Chinese Auction

18" X 24" by Patti Brown

 Once again I was co-chair of one of my guild's annual fundraisers, The Chinese Auction. 

If anyone knows another name for this type of event, please let me know.  I would love to change the name as I am not a fan of this one.  Here's how it works:
               Donated items are numbered and set out with correspondingly numbered bags.  Participants buy tickets and put as many tickets as they choose into the bag of an item they would like to win.  At the end of the "bidding" time, bags are collected.  One ticket is drawn from the bag for each item and the owner of the drawn ticket wins the item. 

There is usually a lot of hilarity involved as the "auctioneer" makes funny comments about the item or the winner or both.  My very patient husband has allowed himself to be volunteered for this position the last two times I have been chair.  His comments are hysterical because he is particularly ignorant of all things quilty.  He will be handed a basket full of quilting notions and have NO IDEA how to describe them. The women just hoot over his ad libbing.

One year, my 19-year-old son helped by being a "runner."  His job was to bring the prize to its new owner.  A good friend of mine, someone who has known him for years, stuffed dollar bills in the waistband of his pants every time he ran past her.  I thought the room would collapse in laughter.

One innovation I instituted was the addition of a silent auction.  We pick several quilts from those donated and place them on the stage with a sign-up list for each individual quilt.  Those who want the quilt will write down their bid and add their name.  If someone wants it more, she will add a higher bid and her name. This goes on until time is called.  We usually get about $60 per quilt which I think is way too low but better than winning it for a dollar ticket.

1/4 of the "Sock Quilt" by the Meows small group.  quilt is approximately 72" X  90"

The two quilts in this post are just two of the dozens of quilts we've had donated by members of our guild.

I've had fun chairing it for three years but I am certain, really certain, that I will not chair it again.  It's a fun event and this year has been a real pleasure.  In large part because my fellow co-chair has been a dream to work with and a pleasure to get to know.  But, it's time to let someone else have the fun next year.

How does your guild raise money??