September Bus Trip - Register Now - Updated

Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza
Friday, September 17, 2010

Mt. Vernon members have a unique opportunity to participate in the bus trip to the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza in the Greater Philadelphia area on Friday, September 17, 2010. The bus will be leaving the Senior Center at 6:30 am and returning at 8:30 pm. The special price for Mt. Vernon members is $35.00, non-members may attend for a cost of $55.00. For this fee you will have a seat on the bus, admission to the show, driver tip, and a light breakfast (bagel, cream cheese, juice), a little snack for later (such as an apple, a granola bar and a bottle of water) and all of these will be given to you on the way to the show. We’ll have door prizes on the bus and a few games to keep things exciting! And maybe a movie on the way home.

This show is unique – the quilts are especially beautiful and have entrants we won’t see anywhere else, and the vendor court has many unique and unusual vendors with especially tempting goods! If you’d like to find out more about this show, check out their website at www.quiltfest.com

Lunch is on your own and available at the show, and we will be stopping on the way back for a quick, on your own dinner at one of the Maryland Welcome Centers. There will also be room for small coolers on the bus, if you would rather “picnic” your way through the day. Once paid, your fee will be nonrefundable, so please check your calendar before submitting your registration form. As a member you may sign up a guest now before the trip is opened up to other QU guilds, but remember your guest’s fee is $55.00. If you are interested in joining us please download and complete the registration form and submit it with your check to Andrea Gribble by mail.

So far we have only had five registration forms submitted. If we do not have at least 25 applicants by August 25, we will have to cancel this activity. This would be a real shame – this was such a wonderful opportunity for our guild last year – it was so unique and such a wonderful time was had by all who participated! We will start announcing open registration to all QU members on August 1 (to try to avoid cancellation), so please take advantage of your Mt. Vernon status now, and get your registration forms in early.

Please note: If you have a cell phone, please include your number on the form in case of emergencies (i.e. so that we can call you if you haven’t shown up by departure time, if you get lost, if we get lost, etc.)

June 2010 - Newsletter

2009 – 2010
President—Bert GarinoTreasurer—Dotty Eisenhour
Vice President/Programs—Ellen PattonNominating Chair—Libby Dudley
Secretary—Cathy HanrattyNewsletter—Agnes Purcell

2010 – 2011
President— Lynne FishburnTreasurer—Dotty Eisenhour
Co-Vice Presidents/Programs— Lynn Eccleston and Gigi Corbin
Nominating Chair— Ann Poulin
Secretary— Angie MillerNewsletter—Agnes Purcell

President's Letter

Summer is upon us and the blizzards of the past year a fleeting white memory. I hope you all have wonderful plans the next few months for travel or spending special time with your kids or grandkids, family and friends.

I want to thank each of you for the opportunity to serve as President of MVQU this past year. I immensely enjoyed the experience and am proud of all that we accomplished. It was a busy year! The best part of being President was getting to know so many more of you personally, especially those who served on the MVQU board and all our Committee Chairs. These ladies became the backbone of our guild and I am sure they will agree with me, you only get out of any organization what you put into it. By getting involved in your guild, you not only help MVQU to be a more productive chapter, but you will also feel more a part of this wonderfully unique and creative group of women and men.

We are still in need of committee chairs for our New Year starting in July. Now is the perfect opportunity if you’ve never served before or if it’s been awhile. Please step up and join in the fun for next year. E-mail Lynne Fishburn and tell her which committee you’d like to join.

I look forward to seeing you all at our June Luncheon at the Mount Vernon Inn.

Last, but not least my final harmony quote…

"A quilt is a symbol for the universe. Inside it, each piece relates to the other. Each piece is only answerable to the rest of that little world. So, probably in the total universe, there is that kind of total harmony, but we get only little tastes of it. " Sister Corita Kent (with one word change)

Smiles, Bert

Committees – A Message from Our President Elect

Committees are what make our guild a great guild. Committees make the fun happen. They challenge our creativity, provide opportunities for learning and help meet special needs for people living in our community. Our committees are the glue that binds us, what makes our guild special and make it the place we all want to be and to bring our friends.

