RSQ Members' Information
RSQ News
Our next meeting is April 23, 2024. It's Benefit Quilt Night (in-person meeting, masks optional)
Doors open at 7:00 pm
Meeting runs from 7:30-9:00
Visitors always welcome: no fee for Benefit Quilt Night
Program Overview
Some of these events will take place via Zoom. Check the home page and your email for more information.
- Sept. 19, 2023
- Parade of Benefit Quilts, A Show & Tell Event
Note: this is the third Tuesday of the month
(in-person meeting, masks optional) - Oct. 24, 2023
- Betsy Habich: Designing and Piecing a Picture Quilt: Photo to Finished Quilt
(in-person meeting, masks optional) - Dec. 5, 2023
-
Ginny Radloff My Journey with Judy
Note: this is the first Tuesday of the month due to Thanksgiving
(in-person meeting, masks optional) - Jan. 23, 2024
- Becky Goldsmith "A Practical Approach to Color"
This will be a Zoom meeting. - Feb. 27, 2024
- Jane Sassaman "Textile Treasure
Garden,"
This will be a Zoom meeting. - March 26, 2024
- Debbie Wendt Egyptian Tentmakers Appliqué
(in-person meeting, masks optional) - April 23, 2024
- Benefit Quilt Night
An evening devoted to comfort quilts
(in-person meeting, masks optional) - May 28, 2024
- Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Content, Concepts & Quilts: Approaching Quilting as a Graphic Designer
(in-person meeting, masks optional) - June 25, 2024
- Parade of quilts – Bring a meaningful quilt for show and tell
Game night – enjoy fun, quilt related games
(in-person meeting, masks optional)
Workshop Overview
- March 2, 2024
- Jane Sassaman "Wings and Wedges"
Online workshop
Supply list (pdf) - May 28, 2024 - Noon to 4PM
- Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill The A to Z of EPP (English Paper Piecing)
(in-person workshop, masks optional)
Supply list (pdf)
Junior Quilters
Next in-person meetings
- Sun. April 28, 2024 in Watertown, 123 Main Street, 2-4
- Wed. May 22, 2024 in Arlington, 700 Massachusetts Ave., 4-6
- Sun. June 9, 2024 in Watertown, 123 Main Street, 2-4
- Sun. July 7, 2024 in Watertown, 123 Main Street, 2-4
About Junior Quilters
Since Feb. 2012, we have been holding monthly, afternoon meetings for the junior members of RSQ, those members between the ages of 6 - 18. At each meeting there are different activities for the kids to choose from. We always have fabric and sewing kits available to use.
Where
- We meet at 2 libraries: the Robbins Library in Arlington and the Watertown Free Public Library.
- When we meet at Robbins Library we use the Robbins Library Community Room.
- When we meet at the Watertown Library we use the Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room.
When
- Robbins Library meetings are Wednesday afternoons, 3:30-5:30 or 4-6. (depending on the room availability)
- Watertown Library meetings are Sunday afternoons, 2-4.
- Please try to arrive a few minutes before the meeting starts.
Why we only list a few dates at a time
- The libraries only allow us to sign up 3 months in advance.
- Please check back for latest information.
- Or join our junior quilters mailing list for the latest news.
How to join
- Email junior_quilters@risingstarquilters.org if your potential junior quilter would like to try out a meeting.
- You can fill out our JQ membership form right away or wait until after the first meeting.
More information
- Kids do not need to be related to an adult RSQ guild member to participate.
- Cost: $5 per year
- No prior sewing knowledge needed.
- Junior Quilters can display their quilts in the quilt show.
A selection of our activities
- Applique
- Art quilts
- Doll making
- Fusing*
- Machine quilting*
- Our own quilt shows
- Paper piecing
- Raffles
- Word of the day
- Yo-yo making
*A note about safety. Adults do the ironing at our meetings and all sewing machine use is supervised.
Check us out!
Feel free to drop in and see what a meeting is like. But please let us know who is coming before the meeting so we can have sufficient supplies.
Email: junior_quilters@risingstarquilters.org
Handouts
Here are handouts from mini-workshops given by members and quilt show demonstrations.
- Assorted members 2017: 2017 mini-workshops (pdf)
- 2020 Fabric Cards (pdf)
- 2020 Folder Star (pdf)
- Carolyn Bell: Ten-minute Table Runners (pdf)
- Chris Crouch Quick Curve Ruler (pdf)
- Sue Colozzi: Raw Edge Appliqué Landscape Quilting (pdf)
- Angie Fitzreiter 2020 Square in a Square Method (pdf)
- Tamara Jessiman 2020 Wine Bottle Gift Bags (pdf)
- Lori Kay & Robbyn Dewar: The Pillowcase Project (pdf)
- Gwen Marceline: The Six-Minute Circle (pdf)
- Laurena McDermott Squaring a Back (pdf)
- Phyllis Maddox:Free Motion Zentangle Quilting (pdf)
- Phyllis Maddox: Quilt as You Go (pdf)
- Julie Brown Neu: A No-Fail Binding Method (pdf)
- Julie Brown Neu 2020 Thread Painted Photos (pdf)
- Penny Sander: 3-D Flower Making (pdf)
- Jan Shaw: Make a Mondo Bag (pdf)
- Missy Shay: Constructing Leaf Bowls. (pdf)
Small Fiber Works instructions
Raffle quilt instructions
- Raffle quilt 2024 (pdf)
- Raffle quilt 2018 (pdf)
- Raffle quilt 2015 (pdf)
2020 Mystery quilt instructions
For Members Only
This item is for members only. Members, if you forgot how to login, you can contact the Web Bee to ask. But please try to find the admin information we sent first. We'd rather be quilting too.
