President’s Message

I received a letter from the Putnam County Historian asking for the Guild’s assistance in locating the Putnam County Bicentennial Quilt.  The quilt was design by Gladys Boalt and sewn by members of her sewing group.    If anyone has any idea as to the whereabouts of this quilt, please contact me so I can let her know.  The picture posted here is from the historian’s webpage.

Thank you to all of the teachers at this year’s Super Saturday.  Your participation in the event helped make it so successful.  I think all who attended agree with me that the new venue, the Yorktown Presbyterian Church, was great.  We hope that we can continue to hold Super Saturday here in future years.

Don’t forget to register your quilt for the World of Quilts XXXVIII.  Registration will be open until the end of the month.

Susan Fasnacht, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com

Happy New Year to all!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and were able to get some quilting in.  Quilt registration opens in just a couple of weeks and I hope we have as great a display at this year’s show as we did last May.  Things are starting to get into high gear for the show, make sure you read Chris and Noreen’s section to find out what is happening this month.

Mary Cannizzaro is starting a new Special Interest Group on the Electric Quilt (EQ) program.  EQ is a wonderful tool can be used to design quilts – from the basic blocks on through to the quilting design.  It is a deep and comprehensive program that most owners only use what would be the tip of an iceberg.  Here are some thoughts that Mary has as to what the group will do:

• Members would need to have EQ 7 on a laptop to bring to the meeting (or see the last bullet).
• Share ideas and techniques of using EQ.
• Share knowledge of how EQ can work, how to better make use of the product.
• Members to take turns in suggesting a project for the group and follow up sharing.
• Possibly share with the guild membership the fruits of our labor.
• Members who don’t have EQ but are considering purchasing it could “sit in” to see what the program does to help them make their final purchase decision.

If you are interested in participating in this SIG, please email Donna Chambers at education@northernstarquilters.com.  Mary plans on holding her first meeting in February to discuss how to proceed.

Finally, if you purchased some material from our speaker last month and got home and discovered it was missing, I have it.  One of our members found the bag and gave it to me to hold on to.  I will have it at the January meeting, so come and see me to reclaim your purchase.

Susan Fasnacht, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com

Welcome to a new year at Northern Star Quilters’ Guild.  I hope everyone has had a good summer and managed to get in a bit of sewing.  If you have, don’t forget to bring your work to our meeting for Show and Tell! We are looking forward to another exciting year with great speakers and workshops, our Guild Challenge, a trip to Lancaster, Super Saturday, SIG’s, Comfort Quilts, and “A World of Quilts XXXVIII”, to name a few of our activities.

As I have written about, we are taking full advantage of our website to keep you informed of what is happening in NSQG.  Make sure you bookmark our page and use it as a resource to find out the latest information on what is happening.  Over the next several months we will be adding some more features to the site.  For instance we plan on adding PayPal as an option for quilt registration payment (don’t worry you will still be able to write a check if you want).  This feature can then be expanded to include membership registration, workshops, etc.  As we make these changes, our goals are to make sure current information is available to you, to make the jobs of the Guild volunteers easier and less time consuming, and to keep current with today’s technology.  How many of you long time quilters still use scissors to cut your fabric?  As the new technology of a rotary cutter was introduced, you embraced it as the way to go.  We are doing the same.

Remember volunteering is what makes our Guild so great. When you fill out your registration form, choose an area or two where you would like to help.  You can also introduce yourself at our monthly meeting to the Vice President in charge of that Committee and let them know you want to help.  Or send them an email; their emails are all on the website (look under the Membership Info tab).  A few hours of everyone’s time during the year adds up and is a big help to the people running the Committees.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone on September 21^st .  We have a great speaker lined up, Pat Harrison and she is teaching a dynamic class earlier that day (there is still room in the workshop).  There will be goodies to eat, friends to catch up with, and new people to meet.

Susan Fasnacht, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com

It’s only a month away from the start of a new year at NSQG.  The Board has been busy over the summer gearing up for another exciting year.  Maria Catalano, VP Communications, has updated the website to make it easier to read and to contain current information on our upcoming Programs, Workshops and other activities. A larger calendar has been added as a new feature to the homepage to highlight the month’s events.  Clicking on a particular item, will provide all the information on the event and allow you to download the information to your Google Calendar, iCalendar or Outlook.  Spend some time going through our website and seeing all information it has.  It is a great way to find out what is happening.

Soon we will be coming out with a new publication “The Northern Star Compass – Navigating our Guild”.  This will replace the Special Edition of “On-Point” and is intended as a piece to market and publicize what NSQG does and has to offer.  It will contain articles that give an overview of our guild activities and direct readers to the website for more detailed information.

Why this change?  We have found that in the past, information in the Special Edition is out of date soon after it is printed.  Plus with our new website all the detailed information is there and up to date.  We look to “The Northern Star Compass” as a great marketing tool to give to new or potential members as a way to promote all that we do.

Visit our website and check out the workshops offered this fall.  We have a line-up of great classes teaching a variety of quilting techniques.  At only $50 a class for a day of hands-on instructions with live interaction with the instructor, they are a bargain.

Susan Fasnacht, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com

My last message to the Guild as President………hard to believe a year has gone by.  It has been a busy one with many changes, and we aren’t through yet.  Bylaws amendments are still to be voted on at the June meeting.  My Board members have been wonderful to work with and each has handled their responsibilities with energy, consideration, responsibility and a willingness to do more than their share.  I am grateful to them for being part of all we have accomplished this year.

