February 2016
/February Speaker: David Taylor
Tuesday, February 16, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Our February meeting features David Taylor, who will present a program titled, “Artistry through Applique”. Join us and learn about David’s process for creating stunning appliqué art quilts that look like paintings using only fabric and thread. His technique requires only a love of fabric and quilting, and a willingness to spend months on the same project. The lecture is funny and informative. So get your seat today!
David was born in Peterborough, New Hampshire and currently lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
His obsession with fabric began at an early age, salvaging tiny scraps from his mother's sewing area trash bin. This began his love and appreciation for fabric and texture.
David's first quilt design was in 1999, collaborating on a fundraiser project for Strings Music Festival in Steamboat with friend and fellow quilter Madeleine Vail of Clark, CO. Madeleine encouraged him to keep after it.
Following a visit to Houston in 2002 for the International Quilt Festival, his obsession with fabric turned into an obsession for quilting as art. In 2008, he became an ambassador for HandiQuilter and their Sweet Sixteen sit-down quilting machine. He has won a number of awards, exhibited his art quilts internationally, and teaches at numerous venues throughout the year. See more at www.davidtaylorquilts.com.
February Workshop: David Taylor, “New Hampshire Beauty”, Pointless Applique
February 17, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Come and learn David Taylor’s special techniques as you make this beautiful, nature-inspired quilt.
David Taylor on the inspiration for “New Hampshire Beauty”: “I was asked by IQA to create a small wall quilt (18 inches square) for the annual "Celebrity Quilter Silent Auction" (their words, not mine). I adapted the pattern from a photo I took of a leaf on one of my annual autumn trips to New Hampshire. Above is the finished quilt titled "New Hampshire Beauty." I used the same techniques I teach in my five-day workshops. The pattern has 53 applique pieces in the leaf alone and the background is a hand-painted fabric I purchased from Patricia Bravo of Art Gallery Quilts.”
Download the supply list here. (pdf file)
Letter From The President
I am writing this letter before the deadline. In fact, it is before the January Guild meeting. That is because I am off to my Galapagos adventure tomorrow. I couldn’t be more excited. I will tell you all about it when I return. I am sure I will find some quilting inspiration in the sand and the sea, the finches and tortoises, and the blue footed boobies.
I finished the T-shirt quilt for my daughter. It is at the long-armer. She is really backed up, so I expect it in April. It was challenging solving the problems along the way, and satisfying to see that my skills have progressed to a point that I could solve them. I figured out how to get consistently sized squares and how to piece the smaller pictures into a uniform block size. I figured out an alternate colored sashing. Overall, I am satisfied with it, though, of course, I would solve some problems differently if I did it again.
It occurred to me, while I worked on the quilt and as I talked to others solving their quilting problems, that it would be interesting to read in the newsletter about quilters’ solutions to quilting problems. If you have encountered a problem and solved it, please write it up in a paragraph or two and share it with us. Or, if you are running into a problem you can’t solve, let us know that, too, and maybe someone else will have the solution.
How is everyone doing on their Iron Quilter challenges? Remember that they will be presented at the April meeting. And speaking of the April meeting, be sure to note that the meeting date has changed to accommodate all the folks who go to Paducah. For the April meeting only, the date is APRIL 12. One week earlier.
I am now working on my first large hand quilting project. I am completing a quilt that a friend started before she died. The quilt is comprised of 50 counted cross-stitch blocks – one for each state – showing the shape of the state with its flower, motto, chief products, and date if admission to the country. I am about half done and plan to finish it by March. Quilting through the cross-stitch canvas is certainly a challenge. I will certainly let you all see it when I finish.
Meanwhile, keep warm and Happy Quilting.
Linda
From The Treasurer
Balance 12/29/15: $27,233.98
Income: $840.00
Expenses: $255.00
Balance 1/25/16: $27,818.98
Respectfully submitted,
Kimberly Jurco
You Can Be a Program Chair
You all know that we are still looking for a program chair for the two-year term 2016-2018. Since I learned to do this job by fire I thought I would outline the job for you in hopes that you will see that the job is not as hard as it may seem and that several people can share it.
For the first year, the program chair (and committee) lines up the programs. For the second year, the program chair (and committee) runs the programs. What does that mean?
In this case, for the first year, that means designing programs for April, 2017 through March, 2018. Remember that April is our annual meeting and potluck dinner, December is our annual holiday party, and January is traditionally a ways and means project such as the ever popular Brown Bag Hustle. That reduces the number of programs to plan from 12 to 9. Then, working within a budget set by the board, the chair selects the speakers and programs for the year. Surprisingly, I found that this task, which looked impossibly daunting, was fairly easy and fun. Remember that speaking is the speakers’ business. They want to come and share their expertise. You only have to ask.
