Upcountry Quilters Guild Newsletter - June 2025

Newsletter Content Authors:

  • Meeting Minutes – (Donna A.)
  • Birthdays – Janice H.
  • Meeting Program Notes – Gretchen C.
  • Community Service – Edith P., Kay M., Pam J.
  • Oconee/Pickens County QOV / Sit-N-Sew – Beth E.
  • Quilt Shows, Workshops & Events – Cheryl B./Gretchen C.
  • Show & Tell Photos – Beth E.

Next Guild Meetings

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 (7pm)

Program:  Upcountry Quilters Guild Quilt Show CHALLENGE QUILTS

Facilitator:  Kris V.

Location:  Pickens Presbyterian Church, 311 N. Main St., Pickens, SC

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 

Program:  Guild Annual Picnic/Guild Meeing

Location:  Dacusville Community Center

Meeting Minutes

UQG Meeting Minutes, June 24, 2025

Meeting called to order by Cheryl B. with a welcome to new members.

May minutes were approved unanimously as published on the website.

Treasurer Report was given by Linda C.  2 months of report was given since April 21, 2015.  Linda reminded members that quilt ticket sales and boutique sales fund our programs throughout the year.

Membership:  27 members and 1 visitor in attendance.

Community Service: 

  • 13 quilts have been gifted to Hands of Hope Pediatric Hospice.  Precut batting is available for these quilts.  Reminder was given to wash those quilts being given to pediatric Hospice patients.
  • Cheryl B. stated Quilts of Valor have 30 quilts waiting to be quilted and 50ish have already been completed.  Beth Eastman reminded members that we needed 83 quilts for National Guard unit coming home from Syria and that other QOV quilts continued to be needed for other veterans.  Beth asked for continued prayers for safety for the 83 National Guard.

 

Publicity: Tammy M.  stated that she will be meeting with 4H leaders to discuss sewing lessons.  Tammy also explained that we were setting up our Presentation Quilt every week at the Easley Farmers’ Market to sell tickets.  She stated this has been a good way to share with the public what our guild does, ie., support veterans, pediatric Hospice patients and the Sheriff’s department with quilts.  She plans to add these talking points to the back of the pic of the Presentation Quilt. She announced that she needs 2 more quilts for display in the community. 

Question was raised regarding display of members’ quilts in November again this year at the Pickens Museum.  Cheryl stated she thought that was the plan.

Special Events:  Kris V. reminded members of the August 26 picnic.  She will email committee members regarding planning meeting.  List of those who signed up for side dishes will be on the website.

2025 Guild Quilt Show:

  • Kris reviewed that Challenge Quilts will be presented at the July guild meeting, and she explained how they should be brought in a pillowcase-concealed.  Details will be in the newsletter.  Guild members will vote and ribbons will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. 
  • Forms for quilts being entered in the October quilt show will be available at the July picnic. The entry forms will also be available on the website on a password protected page.  The password will be sent to members via email.
  • The show quilts have to be dropped off Tuesday, September 9 at Pickens Presbyterian Church where they will be measured and placed with a form.  Several members will take these quilts home, lay them out flat and keep them until September 16, when they will be brought back to Grace Methodist fellowship building for judging. Again several members will take these quilts back to their home and keep them until the October Quilt Show.  Quilt judge is Kathleen Roundtree from Hendersonville, NC.

 

Tea and Sympathy: 

  • Edith P.’s husband is doing better. 
  • Donna A. is having cataract surgery in July. 
  • Mary P. has squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and will be receiving treatment.  Mary’s daughter has started chemo for pancreatic cancer.
  • Please remember these members and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Newsletter:  Janice H. reported that details regarding the Quilt Show will be in the newsletter.  Also, she needs the monthly newsletter reports by 7-5-25.

Upcoming Guild Quilt Show:

  • Gretchen C.  reported that boutique items are still needed for the Quilt Show
  • She stated that Marjorie P. will be making the turtle pin cushions.
  • Gretchen encouraged members to bring boutique items to the Hagood Community Center where they can be stored until the Quilt Show.  She requested that items be labeled with pricing also.  Monique is helping with the organization of these items.
  • Cheryl B. is working on a list of Quilt Show jobs that are needed.  Cheryl will have a sign up sheet for those jobs. 
  • Cheryl shared that the QOSC meeting will be in Myrtle Beach October 23-25.  She plans to go and is interested in sharing ride and room.  Next Spring QOSC meeting will be in Greenville, SC.

