April 2021
/Program: Annual Meeting
Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 7:00 PM via Zoom
Happy Easter!
I have been working to put together a wide variety of programs for us this year, trying to introduce us to new techniques and designers as we “widen our quilt horizon”.
In May we have Karen Miller joining us again for her lecture “Align Your Free Motion Quilting Stars” and then the following Saturday Karen will work with us on our doodle skills with “A Quilter’s Doodles”.
In June we are privileged to have Annie Smith join us for her lecture “How Tech is Changing the Way We Quilt” followed by an applique workshop developed just for us!
In July we have Jenni Smith joining us all the way from England to talk about her new book “Quilting with Liberty Fabrics” – we will not have a workshop this month so we can get busy on boutique and silent auction items.
In August we have Pride and Joy Quilting joining us for a lecture with her fabulous foundation pieced quilts – again no workshop with this one as we really should be working on boutique and silent auction items.
Keep your eye on the calendar as we solidify our fall plans!
Kate Brennan, Programs Committee chair
Christine’s Chatter
Spring is trying to spring! I see evidence on many days lately. One day the temps will be in the mid 60s and the next day a high of 38, but tell my daffodils that spring isn’t coming. They are about to burst forth with mounds of color in our backyard.
The March “Tool Time” was so enjoyable. Needless to say, I put a few things in my “Connecting Threads” shopping basket. Thank you, Marti and Sharon, for putting this informative program together for us.
I have been in touch with the church regarding our ability to again meet in person. They said they are hoping to open to in-person meetings sometime in June. They don’t know what that will look like yet, but as I know more, I will keep you all informed.
Spring brings many changes to our world and in Village Quilters. Our annual meeting is Tuesday, April 20th at 7 p.m. Traditionally, this would be a meeting where we eat together, but the continued distancing guidelines prevent us from doing that right now. Instead we will meet on Zoom and take care of some business as a group.
The agenda follows:
Installation of new Board members and thanking those who are leaving the Board
Approval of changes to the bylaws with a vote – Linda Spring and committee
2021-2022 budget proposal and vote – Alice Hutchinson
Committee members presenting their annual report.
Quilt show – Madge Pierce and Barb Jolley
Birthday blocks – Edythe Hirasawa and Nancy Smith
Service – Kathy Sorkin
Programs – Sharon Pierluissi and Kate Brennan
Membership – Kathy Avellone and Sue Ann Kuby
To create a party atmosphere, please make and share a favorite block or a block that describes your personality. It can be small or large, but use your creative juices. We will share these at our meeting.
Again, enjoy the change of seasons. I hope that many if not most of you have received your first vaccine so that we may soon see each other in 3D, not on a flat screen!
Christine Tindell, President
Online Sew-Along
We are planning a Sew-Along on Saturday, April 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. , on Zoom. This is an informal, virtual opportunity to visit with our members as we sew, chat, and catch up.
You may work on your own projects and can join and leave the meeting at any time. We would love to see what is under your needle. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Schober.
Service Projects
QUILT OF VALOR Block of the Month
We are in the ninth month and only have four more blocks to make! For the star portion in one of my blocks this month, I made an Arkansas Star. Instructions for the 6” finished block can be found on the All People Quilt website.
Hopes and Dreams Challenge
Forty-five beautiful quilts have been donated so far. The deadline to submit a quilt is the end of May. More information can be found on the Village Quilters Service page.
Thank you for all your donations!
Kathy Sorkin, Service Committee
Quilts from the Village Show 2021
Madge Pierce and Barb Jolley have started adding to the list of activities we are working on. In the past month many more have told us they are partially or fully vaccinated and feeling so much happier and positive about our show. We noticed that the Missouri Star Quilt Co. is opening their town again on May 3rd. This is also very encouraging.
Madge continues to remain in contact with her point person at the Libertyville Sports Center assuring continued statements that they plan to open in June/July and that our request for the space is at the top of the list.
