mjpEncinitas

Try Cindy Needham. She is fantastic and she travels.

bearisgray

Are there any local teachers in your area? Or people that do fantastic "show and tell" at the meetings?

Or maybe an "off-topic" such as "How to use one's library"

Sometimes people do not value "local" talent as much as someone that has come from further away. I think we miss out a lot with that mind-set,

Onebyone

AR is not Arizona. LOL I am getting pms about teachers in the Arizona area.

JENNR8R

You might try Kimberly Einmo. She was at our guild last year teaching a class, and I know she travels.

http://www.kimberlyeinmo.com/

You might also try contacting Crafty teachers.

sylviasmom

Contact other guilds close by or visit to see what they are doing and exchange ideas. How about having a judge from your local fair. You learn alot as to what judges look for when judging a quilt. In our town, there is a modern quilt guild, so we had someone visit and explain the difference between traditional and modern quilts. Not much different, but you can take a traditional block and give it a modern twist. We also have chance auction. Members bring quilting or sewing related items which are tagged with a number and matched with a solo cup. Members then buys tickets to deposit in the cup for the item they hope to win.

cpfrog

Our guild is small and with limited finances, so we (about 25 of us) take turns signing up yearly for the monthly meeting.

Members are in charge of the program and if we can bring in a speaker that's fine. We've about exhausted the local speakers as we only have $50 for them. They are usually quilt shops that present a new technique or tool that's a current and popular trend, giving them advertising and some sales of what they present.

So we do our own lessons on certain patterns, any type of sewing, applique, historical, travelogues, etc. and then (with receipts) are given up to $25 for printing or copying, or supplies, etc. The program does NOT have to be about sewing or quilting. One member, on a recent trip across country, visited the town of Hamilton MO. That provided a wealth of info about the Missouri Star Quilt Company and that town's history by Jenny Doan and her family. One of our meetings is a Christmas Dinner paid by the guild; someone has to make those restaurant arrangements. Another is a salad/dessert potluck for our organizational meeting and someone has to arrange the paper products and beverages, etc. Ornaments, placemats, shortcut techniques, the making of portable ironing boards, styluses, purses, cake decorating, etc. have added to our knowledge. This system has worked out very well for several years and sometimes two can do the program together as co-presenters. "Those who sew together, grow together." and WOW! have we grown!
Good luck.

carol45

This past month at my guild everyone who wanted brought a UFO that they were hung up with. We were arbitrarily divided into breakout sessions of 4 or 5 people, and we discussed possibilities for finishing each UFO in the group. There were great suggestions. At the end each group presented its best ideas for everyone to see and discuss. Everyone loved the program and wants to do it again some time.

SooBDo

This is an exciting opportunity for you! Our Guild has had several really good teachers come to Alaska, and sometimes we are able to network with other Guilds up here so we can share expenses. Our Education Chairs have been getting teachers with different specialties so that there's a little something for everyone, and we usually have two days of classes with a trunk show open to the public the first night. Some to try: Susan Else (soft sculpture), Anelie Belden (Thoroughly Modern Dresden), Joan Shay (Petal Play), Joan Ford (Scrap Therapy), Deb Tucker, Bonnie Hunter, Jacquie Gehring. Have fun!

Onebyone

Thanks everyone.