Wednesday, January 24, 2018

February 2018 Newsletter

President's Letter
Winter is here and we've already had a few snow days.  Have you had a chance to sew during any of these days?  I hope you haven't spent all that time shoveling!  Have you worked on your Challenge Quilt?  I've been finishing up some UFOs and also finishing projects that have deadlines.  I'm participating in Barb Vedder's Churn Dash block swap.  After I send my blocks to her, I'll receive 54 different Churn Dash blocks back from 36 different people!  I'm really excited and looking forward to receiving the mix of blocks.

Things are getting busy at Penn Oaks even though we had to cancel our January meeting.  I was looking forward to the member demos but do you know this is about the fourth year we had to cancel member demos?  We just can't seem to get this program in.  Maybe we should schedule it during nicer weather but this is exactly why we schedule it for the winter, so we don't have a speaker that we have to worry about getting to our meeting, cancelling the speaker, etc.  Thank you to those members who prepared demos but were unable to share your knowledge with us.  Hold onto your samples, maybe you'll be asked again in the future.

We are going to carry over the project to fill goodie bags for Ronald McDonald House at our February meeting so please pick up some treats when you are shopping.  We will also have a discussion about the proposed changes to the by-laws.  I have asked Pat Sherman, Cindy Vognetz, and Diana Smyrl to serve as the nominating committee for 2018.  There will be several open positions on the board so please consider how you can help your guild.

A good friend shops for fabric with you.  A true friend helps you hide it when you get home!

Stephanie Braskey

PS-Be sure to scroll all the way to the end to see quilt happenings going on this winter, including information about the Loose Threads Tea.


Meeting Minutes - none as the meeting was canceled

Programs - Rita Marie Smith and Linda Kerschner

February 12:   Annual Quilt Challenge -  This is the night our mini quilts, using a piece of "difficult fabric," will be displayed !   It will be fun to see how everyone used the fabric in their quilt !  Bring your quilt in a bag.....no name on quilt or bag.  See Denise's special write-up for specifics if you have not made your quilt yet.  PLEASE BRING THOSE INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED SNACK ITEMS for Ronald McDonald House.  We will be assembling the snack bags.  Any small individually wrapped item such as cookies, candy, crackers, pretzels, fruit snacks are perfect.  If you have any questions, contact Jean Zubert.   Also Kelly Shaw of AseraCare Hospice, Exton, has asked if she could speak to us for a few minutes about a hospice program she is the Volunteer Care Coordinator of. 

March 12:  Rose Morgan, a member of the Calico Cutters Quilt Guild, will be sharing her Creative Journey in the World of Quilting and her wonderful          quilts.  We will also be having our Silent Auction.  Please see Diana's special write-up. 

April 9:      Gail Kessler, of Lady Fingers Quilt Shop, Oley, PA.  She is an author, fabric designer and instructor.  Her topic is "From Concept to Cloth."

May 14:    Sarah Bond, a Philadelphia area quilter and teacher.  Sarah's family history ... the quilts and quilters in her family before the Civil War up to            the Civil Rights era.  She will share some of their quilts as well as some of her own.

June 11:   Joyce Hughes is an award winning quilter, lecturer and teacher.  She will speak of her quilting journey and thread painting. 

Workshop Opportunity with Joyce Hughes, Monday, June 11.  Time TBA.  Joyce has offered to hold a workshop for us on raw edge applique, dimension thread painting and embellishment.  It would be during the day, June 11, at the Frazer Mennonite Church with a maximum of 15 participants.  The cost per person to be determined by the number attending.  Joyce would provide a kit for $15 and a supply list.  I will have a sign-up sheet at upcoming meetings to see how many would be interested.  You can visit her website to see an example of a panel we would use.



Membership - none as the meeting was canceled.


Hospitality - Angel
Due to the cancellation for inclement weather in January the snack list scheduled for then will be repeatedThe snack contributions for our Holiday meeting were awesome!  Team work makes the dream work!! The list for January is: P.Smith, D. Smyrl, S. Stiverson*, L.Telson, P.Toghill*, C.Vognetz, D. Wertheiser, P.White, J. Zubert. A star after your name indicates you bring a beverage for the group instead of a snack. Don't forget to switch your responsibility with a friend if you can't attend so we don't run short.