Thank you to the following ladies for stepping up to serve as next year’s Committee Chairs:

Agnes Purcell – Blog/Newsletter
Barbara Dove – Audit
Barbara Tucker – SunshineMary Stauss – Senior Center Rep
Rhonda Adams & Beth Smith – Challenge/BOM/Mystery
Barbara Tucker & Ro Coller – Fundraising
Ro Coller – Quilt Retreat
Andrea Gribble – Bus Trip

We have many committees that still need a Chairperson:

Quilt Show Committee – Carol Kunkel has agreed to continue if no one steps forward but would like a year off.
Greeter/Door Prizes – Carol Conahan has agreed to continue if no one steps forward but would like a year off.
Quilt In March 2011
Community Service Chair
Community Outreach
Quilt Collector
New Member Kits
Hospitality
December Luncheon
June Luncheon

Please consider chairing a committee. Many do not require much time. Chairing a committee is a good way for new members to get to know people and a good way for long time member to get to know the newer members. All of us working together and shouldering a little responsibility will keep Mt. Vernon Quilters Unlimited the special place it has come to be and the guild people want to join.

Lynne Fishburn
President Elect

MVQU Programs 2009-2010

• June 8, 2010 - June Luncheon – Mt Vernon Inn Restaurant at 12:30 PM

Charity Workshop
June 29, 2010 – Nine Patch Nonsense

Our next Charity Workshop will be Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at Hollin Hall Senior Center from 11:30 to 3:30. We will be making quilts for Quilts of Valor. Donations of fabrics that are red and blue are needed. Small prints are acceptable and do not have to be themed patriotic, they just need to read red and blue. These quilts will be scrappy and made using the Nine Patch Nonsense block with blue in the corners, red in the north, south, east, west positions and gold (provided by guild) in the center position. We will cut the squares 6 inches. The instructions for making this block can be found on our blog under BOM and scrolling down to the post for October 1, 2007. Mark your calendars now and plan to come join in the fun........

Your Charity Chairs,
Lynne Fishburn and Lynn Eccleston

Priority Alzheimer Art Quilts – from Kathy Edwards

For the past couple of years I’ve been making Alzheimer Art quilts to be auctioned on the website, http://www.alzquilts.org. The website is operated by Ami Simms, a quilter who lives in Flint, Michigan. You can read all about Ami and her goals here.

I organized a group submission from the MVQU Chapter a few years ago and you contributed a number of quilts. I’m writing to remind you that they have still not found a cure for Alzheimer’s. My mother suffered from this disease as did my father. His condition was not diagnosed until a few months before he died at age 92.

I recently submitted four new quilts up for auction. You can preview them on my blog kathyeplace.blogspot.com… You’ll have to scroll down a few days, or you can go to the website alzquilts.org to view them. They are numbers 5253, 5254, 5255, and 5256. You may remember that a woman in New Jersey sent me her husband’s neck ties out which I made 3 quilts for her. There are pieces of his remaining neckties in each of these quilts.

I encourage you to make one of these little treasures and send it to Ami. I’d love to know there is a cure for this disease in my lifetime.

Upcoming Area Shows and Exhibits

• June 12-13, 2010 -- Quilts by the Bay, Annapolis, Md. Information at http://www.annapolisquiltguild.org/quilt_show.htm
• June 18-20, 2010 Blue Ridge Quilt Festival, Blacksburg, VA. Information available at http://www.brqfestival.com/basic_info_19.html

June Calendar

• June 1, 2010 — Bee, 12:30 pm, Room 216, Hollin Hall Senior Center
• June 8, 2010 – June Luncheon, 12:30 PM, Mt. Vernon Inn Restaurant
• June 15, 2010 — Bee, 12:30 pm, Room 216, Hollin Hall Senior Center
• June 22, 2010 — Bee, 12:30 pm, Room 216, Hollin Hall Senior Center
• June 29, 2010— Community Service, 11:30-3:30 PM, Room 112, Hollin Hall Senior Center

Looking Ahead

• Every Tuesday in July and August — Bee, 12:30 pm, Room 216, Hollin Hall Senior Center

Mt Vernon QU Business Meeting

May 11, 2010

The meeting was called to order at 12:32 PM by President Bert Garino.

We had two first time visitors: Frances Saylor and Pam Finnegan.

There were no corrections to the April minutes so they stand as written.

Treasurers’ report: Dotty Eisenhour reported the balance. The chapter is in good financial shape. Dotty is now accepting registration forms and checks for 2010/2011 membership.

Vice President: Ellen Patton says there are still openings for the Didi Salvatierre workshop on May 26th. Ellen will offer these slots to other chapters soon.

Webmaster: Agnes Purcell needs newsletter items by June 1st. If you have show and tell today please fill out an index card with the name and description of your item(s) to make it easier and faster to get photos posted in the blog. Agnes will send an email out to all members to request volunteers for the show.

