Same Jelly Roll – Different Quilt.  See how many different quilts have been made using these 33 strips!  Interested Comfort Quilters got matching jelly rolls  The quilts will be on display and one (or more depending on how many tickets sold) will be raffled off to help cover Comfort Quilt expenses.  Pick your favorite – winner’s choice of quilts.  Tickets $5 each, so come prepared!

• October – Landscape Quilts, Rachel Derstine
• November – Fabulous Freehand Curves, Cindy Grisdela
• January – Free Motion Quilting, Teri Lucas
• March – Bauhaus Sampler, Daisy Dodge
• April – Pictorial Whole Cloth Quilts, Christina Arcenegui Bono
• May – Dancing with the Wall, Irene Roderick

Special activities, for and by members, are taking place throughout the year.  Be sure to check for details and event information on our website.  If you have an idea for a guild activity and would like to chair that activity, please contact me.
Rona Spar, Activities Liaison, activities@northernstarquilters.com

• Orphan Blocks Project
  Donations of orphan blocks will be accepted through the October Guild meeting and can also be dropped off at Comfort Quilts.  Distribution of Orphan block kits will continue through December 2023.
  Questions? Contact Patricia Loquet at jamloquet@optonline.net
  
  

  Jody Sullivan’s OB quilt

• Super Saturday, February 17,2024 at First Presbyterian Church in Yorktown
  Teachers Wanted….Do you have a skill that you would like to share with your fellow quilters on Super Saturday?  Please contact Lefa Alksne at lefermilch@gmail.com
• Black and White Challenge Dropoff, March 20, 2024
  Keep working on your Black and White Challenge.
  Questions? Contact Constanze Toplansky at constanze.toplansky@gmail.com
• Quilting Retreat #2 at Mariandale in Ossining, March 22-24, 2024
  2 nights, 6 meals, lots of quilting space, and the camaraderie of talented quilters.  Cost-$250 for Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, $75/day for day only participants (includes 2 meals)
  Contact Jody Sullivan at jodysull@optonline.net
• Ugly Fabric Auction, May 15, 2024
  If you have quilting fabric that you wish to donate to the Ugly Fabric Auction, please bring it to a guild meeting or to a Comfort Quilts meeting.  You can also bring to Rona’s house in Mt. Kisco,  please call first at 914-941-4931.
  Questions?  Contact Linda Finegan at linfin612@gmail.com

  ---

Time is Running Out – Click to Renew Now!

Hi everyone,

The new guild year is off to a great start. Our membership stands at 181. There were 98 people present at the September meeting including four new members and two guests. Thirty-three people have joined the guild since the quilt show in May including our seven newest members who have been added to our rolls over the past two and a half weeks! Please join us in welcoming Patricia Gair of Hartsdale, Patricia Bradford of Nyack, Susan Farstrup of Sleepy Hollow, Riva Fisher of Tomkins Cove, NY, Damaris Scafidi of Riverside, CT, Liz Titus of Katonah and Valerie Zeller of Mohegan Lake. We would also like to welcome back returning member Carolyn Finn of Ossining.

If you would like your name/photo included in the hard copy of the 2023-2024 Membership Directory and in our email list, the renewal deadline is October 6^th.  If you would like to add/change your photo or update your contact information, please email us at membership@northernstarquilters.com.  The directory will be ready in time for the October meeting. Don’t forget to stop by the membership table to pick up your copy!

Membership Directory Photo Gallery – We strongly encourage you to join the many members (50%) who have already submitted photos for the Membership Directory. It’s a great way for other members to connect your name with your face and for you to recognize them!  Any photo will be gladly welcomed whether it’s a selfie sent from your phone or a favorite picture from a special family event. Each photo is cropped to feature only your face.

Wishing you many hours to quilt this month!
Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW!

Hello, everyone!

Welcome back to Northern Star! Summer is nearly over, and it’s time to gear up for a new guild year. The Quilt Show committee is forming, the board is getting ready to welcome you to our new home at Fox Lane High School and programs for the year are in place. We hope to see you at the first meeting of the year on Sept. 20^th at 6:00 PM (doors open about 5:30 for snacks and socializing).!

