Bloomington Quilters Guild
at a glance: NOVEMBER 2026
OUR Next MEETING is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Time: 5:30 PM New Quilting Bee Organizatioal meeting: led by Susie May
6:00 PM Social Hour
6:30 pm Meeting start
PROGRAM: Panel Palooza via Zoom with Cindi Mcchesney
Location: Congregation beth shalom
3750 E. 3rd Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47401
November Meeting
PANEL PALOOZA via Zoom with Cindi McChesney on November 3. In this informative and entertaining trunk show, Cindi will show us how to take that panel you fell in love with and turn it into something truly unique. You'll experience AH HA! moments as Cindi demonstrates how adding interesting blocks, borders, patchwork &/or appliqué can result in a truly special quilt. Cindi has 3 books on the subject - Playful Panel Quilts, Quilt Panel Magic, Fun with Panels - so has lots of good ideas on how to customize that basic panel lingering in your stash.
Find out more about Cindi, her patterns & her 3 books at
cedarridgequilting.com
October Meeting and Workshop
We enjoyed listening to Carol Beasley share her fabric quilts and barn quilts. Many beautiful barn quilts were made at the workshop the next day. Please bring your finished “quilt blocks” to the November meeting. We would love to see your finished project.
Bring canned food items for Hoosier Hills Food Bank!
Thank you - as of Oct 16, we have donated over 130# of food to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Last year HHFB distributed over 5 million pounds of food & 1.6 million pounds of fresh produce to over 68,000 people in 6 local counties. That is a lot of need, which will only expand. Thank you for contributing to our monthly non-perishable food drive! Every canned veggie, fruit, soup, protein, peanut butter, pasta, etc. makes a difference! Keep a couple cans in your car after shopping so they are at the ready for our next guild meeting.
Anyone interesting in helping please contact Annie Kelly Amnkelly602@gmail.com.This is just one more way our Guild can support our community, especially those in the greatest need.
December Meeting
Our December Holiday Party is coming up - can you believe it! We would welcome your help on the evening of the event, as well as input before hand. Guaranteed you will enjoy it!
Contact Annie Kelly - amnkelly@gmail.com
Raffle Quilt
The 2026-2027 Raffle Quilt was unveiled at our September meeting. This gorgeous 95” x 95” quilt, titled “Pineapple Delight,” pieced by Betsy Glassey and quilted by Jane Pitt. Raffle tickets are available! For more information check out our Raffle Quilt page on our website Raffle Quilt — Bloomington Quilters Guild
2026/2027 Challenge Quilt
Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight
Last year’s winner, Karen Levay, has chosen the theme of “Stars” for this year’s challenge quilt.
You can find more information at this link on our guild website. Challenge Quilt — Bloomington Quilters Guild
If you are interested in the history of star quilts check out this site! Intro to Star Quilts
FALL RETREAT
A big thank you to Joanne Sporleder and Cathy MacFarland for organizing the Fall Retreat at Camp Waycross. It was such a fun weekend!
Help wanted!
2027 GUILD QUILT SHOW
Do you like to plan parties? See your friends having fun? Pet fabric? See new quilting gadgets and gizmos? Well, have we got a deal for you!
We are looking for 2-3 intelligent, beautiful, and talented quilters to head our 2027 quilt show planning committee. The show is to
be held in October 2027 (dependent on the IU football schedule). Past leaders are willing to help guide you. Lots of support is
ready to assist you. There are several committees that will need to be established.
Right now, we need leadership. If you are interested at all, please contact a board member.
QUILT REPAIR REQUESTS
The guild often receives inquiries for someone to repair a quilt. You set the amount you charge. If you are interested, email Cathy
McFarland at president@bloomingtonquiltersguild.org or Annie Kelly at programs@bloomingtonquiltersguild.org
We do have a specific quilt repair request this month. A local woman (Sherwood Oaks area) is seeking someone to repair a family quilt. She has replacement fabric for the 10+ spots needing mending. She will pay for the repair work. She is not in a hurry, just wants the quilt restored, as is possible.
ANYONE NEED FABRIC?
