Message from Elizabeth - Virginia Star Quilters

November 2014
Message from Elizabeth:
So much to do, so little time. Oh, how familiar is that phrase. And,
as November gallops along into December, it is not only the days that are
getting shorter. So - do you have your Senior Lap Quilt finished? Today, my
friend - is the day. You heard the representatives from RAAA at the last
meeting describe just how very happy your quilt makes someone in our
community when it is distributed in December. Please bring yours to our
meeting.
Guild Contacts
Board Members
President: Elizabeth SaundersMorris
Vice-President: Kaye Kingsbury
Secretary: Janice Thompson
Treasurer: Joyce Matherly
On a newsy note, I have lots of good news to share. First, Susan M.
and Beverly E. have agreed to be the coordinators for the newly joined (and
then severed) Anniversary Celebration and Quilt Show Committees,
respectively. With 2015 fast approaching, it is exciting to have this get
underway. Do not get too comfortable though, because your support and
active participation is needed if these projects are to be a success. You will be
hearing more about how you can be involved. I promise.
Webmistress: Elizabeth Berger
Your Location Search Committee has been busy, and has taken steps
to ensure we have a place to meet (and eat) after June 30 th, at least
temporarily. More about this can be found at page 3.
Committee Members
Finally, we have been able to secure the Salem Church Library for
the first weekend in November as a site for the 2015 Quilt Show. Of course,
this is subject to change if so preferred by you and the Quilt Show Committee.
In the meantime, it does assure us of a location and one last opportunity to
show off our Raffle Quilt.
Senior Quilts: Linda Walker
Vicki Warner
Oh, by the way, do you have your raffle tickets yet? Elaine M. will
bring some to the meeting – just for you! See you there. 
Elizabeth
UPCOMING DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Dec. 5th, Tricia T.
Dec. 11th, Carol V.
Dec. 7th, Elizabeth S-M.
Dec. 15th, Carol Y.
Dec. 17th, Joyce M.
Dec. 19th, Janice T.
Dec. 29 th, Carol R.
Hospitality: Helen Hildebrand,
Libby Hall & Charlotte Baker
Workshops: Dena Wilkins
Programs: Donna Edwards
Newsletter: Joyce Brightbill
Baby Quilts: Kathy Smith &
Carol Young
Email articles, recipes and tips
for the newsletter to:
[email protected]
Membership dues are $25 for
the year. The guild year runs
from May through April. If you
would like to join, please make
checks payable to:
VSQ
PO Box 1405
Fredericksburg, VA 22402
November Refreshment List
Sweet Snacks
Nancy S.
Betty G.
Kathy S.
Healthy Snacks
Drinks
Barb H.
Shirley K.
Ice
Pat P.
Welcome to our New Members
Marlene A. and Ellen H.
November 19 - Program Spotlight
“What Size Do You Want That Block?”
Have you ever found the perfect quilt block pattern, only to realize it isn’t
the size block you need? Have no fear … it can be done! This evening
Donna will share her favorite techniques to resizing quilt blocks. Yes, there
is some math involved, but we’ll try to keep it simple.
Coming Up …
December 17 - It’s our annual Holiday dinner! Watch for further details.
January 21 - “Let’s Hear From You”.
Have an idea, suggestion,
question, or just wondering why something is the way it is? Here’s your
chance to participate and help make our guild your guild.
February 18 - “Easy Microwave Fabric Dyeing”. Doesn’t this just sound
like fun?! Marty Moon will show us how.
March 18 - Guest speaker Suzi Parron will present “Barn Quilts and the
American Quilt Trail Movement”.
April 15 - Baby Quilts Work Session
Location Search Committee – Update
The Harrison Road Community Center will not be available for our guild
meetings after June 2015. As a result, we have had to begin the search for a new
home. This is not an easy task, as there are many factors to take into
consideration. To ensure that we have a location through the end of 2015, we will
move to the Chancellor Community Center as a temporary location, starting in July
2015.
The Location Search Committee is asking for your input in identifying what
is most important to you in a new location. What features must a new location
absolutely have? What would be nice to have that we may not currently have? Are
there types of activities we’d like to be able to hold in a new location that we can’t
hold now?
Please give this some thought. The Location Search Committee will research
and report on available options, but the guild membership will be making the final
decision. Please let us know what you think!
Donna E., Vicki W., and
Linda W.
VSQ Spring Retreat 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015 – Monday, April 13, 2015
Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center, Blackstone, VA
We have 7 openings left for next April's retreat. We have already started a waiting
list for non- members who are eager to go! In order to give everyone who wants to
go an opportunity to attend, all members who want to go should sign up and pay in
full by the February meeting. We will, at that time, seek out non-members to fill
the slots. They will have several weeks to pay in full by mid- March.