Please join Joanne and I in welcoming seven new members to our group: Ashley Fikes of Pleasantville, Visala Ekanadham of  Mohegan Lake, Laurel Izard of Michigan City, IN, Angela Reyes of Hastings-on-Hudson, Stacey Murren of Pawling, Michelle Parker of White Plains , Heather Feldman of Bedford, Beatrice Isaacs of Mt.Kisco, and Kristen Scheyder of Rye.. There will be membership badges waiting for new members who don’t have theirs, yet.

REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO!

As of August 29^th, 50% of the membership has renewed.  The hard copy of the Membership Directory will be going to press earlier than usual this year.  The deadline for being included in the hard copy of the directory is October 6^th.

• Option 1 – Renew your membership online at:  nsqg.formstack.com/forms/nsqg_member_registration_cc
• Option 2 – Joanne will be accepting registration forms accompanied by cash or check at the September meeting of Comfort Quilts, or you can bring your check to the meeting on September 20th. (Registration forms will be available if you forget to bring yours.)
• Option 3 – Mail your registration form and check (payable to Northern Star Quilters Guild) to:   Northern Star Quilters’ Guild, P.O. Box 232, Somers, NY  
  

We strongly encourage you to join the many members (50%) who have already submitted photos for the Membership Directory. It’s a great way for other members to connect your name with your face and for you to recognize them! Any photo will be gladly welcomed whether it’s a selfie sent from your phone or a favorite picture from a special family event. Each photo is cropped to feature only your face.

See you in September!
Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

Please welcome the return of NSQG’s Library, this time at Fox Lane School! We’ve certainly been busy over the summer.

The following special activities, for and by members, are taking place throughout the year.  Information is also on our website.
Rona Spar, Activities Liaison, activities@northernstarquilters.com

Pre-Meeting Offering

Orphan Blocks

Orphan Block Quilt by Patricia

2023-2024 Challenge

This year’s challenge is to design a small quilt using only black and white.  The challenge is inspired by the Karl Lagerfeld exhibit recently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  All information about rules and parameters for the quilt can be found on the NSQG website challenge page.  Questions, please contact the challenge coordinator, Constanze Toplansky, constanze.toplansky@gmail.com.
–

Quilt Retreat

The first quilt retreat of this year will be held on Monday-Wednesday, 10/30/23-11/1/23, at the Mariandale Center in Ossining, NY.  If you wish to board there, the fee is $250 for 2 nights and 6 meals.  If you wish to participate as a commuter, the day fee is $65/day which covers your workspace and 2 meals a day.  To sign up, contact Jody at jodysull@optonline.net.  Make your check out to Northern Star Quilters’ Guild and bring it to the September meeting or mail it to Jody Sullivan, 74 West Lane, Pound Ridge, NY 10576.
–

Ugly Fabric Auction

Please start bringing your UGLY FABRICS (quilting fabric, quarter yard or more) to the meetings starting in September.  You can give the fabrics to Rona Spar or Linda Finegan who will pass them along to Jean Degl, who has kindly volunteered to store the fabric.  The Ugly Fabric Auction coordinator is Linda Finegan, linfin612@gmail.com.

Super Saturday

Super Saturday will be held in February, date and location not yet confirmed.  Several members have already volunteered to teach classes on that wonderful Saturday.  If you wish to teach a class at Super Saturday, please contact Lefa Alksne at lefermilch@gmail.com.  Lefa needs someone to be her assistant so please consider contacting her to help with this very special activity.
–

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

• Improv1 led by Jane Eyes (currently at full capacity)
• Improv2 led by Rita Romeau
• For Art Lovers led by Tamar Drucker
• Scrappy Quilts led by Jennifer Larrabee
• Long Arm Quilting led by Kathy Vanacoro and Lorraine Freed

September – Walking Foot Quilting, Marge Tucker – waitlist only

October – Landscape Quilts, Rachel Derstine

November – Fabulous Freehand Curves, Cindy Grisdela

If you haven’t already, renew your membership for 2023, then sign up for our upcoming activities.

Renew Now!

RACHEL DERSTINE
Landscape Quilts:  Nature & Architecture
Thursday, 19 October 2023
9:30 am to 4:00 pm EDT
Members $50 / Non-Members $70
In-person workshop at the Millwood Firehouse, 100 Millwood Road in Millwood, NY 10546.

