Highlights of the History of Homemakers Country Quilters 1983-2013
Homemakers Country Quilters of Montgomery County was born of an idea by Margot Carney to start a quilt club. The purpose of the club is education and companionship. Working with the Montgomery County Extension Service, she secured the necessary requirements to form a club as a Homemakers group under the auspices of the Montgomery County Extension and permission to use the facilities of the 4-H Foundation for the meetings. And so we took off… After putting a notice in the local papers, the first meeting was held….
September 16, 1983 – Margot Carney conducted the meeting and Rita Fillinger took notes. The meeting was held at the 4–H Center on Snyder Rd Lansdale (a relic of an old building). 23 people were present. Dues were set at $12.00 a year ($7.00 for NQA and $5.00 for our own club). Volunteers for the future officers were: Marie Groth – Secretary; Margot Carney and Rita Fillinger-Programs; Stephany Goloveyko – Publicity and Susan Wiewiera – Treasurer. Meeting will be on the 2nd Friday of the month as a Homemakers Group of Montgomery Co. Extension. Coffee and tea would be available at meetings, with a donation from members to cover the cost.
January 13, 1984 – 25 present and 3 guests. A vote was taken for the group’s name. Homemakers Country Quilt Club of Montgomery County Extension – 14 votes. Homemaker’s Quilt Club of Montgomery County Extension – 12 votes. Naomi Walter gave tips on fabric selection and pillow making.
May 11, 1984 – 40 members and 13 guests. Rita Fillinger announced a quilt show in 1985. Alice Heffentrager will be chair. Margot Carney prepared by-laws and nominating committee named: Libby Klopp – chair; Bobbie Kratz, Debbie Bolger, Sandee Trakat and Marie Bender. Demonstration and workshop on Stained Glass Reverse Appliqué by Marcia Field, our first paid speaker, which cost $25. Treasurer’s balance $315.17.
June 8, 1984 – 28 present. Sandee Trakat reported for the nominating committee, “All officers and chairpersons returned for another year making offices a two year term, they cannot succeed themselves.” This in accordance with by-laws, which were discussed. A motion made by Rita Fillinger and seconded by Gertrude Berlin to donate $100 to the 4-H Development Fund. Membership list was requested for next season.
June 19, 1984 – Executive board decided to eliminate future June meeting. Also there are no July or August meetings.
January 11, 1985 – Broken water pipe and flooded floor greeted members today. Thirty members and 3 guests presents. Naomi Walter donated triple Irish Chain Quilt for raffle for the quilt show. The show proceeds will go to the new 4-H Center.
March 8, 1985 – First meeting in the New 4-H Center in Creamery. 40 members and 4 guest present, 3 new members. Treasury balance is $140.63. Items donated for the quilt show: Pineapple Pillow by Lorraine Landis, Amish Dolls by Alice Heffentrager, Pillow by Mildred Edwards, Batting for next quilt from Stephany Goloveyko.
April 12, 1985 – 43 members and 14 guests present. Quilt show report by Alice Heffentrager as follows: income $2,938.75, expenses $430.84, profit $2,507.91. The low expenses are due to the generosity of members. $1,500 will be donated to the 4-H Foundation, $207 for educational purpose for members and $800 for seed money for the next quilt show. Left over items to be sold and added to the treasury. Treasurer’s report is $1,492.64. Nominating committee of Ellen Boucher and Joanne Cronin presented the slate of officers. President – Rita Fillinger; VP – Mary Ellen Wagner; Secretary – Sandee Trakat; Treasurer – Debbie Bolger. A motion by Kathy Leuchemeyer, second by Donna Fagley these members were elected and will be installed next month.
May 10, 1985 – 36 members and 9 guests present. Treasury balance $1,492.64 additional boutique items sold $139.75. Voted to give $75 to 4-H Foundation and $65 to Extension Scholarship Fund. Motion by Marion Hentz and Marcelle Lukens to have a quilt show in the spring of the odd number years the next show will be 1987. Motion made by Shirley Burkett and 2nd by Joanne Cronin to amend the by-laws to change our name from Homemaker’s Country Quilt Club of Montgomery Co to Homemakers Country Quilters of Montgomery Co. Both motions passed. Covered dish luncheon ended the year.
July 7, 1986 – Executive meeting notice: As long as we continue to function as a Homemakers Group we may use the building at no charge. Guest fee will be $5.00 when the meetings are open to the public. Barb Laubscher will be in charge of cookbook project.
October 10. 1986 – 50 members and 3 guests present. Irene Ferguson awarded prize of $20 for logo contest. Logo pins will be made for members in the colors of green and yellow. With the prize money, Irene donated a closet for our library books.
February 13, 1987 – 54 members, 3 guests and 4 new members. Libby Klopp reported on the house blocks she put together to be quilted at the quilt show and given to Ronald Mc Donald House in Danville.
