Washington State Quilters

Washington State Quilters (WSQ) has been able to put on a quilt show every year only because the members of WSQ, along with their friends and family, have been willing to volunteer. That participation has been the key to the Show's success. In addition to a Quilt Show Committee of about 30 members who begin working on the next Show while the current Show is in progress, the WSQ Quilt Show needs about 300 volunteers every year. There is something for everyone to do. For the 2009 show, anyone who volunteers will receive free entry for all three days of the show. Many of our members sign up for multiple shifts each year simply because they have fun working with other quilters. Not all of our volunteers belong to WSQ: some have family members in WSQ, others are neighbors and friends. All are welcome.

Set-Up for the 2010 show will be on Thursday, October 14th. Very early in the morning a LCD will lay out the frames on which the quilts will be displayed, the chairperson will distribute sheets, sleeves, pins & row folders and sort the quilts as they're dropped off. Setting up the Show requires about 80 to 100 volunteers. One benefit -- beyond the fun of seeing the room come to life as the quilts go up -- is that volunteers are able to view the Show at their leisure and take photos while the rows are open and uncrowded.

Cashiers sell tickets to the Show and need to be comfortable handling money. About 42 volunteers are needed.

Hostesses are a very important part of the Show and about 90 are needed each year to greet people at the door, answer questions and show quilts on the floor, sell tickets for our annual Raffle Quilt, give information on membership and sell fundraising items. They also explain that the blocks displayed for the following year's raffle quilt have been made by WSQ members and explain voting procedures to visitors who wish to vote for their favorite blocks.

Throughout the Show, about 35 Floor Quilters will be needed to work on a quilting project of each volunteer's choice and explain the techniques used to interested visitors. Floor Quilters also set up a small frame to demonstrate quilt tying and allow those who are interested in the technique to have some hands-on practice. The quilts tied during the Show are donated to charity.

To give volunteers a secure place to put their belongings while working at the Show, Stash Check needs about 25 people.

And let's not forget the 36 people needed to run the WSQ Boutique where members are able to sell the quilted and quilt-related items they've made.

Ballot Counters tally the votes cast by visitors to the show. They work in two teams of three and up to half of the volunteers on each shift may be members of WSQ. About 18 ballot counters are needed each year.

Last, but certainly not least, are the 80 volunteers needed to Take Down all the quilts and distribute them to their owners at the end of the Show.

There will be sign up sheets at the September meeting.  Your participation is important and helps to make each year's Show a success!

Anyone who volunteers will receive free entry for all three days of the show.