East Side Quilters

East Side Quilters gather year round at the Castleton VFW Post 7337 building at 105 Scott Avenue (Rt. 150) in Castleton, NY (flagpole out front; parking in the back; driveway has brick columns on one side, chain-link fence on the other. Click here for a Google map). Our meetings are open to everyone who is interested in quilts and quilting.

Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and visitors are always welcome.

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month for our work nights. This is an opportunity to bring your own work, including problems or questions you might have about a current quilt project. Or we might be working on our raffle quilt or charity/"care" quilts. Even when we have a group project scheduled, you are welcome to bring your own projects. We sometimes schedule workshops on these nights, often run by our own members.

On the third Tuesday of each month from September through March*, we have our regular business meeting. Besides general business, we have show-and-tell for members and visitors, block-of-the-month (see Miscellaneous below), block exchanges, and short programs. We sometimes have speakers at these meetings.
     *During April through July, we will hold our business meeting on the third Wednesday of the month. In August we hold a picnic off-site; from September through March we will again meet on the third Tuesday.

Dues
Our year starts in January and dues are currently $15 a year with a discount available for Seniors. Dues are discounted after June.

We have about 60 members who are a pretty active and very friendly group. East Side has a nice year-round program, which gives everyone a chance to participate and learn. We schedule workshops periodically throughout the year. These are often on Saturdays.

Group Projects

These give everyone a chance to work together, share information and have fun.

Quilt-In Days
In March, sometime around National Quilting day, East Side has their annual "Quilt-In." During this weekend-long event, we get together with our sewing machines and supplies, plus a lot of donated fabric, to make quilt tops which eventually become care quilts donated to local service organizations. This weekend is a great get-away for great causes. You can bring some munchies, a favorite quick pattern and even a sewing buddy if you want. People often team up to make quilts. Come for half a day or all day! Everyone has a good time and we make LOTS of quilt tops. These quilt tops are brought back to Wednesday meetings and are machine quilted or tied and finished over the course of the year.

In the past we have donated quilts to various Rensselaer County shelters, Ronald McDonald House, Hospice and Head Start of Rensselaer County. At times organizations or community groups have approached us seeking a quilt for a special cause or fundraising need and we are usually able to comply.

Raffle Quilt
Every year we make a quilt which is either hand quilted or machine quilted by our members. This quilt is donated to our host — currently the Castleton VFW Post — for them to use for fundraising. After choosing a pattern, we all make the required blocks and work at assembling this quilt. Everyone is encouraged to quilt on this quilt - it's a great place to learn ALL of the stages of making a quilt. If you're uncertain about something, get involved and ask questions.

2009 Raffle Quilt
(For a larger view, click the "photos" link above the site menu to go to the photo album)

Block instructions for the 2010 quilt (background fabric provided -- see BOM committee for fabric).

Holiday Projects
In the fall, we encourage members to make placemats out of orphan or sample quilt blocks or interesting fabrics. These are distributed to people in our community who could use a little splash of color in their life, via the local Meals on Wheels program. The last couple of years we've made and donated Christmas stockings for a local shelter. Other years we've gathered to construct winter hats out of donated fleece fabric, and cloth tote bags for those in shelters who arrive with little more than the clothes they are wearing.

Care Quilt "stash" – The VFW is very supportive of East Side’s efforts. In addition to the large banquet tables for tying and basting, they have provided closet space for us to keep the donated fabric and other supplies for quiltmaking. The guild has: a big board ironing surface; regular ironing boards; irons; battings (Warm & Natural cotton and polyester); tying and pin-basting supplies; risers for the banquet tables; and a basic sewing machine. We do ask that, if you use the supplies from the guild’s stash to make a quilt, the results be donated back to our Care Quilts endeavor.

Lending Library – The guild has an assortment of quilt books and patterns for borrowing and browsing.

Block of the Month (BOM) – A block pattern with or without accompanying fabrics is given out. If you complete the block, your name goes in the raffle drawing for all of the blocks completed from that pattern. BOM is a good way to try a new technique without a big investment in time or money.

Quilt-Til-You-Wilt – The first Wednesday in August is designated our Quilt 'til you wilt day, when we take over the VFW hall all day and work on our own quilting projects or care quilts and enjoy the companionship of other quilters.

Cabin Fever Weekends – In January and February we try to schedule weekends to get out of the house and sew with friends at the VFW! Check the schedule for cabin fever weekend dates.

Though we talk a lot about care quilts, the guild also inspires and encourages quilters to work on quilts for family and friends, loved ones, and themselves!