Lorchen --Thanks for the project and Margo--Thanks for steering me in the right direction. I checked all the projects out and have a few more added to my arsenal of "someday" ideas. There were a couple of methods that were very timely. I had the general idea but the instructions will make it much easier. So thanks for this wonderful little section.

Thank you all, my mind's in a whirr, it's great. Lots of ideas and links, Julia2

Lorchen wrote:

Find the directions here: [url]learn/projects/[/url]

The instructions I wrote for the little triangular bags are in the project section. If anybody wants to print off any number of copies and use them with their quilting groups or guilds, you are welcome.

How about a wool penny rug or a small wool applique block that could be done by hand with a blanket stitch.

Barbara

How about the mini-triangular gift bag that Alex taught someone on a past show? I think it was episode 706 with Camille Roskelley. I call them the world's smallest gift bag. It takes very little time.

Many thanks to Nancy, Rosemary and Fiona for your fantastic ideas, it's certainly got me thnking and has opened up a world of possibilities. I'll let you know how I get on. Julia2

You could change the voting to using coins of a small denomination, 1 coin = 1 vote, and that way you can also use the voting as a small fundraiser (towards christmas party?) if you need/want to do fundraising.

Auctions of surplus sewing goods and or books, to encourage clearouts can be fun but are best held every other year, rather than annually (held after an AGM works well). And magazine swap sessions with a Stitch and complete what you are working on/WIP/UFO evenings.

Show and Tell - about 6-8 people bring an item along and talk about it for 10 - 15 minutes can be really successful and also brings in ideas of future things to do, as you will probably get a 'how did you make that?' reaction to some of the pieces.

The best way of getting feed back of what techniques people would be interested in trying is to ask them directly rather than asking them to write their ideas down on a piece of paper, but try and get some helpers with this, I presume their is a committee, and don't worry about revisiting old ideas, it is nice to have a chance to re-do some things as you will do it slightly differently each time.

I forget which show it was on (possibly in series 6), but there was one where the guest had a 'book' of small quilts, but they didn't all hinge in the same direction, one would go left to right, the next top to bottom etc. that could make a fasincating project! but probably worked on over several sessions.

Rosemary

Julia, I run a newish group in Kent. I issue a Challenge every few months or so, with a small prize for the winner (chosen by voting with dried beans!). The latest is for a pincushion, but we've also done name badges and postcards (which we then donated to a charity sale). We make group quilts, charity stuff (Blankets of Love at the moment), blocks for members who have a birthday ending in "0" and are currently doing a block of the month as well as a secret quilt for our "baby" who's getting married next year. We try to each share techniques so the winner of our xmas competition will be showing us how to make her tree wallhanging later this year. Someone else will be demonstarting how to add a hanging sleeve. We're also entering a group quilt in a local show so will be learning how to foundation-piece a small block each to join together.Oh and we're having Christmas in July this year, to combine a competition with our AGM.
The most important thing is to kick-start things, then hopefully your members will be full of good ideas and willing to help!
Best of luck,
Fiona.

Don't forget to check out the projects here at TQS

Although a bit premature, I have just submitted an article to Stitch with the Embroiderers Guild Magazine which will be coming out in the September issue, which might be suitable for your group this autumn; but I promised not to blab about it until it is published. So I'll let you in on it after publication.

Or how about a Hst exchange

Rosemary

Check out the projects at http://www.ohfransson.com

I've not long taken on the resposibility of helping to run a quilting and stitching group. Whilst not making too many changes, particularly the coffee and cake part of the evening, I'm looking for some unusual mini projects to kickstart our enthusiasm. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
Julia2 from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.