February 2015

February Program – Barb Vlack 

Barb Vlack will be our speaker in February, and talk about “Quilts My Grandmother Didn't Make!” Barb has been collecting quilts from the ‘30s and early ‘40s because there are such wonderful stories surrounding that era in our history. And they look good, too! This trunk show lecture (no slides, only actual quilts and quilt tops) will show off Barb's collection of vintage quilts, vintage fabrics, the reproductions that came from them, and stories that may have inspired these wonderful quilts!

STOP THE PRESSES—Ever wanted to learn how to use Electric Quilt but don’t own the Electric Quilt software program or own an earlier version? Barb Vlack can load a temporary version of Electric Quilt 7 on your laptop (sorry not on a Mac) for use in the class. The software will remain available on your laptop for about 10 days after the class and there is no cost! 

This is a brilliant opportunity to test drive and learn Electric Quilt. Barb Vlack is an EQ7 expert, who just returned from teaching EQ7 in Houston. Don’t worry if you have not used Electric Quilt in the past. There is still space available in the class. If you own Electric Quilt, please have it loaded on your laptop prior to the class. Check out the Electric Quilt web site www.electricquilt.com for more information on the program. Any questions, please contact Barbara Schober. 

Free Admission to Rosemont Quilt Festival

We have a wonderful opportunity to have a great deal of exposure to sell tickets for our Raffle Quilt. March 26, 27 and 28 brings the International Quilt Festival to Rosemont. The quilt was chosen to have two days of display and ticket sales. In order to do this, our guild must provide white glove service in two-hour increments on the quilt show floor. Volunteers will be given free admission to the show that day.

Day and evening hours are available. If standing is a problem, you can still help by selling our Raffle Quilt tickets. This goes a long way in helping the guild. We really need you and your time. Call me to schedule your shift. Don't forget: free admission!

Lorraine Potts

March Program – Quilts of Valor 

VQ WANTS YOU!

We hope everyone is busy working on their Quilt of Valor! Don't forget to stop by the Quilt of Valor booth at the meetings for ideas, FREE fabrics or to get paired up with a fellow quilter to make a quilt.

COMING UP: MARCH MADNESS QUICK-FIRE CHALLENGE!

Make a Quilt of Valor in less than 2 hours!

During the March meeting VQ will be making a Quilt of Valor.

Impossible you say? Never! Village Quilters has so many great quilters we are confident this can be accomplished… and accomplished well. However, in order to make the MARCH MADNESS CHALLENGE work, we will need members to bring along their sewing machines, cutting mats, rotary cutters and irons, etc. Fabric and pattern—yes, it will be an easy one—will be provided.

Make sure you take a look at the Sign-up Sheets that will be available at the February meeting. Just fill in the slot you feel would best suit your talents to help accomplish the Challenge. If you won't be at the February meeting please contact Kathy Sorkin with your volunteer information. No task or involvement is too small… all we need is a willingness, a little effort and a lot of enthusiasm!!

Due to the nature of this event, the meeting will start at 6:30. And to replenish your great energy throughout the evening… refreshments will be provided.

So, ladies...prepare to START YOUR ENGINES! The MARCH MADNESS CHALLENGE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!

Kathy Sorkin and Cheryl Mercy
Service Committee

President’s Letter 

Dear Village Quilters:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Brown Bag Hustle was a blast. I am now the proud owner of many books and patterns and two quilting frames. Some of my swag will appear at the next Brown Bag Hustle, you can be sure. Thank you to all who made it a great success and a lot of fun.

I did finish my Kaffe quilt. It is all bound. But I forgot to bring it to the January meeting. I will bring it to the February meeting for sure.

I must admit I am a little daunted by the apron and Quilts of Valor projects. They keep saying it is so easy. I’m sure it is for them. Not so for me. Maybe not for some of you too. I will do one of each but I am looking for more guidance and I think some is coming soon. I hope so. If this is a challenge for you as well, I suggest we encourage each other to rise to the challenge for the sake of the guild. I am working on them now (in my head). As to those for whom these projects are easy, please bring some more examples for show and tell. Maybe we can arrange some pairing to assist those of us–like me–who need help getting started.