We quilters always seem to have a wonderful time, lots of laughs, friendship, idea
sharing, and food! As always, we certainly encourage our membership to attend if
possible.
You may sign up with a $40 deposit to hold your spot and then make whatever
payments you would like to make from now till February as long as you are paid in
full by the February 2015 meeting. We hope you can join us!
Please contact either of us if you have any questions we can help with.
Sheryl G. & Helen H.
Retreat Committee
Community Projects
SENIOR QUILTS: Senior Quilts are our concentration at this moment. Please try
finishing up lap quilts, walker bags and pillow cases. We will be accepting
completed gifts through the first part of December. We will give you late drop off
information at the upcoming November meeting. Thanks again for supporting the
Senior Quilt Project.
Vicki W. and Linda W.
Current & Upcoming Events
Currently Dec. 20, 2014
Exhibit: Here, There. . . Design is Everywhere!
The Quilts of Anne Oliver, at Virginia Quilt Museum,
Harrisonburg, VA; www.vaquiltmuseum.org
Currently Sept. 5, 2015
Exhibit: Eye on Elegance: Early Quilts of Maryland
and Virginia, at the DAR Museum, 1776 D Street NW,
Washington, DC. Examines little known history of
quilts and their makers from Maryland and Virginia
1790 to 1860. For information see
www.dar.org/museum
December 9
Breakfast with the Curator, Lorie McCown, 2013
Quilt National Artist, Fredericksburg Area Museum,
Fredericksburg, VA. For details and reservations, see
www.famcc.org
2015
February 6 – 8
Birds of a Feather 2015, self-described as ‘The
Nation’s Largest Long-arm Extravaganza’, Virginia
Beach, VA.
See www.virginialongarm.com
July 10 – 26
Sacred Threads, exhibit, workshops and lectures,
Floris United Methodist Church, Herndon, VA.
www.sacredthreadsquilts.com
Free Motion Quilting Workshop
Learn key components to successful free motion quilting.
When: Saturday November 22, 2014
Time: 9 to 5pm
Where: Salem Church Library
Cost: $9.00 (thread, needles, washer)
Limited to 20 VSQ members
Workshop and quilting by Dena Wilkins
Build a foundation for successful quilting:
1) Quilt preparation – Starching, seams, stitch in the ditch
2) Batting – Design, utility & ease of quilting
3) Basting for success – Spray, pins & other tidbits
4) Thread – Quality, weight, type and thread delivery
5) Needles – Quality, size and the right needle for the job
6) Quilting foot – Visibility and tracking
7) Bobbin Matters – Bobbin washer and bobbin winding
8) Essential tools – gloves, sliders, extension table or level surface
9) Quilting prep – warm-up, samples sandwich, tension & thread testing
Workshops 2015
Mariner’s Compass for Beginners
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Teacher – Cindy Simms
Website – www.cindysimms.net
Quick Piecing Techniques
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Teacher – Kathy Lincoln
Website – www.kathylincoln.com
Quilter’s R & R – Sewing, quilting, giveaways, and games
Saturday, June 6, 2105
Art Quilts - Lazy Landscape
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Teacher – Lisa Ellis
Website – www.ellisquilts.com
Swirly Girls Designs – Grand Central quilt
Saturday, Sept 26, 2015
Teacher – Susan Emory – Tentative
Website – www.swirlygirlsdesign.com
2015 Spring and Summer Block Exchange
A lengthy description of the 2015 Spring and Summer Block Exchange has been published in a previous
newsletter. If you are new to the Guild or have trouble finding it, please feel free to send me an e-mail and I’ll
be glad to send you another copy.
In a nutshell, the first nine groups have a required technique or level of difficulty, as described below.
Groups 10 to 26 are theme groups and any technique is allowed for that theme. For example, you could make
an embroidered Easter Bunny, or an appliqued or paper pieced one, you may find a bunny pattern for piecing, or
simply make a pieced block, that you feel confident making, using Easter Bunny fabric. You make one block
for each member in each group you sign up for. Groups are limited to 4 members. It’s that easy!
Free
patterns
and
directions
for
many
blocks
can
be
found
online
at
www.quilterscache.com/BlocksbySizeC.html. Our blocks need to be 12.5” by 12.5” raw and 12” by 12” after
having been added to a quilt. Each time you sign up for a group, you will be responsible for 4 blocks (three to
trade and one for yourself to keep) by May 2015.
Last chance to sign up is at the November 19 Guild meeting or by e-mail or phone to Kayleigh Coleman
or Michele Smith before the Close of Sign-up on November 19, 2014. Please keep in mind that no new
additions are possible past midnight November 19, since the final list will be processed and mailed to all
participants at that time and so many people are involved. This will give all of us five full months to make our
blocks.
