Chat and Sew North
Just you, your project and your quilting community! Talk about happiness!
Bring your machine and a project, or hand work if that is your groove.
New and beginning quilters are all welcome!
This is a free event open to Guild AND Community Members
Bring a sack lunch, if desired.
Questions: marie@randomacts.info
2026 Quilt Show Committee Meeting
September 22, 2025, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM @ Google Meet
Meetings are on the 4th Monday of the month at 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Use the following link to enter the meeting:
meet.google.com/rmo-zygi-peo
Dial-in: (US) +1 856-441-2830
PIN: 643 136 981#
Agenda:
Beginner Bag Class
Learn the basics of bag making by creating the Easy Does it Bag, a ByAnnie pattern. Use this small, zippered bag (6"H, 9"W & 4 1/4"D) to carry your sewing, quilting or other essentials.
This beginner level class will include cutting the bag pieces and assembling the bag, which you should be able to complete during class. Also included will be tips and tricks on making bias binding, attaching the binding and sewing the zipper.
AAQG member Renita Bankhead will teach the class. Renita is an accomplished sewer/quilter who has made dozens of ByAnnie bags. She will provide guidance to allow students to tackle more complicated bags.
Sample bag:
Class Fee: $ FREE Supplies Fee: $2
Your required supplies fee includes: Class handouts and a paper copy of the bag pattern.
You will need to bring:
3 coordinating fat quarters or pieces a little larger if using directional fabric (1 each for the main body of the bag, the lining, and the binding/handles)
Sewing Machine with accessories, foot control and power cord. You will need a walking foot, zipper foot, and 1/4-inch foot.
Cutting Mat, rotary cutter, and ruler at least 6 1/2" X 18"
Basic Sewing Supplies: scissors, needle, seam ripper, straight pins/wonder clips, stiletto, and thread in colors that blend with fabrics and match zipper tape
Template plastic or 2 1/2" circle ruler
Marking pen, pencil or chalk
24-inch handbag zipper (ByAnnie, Pam Damour, and Sallie Tomato zippers are recommended)
Fusible interfacing (8" X 6")
ByAnnie Soft and Stable (18" x21") strongly recommended
Preparation required prior to class:
Quilt together the main fabric, lining, and ByAnnie Soft and Stable. For more information, see the Class Supplies and Prep handout.
MEMBER AND PUBLIC REGISTRATION OPEN!
The trip to the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival is planned for Saturday, October 11th in a 56-passenger bus with a toilet. We will leave from the parking lot near the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Village at 2700 West Anderson Lane.
The bus will leave at 7:00 AM and return at approximately 10:30 PM. Detailed itinerary below:
Cost of the trip is $90.00 for guild members and $115 for non-members. Registration fee includes the bus fare, driver tip, ticket to the quilt show, and a show program.
Guest Lecturer: Mary Fons
Doors open at 9:00am; meeting begins at 9:45am.
Showstoppers: Masterpiece Quilts From The US and UK
When Mary was invited to lecture at the Festival of Quilts in England in, she crafted this lecture for the occasion. Showstoppers is full of fascinating information and history, but honestly, this presentation is all about the eye-candy. Mary has packed as many of her favorite-favorite quilts from the US and the UK into this lecture as she possibly could, all for your viewing pleasure. From humble to fancy, simple to ornate, weird to weirder, and often just plain pretty, this quilt show has it all, celebrating the connections and creativity of quilters on both sides of the pond. This lecture debuted in 2022 to a standing-room-only crowd at the Festival and is a favorite of Mary’s to share.
Please bring your Show 'n Tell pieces to share at the meeting
Doors open at 6:00pm; meeting begins at 6:45pm.
We Need To Talk About Bertha (The Greatest Quilt Treasure Hunt of All Time)
Few stories in American quilt history are as captivating as that of Bertha Amelia Meckstroth (b.1875-1960). From roughly 1930-50, Meckstroth created 180 iconoclastic quilts she called her “sculptures in cloth,” arguably the original art quilts. Extraordinarily beautiful and utterly original,these silk and cotton masterpieces featured reverse applique, trapunto, and flawlessly executed quilting, and often included text and strange iconography (such as bats and spiderwebs.) But Meckstroth’s life was both triumph and tragedy: In her will, she stated her remaining 89 works be kept together after her death and she had saved $70,000 to aid in their stewardship. Without an executor, however, her will was ignored. Meckstroth’s life’s work was scattered to the wind. In this must-see lecture, Mary Fons shares her extraordinary findings after two years of deep research into this fascinating story, including new biographical information on Meckstroth from primary sources; never-before-seen written and photographic documentation, and — you guessed it — the locations of a number of the missing quilts. We Need To Talk About Bertha received a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd at QuiltCon 2024.