Many of the various committee chairs will be reaching out to our members and we are pleased with the level of participation to date. If and when you are asked, please agree to help. If you wish to perform a behind the scenes activity, just say so and we will be sure to find one for you.
We are looking at a variety of alternative activities to make our show possible, yet safe for all, and most certainly a joyous event. Remember that we must PLAN to have a show to be able to HAVE it. If the state or county tell us we cannot then we will stop and cancel the in-person portions and refund or recover any monies issued or received. We ask that everyone remain positive as we begin to emerge from this past darkness and learn how to spend time in the company of others.
Madge Pierce and Barb Jolley, Quilt Show Co-Chairs
Boutique at the Quilt Show
Members have the opportunity to participate in the 2021 Quilt Show Boutique in one of two ways:
Be a Member-Vendor and create original items of your own to price and sell in the Boutique.
85% of the sales go to the Member-Vendors; 15% is donated to the Village Quilters Guild. Member-Vendors attend one meeting in August to learn how to fill out the inventory sheet of the items they make and to receive their ID# and perforated price tags to fill out and attach to each item they make. Member-Vendors are also expected to sign up to work at least one shift in the Boutique during the show.
Anyone interested in being a Member-Vendor for the 2021 show should contact Judi Young, Laura Partridge, or Barbara Peterson soon.
All members are encouraged to make items and DONATE them to be sold in the Boutique.
100% of the sale of donated items goes to the Guild. All items should be turned in to be priced by the Boutique Committee – Judi, Laura, or Barbara by the September 21st member meeting.
A Virtual Boutique Sewing Day will be held this summer – details in a future newsletter. Suggested Items to Make and Donate Include:
Pot holders: $5-$8 value
Sets of 2-4 coasters: $3 per coaster
Small & large microwave bowl holders: $5-$8 value
Ornaments: $5-$10 value
Mug Rugs: $5-$10 value
Placemats in sets of 2 or 4: $5 per placemat
Table Runners: $12-$15 value
Holiday-themed items sell well!
If you have any ideas or questions, please contact Judi Young, Laura Partridge, or Barbara Peterson.
Thank you in advance for your participation in making items to sell in the Quilt Show Boutique!
Silent Auction at the Quilt Show
We would like to start collecting Silent Auction items this summer for our Quilt Show on October 1st and 2nd, and we need every guild members’ help!
We are on the hunt for small treasures – wall hangings, table runners, place mats, mug rugs, pillows, etc. Seasonal items are popular – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Birthday. Also consider Valentine’s Day, Easter and Patriotic.
Need an idea? Here are a few:
What have you always wanted to make for yourself? Give yourself permission to take the time to do it. But make two! Keep one for yourself and donate one to Silent Auction. If you love it, someone else will, too.
Have an orphan block, or a UFO you don’t know what to do with? Consider creating a small piece for Silent Auction, and call that UFO done!
Which quilting skill are you most proud of? Paper piecing? Applique? Improv? Create a small piece that shows off your talent! Your quilting friends will love it – maybe even fight over it!
What technique would you like to learn? We would love Silent Auction to be the recipient of your practice piece!
Sometimes challenged by color? Try a small piece in a new-to-you colorway. Table mats are great for experimenting with color.
Win something at the Brown Bag Auction you don’t know what to do with, or isn’t quite your style? Consider completing it and donating it to Silent Auction.
Intrigued by a new tool from last month’s meeting? Give it a try on a small piece for Silent Auction. You may discover a new favorite and help the guild at the same time!
We are hoping one of these ideas will inspire you to get started. We cannot wait to see what you create!
Thank you for supporting the guild with your talent!
Liz Greenhill and Donna Derstadt, Silent Auction Co-Chairs
Art Quilt Challenge – Our Lives Are Woven Together
Creativity, exploration and fun are what the art quilt challenge is all about.
I’m so happy that several of you have already been playing with different weaving techniques and have created 12” x 12” mini quilts for the Art Quilt Challenge.
A couple of questions have come up about the challenge. Read the questions and answers on the Art Quilt Challenge page. There are also some new links for you to peruse to provide inspiration.
