July 2025
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July Program: Quilting in the Digital Age: When Technology Meets Tradition
Tuesday, July 15, 2025: 7:00 p.m. - In person
Theresa Benson (@theaiquilter) is an award-winning quilter, enthusiastic learner, and dynamic speaker, known for her approachable and engaging teaching style. With an Electrical Engineering degree and expertise in artificial intelligence, Theresa has a knack for translating complex tech topics into understandable concepts for all. Her innovative workshops demystify everything from color theory to AI applications in quilting, opening new avenues for creative expression.
Theresa’s unique approach blends the rich tradition of quilting with modern technology, ensuring that every quilter, regardless of their technical background, can benefit from her insights. Her mission is to empower quilters of all skill levels to create confidently, bridging the gap between past and future quilting techniques. Join Theresa on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, where tradition meets innovation, and every quilter can become an impressionist of the digital age. Her engaging content and supportive community make her a refreshing new figure in the quilting world.
July Workshop: From Pixels to Patchwork – AI-Inspired Impressionist Quilts
Wednesday, July 16, 2025: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 680 Deerpath, Lake Forest
I’m so thrilled you’re diving into this experience — it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a quilting workshop. Let’s talk next steps so you can get ready for some serious fabric fun!
Two weeks before the workshop you will be getting an email with a questionnaire to complete so she can send you some images based on your answers.
First, pick your image! From the designs I sent, choose the one that speaks to you. That’s the one I’ll transform into something special. This isn’t one-size-fits-all — I’m creating a custom, made-just-for-you pattern. That means every single person in class will receive a one-of-a-kind 18" x 18" image, individually generated and designed. No duplicates, no templates, no cookie-cutter projects. Just your unique vision, brought to life with a little AI magic and a whole lot of fabric.
What happens next: Once I get your image choice, I’ll send you a quick list of what to prep and pack. It’ll include all the details — like what fabrics to bring (just make sure they vibe with the color palette of your chosen design), whether you’ll want a lightbox, and info on adhesives and tools. (Spoiler: Steam-a-Seam 2 is the rockstar here — and yes, I’ll have some available at about $0.25/inch if you need it.)
And the workshop? Buckle up! We’ll kick things off by walking through how I created these bespoke images — yes, you’ll learn how to do this yourself when you get home! Then I’ll show you how to turn your digital image into a fabric collage masterpiece. You won’t finish your quilt in class (this is art, not a speed race), but you will leave with all the techniques, tools, and momentum to keep going with confidence.
Note: Theresa has the silicone mats for sale at a very reasonable price if you should need one.
August Program: Susan Marth – Me, Myself, and My Quilts Trunk Show
Tuesday, August 19, 2025: 7:00 p.m. - In person
Let Susan tell you about herself, and how she started quilting and then designing her own quilts, leading her to start her business, Suzn Quilts. She’ll explain how her tools and notions make the quilting experience easy & fun! Susan will be bringing lots of quilts to show and hopefully inspire you to sew some of them yourself! Check out her designs www.SuznQuilts.com
August Workshop: Star Spangled Dresdens
Wednesday, August 20, 2025: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 680 Deerpath, Lake Forest
We chose this workshop for three reasons:
Susan will introduce you to a new “quilt as you go” method of quilting. If you have not tried this method, you will be very pleased with how efficient and easy it is.
Susan is a whiz at teaching the Dresden plate block. When you have mastered the Dresden plate block, you have arrived!
You can make this table runner or place mat for any season or holiday. Imagine spring prints for the strips and solid pastels for the Dresden plate flowers. Ooooh, so cute!
Sign up now for Star Spangled Dresdens!
Quilt Show Corner – News
Raffle Quilt Travel - Have you signed up yet for your turn at a raffle quilt event? There are still openings which need to be filled. Sign up with a friend or work with someone new to you. Sign up for all day or a half day. It takes at least 2 people to man each event. Contact Nancy Giebel.
Raffle Ticket Sales – Susan Surdyk reports that sales are going well now and we are ahead of the 2023 raffle count. Keep the momentum going! Encourage your friends and family to buy an opportunity to win “Falling Star”. Pull out your postcard and show them how creative and industrious our guild is.
Postcards and Posters - Postcards will be available at every guild meeting. Get them in circulation! Posters are coming soon.
