MEMBERSHIP

Membership Benefits

The Guild membership yearly fee is $70. Benefits include:

entry to up to 10 monthly in person meetings (September to June)
links to zoom speaker meetings and social activities
opportunity to show your work at meetings
eligibility to take part in focus groups
eligibility to enter Empire Quilters quilt shows
eligibility to participate in Block of the Month and / or Challenges
monthly emailed Guild newsletter ($20 fee for mailed newsletters)
discounts at local quilt shops
eligibility to participate in guild sponsored charitable quilting work

To join or renew please send a check for $70. (along with a self addressed stamped envelope if you wish to receive your membership card via mail :

Empire Quilters

PO Box 1293

Old Chelsea Station

New York, NY 10113

Membership form

Be sure to introduce yourself to us as a new member at the next guild meeting. You're sure to be warmly greeted!

Guild Events and Activities

We welcome all new members to the monthly meetings of the Empire Quilters Guild. Guild meetings normally take place on the second Saturday of each month from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, September to June. At our online zoom meetings we have an excellent selection of speakers! The links (to zoom) including details of speakers and times will be emailed to members.

After a short business meeting, members and guests enjoy a program and Show and Tell.

Many members arrive early (11am) to meet friends or learn new techniques in one of our pre-meeting activities.

Members and guests enjoy participating in:

Block of the Month - Block makers compete in a drawing to win all the blocks. You can find the current pattern in the Block of the Month section of the website.
Show and Tell (pictures can be seen in the Show & Tell section}
Member led Focus Groups on various topics
Member-led Charity Coach and Chat group teaching quilt-making basics.
Member Flea Market - a great place for bargains on fabric, trims, books and other items
Share Table - another fund-raising activity, members get to select from donated fabric remnants, trimmings and other items for small suggested donations

Service

Our guild has a firm standing as a charitable organization and in addition to month-to-month charity quilts donated by members, we devote one meeting each spring to making quilts for charity. Further, throughout the fall we work on making holiday stockings and hand-made stuffed animals that are given as gifts to children in shelters and other organizations in the New York City area.

The monthly Newsletter is emailed to members prior to each meeting. It contains information about upcoming meetings and projects, information about shows (including ours!), competitions, volunteering opportunities, as well as updates on focus groups, programs and lots more.

The newsletter is available on the website for members to download. You will find that downloadable version on the Members Only page and it is emailed as a pdf to all members.

Volunteering

A guild, is only as good as its volunteers. Throughout the year, there are many volunteering opportunities. Some tasks (like selling prize tickets or helping with the meeting activities) can be performed during the meeting while others (like the newsletter and programs) require several hours during the month. Committee heads are listed in the Newsletter. Let them know if you can lend a hand. (Calls for volunteers also appear in the Newsletter.)

Our Monthly Meetings

There are many events that occur during the meeting that are important to know about. Here is your personally guided tour to an Empire Quilters guild meeting.

1. If you are a registered member, you will find your name and address on the sign-in sheet at the Membership/Check-in table. Each member needs to sign in before finding a seat. Since your listing is the same as your mailing label, it's a good idea to check for any errors. Please make sure that we have your apartment number, correct zip code and current email address. At check-in time, if you have Show & Tell items, complete the Show & Tell form. The Membership/Check-in table is the place to ask questions — don't be shy!

2. Find a seat and catch your breath! If focus groups are scheduled, members can divide and attend the focus group they are interested in. A list of the month's focus groups appears in the Newsletter. Here's your chance to learn a new skill, perfect an old one, or, better yet, share you skills with other members. However, you are free to use this time to quilt with friends, take your donations to the Monthly Fundraiser, put your scraps, old patterns, etc. on the Share Table, Perhaps you made a Block of the Month (BOM) from the current pattern. If so, turn it in at the space reserved for BOM's and fill out your name on a slip of paper for each block that you made. Monthly fundraising (raffle) tickets also go on sale until the drawing. $1 buys you a chance to win some great stuff and helps keep the guild's kitty filled to pay for our many service projects. Visit friends, make new ones, look around until the meeting begins.

3. At 1:00 pm the President calls the meeting to order. The agenda includes announcements, reports from officers and any of the administrative details involved in maintaining a not-for-profit guild. Members and guests are then given the opportunity to make announcements or share information. The business meeting is relatively short.

4. After the business meeting, a speaker will demonstrate unique techniques, experiences and/or products.

5. After the speaker it's time for what might well be the most popular part of the meeting — Show & Tell! Here members present their completed works (usually quilts or quilted clothing), heirlooms, unique purchases or other items of interest. This time is often used to show a work-in-progress and seek advice or suggestions from the audience. Volunteers photograph each item presented for the guild website.

6. Next the Block-of-the-Month display is noted and the winner-take-all drawing is held from among the participants.

7. Now comes the last-minute scramble to purchase Fundraising (raffle) Prize tickets before the drawing. Winning tickets are drawn until all items are distributed.

8. The Share Table offers another opportunity for gentle fundraising for the guild. Members and local business donate various items, some of which show up here. It opens after all other meeting features have ended. You can purchase scraps (and sometimes larger pieces), novelty items and patterns for as little as 25¢. Empire Quilters encourages donations. Often quilts shown at Show and Tell are made entirely from Scrap Table finds!

As you can see, meetings are busy and fun. Please join us!