December 2014 Newsletter

President's Letter

Warmest greetings of the season, on the coldest day of the year so far, to the Guild!

It is a wonderful time of year. Everyone has something to celebrate. I like the music the best. Just waiting for the 24/7 holiday music radio stations to start playing the sounds of the season.

It is time to decorate the tree with carefully crafted fabric decorations, display the holiday quilts, hang the quilting stockings from the mantle, place the holiday pillows on the sofa, and unfurl the winter table runners on the table top. There is nothing like a bit of last minute stitching to help you get in the spirit of the season. Of course, many of those items are gifts for family and friends. 

Get ready for the party! The next meeting will be lots of fun.

Suzanne has put together a great craft. As we all know, we can't have too many pin cushions and this one with the jar attached will hold the supplies we need to make it easy to transport our projects. 

Please put the finishing touches on your 12 1/2 block to exchange. I wonder if any long term members have created anything out of their block collections yet? If yes, please share. 

Speaking of the exchange blocks, don't forget to sign your block. I will bring some markers so we can sign blocks you may have without signatures. Bring your past exchange blocks that are missing signatures so you can get them signed.

To the refreshments group - please don't forget! This is a party so members running out to get last minute food would be a mess. 

See everyone at the meeting! Happy Holiday Sewing!

Leslie O'Brien

Programs

Suzanne Doonan and Betsy Moses

Our December program features Silent Auction, Block Exchange, and a Craft Activity.

Silent Auction

Look around your sewing space for items to donate.  Tools, books, magazines, patterns, fabric, ribbon and notions are all welcome.  A collection of fabrics scraps leftover from your quilt project packaged with a ribbon or in a plastic bag might be just what someone else needs to make a small gift.

Block Exchange

Create a 12 ½ in block with a holiday theme.  Wrap it as a gift.  We will draw numbers to determine the order of guild members selecting their gifts.  You’ll go home with something special made by a quilter.  This activity is strictly voluntary.  If you don’t bring a block, you can still enjoy the show!

Craft Activity

A pincushion for your sewing room.

What to bring:

4 inch circle of fabric

What we provide:

Jelly jars

Fiberfill stuffing

Fray check

Glue guns, both regular and mini

Glue sticks, both regular and mini

Ribbon

Clamps and Wonder Clips to help with glueing

Power strips

What you can bring (optional):

Glue gun

Fray check

Power strip

Buttons, charms, and ribbon to coordinate with your fabric

Your extraordinary design skills (a given, not optional)

Membership: Ellen McMillen/Rita Marie Smith
Forty members and five guests attended the November meeting. We're looking forward to a good turnout for the December holiday meeting.December Birthdays
Denise Werkheiser                9-December
Kelly Meanix                       13-December
Marianne Caporale              30-December
Many happy birthday wishes to you all!

Hospitality
Snack list for the December Penn Oaks guild meeting is: J.Loncaric, S. Longenecker, E. Mayer, E. McMillen, R. McMillen, K. Meanix, E. Mincarelli, B. Moses, R. Newlander*, L. O'Brien, D. O'Connor, M.Paczok, M. Paluba* L.Paylor, N. Rubinelli, P.Sherman, P.Smith, R. Smith*, D. Smyrl, M.Stevenson, S. Stiverson*, C. Vognetz, D. Werkheiser, J. Zubert*, J. Zwizanski.  A star after your name means you bring a beverage instead of a snack for the group. Please switch with a friend if you cannot attend the meeting.

FABRIC SWAP: Kelly Meanix

This month's fabric is "small florals any shade or color". Please bring (23) 10" squares in a ziplock type bag with you name on the inside. I will have your "light prints" set of swap blocks at the meeting. If you are not going to be at the meeting please contact me. 

