The Executive Board has approved changing the date of the silent auction FROM January 2020 TO May of 2020. This will allow the program committee more time to accept your treasures. Thank you for the lovely items we have received so far for the Silent Auction. Marking your items for the ‘silent auction’, is very helpful. We can tell the difference between scraps for the mystery bags and fabric for the auction, but we appreciate knowing so we only open the items for the mystery bags when we are sorting fabric. All clearly marked items for the silent auction may be placed on the counter outside the kitchen.
Please bring all quilts/quilting projects for the Normal Public Library Art Gallery Display to the March meeting with label, sleeve, and dowel rod. There will be a table to accept these items.
Thanks. Judy Benington The 2020 Mennonite Relief Sale will be held March 20th & 21st at the Interstate Center. If you would like to donate a wall hanging or quilt for the auction – or an item for the bazaar – please contact Mary Sanko for details. Bring your donations to the March meeting or make private arrangements with her. If possible, please include a photo of each auction item or email her a digital copy. Thank you for your generosity!
Happy Saint Patty Day Members!
February was a busy month for me. Between the snowstorms & illnesses in the family, I spent a week in Austin at QuiltCon. QuiltCon is the annual quilt show for modern quilters and I have attended the majority of their yearly shows since the start of these in 2013. How are your UFO’s coming? Are you making a dent in your collection of UFO’s? The Quilt Spectrum will be here before we know it, if you are wanting to put them in the show. Members this month has also been very tumultuous for me as I received a letter from someone in this guild who claimed to be a friend of mine but was upset over the survey and the question of raising the dues to $50 per year. The dues will not raise to that amount but to keep this guild in existence, dues will raise next year beginning in June of 2020. This survey was released prematurely and all data, except for the speaker requests, have been destroyed. I, personally, don’t put much value into anything that is not signed, and when it was shown to the executive board, neither did they. I was hurt to think that you could not call and talk to me about it. Everyone that is on the executive board will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have regarding this. At our March meeting the treasurer and I will be presenting to the guild a financial report of the guild assets and money. If you have any questions or want to understand where the guild’s money goes, it would be best for you to attend this meeting. This guild has over 300 members and yes our dues this last year brought in over $9000 but our contribution to the church for allowing us to use this space is approximately half of that and the rest of it goes towards the speakers at each meeting. The proceeds from the raffle quilt and Quilt Spectrum provide for the rest of the expenses from the speakers and other expenses of the Guild. There is a board meeting on the even months of the year where members may attend and listen to where each committee has spent money and hear a detail report of the guild’s finances that is open to all members. Please attend if you want to know what is happening in your guild. This guild is run by volunteers and right now the executive board does not have a Vice President for the upcoming year. This is a good way for a member to learn about the guild and it’s finances. Think about it and maybe volunteer. Last item I have is that we need a committee for the summer retreat in June. The committee that was going to do it has decided to not do it, and honestly if no one steps up, the retreat may just not happen this year. Sorry about that, but it takes a village to make this guild run smoothly and if no one wants to do, then maybe it is time to stop having the retreats. Connie Borth President The 2020 Mennonite Relief Sale will be held March 20th & 21st at the Interstate Center. Funds raised at the sale will benefit worldwide relief efforts and local food pantries.
If you would like to donate a wall hanging or quilt for the auction – or an item for the bazaar – please contact Mary Sanko for details. Donations will be collected at the March meeting. If possible, please include a photo of each auction item or email her a digital copy. Happy Valentine’s Day Members!
How have you spent the last month with the snowstorms that seem to like to visit us on the weekends? Were you able to work on your UFO’s and get a few more completed? I got one ready to take to the long arm quilter and hopefully will get a few more ready. I hope to actually have a few quilts done and enter into the Quilt Spectrum this year. Gwynne Bettisch would like to see how close we can get to having 300 quilts displayed this year. Do you think the Guild can do it? I still have two fleece jackets for sale, a medium and a large, which will be for sale at the meeting for $35.00. The guild also has one fleece vest in a size medium that will be for sale for $33.00. Please look for these items at the table next to the membership area to purchase these items. The programs committee is still accepting donations for the silent auction. If you have any items to donate, you may leave them on the counter in front of the kitchen. How did you like Pam Riss’s program and her journey of sewing and quilting? I know for myself that I thoroughly enjoyed it. She must sew from the time she wakes up until the time she retires for the evening Just makes me tired thinking about it. Are you excited to hear our speaker this month, Christa Watson? I have taken classes from her and she is a wonderful teacher and hope every member that is able to take her classes will learn a lot. Members please keep in mind that the months that we have a speaker you are welcome to join the program committee on Friday evening for dinner for socializing with them. The Thursday evening dinner is for the program committee only to make sure they have the speaker needs for the weekend. Thank you for understanding and abiding by this. Please remember in case of inclement weather to check our Website, Facebook page or listen to WJBC for a cancellation. Also, if you don’t feel safe coming out, please stay home where you feel safe. Connie Borth President Surprise -- another new HAAQG library book. And this book is my new favorite.