Downingtown Library Quilts - Leslie O'Brien
A Call For Quilts! The Downingtown Library is sponsoring a quilt show to promote quilts as art with the quilts to be raffled off as a fund raiser for the library. We are looking for any interested quilter to make a small “art” quilt as a donation. The size request is 16” wide by 20” long. Any subject matter, any method, including hand or machine quilting and any form of embellishment is acceptable. Please sign or label your quilt and include a sleeve or corner triangles for hanging. A dowel is not necessary. Raffle tickets will be sold at the library while the quilts are on display. Winning tickets will be drawn at an evening reception on April 6th. Winners will be able to take their quilts that night or pick them up later at the library. For a little incentive , the quilter whose quilt sells the most tickets will win a $25 cash prize. Quilts will be accepted any time between now and March 20 at the library or they may be given to one of the following people: Karen Smith (Downingtown Library)- ksmith@ccls.org Debby O’Keefe - dokeefe19@hotmail.com Leslie O’Brien- leslieobriensk8@comcast.net Please send the following information to confirm your intention to participate to Debby - dokeefe19@hotmail.com: Your name: E-mail address: any questions? Thank you so much for supporting the library and quilts as art!


Library Quilt by Kathy Joyce


Challenge - Denise Blake


 It's challenge time!!!! Hope you have or will soon have a finished challenge quilt ready to be judged in February. Here are your instructions: Either have it unlabeled, or please cover your label so that no one knows who made it. Bring your quilt in in an unmarked bag, and there will be a table at the meeting to put it on. They will all be hung and judged. Then we get to guess who made what quilt, and finally, announce the winner(s). Good luck to everyone. I'm sure they will all be awesome. Any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Denise Blake

484-574-5604


 Calling all Quilters
          Please clean out your sewing rooms
            and donate to the Penn Oaks Silent Auction
            This can be a major fundraiser for our Guild!
***********************************
            Please bring your items to the February meeting
and all of your unwanted material and 
notions. 

                        Diana Smyrl

My husband built me some new shelves for my sewing room. That means I am doing a huge clean out! Lots of good things so be sure to bring your money. I am not saying who but I think there is some one out there that would like the 3 bags of Halloween scraps I am donating (ok it's Robin)! Don't worry there will be lots more, I haven't done a good clean up in a while!
Kelly

Ronald McDonald House Snacks

We are going to put together the snack bags for Ronald McDonald House at the February meeting. If you have any more items, please bring them to the meeting. Any individually wrapped snacks  that your kids would like will be appreciated. Many hands will make short work.

Jean Zubert
484-369-8706

Charity Corner
Baby Bits  As always, feel free to make baby quilts, 30 x 30, for the NICU at Chester County Hospital. CCH also accepts knitted or crocheted baby blankets that are used in the general nursery. At this time, the nursery does not need baby hats. 
CCH also has Ob/Gyn Clinic Services for those in need.  The clinic will happily accept blankets and hats that are quilted, knitted or crocheted. Color is not important. Use scraps of yarn and fabric!!

Pillowcases  Children’s can be given to Debbie Becker or Suzanne Doonan.. Adult pillowcases can be given to Diana Smirl. Links to pillowcase instructions:


Frustrated Fidgeters.  

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING ONE OF THESE AS THEY ARE VERY NEEDED! The Pocopson Nursing Home has asked us to make sewn or knitted  items for dementia,  Alzheimer’s, etc. patients, who may become agitated and need to keep their hands occupied.  These are designed to offer an outlet for anxious fidgeting.


A twiddlemuff is a double thickness hand muff with bits and bobs attached inside and out. Fleece would work well.  An activity blanket or pillow serves the same purpose.  Activity blankets are comforting of they have some weight to them (3-5 lbs.) – this gives a sense of security. A blanket can be weighed down with thicker fill, rice, dried beans, etc. All items must be firmly attached or, if detachable, must be too large to be swallowed.

For more ideas google twiddlemuff images  and look on pinterest.

Chester Bears
There is a group led by Susan Longenecker that makes stuffed bears for use in the CCH emergency department.
Anything you make can be given to Debbie Becker or Suzanne Doonan at meetings.

