Mount Vernon Chapter Officers 2012-2013
President— Ruth Morgan
Vice Presidents/Programs— Barbara Jones & Libby Dudley
Secretary— Dotty Eisenhour
Treasurer—Mary Downey
Nominating Chair— Patricia Bolton
Newsletter—Lynne Fishburn
Vice Presidents/Programs— Barbara Jones & Libby Dudley
Secretary— Dotty Eisenhour
Treasurer—Mary Downey
Nominating Chair— Patricia Bolton
Newsletter—Lynne Fishburn
President’s Message
Quilting - the cause or cure of fretting? I don’t have a tattoo, but if I did, I’m pretty sure it would say “Born to fret.” I think it would have to be stylized and colorful and in a font which would reflect my artistic sensibilities. Oh yes!
Fretting is not
for the faint of heart. Once committed,
you need to make certain that you apply its principles completely. For example, when deciding what to quilt, you
can throw yourself into mountains of indecision just by viewing your
stash. What to do? Is it time to finally cut your treasured and
favorite fabrics? Should you fussy cut,
strip piece, applique? What about that
unfinished project lurking in that plastic bag? Border or not, how to quilt it and of course,
why are we making this quilt? As quilters,
we are always asked these questions, so we must have an answer.
You've selected
your project, you say? Okay, let’s fret about thread and fabric. Do you have enough OR do you have to make a
trip to the store for more? Then do not forget the whole issue of whether we
quilt one project at a time, or whether you quilt from patterns, or kits or
originals or challenges or exchanges or round robins or charity projects.
And don’t we all
say the magic prayer to the ‘quilt goddess’, “Please keep my rotary cutter
straight and true and watch my eye and steady my hand as I sew, so that all my
seams are a scant 1/4 inch and straight”… Before we make the first cut or take
the first stitch? Oh yes, we do. We, fretters certainly do.
The good news is
that I recently realized that I do have the capability to turn off the fret
button when it comes time to hit the “Happy Chair” (aka my most wonderful
sewing chair in front of my really super, smarter than me, sewing machine) for
some quilt time. The hum of the machine as it stitches, the smoothness of
slipping fabric pieces under the needle and the smell of a hot iron on cotton fabric,
works wonders to calm the fretter. This realization didn't come easily to me,
I’ll admit, but with practice, I’m almost certain that I will eventually be
able to enjoy the pulse-lowering/fret-reduction benefits of quilting like the
rest of you.
Happy Quilting!
Ruth Morgan
Boy, is this the time to cuddle up in some of our creations
and auction purchases, or what? Feels
like we should be adding two layers of batting to our new quilt projects
instead of one! If you need more
inspiration or supplies, the Mid-Atlantic show is in Hampton later this month. Bet Eileen Doughty sparked a few ideas with
her January trunk show and class! Be sure to
attend the February 26 program, when Cindy Grisdela, art quilter and QU-Digest
editor, presents a trunk show on her progression from traditional to art
quilter. The next day, Ro Coller and
Lynn Eccleston present a member workshop on Tessellation Techniques. Georgia Bonesteel, well-known for her Lap
Quilting technique and TV program, and for her numerous books, will speak to us
on March 26 on “Stitch by Stitch, Anything’s a Cinch.” On March 27, Georgia will conduct an all-day
workshop on her “Interlock, Revisited” design quilt, geared for beginning to
intermediate quilters. In May, Karen
Combs will visit for a program and a full-day workshop, both focusing on her
quilts of illusion and 3-D techniques. The
Bonesteel and Combs workshops still have some space and are open to all those
interested, both in and outside of MVQU. Profiles and workshop details are under the
“Descriptions” button at right, as is the “Registration Form”. Oh, yeah!
Valentine’s Day comes in February.
What a perfect time for quilters to wrap loved ones in great, big,
home-made hugs?
MVQU BUSINESS MEETING
JANUARY 8, 2013
The meeting was
called to order at 12:30 PM by President Ruth Morgan.
We welcomed Jane Keith, a
friend of Mary Downey, as a visitor.
