2016 Super Saturday
Super Saturday was a super success with 78 members in attendance. The day was filled with fun, food, and lots of creativity.
14
Mar, 2016
14
Mar, 2016
Guild Challenge 2017
Now that the cows are safely out to pasture it is time to start thinking about the 2017 Challenge.
If you have an idea that you would like to coordinate please let us know. Let your imagination take flight. If you can dream it up our talented members can create it. Please get in touch with Chris Roche at SpecialEvents@NorthernStarQuilters.com to submit your idea.
1
Mar, 2016
President’s Message
March……that sounds like Spring to me. Let’s hope the weatherman agrees and gives us lots of warm days. Spring brings many outdoor chores so make sure you get your show quilts ready during the last cold days of March. Then register them to be sure we don’t reach our quota before yours gets in. It does not have to be absolutely finished before registering and taking photos. This show is going to be so great in the new location!
If you are curious about the O’Neill Center and want a sneak preview before our quilt show I suggest you attend the Western New England Home Show being held there the weekend of March 5th and 6th. Most local newspapers have a free admission coupon. I might add that sometimes parking for this huge event is in a lower lot with jitney buses running to the entrance. This is not going to be the situation for our show. Students are in session now so take up much of the available parking. School is out when our show takes place so all the closest lots are available. If your husband attends with you maybe you will end up with a new hot tub or hardwood floors or a new kitchen…..you never know.
Thanks to Caryl Castellion for gathering so many cows for her Udderly Mooving Challenge! It was so much fun to do and more fun to see what others did. Caryl went all out with her costume of plaid shirt, straw hat and cowbell. She also went beyond the call of duty by creating drapes for hanging when the guild drapes were missing. They are still missing….anybody hiding them by mistake?
The Guild members who gave the demonstrations also deserve our thanks for the informative, varied, interesting program they provided. As does Jennifer Kramer for pulling it all together. We appreciate your time and effort.
I have one more thank you to hand out …… I have noticed a more “volunteer oriented” Guild lately and that is so welcome! The nominating committee has had excellent volunteers come forward, the program last month was volunteer effort, and I have had every recent request for a job to be handled taken on by a volunteer. This team effort is what makes NSQG great and it is what makes those volunteers feel a real connection to the Guild. I applaud you all!
p.s. At the last minute before publishing I want to say that we had a most fun and successful Super-Saturday. Photos and coverage of the event will appear later in the month. Thanks to all who lead classes, organized everything and provided a great lunch.
Joyce Sullivan, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Mar, 2016
Silent Auction
Thank you to those who have generously donated quilts for the Silent Auction. We are hoping for about 30 quilts for each day of the Show and are only about halfway there. Please consider helping us reach our goal. Deliver your finished quilt to Carolyn Langevin or Kay Marcarello as soon as it is ready. We will be posting the photos of the donated quilts shortly.
Susan Fasnacht, VP Quilt Show
president@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Mar, 2016
Quilt Show Publicity
The best source of publicity for our Show is you, a NSQG member. There are a few ways you can help. We will have posters and postcards at the next Guild meeting. If you can, take some posters to place around your town (library, supermarket, post office, etc.), it will help get the word out. The poster showcases our beautiful raffle quilt so it’s sure to attract attention wherever it’s displayed. You can also print the poster from the NSQG website. Just click on “Quilt Show” and then “Display Our Show Poster” at the top of the home page.
Another way will be to forward the Show invitation e-mail we will send to members early next month to your family and friends. Or if you prefer, you can also send personalized Quilt Show invitations to your friends. Download the free app called “Postagram” to your iPhone or Android phone. With this app, you’ll be able to turn a photo of one of your quilts into a real snail-mail postcard with postage already included. Just take the picture with your phone, enter a message that includes the Show information, select the recipient(s) and you’re done.
Susan Fasnacht, VP Quilt Show
president@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Mar, 2016
Register Your Quilts
Don’t forget the person who registers the 100th quilt will receive a free quilt show pin. We are getting close, so don’t wait until the last few days to enter your quilt. Registration ends March 31 or once we reach 200 quilts.
