5 Quilt Club Remote Meeting Ideas

When social distancing began, the goal was just to get everyone in our quilt group to show up in an online meeting (commonly zoom). But now that we have all passed the technology learning curve and we’ve made nearly enough masks, we are starting to miss traditional quilting group practices like charity quilting, swaps, sharing quilt stories, and especially quilt shows. Here are five ideas for bringing these larger group services into the sphere of online meetings.

1. To begin with, let us find some virtual quilt shows. Check-out the QuiltingHub Quilt Museum Directory. Most quilt museums are currently posting online exhibits and lectures. Your guild could "attend" online together or each member could check out a few postings and report back to the group on their recommendations.

2. How about inviting a guest to your next quilt club meeting online? Consider a quilt designer or teacher, a fabric designer, a quilt magazine editor, or any other services. These professionals are missing quiltland as much as you are. You can easily contact them through their websites. Consider local guests too. How about the sewing machine repairman, your charity coordinator, a reporter, or the local sheriff? Have each member prepare a question for your guest and assign someone as moderator for the meeting to welcome the guest and keep track of time.

3. Now is the time to start a quilt fiction book club. Everyone can recommend a title. Have a drawing to see which book you will read first. You can likewise invite the author to visit your online guild meeting. And be sure to share with them photos of any project that their writing inspires in your group.

4. Share some quilty research. Ask each quilt club member to share the story of their favorite quilt block. Why is this your favorite block and when did you first make it? Research the history of your block to share with the group. If you are running low on quilting materials, try recreating your favorite block in another non-quilty medium; paint, frosting, sand painting and who knows?! Share your new view of your old favorite block with the group.

5. Prepare a charity quilt show of your own.

• To begin with, pick a theme. A current theme could be hibernate, pan-*, home, or mask. Forward looking themes could be back-to-school and opening day. Are there any local events deserving of commemoration? Graduation for example, or a local festival that will be missed this year? (By the way, Thanksgiving is turning 400 this year and Suffrage is still 100 in most countries.)
• Set a small size for show entries, one that is easily photographed and mailed.
• Donate your small quilt entries to a local library, school, or museum; someplace capable of hosting your show online and raffling the entries for their fundraisers.

Here are two bonus ideas for sharing quilting outside of the online meeting:

Paint quilt blocks on rocks and hide them around the neighborhood. Start a Facebook page where quilters (and strangers too) can share the quilty gifts they have found.

Round Robin:

Each member prepares a small quilty care package of 3 items. For example, a quilt magazine or book, an orphan block, notions, maybe a recipe. Include an empty manilla envelope labeled with your name in the package.

Then, each member chooses a number. Round Robin packages are sent to the next quilter/number. The recipient gets to use the package and add to it. They should also include a note in the envelope saying how the package inspired them.

After one week, the package is forwarded to the next following number. Thus, every week, each quilter receives a package and sends a package.

When your original package returns to you, you have an envelope of notes from your quilty friends telling how your gifts inspired them.