting from 10AM-4PM, so we're planning on bringing some crock pot lunch foods. I'll bring my cutting mats and ironing board, since she doesn't have a full-sized. And of course we'll bring our individual machines and projects. Would anything else be a good idea?

Thanks guys!

don't forget the extensions cords for the machines. I started a group from our church with about 6 members and it has grown to 13 now. Each month a couple of people volunteer to bring lunch. We do meet in one of the social rooms at church and monthly take up a small collection (monies) then at the end of the year we give the church a donation for use of the rooms.

I would make up a batch of simple flyers and ask if I could leave a stack at all the local quilt shops in the area. I recommend bringing extension cords, unless you know the layout of the room and that all the cords will reach all the outlets.

In addition to crockpot type foods, I recommend snacky things. A veggie tray, crackers, chips, cheese slices, grapes, Hershey's kisses, etc. When I get together with my non-guild quilting friends, we end up snacking throughout the day rather than actually sitting down to a meal. We'd much rather be sewing! :D

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Originally Posted by mic-pa (Post 5857081)

don't forget the extensions cords for the machines. I started a group from our church with about 6 members and it has grown to 13 now. Each month a couple of people volunteer to bring lunch. We do meet in one of the social rooms at church and monthly take up a small collection (monies) then at the end of the year we give the church a donation for use of the rooms.

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Aha, extension cords! That's one for the list for sure. :P I'm sure Dad has a couple out in the garage he'd let us borrow. I would never have thought about that, though. Thank you!

If all goes well and we decide to use the library on a more permanent basis, I think we'll probably see about making them a wall-hanging in thanks.

You can announce through your Guild newsletter, post a note on the library bulletin board, or just word of mouth. Seems like you have planned well. I assume you plan to bring a iron to go with the ironing board and the library furnishes tables and chairs. Bring plenty of extension cords. Be sure to ask the library how much equipment can be plugged in before your overload the circuit. Hope you have as much fun at your meetings as we do at our monthly guild open sews that we have at our local library.

Flyers? *facepalm* That's so simple. What a great idea! We have two fantastic LQS within a ten mile radius of the library, not to mention a couple Joann's and a Hancock's.

And yes... good idea. We are hugely snacky people. Also big tea-drinkers. I think one of us will probably end up bringing an electric kettle and my friend can select a blend from her assortment of teas.

If you plan on a cutting station, a set of bed risers will elevate a table to a comfortable height.

mltquilt

Trashcans- or at least something to put little threads that are snipped. I have found that little paper sacks work well. They are inexpensive and easily recycled for the next time.

I've recently started a group. I live in a small-ish town and word-of-mouth has been the best advertising. Since then I've used email, using addresses I've gathered here and there. The first email encouraged each person to bring a friend, sister, mother, etc. I started with about 15 I emailed, and it has grown now to about 30. Not everyone comes each time but I would say we average about 10-12. The gals do a pot luck lunch, and I (and my BFF) fix supper and charge $5. Since we sew for a LONG time (9am to 10pm) I also tell them they can invite husbands for supper, as long as they RSVP.

So far it is working quite well. My husband is in charge of the Masonic building, so that's where we go. I hear such nice comments from the people, and I also get lots of emails from people who say they can't make it this month but please keep them on the list.

Hope this helps a little.
Nancy

If you have a Gym, that is a good place to post flyers and also the beauty shops. Sounds like you are going to have lots of fun.

Make sure the library does not have a limit and food is allowed... and if there is any cost for room or a clean up fee...

I agree, a press station, extension cords and surge protector cords are a must...