Notice: Guild Meeting June 8, 2015

The next meeting of the Abbeville Piecemakers Quilt Guild will be Monday, June 8, 2015.  We will meet at 10:00 am at the Center Street Cafe, 101 Center Road, Abbeville, SC  29620.  Visitors welcome!

Guild Meeting Minutes, April 13, 2015

Members and guests present:  Pat Argo, Kathy Brown, Gertie Carroll, Cindy Chihasz, Sarah Dobson, Paula Dorn, Anne Horton, Jean Vinson McMurtury, Geri Regan, Teri Walker, Mary Alice Hall, and three guests.

Sarah Dobson welcomed everyone and introduced our three guests from Greenwood.

Gertie Carroll led our devotion about her journey with cancer.  Pat Argo took our prayer requests and led us in prayer.

Minutes from the March meeting were approved.

Treasurer’s Report was not given.  

Old Business:

·         French Huguenot Festival– April 17 and 18 – Cynthia Jefferies has offered us a free spot next door to Maria’s. Hours to be worked are: 12-7 on Friday and 9-7 on Saturday.

Friday:  12-2: Geri and Sarah                 Saturday:  10-12: Jean McMurtury

                 2-4: Barbara and Kathy                             12-2:

                4-6: Cindy, Paula                                           2-4: Barbara

                                                                                       4-6:

·         There will be a Pancake Breakfast at the VFW on Saturday April 25, 2015 and a Quilt of Valor will be presented to Jimmy Ellis.  

·         Abbeville Spring Festival – May 1^st and 2^nd - Sign-up to sell tickets for the raffle quilt.

Friday:  10-12: Geri                                        Saturday:  10-12:                             

  12-2:                                                                      12-2:

    2-4: Paula, Cindy                                                  2-4: Jean, Gertie

    4-6:                                                                        4-6:

·         December 12, 2015 will be the Meals on Wheels fundraiser at the Abbeville Livery Stable. Guild members decided to change our give away of the guild quilt to this date instead of the spring festival date. This will allow more time for ticket sales. Guild members should think of craft and food items to sell for fundraising for Meals on Wheels at this function.

·         QOV Magnets – This is a fundraiser. Our guild has paid $4.00 for the magnets and will sell them for $8.00. This money will go to the guild for QOV.

New Business:

·         The May 11^th meeting will be held at Little Mountain Presbyterian Church at 9:30 – 2:00.  Debbie Mayer will be our guest and she has volunteered to present a lesson on free motion quilting.

·         Cindy Chihasz read a list of 20 items from “100 Things a Quilter Should Do Before They Die.” We will continue the “bucket list” items at the next meeting.

·         QOV pins and membership cards and numbers for members were given out by Sarah.

·         Envelopes with a picture of the Raffle quilt were given out along with tickets to sell.

Tickets are $1.00 each of 6 for $5.00. Be sure that persons purchasing tickets give their full name and telephone.  Number for each ticket they purchase.

Show and Tell items were presented to the group by:  Teri Walker, Geri Regan, Anne Horton, and Sarah Dobson.

Our members left as a group to attend a tour of the Burk-Stark Mansion to view the home and featured quilts.

Respectfully submitted, Cindy Chihasz, Secretary

Devotional, Guild Meeting April 13, 2015

Testimonial of Gertie Carroll 
March 2015

          There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.  “Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.”  So she did and she had a wonderful day.  The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.  “H-M-M,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.”  So she did and she had a grand day.  The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.  “Well,” she said, “today I’m going to wear my hair in a ponytail.”  So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

          The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.  “Yeah!” she exclaimed.  “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

           Attitude is everything!

          Dr. Oxendine told me that when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer.  This was before I had an ultrasound or biopsy.  I had a mammogram and they called me to come back because there had been a change.  When I had the second one the doctor at the Imaging Center told me I should see a surgeon right away.  She sent the report to Dr Oxendine and I made an appointment with him and had them to make an appointment at the Greenville Breast Center.  I really didn’t believe I had cancer because I had tried to eat healthy foods, I wouldn’t use artificial sweeteners or drink diet drinks, or eat things that I read were not good for you.  I exercised, and I memorized scripture.  For several years I had been praying a whole page of healing scripture.  After awhile I had prayed it so much I had it memorized and when I woke up during the night I would pray that scripture until I went back to sleep.  Every doctor I have seen has talked about how healthy I am, but I still got cancer.  When I went to see Dr. Oxendine, he talked to me like he knew I had cancer.  He told me before I left his office that I had a journey ahead of me.  He said it wouldn’t be just a biopsy and surgery; it would be a journey and asked if he could pray with me.  In his prayer he asked that God would be with me on this journey.  I told him I believed I was going to be okay.  That’s when he told me that attitude would help me win the battle against cancer.  He said he had seen people go through cancer and beat it with that attitude, but he had seen others with a negative attitude that lost the battled. 

