24 Jan President’s Message – February 2025

Christmas is a memory. Mine was a delightful “White One” with family in Wisconsin. New Year’s has come and gone. We’re already into February, with Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching. Golly!! How time flies by, ever so quickly!!

Sorry that our January Guild Meeting had to be cancelled, but safety always comes first. When Williamson County Schools close due to dangerous weather, we don’t convene either. I hope that you enjoyed your “day off,” maybe you breathed a sigh, read a book, stitched a bit, or just relaxed on your extra day!!

Board members have been working overtime trying to, as they say, “trying to make up for lost time.” Michelle has sent out several messages and emails trying to get programs, small groups and such squared away so that we’ll be ready with full steam ahead to proceed and continue on. Katie, Emily, and Patti have been tweaking the website, getting ready to work on the “Members Only’ portion. Hopefully, many of you have renewed your membership on our website to avoid the line at our February meeting.

My thoughts about starting a “UFO Small Quilt Group for 2025” have inspired me to do things differently this year. I’ve done a bit of cleaning out and reorganizing, but mostly I’ve been thinking of UFOs (UnFinished Quilts), of which I have an over-abundance. That will be my focus for this year, maybe yours too. I first selected five items that I want to complete. I have a hand-stitching project, a machine piecing project, a long-arm quilt to do, a sit-down machine quilting project, and one brand new project. I’ve already added a second-hand stitching project. Both of these hand projects date back to 2003.

Being a member of TAG and a new member of Nimble Thimbles, I’m hoping that these two groups will help to keep me focused as well as the UFO group that I am creating. Also, all projects can become “Do at Home Projects” that I can stitch on when the mood strikes. I’ve organized everything, and I’m ready to go!! Maybe my thoughts will inspire you, maybe you’ll jump on the band wagon and join my UFO group. I’m looking forward to many sew days in 2025!!

Remember that I have challenged each you to do some “Outta Your Box” stitching this year. Try a “new to you” technique. You can use a different kind of thread than what you normally use, create with a “new to you” color palette, try some “modern” hand quilting, this choice is yours. Be brave and try something “Outta Your Box.” I’m going to try to master EQ8 Quilting Software. Definitely “Outta My Box.”

With the energy of our membership, and a now complete Board – thank you Colleen Cassidy for volunteering to become our 2nd Vice President/Programs – 2025 should be a fantastic year. I’m ready for an awesome year, hopefully, you are too!!!

See y’all in February …… Keep on Quiltin’……… Lots of Hugs, Joyce