It was moved and seconded that the Minutes of the November meeting be accepted as presented.
Treasurer’s
Report: Mary Downey reported that we have 90 members as of this date. We still have a healthy balance. However, included in the balance is the money
that we have collected for the raffle quilt which will be forwarded to Big
QU. Also, we will be paying for the cost
of the upcoming lectures and workshops, which will take place this
spring. Mary will send a new roster to
Lynne Fishburn and she will post it on the blog.
Vice President
Libby Dudley outlined the upcoming lectures and
workshops. There are still openings for
all of the events.
Angie Miller reported that lots of tickets have been sold for the raffle quilt. She will make three more visits to other
chapters for more sales. Our chapter
alone is close to 1,000 tickets sold.
Angie also talked about her recent trip to Thailand where she presented
12 quilts made by MVQU members to the young people in the AKHA program. She returned with several thank you
notes. The group was very excited about
learning to do Redwork , taught by Angie, which was the project this year.
Mystery Quilt – Mary Mazzuchi provided directions for step 6 of the project and
requested that the quilts be shown at the June luncheon. Also, she has received 70 Friendship Star
blocks to be given to members leaving the area.
Quilt Collection
for the QU Quilt Show – Lynne Fishburn informed us
that we can register our quilts for the show on the Big QU website.
She will be taking photos of the quilts at the meeting and the bees in
February. She said if that is not a good
time for someone that they call her and she will set up a time. All the instructions for preparing your quilt
for the show are on the blog. Lynne also
reminded us that the 4th Tuesday of the month is the deadline for Newsletter articles.
Announcements
from President Ruth Morgan –
“Because we have been so successful in fundraising these past 2 years,
the board does not feel it is necessary to have items for sale in this year’s
Quilt Show boutique. However, if someone
would like to volunteer to organize us we would be supportive of that effort. Additionally, the Board is also recommending
that we do not have a fundraising event this fall.” (There was agreement among the members that
these are good ideas.)
“There is another quilt group which meets here at Hollin Hall on the
second and fourth Thursday mornings from 9 to 12 in room 216. According to Julie Ellis, the director of
Hollin Hall, this group is open to all members of the senior center. If anyone wants more quilting and sewing
time, feel free to join this group.”
Ruth also announced that January 29 will be the next charity workshop
where we will make flannel baby blankets.
The MVQU Board met last week for the fourth meeting this year.
Also from Ruth, “Mt. Vernon has asked for some storage space to put a
cabinet so that we can store supplies including irons and ironing boards on the
first floor. Julie has agreed and we
will have an exact location in a few weeks.
I would like a volunteer to help me spend some Mt. Vernon funds for the
cabinet and ironing supplies.” Andrea
Gribble offered to help with this endeavor.
Our rent for the Senior Center will go up to $400 next year. For the past two years we have been paying
$300.
The date for a meeting to vote on the slate for the new board, the
budget and the bus trip will be determined later.
We are now accepting $50 deposits for the Retreat in the spring. The
retreat will take place from April 29 – May 2 at Bird in Hand, PA.
Patricia Bolton reported on the work of the Nominating
Committee – Dotty Eisenhour and Mary Downey have offered to serve again as
secretary and treasurer. We still need
nominations for President, Vice President and Nominating Chairman. If we do not get anyone for President, we
cannot continue as a QU group. We will
also need to have a Quilt Show committee chair so the President does not have
to go to all the meetings about the show.
At this point there was a continuation of the discussion of Options concerning the chapter’s
participation in QU. There were many and varied opinions brought forth in the
discussion.
There will be a
vote taken by written ballot once a complete slate is determined concerning our
decision on the option to stay with Big QU or not.
The refreshments
today were provided by Gigi Corbin, Beverly Krysa and Nancy McGlasson.
Door Prizes were won by Joyce Keating,
Andrea Gribble and Barbara Jones.
Those participating in Show and
Tell were: Mary Downey, Libby Dudley,
Heidi Johnson and Nanette Gibbs.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM.
Respectfully
submitted,
Dotty
Eisenhour, Secretary
Have you solved the Mystery?