Notecards and Notepads are now available. Margaret has designed both featuring elements of the raffle quilt. They will be available for sale at guild meetings and at the show. A set of 8 notecards is $10 and notepads are $5 each. Buy some for yourself and friends!
Contact Kathy Avellone, Quilt Chair, with questions about the show!
Quilt Show Corner – 16 Days Left to Submit Your Quilts!
Visit Members’ Show Info to submit your quilts.
The deadline is July 16 for all quilts to be hung and August 16 for QOV quilts that will not be hung.
Remember, this year you will need to submit two photos of your quilt:
Photo #1: Full View Image – This photo shows the entire quilt to assist the setup committee
Photo #2: Detail Image – This photo shows a corner of the quilt so the cataloging committee can confirm that the quilt is pieced, quilted and bound at the time of submission.
If possible, please submit your photos when you enter your quilt. However, if you run into issues, you will get a follow up email with instructions for submitting your photos.
The deadline for photos is July 23 for quilts to be hung and August 23 for QOV quilts that will not be hung.
Need help submitting your photos? Contact Kearstie Grenier or Enid Mattimiro
A few samples of quilts with 3-D elements
Quilt Show Corner: 3-D Art Quilt Challenge
Remember to join the Art Quilt Challenge for the quilt show this year! Each entry must be an actual quilt, using three layers of top, batting and back. It must be bound and quilted. It must be 12” x 12”. For the challenge part, it must utilize a three-dimensional aspect such as a three-dimensional block, raised embroidery, raised embellishments, or some other idea that you have.
Art Quilts must be registered by the quilt deadline, July 16. They need a label, but they do not need a hanging sleeve.
Linda Spring, Art Quilt Challenge Chair
Quilt Show Corner: Appraisals
Have you ever considered having a quilt appraised? If not, I think you will enjoy the experience! Most appraisals are for insurance value, whether the quilt is an antique or modern quilt. It is important to know the replacement value of your quilts in case of loss or damage due to circumstances beyond your control such as fire, flood or mishandling.
Please contact me to sign up for an appraisal at our quilt show. The appraisal will take approximately thirty minutes and costs $60.00 for each appraisal (payable with cash or check at the time of your appointment). You will learn much about your quilt! You can reach me by phone, email or at our next general meeting. You may also sign up during the quilt show.
Judy Hillebrand, Appraisal Chair
Quilt Show Corner: Boutique
Greetings guild members! I can't believe we are four months away from the quilt show. Items have been slowly coming in and it is a great sight to see! Let's keep it going. We would love anything as big as a baby quilt or as small as a coaster. We are looking forward to what you make and make sure you give a suggested price of said items. Thank you for your donations!
Sari, Rose and Robyn, Boutique Chairs
Quilt Show Corner: Silent Auction
We hope you’re making great progress completing your quilt show entries as we all know deadline is almost here! While the quilts you are entering in the show are a priority right now, we hope you are brainstorming ideas for items you could make for the Silent Auction. The Silent Auction is one of the top three income producers at our show (second only to admissions and raffle quilt) so your contributions are very important!
We hope to have 100 lovely items, and are requesting each member contribute something. Items can be large or small, and can showcase your quilting skills, or be an experiment you’ve wanted to try. If you love it, so will our shoppers! Keep in mind seasonal items are big sellers, as are child quilts, wall hangings and table runners. Items should be new, and made by you. As an added bonus, we don’t require any sleeves on your submission for the Silent Auction nor a July deadline! (Aren’t we the best?!)
While we won’t turn away submissions all the way up to the show, it would be very helpful for us to have donations by the September guild meeting. This allows us time to design the display. We are requesting you provide a completed contribution form with your donation. The information on the form is simple:
Your name (our shoppers always ask!)
The item’s name or basic details
Whether you’re ok with a “buy it now” designation.
Download the form or pick one up at an in-person meeting. Bring your completed items to a meeting or contact Erica Jarrett or Donna Derstadt to arrange a pick-up. Have fun brainstorming! We can’t wait to see what you create!