Show & Tell September 2020 (pdf)
Quilt Show Information
Register your quilt online
Drop off your registered quilt(s) at Arlington Town Hall on Fri. Oct. 13 between 8:30 am and 10:30 am.
Volunteer to help at the quilt show
Learn about this year's challenge and the boutique.
Check out the Quilt Show FAQ
Looking for other quilt show information? Try Extra Quilt Show Information for Members
Have a question that isn't answered? Ask it here.
Block of the Month
Find block of the month instructions here.
Nov. 2021 Celtic Twist - McCall's Instructions
Jan. 2021 Criss Cross Star Block
Sept. 2019 Friendship Star Block
April 2019 Ornamental Rail Fence Block
Feb. 2019 Delectable Mountains Block
Nov. 2018 Half and Half Quilt A
Half and Half Quilt B
Oct. 2018 Pick Up Sticks Block
Feb. 2018 Old Maid’s Puzzle Block
Nov. 2017 Moonlight Star Block
additional piecing instructions
Oct. 2017 Susannah Quilt Block
March 2017: Round the Twist
More detailed instructions
Nov. 2016: Labyrinth with Quarter Square Triangle
November 2015: Squares Upon Squares
April 2015: Dutchman’s Puzzle Block
Oct. 2014: Paths and Stiles Block
April 2014: Batik Card Trick Block
March 2014: The Wonky Half Log Cabin Block
February 2014: The Anvil Block
October 2013: Traditional Double Friendship Star Block
Questions? Contact the Block of the Month Committee
Board Meetings
The RSQ Board meets the first Tuesday of every month-September through June, except December. The meetings are from 7:00pm-9:00pm. See monthly calendar or contact the website for more information.
All RSQ members are welcome to attend.
Quilt Show Committee Meetings
Please contact the quilt show chair for more information about the next committee meeting.
All RSQ members are welcome to attend.
Newsletters
Find current and past issues of Stars 'N Strips, the RSQ Newsletter
The newsletters are for members only. Members, if you forgot how to login, you can contact the Web Bee to ask. But please try to find the admin information we sent first. We'd rather be quilting too.
Membership forms
You can join/renew online or on paper. Payment options for credit card, check or cash are given on the forms.
- Online form for new members
- Online renewal form
- Paper membership form (pdf file)
Questions? Contact membership@risingstarquilters.org
Policy manual
Find membership details here. (pdf file)
New Members' FAQ
- How do I get a name tag?
- What is a block of the month?
- What about those raffles at the begining of the meeting?
- What is the raffle quilt?
- What are benefit quilts?
- What is show and tell?
- How do I meet people?
Answers
- How do I get a name tag?
- Ask at the membership table at a meeting.
- Back to questions
- What is a block of the month?
-
Each month before the guild meeting begins, check out the kit available to
create a block. At the Block of the Month table, you will find samples of
the current month design, kits that include necessary instructions, some or
all of the fabric required and people who can answer your block questions.
Sign out as many kits as you would like to complete and bring completed
blocks to the next guild meeting. No need to commit to a year’s worth of
blocks and blocks are unique every month.
When you return the completed block(s) on the due date, you can enter a drawing to win all of the blocks for that month! One block, one entry. Three blocks, three entries. It is that simple. Before the evening program begins, a drawing will select the winner of the blocks. If you take a block kit and find that life gets in the way of completing it before the due date, just bring the kit back and it will be given to the drawing winner along with all completed blocks. No worries!
Each month, there are enough kits to create at least 30 blocks, allowing the winner to complete a good size quilt top by just participating in the current month!
-
Each month before the guild meeting begins, check out the kit available to
create a block. At the Block of the Month table, you will find samples of
the current month design, kits that include necessary instructions, some or
all of the fabric required and people who can answer your block questions.
Sign out as many kits as you would like to complete and bring completed
blocks to the next guild meeting. No need to commit to a year’s worth of
blocks and blocks are unique every month.
- Back to questions
- What about those raffles at the beginning of the
meeting?
- The name tag raffle is for those who wore their name tags that night. They write their names on slips of paper which are collected by the name tag raffle person. One of the names will be drawn and that quilter will win a pin!
- The monthly raffle is for all, including those who forgot their name tags. You buy tickets (3 for a dollar) from the raffle person. Those whose ticket numbers are drawn win prizes. Prizes typically include: fabric, patterns, thread, notions and quilt books. If you don't win, that's okay too. Put your name on one of your losing tickets and turn it in. At the last meeting of the year, one of the losing tickets gets drawn for a big end-of-year prize!
- Back to questions
- What is the raffle quilt?
- The raffle quilt is a quilt we all make together that we raffle off at our annual show. The raffle quilt is designed, pieced and quilted by RSQ members.
- Back to questions
- What are benefit quilts?
- Benefit quilts are quilts we make and donate to various non-profit organizations. For the last few years, our benefit quilts have been donated to REACH Beyond Domestic Violence Inc., Welcome Baby a program within the Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts, and Tufts Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). (links open in new windows). Individual quilters and groups make baby, lap and twin-sized quilts throughout the year. We also meet the first Saturday of each month at Cambridge Quilt Shop to make benefit quilts. See our calendar for more information. Additionally, one of our meetings is devoted to benefit quilts night where we all work together on quilts. It's great fun!
- Back to questions
- What is show and tell?
- Show and tell is the part of the meeting where people have the chance to show what they've finished since the last meeting.
- Back to questions
- How do I meet people?
- Introduce yourself during the pre-meeting social time.
- Participate in show and tell
- Wear your name tag to every meeting
- Volunteer
- Join a Bee