Kathy Wickham, President, opened the meeting at 6:35 pm at the Blue Ridge Library. We had 21 members present and 3 visitors.

Kathy went over some of the following Bylaw recommendations from the Board:
1. We need to change the “inclement weather policy” from the Botetourt County School closings. The Board recommended we change to the Virginia Western Evening/Night class cancellations but with the caution of “using your own judgement.”

2. The Board also recommended, changing the name on the current Bylaws from Blue Ridge Quilters Guild to just “Blue Ridge Quilters” as that is the name on our bank account and we welcome new and experienced quilters.

Another recommendation from the Board was budgeting $25 for our Christmas Party and paying $50 per program to speakers with a maximum of $450 for the year. This fee will cover administration costs for the program and presentation. Any member of Blue Ridge Quilters has the option of doing a program for free or only expenses.

Tina Dietz, Program Chair, announced the upcoming programs:

May 2018, we will doing Fidget quilts. These will be placemat size. Fidget quilts are used for children, A.D.D. patients, those with Alzheimer’s and/or other forms of dementia, and learning disabilities. She has contacted Woodhaven Nursing home and since they only have 3 would love to have more of these washable play quilts. She had on display many items that we should be starting to collect. Items were zippers, Velcro tape, small palm size stuffed dolls/animals, handkerchiefs, buttons and little bits of lace. Tina introduced Betty Reynolds, who will do the presentation next month.

June 2018, we will do the Tea Cup Challenge with Juliana Kramer. Here we bring in a tea cup in a brown paper bag without our name on it, with instructions on size of table runner, if desired. Someone will take the cup home and using the colors in the cup make a table runner. These will be due back in August. Tina would like to present “Thinking Outside the Quilt and Thinking Outside the Block.” She would like to show us how to change designs with color pencils and patterns.

July 2018 will be our annual field trip. We have Quilting Essentials set up to receive us, give us tips on quilting, and probably a discount to shop. We will meet at the quilt shop at our regular meeting time, or members can carpool to the shop.

August 2018 may be our Silent Auction & Sale

If anyone knows of a speaker that the Blue Ridge Quilters would like to have, please contact Tina or Kathy.

We may do a mystery quilt in the 2nd half of the year, or Christmas ideas & patterns.

Tina Dietz and Cathy Henderson presented our program on Applicable Tips for Hand Applique. Kits were passed out for 2 small hands on projects to be assembled at the meeting.

We had show and tell with our newest member, Wanda Nawrocki showing two beautiful appliqued and hand quilted quilts she had made.

Those interested in the One Block Wonder quilts, brought in fabric for consultation with Loretta Twiford. We also had a few samples of finished One Block Wonder quilts. This future class has not been scheduled. Fabric needs to have 24” repeat in it.

Many door prizes were given out that Tina had furnished.

The meeting was adjourned 8:40 pm.

Respectively submitted by

Janice Taylor