This request comes from a gal in Solsberry:
“I live in Solsberry and work at Indiana University, but have had a costume shop on Etsy for the past 16 years. I always have fabrics scraps from making my colonial and federal costumes and used to give them to an Ellettsville upholsterer who took them to quilters in another state, but she no longer does that. I am looking for someone who would want the scraps of fabric-mostly silks and cottons. Could someone in your organization use them?” Wendy Langdon wlangdon@bluemarble.net
SEW Day News!
Sew the day away with friends old and new. We have the guild’s ironing boards, cutting mats, rulers and power cords available for use. Bring a project to work on and anything else you need for a day of sewing! Our sew days are held St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.
OUR NEXT SATURDAY SEW DAY will be Saturday, November 14, 9:00 am -3:00 pm.
OUR WEEKDAY SEW DAYS will be regularly held on the Second Tuesday of even-numbered months! Our next date will be December 8, 9:00 am- 3:00 pm. If the usual Sew Days on Saturdays don't suit your schedule, we hope you'll try out Tuesdays!
Check out our link for the future Sew Days for 2026. Sew Days — Bloomington Quilters Guild
Community Quilts
We continue to collect and distribute quilts to social programs throughout the Bloomington community. During the month of September, 24 quilts have been donated throughout the community bringing our total since July to 109. If you are interested in contributing a community quilt there are resources here. Community Quilts Sizes — Bloomington Quilters Guild
Bee News
HOW SHOULD I QUILT THIS TOP? BEE
How should I quilt this top? What would be a good motif? Can I can put a motif over more than one block? Does this top need a curvy pattern or would straight lines be more effective? If you would be interested in a bee to discuss these types of questions, please let Karen Levay or Bara Swinson know. We will have a sheet of interest at the November meeting or send one of us an email. We will have an organizational meeting if there is enough interest.
INTERESTED IN STARTING A NEW BEE?
Many guild members would like to participate in a bee, but the established bees are filled to capacity (i.e. space in member’s homes or meeting locations). What’s a quilting bee? AI describes it as a communal sewing gathering where folks come together to work on projects while socializing, sharing skills, and supporting one another, a tradition that has existed in North America since the 18th century. Please consider starting a bee! It can have a specific purpose or charity, target a certain neighborhood, or just build relationships. To get started, attend the organizational meeting led by Susie May at 5:30, prior to our November meeting. You can also partner with a friend, plan a first gathering, then announce it at a guild meeting, and reach out to Kris news@bloomingtonquiltersguild.org to have the announcement put in the At A Glance.
WE ALWAYS WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
As you interact with friends and attend events around the area, be sure to mention BQG and invite folks to visit our Guild Meetings or try out a Sew Day. At our next meeting, pick up a couple of BQG Bookmarks to hand out as a helpful promotional tool.
Quilt EVENTS
THE SEWCIAL COOPERATIVE
Informal gathering of makers, sewists, artists and crafters. This is a bring your own project style club where you can work together, share resources and help each other learn new skills.
What to bring: Your machine, tools and enthusiasm
When: 6-8pm every 2nd Tuesday and 4th Thursday of the month (starts March 26)
Where: Brown County Community YMCA (105 Willow Street, Nashville, IN)
Who: all skill levels welcome! Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. There is no fee to join.
Any Questions? Contact KJ Rondomanski at 812-320-6831 or crafter@sewcialcoop.com
Here is a link to their website which is a work in progress Home
QUILT NATIONAL ‘27 EXHIBITION OPPORTUITIES
Quilt National ’27 explores the expanded field of quilting, showcasing textile-based contemporary art and fiber as a medium for material inquiry. The exhibition features works that interrogate surface, structure, labor, gender, and politics. These quilts merge craft, design, and fine art, repositioning quilt-making within contemporary art discourse. The Dairy Barn Arts Center - The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens Ohio
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HELP us keep up to date! We try to include notices of quilt shows and exhibits on the BQG website. If you know of an event, please send mail to news@bloomingtonquiltersguild.org so that either Karen or Kris can update the page. https://www.bloomingtonquiltersguild.org/upcoming-quilt-events