March 9, 1987 – Mary Ellen Wagner discussed logo and registering it for a trademark at the state level at the cost of $25 to be renewed every ten years. Logo represents the Montgomery Co pale yellow Dutch lily, green background stands for the leaves and stems and gold rim represents an embroidery hoop. Nominating committee: Irene Ferguson, chair, Connie Landis, Evelyn Mc Adam, Pauline Stadlin and Marie Schoen.
.September 11, 1987 – Mary Ellen Wagner, President. New officers take over today. Treasurer’s report $748.51. 55 members and 9 guests present. Ronald Mc Donald House quilt was delivered to Danville and was well received. Alice Heffentrager donated 3 soup ladles. Committee heads as follows: Newsletter – Nancy Gerhard, Greeter – Nancy Hammerschmith, Publicity – Thelma Kehr, Historian – Anna Mary Keeler, Librarian – Stephany Goloveyko and Bette Nowicki, Trips – Rita Fillinger, Hospitality – Bobby Robertson, Sunshine – Marion Hentz, Quilting Bee – Libby Klopp and Bobby Kratz.
April 8, 1988 – Revised By-laws were voted on today. Limit the size of membership because of the size of the meeting room. 59 members present and 3 guests. Block of the month program started
November 11, 1988 – Evelyn McAdam, Vice President. 58 members. Mary Ellen Wagner donated cider and apples today. Our first Ronald McDonald quilt is hung in the new RMD house in Danville. Treasurer’s report $1,912.02 in checking and $ 1,046.19 in savings. Workshops for the boutique items to be sold at the quilt show.
January 13, 1989 – 60 members and one guest. Margot Carney is willing to help small groups of 12-15 people set up Friendship Quilt groups. A presentation by Marie Groth and Mildred Edwards about their trip to Austria and the International Quilt Show. There were two boutique workshops: The Hussif and the Wooden Doll.
November 8, 1989 – The Ronald McDonald House will receive the Grandmother’s Garden quilt. The club will make lap quilts for the children. The bid for the closet was $1,765, it was accepted by the board. Mainline Quilters need storage for their display frames. Jerry Carney laid the floor for the storage in the attic. Verba Freta gave us a quilt top. Holiday Happenings Luncheon Nov 14. Margot Carney announced Christmas tree sale. Speaker for today is Kathy Fendetti “Scrap Quilts – color, coordination, confidence”.
December 14, 1990 – Tours presented by Sandee Trakat: The Paducah, KY Show in April; Lancaster Quilt Show April 19; early May Quilt Expo Europe; May Escape North Hills, NJ. ; May 17 Ellis Island. Evelyn McAdam asked for help to “adopt” Danish quilters.
May 14, 1993 – Evelyn McAdam introduced the Danish Quilt Bus Group & told about their travels and shopping in the U.S since May 8th. They presented rolls of friendship fabric squares. The Appliqué Flower Block (90 blocks) made by both groups were divided into packs of 6 with 5 packs going to Danish, 10 to Americans. Picture of Evelyn McAdam and the Danish Friendship Quilt. Margot Carney told about starting the Quilt Club and was given a gift and lifetime membership. Sandee Trakat read the historic highlights of our first ten years and received a gift. A covered dish luncheon and Anniversary Cake was served. Appx 120 people present.
May 13, 1994 – Checking $1,429; Savings $3,010. Five entries in the banner contest and Connie Landis’ entry won. 58 members enjoyed a delicious covered dish luncheon.
January 13, 1995 – Advantages of belonging to HCQ = It exposes you to new quilt ideas from speakers & workshops, Opportunity to quilt with group, Opportunity to exhibit your work, Challenges your creativity, Participation in block-of-the-month, Involvement in charitable projects. Responsibilities of belonging to HCQ = Serve on hospitality committee once every year and a half, Work a minimum of three hours on the bi-annual quilt show, Make your own HCQ apron, Attend at least six of the nine meetings per year, Share your accomplishments in ‘Show and Tell,’ Join the quilting bee if interested, Share in the friendship and fellowship of the club. Members worked in small groups to make items to be sold in the boutique at the show.
May 19, 1995 – Program speaker, Cassandra Gunkel, spoke and showed slides of “African American Quilts.” 52 members and 1 guest. Yearly attendance at meetings totals are: 565 members and 22 guests. Renee Yerger moved that $200 be given to each: Manna on Main Street, Interfaith Community Housing, Hospitality House, Nehemiah’s Way, Needlework Guild of Lansdale’s Shoe Fund, and Children’s Aid Society of Montgomery County. New officers inducted: Donna Armstrong, President; Jeannie Flynn, VP; Kathi Stingle, Secretary; Beryl Senese, Treasurer; Stephany Goloveyko, Membership.
