AVQ hosts many special events for it’s members and the community. Some are yearly and some occur every other year. These events include a quilting retreat, a Holiday Brunch for the members and the recipients of our donation quilts, a welcoming tea for new members, a summertime lemonade social, a mystery trip, a silent auction and quilt challenges. Below is a full description of each of these events. Watch your newsletters and our calendar for scheduled dates!
Retreat:
Leslie with her quilt
Every other year, AVQ has a weekend retreat at a local venue for our members. This biennial event takes place on the year between our Quilt Show years. It’s a great time for fun, friendship and lots of sewing. Past retreats have featured workshops, classes, mystery quilts, time for free sewing and of course socializing. Watch here for information about any upcoming retreat activity.
2011 “The Great Escape”
June 28th, 2012 – July 1st, 2012 Retreat will be at the California State University Stanislaus campus in Turlock for 3+ days of quilting heaven. We will be using campus housing.
The retreat is expanding so more spots are available.
For more information, contact the Retreat Chairperson.
Holiday Brunch:
Every December our general meeting is transformed into a day of giving. In place of a speaker we hold a festive brunch, invite special guests and have a parade of quilts that Macy’s would envy! Check your newsletter and our calendar for the date and time of this meeting. We get started early to accommodate all of the fun. The tables are set to impress with festive decorations and special treats. Many of our members bring homemade food including delectable desserts to share for the brunch. There’s plenty of time to socialize, eat and enjoy meeting our special guests.
After our meal it is time for the beneficiaries to receive their Community quilts. Throughout the year our members make and donate over 400 quilts to be given to various local organizations that help underprivileged children, teens and women. Representatives from these organizations come to share our brunch and receive the quilts.
After introductions and presentations, its time for the parade. Girl Scout volunteers take many treks around the room in a glorious winding parade of almost never ending quilts. This proves to be the most favored of all AVQ meetings. The holiday spirit combined with the giving and viewing of so many beautiful quilts is not only monumental, it is inspiring. The collective effort that it takes to make this event happen brings a success that makes everyone burst with pride to be an Amador Valley Quilter.
Lemonade Social:
Usually in the summer we come early before one of the meetings and relax. It is a great time of year to be outdoors and enjoy great company. We bring our lunches – AVQ provides the lemonade, water and cookies. Visit, meet new people or catch up with a pal. Invite a favorite quilting friend or, better yet, make a new friend. This a great time to invite your neighbor or colleague that you’ve wanted to introduce to AVQ. New members are always welcome, so invite a guest. We promise to be on our best behavior!
Mystery Trips:
This is a favorite event of the Amador Valley Quilters. These trips are for the adventurous quilter who loves to shop! Early on a designated Saturday morning, up to 40 members board a plush bus for a mystery day of fabric shopping. Who knows where we might end up? The destinations are a highly guarded secret, which no one is privy to except the trip coordinators. After the delight of a few quilt store destinations, lunch is served. Then it’s time for more shopping. Walking shoes, a large shopping bag or backpack and a lot of spending money are a must for this trip. Members are known to shop till’ they drop or go broke, which ever comes first. For more information, contact the Travel Chairperson.
New Member Welcoming Tea:
New Members' Tea 2011
For new members, our welcoming teas are a way to connect more personally with some of our members, which are usually held at the home of our welcoming committee chairperson. Board members are invited along with new members to get to know each other. Questions are answered and ideas are shared. The occasion is completed with tea and treats. Friendships are made with a foundation of sharing the love of quilting. If you are a new member or a current member who would like to share your love of AVQ, please come to the next tea. The dates are announced at the general meeting and in the newsletter. Hope to see you there.
Quilt Challenges:
Challenges are designed to motivate AVQ members to use their imagination. The challenges are presented to the members to promote creativeness and adventure in quilting. A fabric, word, or pattern might be the subject. Guidelines for size and completion date are also provided. The quilter is the master of this project. Members are inspired by this event to try new things and stretch their skills. Projects are shown at our bi-annual quilt show and are sometimes displayed at public events and venues.
Silent Auction: May 12, 2012
Here is an event that is a win win for all! Held in place of a speaker, our meeting is transformed into a quilter’s bazaar. All of our members clean out their sewing rooms and donate any unfinished projects or items they no longer need or want. We sometimes receive donations from estates and quilt stores. All of the items are then categorized and prepared for auction. Bring your pocket book, you will find plenty of items to your liking. It is not uncommon for members to covet the same item and a bidding war begins. Some items from past silent auctions included antique quilts/quilt tops, quilting frames and pattern collections. There is always an abundant supply of fabric, unfinished projects, books and magazines. Bidding for most items start at $1. All proceeds benefit AVQ. Everyone benefits from this event. Donors have a clean sewing space, shoppers receive great deals and AVQ acquires funding for all of our activities.
Details regarding the guidelines for the 2012 event.