Erica and Donna
Quilt Show Corner: Thanking Our Supporters
A special thank you goes to all of the shops, quilt guilds, and farmer’s markets allowing us to share information about our show and our beautiful raffle quilt! Nancy Giebel has shared a list of organizations that have helped us:
Warman Cozy Quilts
Quilters Heaven
Stitching on State
Blue Willow
Creative Sewing and Quilting
Quilters Quest
A Different Box of Crayons
Bernina of Naperville
Prairie Star Quilt Guild
North West Suburban Quilt Guild
IQI Quilt Guild
Riverwalk Quilters Guild
Crystal Lake Quilt Guild
Faithful Circle Quilt Guild
Gazebo Quilters
Northern Lake Co. Quilt Guild
Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild
Wauconda Farmers Market
Grayslake Farmers Market
Mundelein Farmers Market
I Spy Quilt made from members’ block donations!
Friendly Service Project
Wow, such an incredible collection of quilts were provided at the June meeting! Some came from another group member Sue Ann Kuby works with, and others from our members Gayle Springer, Caren Vollrath and myself, with quilting done by Ligia Colello. I will deliver 16 quilts next week!
Bright Pinwheel Star block for July
Also, many thanks to all the members making monthly blocks! We had one member take some of the I Spy blocks and return a charming quilt. There are still plenty more blocks available, as well as a collection of the blue strip blocks from June. Once your quilt show projects are behind you, consider grabbing a pile and making a top!
The block for July is a Bright Pinwheel Star. Visit the Service page for detailed directions!
Erica Jarrett, Service Chair
Library Corner: Three Featured Books
Stop by our library at the July meeting, and check out one of these three interesting books:
“Sawtooth” edited by Linda Baxter Lasco, shows designs entered in a contest for quilts based on the “sawtooth” block, which Lasco defines as a block based on half-square triangles arranged like the teeth of a saw such as flying geese and New York beauty. Each quilt is designed by a different quilter and each one incudes a discussion of the quilting patterns the designer used.
“Kaffe Fassett’s Quilt Romance“ shows fabulous quilts using Kaffe’s yummy fabrics. The book places the quilts against European backgrounds. Here are some of Kaffe”s quilts. I like the fact that many of the quilts use sashing and cornerstones to highlight the large and complex prints.
“Simple Contemporary Quilts” by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader. It lives up to its title, showing contemporary quilts using unusual shape, such as yin and yang, or unusual fabrics, such as chenille. It is “dedicated to the new generation of quilters who will take textiles, color, and design in exciting new directions.”
Linda Spring, Librarian
Third Thursday Invitation
Tired of sewing by yourself and want to visit with quilting friends? Join us on July 17 as members of Village Quilters meet at the State Bank of the Lakes, 50 Commerce Drive, Grayslake for an informal sew in. It’s a drop-in affair, and we are there from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. We bring a sack lunch, sit, chat, sew by hand or by machine. There plenty of room, an ironing board available to use, and lots of tables baste a quilt on. All are welcome!
Noteworthy Extras:
Fall Retreat is scheduled for November 7 – 9. Plan to wake up early on Monday, September 1, (Labor Day) to register and pay for your spot at the retreat. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. More information to come from Marti Austin.
Clothing and Textile Recycling: Erica Jarrett was asked by some members to include information in the newsletter regarding an option for donating clothing and textiles for recycling. She uses the Vernon Hills Public Works Facility location at 490 Greenleaf Drive as it is wide open and very easy to access! The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County has a list of locations in Lake County.
Treasurer’s Report
Bank Balance as of April 30, 2025: $29,504.47
Income: $2,191.50
Expenses: $2,163.66
Bank Balance as of May 31, 2025: $29,532.31
May income included $1,270 in membership fees and $385 in workshop fees. Show income included $357.50 in fees for vendor booths and $179 in raffle ticket sales.
Significant May expenses were $1,482.79 for the workshop, $300 for monthly meeting rent and $160.62 for reordering checks.
Respectfully submitted, Melanie Houser, Treasurer
Membership Report
Effective June 1st, annual membership dues became $50.00. As of this writing, 87 members have renewed. If you haven’t, please renew your membership as soon as possible, especially since you must be a member to participate in the upcoming quilt show.
We had 46 members in attendance at our June meeting. Welcome new member Michelle Mutter! Please don’t forget to greet our new members and please wear your name badges (or bring a quarter if you forget!)
Lorraine Potts and Robyn McGarrigle are your membership co-chairs. If you have a question, please feel free to reach out to us!
Happy July Birthday:
Ruth Pisani - 7/5
Peggy Schemenue - 7/9
Carol Swartz - 7/10
Kathleen Jurevicius - 7/13