The
final clue was made available at the January Business Meeting. It is also available on the blog. If you haven’t started it is not too late to
begin. We plan to show our quilts at the
June luncheon.
Nominating Committee
If one of your New Year’s
resolutions is to get off the couch and get in the action – I think I might be
able to help you! The Nominating
Committee is accepting volunteers to fill the slate of officers for the 2013-2014
calendar year. You love coming to
socialize with friends, oogle over our creative “show & tell”, learn new
techniques to stretch your talents, and of course, catch up on the latest
quilting gossip. Part of belonging to
this fabulous group is realizing each of us needs to step out of our comfort
zone to help guide the group through another tremendous year. Let’s hope this is YOUR year! Please call Patricia Bolton.
Spring
Retreat April 29, 30 & May 1, 2013
Come and enjoy three days of fun,
food, friends, fabric shopping and sewing in Bird-In-Hand, PA. Check-in is on April 29 and check-out is on
May 2. Room rates (not including tax)
are: Single $105, Double $105, Triple
$115, Quad $125. A $50 non-refundable,
but transferable deposit secures your room for this great retreat. Make your checks to MVQU. Please direct your questions to Jeanne
Goldfein.
Use ‘Em Up Challenge
This challenge will be a “Strip of the Month” challenge. Each month at the business meeting a
requirement for that month will be announced.
There will be five months’ worth of strips, ending at the June
Luncheon. The finished product will be
shown at the first business meeting in September. The kicker is you
can’t go buy fabric for this project!
You can, of course, beg or borrow from a friend.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1 - You decide the size quilt you want to make – crib, lap,
Quilt of Valor, twin, double, queen, king or any size in between. That decides how wide your strips should
be. You also decide how long you want it
to be. You divide that by five months’
worth of strips and that’s the other dimension of the quilt. However, the strips don’t need to be the same
depth; you can make some thin and some fat or any combination.
Step 2 – Each month there will be a requirement of what you can use
in the strip – for example, perhaps you must use at least one rectangle in your
strip. You make your strip the width and
depth you’ve decided upon. For example,
say you’ve chosen to make a lap size quilt that’s 45” x 60”. Your strips will be about 45” across. If you want all the strips the same depth,
then you’d divide 60 by 5 and make all the strips 12”
Step 3 – At the end of the challenge you buy fabric for a border
and back.
If you have questions - contact Pat Alfredson or Mary Mazzuchi
Registering Your
Quilts for the
Show
Online registration has begun. This year members are restricted to
registering only four (4) items. Also, this year your quilts must be
quilted and bound when registered.
I will be available to photograph and measure your quilt 30 minutes
before the February Business and Program meetings and after the meetings. I will also be available at the bees in
February. The last day for measuring and photographing your quilt
for the show is February 26, 2013.
This date is not negotiable. I
will be having foot surgery on the 27th, so I must complete the
quilt registration process on the 26th. Instructions for getting your quilt ready
for the show can be found on the blog under MVQU Administrative Forms.
Lynne Fishburn, Quilt Collector
Did You Know?
There is another quilting bee which meets at Hollin Hall, called The
Local Quilting Bee and is open to all members of the Senior Center. The Local Quilting Bee meets upstairs in room
216, our bee room, on the 2nd and 4th Thursday mornings
from 9 to 12. For information on how to
become a member of Hollin Hall Senior Center please stop by the office, they
will be happy to help you and answer your questions.
Bad Weather
and Cancellation Policy
When weather
comes, Hollin Hall follows Fairfax County GOVERNMENT closures. If the County government offices are closed,
then Hollin Hall is closed. If there is
a question about weather conditions on any meeting, program or workshop day,
please look for an eBlast. We will make
a decision and let our members know. That
being said, please be careful and use your own good judgment.