Misc.:

  • Marietta’s is now offering a 10% discount with Guild Member card on July 12 and 19
  • Cheryl reminded members that free fabric, books and patterns were available and had been donated by Betty D. and Laverne M. , previous members of the guild.
  • Doriss G. , former member of the guild, has fabric she would like to sell.  It was suggested that she bring the fabric to the August 26 Picnic.

 

Show and Tell:  See pictures in the newsletter.

June Program was presented by 4 of our own members.

Meeting adjourned. 

Minutes submitted by Donna A. 

Birthdays

    JULY

  • Jae S.                
  • Beth E.              7/1
  • Judith L.            7/8
  • Carolyn C.         7/17  
  • Nancy S.           7/21

    AUGUST

  • Marina G.          8/5
  • Cindy C.             8/7
  • Donna A.           8/8
  • Kay M.               8/21
  • Pam J.                8/22
  • Sandra B.           8/24
  • Shelby A.            8/25
  • Mary P.               8/28

Guild Quilt Show (Oct. 10-11, 2025)

BOUTIQUE

Please do not forget about making items for our Quilt Show boutique. The proceeds from the sales help pay for our workshops and our quilt retreat next year.

Gretchen C. would appreciate it if you could email her  list of what you will be providing for the Boutique, so she’ll have a better idea of what is needed.   Thanks!

Community Service

We had 13 quilts donated to Hands of Hope Pediatric Hospice through Agape Missions at our June guild meeting.

  • Remember the quilts donated to this project need to be washed
  • Batting is available at our meetings for this project

 

Thank you for your generous work on this community service project!


Our other 2025 Community Service project is Quilts of Valor (QOV).
  • You can come to Dacusville Community Center every third Friday to work together or come get fabric to complete the quilt at home
  • If you want to quilt it yourself you can also get fabric for the backing and batting at the center
  • You may choose to complete just the quilt top and turn it in to be quilted at the center
  • Remember to seam about 1/8 of an inch around your quilt top before turning it in.

QOV size guidelines:                 Width:  55 – 65 inches                 Length:  73 – 90 inches

Local Quilt Shop Spotlight

Did you know there’s a new Quilt shop, “SwoopADaisies”,  coming soon to Easley, SC?

It’s owned by Jennifer Chastain.  Here’s a recent communication we received from her.

– – – – – – – – – 

Welcome to Swoopadaisies Quilt and Sew, a stitch of home and a world of creativity!

We are more than just a quilt shop-it’s a gathering place for makers, dreamers, and doers! Along with myself, Jennifer, my mom, Sue, aunt Barbara and sister Amanda, we were all born and raised right here in Easley and proud to bring you a curated collection of top-quality fabrics, patterns and notions to spark your next masterpiece!

Step into our open sewing room where creativity flows and neighbors become friends. Whether you’re piecing your first quilt or working on your hundredth, you’ll find a welcoming space to create, connect, and be inspired.
Also, do you have a stash of fabric, patterns or notions you’ve never used? Our unique trade-in program lets you turn those forgotten treasures into store credit, giving them new life while fueling your next project!

At Swoopadaisies, every stitch is a story and we can’t wait to be part of yours!

Notes: 

  • The shop will be located on Gentry Memorial Highway in the building that previously was the location of a computer repair business.
  • They will be announcing an opening date as soon as they have it.  They recently passed inspection and are now waiting on power and carpet installation so they can start the moving in process
  • Jennifer would also like to know what guild  members are hoping to see and find in the store, whether it be a certain fabric designer, a certain type of thread that they love but can’t find local, pattern maker, etc.

June 2025 Guild Meeting Program

Program:   All things binding – Guild member presentations/demos:

  • Cathy C. presented Flange and Piped binding. Flanged quilt binding is meant to look like you added piping to the edge of the binding, without all the work. Piping can be incorporated into binding to add a splash of color in an unexpected place or added to outline a block or border. Cathy provided a handout for creating both the flanged and piping borders. (She also had a drawing for a piping tool. Congratulations Marina!)
  • Beth E. presented Specialty machine binding. By using the binding tool attachment, Beth showed how to make perfect mitered corners.
  • Robbie O.  presented Facing your quilt project. Facing a Quilt is a method of finishing the edge of a quilt. A strip of facing fabric is sewn to the front of a quilt and turned to the back so that none of the facing fabric shows on the front. A Facing provides an alternative to traditional binding.
  • Kris V. presented how to add a 4” hanging sleeve to your quilt. Kris provided hanging sleeve instructions.  REMEMBER– All quilts to be hung at the Quilt Show must have a 4” hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt. 

Show & Tell Photos (June 2025 Meeting)