Early in the year we switched accountants to one who specializes in tax-exempt organizations.  It was evident that our financial Bylaws needed amending to conform to current accounting practices.  Next we began to take ownership of our website from the previous webmaster.  By November Maria launched our new website utilizing the fresh new Northern Star logo designed for the occasion by a committee of Board members.  Shortly after this, FaceBook was reinstated for the Guild to use.

During the summer meetings with WestConn began the process of “putting on a Show” in their facility.  Excitement began to grow.  Susan did a magnificent job of organizing this move and her Committee performed equally well, as did the Guild volunteers when it came time for their service.  We received constant help from the management which made us feel they were happy to have our business.  When “A World of Quilts” opened its doors it was a beautiful scene!  Gorgeous quilts and special exhibits, happy vendors and lots of excited guests.  A huge transition well done!!!

In September we had not one speaker, but two, cancel their Fall engagements because of family emergencies.  Judy handled the crisis beautifully and filled both gaps with great substitutes.  In the Fall our storage container was successfully moved from behind Kennedy to a spot on WestConn grounds.  It is now owned by WestConn (in exchange for moving it) but they are sharing it with us, for free.

A search for better accommodations for Super-Saturday ended with an agreement from First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown to use their facility beginning in February 2017.  It is easy access, ground level, spacious well lit classrooms, with a large communal area for lunch.  Perfect!  Look forward to no steps and comfortable chairs next year thanks to Chris Roche and Jean Degl.  Laureen said she thinks the same deli will repeat the excellent lunches she found for us.  This year has also seen two successful Boutiques and Library sales and a very imaginative Cow Challenge. Many enjoyed the annual trip to Lancaster.  We had a gorgeous raffle quilt completed, and a number of Ronald McDonald bed quilts made as well as more than 250 Comfort Quilts given away.

The many changes this year required us to update most of NSQG Policies.  This was done by the Board’s willingness to spend extra hours after Board meetings.  By the same token, many Board positions required changes to the Procedures and Job Descriptions that go into the Guild manuals which serve as our guide in the operation of the Guild.

We are still working on a reliable replacement contact at KC to fill the void left by the tragic death of Sr. Barbara in March.  The committee to Review the Bylaws and the Nominating Committee have worked hard to keep things up to date and to give you a fine Board of Directors for next year.

This review of the year should afford the members a glimpse of some behind the scenes things, as well as the usual, that are accomplished by your Board for the benefit of the Guild.  Give them a thank you when you see them and know that it takes many hands to keep things running smoothly.  We can use YOUR hands any time you can offer to assist.  It has been a privilege to be your President again and I feel secure that I leave you in very good hands next year.  See you at the Salad Supper, and then have a pieceful summer.

Joyce Sullivan, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com

What a wonderful Show!

I give great thanks and hearty praise to every member who helped put this inaugural event together.  As Show Chairman, Susan Fasnacht showed unparalleled organization and leadership. I spoke with vendors who were happy with the new venue and amazed at the smooth transition.  The guests I spoke to loved the new space.  I love the new space, as did every member I saw.  Ladies, and Don, WE DID GOOD!

We learned a few things that will be changed or improved next year, as one would expect.  The ever helpful John Murphy knows our needs more thoroughly and can function better next time also.  I believe it was truly to our advantage that we were forced into making this change after 35 years in the same place.  Start right now to make more of the spectacular quilts that were getting rave reviews from everyone who viewed them.  One remark I heard, “this is better than Lancaster.”

Photographers were recording everything and Maria will soon have photos on the website.  She will send an e-blast when they are ready for your viewing.

Sr. Barbara Memorial Donation

At the April Board meeting the Board voted to donate the NSQG Policy limit of $250 to the Mustard Seed Migrant Ministry in Goshen, NY.  in memory of Sr. Barbara Heil. Their purpose is to provide the children of migrant workers a place to find self-worth and stability as well as food and friendship. Sr. Barbara loved working with these children and involved KC students in the work with her.

Google them or go to their website, www.mustardseedmigrantministry.org  to learn more.

Mustard Seed does not fall into an accepted category for NSQG donations (only quilt related charities) so the Board voted unanimously to override the policy in this unique circumstance.  The membership is invited to make personal contributions for added impact to the Guild donation.

The collection routine is this:

1. Write a check to Mustard Seed Migrant Ministry in any amount you wish. A note may be included in the envelope.  They will remain sealed.  (Tax deduction is yours.)
2. Bring your envelope to the May meeting with “Mustard Seed” noted on envelope.
3. Or,  mail it to NSQG President, P.O.Box 232, Somers, NY 10589.  (note “Mustard Seed” on envelope.)
4. All checks collected will be taken to Mustard Seed together with the Guild donation and given to a representative that I will contact beforehand.

Joyce Sullivan, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com

The President’s message this month will be a tribute to Sr. Barbara that I read at the March meeting.  A number of members suggested it be in the Newsletter for absentees to read and for members to keep if they wish to.  Click on the link for the tribute.

Sr. Barbara and The Guild

At the meeting I reported that the Show Committee and the Board have agreed to dedicate a page in the show catalog and provide a memorial Exhibit at the Show this year.  We have taken member suggestions under advisement and discussed them. There will be a monetary donation from the Guild but the amount and the charity have not been designated.  For one thing, we are waiting to see if Kennedy will be setting up some significant memorial that we would like to contribute to.  I explained that the Guild is limited to some degree by our own Monetary Policies.  It was obvious by the “show of hands” that most members wish to make personal donations, in the amount they choose, to add to the impact of the Guild’s gift when that is made.  Checks would be made out to the specific charity but all would be donated together as a single gift to the chosen charity.

Your Board will continue to work toward a decision on this and we will keep you informed.

Joyce Sullivan, President
president@Northernstarquilters.com