January 15, 2026
Speaker: Dorothy DeRose
Presentation: ” From Poland to Pelham” My Quilting Journey
Trunk Show
Our speaker for January is our very own Dorothy De Rose. Dorothy has been a member of the Grimsby Quilters Guild since she moved from Ottawa to the Niagara Region in 2022. Dorothy joined the Executive this year holding the position of Workshops co-ordinator.
Dorothy has been quilting for over 35 years, making quilts for family and friends. Her quilts have been exhibited in various shows around the world and she has won a few ribbons for her efforts. Dorothy has attended and taught various workshops over the years and thinks that if you learn just one thing at a workshop it was well worth your time and effort to attend.
Come along to the January Guild meeting and hear what Dorothy has to share about her journey and learn why the name of her talk is from “Poland to Pelham“.
February 19, 2026
Demo Night: – 4 Demos
Wooden Quilts: Cathy Moffat
English Paper Piecing: Sue Pacquette
Inserting Zipper Into a Pillow Cover: Carol Weland & Annette Guenther
Personal Design Board: Beverley Merritt
March 19, 2026
Speaker: Patti Carey
Patti’s Patchwork – https://pattispatchwork.com
Patti Carey wears many hats in the quilting industry.
She was with Canadian wholesaler/distributor Northcott for 38 years, where she headed up the marketing/sample department from 1986 to 2012. This included co-
ordinating Northcott’s pattern program to support the new fabric collections, as well as liaising with the various quilting magazines, book publishers and quilt designers to provide current collections of fabric for editorial projects.
Currently she travels to quilts guilds and shops to inspire and educate quilters with interesting and entertaining presentations on how fabric is designed, and how to use it to her best advantage. Her comprehensive line of quilt patterns utilizes efficient and time-saving techniques, and are available through her website at www.pattispatchwork.com.
Patti has also published a book entitled “A Taste of Napa Valley”. She is a regular contributor to the Golden Peak Media group of publications (McCall’s, Love of Quilting, Quiltmaker). She has designed 2 fabric collections for Banyan Batiks, a division of Northcott, and Color Play, her “learn-to-free-motion-quilt” collection for Northcott, shipped to shops in August 2022. In addition, she developed the E-Z Miter tool for painless mitered borders and lone stars.
On a personal level, Patti is married and has 2 grown sons. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling, golfing, snowboarding and cruising to far-away lands.
April 16, 2026
TBA
May 21, 2026
Annual General Meeting
UFO Challenge Presentations: Members who participated in the Challenge will present their quilt and share the story.
As quilters, we all have unfinished projects that we would love to see completed. This is the year!! In order to motivate each other, we have put together a UFO Challenge. This Challenge will run from our October 2025 meeting and culminate at a “UFO Show and Tell” at our May 2026 meeting. We encourage all members to participate.
Members will find complete details under Members Area menu.
June 20, 2026
Strawberry Social
President’s Challenge; Block of the Month, Extended Show & Tell entries will be displayed and judged.
Luminary Quilt Workshop – September 8, 2025 – PART 2
Catherine Tompkins has graciously agreed to hold another workshop for the “Luminary” Quilt.
This is PART 2 – which will be the completing the “Luminary” Quilt
Location: Southward Hall – 84 Mud Street, Grassie, Ontario
Time: 9:30 – 3:30
Cost $20.00 – Includes Hall Rental, Coffee, Tea & Cookies
Bring your own Lunch
This if PART 2 – a continuation from Part 1, were you will be completing the placement of the Diamonds you created, cutting and placement of the background piecing.