          He gave me a copy of Dr. Kitchen’s report to give to the doctor in Greenville.  I read it when I got home and saw that she was positive that I had cancer.

          It has been a journey and seemed like a long one while I was going through it, but the Lord was with me all the way.  Philippians 4:7:  “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  And that’s what God did for me.  I never worried a single day.  I knew that peace which passes all understanding that Paul talked about.  I knew it had to be God because always before when I heard the word cancer it sounded like a death sentence.  A definition of peace:  A state of rest, quietness, and calmness, a perfect wellbeing.”  Peace doesn’t come from the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus.  Philippians 3:6-7 tells us how to walk in that much needed peace.  We are to be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God: and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

          Jerry had knee replacement surgery the next day after I had the second mammogram and we were in Greenville at the hospital from Wednesday to Saturday.  My devotion the day after his surgery really spoke to me.  “Rest with Me a while.  You have journeyed up a steep rugged path in recent days.  The way ahead is shrouded in uncertainty.  Look neither behind you nor before you.  Instead, focus your attention on Me, your constant Companion.  Trust that I will equip you fully for whatever awaits you on your journey.  There was more to it that was good, but the last sentence was:  “I am with you, watching over you wherever you go.” (Gen. 28:15)

          During this journey, I had some bad weeks when I was doing the Chemo.  I never got nauseated, but I was just weak and had to force myself to eat at times.  They told me said to eat a lot of protein and a lot of calories to help build up my immune system so I knew I had to eat.  The food I ate tasted fine, but I just didn’t want it.  The only thing that tasted bad to me was water and I had to drink 8 glasses or 64 ounces a day.

          One day when we were going for my Chemo, when we started through the door I said, “I am so tired of coming up here,” and I knew if I said another word I would start crying.   When I said that it was like a spirit of sadness came over me I recognized that the devil wanted me to have a pity party so I started praying silently thanking the Lord for being with me that far and I knew he would be with my the rest of the way.  When I did that the sadness lifted instantly and I was fine.

          But through all of that I could still find things to laugh about.  Laughing is one of my favorite things to do.  We were in Kmart one day and Jerry found me and took me to the other side of the store and showed me a wig he wanted to buy for me.  It was an orange Afro style.  I told him I wasn’t wearing that, but he bought me a long white one which I wore one time to our Fall Festival at church. 

          I had my radiation at Self and they had the cutest pink wig at the store at the Cancer Center.  I tried to get the woman to sell it to me, but she wouldn’t.  I told her I could have a lot of fun with it.

          The first day I had an appointment with Dr. Wood who was my radiation doctor, I was ready to go except for putting on my wig.  I put it on my head and looked in the mirror and had it on backwards.  I looked like Donald Trump.  It was so funny.  I enjoyed telling people about that and laughing again every time I told it.

          After my hair was beginning to grow back, I went to pick up Ethan, one of my great-grandsons one day and forgot I didn’t have my wig on.  He said, “Maw Maw, you look interesting.”  I asked what he meant and he said I didn’t look like myself.  Then I realized I didn’t have on my wig.

          I read something that Don Colbert, MD said that was interesting.  “I’m convinced that laughter is absolutely the best medicine as it charges the immune system and triggers the relaxation response.  In this stressful world 75 to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related complaints or disorders.  Laughter stops stress in its tracks.  The Bible says, “a merry heart doeth good like medicine.”

          Francisco Contreras, MD a surgical oncologist said that science has definitively confirmed the potent healing factor of laughter.  Whether studies were conducted in Japan or Loma Linda, California, objective results indicate that patients who experience laughter receive a boost to their immune system as measured in the elevation of natural killer cell activity and immunoglobulin.  There are so many objective clinical trials that support the healing power of humor that it surprises me that few doctors take advantage of this medication.  I do realize that insurance companies probably do not reimburse doctors for telling jokes, but who cares?  As physicians, we should be willing to do whatever it takes to improve the health of our patients.  Science confirms that positive emotions invoked by humor have healing effects.

          Anatomy of a Laugh:  Your whole body gets a kick out of a good chuckle.  Here’s what happens when you laugh according to research.

·        Your heart and lungs are stimulated.

·        Your heart beats faster and your blood pressure rises temporarily.

·        You breath deeper and oxygenate more blood.

