September 2015
/September Speaker: John Flynn
September 15, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm (Note: EARLY START TIME!)
John Flynn, well-known instructor, author, inventor and fabric designer, offers classes which not only teach a project but give students an opportunity to improve their piecing and quilting skills with his low key one-on-one guidance. Don’t miss a chance to participate in one of his innovative workshops and see some of John’s wonderful quilts up close.
John Flynn, a graduate in Civil Engineering from MSU in Bozeman, built bridges and concrete structures all over Montana and northern Wyoming until 1989, when his family construction company closed. His hobby, quilting, then became his full time profession.
Early quilts, such as “King’s X”, were entered in local and national contests and generated interest in his work. Guilds from all over the world began to invite John to lead workshops and teach his time saving, accurate techniques. “Big Bang + 1 Second”, an original design, won First Place in the Traditional category of the Pointillist Palette Challenge and “Little Star of Montana” , also an original design, was a prize winner in a RJR Fabric contest.
John is the author of four quilting books, one of which, “Double Wedding Ring” has been in print and selling actively since publication in 1990. He has been a guest on a variety of television and computer shows and was featured in the American Quilter’s Society’s series, “American Quilter”. He has led quilting workshops in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia, in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia and Japan.
Hand quilting has always been one of John’s favorite pastimes. Although many of his recent quilts are machine pieced on his patented “Flynn Multi-Frame” system, evenings or weekends usually find him hand quilting, often with a football game playing in the background.
John works in Billings with his wife, Brooke and daughter, Kate Flynn Nichols, who shares her father’s design and drafting skills. John and Brooke live in Red Lodge, Montana.
September Workshop: Storm at Sea, John Flynn
September 16, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
STORM AT SEA is an intermediate worksop. Those straight line seams end up looking curved – it is an optical illusion which has fascinated quilters for a long time! Traditionally done in shades of blue, John has updated the look in different colorways and in scraps. Pre-cut Kits are available. For those who prefer to use their own fabrics, there is a template fee of $12. Download the supply list.
Early Meeting Time This Month!
September’s meeting will begin at 6:00 so that we can learn check in/out procedures, set-up and take-down procedures, and other details we need to facilitate a smooth quilt show experience for everyone. There will be a new system for hanging the quilts, which will include black draperies to really set off our quilts, giving a much more professional look to the show. You won’t want to miss this!
Village Quilters President’s Letter
Beautiful weather!! Beautiful few days in Stratford, Ontario for the Shakespeare festival. Why haven’t I gone before? I will surely go again.
We loved Sharon Rotz’s lecture. Such a vibrant and free quilting style with a commitment to using all the fabric, down to the crumbs. That sure gives me ideas for the Scrapapalooza bags of lovely fabrics. The workshop was a delight. We learned a way of string piecing on a muslin backing that was new to me. The group made significant progress on a manageable project. I hope to see a set of them in the 2018 quilt show.
Can you believe that the 2016 quilt show is almost upon us? I am looking forward to seeing the show. I hear that there are many beautiful quilts and it is in a beautiful space.
Looking back on this letter, I guess I am in a “beautiful” mood. It certainly seems so. One must stop and appreciate it when a long, good streak hits one’s life.
I signed up for some shifts at the show. Did you? It’s easy. I have a few labels left to go and I am ready for the show.
Happy Quilting!
Linda
Treasurer’s Report
Balance 7/24/15: $27,896.87
Income: $614.00
Expenses: $6,799.74
Balance 8/24/15: $21,711.13
Respectfully submitted,
Kimberly Jurco Treasurer
Sunshine
We have a new Sunshine chairperson, Claire Machinist! A big thank you goes out to her for volunteering! If you know someone in the guild who is ill or has experienced a loss, please call or email Claire. Her contact information is in the Village Quilters Directory, which is in the Members Only section of the website. She will send a card on behalf of Village Quilters.
Programs
The programs for 2016-2017 are close to being set, but there is a need to begin booking soon for the 2017-2018 program year. Top speakers and teachers often book up years in advance.
If you would like to see a particular speaker, or take a workshop from a teacher you admire, we need your input. You may have noticed there is a new box in the upper right corner of our webpage at the top of the Quick Links, in which you can enter a name, a website, or a blog address, or perhaps an area of quilting you'd like to learn more about. Please use this box to submit your suggestions. Together we can choose programs that benefit all our members.
Quilt Show News
Check In/Check Out Procedure
Thanks so much to the Check In and Check Out Committee Volunteers. We are proud to provide this very important job, taking responsibility for each quilt while it is in our possession. Check In will be held from 8 AM to 10 AM on Thursday morning, but you may bring your quilt as early as 7 AM if necessary. You may ask a friend to bring your quilts to be checked in as well.
In September we will distribute a 4" x 6" ID Card for each quilt, showing the quilt's name, the maker's name and the "address" to which the quilt will be taken to be hung. Please attach the ID card to the back of your quilt in the lower left-hand corner with two safety pins, and fold the quilt so that the ID card shows as you present it to the Check In Staff.
Check Out will happen only after the entire show has been dismantled and the truck has been loaded with stands and other equipment. We suggest that everyone try to help with taking down the show, as this will help to shorten the time... "many hands make light work"! If you are not able to participate in the more athletic aspects of taking down the show, there will be other jobs for you, such as folding the black draperies or carrying light-weight objects to be placed on the truck. Margaret and Kate will offer specific suggestions at our September meeting. And most important of all... remember to have fun!