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
Gigi Corbin – 2/3 William
Steck – 2/18
Yvette Fallin – 2/4 Marlene
Perry – 2/19
Marian Schwarz – 2/4 Mary
Stauss - 2/19
Cathy Marciano – 2/6 Judy
Albert – 2/22
Carol Conahan – 2/16 Joan
Dwyer – 2/22
February
12, 2013 – MVQU Business Meeting
February 20, 2013 – MVQU March Newsletter
Deadline
February
21-24, 2013 – Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXIV, www.quiltfest.com
February
26, 2013 – MVQU Program Meeting
February
27, 2013 – MVQU Tessellation Techniques Workshop
March
9-10, 2013 – Cabin Branch Show, www.cabinbranchquilters.org
March
13-16, 2013 – Lancaster Quilt Show, www.lancasterquiltshow.webs.com
March
23-24, 2013 – Southern Comforters Quilt Show, www.southerncomforters.org
June
1-2 2013 – Garden State Quilters, www.gardenstatequilters.com
(A note from your editor – When you hear of area events that you
think will be of interest to our members please forward the information on to
me at mvqu.news@gmail.com. Thank you.)
2012 - 2013
Committee Chairs
Auction: Andrea Gribble
Auction Storage: Ro Coller
Community Outreach: Jill Crispino
Community Service: Lynn Miller
December Luncheon: Nancy Barkume, Carol Allen & Joan Peake
June Luncheon: Patricia Bolton & Jeanne Goldfein
Greeter & Door Prizes: Ann Marlin
Challenge/Mystery/Farewell Blocks: Pat Alfredson and Mary Mazzuchi
New Member Kits: Dotty Eisenhour
Quilt Collector: Lynne Fishburn
Hospitality: Carol Conahan
Fall Bus Trip: Andrea Gribble & Mary Downey
Spring Quilt Retreat: Jeanne Goldfein
QU Raffle Quilt: Angie Miller
Auction Storage: Ro Coller
Community Outreach: Jill Crispino
Community Service: Lynn Miller
December Luncheon: Nancy Barkume, Carol Allen & Joan Peake
June Luncheon: Patricia Bolton & Jeanne Goldfein
Greeter & Door Prizes: Ann Marlin
Challenge/Mystery/Farewell Blocks: Pat Alfredson and Mary Mazzuchi
New Member Kits: Dotty Eisenhour
Quilt Collector: Lynne Fishburn
Hospitality: Carol Conahan
Fall Bus Trip: Andrea Gribble & Mary Downey
Spring Quilt Retreat: Jeanne Goldfein
QU Raffle Quilt: Angie Miller
QU Event – Annual Meeting 2013: Andrea Gribble
& Ruth Morgan
Audit: Barbara Dove
Senior Center Rep: Mary Stauss
Audit: Barbara Dove
Senior Center Rep: Mary Stauss
Sunshine:
Barbara Zygiel
Newsletter
Deadline – 4th Tuesday of the Month
March Newsletter deadline has been bumped up to February 20th due to editor’s scheduled surgery on February 27th. Send your articles to mvqu.news@gmail.com
March Newsletter deadline has been bumped up to February 20th due to editor’s scheduled surgery on February 27th. Send your articles to mvqu.news@gmail.com
You are invited!
Please join us March 13-16, 2013 for the
23rd Annual Lancaster Quilt Show
Continental Inn, 2285 Lincoln Highway (Rt. 30) Lancaster, PA.
Tues-Thurs 9am-6pm Saturday 9am-4pm
Free Parking *** Free Admission
* Free Raffle*
( for over $1000 of merchandise donated by our vendors)
34 vendors*******Antique quilt show
Free shuttle between our show and the
Lancaster Spring Quilt Show across the road at the Host Resort.
And of course there is also the AQS show downtown!
Please join us March 13-16, 2013 for the
23rd Annual Lancaster Quilt Show
Continental Inn, 2285 Lincoln Highway (Rt. 30) Lancaster, PA.
Tues-Thurs 9am-6pm Saturday 9am-4pm
Free Parking *** Free Admission
* Free Raffle*
( for over $1000 of merchandise donated by our vendors)
34 vendors*******Antique quilt show
Free shuttle between our show and the
Lancaster Spring Quilt Show across the road at the Host Resort.
And of course there is also the AQS show downtown!
www.lancasterquiltshow.webs.com
