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Merrimack Valley Quilters Guild Encouraging the art of quilting in the Merrimack Valley. MVQ was established in 1980.

FEB 2020

President’s Message

The UFO auction is coming! The committee is

working hard to make sure that this year’s auction is

another success. See more information in this

newsletter. Please consider volunteering your time and

donations. The auction is one of the guilds biggest

fund raisers, but it will not be successful without your

help. Please come to the guild meeting and raise your

paddle!

The board is looking for three non-board members to

complete this years Nominating Committee. This is a

relatively simple job that only lasts for a few months.

If you are a newer member to the guild, this is a

perfect position for you. If you are considering it,

please see me or any board member to find out what

the position entails. Volunteers are needed before the

March guild meeting.

The guild is in desperate need of a new Programs

Chair. This is a Standing Committee with voting rights

on the board. The good news is, our outgoing chair,

Heather Shields, has worked hard to prepare next

years schedule of speakers and workshops. All the

hard work has been done for next year. The bad news

is, if someone does not step up, we will not have a

programs committee for next year. Please consider this

important position.

The Bylaw Change Committee, headed by Gail

Forthoffer and Diane Kelley, is working hard to

prepare and present the latest proposed changes. We

hope to have them sent to you directly, very soon, for

you to consider the proposed changes for discussion

and vote at the March 2020 guild meeting. Look for

the proposed document in your email, or postal mail if

you do not have an email address registered with the

Membership Committee. Cont. on next page .......

Executive Committee 2019-2020

President: Elizabeth Swan

Vice President: Ronni Longwell

Secretary : Jamie Ruh

Treasurer AP: Gail Forthoffer

Treasurer AR: Layne Rando

See the June 2019 newsletter for the full list

of all the board and standing committee

members.

***FEBRUARY 20th***

This month's meeting is the

UFO AUCTION

******************

From your Vice President,

Our comfort care quilts are well underway! At our January meeting, we welcomed Eileen Giordano from Foster

Kids of the Merrimack Valley to share about this great organization and how we can help.

Did you know that over 400,000 American children are in foster care? That’s quite a staggering number! And

so many in the Merrimack Valley. Eileen told us they will be looking for quilts for newborns through age 17.

Teenage boys are typically those that need the most so please think about that when planning. They are

requesting twin size quilts as every child (with the exception of babies) must be placed in a home that has a twin

sized bed for them. A member recently asked me if they would accept pillowcases too and Eileen said

absolutely. So please feel free to make a pillowcase to go with your quilt or just make pillowcases if that is what

you are able to do. All will be loved and welcomed. You can find them online at fosterkidsmv.org and learn

more about them if you would like to and I also have brochures in the lobby. I am excited about this group.

Thank you for your support as always! "Because Every Kid Counts!"

We are working on our President’s blocks to present to our outgoing President Liz Swan at the June meeting.

These are blocks she has picked and they’re so easy to do. Betty Hastings and I prepared kits and directions and

have them available in the lobby. You may take as many as you like. It is our Hatchet Block – just like our

name tags. We will provide the pre-cut white center fabric that Liz has chosen and you provide any fabric of

your choice for the rest of the block. Liz would like you to write a brief memory or a few words or just your

name in the white center part. We will also provide pre-cut stabilizer if you want to applique, embroider or do

something very creative in the white section. Liz asks that no embellishments be used so it can easily be quilted.

Stop by and get a kit or two. If you have your block(s) made, please feel free to drop it (them) off to me at the

meeting.

Thank you for all that you do to support our Guild and its members! As always, feel free to reach out to me if

you have any questions or requests.

Ronni Longwell

To reach any committee,

please address any

correspondence to:

MVQ Guild

PO BOX 566

Haverhill, MA 01831

Newsletter items must be

submitted on the first

FRIDAY after the board

meeting to Mary or Ann

Stobbs:

ams01938@hotmail.com

President’s Message cont.

Finally, our elections season is approaching. We hope

to have the Nominating Committee presented at the

March meeting so that anyone interested in holding an

Executive Committee position can mail their

nomination to the committee. All guild members are

eligible to hold any of the five Executive Committee

positions including President, Vice President,

Secretary, Account Receivable Treasurer and Accounts

Payable Treasurer. We need at least one name for each

position on the ballot in order to conduct a vote. Please

contact any member of the board to find out more

information. Thank you.