Modern Quilt Magic: 5 Parlor Tricks to Expand Your Piecing Skills - 17 Captivating Projects by Victoria Findlay Wolfe. Wow. Full of projects, tips and tricks, this book is amazing. Victoria writes about our artistic integrity and that we are our own quilt police. She challenges us to look with our eyes and not our heads, to focus on what we like and not fall into the trap of what we don't like. Is this book about life or quilting? For Victoria, I think it's both. Then the 17 projects, some big and some small, some modern, some traditional. Her Herringbone pattern with partial-seam construction reads so simply I might try it. Well, maybe a pillow. Bright colors, well written, clear directions, she has included what we need to make more quilts with ease. In 2019, Victoria Findlay Wolfe's exhibit "Playing with Purpose: A Quilt Retrospective" was displayed to the National Quilt Museum in Paducah. More recently, she was on PBS series, Craft in America : QUILTS. We will continue to take new or renewal subscriptions to Fons & Porter Love of Quilting magazine. Please be sure to pay with personal check, payable to Love of Quilting. If you have books or magazines to donate to Library, please be sure to contact Mary Weakman before bringing to a Guild meeting due to the very limited storage space, we have available. Connie J Carstens Library Our speaker for January 2, is our own Pam Riss. Her program is “My Quilting Evolution.” She was our featured artist at our May 2019 Quilt Spectrum. Many of us were so busy “working the show” that we might not have had a chance to see and enjoy her exhibit. This will be your opportunity to support her and view her artistic creations.
Pam’s introduction to a sewing machine was in her junior high’s home economics class in Decatur, IL. She enjoyed making her own clothes throughout her years at Stephen Decatur High School. In 1973, Pam started teaching math and science in Streator where she met her future husband, Gary. Then came the children and all the fun that comes with Easter, Halloween, Christmas and birthday outfit sewing. Learning to quilt was a goal Pam set for herself when she retired from teaching in 2012. Her mother-in-law, a talented hand quilter, was her inspiration to begin this adventure. Pam’s favorite quilting technique…wait for it…is paper piecing! She loves the exactness that can be achieved. (Must be her mathematical background.) Recently, Pam has developed an interest in machine embroidery and wool applique. Many of us would agree with Pam that there are just not enough hours in the day to learn all there is to learn! Pam quilts with several groups in Streator. Her husband is a blacksmith, her daughter is a dancer and sews, and her son is a woodworker. In Pam’s words, they are a family of “makers.” LOOKING AHEAD February’s speaker/teacher is Christa Watson. Both or her classes are full with waiting list. Those registered for her classes will receive the supply list from Pam Riss or find it on our web. Her program Thursday, February 6, 2020 is: How Do I Quilt It? This is a preview of her presentation. Most quilters understand how important it is to practice machine-quilting designs on small fabric samples, but they often have trouble applying those designs to an actual quilt. In this informative lecture, Christa will share her secrets for machine-quilting success which include: adequate basting, choosing the right thread colors, thinking about how to divide and conquer each task, and learning how to create rich texture with little to no marking of the quilt. Christa will also discuss the importance of making a quilting plan, so you can figure out the best path around the quilt with the fewest stops and starts. Once you see how easy and stress-free her methods can be, you’ll feel empowered to quilt your own quilts! Christa Watson is an award-winning quilter who loves to perform all of her own “stunts” on a regular home sewing machine. She’s a fabric designer for Benartex, and author of three books on machine quilting. She loves to empower others to quilt their own quilts and have fun doing it! February 7, 2020 class: Walking Foot Wonders February 8, 2020 class: Free Motion Favorites LOOKING W A-A-Y AHEAD Our speaker/teacher for March, David Gilleland, has openings in both classes. Please visit his web site, www.vectorquilts.com and type in Equinox and Star Voyage in the search window. Equinox will help to teach you the skills needed to progress to intermediate and advanced foundation piecing patterns. Star Voyage, along with the instructions and follow along videos, will also teach you the skills needed to progress to intermediate and advanced foundation piecing patterns. Perhaps this will interest you to sign up for a class. The Program Committee would like to see more members participating in his classes. March 5, 2020-David Gilleland Program: Foundation vs. Traditional Piecing March 6, 2020 class: Equinox March 7, 2020 class: Star-Voyage Our guild is large and has many wonderful groups from which to choose. Whether you are a new member or have been in the guild for many years, you are welcome to come to the mentor class and meet quilters who enjoy quilting and learning new skills just like you.
January 15, 2020 – Sewing for your sewing room February 20, 2020 – Twister Pinwheels Quilting is alive and well in Central Illinois!
Our guild has been invited to display labors of our love in the art gallery at Normal Public Library during April, May, and June of 2020. The gallery is a rather compact and protected space near the front entrance but will allow a variety of options. Optimum sizes would be LESS than 60 X 60 inches. Good items would be children's quilts, lap quilts, fidget quilts, projects from some of the classes such as Dresden plate, crazy quilts, paper piecing, applique, bags, modern, and others. Projects may be offered for sale if the owner wishes. Display time may be one, two, or three months depending on the number of quilts received. Forms will be available at the December meeting. Also please bring in orphan blocks with finished edges, The edges can be bound, serged, or zigzagged. These will be hands-on "projects" that visitors may touch. These can be brought in at any time. This is the first time the Normal Library will display fiber art, and we want this to be equal to the usual FANTASTIC quilt show for which our guild is known. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email—the numbers are in the Membership directory—if there are any questions. Judy Bennington |
Archives
March 2020
|