Focus Groups

Focus groups generally meet in the mornings before the general meetings and are open to all members. They are wonderful opportunities to get to know your fellow guild members while you learn a new technique. We have many gifted quilters in the guild, and we are grateful that they are willing to share their expertise.

 

We are always open to new ideas and new groups, so please let us know if you wish to lead a focus group on any quilting-related topic. Contact us via info@empirequilters.net if you have questions or suggestions. Please put Focus Groups in the subject line.  

Past focus group topics have included Crazy Quilting, Fabric Postcards, Working With Silk, Quilted Tote Bags, Quilt-As-You-Go, Paper Piecing, Hand Quilting, Hand Appliqué, Embellishments, Color for Quilters, Mug Rugs, Fun with Fabric and Needle Felting — to list just a few.

 

Ongoing Focus Groups

Charity Coach and Chat

Tina Barth will be leading this group which meets at 11am. The group focuses on help to develop basic quilting skills and techniques that simplify and improve accuracy in cutting and piecing.  In past years, the group has completed a charity quilt together from a pile of scraps to a bound quilt including design and color decisions as well as cutting, piecing and finishing steps. 

In addition, each group meeting includes a demonstration of how to make the Block of the Month for the following month.  CCC is a down to earth, practical approach to quilting.  All the instructions and demonstrations are done for a basic sewing machine and use little to no specialized equipment.  Beginners can start here as well as those who have identified a specific skill they want help sharpening.  The monthly focus can vary according to requests from the group.  

Charity Focus Group  

TBD

The Service Committee is looking for members willing to demonstrate basic and intermediate techniques for making quilts, stuffed animals, or other items we donate to the many charitable organizations we support.

Long-standing members: Please email the Service Committee at info@empirequilters.net and let us know if you would like to help by attending one or more of these Charity Coach and Chat sessions or to answer questions from newer quilters. The sessions will be held from 11:00am to 1:00pm, before our regular meetings.

Newer quilters: Make your charity quilts with us! By coming to these Charity Coach and Chat sessions, you’ll learn all you need to know about making beautiful, useful charity quilts. During these sessions, you’ll learn how to plan, cut, sew, and finish your charity quilt. And we’ll also talk about making other items — like the holiday stockings and teddy bears.

The members who attended our monthly sessions this year not only learned how to make charity quilts, they picked up techniques they now use to make their own beautiful quilts.

This is open for all members and guests. We look forward to having a lively time with many people.


Elm Creek Quilt Blocks [ongoing focus group]

This popular focus group — based on the Elm Creek books by Jennifer Chiaverini — will continue during the 2018–2019 guild season at 12 noon.

Here is a link to past blocks for the Elm Creek Quilt Group if you want to catch up or if your notes are incomplete.

 

If you have any questions, contact Lisa Kehrle.

 

 

   

_________________________________________________________________________________

Drawstring Bag Instructions:

At a previous Coach and Chat, Lee Ebs did a demo about cloth bags: how to put them together and the suggested measurements.  These are the bags we stuff with the Christmas donations for the shelters we support.  The bags are great because they can be re-used for many purposes.  The the supply list and the instructions are HERE!

 

These sessions are open to all members and guests.