Zoom Call Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85204812698?pwd=WDA2cHc5Zmc2aGhnWTliYmtpcmR1dz09
Call for Zoom Show 'n Tell: For those attending by Zoom, if you have a Show 'n Tell, please send a photo to president@aaqg.org by noon, seven days before the meeting. Please limit entries to 2. Photos received after the deadline will be included in the next monthly meeting Show 'n' Tell deck. For those in-person, please bring your Show 'n Tell pieces to share at the meeting.
Open Sew Day - South
Bring your machine and a project. Or hand work if that is your groove.
Bring a sack lunch, if desired. A microwave is in the room if you need it.
Bring a sack lunch or visit the food trucks across the street, if desired.
The Magic of Fabulous Faces:
No Sewing Machine Required
Jean Impey Presents:
What happens when two inspiring and energetic Artists, combine their love of quilting, friendship, and talents? Creativity explodes into a one-of-a-kind workshop…
“The Magic of Fabulous Faces”
Renowned quilters Freddy Moran (94 years old) and Jean Impey joined their creative spirits back in 2017 when they agreed to teach a Collage Retreat. Each artist had their own unique style of portraits, and each portrait has a unique story and name.
This workshop promises to be the most enjoyable one yet! Dive into the art of crafting expressive faces with ease and minimal materials. Then, uncover unique quilting techniques, “Pencil Quilting” and “Sketchy Quilting” to bring your design to life.
Class Fee Members: $45.00 (opens 9/08/25)
Class Fee Non-Members: (available 10/8/25): $60.00
Skill level: Creative beginner and beyond!
Faces Supply List.pdf
Jean Impey Presents
Twinkle:
Create a Liberated Eight Point Star quilt using a variation of the nine-patch block. Learn how to place different size blocks together into one big, beautiful quilt. In this class you will learn about improv sewing, designing blocks with personality, while keeping your work squared and accurate.
Twinkle is both easy to make and easy to make it modern with your fabric choices and color blocking.
No two blocks are alike… different sizes, colors, fabrics, dimensions!
This makes it personal and unique.
Class Fee Members: $45.00 (opens 9/9/25)
Class Fee Non-Members: (available 10/9/25): $60.00
Twinkle Supply List.pdf
Guest Lecturer: Jean Impey
The spider web design made a huge impression on Jean back in 2007. She started making one and then found she couldn’t make them fast enough to keep up with all the ideas that originated from this one design.
Jean loves sharing her spider webs with others, showing them how one thing leads to another and when you find something that clicks, you need to keep at it, maybe you call it a series?
Jean brings slides and samples featuring over 100 quilts to show along with her Spider Web Series to demonstrate how “Passion” can take over and lead you on an amazing path.
NOTE: We are meeting in November, then we are taking a break until January - Happy Holidays!
Bring a sack lunch or visit the food trucks across the street, if desired. To celebrate the holidays, if you would like, bring a treat!
Description:
Join us for our Holiday Celebration– Whether you're a longtime member, new to our guild, or simply curious about quilting, this is your perfect chance to dive in!
Come for delicious food, exciting games, PRIZES and plenty of laughter. Connect with fellow fabric enthusiasts and discover why our quilting community is so special.
Bring:
Your brightest smile
A Snack to Share
Your Show and Tell
And a Handmade Gift to Exchange (optional and $20.00 Limit please)
for an evening filled with friendship, fun, and fantastic conversations that will leave you inspired and excited about our wonderful world of quilting!
Come Celebrate The amazing Year we've had!
Zoom Call Link: As this is a social event there is no Zoom link tonight. We hope you'll join us in person for the party!
In-person meeting location: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3208 Exposition Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
More information to come later!
Westminster Presbyterian Church
3208 Exposition Blvd.
Austin TX 78703
Austin Area Quilt Guild is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. P.O. Box 5757, Austin, TX 78763
