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The monthly newsletter from the
East Cobb Quilters' Guild
| April 2026 ~~ Volume 33, Issue 4 | | |
Ask, and you shall receive…
Thank you to everyone who answered the call to make teddy bears. We received enough to supply Northside's NICU for the next couple of months! The generosity of our members and others around the state who saw our Facebook post is heartwarming… we are so grateful to all of you!
Our guest speaker this month is Pat Harrison – she will be sharing with us her ideas for balancing modern minimalist design with interesting texture. We are all looking forward to learning from this award-winning quilt artist!
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In April, we are collecting fashion-sewing fabrics, patterns, and notions for a high school sewing teacher with 40+ students. If you have items to donate, please bring them to the meeting – drop boxes will be near the Membership table.
Keep creating those cute little bears,
Chris
Chris Ison, President
president@ecqg.com
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Evening Group - Thursday, April 23 @ 6:45 pm
Day Guild Meeting - Friday, April 24 @ 10:00 am
The Catholic Church of St. Ann - 4905 Roswell Road, Marietta, GA
(from the main parking lot, look up and to the left for our meeting space)
Visitors Always Welcome! Visitor Fee $10
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Meet & Greet
Thursday, April 23 @ 6:45 pm
Members Always Free
Visitor Tickets, $10, Here
Lecture:
Thoroughly Modern Quilting
Friday, April 24 @ 10:00 am
Members Always Free
Visitor Tickets, $10, Here
| | HALF DAY - WORKSHOPS - PAT HARRISON | | |
Binding 301: Scalloped and Serpentine Edges plus Prairie Points
Thursday April 23
9:00 am to Noon
Members: $35
Not-Yet-Members: $45
| Master the art of binding gracefully curved and scalloped quilt edges with confidence! This workshop combines lectures, samples, and hands-on practice to guide you through applying bias binding to challenging shapes with ease. You'll learn to plan binding design, apply smooth, bulk-free binding, and incorporate charming prairie points. With expert guidance, you'll leave with the skills and confidence to tackle even the most intricate quilt edges. | | |
How is My Quilt Judged?
Thursday, April 23
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Members: $35
Not-Yet-Members: $45
| Ideal for quilters looking to enter judged competitions or simply elevate their craftsmanship, this workshop provides valuable knowledge and hands-on experience to guide your quilting journey. Gain insight into the quilt judging process and learn how to refine your quilting from design to construction to binding. This interactive workshop begins with a PowerPoint presentation followed by a hands-on quilt evaluation to help you recognize key elements that make a quilt stand out. You'll learn what judges look for in quilt shows. For more details, click on the Register button above. | | FULL DAY - WORKSHOP - PAT HARRISON | | Circle Those Scraps with Pat Harrison | | |
Saturday, April 25
9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Members: $55
Not-Yet-Members: $75
| | | The class project is a table runner, but it is easily adaptable to a larger project. Burn through your fabric stash while exploring color, value, and gradation in this fun and dynamic workshop! Scraps are pieced onto a foundation fabric, then transformed into striking circular blocks. You'll learn foundation piecing techniques and circular piecing (no applique), and you'll explore embroidery and zigzag edge stitching for added flair. With engaging demonstrations, hands-on practice, and plenty of quilting fun, you'll leave with fresh skills and inspiration to keep your scrap stash in check! Join us for a creative quilting adventure! | | Click Registration Buttons for Workshop locations. | |
Cassandra Beaver started sewing at the age of three or four. She holds two degrees in Theatre Design and spent her dramatic career in many behind-the-scenes roles, including costume designer. This skill base enables her to sew almost any design her brain can imagine.
Cassandra identifies "as a contemporary quilter, because I'm going to make whatever I feel like making, and I have no intention of plunking myself inside a box." Most of her work would be categorized as modern or art quilts, but occasionally, elements of the traditional can be seen.
Cassandra's precise work has paid off with recognition at major shows. She claims to be neurotic about the accuracy of seams and points. When it comes to free motion quilting, however, she feels it has more energy when it's a bit wild. Her best advice is, "Be fearless with your work! Try a new technique! Create an original design! You are in control of the fabric!"
Check out Cassandra's website, www.thenotsodramaticlife.com, for wonderful tutorials. We can't wait to learn from this talented and innovative quiltmaker!
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Evening Meeting
Meet & Greet
Thursday, May 28, 2026
6:45 pm - 8:45 pm
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Day Meeting
Lecture: Beyond Color, The Other Elements of Design
Friday, May 29, 2026
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
| | THREE MAY - CASSANDRA BEAVERS - WORKSHOPS | |
Quilting in Circles
3 Hour Workshop
Thursday, May 28
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Use both matching and contrasting threads to add energy and movement to this bubbly mini quilt! In this class, you will design and quilt a mini using fusible appliqué and free motion quilting.