Next month's blocks will be "low volume". I will bring examples for you to have a better idea if you are unsure of a low volume fabric. Please pay special attention to the size, make sure they are 10" squares and please make sure you have 23 blocks, count them twice! I have bought just a bit more fabric to allow for a cutting mistake.
Kelly----questions?    kellymx@aol.com

2015 Getaway:  Kathy DeCarli/Ellen McMillen

For those of you who are attending the Getaway this is a gentle reminder that the final payment is due no later than the December 8th guild meeting. Ellen will send you an email with the amount of your final room payment. Please keep in mind that the Getaway is self-funding. If you must withdraw after the December 15th deadline you will be responsible for your share of the cost of the room. In January we'll let you know your share of the Sewing Room rental fee which will likely be between 11 and 12 dollars. We're so looking forward to our new Getaway location!

Quilt Show 2015

All 12 of our vendor booths are now booked..  Timberline Patchwork; The Quilt Block; Pottstown Sewing (3 spaces); Jackie’s Woolens; Happy Valley Quilting; Donna’s Quits and Prims (name change);, Ribbonsmyth (ribbons and embellishments); The Bead Lounge; Penny Marble Quilt Designs and Alchemy Textiles.  We’ve got a great mix of vendors so please save your money and support these vendors.  Go to our website:  www.pennoaksquilters.org to see what they vend.  Whew, thanks to Robin for her tenacity in getting Ribbonsmyth.  I think this is the biggest hurdle in getting our show off the ground—getting vendors.  I think this is the earliest we’ve done this since we started at Griffith Hall in 2009.

Help Diana Smyrl get ads for our program brochure by giving suggestions.  The same goes for Pat Sherman, who is getting the door prizes.

Website is being updated with newest information on the Quilt Show.  Maureen will continue updating the Vendor and door prize lists on line

Robin McMillen is getting her food handler’s license and will lead the food committee.  She is looking into prices and possible vendors.  Keep the ideas coming. 

We need strong guys (males) for Show Set up day—Thursday April 30 in the A.M.  Please start talking to your family to chip in.  It is too hard for most of us to move the heavy tables.

Raffle mini-quilts will be 18”X18”.  PLEASE START WORKING ON YOUR QUILT AS THEY WERE TERRIFIC FOR PUBLICITY OVER THE YEAR.  TURN THEM IN TO KELLY MEANIX AS SOON AS THEY ARE DONE.  WE ARE ASKING EACH MEMBER TO DONATE AT LEAST ONE MINI-QUILT TO RAFFLE because this was a major fund raiser at our show.

Next Meeting will be in February 2015 at a deli or restaurant on a Friday.  Date, place and time to follow.

Quilt Committee Leaders Filled:  Now we need you to sign up for committees in January.

Quilt Show Co-Chairs:                                    Suzanne Stiverson & Robin
                                                                    McMillen

Floor Plans/Set- up/Tear Down                 Bob DeCarli

Acorn Shoppe:                                                  Pat Smith and Helen Hofbauer

Props:                                                                   Pat Smith

Small Quilts Raffle:                                           Kelly Meanix

Door Prizes (letters--email):                        Pat Sherman

Raffle baskets/Door prizes:                         Jean Fox

Basket Delivery                                                 Marsha Paczok

Lancaster Area Vendors:                               Pat Sherman  Distribution of flyers

Vendor letters:                                                 Suzanne Stiverson

Vendor on-site chair:                                     Robin McMillen

Registration/Admission:                               Denise Blake

Quilt Judging/forms                                        Ellen McMillen

Quilt Check in/out chairs:                             Jean Zubert & Cindy Vognetz

Ads for Programs:                                            Diana Smyrl

Program Brochures:                                        Rita Smith

Publicity/Flyers                                                 Suzanne Doonan

Quilt description/signs:                                 Myrna Paluba

Viewer’s Choice Ballots                                 Myrna Paluba

Signage inside and outside venue:           Elaine Egan

White Glove:                                                     Marti Campbell

Clean-up:                                                            Marti Campbell

Food Chair                                                          Robin McMillen

Food Handler                                                     Robin McMillen

Wow, Christmas is around the corner and then the new year.  Our show will be here sooner than you think.

Keep on quilting…..

Suzanne Stiverson

SILENT AUCTION

The silent auction will be in December  so if you are cleaning out your sewing room and/or stash and have extra fabric, books, magazines, patterns, supplies, ufos, etc. that you no longer want and someone else  could use, please bring them. Last year we made over $250 in December, do some shopping for yourself!