·        Your body releases endorphins, your own natural painkillers, and you produce more immune cells.  You burn seventy-eight times as many calories as you would in a resting state.

·        Your diaphragm, facial muscles and internal organs all get bounced around in a massage sometimes called “internal jogging.”

   After you’ve laughed, your muscles and arteries relax.  That’s great for easing pain.  Also, your blood pressure lowers and your pulse drops below normal.  Some researchers think all this aids digestion.

     He also said “one bout of anger will diminish the efficiency of your immune system for six hours, but one good laugh will increase the efficiency of your immune system for 24 hours.”

     The immune system is what controls how healthy or how sick we are so we all want to keep our immune systems as powerful as we can!

     Nehemiah said, …”The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

     Solomon said in Proverbs, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, and a broken spirit dries up your bones.” We need to apply these scriptures to our lives.  Someone said, “You can rail in anger and frustration about your relationships, work, politics, or the world in general.  But it’s a lot more fun and more useful to laugh instead.  Look for the humor in whatever it is that is threatening to irritate you.

     We serve awesome God and He loves us so much.  He promised in Matthew 28:20  “…Surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

     I am so thankful that I have finished all my treatments and now just have to go for checkups. When Dr. De Brux started my reconstruction, he operated on my back and took muscle and skin and brought it around to the front on September 29^th last year.  He told me it would take a year to get over that. 

     I had a lot of people praying for me and I appreciate every prayer that anyone took the time to pray.  I had people that I didn’t know personally tell me that they had been praying for me or that I was on their Sunday School class prayer list.  This means so much to know people are praying for you when you are in need.  I also got cards, notes and meals brought in which we appreciated.  When you go through something like this it makes you realize more than ever what is important.  It also lets you see how much people care for you.  It gives a different perspective on life.

     I had received so many cards the drawer where I was keeping them was running over.  I went through the cards recently and reread them and then threw away 97.  (Some I could not part with just yet.) I told my husband, thinking this would impress him, but he said I still needed to get rid of more.  He loves to see me get rid of things because I am a pack rat.  One of my friends who is witty always wrote a sweet note in the card and sent me funny things she had printed off the internet to keep me laughing.  She always wrote notes in the card that made me laugh.  On Halloween she wrote, “I won’t get to go out tonight because someone took my broom.”

     Every day is a good day when we walk with the Lord no matter what the day brings.  God is with us in the rain and storm as well as the sunshine.  We decide what our response is going to be to each day.  Are we going to be fearful, or anxious, or do we trust?  Do we look for the silver lining behind the cloud?

     Problems are opportunities for us to practice trusting God with it.  Every problem that comes our way comes with a promise and provision attached, but sometimes we get our focus on the problem instead of God’s promise and provision.

         

         

Guild Meeting Minutes, March 9, 2015

Members and guests present:  Pat Argo, Kathy Brown, Gertie Carroll, Cindy Chihasz, Sarah Dobson, Paula Dorn, Anne Horton, Jean Vinson McMurtury, Barbara Littell

Sarah Dobson welcomed everyone.

Pat Argo led our devotion, prayer requests and prayer.

Minutes from the February meeting were approved.

Treasurer’s Report was not given. Kathy Brown had collected $2.00 from the White elephant sale (2-7-15) and $6.00 from Fat quarter raffle (3-9-15).

Old Business:

·         QOV Magnets – This is a fundraiser. Our guild has paid $4.00 for the magnets and will sell them for $8.00. This money will go to the guild for QOV.

·         QOV Retreat in Winnsboro, SC – May 15 – 17, 2015. There will be a Panel Challenge. Patriotic panels can be purchased for $15.00, this is a fundraiser for QOV, and made into a quilt. (see handout for additional information) The quilts should be turned in by May 1^st. They will be judged. Prizes are: 1^st place – Featherweight Sewing Machine, 2^nd place - $100.00 Faust gift certificate, 3^rd place - $50.00 Pieces and Patches (Lexington, SC) gift certificate.

·         QOV – National Quilt Museum Quilts of Valor Exhibit, Paducah, Kentucky – August 20 – November 11, 2015.

Please use the following link for details and guidelines on how individuals may submit a quilt for this exhibit:

http://www.qovf.org/Pdf_Files/NQM_QOVF_Exhibit_Guidelines_Submission.pdf

·         Some of the veterans that have been submitted on our QOV list will be transferred to Anderson County because they are residents in Anderson County at Richard Campbell VA Nursing Home.

·         December 12, 2015 will be the Meals on Wheels fundraiser at the Abbeville Livery Stable. Guild members decided to change our give away of the guild quilt to this date instead of the spring festival date. This will allow more time for ticket sales. Guild members should think of craft and food items to sell for fundraising for Meals on Wheels at this function.