Unless we get some more decent cross-country skiing snow, I’ll be in my quilting studio.

Happy Quilting! 
Linda Spring

Quilt Show News

Raffle Quilt

View fullsize

The 2015 raffle quilt is finished and has been beautifully quilted by Donna Derstadt. Thank you, Donna! One question I have for the guild membership is this: Did you piece any of the raffle quilt blocks? If you did, please email me and let me know–even if you pieced only one block. The label should include the names of everyone who participated in the construction of the quilt. Waiting to hear from you….

Judy Hillebrand

Quilt Show Entries 

The deadline for submissions for your quilts will be July 31, 2015. The Entry Form will be available online in mid-February. 

Enid Mattimiro

Silent Auction

The Silent Auction committee would be so delighted to receive your donation at the next guild meeting. We know how much talent there is among us and look forward to receiving all the wonderful items for the auction, which helps increase the guild's coffers. Thank you in advance!

Alice Hutchinson, Yolande Sherrod, Edie Hirasawa

Scrapapalooza

Remember to bring your scraps for Scrapapalooza in the Boutique of our quilt show. Amy Dryfoos, Kristina Summers or Mirre Booth will take them to be sorted in May.

Thanks,
Gayle Springer

2015 Quilt Show Boutique to Offer Many Options for Members

In an effort to generate more income for the Guild through the Boutique, several new options will be available for members to participate. 

• As in years past, members can commit to creating multiple original items and receiving 85% of the sale of each item (15% goes to the Guild). Members who choose this option will also be expected to work in the Boutique during the show for 2 hours.
• Members can make and donate 1-5 small items to the Boutique with 100% of the sales going to the Guild. (Suggested items include ornaments, pincushions, potholders, mug rugs, wine bags, etc.)
• Members can make and donate aprons to be sold in the Boutique with 100% of the sales going to the Guild.
• Members can donate bags of scraps to be sold in the Boutique as part of Scrap-A-Palooza. 100% of the sales will go to the guild.

Stop by the boutique exhibit before the monthly meetings to learn more about these options and to sign up to participate. 

Judi Young - BOUTIQUE 
Frieda Roberts - APRONS 
Gayle Springer - SCRAPAPALOOZA

Library

Jinny Beyer, American quilt designer, was the first to create a line of fabrics especially geared to the needs of quilters. In the 1980s she became a major figure in the resurgence of interest in quilting that had begun to sweep the United States in the late 1970s. 

Beyer received a B.A. in speech and French from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and an M.A. in special education from Boston University. She began quilting by accident: an avid knitter, she ran out of yarn while living in India in 1972 and looked for another project. She decided to use Indian printed cottons to make a traditional Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt, giving it a distinctly different flavor from the typical American styles of that time. One of her India-inspired designs, “Ray of Light,” took the grand prize in Good Housekeeping magazine’s 1977 Bicentennial quilt contest, which drew 9,954 entries, and it launched Beyer on her career. 

In 1981 Beyer designed three fabric collections for VIP Fabrics. In 1984 she began a long collaboration with RJR Fashion Fabrics. By 2000, she had designed more than 2,000 fabrics, at an average of four to six collections per year. Her best-known collection, the Portable Palette (1990), features a wide range of monotone prints in 150 colors spanning all shades of the rainbow. 

In 1984 Beyer was inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame. 

Information from Encyclopedia Britannica. 

We have two books in our library by Jinny: Patchwork Portfolio and Patchwork Puzzle Balls (see image).

Your Librarians, 
Eleanor McMurrin and Christine Tindell

Happy Birthday

February Birthdays
Kathy Heusinkveld: February 3
Kathy Avellone: February 5
Dorie Botimer: February 12
Leslie Bennett: February 15
Dorothy Roderick: February 16
Eleanor McMurrin: February 23
Cheryl Mercy: February 25

March Birthdays 
Bobbie Etchell: March 3
Leona Laouras: March 7
Irene Terrero: March 12
Freida Roberts: March 15
Madge Pierce: March 20
Kristina Summers: March 30