Editor’s Message
Hello AMQA Members,
I am acknowledging that it has been a while since the last newsletter and a lot has gone on ‘behind the scenes’ since then.
Our website was hacked and Tracey Browning and many other committee members worked very hard to get it back online. The website had to be re-built virtually from scratch and this took many (wo)man hours. I think the new website is a lot more streamlined and serves us well. Take a look at the zoom feature on the photos - it looks great. You can also now renew your membership online and forget the hassles of visiting the mailbox to post your form in. If you are paperwork challenged - such as myself - then it will be much easier to renew online.
There have been rumblings of poor communication from the committee. I admit that I have part responsibility in this manner. I have faced some health issues and have a large family to look after, therefore the time that I can donate to AMQA has not been available to me. If you are a volunteer worker in any capacity - despite your best intentions - your volunteer work cannot overtake other facets of your life. For me, that is raising my family and earning a living. The AMQA Committee welcomes any member who would like to help out.
We are all members of this organisation and there is a forum available to us to make suggestions and have a say as to how you would like things to be. Our Members Only Yahoo Group is always available to comment in - whether the comment be good or bad.
The committee will make decisions with only the best of intentions to AMQA Inc. We cannot know how members wish to proceed if nobody says anything.
There will be an AMQA-run Show next year, to be held alongside the AMQ Festival. This is very much like the manner in which our State Guilds run their show alongside a Quilt and Craft Expo. The Guild runs the Quilt Show and another company (eg - Expertise Events ) runs the Quilt Craft Expo. AMQA benefits having the Show alongside the Festival, as it will draw in many people to see our quilts and find out about our organisation. We had an increase in membership after last years Show as well. The committee is finalising categories for the Show and we are looking forward to presenting them to you shortly.
There is a lot of important information in this newsletter. Please grab a cuppa and sit down and take a good read through. As always, I welcome any contribution for the newsletter.
Any photos or exciting news to share? Email me and I will put them in the newsletter.
Kindly,
Michele Turner
AMQA AGM 2011
AGM Sept 2011 Report
The AGM for AMQA was held on Sept 7th 2011, with all committee members present via Skype. Although disappointing there were no other (general) members present nor proxy votes submitted for this meeting, there was a positive tone set by all those present.
Terry Elverd presented her President's Report & all positions on the committee were declared vacant. Re-election of Offices was then held with the following results:
President Terry Elverd
Vice President Raylee Bielenberg
Secretary Tonia Brooks
Treasurer/Membership Secretary Gayle Dayman
Minute Secretary Val Towill
Web Diva Position Vacant
Newsletter Editor Michele Turner
AMQF Liason/General Committee Tracey Browning
General Committee Julie Nixon
Vicki Jenkin (new committee member)
The AGM for AMQA was held on Sept 7th 2011, with all committee members present via Skype. Although disappointing there were no other (general) members present nor proxy votes submitted for this meeting, there was a positive tone set by all those present.
Terry Elverd presented her President's Report & all positions on the committee were declared vacant. Re-election of Offices was then held with the following results:
President Terry Elverd
Vice President Raylee Bielenberg
Secretary Tonia Brooks
Treasurer/Membership Secretary Gayle Dayman
Minute Secretary Val Towill
Web Diva Position Vacant
Newsletter Editor Michele Turner
AMQF Liason/General Committee Tracey Browning
General Committee Julie Nixon
Vicki Jenkin (new committee member)
All were congratulated on their positions & were also thanked for their previous year's service to AMQA. Treasurer's Report was presented by Gayle Dayman with total account balance of $7060.29
Membership Fees remain unchanged - these have not been changed since they were originally set when AMQA first began in 2008.
The AGM was declared closed at 3:05 pm Qld time.
AMQA General Meeting Report
The general meeting was held prior to AGM on September 7
There was much discussion with the organising of Categories & Conditions for quilt entries to AMQA Exhibition 2012. Please note there will be some changes made (from the 2010 quilt show) therefore helping to improve and clarify areas that may have previously been unclear.
There was much discussion with the organising of Categories & Conditions for quilt entries to AMQA Exhibition 2012. Please note there will be some changes made (from the 2010 quilt show) therefore helping to improve and clarify areas that may have previously been unclear.
The Special Awards for Prize Categories was decided upon & these are:
Best of Show, Best of Show Runner-Up, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Prizes in all Categories plus a Novice Award.
More details on these will be announced at a later date with other news as the event approaches.
Sponsorship is being sought from many areas of our industry and it is hoped there will be more come aboard as this event approaches, as without this sponsorship it would not be possible for the Quilt Show to take place.
All entries (forms & quilts) will be sent to Julie Nixon, Sth Aust. There has been an Agreement set up between AMQA & AMQF to stipulate areas of responsibility (for both parties) in regard to the organisation of the Quilt Show & Festival.
The agreement states that AMQA will be responsible for organising such things as judges, volunteers, quilt entries, prizes & ribbons, award presentations (plus many other areas). AMQA will be financially responsible for these expenses.