How do you find speakers? One source is the prior program chair’s file. There are always speakers we wanted but could not fit in. Another source is quilting magazines. A third source, and one of the best, is lists on the internet of speakers who have appeared at regional guilds, workshops, festivals, and regional shows such as Houston or the Indiana Heritage Quilt show in Bloomington, Indiana. The shows’ websites list their speakers with pictures and descriptions of the speakers and their work. The speakers all have websites with information about their programs, workshops, lectures, prices, policies, and contact information. Meet with one or two committee members, make a wish list, and start calling or e-mailing. Balancing factors such as costs, quilting styles, and distances, you will be surprised how fast the calendar fills up. Remember, we don’t need, or want, a workshop each month and our own members have skills to share.
When you find a speaker, send the guild contract and cover letter. Then follow up to get all the information including descriptions of the lecture and workshop, samples, and supply lists. Make hotel reservations. Be sure to get the information to the newsletter editor. Finally, announce the speakers and take your applause.
In the second year, run the programs. This really takes a team. Here are the jobs, roughly by group (we have a check list): 1) recruit and register workshop attendees; 2) confirm the speaker’s set-up needs, ensure that the set-up for the lecture and workshop are appropriate, and open and close the workshop site; 3) pick up the speaker, transport to the hotel, make reservations for dinner, find others to join you for dinner, pick up the speaker and take them to dinner, take the speaker to the guild meeting, help the speaker set up and take down the display, introduce the speaker, take the speaker back to the hotel, pick up the speaker for the workshop, arrange the speaker’s lunch, and take the speaker back to the airport; ensure that the speaker is paid and completes a tax form. Finally, enjoy the lecture and workshop, for this is a speaker you chose and looked forward to meeting.
I do hope that someone, or better a group of you, steps up to fill this important job. Remember that I did it, as president, with Barb Schober when our program chair resigned. Then I did it with Mary Dietz and Jane Reents when our next program chair resigned. The job is quite enjoyable and it is entirely possible to do in a reasonable amount of time, especially with a little help.
Thanks for taking the time to consider our request.
Linda Spring
The Brown Bag Hustle..Hustle..Hustle..Hustle
Where there's a will there's a way! The Brown Bag Hustle found it's way to success. Braving sub-zero weather, the Ways & Means committee still pulled it off with a whopping $423.00 into the coffers. Thank you ladies of Village Quilters Ways & Means committee for your superb help. It would never have been such fun without you: Tera McBlaine, Judy Young, Sylvia Bath, Celia Stratman, Chris Tindell and the ticket ladies Cheryl Mercy and Jo Bailey. We missed you Kathy Sorkin but hope staying home improved your illness. Thank you to the very responsive audience for your generosity and contribution to the evening. You were terrific! You were real troopers as we increased your winnings to small mountains in order that EVERYTHING GOES HOME WITH SOMEONE. Best of all it did! Thank you to Mary Dietz, Laura Partridge, Erika Eddy and all others that were the winners of oversized piles of plunder. Mary, hope your husband let you in the door! What better way to spend the January Meeting. Thanks again for an evening of success.
Donna Fitzgerald, Ways & Means chair
Iron Quilters!
We hope everyone is enjoying themselves thinking "outside the box" while working on their Iron Quilt project!
Almost 30 mystery bags have been handed out to date. These combined with quilts made from a quilters own stash should make the donations to Staben House and Eddy Washington Home a success.
We are looking forward to seeing all the beautiful quilts at the April 12th meeting.
Service Committee,
Cheryl Mercy and Kathy Sorkin
Looking Ahead To Future Meetings
March Meeting, Members Teaching Members
At our March 15th meeting we will have four demonstrations of techniques taught by our own very talented members. The demonstrations will be:
- Donna Derstadt - “Quilt on a Chair”
- Claire Machinist - “Applying Borders Without Math”
- Lorraine Potts, Kathy Heusinkveld, Linda Warren - “Lucy Boston Quilt”
- Maggie Schmude - “Machine Quilting with Templates on a Domestic Machine”
April Meeting, Spring Dinner, Election of Officers, Iron Quilter
Date change: meeting moved to April 12!
Because our regular meeting date for April is in conflict with the AQS show in Paducah this year, we have moved the meeting up a week to April 12 so that members may attend both our meeting and the show. Talk about a win-win situation! This is the meeting that includes our spring dinner. the election of officers, and the Iron Quilter quilts.
Check the Calendar listings (under the Programs menu on the website) for more information on these programs. Watch the calendar over the next few weeks to see next year’s programs as they are posted.
Gwen Marston Leading Final Workshops at
Madeline Island School of the Arts
This year Gwen Marston, a leading instructor in the quilting arts, will be retiring from her 30-year trend-setting teaching career. Gwen will be teaching some of her final classes this summer at Madeline Island School of the Arts in Wisconsin. This may be your last chance to study with this wonderful teacher. For information and registration, visit the Madeline Island School of the Arts website or call 715-747-2054.
From Membership
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
February Birthdays
Kathy Heusinkveld, February 3
Kathy Avellone, February 5
Dorie Botimer, February 12
Dorothy Roderick, February 16
Marye Feldman, February 23
Cheryl Mercy, February 25
March Birthdays
Bobbie Etchell, March 3
Irene Terrero, March 12
Freida Roberts, March 15
Madge Pierce, March 20
Kristina Summers, March 30