See more information on the Registration page, click here.
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Sewing with Slivers
3 Hour Workshop
Thursday, May 28
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Explore the use of scale by incorporating slivers into your design. During this class, you will create the top for a mug rug with semi-improvisational slashes that infuse 1/8" wide strips of fabric that add a dash of unexpected color or texture.
See more information on the Registration page, click here.
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Hand Accented with All-day Saturday Workshop
Saturday, May 30
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
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Combine hand and machine quilting to achieve the distinctive design and texture of handwork in a fraction of the time. In this class, we will start by using a walking foot to machine quilt a pre-printed panel or fabric of your choice. The hand stitching fun will start with a running stitch. Then we will take our quilting further by exploring embroidery stitches suitable for quilting.
See more information on the Registration page, click here.
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Celebrating 250 Years of Inspirational
American Women Through Quilts
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Matriotism Exhibition now open at Alpharetta City Hall
We have 42 beautiful quilts on display in the Community Room on the 1st floor; no tickets necessary. Both the City and Guild are currently marketing this exhibit through press releases and social media.
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Please note that City Hall is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and on Fridays, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; it's closed on the weekends.
Alpharetta City Hall, 178 S Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009
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Our next stop for the Matriotism exhibit is the 20th Biennial Georgia Celebrates Quilts, from June 4th to 6th, at the Cobb Civic Center. All the Matriotism quilts will be on display at this Show. Find Quilt Show information here!
A week after the Quilt Show, we will be headed to the Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum in Carrollton, GA, from June 20th through August 5th. There will be an opening reception for our Guild members on June 20th, and all 62 quilts will be displayed. Carrollton is a fun place to visit with many great restaurants and little shops, so make a day of it! Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum website.
| | NEWS FROM THE EVENING GROUP | | | | |
Evening Groups Accomplishments
We are so proud of our own Michelle Doyle for getting her Golden Scissors. Beautifully done, Michelle!
We had a few people participate in our "coffee-themed" Imagination Station. Their contributions helped reach our postcard goal. Although we now have over 1000 postcards, we are still accepting more.
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Our next month's Imagination Station prompt is …. CHAOS!
Make anything you feel symbolizes chaos, and bring it to show-and-tell. Everyone is encouraged to bring something, regardless of ability level or project size.
Don't usually attend the Evening Group meeting? Take the challenge and join us!
Questions? Contact Rose Haisty.
| | | Chaos examples found in a Google search. | | |
This event has been canceled.
Evening Sew-In:
Thursday, April 16th
CANCELLED - Unfortunately, this Evening Group sewcial will not happen at this time. Please keep your eye out for a new date and time in the future!
Questions? Contact Rose Haisty.
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Thank you again to everyone who brought a donation for the Food Pantry – St. Ann is so grateful for our support! Please consider bringing something with you to the April meeting – drop boxes will be near the Membership Table.
Click Here for the list of needed items: Food Pantry List
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March Teddy Bear Donations!
Kudos to everyone who made teddy bears in March! Community Service received over half of our goal with more to come in April.
Tiny Stitches Quilt Shop is hosting a fun sew-in day making teddy bears,
April 20, 11am to 3 pm.
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MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTED
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS
NEEDED FOR DONATIONS FOR OUR PARTNERS
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April - May: Donation Projects Needed
To meet our goals, we have decided to highlight a different project each month. This month, our needs are the bereavement diapers and scent pads. Both are easy sewing projects and are so necessary for comforting families. Patterns and directions are on the ECQG website. Click here for patterns, scroll down the page until you see the donation item you are looking for.
REMINDER: please keep working on our primary project...QUILTS. There is an endless need.
Thank you!
Community Service Co-chairs,
Glenda Jones
Joanna Miller
Sue Schultz
We are ready to route your donations to our Community Service partners.
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A total of 163 members attended our March Meeting, while 38 members attended the Evening Meeting.
Our membership to date is 339 members. We welcome new and returning members at any time. To join, click on our Join Us link and follow the instructions. You can join online, by mail, or at the April meetings.
Remember to sign in at the Friday Guild Meeting to have a chance to win the Door Prize!
Questions about membership? Email Denise Cornett.
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WHAT'S ALL THE BUZZ
BEE NEWS
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New Bee Groups forming! Several new bees are seeking members, and one existing Bee is expanding and open to new members.
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An Evening Bee, the newest, is an evening bee in Marietta. It will be on the third Monday of the month from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The initial meeting is on April 20 at Cindy Wrigley's house. Cindy and Aliki Strakes are forming this, Bee.
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In West Cobb, Nancy Hutchinson is starting a bee. The initial meeting is set for Tuesday, May 19, at noon at the N Cobb Regional Library, 3535 Old U S Hwy 41 NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144. If you are interested, please get in touch using the Membership Directory for Nancy's contact information. Or contact EJ Stapler at bees@ecqg.com for assistance.