Boutique: Ro Coller is asking for finished items for the Boutique to be turned in to her by May 25th. Please set the price for your item(s). Any items unsold at the show will be returned to the guild and put in our auction.

Spring Luncheon: Pat Alfredson and Mary Mazzuchi are collecting checks for the luncheon which will be on June 8th, 12:30 at Mt Vernon. The cost is $16 and there is a choice of entrees.

Community Service: Our next workshop is June 29th, 11:30-3:30 at Hollin Hall. We will make Quilts of Valor using split nine patch blocks. Gold fabric will be provided and donations of red and blue fabrics (solids or reads as solid) will be accepted. These should be 6 inch squares.

Quilt Collector: Joan Bingman will collect quilts on May 18th and 25th. All information is on the blog about the labels and sleeve requirements. If you are submitting a “Come Fly With Me” quilt please see Joan about the hanging requirements.

Unfinished Business:

Mt Vernon Quilt Show Rep: We still need someone to head up the committee for our quilt show responsibility for next year (Programs and Cards). Agnes Purcell has volunteered to be on the committee.

Raffle Tickets: We still have raffle tickets available for the quilt which will be raffled off at the show.

D0nations: Lynn Eccleston went through the sewing items/fabric donated to us by a woman who is going into assisted living. She was able to get some fabric which will go into the Quilts of Valor, notions to put into baskets for the boutique or auction and supplies for the Didi Salvatierre workshop.

Bus Trip: If there is enough interest from the members, Andrea Gribble has volunteered to organize a bus trip. Thirty people at the meeting indicated that they would like a bus trip. Please give suggestions for trips that you would like to go on (shopping, quilt shows) to Andrea.

The Vienna QU chapter is having their auction at the firehouse in Vienna on May 18th at 7 PM.

There is a Nationals game on Friday, May 21st at 7:05 PM versus the Orioles. Stitch and Pitch is for needle workers (quilters, knitters, needlepoint etc) and we’ll be seated with other needle workers. Seats are $13 for outfield and $25 for left field. There is a boat from the Torpedo Factory to the game. Visit baseballboat.com (http://www.potomacriverboatco.com/baseball-boat.php) for info

Jim Gilach came late to the Bee on May 4th to do sewing machine repair.

New Business:

Annual Meeting: Quilters Unlimited’s annual meeting will be on Thursday, May 20th at 7:30 PM in the Ernst Community Cultural Center of Northern Virginia Community College, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale. Sharon Stroud will be the guest speaker. Ms Stroud will conduct workshops on Friday, May 21st (Dresden Plate – hand piecing and hand appliqué) and Saturday, May 22nd (hand quilting) at the Artful Quilter, 9570-L Burke Road, Burke.

Programs 2010/2011: If you have any suggestions for programs please send them to Lynn Eccleston or Gigi Corbin.

Show and Tell: Agnes Purcell, Barbara Zygiel, Barbara Dove, Libby Dudley, Bert Garino, Joyce Keating, Lynn Eccleston, and Jim Melton shared their work with us.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:15 PM so we could enjoy the refreshments provided by Carol Conahan, Barbara Dove, and Kathy Murray.

Respectfully submitted,
Cathy Hanratty

Birthdays

June
June 03 - Carol Eberhardt
June 07 - Sally Spangler
June 09 - Nancy McGlasson
June 13 - Gene Ives
June 16 - Melissa Papajohn
June 20 - Joan B. Peake
June 26 - Rhonda Adams
June 26 - Rosemary Coller

July
July 01 - Kathleen Pellegrini
July 04 - Beverly Dasch
July 04 - Mie A. Oshima
July 16 - Rosemary Bernier
July 17 - Bert Garino
July 23 - Pat Alfredson
July 25 - Barbara Dove
July 30 - Nancy Barkume

August
August 04 - Marianne Urban
August 05 - Barbara Edler
August 09 - Catherine Snyder
August 15 - Gail Franchi
August 15 - Rebecca George
August 18 - Beverly Papajohn
August 23 - Kathy Edwards
August 25 - Linda Townsend
August 26 - Joan Bingman
August 30 - Laura Auer


Please submit items to Agnes Purcell, MVQU Newsletter Editor, at mvqu.news@gmail.com or send to 8123 Steadman Street, Alexandria, VA 22309. You may also call her at 703-780-8460. The deadline for the September newsletter is September 1st.