Rachel will teach how to create a landscape quilt that focuses on nature or architecture or some combination of both.  You will be able to work from one of Rachel’s images or from one of your own choosing.

In this multi-level, full day workshop, Rachel will teach how to create a landscape quilt that focuses on nature or architecture or some combination of both.  Rachel will briefly cover her favorite techniques, tips & tricks so that you may stick to a simple landscape or apply them to a more complex design.  The possibilities are limitless:

• Think waterscape–an oak tree shading a meandering river, maybe a bridge. . .
• Think farmscape–fields of corn and soybeans, an endless sky, maybe a barn. . .
• Think cityscape–buildings, streets, windows, doors, maybe a magnolia tree. . .
• Think gardenscape–a winding path, hosta, irises, a weeping willow, maybe a bench. . .
• Think mountainscape, seascape, skyscape, and many more. . .

Rachel’s workshop is for every quilter! You want simple? You want complex? Rachel will cover her basic techniques for construction and design so that you can apply them to the “scape” of your choosing.

HIGHLIGHTS – Fusible applique collage; simplifying elements from a photo or sketch; creating the illusion of depth through overlapping and layering, size, color, value, and linear perspective; quilting and how to add facing.

Visit Rachel’s website to learn more about her artwork: Rachel Derstine Designs

CINDY GRISDELA
Fabulous Free-Hand Curves
Thursday, 16 November 2023
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Members $65 / Non-Members $85
In-person at the Millwood Firehouse, 100 Millwood Road,  Millwood, NY 10546

Cindy is an artist, teacher, and author of two books about creating original quilts without patterns: Artful Improv and Adventures in Improv Quilts. She specializes in improv design and using color fearlessly in your quilts. Her work has won awards in both quilt and art venues, most recently her artwork was juried into Quilt National. Cindy has a BFA in Art History from the College and William and Mary and an MBA in Finance from George Washington University.

Join us in Cindy’s newest improv workshop. Learn to cut large scale curves freehand without templates or patterns. Add dots, skinny lines, wonky triangles and more to give each curve its own personality, then combine them into a fun original design. Cindy will talk about color and design to create the composition as well as the techniques needed. Basic sewing skills and a sewing machine in good working order are necessary

Visit Cindy’s website to learn more about her artwork:  Cindy Grisdela Art Quilts

I’ve arranged for our guild’s quilt retreat at Mariandale Retreat Center, Ossining, NY from October 30-November 1 (Monday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon ).  The cost is $250 per person which includes two overnights, six meals and lots of sewing time!  There is also the possibility of being a “day commuter” for $65 a day which gives breakfast and lunch.  I have already heard from a few of you who expressed an interest in coming.  We will need a minimum of ten people for the two nights and there will be a maximum.  If you are interested and want to attend, please email me (jodysull@optonline.net) and I’ll add you to the list.  As we get closer to the date, I’ll ask for payment (checks made out to the guild) but send nothing now.

Later in the year I’m hoping to offer a “weekend” retreat (Friday to Sunday).  So far available dates are March 1-3 or March 22-24.  If that appeals to you, please let me know which date works best for you.  Their calendar fills up quickly.

Hope you’re all enjoying your summer and getting some sewing done as well!

Thank you, Jody Sullivan, jodysull@optonline.net

Every year around the end of February, guild members get together for a fun and productive Saturday. Our own very talented members members share their talents teaching classes on various techniques and projects. Sign up for a class or “Sit and Sew” on your own project. Lunch is provided by our Hospitality team. This is a a wonderful opportunity to mingle with fellow members in a smaller social setting.

Thank you to Lefa Alksne, lefermilch@gmail.com, who has volunteered to be our Super Saturday coordinator.  Help is needed! Please contact Lefa if you are able to assist or to teach a class.

Thank you,  Rona Spar, activities@northernstarquilters.com

Viewers Choice – Feathered Friends by Sandra Curry

The Viewers Choice quilt was Feathered Friends by Sandra Curry.  The quilt received 46 votes out of 330 cast.  Six other quilts received 15 or more votes.   The winner was announced and the ribbon posted at 2:30 on Sunday.

Thanks to Constanze Toplansky’s photography skills, you can review pictures of the 2023 quilt show HERE.

The Show Catalog was also put online this year, along with the Winners List. Both are available via the website ARCHIVES page.

