Upcountry Quilters Guild Newsletter - September 2025

Newsletter Content Authors:

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

October 2025 – Upcoming Events

  • 9 – Quilt Show setup (Market at the Mill, Pickens, SC)
  • 10 and 11:  Guild’s Quilt Show (location:  Market at the Mill, Pickens, SC)
  • 28:  Guild Meeting.  Program:  John Mellonson – Sewing Machine Maintenance

Meeting Minutes

UQG Meeting Minutes, September 23, 2025

Meeting called to order by Cheryl B.  Donna A. offered the invocation.

No minutes to approve for August as that was our picnic.

Quilt Show:

  • Gretchen asked members to submit their memories of Wanda A..  These can also be emailed to Cheryl or Gretchen.
  • Sign up sheets were available for members to sign up for volunteer activities for the Quilt Show.
  • Set up:
    • Set up for the quilt show will be Thursday, October 9th at 9 a.m.  Rental company will have poles and drapes up by then.
    • On setup day, please bring step stools and ladders and family members/friends who are able to hang quilts.  Someone will explain how quilts are to be hung.
    • Vendors will set up on Thursday at 11 a.m.
  • No meals will be served on Thursday.  Breakfast and Lunch will be served on Friday and Saturday for members.
  • Take down of quilts was explained.  10 tables will be needed with an attendant at each table for check out of quilts.
  • Information sheet and Judges feedback sheet on each quilt should be obtained from Cheryl on Saturday prior to 4 p.m.  You will need this sheet to be able to pick up your quilt.  If somebody else is picking up your quilt that needs to be documented and given to Cheryl B. prior to Saturday.
  • Prices for Boutique and 2nd Time Around will be reduced at noon on Saturday.  If you don’t want your item to be reduced, then you will need to pick up your item at that time.
  • Gretchen will still be accepting Boutique items up until Thursday of next week.
  • 2nd Time Around items are no longer being accepted.

 

Treasurer’s Report was given by Linda C.

Community Service:

  • Kay said that she has received quite a few quilts for Children’s Hospice
  • We need to decide what community service we want to do for next year.  Suggestion was given to make “Quilted Hugs/Shawls” for Warmth and Comfort for the Elderly.
  • QOV:  National Guard unit is home.  We have enough quilts made for this group, however Beth E. reminded us that there is a continued need for QOV that will be ongoing.  Sunday, November 23, the National Guard unit will be presented with their quilts.  All quilt guild members are invited and encouraged to attend this even.

 

Membership:  25 members and 2 guests were in attendance.  Shelby A. was the winner of the name tag drawing.  A reminder was given that dues for next year will be collected at the December Christmas meeting.  Membership cards will be issued at that time.

Cathy C. reported that Swoop-a-Daisies new quilt shop on Hwy 8 is offering a 10% discount with membership card on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month.  Also you can sew in their store.  Members were encouraged to support this store.

Publicity: Tami M. shared copies of the “Country Register” where a nice article on our quilt guild show was featured on page 3.  She also announced that the PC Chronicle had pictures of the guilt judging.  The PC Courier will have an article next week featuring our Quilt Show.  Tami M. reported that she sold several quilt raffle tickets at the Hagood Mill last Saturday.

Tea and Sympathy:

  • Stacey T.’s sister-in-law passed away last week.
  • Stacey’s husband will have surgery after Stacey has her knee replacement.
  • Tasha’s foot is healing after several surgeries.  She wanted the membership to be reminded that she and family members will be having the grand opening this Saturday at Hester’s Old General Store.
  • Mary P. has 5 more radiation treatments.
  • Mary P.’s daughter is continuing chemo and then will have surgery.
  • Carol K. had a tongue biopsy done and it was benign-Praise the Lord!
  • Margaret C. will be having eye surgery.
  • Judy B. fractured her arm/shoulder.


Please remember all these people in your thoughts and prayers.

Newsletter:  Janice H. reported that nothing new with the website.   Also, she needs the monthly newsletter reports by October 1,  2025.  Beth E. has agreed to do the newsletter next year.

VP:  Gretchen C. reported that the October program would be by David Mellonson on machine maintenance.

There will be no meeting in November, but a combined Nov/Dec meeting on December 9th for our Christmas party at Pickens Presbyterian.  Gifts will be exchanged via a game.  Gifts should be about $20.00.

