THE GATHERING OF QUILTERS
​ABOUT US​
​The Gathering of Quilters is a long standing local organization founded in 1982. It promotes the art and craft of quilting, with membership open to any person interested in quilts and quilt making.
​
Current membership encompasses Northwestern Ohio and Southeastern Michigan and is more than 70 members strong.
​
We meet the third Thursday of each month September through May, excluding December.
Show and Tell
Members and guests are asked to bring in their quilts to hold up and talk about during the Show and Tell portion of each general meeting.
​
Fat Quarter Raffle Basket
Fat quarters (of a determined theme) are brought in by members and guests. The themes are listed under the tab entitled Fat Quarter Themes and under the reminder section of each meeting.
WHERE WE MEET
Holland Free Methodist Church
6605 Angola Road
Holland, OH 43528
419-865-4640
​
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. (Please, no early entry.)
Entrance at south end of building.
Visitors/Guests may attend a meeting for $5. January is a free meeting.
To further the mission of the church, members are asked to bring non-perishable items to the meeting for donation to the church.
Address Labels
We use these to quickly identify raffle tickets. Rather than calling numbers repeatedly on tickets and waiting for the holder to claim their prize, you stick your address label on the ticket and your name is called. Forget your labels? You can always write your name on each ticket.
Yearly Quilt Challenge
Each year a challenge is given to the members to be completed by the May meeting. At the May meeting, members vote on their favorite, and prizes are awarded.
Charity Quilts & Charitable Work
Although the guild does not require members to donate quilts to charity, it is encouraged. In the last year, close to 3,000 quilts and items were donated to several charities. Charities that frequently receive quilts through our members are:
-
Become a “Blanketeer” for Project Linus- Project Linus is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans lovingly created by volunteers. All the blankets from the Toledo/Lucas County chapter are donated to foster children of Lucas County, Toledo Children's Hospital and Mercy/St. Vincent Hospital. You can help by making a blanket- quilts, crocheted, knitted, or fleece. Blankets can be as small as 36” X 36” but the majority of the blankets are about 40” X 60”, or what is called “crib size.” Larger twin size for teens are also appreciated. The blankets need to be handmade and made out of new, washable, child-friendly materials. Visit the national website for blanket ideas and patterns at www.projectlinus.org. If you need any further information, please call Billie Szymanski at 419-866-1427 or e-mail to projlinus@yahoo.com. Thank you!
-
Ohio Quilts of Valor- (QOV) make lap sized quilts for wounded soldiers. It is a national organization with a local chapter meeting in Maumee. More information can be found by visiting the website.
-
Quilts of Compassion – many members participate in the “quilt days”, making multiple quilts on each of these “quilt days”; while other members make the quilts and drop them off for the organization
-
Gabriel's Gowns - making bereavement gowns for deceased newborns and stillborn babies.
-
Ronald McDonald House – members collect thousands of pop tabs each year; this supports the food budget for house guests.
-
Holland Free Methodist Church - contributions to the food pantry.
-
Miscellaneous Animal Shelters - as a guild we have made hundreds of dog beds.
-
Other Charities include: Ann Arbor VA and Safe House, Friends of the Library, Honor Flight , Kidney Dialysis, Lutheran World Relief, Mennonite Central Committee, Toledo Hospital, Toledo Pregnancy Clinic, and University of Michigan Hospital
Sharing Information with Guild Members
An information table is set up at each general meeting to display items of interest to guild members. Have something to share? Place your information on this table for members and guests to read and/or take with them. Want to know about quilt shows, other guilds, special quilt raffles, bus trips, upcoming speakers… Details about all of these can be found on this information table.
Membership Rosters
A roster of members will be prepared and distributed at the January meeting. Additions and corrections will be done for the remainder of the year.