Thank you to the Quilt Show Committee and the entire Northern Star Quilt Guild.  The 2023 show was a success and everyone had a role in making it a wonderful weekend.

I took on the role of Quilt Show VP for the 2022 show not because I wanted to, but because no one was in that role and there was a possibility that the show would not happen without a leader.  After two years of cancelled shows because of COVID, I could not bear to have another show cancelled, as the saying goes “The Show Must Go On!”, and so I raised my hand.  Little did I know what I was in for!

The past two years has been an amazing experience for me.  With no prior specific show experience, there was a lot of learning to do.  Numerous guild members kept supplying me with information and their expertise, answering endless questions, and stepping in to help where they could.

If you are ever thinking about stepping up to a role within this guild, do not hesitate.  You will be cheered on and supported by the most amazing group of creative spirits, and you will learn and grow from the experience.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you, and specifically to my wonderful team of committee members.

Lisa Alfonzetti

CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of our quilt ‘Blue Lightning’, Michele Morra, who resides in Hopewell Junction. She is a good friend and supporter of Sparrow’s Nest.

CONGRATULATIONS to Sparrow’s Nest, they will be receiving a very generous check at our June Salad Supper.

Thanks again to all our members for supporting the raffle.
Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

We look forward to our end of the year celebration, our Salad Supper.
Please bring an appetizer or entree/salad big enough to feed 6 people, serving utensils, and a card listing all the ingredients.
Be sure to mark any items you want returned with your name and collect them before you leave.

Beverages will be provided, as well as dessert.

Let’s celebrate together all that we have accomplished as a guild this year!

It was great to see many of you at the show! The Membership volunteers were a great team. They shared their enthusiasm for the guild with our visitors and encouraged them to join. Their efforts were successful! We gained 17 new members from a wide geographical area. Please join Joanne and I in welcoming them to the guild! The names of our newest members have been added to the digital directory which was sent to all members a few weeks ago. Please find the list of names below.

Idie Benjamin, Becky Demir  Nancy DiMuro, Ellen Friedman, Gloria Gorell, Barbara Leader, Marjorie Livingston, Maureen McCurdy, Brent McGee, Katherine McGowan, Jean Moccia, Lisette Overweel, Susan Raab, Suzanne Rixon, Sonhild Rodney, Barbara Sarullo, Stephanie Torsiello

Whether you’re a new or existing member, please send us a photo to add to the directory, if you haven’t already done so. A selfie would be fine. Send to:  membership@northernstarquilters.com

Have a great summer! See you in September!

Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

—— Click on Map to enlarge ——

Reminder – Parking is one of our challenges – The shuttle bus will be running extended hours so even if you have a first or last slot, there is plenty of time to catch the bus at E1 or W1.

‘Blue Lightning’ 2023 Raffle Quilt

LAST CALL for returning your raffle tickets… the drawing is coming soon at our Guild meeting, Wednesday May 17 .

If you would like to purchase more tickets, or if you have misplaced them,  the best way to purchase them is online and I will fill out the stubs for you.
Just click  –  nsqg.formstack.com/forms/nsqg_charity_raffle.  You could be  our lucky winner!

As of this writing, 67% of our members have responded – THANK YOU to our Guild members, their families, and friends for supporting this year’s member selected charity, Sparrows Nest.

Thank you Rosemary De Paola for coordinating this project and  Angela Vettucci for her beautiful job of quilting

Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

Many, many thanks to all guild members, CQ’ers and others, who have made quilts and have thus kept our donation coordinators very busy; and thank you to the coordinators for delivering the quilts to those in need of the little comfort or hug that a quilt can bring.  A total of 501 quilts have been distributed so fart this guild season, including 81 quilts in the recent shipment sent to and now delivered to Kyiv.  Thank you Pat Julian for keeping a record of our donations.  Come join our group, all our welcome, we are very productive!

Here are projected Comfort Quilt dates for the next few months, all Wednesdays (not necessarily 1st/3rd).

• May 10 and 24
• *** June 14 and 28  (This is a change from the original schedule, we are NOT meeting the 7th and 21st
• July 19
• Aug 9 and 30
• Sep 13 and 27

We meet at the North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 14 Daniel Road, North Salem, NY, 10am-2pm.
Bring lunch or a snack if you’d like a food break at your seat.
Last minute cancellations do happen, if in doubt or coming for the first time, please check.
All members are welcome.

