Most of this report covers the time prior to the planned AGM in April but, as result of unusual circumstances, New Zealand went into lockdown on 25th March in an attempt to minimise the effects of COVID-19. All Guild activities were suspended, and our normal meetings would not resume until July 2020 beginning with our annual AGM. (11th July)

This is an overview of our year pre Covid-19 and with it goes a big shout out to the membership of 130+ members for their enthusiasm to participate, contribute and support all things to do with our Guild. 
This year we have enjoyed the following:

Speakers: Heather Burch (member), Julie van der Putten, Olivia Bradley from Sew Worms, Sue McLean talking about Liturgical Cloth Work, Libby Crawford and her passion for floral displays, Barbara Wilson (member), Donna Ward from Donna’s Quilt Studio, Suffrage Quilt Makers (members), Robyn Murdoch from Tis the Season, Lois Parish Evans and Karen from Aroha Quilters talking about Hoffman Challenge.

Merchants: Sewing Machine World (Clare Holden), Julie van der Putten, Waitomo Sew Worms, Fat Backs (Lori Neels- member), Dream Stitch (Mieke Smit), PK Pens in a pop up shop (Karen Gallagher), Donna’s Quilt Studio, Robyn Murdoch (Tis the Season), Quilting and Beyond (Raewyn and Grahame Clark) and Aroha Quilters (Karen  Larsen).

Classes:

• Modern Boro Runner (Robyn Burgess),
• Colour, Texture Adventure (Anne Jolly),
• Accurate Cutting and Piecing (Betty McLean and Stephanie de Lacy),
• Westalee Rulers (Barrie Ashton),
• Fearless Free Motion Quilting (Donna Ward)
• Wool Applique (Wendy Williams).

 
Workshops:
Gordonton workshops run monthly for our members – thanks to Jenny Smith for making sure this event is always set up, warm and a wonderful supply of homemade snacks for everyone to enjoy. In addition to our monthly Gordonton days, we have had workshops co-ordinated by Fiona Williams which were held prior to Guild meetings. These included; “Scrap Quilt with a Twist”, “Thread Your Needle” and “Just One Block”.

Community Quilts: Another fantastic effort with 264 quilts donated and now being enjoyed out in the community. This year’s recipients included Salvation Army, Women’s Refuge, Foster Hope, and St John Ambulance. Thanks to Janet Ruf and Jill Walpole along with their wonderful group of helpers for their hard work and dedication. The Guild undertook to make Green Heart blocks which were made into quilts in support of the Christchurch Mosque victims. Over lockdown the Guild has also helped with making hot water bottle covers for local needs.

Other activities: WAI Quilts Exhibition – a total 157 quilts on display and a fantastic cross section/variety of quilts for the general public to enjoy. We displayed 89 Guild Members quilts and another 16 Guest Exhibitor quilts as part of the Hamilton Craft and Quilt Fair held in September 2019 as well as hanging 30 AQS quilts and 22 quilts for the Hoffman Challenge. Thanks to Convenor Pam Groube and the dedicated sub-committee members who organised this exhibition.

Annual Retreat – this year for the extended 3-day weekend at the beautiful Waitetuna Retreat. 24 attendees had an amazing time concentrating on their special projects. The rest of the guild enjoyed seeing these creations, some of which were exhibited at the Wai Quilts Exhibition.
A Christmas event was held mid-year to help avoid loading up an already full December programme. We included the very popular Mini Christmas Quilt Challenge and made it a more social event.

Suffrages Panel Challenge required participants to make a panel/mini quilt to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Women Suffragettes. These were then on show at several national exhibitions – several of these panels were made by our guild members.

A membership survey was conducted this year which has provided valuable feedback for running our Guild as well as some inspiration for future classes and activities.

Thanks:The 2019-2020 Committee are an awesome group of ladies, dedicating much of their time and energy willingly to provide the members with as many opportunities for patchwork, quilting and stitching as possible. I thank them for their dedication and hard work as it has made my job as President much easier.