New Business:

·         Spring Fling – May 1^st and 2^nd - Negotiations with the City of Abbeville were made to reserve a free table for QOV in the Chamber. Abby Evans has agreed to reserve a space under the awning at the old Ice Cream Parlor.

Sarah will be out of town and someone will have to work out a schedule. Cindy, Paula, and Gertie have agreed to work. Scheduling will be done at the next meeting.

·         French Huguenot Festival – April 17 and 18 – Cynthia Jefferies has offered us a free spot next door to Maria’s. Hours to be worked are: 12-7 on Friday and 9-7 on Saturday.

Friday:  12-2:                                                Saturday:  10-12: Jean McMurtury

                2-4: Barbara                                                     12-2:

                4-6: Cindy, Paula                                                2-4: Barbara

·         The April 13^th meeting will be held at the Abbeville Senior Center at 10:00. Plan for a short meeting and we will meet at the Burk Stark House for a tour to look at old quilts. Susan Keaton will be our guide. Cost of the tour is $8.00 per person.

·         VFW will give us a place to set up next to them at various functions in the future.

·         Barbara secured information for us to create a logo for our Piecemakers Quilt Guild. A quilt block will be selected to represent and to incorporate our name.  Members are asked to suggest their favorite quilt block to the meeting so we can decide what will best represent our group. She also wants to add our name to the state and national organization. The group liked this suggestion.

·         Anne Horton gave members a pattern and brief instructions for making the iron caddy. After the meeting, a few members stayed to sew and make their caddy.

Birthday wishes for the month of March go to Gertie Carroll (3/14) and Pia Garvin (3/5).

Show and Tell items were presented to the group by:  Gertie Carroll, Cindy Chihasz, Anne Horton, and Sarah Dobson.

 Respectfully submitted, Cindy Chihasz, Secretary

Guild Meeting Minutes, August 11, 2014

Members and guests present:  Pat Argo, Cheryl Auman, Kathy Brown, Gertie Carroll, Cindy Chihasz, Sarah Dobson, Paula Dorn, Karen Hyatt, Debbie Mayer, Jean Vinson McMurtury, Sharon Spearman

Sarah welcomed everyone.

Pat led our devotion and prayer requests.

 Special Announcement:  Diane Hilley, at the Senior Center, loaned a Christian book to a guild member. Please return it to her as soon as possible.

Old Business:

·         Linda Overholt will present quilting techniques for our September meeting. She will present at the beginning of our meeting and has to leave for another engagement. Please be on time so you won’t miss her presentation.

·         QOV Retreat Quilts of Valor in Toccoa, GA is January 16 – 18. Please see Sarah Dobson ASAP if you are interested in attending. A $70.00 deposit is due ASAP (now) and $100.00 balance is due by December to reserve your spot.  A basket raffle will be done at the retreat; fat quarters, notions, etc. Would like for guild to donate a basket. All proceeds from ticket sales will go toward money to buy supplies for more quilts.

·         Abbeville Piecemakers received their first donation for QOVF Quilts of Valor Foundation in honor of a civilian serving with the military in Afghanistan. $50.00 was received. The consensus of the group was to purchase fabric for quilts; red, white, and blue. Sarah will purchase fabric at the Foust sale this weekend.

·         Sarah Dobson is our QOV chairman. She recommends that when we turn in names of persons to receive a QOV that we make sure to get the following information:

Name

Address

Telephone number

Branch of Service

Rank

Date of Service 

Special Medals or Honors

·         New officers will take over in September.

·         Dues of $20.00 will be due at September meeting.

New Business:

·         Foust is having a fabric sale Fri and Saturday – August 15 and 16.

·         National Sew Day is February 7. This is a Saturday. Will be a work day to make quilt tops for QOV. Will try to hold the day at Little Mountain Presbyterian Church if we can use the Fellowship Hall.

·         Need information to find out if there are any upcoming festivals or activities in downtown Abbeville this fall so we can sell raffle tickets for the quilt raffle.  Paula Dorn volunteered to call the Chamber of Commerce to get information.

·         Karen Hyatt is the chairman of our quilt for the raffle. She needs her volunteers to help get the quilt completed.

·         Kathy Brown is collecting completed pillowcases and bowls for the December craft sale at the Meals on Wheels Area Agency on Aging Festival in Abbeville, December 6, 2014.

·         There will be a special fabric sale on September 5th and 6th at “A Stitch in Time Again” in Orangeburg, SC. Special pricing of 50% off for their Anniversary Sale. Sharon Spearman will send us updates as they are available.

