"Quilting in the Quarry"
2010 MQ Annual Show and Conference
June 17-20, 2010
St. Cloud, MN

News & Updates

Updated June 16, 2009

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Buttons: The Member Info button links you to the Members Only site, where you can view, add, or change your personal information, and renew or request a membership. The Member Help button links you to pages that will tell you how to use the Members Only site.

2009 MQ Quilt Show and Conference Results: The annual quilt show in Duluth was a real winner for all who attended! The Duluth weather, scenery, and hospitality were the "best in show". Thanks to all of the volunteers who made the show such a success, and special thanks to Show Co-Chairs Laura Nagel and Linda Wines. Congratulations to the quilters who received awards for their outstanding creations, and thanks to everyone who entered their quilts for us to enjoy. Click here to view the winning quilts.

July Meetings: Due to the July 4th holiday weekend, the July meetings will be held on July 9 and 11. The Minnesota Quilt Project, a standing committee of Minnesota Quilters, Inc, will present a program about “Hard Times” quilts, focusing on quilts of the 1930's. Pat Cox, a founding member of Minnesota Quilters and a quilt historian, will share quilts from her collection.

Alzheimer's Quilt Project: You can support the Alzheimer's Quilt Project by donating pre-washed purple fat quarters. These will be used to make 2” x 6” patches to be included in the Purple Patch Backdrop that will hang behind Alzheimer's Quilts in the future. If you would like to carefully cut your fabric into exact 2"x 6" strips after washing, the effort would be appreciated. Fat quarters and patches can be sent to the Alzheimer's Office at:

Alzheimer's Association
attn: Purple Patches
2002 W Superior St
Duluth, MN 55806
phone 218-310-2038

2010 MQ Annual Show and Conference: "Quilting in the Quarry" will take place in St. Cloud, Mn, on June 17-20, 2010. It's not too early to get the date on your calendar and make hotel reservations! Here is a link to the 2010 Show home page. Check back often as new information is added.

2009 MQ Outstanding Volunteer: Congratulations to Martha Eaves, who has been selected as the 2009 MQ Outstanding Volunteer! Over the years, Martha has unselfishly given of her time and talents to help make Minnesota Quilters the outstanding organization that it is today. Martha also reaches out to other organizations and individuals beyond the quilting world to make a difference. To read all about Martha, see the article in the May MQ Newsletter.

Volunteer Opportunities: Check out the MQ Volunteer page for current volunteer positions within the organization.

Additional Parking: Free parking is available for MQ meetings in the fenced lot behind the Minnesota Teamsters building at the corner of 30 th Avenue and University Avenue, across the street and just east of the Textile Center. There is a stoplight at the intersection of 30th and University to help you cross University safely! You can park in this lot only after 5pm on weekdays, and any time on weekends . You must enter this code as you drive into the lot: 7755. To enter the lot to get your car out, go through the people gate and enter 77755. The gate opens automatically when you drive out.

Quilt Documentation: Members of the Minnesota Quilt Project (MQP) will be available at Saturday MQ monthly meetings to assist you in documenting your finished quilt. It does not matter when the quilt was completed. Documentation will be performed during the coffee break and immediately following the meeting. It takes about 10 minutes per quilt to complete. The data from this documentation will be entered into the MQP data base for eventual inclusion in the national quilt data base. Forms and instructions are available on line if you are not able to attend a meeting and would like to document your quilts on your own. Here are photos of some of the quilts that have been documented.

President's Block: MQ has a tradition of presenting our president with “thank you” blocks for their year in term. MQ President Mary Brandt has requested stars made with batiks, with the star being dark and the background light. The size can vary, 6”, 9” or 12” finished.

Important Parking Reminders: When you attend an MQ meeting you can park (legally!) in the Ostvold parking lot, accessed by the alley off of Arthur street just west of the Textile Center. In case you don't know where that is, here is a diagram.

Remember, you cannot park in the business lots across University Avenue from the Textile Center or in the Nano Computer lot in the back. They will tow!

Introducing Online Membership Management! As of January 1, 2008, Minnesota Quilters, Inc. introduced our new online Membership Management feature. If you are a Minnesota Quilters' member you will be able to update your membership information online, change addresses, renew your membership online, and register for the annual quilt show. Go to the Membership page for detailed information.

Quilts of Valor: Offer comfort and express thanks to wounded service men and women. For more information about how to help, visit the web sitewww.qovf-um.org or contact Marcia at MStevens@brainerd.net or Page Johnson at pagej@frontiernet.net

Home of the Brave Quilt Project
The Home of the Brave Quilt Project is an effort to make and deliver a quilt to every family that has lost a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan. For more information on the project, see www.HomeoftheBraveMN.org or contact Jean Loken to learn how you can help with this effort: phone 952-431-7435 or email brave@sjloken.com

Library Notes
Please contact the MQ librarian if you would like to suggest books to be purchased for the library. Anything quilt-related, including fiction, history, and children's books will be considered.

Library hours: Monday: 9am - 1pm and 5pm - 7pm; Tuesday: 9am - 7pm; Wednesday: 9am - 1pm; Thursday: 9am - 1pm and 5pm - 7pm; Friday: 9am - 1pm; Saturday: Noon - 4pm

The Textile Center Library space is available for textile exhibits. There is wall space and a locking display cabinet for small items. The space is available to all participating member organizations. If you are interested in having a library exhibit, please contact the MQ librarian.

The Textile Center Library contains thousands of books and periodicals about quilting and all of the other textile arts. As a member of Minnesota Quilters, you may check out any materials for one month.

Minnesota Quilters, Inc. (MQ) is a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the celebration of quilting. Our activities and events are structured to honor the past, celebrate the present, and nurture the future of this time-honored traditional craft in all its forms.