January 2023
/Important Service Committee Announcement!
Due to the urgent need for wintertime relief in Ukraine, we have moved up our quilt donation deadline date because UMANA (Ukraine Medical Association of North America) is sending a shipment in mid-January. We are collecting quilts of all sizes and colors, blankets, comforters, sleeping bags, hats and scarves. Items can be gently used but must be clean. All donations must go to Liz Greenhill or Barb Jolley by January 12.
Contact Liz or Barb to deliver your donation or have it picked up. We will also take donations at our April meeting as previously scheduled.
January 17, 2023 – Brown Bag Hustle – In Person
Take advantage of another wonderful opportunity! We are doing the Hustle again and hoping to repeat the success that we enjoyed last August!
Come to the meeting, bring your donations, and bring a guest or two to join the fun! There will be no guest fee.
Here are the particulars:
Date & location: Tuesday January 17th, Grace United Methodist Church in Lake Bluff
Time: 5:00 p.m. for members to drop off their own donations; 6:00 p.m. the brief meeting begins with the hustle immediately following!
Raffle ticket prices: 6 for $5; 15 for $10; 20 for $15; and 30 for $20
Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted.
Donna Fitzgerald, Ways & Means
January Workshop: Kearstie Grenier: Designing Quilts with BB+ & EQ8
Session 1: Saturday, January 21, 2023
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. via Zoom
Session 2: Saturday, January 28, 2023
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST via Zoom
Join Kearstie for an adventure in computer-aided design. This two-session workshop will be primarily for quilts made from pieced blocks, but if you prefer applique, you may piece interesting background blocks in session one and then explore the applique tools in the second session.
The first session (January 21) will start with an overview of both programs, then focus on designing and making pieced quilt blocks using the software. Participants will learn to choose and/or draw a pieced block, then print the rotary cutting instructions, templates, or Foundation Paper Pieces needed for assembling their block(s). We will work out how to put the block(s) together and participants will begin cutting and sewing. As homework between sessions, participants will finish sewing the block(s) which they will bring to the second session.
Session two (January 28) will focus on putting the block(s) into a quilt. We will look at different settings and how to achieve them easily using the EQ8 software, including on point settings, the use of alternate blocks to bring in secondary designs, how to add borders, change colors, and more. Time and interest permitting, we will also look at using the applique designs and quilting motifs built into EQ8.
The sessions will be geared for beginners as much as possible, but more advanced tools will be demonstrated for those with more experience. Both sessions will look at the built-in help functions, lessons, and other aids included with the program and participants will receive written step-by-step instructions as needed, so that when they are ready for the more advanced concepts, they will know where to start.
You will need a working copy of either Blockbase+ (BB+) and/or Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8). The two programs can be linked together, but each can be used alone. BB+ is less expensive and contains more blocks in its library, but is very limited for designing. You need to install the software before class and have a printer available to print your pattern and block instructions.
If you have questions, please contact Kearstie Grenier for more information.
February Workshop: Margaret Brewster Willingham – Eye of the Beholder Quilt Designs: Reverse Appliqué is Fun
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. via Zoom
Class Project: Machine Appliqué – Woodland Fern Block
Join us as Margaret presents how the beauty of reverse appliqué is revealed as you stitch, adding dimensional beauty to your quilts by playing with positive and negative space, fabric layering, and color value and contrast. Expand your creative possibilities and be empowered by the thorough, step-by-step, how-to demonstration of Eye of the Beholder Quilt Design’s easy Trace, Baste, Snip & Stitch methods of reverse appliqué. You will be amazed how simple it is to make her beautiful reverse appliqué designs. Reverse Appliqué is fun with the easy 4-step process.
The main focus of the class will be on Machine - Reverse Appliqué, but Margaret will also present a short session at the end of class on Hand Reverse Appliqué.
Deadline to order supplies: 2/8/2023 - This will ensure that any orders that need to be shipped will arrive in time for the class. See the supply list for details on ordering the pattern and recommended tools/supplies for the class. www.eobquiltdesign.com
Christine’s Chatter
Our annual holiday party was a raving success thanks to Carol Swartz and Gone to Pieces Bee. The food was delicious and the gift exchange was so much fun as usual. It certainly put all of us that attended in a festive frame of mind. I
I hope all of you had a great holiday season with your family and friends. I felt like I had 3-4 parties every week of December. All of them were great fun, but I was very thankful for a quiet Christmas Day at home with my family.
