Glad to know ya, Linda! Welcome. :-)
MaryLiz
Michigan

Welcome Linda , Iam betty from Louisiana. Good to have on the board!!!!

Below is a link to quilting shows 24/7 so you can watch on you PC any time !!

click twice on the screen and it will enlarge

Here is a link that might be useful: quilt shows

Thanks for the link. That's great and I'll bookmark it.
Linda

Welcome Linda, The birthday groups form in September or October for the year that starts the next January. When you see a sign up post you jump in and sign up. Each group consists of 13 people so that each person gets 12 blocks on their birthday. The 2 retreats were formed last year and this is the first time that we are doing this. Colleen

welcome Linda! Sounds like you have a lot on your plate, but like the rest of us, quilting keeps us sane!

As for the swaps, generally someone has an interest and posts that interest. If there's enough feedback someone (generally the original person, but not always) will work up the details and post them and acts as hostess. We have everything from block swaps, fq swaps, challenges, strip swaps, anything there's enough interest in. Oh, and the birthday swap Amy started a few years ago got so popular that this year there are 5 groups I think! This is organized in the fall for the following January birthdays. If you do a search, you'll find the original post that explains it all.

The retreats are a new thing. One just happened in OK, and I'm hosting (with my able assistant, Teresa) another one on the NC/VA border in October. Again, there just seemed to be enough interest in getting together and meeting face to face so we stepped up to the plate and offered to organize them.

Glad you found this bee...it's a wonderful group of women! If you have questions, be sure to ask...you'll get plenty of good answers.

Welcome Linda ,
I am Red from Pennsylvania!

Welcome Linda, I'm Lisa from Maine! My son lives outside of Boulder in Longmont.
Please pull up a comfy chair and make yourself at home!
Lisa

Hi Linda!
I'm new here myself!
I'm 39 and work in elder home health care. It's great to have something to do with my hands when we sit so much. That's what got me back into sewing, so much time on my hands!
Mona Lisa

thanks for all the help. I'll keep up from now on.
Linda

Hi Linda, I've been around a while, still fairly new to quilting correctly. I live in Columbia, Missouri. I'm from California. My two son's both live in the Seattle Washington area. Welcome. Cathey

Welcome Linda. Pretty soon I will have been on this forum for a year, I think, but I made my first quilt back when I was in college. The forum has been a great inspiration and source of help.

Hi Linda! I joined this group in April and have been having fun since.

Vicky

Welcome Linda, I haven't been here a year yet but
come here everyday and sometimes more! I'm from
Michigan and have been quilting since the early 70's.
Mayme

Welcome, Linda!
Kelly - NH

Welcome Linda, glad you joined us. You can find help and support for just about anything here. We try to be just one big family around here.

beverly

Welcome from another Linda!
Linda in Ohio

Welcome Linda and monalisa too!

Hi!! Im new here too. My name is Leah and I am a 19 year old student. I started quilting about 6 months ago and absolutly LOVE it!!!!!!! So far ive made a couple quilts for friends and family and now i am starting one for myself!! I love coming and reading the forum and i have already learend alot. I look forward to participating in some swaps when the summer is over.

Welcome everyone! Lots of new faces, isn't this great?

beverly

Hi everyone,
I am new to this group also.
I used to go to another forum but didn't like the changed format. I have been quilting since 1978 when I took a quilting class and made a full sampler quilt all by hand. I learned a great deal but the fabric back then was terrible. I have loved quilting every since then and have hopeful learned, improved, & developed a varity of techniques along the way.
For a while I had a sm. business where I make mostly wallhangings and lap quilts but discovered that the market was limited and only a few were willing to pay for the value of handcrafted items.
I have been married to my DH for 56 1/2 years, have 2 daughters, 5 grandchildren, 6 1/2 greatgrands. Whow!!And I am 74 as of last May. I have been retired from nursing (OR) for 9 years. Although I loved every minute I am greatful for the time to sew and read.
We live in Upstate NY in the Fingerlake region in a sm. city called Canandaigua.
I enjoy reading about everyone. What they are doing, where they live, and all the wonderful information they are willing to share.
It is nice to be a part of such a cordial group.
nanajayne

Welcome to all the new members!
Woodsy (from PA)

Wow, so many new faces. Welcome to you all!

To all the new faces: Be sure to check out "the other side"href> of our forum, for OT (Off-Topic) conversations.

It's great to have you join this forum - I'm from Massachusetts and recently joined after lurking for a while. Most people function long term and day to day better with a passion to guide them. This forum will nurture anyone's quilting passion! Welcome!

A big WELCOME to all the newbies. So happy you found the forum, you won't spend time with a nicer bunch...I'm Dorothy, also from Pa., not too far from Red...Married 53 years, 5 married kids, 13 grand kids, 4 inside cats and 3 semi ferals that live on our back porch...And love, love to quilt, read and cross stitch...
Dorothy

Good to meet all of you. Sisters in Quilting I suppose.

Thanks Maryliz for that OT side. Didn't know it existed.

Welcome to all. Remember 'We love pictures!' This could be one of our mottos.

Hi Linda - welcome. By the way, do you go to the quilt show in September in Livermore at the garden? I have been looking at the website and it sure looks nice.
Allie

A big welcome from the other coast, and north a bit. Canadian Maritimes to be exact. I participate in the Birthday swaps and am hoping to make the Oct retreat. Caution.... this site is adictive.

^_-

Faye.

Welcome to all. I'm Geri from New York (Schenectady). Haven't done much quilting this summer as we bought a new RV and have been traveling a little and trying to keep up with the garden. I check in several times a day to keep up with inspiration and such. It's a fun and caring forum.

:)

Hi,

Welcome Linda, and all newbies. This site is totally addictive, just like quilting itself!

Connie