AMQA shall also receive all entry fees & forms for this event. AMQF is to provide floor/hanging space & quilt frames, public liability & volunteer insurance, assist with marketing & provide the judging venue all at their expense, plus other responsibilities.
AMQF will also publish a Catalogue & Show Program which will include all Categories & Conditions for AMQA Quilt Exhibition.
Both parties will also provide logo's & promotions for the other party in all advertising for both the Quilt Show and Festival.
Membership Report by Gayle - current membership is at 82 members plus 2 corporate members and this continues to grow.
There was no other general business presented so the meeting was declared closed at 2:40 pm Qld time. The next meeting is set for Wed 19th October, 2011.
Just in closing, the Committee is confident that the only way to have a successful Exhibition is to combine with another event which has vendors & classes just like all the state guilds currently do. With the minimal support the AMQA shows have had in the past being held as a 'stand alone' show, we feel that going in this direction would not be in our best interests.
Membership Report by Gayle - current membership is at 82 members plus 2 corporate members and this continues to grow.
There was no other general business presented so the meeting was declared closed at 2:40 pm Qld time. The next meeting is set for Wed 19th October, 2011.
Just in closing, the Committee is confident that the only way to have a successful Exhibition is to combine with another event which has vendors & classes just like all the state guilds currently do. With the minimal support the AMQA shows have had in the past being held as a 'stand alone' show, we feel that going in this direction would not be in our best interests.
Combining the AMQA Quilt Show & AMQ Festival in 2010 was proven to be a winning formula, so moving forward with yet another combined event such as this is hoped to be nothing but successful. There was a great deal of positive feedback received after the 2010 event, so much so that vendors, teachers & visitors were contacting the organisers with a promise to return in 2012. There was much enthusiasm from those who attended with promises to return for the next Festival which made the event a rousing success.
As an organisation we should be doing all we can to support AMQF. It is promoting our industry and giving opportunities for education that we would otherwise not have, or have to travel overseas for. It also gives us opportunity to gather with like-minded people in this somewhat isolated industry.
As an organisation we should be doing all we can to support AMQF. It is promoting our industry and giving opportunities for education that we would otherwise not have, or have to travel overseas for. It also gives us opportunity to gather with like-minded people in this somewhat isolated industry.
Member Article
No submissions by members were made.
AMQA Quilt Show 2012
Stay tuned for important announcements about the AMQA Show 2012. The entry categories are being finalised and we are actively seeking sponsorship for prizes.
Please contact the Secretary, Tonia, if you have a contact for sponsorship or would like to sponsor a category yourself.
Feature Article - Blogs and Websites
By Michele Turner
Do you blog? Do you read blogs? A blog is a great way to have a website for your business to have and promote yourself and show off your work. You can set up a blog for free at www.wordpress.com or www.blogspot.com .
If you don’t have a website and think that it is all too hard, then click on the links above to see how simple it is. For a small fee, you can even get a domain name - for example www. yourbusinessname.com rather than a blog web address, e.g. www. yourbusinessname.wordpress.com. It would make your blog/website look a lot more professional.
You can add different pages to your blog and have a page for your contact details/price list, an about page where you can write a little bit about yourself. You can select from a range of themes or formats so that your blog is more individualised. It helps to update your blog regularly and ask your clients if you can put pictures of their quilts on your blog. They can let their friends see their quilt on your blog if you send them a link. This is a great way for potential clients to see your work.
Your AMQA Individual Membership allows you a link of your website in the ‘Find a Quilter’ section of the www.amqa.com.au website. You are missing out on a great opportunity to have a potential client see your work if you do not have a link on that listing.
I would love to add your blog on to the AMQA Blog blogroll so that it is displayed on the AMQA Blog. Please email me your link editor@amqa.com.au when you have set up your new blog or if you have an existing blog.
Achievements in Longarm Quilting
Have you won an award lately??? Please send a photo and details so you can share your achievements here.
Congratulations to Pam Hill who has won First Place in the Wallhanging Category at MQX West in the USA this month. Your quilt is gorgeous. Pam has posted photos for AMQA Members to view in the Yahoo Group photo section. Please click on the link below (or cut and paste if that does not work). Make sure you taker a look - it is worth it.
Welcome New Members
Welcome our newest members of AMQA Inc.
- Harmina Wood of Frankston, Vic
- Wendy Johnson of East Lismore, NSW
- Stephen Johnson of East Lismore, NSW
- Joanne Ault of Rochester, Vic
- Robyn Welsh of Port Pirie, SA
- Steve Welsh of Port Pirie, SA
- Lesley Roth of Mapleton, Qld
- Kim Kennett-Tribe of Lapstone, NSW
- Lee Vause of Langwarrin, Vic
- Vanita Roychoudhry of Werrington County, NSW
- Patricia Cartner of Clontarf, Qld
- Lyn Crump of Withcott, Qld
Some Housekeeping…
AMQA Web Site
Find a Machine Quilter Page
Please have a look at your information on the ‘Find a machine Quilter’ page and check to see that it is current and valid. Some of you may have changed address, telephone number or e-mail address so please take a minute to check your listing. If you have a link, please make sure you take a minute to check that it is correct and your website is accurate and up to date. Sometimes we forget to update things on our web sites and any link to an invalid address or to incorrect information compromises the professional image of AMQA.