From Jean Fox    

We have made "pillowcase" dresses for an orphanage in Africa in the past.  Jean is asking if anyone would be able to make some in the next couple of weeks.  She has learnt that the lady who takes them is going to the orphanage this year along with some doctors in March so they would have to be mailed to Arkansas by the end of February.   For anyone not familiar with these dresses, they are very easy to make and you only need 2 fat quarters for smaller sizes and 2 - 1 yd cuts of 5/8" wide ribbon. There are directions at www.modabakeshop.com as well as other sites by searching fat quarter pillowcase dress.  You can give dresses to me (Rita Marie) at our next meeting or by the end of that week so they can be mailed.  Feel free to email  me with any questions.  Hello and thank you from Jean.            Size 6-12 mos. finished dress length 14"-15"     Size 18-24 mos......16"-18"       
               Size S (2-4)......16"-23"              M (5-7)......24"-29"            L (8-10)......30"-34"            XL (11 & above)......35" or more long   



2018 Getaway

We'd like to encourage those members who are not attending the Getaway to visit the Amish View Inn and take a look around. The Inn is located at 3125 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand. We'll be there from February 21st through the 25th. The best days to visit are Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Do a little shopping, have a bite to eat and come say hello. We look forward to seeing you.
Ellen McMillen and Pat Sherman


BONUS! I'm planning to practice yoga during the Getaway as I have a daily practice.
I'd would like to invite anyone who wishes to join me either in some shoulder and neck stretches at their chairs  or even some standing poses if anyone is interested. This can be a break for everyone, very informal with some breathing and relaxation. No pressure, I just wish to share if anyone wants to join me.
Thanks much,
Nancy DiTeodoro


Quilt Happenings

Quilters’ Winter Retreat
February 22-25, 2017
Holiday Garden Inn
720 Eagleview Blvd.
Exton, Pa 19341
Calico Cutters Mystery Quilt Day
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Goodwill Fire Company
West Chester, PA
Door opens at 8:45 am
Registration fee – 16.00 includes the pattern
Limited to 20 participants, contact Christine Fallon or Catherine Morano to sign-up.

2018 Quilt Preview
March 1-3 2018
Thursday and Friday 9:00 - 8:00
Friday 9:00- 3:00
MCC EC Material Resource Center
517 W Trout Run Road
Ephrata PA  17522
Preview 100 quilts to be sold at the Pennsylvania Relief Sale
Free admission
Susquehanna Valley Quilt Guild
World War I Centennial Quilt Show
March 2-3, 2018
Loose Threads Quilters’ Tea
Saturday, March 10, 2018 (snow date March 17)
First United Church of Christ
145 Chestnut Street
Spring City, PA
AQS Quilt Show – Lancaster
March 21-24, 2018
Lancaster County Convention Center
25 South Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603
The Lancaster Quilt Show continued at the Continental Inn
March 21-24, 2018
Mini Mosaics Workshop with Cheryl Lynch 
Brandywine Valley Quilt Guild
Class Fee: 28.00
March 24, 2018 Saturday
9:30-3:30 pm
St. John’s Episcopal Church
576 Concord Road, Glen Mills, PA 19342
Contact Betty Jean Boyd at bettyjboyd@aol.com
An Evening with Mary Fons
April 11, 2018
6-9pm
Easton Fire Hall
315 Aurora Park Drive
Easton, MD
Reservation 8.00
Send check to Bayside Quilters, P.O. Box 2672, Easton, MD 21601 (please include an email address for receipt)
A World of Quilts
Calico Cutters Quilt Guild
May 4-5, 2018
Ashton Hall at the Church of the Good Samaritan
212 W. Lancaster Ave.
Paoli, PA
Quiltfest 2108
May 5-6, 2018
Colonial Quilters Guild
Charles Chrin Community Center
Palmer, PA
Celebration of Quilts 2018
May 18-19, 2018
York Quilters Guild
York College of PA
Penn Dry Goods Market
Antiques Show and Sale
May 18th and 19th, 2018
Friday – 10:00 – 5:00
Saturday – 10:00 – 4:00
Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center
105 Seminary Street
Pennsburg, PA 18073

Kutztown Folk Festival
June 30th – July 8th, 2018
Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza
Oaks, PA
September 13-16, 2018
Brandywine Valley Quilters
Quilt Show
October 19-21st, 2018
Brookhaven Municipal Building
2 Cambridge Road
Brookhaven, PA 19015

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