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Collage and Art Quilts, this new Bee group has 6 potential members so far. The point of contact is Lisa Feinberg. Lisa will email the members on the list within the next two weeks to gather some availability information for meetings and ideas.
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Dear Jane, The Dear Jane Bee has 8 potential members, so plenty of room for more. Eileen Wright is forming this, Bee.
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The Dunwoody "Threadheads," This Bee meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 10 am at Robin Schick's house. New members are welcome.
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Zoom-Bees, this group meets via Zoom on the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10 am to Noon. Join by emailing Chris Ison (the Bee leader) at ecqginfo@gmail.com. The Bee is flexible, and ECQG members are free to drop in and out as they wish. If you cannot make it to other Bee Group meetings in-person, this is a great way to stay connected and build stronger/deeper friendships from wherever you might be. Plus, a great way for new Members to meet fellow members!
If interested in a Bee Group, please get in touch using the Membership Directory on the Guild's website or in the Members App, to look up contact information for a Bee Group contact.
We do not include personal email addresses or phone numbers in public media; this is why you need to use the Membership Directory or an ECQG email address if applicable.
What are bees? - Click the Link - ECQG Bee Webpage
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Click the Member Directory icon to find contact information. (After logging in, look for this Member Directory picture. If you do not see it, then click on "Members Only" at the top of the page.)
For more information, contact the Queen Bee,
EJ Stapler at bees@ecqg.com.
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| GOLDEN SCISSORS & THIMBLES | | |
Golden Scissors
"Congratulations go out to Michelle Doyle for earning her Golden Scissors. Her positively gorgeous quilt, based on the Pulsar design, was sewn with Tilda fabrics from their Sunday Brunch line."
"For the third month in a row, Nora Whisenant has earned Golden Scissors. She had two quilts that qualified this time, one called "Lattice" and the other called "Labyrinth." "Congratulations, Nora!"
Meridith Mask, Golden Scissors Chair
| | | Remember, to earn a Golden Scissors award, your quilt must be at least 280 inches around the perimeter. It must be made entirely by one person and presented within one year of completion. If the quilt is hand-quilted, the quilter also receives a Golden Thimble. | | | | |
The Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance (SEFAA) will host its first Online Silent Auction.
April 18th through Noon on April 25th
The auction will feature a wide variety of unique items and experiences, including fiber art workshops and educational opportunities, quilts and finished fiber art works, quilting services, fiber art tools and equipment, yarn and creative supplies, travel experiences in the U.S., Mexico, and Europe, and Day Passes to the 2027 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
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Proceeds support SEFAA's educational programming, scholarships, and community fiber arts initiatives, helping expand access to fiber arts learning and creative opportunities.
The auction will be hosted on Givebutter, allowing participants to easily browse items and place bids from any device. Preview the auction items and sign up to become a Bidder. Click here to see the Online Silent Auction!
Thank you for your support.
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Senior Services Cobb County - Annual Expo
ECQG will have a booth at the Cobb Senior Expo, Guild member(s) will be on site to talk about our community service projects, such as placemats for Cobb Senior Services - Meals on Wheels.
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See Terrazzo - The ECQG Quilt Show Raffle Quilt
At the Senior Services Annual Expo, we will also be displaying the Quilt Show Raffle Quilt and selling raffle tickets for our beautiful quilt, "Terrazzo."
Georgia Celebrates Quilts, Quilt Show!
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Georgia Museum of Agriculture, featuring Guild Member Beau Palmer, who has his own quilt exhibit, Air-Cooled Quilts.
January 17 to May 22, 2026
1392 Whiddon Mill Rd, Tifton, GA 31793
GMA website
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Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum, featuring Quilts Japan: the 17th Quilt Nihon.
March 21 to June 16, 2026
306 Bradley St.
Carrollton, GA 30117
sqtmuseum.org
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The Western North Carolina Quilters Guild will present a Quilt Show entitled "2026 Garden of Quilts Show."
May 15 and 16, 2026.
10 am to 5 pm on Friday and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday.
Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock, NC
Western NC Quilters
| | Check out the "Events" tab of the ECQG website and plan some fun! | | IMPORTANT LINKS TO GUILD BUSINESS | | Check out our financial statements and meeting minutes at the links below. You'll need your ECQG Member login to access this page. Need help? Click here. | | The Basket Bulletin is the monthly newsletter of the East Cobb Quilters' Guild. It is published on the 15th of each month, except for December. Members receive the Basket Bulletin automatically. Not-yet-members may sign up for the Basket Bulletin here. Comments and suggestions may be sent to the editor. | |
Advertise in the Basket Bulletin! | | | | |