If you would like a web link attached to your name, please contact the Web Diva and give her the corrections to be made.
We hope that you take the time to check your information and notify us of any changes required. Thank You!
Behind the Scenes
Website News
You may have noticed that our website was hacked and not available for a period of time in July/August. Despite repeated requests to the business that built our website (at considerable expense) they did not respond to fix this issue. Subsequently, the website had to be rebuilt from scratch. This was a good opportunity to overhaul the website and make it more current.
The photo galleries were upgraded and you can now hover over the photos to see the detail that we all love to see. There is an online joining or renewal form, to make it easier and faster to renew your membership. The links/resources in the membership section has been updated and there are a lot more contacts for supplies there now. Please take some time to check out the new website if you have not already done so.
Our website is a valuable asset for AMQA Inc. We have had at least 42 000 page hits this year so far and over 300 000 hits on our website. You can agree that we really need a good website to provide information for those seeking a quilter as well as ourselves.
Of course, re-building the website took quite some time. Each committee member helped with the editing and format, however the majority of the work was done by Tracey Browning at no charge to AMQA. This was a considerable cost saving for the AMQA Inc as it would have cost at least two thousand dollars for this service to have been provided had we outsourced it. Thank you, Tracey.
Tracey has set up the website so it is relatively simple to edit. We are seeking a web diva to take over maintaining the website. Please see the positions vacant below or email a committee member (links to emails are below).
Upcoming Events
AMQA General Meeting - October 19, 2011 via Skype. Please contact the secretary for details.
Position Vacant
Webdiva - we need to have someone to keep tabs on our website. Duties will include but not limited to updating memberships on the website, adding photographs, general maintenance etc. The website is run on Joomla so if you have an interest or experience in web design, please get in touch with a committee member. Thank you.
Coming Up Next Time…
We NEED more pictures - please share your triumphs and quilts that you are extra proud of - don't be shy. Email them to me please! editor@amqa.com.au
Submission Deadline is October 31, 2011, so do it NOW!
Your 2011-12 Committee and Contact Details
President: Terry Elverd, WA president@amqa.com.au
Vice President: Raylee Bielenberg, ACT vp@amqa.com.au
Secretary: Tonia Brooks, Qld secretary@amqa.com.au
Treasurer: Gayle Dayman, SA treasurer@amqa.com.au
Vice President: Raylee Bielenberg, ACT vp@amqa.com.au
Secretary: Tonia Brooks, Qld secretary@amqa.com.au
Treasurer: Gayle Dayman, SA treasurer@amqa.com.au
Membership Secretary: Gayle Dayman, SA membership@amqa.com.au
Minute Secretary: Val Towill, SA minutes@amqa.com.au
Web Diva: POSITION VACANT webdiva@amqa.com.au
Web Diva: POSITION VACANT webdiva@amqa.com.au
Newsletter Editor: Michele Turner, NSW editor@amqa.com.au
Committee Members:
Julie Nixon, SA committee1@amqa.com.au
Val Towill, SA committee2@amqa.com.au
Vicki Jenkin, VIC committee4@amqa.com.au
Vicki Jenkin, VIC committee4@amqa.com.au
AMQF Liaison/General Committee Member
Tracey Browning, SA webdiva@amqa.com.au
AMQA Corporate Members
Our Corporate Members are:-
Lorien Quilting - Australian publisher of machine quilting patterns by local and international designers.
We carry block designs and motifs, pattern sets and a huge range of pantographs for all sizes of quilting machine. Our pattern clubs are a must for adding variety to your pattern stash while saving big bucks!
Visit our website for discounts www.lorienquilting.com
We would like to give a special thank you to Hermione of Lorien Quilting for allowing AMQA to use her design "Fantasia" on the background of the new AMQA website.
We carry block designs and motifs, pattern sets and a huge range of pantographs for all sizes of quilting machine. Our pattern clubs are a must for adding variety to your pattern stash while saving big bucks!
Visit our website for discounts www.lorienquilting.com
We would like to give a special thank you to Hermione of Lorien Quilting for allowing AMQA to use her design "Fantasia" on the background of the new AMQA website.
Widebacks Australia
Widebacks Australia is an Australian owned company which specialises in top quality 108" (275cm) wide backing fabrics including well known names such as Moda, Benartex, RJR, P&B, South Sea Imports and Marcus Fabrics. Widebacks Australia only sells top quality fabric and Brenda, the proprietor, feels confident that you will be delighted with the look and feel of them. They will certainly enhance your quilts and add value too.
Many colours are available from White on White to Jet Black, with every colour in between, including a selection of Batiks. The fabrics are all 100% cotton. Also available is a range of 108" wide Flannel in solid colours, Reproduction Civil War & 30's prints too.
Visit Widebacks online at www.widebacks.com.au
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