January is always a time to organize and clean up the house. This is the perfect time of year to have our Brown Bag Hustle! Please see Donna Fitzgerald’s article about this event. I always look forward to seeing the goodies and what I might be interested in.
As a guild we will be donating quilts to Ukraine. If you have something to donate, we will collect at our April meeting but there is an urgent need right away, so please check out the article at the beginning of this newsletter.
Looking forward to seeing you all in person at the January meeting!
President Christine Tindell
Holiday Party Highlights!
Heartfelt thanks go to Carol Swartz, Rae Bradley, Lorraine Potts, Marti Austin, and Peggy Schemenauer for hosting a lovely evening.
Show and Tell time gave us the opportunity share some amazing work by our members! Visit the Photographs page to see the quilts.
In addition to the delicious dinner and the opportunity for fun and gifts, we also collected food pantry donations. Originally we planned to deliver the goods to the Phoenix Rising Foundation Food Pantry, but they are not currently up and running. Instead, Marti Austin delivered our donations to the Libertyville Township Food Pantry, who received them with open and thankful arms! Thank you to the kind and generous women who make up our Village Quilters community!
Quilt Show 2023 – Meeting Announcement
There will be a meeting of the entire Quilt Show Committee at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 24. We will meet at Grace United Methodist Church. I look forward to getting everyone together to begin our journey toward the guild’s next great quilt show!
Kathy Avellone, Quilt Show Chair
Quilt Show 2023 – Quilt Submission Announcement
Mark your Calendars! It is time to get started on your 2023 quilt making goals.
The deadline for submitting your quilts to be hung in the 2023 show is July 15, 2023. Quilts of Valor that will not be hung have a deadline of August 15, 2023.
We will start accepting quilt entries in March.
Enid Mattimiro and Kearstie Grenier – Cataloging Committee
Spring 2023 Quilt Retreat
Village Quilters will be hosting a Quilt Retreat March 24 through 26, 2023. It will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mettawa. We have had several retreats at this location and it has become a favorite. We sew in their ball room that is spacious and has an abundance of natural light during the day. We begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and wrap it up on Sunday afternoon. At the retreat each quilter works on their own projects. We each have our own table and electricity for our machines.
The cost of the retreat is $60.00. This covers the cost of the ballroom for the 3 days. Quilters have the choice of staying at the hotel at night or going home each night. We have a block of rooms set aside for those who want to stay at the hotel. The cost of the rooms is $145.00 plus tax per night. The rate does not include breakfast.
If you want to attend the retreat, you may now register and pay online on the Spring Retreat page. If you want to pay by check, you need to email Sharon Pierluissi and send a check to her (payable to Village Quilters). We have room for 32 quilters. If the retreat fills up we will start a wait list. In the past we have been able to ask those on the wait list if they want to attend due to cancellations.
Treasurer’s Report
Balance as of 10/31/2022: $28,964.93
Income: $149.29
Expenses: $1,300.00
Ending Balance as of 11/30/2022: $27,376.31
The guild generated income from workshop fees and membership, and incurred expenses in programs and rent.
Respectfully submitted, Donna Derstadt, Treasurer
Membership Report
Happy New Year from the Membership Committee!
Beginning November 1st through April 30th, 2023, dues are $25 for the remaining 2022-2023 fiscal year. Invite a friend to join our fun. We love new members!
The VQ roster of members will be updated and posted online in January. Please check the current roster and let us know ASAP if there are any changes to your information. The roster is updated on the VQ website in January, April, and October. New members information and changes in current members information will appear in those months.
If you have any questions about VQ Membership, please contact Andrea Krier or Sharon Pierluissi
Happy January Birthday to the following member: Cindy Heineman – 1/05
Are you a new member? We are planning a New Member get together with the Village Quilters board members on February 7, 2023, from 5-7 pm. We have had several quilters join our guild since the beginning of Covid, but due to pandemic restrictions we have not been able to have regular in person meetings and have not been able to meet and get to know our new members as we would like. We also want to give our newer members an opportunity to get to know our guild a little better. We will be sending out an invitation soon to all the newer members with more details about the event.