The Block Exchange Party is proposed for a Sunday in May, from about 1:30 pm to 5 pm at the
Porter Branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, which is located at 2001 Parkway Blvd in
Stafford, VA 22554. It is easy to get in and out and has a nice parking lot and nice rooms. We will have a fast,
fun, and well organized exchange.
For sign-up, questions, comments, or corrections please e-mail or call Kayleigh Coleman.
Group 1 “Easy Piecing” – Using Squares and Rectangles
Group 2 “Medium Piecing” – Using Squares, Rectangles, and Triangles
Group 3 “Harder Piecing” – Using Curved Piecing or more than 50 pieces of fabric in the block
Group 4 “Easy Paper Piecing” – Less than 20 pieces of fabric in the block
Group 5 “Medium Paper Piecing” – More than 20 but less than 50 pieces in the block
Group 6 “Harder Paper Piecing” – More than 50 pieces in the block
Group 7 “Easy Appliqué” – Raw edge or fusible applique, top stitched by machine
Group 8 “Medium Appliqué” – Needle turn applique with an easy pattern or fusible with hand stitched edges
Group 9 “Harder Appliqué” – Needle turn applique with sharp points and tight turns
Group 10 “Easter Bunny”
Group 11 “Daffodils or Tulips”
Group 12 “Religious Easter”
Group 13 “Gardening”
Group 14 “Sun (Sunset, Sunny Day, Sun Rise, Sunny Reflections on Water)”
Group 15 “Birds and Bird Houses (including Nests with Eggs and Baby Birds)”
Group 16 “Water (Fountains, Lakes, Ocean, Rain, T-storm, Puddles)”
Group 17 “Memorial Day or 4th of July”
Group 18 “Flowers”
Group 19 “Animal Mother with Young (other than birds)”
Group 20 “Trees, Shrubs, and Grasses”
Group 21 “Fruits and Vegetables”
Group 22 “Beach”
Group 23 “Flip Flops”
Group 24 “Garden Party / Picnic”
Group 25 “Anything Goes – Your favorite Spring or Summer theme block that does not fit any other category”
Group 26 “Butterflies”
Virginia Star Quilters Guild
Minutes of the General Meeting
October 15, 2014, 7:00 pm
Harrison Road Community Center
Elizabeth S. called meeting to order and Donna E. started the Program for the evening, titled “Where do
our Senior & Baby Quilts Go?” Speakers this evening were Pat Holland and Brigette Hovermill from
RAAA and Patricia Wolfery from MWH Volunteers.
1. A special election for the office of Secretary was held. A nomination of Janice T. was made by
Nancy C. and seconded by Vicki W. Voting by show of hands was held and Janice T. was
installed as Secretary of VSQG by Elizabeth S.
2. Motion by Carol Y., seconded by Kathy S. to approve the minutes of the September meeting
minutes as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.
3. Elizabeth S. noted that 3 members shared today as a birthday. Congratulations!
4. Joyce M. gave the Treasurers Report, including the proceeds of the sale of raffle tickets at Expo.
5. Donna E. discussed next month’s program - “Re-sizing Quilt Blocks”. She also invited anyone
with a suggestion for new programs to get in touch with her.
6. Dena W. reminded everyone that there are 5 spots left for next month’s Workshop on Nov. 22 on
Free Motion Quilting. The $9.00 entry fee includes door prizes, 6 sample threads from Aurifil as
well as information on threads, needles, tension, and other useful information.
7. Linda W. has Baby Quilt kits available at the meeting tonight for anyone interested. She also
noted that in the future Carol Y. will co-chair the committee on Baby Quilts while Linda W. will
step down as co-chair of Baby Quilts and instead help Vicki W. with Senior Quilts.
8. Kayleigh C. has the sign-up list for spots in the 2015 block exchange. The blocks will be due next
May. Sign up closes November 19th. The blocks will all be 12.5 x 12.5 unfinished. Various
themes are still available.
9. Hospitality: A list is going around to sign up for refreshments at next meeting.
10. Plans for Christmas party are well underway. All members present received a beautiful printed
invitation to Dec. 17th's VSQG Dinner Party “ A Candy Caned Christmas” at the Harrison Road
Community Center at 6:00 PM. Bring a Dish to share and a “quilty” gift for the Gift Exchange.
The theme for the gift is “A Quilters Christmas.”
11. Pat B. expressed her thanks for everyone who helped with the Expo, and encouraged everyone to
continue to sell raffle tickets to anyone they think would be interested in the gorgeous raffle quilt.
Elizabeth added her thanks, as well. She also indicated that Elaine has tickets tonight for anyone
who wishes to purchase or sign out tickets to sell. Raffle quilt was displayed. It is stunning!
12. Dena W. mentioned how many positive comments and interest there was at the Expo related to the
fliers and the guild.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:36 pm, followed by Show and Tell. What a great group of very talented
quilters.
Submitted by Janice T.