Mystery Box

Jan Brown

There will be a Mystery Box at this month's meeting.  I would love to give you a hint but then it would not be a Mystery. 

With that said be sure to bring your ones or fives for your chance to win. Remember the more chances you buy the better chance you will have for the "Surprise in the Box".

See you all at the meeting.

Pillow Cases
Allie Barchi
Here is a picture of one of the children's beds at Hershey. We had a great response last year and made 100 pillowcases. I would love to exceed this number this year. The patients and their families love the cheer they bring. Please let me know if you have an interest in a get together to do mass sewing of them or have any fabric you are willing to donate. Thanks so much :)

Here is a Youtube video showing how to make a pillow case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7yrDQ7G9so


ChesterBears

Ladies, thank you all the interest in making the cuddly bears for the Chester County Hospital…overwhelming and much appreciated!  Copies of the pattern and instructions will be available at our December meeting.  You are more than welcome to join our small group…we meet the first Thursday of each month (with a few schedule changes for holidays/vacations) at my home in West Chester, 1 PM to 4 PM.  As mentioned, most of us do the machine sewing in advance and our together time is typically stuffing, sewing them closed and adding the bows…oh, and lots of fun, conversation, and usually a few good recipes!

It’s such a great project, we’re told the children just love them...so if you can make just one, make a few, join us regularly, or have some stashed materials you’d like to contribute, any level of involvement would be BEARY good!

Need a pattern in advance of the December Guild meeting or directions to my home to join us on December 4th, please feel free to email me or give me a call.

Susan Longenecker  Email - sslongenecker@gmail.com  Phone - 610-692-9996                 

A REQUEST

Help please --

My second best iron spent several years in an storage unit with uncontrolled temperatures.  My best iron just bit the dust  (not holding the water for steam) and I went to second best. Unfortunately, the handle has become all sticky to the touch. Any ideas how to fix this? I will take all suggestions.

Thank you,

Jean Zubert

jzbeachchair@aol.com

Write as Desired……

December is one heck of a month. Not only do we have our regular activities but added December duties include gift buying/making, wrapping, card sending, extra baking and cooking, decorating and more than likely traveling.  On the flip side, it may be the season when we set aside an afternoon to see a special exhibit, movie or show.  We are very fortunate to have two very special exhibits in the area that are worthy of attention in this last month of their runs.

                The first is the “Costumes of Downton Abbey” at the Winterthur Museum.  I am sure you have heard of this exhibit and may have already seen it.  It is an original exhibit of fashion costumes from the PBS show.  It is structured to compare and contrast the life of the fictitious Grantham world with that of the American country house of Henry Francis DuPont.  What we are seeing are costumes which have been very skillfully and artfully created to reflect the styles of the era.  The costumes may have a piece of vintage fabric or needlework around which the outfit is created.  Sometimes pieces of jewelry or accessory such as gloves serve as the point of departure.  Yet as wonderful as the clothes appear on television, they do lack a certain presence off screen.  The story of the exhibit is not really the clothes but the characters in the show.  Fans of the show should enjoy the exhibit and it is fun but if you want vintage clothes read on.

                There is a second exhibit that I must recommend to you.

“Profiles: Chester County Clothing of the 1800’s” at the Chester County Historical Society is a rare jewel. The exhibit is broken down into four time periods, each with wonderful clothes and a corresponding quilt.  The details on these clothes are breathtaking and to think of the workmanship in these garments is humbling as we rotary cut and chain piece.   Some garments have a bit of the owners personal stories accompanying them, others do not, but as opposed to the Downton exhibit, it is the clothes that are the stars.   Other items incorporated into the exhibit are underwear, stays, busks, and men’s and children’s clothes. It is interesting that there are many wedding dresses on display and each is a different color - all but white. Overall, it is really a grand display, local, and at a very reasonable price.  So this December, step back from the holiday madness and immerse yourself in this inspiring exhibit.

Chris Harkins

QUILT HAPPENINGS

From Heart to Hand: African American Quilts from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

September 21, 2014-January 4, 2015

Montclair Art Museum

Montclair, NJ  07042

www.montclairartmuseum.org