Bloomington Quilters Guild
at a glance: july 2026

OUR Next MEETING is Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

Time: 6:00 PM Social Hour
6:30 pm Meeting start

PROGRAM: we will have an inside potluck picnic To celebrate summer and the nation’s 250th anniversary

Location: Congregation beth shalom
3750 E. 3rd Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47401

July Meeting

To celebrate summer and the nation’s 250th anniversary, we will have an inside potluck picnic. Bring a dish to share, serving utensils, and your own plate, cup and silverware. Napkins and beverages will be provided. Please be respectful of the food restrictions of Beth Shalom by not bringing meat, shellfish or dishes made with lard.

We are encouraging everyone to sew a 12", 2 fat quarter, no point matching star block. Click here for a free No Match Star pattern. Fast No Match Stars - FREE - Pattern
We will collect the blocks at the July 7th guild meeting & potluck.  Make your block either red/white/blue or spring/summer colors. Red and deep blue fabrics have a tendency to bleed so be sure to wash the fabrics before you start sewing.
Make as many as you like! Anyone can volunteer to sew the quilt top(s) together.  They will find a home in Bloomington with love from the BQG.

A Note from our Past President

It's been my pleasure to serve as president of BQG and I cherish the many talented and generous women who I now consider my friends. Much thanks for the gifts of your time and talents. I received such a lovely collection of squares! I can see each one of you in your selection of fabric, colors, and patterns. Some included your name but many are unidentified. The blocks will be displayed at the July meeting for everyone to enjoy, and I hope you'll write your name on the front.

Thank you! Legene

Brenda Julovich is our 2025 Volunteer of the Year- Thanks for all you do Brenda!

Nature in Pieces Challenge Quilt Winners

Bring canned food items for Hoosier Hills Food Bank!

Thanks to everyone who contributed non-perishable items to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank! We will continue to collect food at every meeting, so, if you forget, you can always bring something next month - food insecurity never goes away. Keep a couple cans in your car after shopping. 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.

DUES FOR 2026-2027 Quilt year

We will begin collecting dues for the 2026-2027 Quilt Year on July 1, 2026. Our fiscal year begins July 1, so please pay between July 1 and September 2 so we can complete the membership directory. You may pay online, or feel free to bring a check or cash to the July, August, or September meetings! The dues continue to be only $30 ($15 for seniors age 80+ or juniors age 18 and under). We have been able to maintain this membership rate for several years due to the generosity of our membership donating to and buying from the Treasure Shop during our quilt show! Thank you!

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, July 11, 9:00 am -3:00 pm.

NEW WEEKDAY SEW DAYS will be regularly held on the Second Tuesday of even-numbered months! Our next date will be August 11, 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!

August Meeting

Our August meeting, aka “Summer Camp” wouldn't be complete without socializing and arts & crafts so we'll make hexagon baskets with Lead Camp Counselor Dee Mortensen. We will be using English paper piecing to make a small trinket bowl. You will need a hand sewing kit with a stout needle, waste thread, good thread to match your fabric, a few wonder clips, and 12 4.5 inch squares of fabric. We will provide the paper pentagons and complete instructions. You can get a jump on the project by accessing a free pattern at paper pieces.com. Search “pentagon bowl” when you get to the site.

We Have a New Bee!

The “NewBees” will meet the 3rd Friday of each month and there is plenty of room for new members! They meet from 10:30 am to
2:30 pm at Meadowood in the Health Pavilion Lounge. This is a large room with tables and chairs, electrical access for plugging in sewing machines, and good lighting. You do not need to be a member of the Bloomington Quilters Guild to join us. Aspiring quilters as well as experienced quilters are welcome. You can bring your lunch or buy your lunch from the Meadowood Dining Room. Lunch costs $11 (cash or checks only) and you can bring it back to our quilting room. Drop in when you can, leave when you have to. Come to see what we’re up to! Contact Marty Swank, 812-287-7597 or martyswank@yahoo.com with questions.

Community QUilts

During the month of June, 44 more quilts have been donated throughout the community. This brings the total number of quilts donated to various organizations from July 2025 through June 2026 to 500. If you are interested in contributing a community quilt there are resources here. Community Quilts Sizes — Bloomington Quilters Guild

BQG Swag

This summer, the Bloomington Quilters Guild is making Guild apparel available for pre-order. Order and payment will be collected at the June, July, August and September 2026 guild meetings. We will accepting only checks and not ordering online with PayPal to avoid fees.

Please bring your order form found at this link BQG Apparel — Bloomington Quilters Guild and check to the July, August, and September guild meetings or mail them to our post office box:

Bloomington Quilters Guild
PO Box 5802
Bloomington, IN 47407

Thank you to Maria Schmidt, who spent and a lot of time coordinating this order.
Screen printing by badknees - https://badkneests.com/

save the dates for these upcoming retreats

There will be a 2-day Sleep in Your Own Bed Retreat at Meadowood on July 25-26 (Sat-Sun) from 9am to 8:pm daily $15 one day; $25 for both. The guild provides a cutting table, mat, and two ironing boards. Sewing is in the Terrance Room, with two people per table. The Founders Room has a refrigerator, microwave, and a table for snacks, bring your favorite to share. Lunch will be provided or you can bring your own. LRC (better known as Strip Poker) will be played, for each game you need three 2 ½ inch WOF strips. One round will be played each day. The retreat is limited to 20 guild members and signup will begin at the June 2 meeting. For more information contact Jo Ann Sporleder 317-332-5935 or jspor6@gmail.com THIS RETREAT IS SOLD OUT

The Guild’s Fall Retreat will be at Waycross from October 8-11, 2026 (Thursday through Sunday). More information will be available this summer.

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

ART-CYCLED SHOWCASE AND TEA, Wednesday, July 15, 2:00-3:30, St. Mark's Church

The women's group at St. Mark's United Methodist Church invites community members to its 3rd annual Art-(re)Cycled Showcase and Tea. It will feature several local fiber artisans (including BQG members  who will explain their craft, materials, and creative inspiration. The event is free but serves as a fundraiser for Pathways (formerly Monroe County United Ministries/MCUM). No RSVP necessary, just plan to attend! Questions: Contact Legene White, legene.white55@outlook.com.

QUILTER’S HALL OF FAME

Three days of quilting education, inspiration, and community as they honor Judy Martin — master pattern designer, beloved teacher, and 2026 inductee into The Quilters Hall of Fame.

Whether you're joining for a single workshop or the full weekend, Celebration 2026 offers something for every quilter — from hands-on classes and fascinating lectures to stunning quilt shows, a vendor mall, and the unforgettable Luncheon and Induction Ceremony.

Quilter’s Hall of Fame 926 S Washington St., Marion, IN

Thursday & Friday, July 23–24 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday, July 25 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

For more information click this link: Celebration Schedule – The Quilters Hall of Fame

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