I would like to make special mention of Pamela Gibbs (current long serving Committee member and librarian), who sadly lost her battle with cancer during lockdown. A special thank-you goes to the outgoing committee members – Janet, Jill, Sue and Barbara – several of whom have given their time over many years. We welcome new members to the Committee with various roles to fill and this year we need five (5) nominations and to have 12 Committee members to run the Guild. 

Special thanks to Heather Burch as Almoner, this being such an important role offering support in various forms to our members in times of illness, grief or need.

Our thanks also go to Jill and Conner Maxwell who are at the Guild venue every month to help set up and pack away after our meetings.

Special thanks Virginia Schnauer, our Newsletter Editor extraordinaire. In her role she always gets the newsletter to the printer on time and sees that we have the best possible communication for our quilting community.  Virginia thanks for doing this role for three years and providing a massive contribution to our Guild.
        
We have a wonderful opportunity within our Guild and I would personally like to thank everyone involved for every time one needs advice there is an “expert”, anytime you need information on how to improve/finish or even find a quilt to make, there is always someone open to sharing that information, inspiration or thoughts. In essence - Quilters and Patchworkers don't just share, they care!
 
Belinda van der Vossen, President
Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters Guild 2019-2020 

Welcome to the Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters 2019 Annual Report. Please enjoy reading all that we have achieved and been involved with over the last year. It’s quite a list and you, the membership, make these events happen with your continuing support. We aim to continue to grow as a Guild and provide activities in line with our Constitution objective that states “...encourage and maintain high standards of craftmanship and design in both traditional and contemporary patchwork and quilting”.
In our 31st year we have been busy promoting the art and craft of patchwork and quilting. With the dedication of the Guild Committee we have brought quilters together in a wide range of activities both in the community and in forums for exchange of information, expertise and tuition for our members.

SPEAKERS:
Last year we had some entertaining, informative speakers share their stories, experiences and ideas at our monthly meetings. These include:

• Sue Ross (current member) about quilting in Dubai
• Carol from Charming Juno 
• Caroline Mason – Threads Across the Pacific
• Olive Hopkins from M&O Kitchen Crafts
• Lynne Rowe (current member) – Quilting Spectacular tour
• Heather Clarks Scrappy Quilts – Betty McLean and Stephanie de Lacey (both current members)
• Wayne Good – Design and Living Consultant
• Colleen Silcock – Dollmaker

MERCHANTS:

• Stitch n Stuff Te Awamutu
• Sewing Machine World Hamilton – Claire Holden
• Fatbacks Cambridge – Lori Neels
• Quilt ‘n’ Knit 2 Putaruru – Janice Keijzer
• Bernina Hamilton – Marie Williams
• Aroha Quilt & Framing – Kay and Gayle
• Mr Sharp – who always has a busy day sharpening our scissors and other cutting instruments.

CLASSES/WORKSHOPS/TRUNK SHOWS:
This year there were lots of fabulous opportunities for our members to learn new techniques and ‘push the boundaries’. We thank those Tutors for sharing their knowledge and appreciate those members who take time to share their skills with the group.

• Lisa Walton International Tutor Fantastic Fusion weekend and Trunk Show “Leap and the Net Will Appear”.
• Meryl Caudwell English Paper Piecing and Bindings
• We run a monthly members workshop (bring your own project) at Gordonton, an opportunity to meet and sew with friends.
• Held before each guild meeting we ran longer-term workshops with the Modern Quilt Group and the Scrap Quilt with a Twist (running until June 2019).
• Mini Workshops at our Christmas meeting – thanks to those who helped with these fun activities Sally Jenkins, Alison Gibb, Fiona Williams, Pamela Gibbs, Shirley Frew. A special mention goes to Margaret Brasting for making a delicious Christmas cake for our celebrations.

