QOV Groups
Starting a QOV group and keeping it running takes work and perseverance. There are many ways to go about setting up a QOV group. Pick what works for you and your group, or mix and match. Partnering with your local quilt shops and quilt guilds will ensure success and get quilters involved. Visit www.qovf.org for suggestions on starting a group in your area or contact Echo (edockter@arvig.net 218-346-3378) or Jenny (218-346-2579). They would be happy to help you get started and are available to speak to your prospective group.
The following MINNESOTA groups are already established and you are welcome to join them. See the WISCONSIN groups below.
Apple Valley Meets 1st Thursday, 10:00am – 3:00pm at Fabric Town, 7655-148th Street West 55724 Contact 952-432-1827. We collect donations of fabric and purchase additional materials with monetary donations to provide the batting and backing for the quilts. We also make kits with donated materials which are available for distribution at the monthly meeting. Quilters or sewers can make squares, a top, or pillowcases and drop them off at Fabric Town or come to the meeting. All tops, batting, and backing are quilted by local longarm quilters. When returned to the group, they are bound, a label is sewn on the back and a picture is taken for our scrapbook. We are always looking for volunteers to cut, piece, press, or sew at home and/or at the quilt shop.
Brainerd Meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month at Country Fabrics, 909 South 6th St., Brainerd from 3:00 - 7:00pm. Contact Marcia at 218-828-9116 or mstevens2@charter.net for confirmation of meeting time. Volunteers can come and go as they please. We collect donations of fabric and purchase additional materials with monetary donations to make pre-made QOV kits which contain everything needed to make a complete top: pattern, fabric for top, back, binding and pillowcase. The kits are distributed at guild meetings, our local quilt shops or word of mouth. Once the top is completed, it is returned and we find machine quilters to complete the quilt. We are always looking for willing volunteers to cut, piece or quilt.
Fergus Falls Meets the 2nd Friday at the Westridge Mall by Dunham's Sports. Our hours are 9-4 Dec, Jan, Feb, and June, July, Aug and 9-8 in Sept, Oct, Nov, and Mar, Apr. May. Contact phoebelheinrich@hotmail.com or 218-739-7772 work or 218-736-3272 home. Our work space is large enough for many volunteers to work at their choice of cutting kits, sewing tops or hand stitching bindings. Some of the kits, with pattern, fabric cut for the top and binding as well as a pillowcase and label, are worked on at our base, while others are picked up either at base or at Quilter’s Cottage, our local quilt shop. When tops are finished they are returned to us for backing and batting, given to the machine quilters and returned for binding to be stitched. There is an ongoing need for donated fabric, funds and volunteer’s time. There is work for all who are interested.
Park Rapids Meets 2nd Tuesdays 10:00am at the Library
Contact 218-732-9036 or j.l.yocum@charter.net. We make kits to distribute and do much of our sewing at home as well as at the meetings. We accept donations of good fabrics and receive monetary donations from private parties, charitable and church organizations. Help from non-quilters and wan-na-be quilters is cheerfully invited.
Perham Meets the 1st Wednesday & the 3rd Tuesday of every month in Dent at the Old Elementary School. Contact: Jenny (218-346-2579) or Echo (edockter@arvig.net). We cut kits, and sew quilt tops during the QOV day. We accept donations of fabric, tops, completed quilts, and money. When tops are completed, we bundle the top, batting, backing, binding, pillowcase and label – ready to be machine quilted. There is always a supply of “to-be-quilted” bundles. There are many ladies in our group who love to hand sew binding, so we ask that the machine quilter return the quilted top to us, so that we can do the binding. Our QOV-bee day has something for everyone, if you know the hot side of an iron, you can help!
Rosemount Meets 2nd Thursday 10:00am - 4:00pm at Quilters Haven, 14680 South Robert Trail. We make tops from donated blocks, kits that are made up from donated fabrics and assemble pillowcases, backs and bindings for tops that have been donated. We prepare the quilts for longarm quilters and once they are machine quilted, finish up anything that needs to be done. We gladly accept donations of money or 100% cotton material, but really would like people to come join us, no matter what level of quilter or non-quilter you are. If you have any questions, contact Quilters Haven at 651-322-7071 or Judy at 651-460-8369.
WISCONSIN
Cedarburg Meets 4th Saturday of every month (except December) from 10:00am - 4:00pm at Ye Olde Schoolhouse Quilts, 318 Green Bay Road. It's a drop-in day and people of all skill levels and interests are welcome to stay as long as they like. We do a potluck lunch. Questions? Contact Tink Linhart tinklinhart@gmail.com.