Clamshell Quilters meets monthly to promote the “hobby” of quilting, teach and learn new techniques, share ideas and inspire. Our meetings are held typically the second Monday of each month, 5:30 p.m. at the Faith Baptist Church, 144 Mills Road in Newcastle. Visitors and new members are always welcome.

At the Jan. 8 meeting, Diane Zyskowski will present a program she’s calling, “Playing with Blocks,” how to slice and rearrange simple four- and nine-patch blocks to become much more complicated and interesting without a lot of painstaking work. We will also be discussing the programs scheduled for 2015.

On Feb. 9 the annual community service workshop will be at held at Faith Baptist Church from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. At this workshop we concentrate as a group on projects ranging from walker bags for patients at Cove’s Edge, pillowcases or comfort quilts for sick children and adults, place-mats for Meals-on-Wheels.

Future meetings will feature how to make a quilted, zippered gadget bag, how to do sashiko embroidery, a show of antique quilts. More on these and other programs later.

For more information, contact Diane Zyskowski at 207-633-3439.

Annual dues for Clamshell Quilters membership is $23 which includes membership in the statewide Pine Tree Quilters Guild and a subscription to the their quarterly newsletter. PTQG holds four members’ meetings each year with nationally known guest speakers, an annual quilt show, and more. Go to their website www.mainequilts.org for more details.