Feather Schroeder
Staffing
Thank you to all the members for embracing our online sign up. We are 49% filled, so we are halfway there. The beauty of this program is that you can go online and check your assignment and change or add when necessary. I will be at the September meeting to help everyone get signed up, and I promise not to ring any more bells or horns. Any questions? Please call Andrea Krier!
Thank you, Peggy!
A big thanks to Peggy Schemenauer for donating the making, printing, and cutting of the quilt show ballots. It one less thing we have to do! We really appreciate it!
Each One Reach One!
We are reaching out via Facebook to bring new faces to our show, but we don’t want to forget to invite our friends, neighbors, and family members! They are the show’s backbone, our personal supporters, and the people who will care the most about our quilts, even if they aren’t into quilting.
How can we reach out to this special group? We need your help. There are so many things each of us can do that don’t require a lot of time or expense. If you use Facebook, Like us, Join our Event, and Invite your Facebook friends! But if you aren’t a Facebook user, pick up some bookmarks at the next meeting to hand out to those you see, and send one via U.S. Mail to those further away. Download our official Quilt Show poster, print copies to place in friendly businesses and public gathering spots in your town (remember to ask permission before posting), and attach the downloaded file to emails to remind your friends of the date. Download a colorful small logo or larger logo to use in emails or on social media.
These downloads are also available on our website, at the Members' Show Info web page (look under "Show" in the top menu).
No one person has to do everything, but every little thing adds up. Help us reach as many people as possible to show off our beautiful quilts and raise funds for the guild!
Kearstie Grenier, Publicity Chair
Scrapapalooza
Scrapapalooza is a huge success! We have 350 bags of beautiful fabrics (that comes to 435 lbs of fabric) that you have donated to the effort to raise $1000 at the Quilt Show... and I know you will want to buy them back after you see how beautifully the bags are packed! Tell your quilting friends about the scrap bags... they are perfect for string and scrap quilts. Thank you all for the donations.
Gayle Springer
Boutique Still Accepting Items For Show
Donations of items to sell in the Boutique will still be accepted at the September Guild meeting. Among the items already donated by guild members are: table runners, Christmas tree skirts, pincushions, coasters, can cozies, wall hangings, ornaments, zippered bags, and more.
All proceeds of items donated to the Boutique will go to the Guild.
The Boutique should be a big money maker for the Guild this year thanks to the generous donations by members of fabric scraps for Scrap-a-palooza, aprons, and handmade boutique items. We appreciate everyone's contributions to the Boutique.
Judi, Gayle, Frieda
Silent Auction Seeking Donations
The Silent Auction will accept donations right up until the show. Silent Auction items are typically small and one of a kind. We need your donations! All proceeds from the auction go directly to the guild.
Quilts of Valor
We would like to thank everyone who has supported our Service Project and made a Quilt of Valor or two... so far!
Although the deadline has passed for registering quilts to be hung in the Quilt Show, there is still time to finish and submit a Quilt of Valor. The deadline is Sept. 12th... so keep those sewing machines humming!
Though it is not mandatory, we are still hoping quilters have made a Presentation pillowcase for their Quilts of Valor from one of the kits we distributed during our March Madness Quilt-a-thon... or have made one to coordinate with their quilt. Presentation cases are quick and easy and fun.
We are looking forward to seeing all the beautiful Quilts of Valor at the show!
Kathy Sorkin and Cheryl Mercy,
Service Committee
Quilt Appraisals
The quilt show is about one month away!
There is still time to sign up for an appraisal or two. There are many time slots open and I hope you will consider getting one or two quilts appraised. It’s a very interesting process, and you might be pleasantly surprised at the value of your quilt(s). Sandy Schweitzer, AQS Certified Quilt Appraiser, will be appraising quilts at our quilt show. Appraisals take approximately thirty minutes and each appraisal is $50.00 (cash or check); Sandy also donates $5.00 from each appraisal back to our guild.
Quilts are appraised for one of three reasons: Insurance (replacement value); fair market (comparable sales value); and donation (comparable sales value).
If you would like to sign up for an appraisal, I will be located at a table by the entrance at our general meetings. Or, you can call me or email me to sign up or ask questions.
Judy Hillebrand
The Ever-Expanding Thread Ball
Our thread ball is growing and getting heavy but I know it's going to get bigger, so bring your scrap thread to the September meeting. Look for the basket at the sign in table.
Carol
Membership
Welcome to new member, Alice Wynn and returning member, Heidi Stark!
Ginny Flock and Kate Mayer Tekampe
Happy Birthday!
September Birthdays
Nancy Smith, September 5
Feather Schroeder, September 12
Lorraine Potts, September 15
Tera McBlaine, September 17
Linda Spring, September 17
Maggie Schmude, September 18
Cheryl Kucera, September 20
Cathleen Gustavson, September 21
Laurie Waldron, September 24
Mary Dietz, September 26
October Birthdays
Jane Reents, October 9
Myretta Taylor, October 16
Patricia Ann Olmstead, October 18
Joni Baumli, October 23
Marge Rockenbach, October 23
Mirre Nenn, October 24
Sue Ann Kuby, October 26