Susan Fasnacht, VP Quilt Show
president@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Mar, 2016
Quilt Show Volunteers
A key element to the success of our show is the volunteers. The help provided by our members is what makes it all run smoothly. Please be sure to sign up to volunteer for at least two hours with one or more aspects of the Show. If you haven’t had a chance to sign up in person, contact volunteer Chair, Carolynn Young, to let her know when you can help.
Susan Fasnacht, VP Quilt Show
president@Northernstarquilters.com
25
Feb, 2016
Incredible Cow Challenge
Congratulations to the Incredible Cow creators for such a wonderful display of humor and talent! So many people said it was HARD to choose the bests as they were all so creative!
View a slide show of all the wonderful quilts on the Home page!!
The winners of the Challenge were:
Most Original (Funniest)
First Place: “Minnie the Moocher” by Leslie Forrest
Second: “Cow Wars” by Christine Wilhelm
Third: “Udderly Elegant” by Joyce Sullivan
Best Use of Color:
First Place: “Cow-Lico” by Laurie Quadagno-Lagronegro
Second: “Udderly Elegant” by Joyce Sullivan
Third: “Floozie Moozie’s Shoozies” by Rona Spar
Best Use of Embellishments:
First Place Tie: “The Dairy Godmother” by Susan DiFabio and “Moo – N Struck” by Melanie Darenson
Second: “Udderly Elegant” by Joyce Sullivan
Third: “Floozie Moozie’s Shoozies” by Rona Spar
Best of NSQG’s 2016 The Incredible Cow Challenge:
“Minnie the Moocher” by Leslie Forrest
A special thank you goes to Mary Lou Donahue Weidman and Melanie Bautista McFarland for permission to use the (adapted) Cow Block from their book, Out of the Box with Easy Blocks published by The Patchwork Place, an imprint to Martingale & Company.
Caryl S. Castellion
NSQG 2016 Challenge Coordinator
1
Feb, 2016
President’s Message
Warm greetings to all now that cold weather has finally hit. The extended period of warm weather made me forget to put in a reminder of weather related cancelation of guild meetings. Good thing there was no problem for the January meeting.
Watch TV or listen to local radio stations. If schools in Somers are closed for the day of a guild meeting, it automatically cancels the evening meeting for us. If Somers schools or Kennedy Catholic announces during the day that afternoon or evening classes or meetings are canceled, again, automatic cancelation for us. In the event that the weather breakdown comes late in the day check the website before venturing out in questionable weather. We will also send out an email blast. Most importantly, do what seems best for YOU. Weather is different for different areas and we don’t want anyone to drive in unsafe conditions even though we may be able to hold a meeting in Somers. As a last resort you can always call a Board member if you are in question.
The Board has approved the selection of a nominating Committee for the 2016/2017 Guild year. Barbara Sferra will chair the Committee. Other members are Jennifer Kramer, Karen Carlson and Noreen Lippolis along with the President, Joyce Sullivan. If you would like to work with the Board please contact any Committee member. We will match a job with your special abilities.
As Maria was setting up our new website we became aware of the fact that NSQG has a Facebook page. Some of you have been on it, most are not aware of it. She has updated the page with our new logo and put in some suggestions and restrictions on its use. We invite all members to join our Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook button in the upper right corner on the home page of our website. Susan will use it to advertise the Show. It might be a good place for members to do the same with their friends.
I am sorry more of you weren’t present for the Meet and Greet program in January. It really is so nice to get to know both old and new members a little better. I learned many interesting things about backgrounds and the quilting preferences of people I thought I knew. Thanks to those who did participate. It was fun.
The National Quilt Museum sent out another reminder for quilts for their fund raising campaign, “Quilts for Quilting.” I urge you to look around your house for an extra piece you have made that really does not have a permanent place to live, any size. Go to their website, quiltmuseum.org then click on Quilts for Quilting Campaign and send them your quilt. It is a tax deductible donation.