Items you will need:
Background Material
Diamonds created in Part 1
Sewing Machine
Rotary Cutter
Your other various sewing supplies
September 18, 2025
Program: Canada’s Forgotten Artifacts – 1967 Centennial Quilts
An opportunity to learn more about Canadian women’s voices expressed through quilts made during Canada’s Centennial year (1867-1967). Primarily the story of patriotic Canadian women: dedicated to their families, their craft and their county. A part of our Canadian History
Presenter: Judy Lyons – Quilt Appraiser & Author
Contact: judy.lyons35@gmail.com
Phone: 905-407-2779
Judy Lyons, Quilter, Lecturer, Author – BIO
Judy Lyons is a specialist in quilts, fibre art and the appraisal of these items. Her credentials follow the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). Ms. Lyons is also certified with the American Quilters Society (2002) and a member of quilt related guilds and associations. In addition, she is a quilt collector and lectures on the history and valuation of quilts.
Judy was instrumental in recording the Canada Packers quilt Collections now found on the Quilt Index at Michigan State University and she has held three quilt documentation projects in the Hamilton-Wenworth County in Ontario. Erland Lee Museum and the Fieldcoat Museum, and Dufferin County Museum.
She is a member of the Canadian Quilters’ Association/ACC and served on the Board of Directors for 3 years as Publicity Director (2000-2003).
Tonight, she will share her collection of Trend Tex Challenges collected over the years and why she purchased these ones.
She will also share some information on her book Canada’s Forgotten Artifacts – 1967 Centennial Quilts which are available for sale for $45, through Judy only.
October 16, 2025
#1 – Demo Night: There will be 4 stations with various stitching demos.
Sashimi Stitching: Bev Heywood & Diane Halinski
Big Stitching: Dorothy Holdenmeyer
Block of the Month Demonstration: Judy Platt
Collage Book Cover Design: Sylvia Van Geest
#2 – Introduction to UFO Challenge
November 20, 2025
Speaker: Al Cote
Presentation: “From There to Here”
Profile: Albert was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts and Visual Arts and a Bachelor of Education. While pursuing a very successful visual arts career he also owned and operated a successful hair salon for 36 years. After his wife Debbie retired from teaching, they opened a Quilt Store in Niagara Falls. Albert soon got “hooked” on fabric and combined his visual arts with his quilting arts. Al soon retired to quilt full time. Al’s very creative and innovative classes soon saw him travelling all across Ontario and the U.S. giving trunk shows and workshops. In 2012 he was honoured to participate in “Culture Canada” and his very large piece which was created with fellow artists’ Irma Bull and Suzi Dwor, hangs in the Regional offices in St. Catharines, Ont. He has many commissioned pieces throughout the area including seven pieces at Hospice Niagara
Since closing their store, Debbie and Al teach privately in their home studios. Al hosts a Fibre Art Retreat twice a year, in the spring and fall. Al has had many pieces travel in shows through SAQA. Recently he and Debbie have had pieces accepted into the Houston Quilt Market in 2017 along with other Canadian Quilters who represented Canada’s 150th Birthday. These pieces are now part of a travelling exhibit which will be displayed at many Canadian Embassies around the world. Al also has many pieces throughout the area including 7 pieces for The Stabler Centre in St. Catharine’s. In the summer of 2017, he taught at The Haliburton School Art and Design for the first time and will return each summer.
Optional: workshop on Friday Nov 21st – detailed information in Members Area under Workshops
December 18, 2025
Pot Luck Dinner
7:00 pm
Our December meeting will be a potluck and social event, allowing time
to gather around the tables with food and fellow quilters to celebrate
the season.
Everyone is asked to bring a dish or salad or dessert to share, along
with a serving spoon if necessary. There is no way for us to warm up
food, so if you are bringing a warm dish wrap it well, perhaps in a
quilted casserole carrier!!! Napkins will be provided, but please
bring your own dishes as we have limited kitchen facilities.
We will be having a gadget exchange after our meal, for anyone who wants
to participate. Bring a wrapped gadget from your sewing room that you
either no longer use or have a duplicate of. It should be in new or
near new condition, with a minimum value $10. No fabric this time;
notions and accessories, gadgets! Participants will deposit their
wrapped gift and receive a ticket in exchange. Further instructions
will be given that evening as to how the exchange will take place. It
will be fun to see what people give and get in this unusual gifting
game!
If you like to dress festively, this is a great opportunity to do so!
Gadget Swap