May 10, 1996 – 4-H Fair will be August 15-17. Quilt show will be March 14-15, 1997. Completed Rosanna’s Star quilt for Peter Wentz was shown. Gwen Traub and Sylvia Kudrats presented a program on “Paper Foundation Piecing
December 12, 1997 – Rita issued a thank you to her hospitality committee and her executive board for the continental breakfast they served this morning. Thank you notes were received and read from the Intermediate Unit of the Homeless Children’s Initiative of Montgomery County, the Silver Springs – Martin Luther School and the Montgomery County Farm, Home and 4-H Foundation. A motion was made and seconded that $50.00 be sent for the associate membership to support the quilt museum at Paducah, Kentucky. This is our A.Q.S. membership.
September 11, 1998 – Rita Fillinger called the meeting to order. She told the group that this is the beginning of our 16th year. Mike McGuire has hit his 62nd home run. The King snake that escaped during the 4-H fair in library room has not been found. Hopefully he is feasting on all the mice that invaded our hospitality closet during the summer. Special thanks went to Mary Zern, Marie Schoen and Rita Fillinger for their work in cleaning out the hospitality closet. The 1983-1984 scrapbook was found, which was completed by Pauline Stadlin. There are lots of pictures of members in the book. The guild first met in the chicken house that was the first 4-H building in Lansdale next to the North Penn High School. The fall of 1984 was the first meeting at the Creamery 4-H Center. The new officers and chairmen of the standing committees were introduced. Rita issued a challenge to the members. There were mini Christmas trees at the front of the room. She asked the members to decorate one and to bring it to the December meeting to be judged..
January 14, 2000 – A reminder to sew labels on Ronald McDonald Quilts. One hundred dollars was given to the Alumni Association of Douglas College in memory of June Brust. Rita discussed several bus trip options. Rita Fillinger and Kathy Graff offered challenged kits. Proceeds to go toward a new coffee maker. Sandee is collecting items for Laurel House. Marie is selling Rada cutlery and marking pencils. Connie Landis showed items to be made at the February Boutique Workshop.
April 14, 2000 – Marie Groff asked if anyone had a copy of a newspaper publication about this meeting being an open meeting. Challenge quilts were previewed. All were encouraged to complete them in time for the show. A special meeting on June 16 will feature Pat Knoechel, Eleanor Burn’s sister. Dues were increased to $15 for next year. Renee Yerger spoke about her Bosnia refugee trip and showed samples of the crafts she was teaching.
January 11, 2002 – Today’s meeting will be a round robin. Evelyn McAdam, Alice Kundel, Sally Rapp and Kathy Graff are the presenters. Jane commented that the group should have no excuses for messing up on mitered bindings. Quilt show items were discussed. Mary Ellen Wagner has offered to donate her time to machine quilt Ronald McDonald Quilts until October.
January 8, 2002 – Neda Yarnall’s son assisted with the plans to get a new sound system. Lori Costanza helped the guild to determine the feasibility of a portable system vs. a permanently installed system. Debbie Freed was thanked for the new nametags and organization containers. Kathy Graff reminded the group that tickets were still available for the show at Ursinus College called, “Seven Quilts for Seven Sisters.” Irene Ferguson requested volunteers for the Peter Wentz house. They are in the process of recording quilts for Montgomery County. Jeannie Flynn had a jacket workshop. Rosie Mutter scheduled a “quick step” workshop.
October 11, 2002 – Lancaster Heritage Center purchased 82 Amish Quilts, dating from 1870 – 1950 from the Spree Collection. Family histories came with the quilts and the purchase marked the return of the quilts to Lancaster County. In Lancaster City, a new needle arts museum is planned where the quilts were displayed in April of 2002. It was suggested that the club look into a label with the club’s logo on it for the Ronald Mc Donald quilts. The group was reminded to pin a self-addressed envelope to the quilt for a possible return note. Proceeds from the quilt show went to the 4-H Foundation, 2005 Quilt Show budget and the remainder went to the HCQ budget for this year only.
September 9, 2005 – Stephanie Berk read a thank-you from the 4-H Foundation for the generous gift of $10,000 the proceeds from the March Quilt Show. She also announced that the guild gave the 4-H Foundation, $500 that was the proceeds from the summer shows. Penne-Ann Ricco introduced 6 new members. There was a special presentation of a finished memory wall hanging to Mary Lou Whiteman as a thank you for her two year service as President.
February 9, 2007 – President Stephanie Berk thanked Doris Chandler for donating the quilt top for the 4-H Fair. Congratulations went to Sally Rapp for receiving Honorable Mention for a quilted jacket entry in the Peddlers Village Show. Quilt Show topics were discussed.