Voting for new board officers will take place at the December meeting.  Nominees will be presented at the October meeting. Cheryl stated that she would serve as the VP next year and that Tami M. had agreed to serve as President.

Pigeon Forge Quilt Show:  Cheryl shared that the Pigeon Forge Quilt Show for 2026 has a challenge open and quilts will be due by May, 2026.  A minimum of 5 quilts from our guild would be required with no maximum of quilts.  More details will be shared.

Pickens Museum’s display of our quilts will be set up the week before Thanksgiving and will be displayed through January.  Our Challenge quilts will be displayed there.  Members are encourage to submit any quilts for display.

Show and Tell – see pictures in this newsletter

Meeting adjourned.

Minutes submitted by Donna A.Mulonsen

Birthdays

SEPTEMBER

  • Janice H        9/6
  • Paige T         9/19
  • Merry L.        9/24
  • Mary P.         9/28

OCTOBER

  • Katie H           10/4
  • Cathy C.          10/14
  • Gayle D           10/15
  • Tami M            10/21
  • Monique D      10/23

President’s Notes

It’s hard to believe how fast time flies when you are having fun. My term as President will end in December. We will have a vote for new board and chair positions at our December 9th meeting (as well as having our annual FUN Christmas party!). The Publicity/Public Relations position is open, otherwise we have names for all the other positions but you may write in a candidate when you place your vote.

We are still working on next year’s programming. There will be some fun and educational lectures and workshops. We will also have several challenges throughout the year as well. The first one is the 250th Patriotic Anniversary Guild Challenge for Pigeon Forge – Mountainfest Quilt Show. We still need to work out the details of pattern/fabric but I think it will be a very fun challenge. And a road trip to Pigeon Forge is an added bonus! Watch for more information on how you can participate in this challenge.

The Pickens Museum has asked for us to display our quilts again this holiday season. We will hang the quilts the weekend before Thanksgiving and they will be on display through the 2nd week of January. Holiday quilts are encouraged but any quilt is welcome. We will also display this year’s Hometown Challenge quilts. Please consider having your quilt in this special exhibit, especially if you have not had a quilt in a show before.

  • We plan to have the registrations of quilts on-line as that is helpful in planning layout information.
  • We will send details of the registration process in a separate email.

 

Hope you have a happy fall season!
Cheryl

Vice President’s Notes

  • The September guild meeting’s program was short and sweet! Meaning, we had an ice cream bar with delicious toppings and whipped cream! We also played a Quilt Acronym game with some hysterical made-up answers for the acronyms, such as, LQS – Last Quilt Standing (LOL!) instead of Local Quilt Shop. Lots of laughter and happy tummies!!!
  • The October 27th  guild meeting will present David Mellonson discussing Machine Maintenance.
  • There will not be a November guild meeting, as we combine the Nov. and Dec. meetings for our Christmas Party on December 9th.
    • Bring finger foods and a $20.00 gift for our gift exchange dice game
    • Please pay your 2026 member dues before the end of this year

 

Thank you for all the beautiful donations to the Quilt Show Boutique!

Community Service

Hands of Hope Pediatric Hospice

We had 12 quilts donated to Hands of Hope Pediatric Hospice through Agape Missions over the last few months.

Remember, the quilts donated to this project need to be washed before you turn them in.

Batting is available at our meetings for this project.

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

 

Quilts of Valor

Beth E. is proud to announce that QOV has enough quilt tops for the Easley Guard, but 20 are not quilted.  They are working hard to complete the quilting.

Beth asks that everyone not stop making quilts in order to help QOV get a backlog for the 25 Veterans (besides the 80) that are on the list.

Beth says “Thank you again!  I can’t say this enough!”

QOV will be on October 17, and Sit-N-Sew will be on October 24.   The time is being changed to 1000 to 1600, but on most days Beth will be there closer to 0900.  Be sure to bring lunch and a drink.

The quilts we have made for the local National Guard soldiers that have returned from Syria will be presented November 23 at the National Guard Armory in Easley.

Reminders: 
  • 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

 

 

2026 Community Service:

We are thinking about what we would like to do next year for our guild’s community service.

Several suggestions were made at our last meeting including Warmth and Comfort for Elderly Upstate.

If you hear of a need or have a suggestion, please email Kay, Pam, or Edith.

Show & Tell Photos (September Meeting)