EXHIBITIONS:

• Hilda Ross Quilt Exhibition – 61 quilts on display and lots of visitors from the local community came to see our work, some joined the guild following this event and we hope to partake in the event again in the future.
• Calling All Quilts, our big bi-annual judged exhibition was held in October in conjunction with the Craft and Quilt Show. We thank Pam Groube and her capable committee for organising the 128 quilts on display at Claudelands and for organising a very professional event which received a very positive response from a large audience. This year we celebrated the 39 prize winners with a prizegiving held during the exhibition days. Thanks to the judges, Alison Laurence, Marg Hurst and Chris Kenna.

COMMUNITY QUILTS:
Another fantastic effort - 181 quilts are now out and about in the community. This year’s recipients include Salvation Army, Women’s Refuge, Foster Hope, St John and Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit at Waikato Hospital.
Thanks to Janet Ruf and Jo Cavanagh along with their loyal helpers for their hard work and dedication. The guild has also helped with making chemotherapy bags and hot water bottle covers for local needs.

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

• Suitcase Sale – a chance for everyone to share the goodies they no longer want with other members.
• President’s Challenge – to make a smaller quilt in complimentary colours that were all then donated to the Neo Natal Intensive Care at Waikato Hospital. 
• Block of the month – this activity started again in mid-year. Participants are making various blocks with a kit and pattern supplied at the Guild day. The completed blocks are handed in the following month and a winner drawn each month for the completed set of blocks.
• Annual Retreat – this year for the extended 3 days at the beautiful Waitetuna Retreat. 23 attendees and many a beautiful project(s) given full time attention.
• Annual donation round – more than a car load of goodies for the Men’s Shelter – a fantastic effort.
• An unfinished quilt by the late Ngaire Slater called “Common Bride” designed by Laundry Basket Quilts  was completed by Betty McLean, quilted by Linda Young and gifted to the Guild by Ngaire’s family to raise funds to be attributed towards the tuition of the Guild members. This quilt was raffled with tickets sold at our exhibitions.
• Library books, quilting aids like stencils and DVDs have been a focus this year as a valuable resource for the membership. We have developed the website and Facebook page as a social media tool and this will be of great importance in communication going forward.
• This is quite a list and does not fully describe the ongoing value of our monthly meeting as a group of fellow patchworkers and quilters. We have many additional opportunities to sew together, talk about our projects, make something for others in the community to enjoy and get help when we need it, with our own quilts. I hope you will all continue to support the meetings and bring along your beautiful creations for Show and Tell. 

At this point I would like to warmly like to thank the Guild Committee who freely volunteer much time and energy to allow all these events to take place. In my first term as President thank you for all you do, Alison Gibb, Fiona Williams, Jenny Smith, Janet Ruf, Pam Groube, Pamela Gibbs, Virginia Schnauer, Jill Walpole, Jo Cavanagh, Jenny Cameron and Heather Burch. To those stepping down from the Committee a special thank you for all your efforts and we wish you well in your next endeavours. We welcome the “new” committee members, their fresh ideas and input into our hardworking group. We are always open to your suggestions, comments and ideas on how to increase the value of the Guild and what you need us to provide.

On behalf of the Guild Committee I would like to thank several individuals. Firstly, Jill Walpole, our Almoner, who is standing down from this valuable support role. Thanks to Heather Burch for taking up this important role, communication with those in need, and liaising with the Guild Committee about members who may need our support. I would also like to acknowledge Jill and Conner Maxwell who are at the guild venue every month to help set up and pack away after our meeting. Last but not least, Virginia Schnauer our Newsletter Editor, in this role she is dedicated to spreading the word and under sometimes difficult conditions to get our newsletter off to print in a timely manner. Virginia, thanks for this massive contribution to our Guild.

To the membership this past year - thanks for being there; for supporting me in the role as President; in the community helping provide quilts for those in need; helping organise our exhibitions whether it be in white gloves, making tea or talking to visitors; coming to the Guild meetings and actively joining in classes, workshops and other events and for making an effort to talk to others who share this journey. 

I value and thoroughly enjoy being a member of the Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters Guild and am taking up the challenge as the President to see that we all enjoy the experience.
    Belinda van der Vossen 
    WPQG President, 2018/2019