April 13, 2007 – President Stephanie Berk thanked the club officers for their superb work and constant support; Jeannie for her care and attention to fine programs; Pat for her thorough minutes; Marion for her detail of all things financial; and Penne-Ann’s diligence in maintaining the membership list. She also thanked all committee chairs and Betty Keck for saying yes to publishing the newsletter. The proposed revisions in the HCQ By-Laws were distributed to voting members. The vote on the proposed changes will be in May. The Quilt Show was a success. Janice Hossler won Viewer’s Choice Award, Kay Bachkai won Challenge Project, and Doris Channer won the Bag Raffle. The new officers were announced with Mary Kieras named as President.
March 14, 2008 – Evelyn McAdam donated our raffle quilt, which was designed by Ginny Heist. Jackie Gaucker from The Quilter’s Palette in Fleetwood, PA was the speaker. Her program about her family quilt history was wonderful.
November 14, 2008 – President Mary Kieras talked about her fabulous trip to China. How to improve your quilt making by finding out what judges expect to find in award winning quilts, was presented by Judith Gunther with an interesting perspective. Nannette Konstant still continues to quilt our RMD quilts. Thanks to her we have 100 quilts to go to RMD house in Danville.
October 9, 2010 – Rosie Mutter and Lillian Fisher adopted the second prize quilt to complete. Anne Fisher donated a quilt for third place prize in the quilt raffle. Connie Landis announced a fabric exchange that didn’t take place in September will take place in October.
February 11, 2011 – Starting this month it is BYOC (bring your own cup) to the meetings. The earth thanks you for not filling the landfills with Styrofoam cups. The nominating committee is looking for members who would like to serve as an officer in our guild. The finishing touches on the quilt show information was given. Ladies are needed to measure fabric for the Recycle Room.
September 9, 2011 – Jane Nase, President. Due to severe flooding in the area from a hurricane, the meeting was cancelled. Since some people did not get the message, it prompted the group to establish an emergency phone chain.
October 14, 2011– Speaker, Gyleen Fitzgerald’s positive and uplifting outlook on life, along with her amazing scrap quilts, were truly inspiring. President, Jane Nase congratulated Marcia Fields for wining a blue ribbon for the Best Hand Workmanship at the PA National Quilt Show in Oaks.
February 10, 2012 – Barb Garret has been collecting feedsacks for forty years and it showed. Her collection and presentation were amazing. Neda Yarnall donated to the club the original fabric logo that was designed by Irene Ferguson. It will be framed and hung in the Walnut Room.
March 9, 2012 – Pat Miesse collected our quilts to be displayed at Steve’s Sew and Vac. Our members will get a discount while our quilts are on display. Due to a medical emergency last month, we instituted an emergency contact information form. Each member will list a person to contact in case of a medical emergency.
April 13, 2012 – Sue Macfadden and Barb Tudgay are working hard on the Quilt Show XV-Thirty Years of Fabric, Friendship and Fun, that is on April 5-6, 2013. Libby Klopp announced the Challenge Project for the show. It is called The Thirties since 2013 will be our 30th year as a guild. Challenge participants received a fat quarter of thirties fabric and they can design what they want.
September 14, 2012 – Jane Nase, President. 80 members were present. A DVD was made of pictures from the scrapbooks from the past meetings and quilt shows. This will be shown at a future meeting or can be signed out from the library. The logo block designed by Irene Ferguson was framed and hung in the Walnut Room. A logo block sewn and quilted by Lillian Fisher and embroidered by Jane Nase was framed and hung in the Walnut Room. Nannette Konstant and Marcia Field were recognized for having quilts in the PA National Quilt Show in Oaks, PA. Program was a Round Robin: Lillian Fisher – hand quilt stitch, Mary Kieras – color, Jane Nase – Four sided placemats and easy table runner, Kathy Graff – Scattered Four Patch. 10 new members were welcomed. Block of the Month has 35 participants.
October 12, 2012 – 82 members and 1 guest were present for the first time in the history of the club. A photo directory was distributed to all members. Sandy Johns, her daughter Glynnis Siskind, and Donna Saunders worked on the directory. Information about the quilt show was shared. Revised HCQ policies were approved. Program was Cyndi Hershey “Making Your Colors Play Well Together.” White gloving at the PA National Quilt Show earned us $247 from QS raffle tickets. RMD quilt kits are available.
January 11, 2013 – Happy 30th Birthday Year HCQ! You have come a long way since the first year of 23 charter members to a membership of 115 active and associate members. A synopsis of our past 30 years of meetings will be ready to be distributed by February. Sign up and pay $3.00 to get a hard copy that is about 28 pages long. Thanks to all who contributed to the synopsis: Margot Carney, Jane Ann Carney, Barbara Cooper, Marie Groth, Marion Hentz, Susie Moyer and Jane Nase. Also thank you to Linda Brennan and Marion Hentz who proofread HCQ history. Most of the meeting was devoted to Quilt Show information and sign-ups to help at the show.