·         Fund Raiser ideas:  Karen Hyatt recommended that each member will bring a specific color fat quarter to each guild meeting. The fat quarters will be placed in a basket. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1.00 for each chance to win the basket of fat quarters. The consensus of the group was to start this at our September meeting. Our color choice for September: fall colors.  Cindy Chihasz suggested a yard sale or White Elephant sale of fat quarters, notions, books, etc. that members will donate. All proceeds will go to the guild.  This will allow members to clean out things they no longer use that may be useful to others. The consensus of the group was to plan this for our January meeting.

            Proceeds for fundraising will be used to by quilting supplies for raffle quilts and QOV quilts.

Karen Hyatt closed the meeting by reading information from the 1950’s of what a wife should be to her husband. She followed it with a version for the 90’s. She plans to make copies for the next meeting.

Sewing began after the meeting and much was accomplished.

Respectfully submitted,

Cindy Chihasz, Secretary

Guild Meeting Minutes, December 8, 2014

Members and guests present:  Pat Argo, Kathy Brown, Cindy Chihasz, Shirley Crawford, Sarah Dobson, Paula Dorn, Linda Goldstein, Mary Alice Hall, Anne Horton, Karen Hyatt, Barbara Littell, Jean Vinson McMurtury,  Sabra Price, Geri Regan, Jeanne Russell, Teri Walker, Vanessa Wideman

Sarah Dobson welcomed everyone.

Pat Argo led our devotion, Season of Hope.  Prayer requests were taken, and  a silent prayer for Hope.

Minutes were read and approved.

Kathy Brown gave our treasurers report:  Beginning Balance  $759.89

                                                                                 Deposit    35.00

                                                                                     Total  794.89

Old Business:

·         Name tags – Guild members will make name tags at our January 12^th meeting.  Teri will give us a list of materials at our December meeting that we will need for this project.  Jean McMurtury will bring her embroidery machine to do the names.

·         QOV Retreat in Toccoa, GA is January 16 – 18.  Jeanne Russell will not be able to attend and is offering her spot to anyone that would like to attend. Please see Sarah if you are interested.

·         National Sew Day is February 7. This is a Saturday. Will be a work day to make quilt tops for QOV. Will try to hold the day at Little Mountain Presbyterian Church in the Fellowship Hall. Lunch?

·         Anyone that has made QOV blocks should give them to Kathy.

·         Meals on Wheels raffle quilt – quilting is complete. There was a small hole made in the backing removing stitches that were not good. It has been suggested and recommended by members to cover this small opening with our label for the quilt. There was also an issue with the backing being too short on one side as the quilt was being quilted. It was patched with an extra strip. This is so close to the edge and members recommended just binding and it will not be noticeable. This quilt has been a learning experience and we will consider this when planning future quilts for donation or raffle.  Pat had previously volunteered to complete the binding.  Pictures will be made of completed quilt and attached to envelopes for money collection by members.  Be sure to log in the numbers for the tickets that you receive and plan to sell.

·         Update on our guild joining QOV foundation:  mission is to cover our veterans and service members with comfort and healing with Quilt of Valor, being a member allows the foundation to accurately track quilts and monies donated and the recipients of those quilts, it enables the groups raising monies to utilize 100% of the funds raised, and it allows the group to receive discounts for supplies used to make Quilts of Valor.  Individuals that join receive a membership card and access to QOV merchandise at a special rate and first-hand knowledge about upcoming QOVF special events.  Several members joined. Checks should be made to Abbeville Piecemakers Guild and one check from the guild will be sent to the foundation.

New Business:

·         Meeting for January may be held at Little Mountain Presbyterian Church. This would be January 12. White Elephant Sale will be held as a fund raiser for our guild.  Members are asked to be gently used and unwanted sewing/quilting items (rulers, fat quarters, fabric, tools, etc.) to sell for $1.00, $5.00, and/or $10.00. Please price your items. Tables will be provided.  Good time to find bargains!

·         Our February Guild meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 at Little Mountain Presbyterian Church. This will be the same day as our QOV Sew Day.  A block pattern needs to be decided on for the QOV Sew Day.

Birthday wishes for the month of December go to Jeanne Russell for 12/2.

Show and Tell items were presented to the group by: Shirley Crawford, Cindy Chihasz, and Karen Hyatt.

Members enjoyed a wonderful spread of goodies for the Christmas feast. Everyone enjoyed our Dirty Santa gift exchange and our fat quarter exchange.

Respectfully submitted,

Cindy Chihasz, Secretary