Contact Karen Carlson or Carol Auer for further information.

Some CQ April Quilts

If you would like to set up some kind of special guild activity for next year, we are always looking for members willing to share their skills, creative and organizational.

Maybe set up a special activity for December and April meetings when we don’t have a speaker (demos, games, swaps, trunk shows, challenges, ??? …), organize a field trip, offer a Zoom class, help with Super Saturday, whatever sparks your quilting interest ….

Please contact me, I would love to hear from you.
Rona Spar, activities@northernstarquilters.com

An upcoming special activity for next year sponsored by Patricia Loquet:

Over the years Comfort Quilts has given away thousands of quilts to those in need of love and comfort.  This year alone CQ has sent out over 500 quilts. We want to do even more and you can help.

I will be collecting orphan blocks during the May, June, September and October meetings.  Then they will be divided into packets of like colors and style and ANY MEMBER can then take a pack and make an improv quilt using those blocks plus any other fabric or blocks you have that you would like to add.

I’ll have a bit more to say as time goes by.  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, Patricia.

Hello All and Happy May!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Challenge this year.  The talent in our Guild is truly amazing.  If you thought the “Cards” looked great at our April Meeting, wait until you see them at the Show!  The Challenge display at the Show this year is going to look awesome.
Thank you, April

BEST DESIGN:

1. Carol Auer
2. Marie Sugar
3. Claire Hibbard

MOST CREATIVE:

1. April Russell
2. Claire Hibbard
3. Marie Sugar

BEST VISUAL IMPACT:

1. Claire Hibbard
2. Carol Auer
3. Caryl Castellion

BEST WORKMANSHIP:

1. Carol Auer
2. Caryl Castellion
3. Chris Roche

The Quilt Show is Coming! The Quilt Show is Coming!

Tell your friends and family.  Tell them to pass the news along.

Send this postcard by email

Print this flyer and post it around your town

Library, coffee shop, supermarket, train station, museum, town hall …

If you haven’t volunteered already or can offer some more time, sign up now!

NSQG.formstack.com/forms/show_volunteers

Thank you, showvolunteers@northernstarquilters.com

Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

  On March 6, four quilters (and two of their husbands) delivered 346 pounds of humanitarian aid to be sent to civilians in Ukraine. The cargo consisted primarily of 84 quilts, virtually all of which were made by members of our guild! Our members also donated urgently requested medicine, hand/foot warmers and socks as well as the cost of the shipping.  I will let you know as soon as I hear the shipment has been received.

Spring greetings to all!

Joanne and I hope you are enjoying the warmer, and sometimes sunny, weather!  The NSQG quilt show is just around the corner, and we hope to see you there! There will be a Membership table in the lower hallway near the entrance to the quilt exhibits where you can bring your friends and family to sign up for email notices of future NSQG shows.  We would appreciate your support as we work towards building up our show publicity database!  Of course, we will also be there to share our enthusiasm for the guild with our visitors and hopefully recruit some new members!

Speaking of new members, please welcome Ursula Heinrich of White Plains, Julietta Appleton of North Salem, Lori Schmiedel of North Salem, and Lisa Clemmens of Ossining who joined the guild in March! Our membership currently stands at 189.

Reminder:  If you’d like a new membership badge, please contact us at membership@northernstarquilters.com.

Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

The Quilt Show Committee has been hard at work to finalize details for another successful show in May.

Here is your checklist…

* Have you registered your quilt(s)?
northernstarquilters.com/quilt-show/quilt-registration

* Have you signed up for your volunteer slot?
northernstarquilters.com/quilt-show/volunteer

* Have you bought your charity raffle quilt tickets?
nsqg.formstack.com/forms/nsqg_charity_raffle

* Have you told family and friends to buy advance discount tickets?  Start spreading the word!
nsqg.formstack.com/forms/showtickets

* Have you made a Challenge Quilt?  We can’t wait to see the exhibit!

* Have you heard about our new addition this year?  A guild raffle table!  Committee members are hard at work gathering baskets, including the BERNINA Sewing Machine, for a raffle.  Deadline for raffle basket donation is  the April meeting, we will be at the March meeting to explain and answer questions.

