We warmly invite members of the quilting community to attend our program meetings. All visitors will be required to pay a fee of $5 at the door. The guest fee may be applied towards a membership fee that day. We normally meet the 2nd Wednesday each month from 10 AM - 12:30, at the North Chevy Chase Christian Church, 8814 Kensington Parkway, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. (Click here for directions.) With the pandemic, however, we may meet remotely as conditions indicate. Workshops require registration in advance of the event.
| Winter Weather Policy. NeedleChasers follows the lead of the Montgomery County Public Schools: if school is cancelled, our NeedleChasers meeting for that day is also cancelled. If the schools have a delayed opening, our NeedleChasers meeting will take place at its regular time. |
| July 13, 2022 at 10:00 | NCCC Summer Camp Unleash Your Creative Spirit: Innovative Fabric Designs Using a No Stress Method This creative sewing experience will see you learning how to make “magic” intricate-looking patchwork blocks using simple basic designs – that you’ll never see the same again! Strips of fabric become complex multi-sized diamonds; a simple 4 patch becomes a complex pattern; blocks go together magically in designs you never imagined. -- OR --  Improv Piecing Learn to create elaborately pieced “rings” from simple straight cuts of fabric; new blocks with zingers interspersed; skinny curved strips joining pieced creations or simple cuts of fabric; wonky log cabins and much more. All groups will receive curated bags of fabric scraps to get them started and then have access to the Boutique and Lamb-Mechanick stash of scraps! Everyone participating receives instructions for all the piecing techniques and you can choose to try both styles of piecing. The resulting fabric will be used for future Artisan Boutique items. Lunch provided. A sewing machine is needed to participate in the sewing but all are welcomed – but please let us know you are planning to come so we will have plenty of instructions and food! Click HERE to sign up electronically for this session OR sign up at the June meeting OR contact Debbie Lamb-Mechanick at lambmechanick@verizon.net. Attendees must be fully vaccinated, but masks are optional. We are following the North Chevy Chase Christian Church rules for meetings in their church spaces. |
| July 27, 2022 at 10:00 | 
Artisan Boutique Sit and Sew: Sign up at the July meeting (clipboard at the front “desk”) or email Debbie Lamb-Mechanick at lambmechanick@verizon.net |
| August 10, 2022 at 10:00 | Demo Day At long last -- a chance to see the demos originally scheduled for January 2022! Come and learn tips and techniques from your fellow Needlechasers. The topics and presenters scheduled for this regular meeting include: ♦ English Paper Piecing -- Marty Fry ♦ Foundation Piecing -- June Bronfenbrenner ♦ Hand Piecing -- Diana Zurer and Anne Brill ♦ Piecing Computer-Designed Quilt Blocks -- Al Feldman Attendees must be fully vaccinated, but masks are optional. We are following the North Chevy Chase Christian Church rules for meetings in their church spaces. |
| August 24, 2022 at 10:00 |
Artisan Boutique Sit and Sew: We’ll be stitching up our incredibly popular Microwave Bowls in 2 sizes this year. And making fun, flip and sew pet placemats (fish and bone motif!!!) Sign up at the July meeting (clipboard at the front “desk”) or email Debbie Lamb-Mechanick at lambmechanick@verizon.net |
| September 15, 2022 |
NeedleChasers' Field Trip Save the date for a visit to the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA! Click HERE for a description of the show. The guild will charter a bus for the trip; click HERE to sign up! Check-in for the trip will start at 8 a.m. at the North Chevy Chase Christian Church; we will leave promptly at 8:30 and expect to return by about 7 pm. The cost will be $48 for current members. Attendees must be fully vaccinated, but masks are optional. |
| October 12, 2022 at 10:00 | Start to Finish The quilt design process analyzed by your fellow NeedleChasers. Details TBD. Attendees must be fully vaccinated, but masks are optional.We are following the North Chevy Chase Christian Church rules for meetings in their church spaces. |
| November 9, 2022 at 10:00 | Aurifilosophy Presentation by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill From the thread makers of Aurifil, a program designed to unlock the mystery of thread, educate and help all users achieve brilliant results! Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill, a certified Aurifilospher, will present a fun and informative presentation that will increase your knowledge of thread, tools, uses and tips. Exclusive Aurifil resources and swag for attendees included!As an active member of the modern quilt community, Sheri collaborates with leading industry organizations such as Aurifil, Janome, Art Gallery Fabrics, Oliso, Ruby Star Society, The Warm Company and Windham Fabrics. She designed, created and filmed two segments for Fresh Quilting, a public television show co-produced by the Modern Quilt Guild and KS Productions. For more information about Sheri, check out her website: https://www.wholecirclestudio.com/ . Attendees must be fully vaccinated, but masks are optional. We are following the North Chevy Chase Christian Church rules for meetings in their church spaces. |
| November 10, 2022 at 10:00 |
Walk the Talk and Quilt It!: A Workshop by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill
 Do you find yourself asking “How Do I Quilt This”? In this presentation/trunk show and workshop, learn practical strategies for how to plan your own quilting design along with the nuts & bolts of walking foot quilting. The first part of this program will include a presentation and trunk show of Sheri’s award-winning quilts. She’ll describe how she decides on a quilting plan that will enhance the design of her quilt top, rather than compete with it. From there, she’ll review and demonstrate how she prepares for quilting and her tips and tricks for walking foot quilting. Following the demonstration, students will practice their walking foot quilting on small quilt sandwiches. This workshop also includes a group design discussion— a show & tell of one quilt top by each student and a conversation/consultation on how to quilt it with a walking foot. Students will walk away with skills, strategies, inspiration and confidence to complete their quilts using a walking foot. The fee for this workshop will be $70 for current members. Click HERE for a link to the sign-up form. Click HERE for a supply list for this workshop. Attendees must be fully vaccinated, but masks are optional. We are following the North Chevy Chase Christian Church rules for meetings in their church spaces. |
About Our Other Programs........
"Wee Bees"- 1st Wednesday of each month benefiting various not-for-profit organizations.
- See Community Service page for further details
"Sit-and-Sew Bees"
- Generally held the 4th Wednesday of each month
- Meet in Harlow Hall at NCCC Church from 10:00 am to 2 pm.
- Sit and Sew - Members come to work on a project of their own or Community Service Projects or just join in for the camaraderie!
- “Boutique Bees” specialty meetings where techniques or projects for the Artisan Boutique are constructed. Members wanting to sit and sew on their own projects are ALWAYS welcome!