Looking back - what a year

As we near the end of the year I like to look back on what was...

Statistically this was our biggest year, after our humble beginnings in April 2010, we now have

16 members in our ADVANCED GROUP

47 members in our INTERMEDIATE GROUP

11 members in our BEGINNERS GROUP

There is also 19 members participating in the 6 inch group which I also co ordinate - and three of them are not in the 12 inch group.

So we will start 2013 with official membership at 77 members.  You may think wow numbers have dropped off, and to a degree they have, I have had to cull a few due to non communication and swaps not being completed, which may seem harsh but my aim is to run a group where members all honour the swappers code of conduct.  Sadly this year we have seen 50 members leave us, what I find sadder is that 13 of those 50 were suspended.

Membership started slow with three people joining in our first month.  One of those first members is Cathy Cates who is now the coordinator of the Christmas group, which branched away from the main group to run independantly.  I wish to thank Cathy publically for all of her hard work running this sister group so beautifully.  Thank you Cathy. xx

When I started up QBSA, my endeavour was to swap with EVERY member at least once.

As membership grew it became impossible for me to swap with everyone as they joined as some months we had between 5 and 7 newbies join.  Member ship has ebbed and flowed.

I have been keeping track of who I have swapped with and if you have swapped with me in the 12 inch group, Christmas group or 6 inch group it counts as a swap.  (This gives me three a month to cross off my list.)  As it stands I have 37 outstanding swaps to complete to have swapped with all remaining members, so this could be completed in a year, lets see how I get on shall we.

This past year has seen some great highs, one of them being our featured article in Quilters companion magazine

Gaining sponsorship from Fabric direct.com, fabric worm and the fat Quarter shop ( twice) was fabulous and we thank them immensely and hope that we can gain some sponsorship again for 2013 to allow us to have more membership give away fun.





The concept of the Quilting angels was formed to send some love to ladies who are doing tough either personally or with their health.  Angels also make and send blocks to ladies that have bad luck with swaps being let down.



Lastly but most importantly I wish all members a lovely safe Festive season and a Joyous New year spent with your nearest and dearest.  I hope that you all have good health and happiness.

May your needle be always threaded, and the fabric stash be never ending.