Lisa Alfozetti, nsqgworldofquilts@gmail.com

I am pleased to announce that our charity recipient for the 2024 raffle quilt is the North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps. They have been our meeting place for Comfort Quilts for the past several years and have always been willing and able to help our Guild. Thank you Karen Carlson for being the Guild liaison for this wonderful organization.

I am in search of a quilt coordinator for our 2025 Raffle Quilt. The coordinator shall be responsible for selecting the design, distributing the piecing kits and supervising the assembly . Having a friend as co-coordinator will make your responsibilities easier. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

Hi everyone,

We look forward to greeting you at the first in-person guild meeting of the year on March 15, 2023. The Ugly Fabric Auction is sure to be a lot of fun!

If you are a new member, please introduce yourself at the sign-in table. A Welcome folder, name badge and gifts await you! We would like to make sure you feel comfortable and would be happy to introduce you to a few members with whom you can sit during the meeting.

DIRECTORY CORRECTIONS AND UPDATES
*Caryl Castellion’s cell phone number has been incorrect: it should be 203 231-3594.
*Nancy Pruyne has a new email address: npruyne00@gmail.com
*Nancy Mirman has a new email address: nmirman@optonline.net

Happy quilting!
Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

• Registration Information
• Categories and Display Requirements
• Quilt Drop-off and Pickup Times and Requirements

Do you have extra storage space that you can donate to the cause?
Do you know anyone or any organization or business who might have storage space to donate to store our equipment?

• We are looking for donations of new merchandise, as well as gift certificates to local businesses, for our ‘At the Show’ raffle.  Help make our new show event fun and exciting!
  Contact nsqgworldofquilts@gmail.com with any questions.
  

• Admission tickets will be available for online purchase at a discounted rate starting in February.  Share this information with friends and family and encourage them to purchase their tickets in advance – NSQG.formstack.com/forms/showtickets
  

• Quilt show volunteer signups will be starting soon, stay tuned.

• Sell raffle tickets for “Blue Lightning”, the stunning bed-sized quilt made by guild members, with proceeds to benefit this year’s charity Sparrow’s Nest.

• Register your quilt as soon as possible.

• Make sure you are FOLLOWING the guild on social media,  SHARE future posts about the show, POST an event to your online community bulletin boards and FORWARD quilt show information to friends and family.
  Word of mouth advertising works, and it is FREE!

Lisa Alfozetti, nsqgworldofquilts@gmail.com

Hi everyone!

Now that the holidays are behind us, I hope you’re finding more time to quilt!

It was nice to see so many new and familiar faces on Zoom last week!  Please welcome new members who have joined the guild over the past month. They are Lefa Alksne of Croton-on-Hudson,  Barbara Danzi of New York City and Fumiko Kano of Yorktown Heights.

The updated online version of the 2022-2023 Membership Directory will be emailed to you within the next few weeks.  Please let us know as soon as possible if any of your information needs to be updated.  This is also a great time to email us your photo for the latest edition of the directory!

See you later this month for the second Zoom meeting of the year,

Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

When you are not busy working on your quilt to enter in the show, or selling charity raffle tickets for the beautiful quilt to benefit Sparrow’s Nest, we have one more fun project that needs your help!

There will be a basket raffle table at the show, with an opportunity to win additional prizes.

Donations of complete baskets is the goal, but we will accept donations of new individual items if they can be worked into a basket with other items.  Perhaps you received something for the holidays that you won’t be using or already have a duplicate?  Are you friendly with a local business that would donate an item or a gift certificate or even an entire basket?

Get your SIG group together and show us your creativity with a group basket!  Partner up with some of your guild friends and put together something that everyone would want to win!  It does not have to be quilting related – a basket could have a theme such as gardening..cooking..spa day…etc.

This basket raffle will feature new items only, and complete baskets should have a minimum value of $100.

Thank you to Shelley Lounsbury and Narcie Medina who have stepped up to coordinate this.  Contact Shelley @ shlounz@gmail.com with any questions, or information about items you may want to donate.

It’s easy to confuse our own quilting books with those we’ve borrowed from the Guild’s Library, especially as time goes by.  Also some books may have been returned directly to the cart before the white sign-out card can be pulled and put back in the book.  A reminder email will be going out to borrowers with books believed to be due or past due.  Please check your home library for forgotten guild library books.  Your librarian (me) will be happy to be inundated with your returns at our March guild meeting.