Nothing better than winter weather to stay indoors and quilt……keep going on that Show entry. Time is running out.
Joyce Sullivan, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Feb, 2016
2016 Quilt Show
Quilt registration is open! We are off to a good start and I hope this trend continues. Congratulations to Susan Deshensky, who was the first person to register her quilt. Susan will receive a free show pin for this feat. A second pin will be given to the person who registers the 100th quilt – maybe it will happen in February! Go to Quilt Registration under the Show Your Quilt menu on our website to start your registration. Make sure you read the information on the page before you begin to assist you with making your entries.
Do you need help registering your quilt? Yvonne Clayton, Quilt Registrar, will be available during lunch hour on Super Saturday. Please contact her at Registrar@NorthernStarQuilters.com if you encounter a registration problem that you are unable to resolve or have questions about the registration process.
Volunteer Sign-Up
Carolynn Young will be at a table with her volunteer sign-up sheets. Each year the Volunteer Coordinator spends untold hours trying to fill all the volunteer slots. Please help out by signing-up without being asked. Members are asked to volunteer a minimum of two hours. People find that when they increase their involvement in the Show, they gain more than they give – working with friends, old and new, and feeling more a part of things during the Show and throughout the year. If you’d like to have fun, feel more connected to the Guild, and experience a greater degree of satisfaction, we encourage you to take a job that requires more than two hours.
Silent Auction
Carolyn Langevin and Kay Marcarello, Silent Auction Chairs, will be at February’s meeting to collect quilts for the Silent Auction. Their aim is to have at least 60 quilts to auction, 30 or so for each day. Last year the Silent Auction raised over $2,100. You can help make this year’s auction a success too by donating a small quilt. Guidelines for the quilts can be found on our website. We will also starting posting photos of the quilts already submitted.
Susan Fasnacht, VP Quilt Show
quiltshow@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Feb, 2016
Quilt Challenge
There’s been a lot of mooving going on around here! The sixteen Incredible Cows are adjusting well and chatting over the giggles they heard while they were being created. They are looking forward to the NSQG Meeting on Tuesday, February 16th where voting will be held selecting the choices for first, second, and third place ribbons. As each quilt is viewed and you are deciding which will receive your votes, look for the Most Original (funniest), and the one with the Best Color usage, and the one whose Embellishments you find the most eye-catching.
NSQG 2016 Challenge Quilt Rules for Voting
Each member is invited to vote for one quilt in each category using the number assigned to each quilt, while not voting for the same quilt twice. Each category must have a different quilt number identified on their ballot.
Once a First Place prize has been awarded, that quilt maker is no longer eligible in another category.
However, there will be a Best of NSQG 2016 Challenge awarded for the highest number of votes received in all categories by a single quilt maker.
Reach out to Caryl Castellion, 2016 Quilt Challenge Coordinator, if you have any questions.
Chris Roche, VP Special Events
quiltshow@Northernstarquilters.com
1
Feb, 2016
Mickey Lawler is coming to the Quilt Show
We are pleased to announce that Mickey Lawler will be joining us as a second speaker at The World of Quilts XXXVII. Mickey and her SKYDYES have become synonymous with the finest hand painted sky, water, and landscape fabrics available to quilt makers and other fiber artists since 1984. Mickey paints each piece of fabric individually to suggest textures and moods with subtle and rich color nuances.
Mickey’s initial book, SKYDYES™ teaches you to create gorgeous textures and effects that reflect the look of land, sea, and sky. She shows a variety of techniques for painting and stenciling on fabric, explains how paints and dyes respond to different types of fabric, and how to interpret the beauty of nature with color and texture. Her second book, SKYQUILTS, is filled with new painting techniques and full-size patterns for 3 landscape quilt projects.
Click here to go to Mickey’s website. The scheduling of Mickey’s lectures, as well as those of Linda Poole will be available in a few weeks.
Judy Gignesi, VP Programs
programs@Northernstarquilters.com