Welcome! Faithful Circle Quilters Guild takes its name from the traditional quilt pattern shown above to represent the fellowship found in quilting and in guild participation. Since 1971 we remain dedicated to preserving the heritage of quilting. Our members are diverse in their backgrounds, interests, and talents and were all beginners at one time. We understand and appreciate what sharing and teaching mean to even the most experienced. We also believe that quilting is about the quilters and establishing lasting friendships through the guild. No meeting goes by without some good laughs. Please browse our web site for more information about the guild. Like us on Facebook at Faithful Circle Quilters (https://www.facebook.com/faithfulcirclequiltersmd/). Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/faithfulcirclequilters_md/
Mission
The purpose of this group is to perpetuate the heritage of quilting and to promote and stimulate fellowship and education among those interested in quilting. Faithful Circle Quilters guild is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
Membership Privileges:
- Fellowship
- Show and Tell
- Educational Workshops ($ fees)
- Educational Lectures
- Sharing of group experiences and individual knowledge
- Participation in community outreach
- Participation in charitable projects
- Block of the Month/Quarter
- Showing one’s own quilts in the Biennial Quilt Show
- Reduced rate and first choice on classes
- Library Borrowing Privileges
- Luncheons and Potlucks
- Bus Trips ($ fees)
- Saturday Sew-Ins
- Newsletter
- Membership Directory
- Voting privileges
- Email notifications
Education
FCQ workshops are taught by local or nationally-known quilting instructors, as well as by guild members with skills and information to share. FCQ has educational lectures with demonstrations and trunk shows throughout the year. Periodic events such as Fabric Challenges, Mystery Quilt Projects and Round Robin Challenges provide fun opportunities to expand one’s skills and try something new.
Library
Members have access to a sizable lending library of quilting book, magazine, DVDs and tools. The library is located in the metal cabinet in Lyle Buck Hall of the church. The library is open during FCQ meeting hours. Members may check out material; guests may use them in-house only. Alphabetical, Title and Author lists of the books are posted on the cabinet door and on our Web site.
Love Quilts
FCQ members work together to make “Love Quilts” at least one meeting a month. These colorful and practical quilts are designed almost entirely from donated fabric, sewn by volunteers, sandwiched with batting and tied with matching thread. Each year, FCQ donates dozens of Love Quilts to organizations such as: Project Linus, the Women’s Christian Thrift Shop, St. Ann’s Hospital, House of Ruth, Sarah’s House, Grassroots (a crisis intervention center for families), Quilt for the Cure, Quilts of Valor, Advocacy Project, the outreach program at the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County, Children’s Hospital at Sinai, and Domestic Violence Center of Howard County.
Quilt Retreats
FCQ organizes a Spring and Fall retreat each year. Members gather up many and varied projects and head off to a retreat center for a relaxing, fun filled weekend. Retreats offer opportunities to share skills, learn new skills, build bonds between friends and work on various old and new quilt projects.
Quilt Show
FCQ holds a quilt show every two years to showcase the work of our members. The quilt show is our main fundraiser (admissions, raffle quilt, silent auction and peddler’s table) and it finances our charity works, special educational programs, and operating expenses. All members, regardless of their skill level, are encouraged to take this opportunity to hang and show their work made during the preceding two years.
Sew-Ins
The guild holds sew-ins throughout the year to offer members a day of uninterrupted quilting and fellowship with other quilters. The guild hosts sew-ins on Saturdays at the church. Sew-ins may include member-taught classes, support for charity projects, work on our bi-annual raffle quilt, but everyone is invited to work on their own project and share in the friendship.
Newsletter
The Circular is prepared monthly. It contains announcements, guild news, calendar of events, block-of-the-month and block-of-the-quarter instructions, educational opportunities, and anything else of interest to members. The Newsletter is emailed to Members each month and is also available on the guild web site.
News Group
FCQ has an email newsgroup to send out timely notices to members. Brief messages include highlights of meetings, reminders about trips and classes, quilting news and notices about meetings cancelled due to weather or holidays. Members who elect to receive their newsletters via email, will automatically be added to the newsgroup.
General Meetings
Meetings are held twice weekly, Monday evenings 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Night Group) and Thursdays 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Day Group) with the business portion beginning at 7:30 PM and 11:30 AM respectively. Most members attend one or the other, but some enjoy the gatherings enough to attend both. We meet at First Presbyterian Church, 9325 Presbyterian Circle, Columbia, MD 21045. Visitors are always welcome and anyone interested may join the guild at any meeting. Special events are held throughout the year. In June, the Monday group holds a potluck supper and the Thursday group holds a luncheon. Officers are installed at these June meetings. The Guild holds a silent auction in early October with all proceeds going to the First Presbyterian Church’s Thanksgiving basket project to help local families in need. A holiday dinner and luncheon are held in December.
Board Meetings
Board meetings are held every other month and are open to all members. Board members and chairpersons are requested to attend each board meeting.
Snow and Holiday Policy
If Howard County schools are closed or delayed due to inclement weather there will be no day or evening meetings. If Howard County schools cancel evening activities or close due to inclement weather there will be no evening meeting. The snow policy only applies to in person meetings, not virtual meetings. Members will receive an email notification as soon as the guild is aware of a cancellation.
There will be no meetings when the Church is closed. This includes the following holidays: New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day. Easter Monday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day. Also the guild does not meet during the Church’s Vacation Bible School in July and there are no evening meetings during their Cold Weather Shelter in February. Meetings are not held during the last three weeks of December, restarting the first Monday/Thursday following New Year’s Day.