Thanks!
Deb Tashjian, librarian@northernstarquilters.com

• Guest Speaker – Meg Cox
• Invitational – to be announced soon!
• The Quilt Raffle is happening now – benefitting Sparrow’s Nest – holiday gatherings are a great opportunity to sell tickets for this stunning quilt!
• Quilt Registration begins in January – are you working on your entries?
• Additional Event Raffles will feature a BERNINA Sewing Machine and more!

Comfort Quilts to Maria Ferari NICU

Projected Comfort Quilts dates for the rest of 2022:

– Dec. 7
– Dec 21 (special holiday gathering,12-2pm, contact Patricia Loquet for details)

We meet at North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 14 Daniel Rd. North Salem, from 10 to 2pm.
Bring lunch or a snack if you’d like a food break at your seat.
(All recommended vaccinations required.)
Last minute cancellations do happen, so if in doubt or coming for the first time please check.
Contact Karen Carlson or Carol Auer for information.

CQ November Quilts

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Hi everyone,

We look forward to seeing you in-person this month before our winter zoom meetings begin. New name tags are available for new members as well as for anyone who would like a replacement for their old one. For those of you who weren’t at the November meeting, the new badges can be clipped onto a jacket or you can attach your own ribbon and hang it around your neck; no more pin holes to damage your clothing!  Please email  membership@northernstarquilters.com or place your name on the request list that will be on the Membership table at the December meeting.
Don’t forget that this will be your last chance to pick up your badge before the next in-person meeting in March.

If you are a new member and haven’t picked up your NSQG Welcome packet, please stop by the Membership table to pick up yours. We’d love to meet you!

The PDF version of the 2022-2023 Membership Directory has been emailed, check your Spam folders if not received.

As we approach the last NSQG meeting of 2022, we want to wish each and every one of you happy holidays and a new year filled with peace, hope and joy!

Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

Bring your own project – Have a UFO? –  Sit N Sew with Nancy.

Do you have a project on which you are stuck?  Or maybe you have a photograph that you want to make into a quilt, and you don’t know how to start.  From how to make a quilt lie flat, how to make mitered corners, putting on a binding the correct way – Nancy can help you.  Nancy has been a member of the Guild since 1985 and taught quilting at The Country Quilter for almost 20 years.

Each participant will complete a simple Japanese Rice Bag. Then the students will choose a more complicated bag to make in the second half of the class.

We will learn the steps to start a portrait from a photograph that you will bring with you. No sewing machine for this class!

This is a technique workshop where you learn a way to piece curves and all shapes into pictures. Our picture will be MOON RIVER out of Sharon Schamber’s book, Piec-lique.  This technique can be used in several different ways in quilting.

Learn to cut, sew and press free-form quarter circle units to compose an improv drunkard’s path quilt. We will be experimenting with multi cuts, squiggly cuts and “cogs”. A sewing machine with a knee or auto lift presser foot is required.

Arabic Lattice is a traditional pattern and is perfect for confident beginners as well as more advanced quilters.  The pattern makes large 11” blocks.  The finished size of the quilt is 53″X64″ including borders.  The block consists of a 4-patch around which the lattice triangles are sewn.  A template is used for the lattice pieces and a partial seam is used to sew the four lattice triangles to the 4-patch.   The template is large and very easy to use.  The template will be supplied by me.  You may not think you want to use a template but believe me these blocks go together very quickly.  And partial seams are very easy, especially with such large pieces.

Have you ever considered working with transparent fabrics?  Whatever your style is, adding transparent areas to your work can add magic, softness, and interest.
In this workshop we will learn different ways of creating transparent areas in your quilt.  They can be within the quilt, or at the edges.  We will create a sample piece that has an inner transparent area as well as transparent extensions.

A recent communication from Ukraine with photos (some of our quilts)!  

Quilts arrived in Ukraine

“We got blankets!  These are beautiful handmade blankets. The quilts have personal inscriptions from the women who sewed them.  Our workers and refugees were very touched and expressed their sincere thanks.  Ukraine & USA together to Victory!
Best wishes, Dmytro”

$310 was raised in support of guild activities, three winners got to chose their favorite quilt from our ‘As Requested’ summer quilt project.
Thanks to all who participated!