Feel free to email or call me if you have any questions.
Julie Milne, Art Quilt Challenge Chairperson
Quilts of Valor at the Quilt Show
I don't know about you, but I am really excited about the fact that as of now (and barring any unforeseen circumstances) the VQ Quilt Show will, once again, be LIVE in October! And to that end, I am excited that we plan to once again be able to honor some of our veterans with the presentation of Quilts of Valor on Saturday, October 2nd.
If you have a family member or a friend who has served in the United States Military and would like them to be awarded a Quilt of Valor, just fill out the Veteran Nomination Form and send it to me – I'll do the rest. At this time, I have commitments from VQ members for ten Quilts of Valor for presentation. If you nominate a veteran and would like to present them with a quilt you make, let me know! The number of veterans we schedule to receive a Quilt of Valor will be contingent on the number of quilts available, as well as any CDC limitations due to mitigation levels as a result of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. I will honor the requests on a first-come, first-served basis.
I would like to encourage members to make a QOV to donate even if you are not nominating a veteran to receive one. The Quilts of Valor Foundation is always looking for quilts to present to veterans, not only here in Chicago but elsewhere in Illinois and beyond. There are many more veterans waiting to receive one than quilts available.
If you have any questions about the Quilts of Valor program or the size specifications or what-have-you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you,
Cheryl Mercy, QOV Committee Chair
Quilt Show Publicity and Social Media
As we begin to think about the quilt show, I would like to encourage everyone to “like” our public Facebook page. The more popular our page, the broader our reach when we publicize our show on Facebook later this summer.
Tap or click the “thumbs up” icon, circled below in red. A blue “thumbs up” means you have successfully liked our page!
Each time you see a new Village Quilters post, please interact with the post by clicking the “Like” button (circled in red below):
You can also choose a “reaction” or submit a comment. Reactions and comments really help to boost the visibility of our posts. To “react” to our post, click and hold (or tap and hold, if you are on a mobile phone) the “Like” icon underneath the post. You should see a range of reactions:
Please choose the red heart, the “care” icon (smiley face hugging the heart), or the “wow” icon (fifth from left). These reactions signal more engagement than a simple “like,” so they help boost the visibility of our posts a bit more.
Thanks for helping us get ready to publicize the show!
Jocelyn Galloway, Publicity Committee Co-Chair
Birthday Blocks
The tulips in our yards are starting to come up! A sure sign of spring, and an inspiration for the April birthday blocks. Only two blocks this month. Happy sewing!
Nancy Smith and Edythe Hirasawa
Treasurer’s Report
Balance as of 2/26/2021: $24,051.37
Income: $196.04 – Workshops and Membership fees
Expenses: $145.00 – Quilt Show expenses
Ending Balance as of 3/26/2021: $24,102.41
Respectfully submitted,
Alice Hutchinson, Treasurer
Membership
Spring is here – and we are looking forward to the time when we can meet again in person. In the meantime, it is time to renew your Village Quilters Membership.
The new membership year begins on May 1, 2021. The membership fee is $50.00 ($25.00 for active military or spouse), but you save $5.00 if you renew by May 31! All renewals require 2 steps:
Completing a registration form
Submitting your payment.
To register online and pay your dues with your credit card, click on any green “Join or Renew” button throughout the web site and you’ll be taken to a page where you can complete the membership form online or indicate that all of the information is the same as last year.
Then click the “Pay Online” button and select your one-year membership to be placed in your shopping cart. You will see that the one-year membership is “on sale” for $45.00!
To pay by check, you can download the membership form as a pdf from the Join Us page, print and complete the form, and mail it with your check to the address shown on the form.
If you have any questions, please contact Membership co-chairs Sue Ann Kuby or Kathy Avellone
Happy April Birthday to the following members!
Edythe Hirasawa – 4/28
Erica Jarrett – 4/6
Margaret Martin – 4/21
Enid Mattimiro – 4/30
Linda McCabe – 4/20
Julie Milne – 4/26