Margaret, quilt by Karen Carlson and Carol Auer

Dee, quilt by Chris Roche

Kate, quilt by Louise Baptiste

Projected Comfort Quilts dates for the rest of 2022:
– Nov. 9 and 30 (2nd and 5th Wednesdays)
– Dec. 7 and 21 (1st and 3rd Wednesdays)

We meet at North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 14 Daniel Rd. North Salem, from 10 to 2pm.
Bring lunch or a snack if you’d like a food break at your seat.
(All recommended vaccinations required.)
Last minute cancellations do happen, so if in doubt or coming for the first time please check.

Quilts R Us !

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Some CQ September Quilts

Comfort Quilts October Show n Tell and Quilt Raffle

Each summer we offer a different ‘challenge’ to Comfort Quilters.  It started as a way to use up scraps or excess fabrics or fabrics that were being overlooked.  This year’s theme was ‘As Requested’ –  each quilter selected a color and motif and received a packet of fabrics based on their request.

The finished quilts are displayed at the October meeting ; one quilt is raffled off for every $100 raised,  $100+ = 1 quilt, $200+ = 2 quilts, $300+ = 3 quilts.  Money raised supports our guild activities.
Tickets are $5 each so bring your $$$.  We’ve never hit $400, maybe this is the year!

For a stroll down CQ memory lane, here are past challenges:

2021 Plaid Tidings – plaid and white packs
2020 Salt and Pepper – packs of off-whites and off-blacks
2019 Fat Quarter Fun – pick 2 FQ packs
2018 Roll Your Own – pack of 2 Jelly Rolls
2017 Kit Parade – grab bag of CQ kits
2016 Gotta Love It! – pick your own focus fabric and receive coordinating fabrics plus a solid
2015 It’s A Boy! – pack of fabric for larger size masculine style quilts
2014 White Lightning – pack of fabric white backgrounds
2013 Black Magic – pack of fabric with black backgrounds
2012 No BACKsies – ready-made backs with coordinating fabric
2011 Ronald McDonald House Donation- queen size quilts /build-a-block finishing
2010 Use it and Lose it!  – pick from odd blocks and 30’s fabrics and set using Twist N Turn
2009 Medallion Center Quilts – frame out pillow squares and other fabric panels
2008 Layer Cake – pack of 10″ squares
2007 Ronald McDonald House Donation – 8” block quilts
2006 Jewel Box Mystery Quilt
2005 Christmas Fabrics
2004 Strip Tease – bundles of strips

Help make quilts for charities!  Check out our Comfort Quilts page.  All members are welcome.

Projected Comfort Quilts dates for the rest of 2022 :

• Oct. 12 and 26 (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)
• Nov. 9 and 30 (2nd and 5th Wednesdays)
• Dec. 7 and 21 (1st and 3rd Wednesdays)

Contact Carol Auer or Karen Carlson or comfortquilts@northernstarquilters.com to join in making Comfort Quilts or to make a charity quilt request or to donate fabric.

Greetings to all!

The good news is that we have added 22 new members to our guild since last year.  The following people have joined our ranks since the last newsletter:  Beth Larsen of Croton,  Christine Bunke of Fishkill, Joan Galanin of Yorktown Heights, Beverly Golisano of North Salem, Lynn Kaufteil of Rye, Betty Moulton of Brewster and Laura Demos of New Fairfield.  We’d like to welcome each of you to Northern Star!  This is a guild that is open to all styles of quilting. We encourage you to find your niche and get involved!

If you are one of those people who haven’t yet renewed your membership, please don’t forget that your registration must be received by October 5 to be included in the hard copy of the 2022-2023 Membership Directory and receive our monthly newsletters and emails.  Of course, you will still be listed in the online version of the directory if you miss the deadline and resubscribed to our emails. The goal of this change is to insure that members have up-to-date information earlier in the year so that they can better communicate with each other.  The directories will be available at the October meeting. Don’t forget to pick up your copy at the membership table when you sign in.

For those of you who aren’t fans of the old membership name badges, you have a treat in store! Going forward, new members and any other members who would like one will be issued  heavy duty plastic badges with clips, ribbons can be added if you prefer to wear around your neck.  Please let Joanne know if you would like one. She will have your new badge ready at the October meeting.

Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, Membership