Elizabeth Swan, President

UFO AUCTION IS FEBRUARY 20

*** DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ***

HOW TO DONATE:

Please take this opportunity to recycle your stash and make room for new projects! And, if you know any non-

member quilters that would like to make fabric donations (perhaps they are moving?), please mention

our auction to them. We are available to meet people at the Storage Unit and/or come to your homes for pick

ups.

We would like donations of quilting cotton fabric, unfinished quilt projects, quilting supplies, embroidery,

knitting, vintage sewing items and quilting books newer than 2015 (no magazines, please), and any other items

you think would be of interest to your fellow quilters.

Contact us (see below) for pick up

HOW TO VOLUNTEER - SIGNED UP AT THE JANUARY 23 GUILD MEETING or CONTACT US:

Sorting on the morning of February 15 @ 9AM

at the First Church of Christ, 10 Church Street, Haverhill, MA (back building)

Auction set up on February 20 at the college, to begin at 4:30 PM before the meeting

Thank you all in advance for your contribution to another successful auction!

Stacey & Sue

Contact Info:

Susan@Spinelli.us / 978-869-3632

StacCaru@gmail.com / 978-914-390

**************************************************************************************************

From Diane Kelley, Ruby Celebration Quilt Show 2020 Chair

Just a reminder to work on two projects for our quilt show. We want lots of red quilts to hang up in the church’s gym.

And also lots of pillows for the Challenge Exhibit. If you need more info on the Challenge requirements, see Roseann

Ricketson at a guild meeting. Also keep in mind that we will be looking for raffle baskets as we do every year. If you

need more information on the raffle baskets, see Margaret Tipton or Mary Lou Monteiro.

Thanks to Stacey Caruso who will organize our food on Thursday and to Bev Valle who will organize Friday and Saturday.

We look forward to good eating!

Sew & Know

Sew & Know No SEW & KNOW for February due to our UFO Auction.

In March, Cathy Harnish will do a presentation on the raffle quilt block. Demos are generally done

twice; one around 6:20 and again around 6:40 at the Sew and Know table up front.

In April, Sue Molin will demonstrate connecting the ends of quilt bind-ings.

In May, Ellena Georato will demo Ricky Tims flying geese technique.

SEW & KNOW presenter is needed for June!

If you have a favorite technique that you’d like to share, please contact Janice at:

janicemaejones@gmail.com. telephone: 978-738-1924.

Membership News

The membership packets were ready for pick-up at the Oct meeting.

The raffle ticket books are yours to use. You do not have to pay for them.

Bev Valle - Membership Chair

2020-2021 raffle quilt

The 2020-2021 raffle quilt is going to be a medallion quilt in shades of blue- green and coral with an ivory background. The quilt will have several borders. We are going to ask the members to create blocks for these borders, they range from simple to complex. Kits containing the background fabric and directions for the first easy border were available at the January meeting. You will supply the blue-green and coral from your stash, a sample color palette will be on view. There will be another, more complex block next month. Carol Sullivan

Spring Retreat

The Spring Retreat held at the Franciscan Guest House in Kennebunk Maine is coming soon!

The dates of the retreat are Wednesday, March 25, to Sunday, March 29, 2020. We are

exploring the option of staying until Monday, March 30th.

Registration is not open yet, so please do not send anything in until you hear from us.

Thanks,

Phyllis Lauria & Sue Spinelli

**************************************************************************************************

Our raffle quilt is off on another journey......

Fabric Extravaganza

We are headed to The Christmas Shop’s Fabric Extravaganza at the Holiday Inn

9 Northeastern Blvd. (Exit 4), Nashua, NH

March 5, 6, and 7

Nashua, NH

4 people have signed up to make this happen. 24 people are needed

Please let Judy know when you can help. Here’s some contact info.

Email: judy.naylor@gmail.com

Phone: 978.352.2210

Cell: 978.476.2525 call or text

Or sign up at the next guild meeting.

A special thank-you to the following MVQ members who traveled to Nashua for the Fabric Blowout to sit with the quilt!

Linda Lydecker, Diana Gramont, Diane Kelley, Carol Robinson, Mary Lou Montiero, Carol Sullivan, Gail Forthoffer,

Jamie Rue, Maggie Rogers, and Judy Naylor.

These 10 ladies covered the 22 time slots and braved some pretty nasty New England weather to do so!!!

MVQ Program Notes

We have spots available in all of our classes through the end of the year.

Pam Weeks will be joining us for a lecture at our April meeting instead of May.

Supply lists will be emailed to class attendees, and they will be available on the blog as well. Hard copy supply lists will

no longer be provided.

As a reminder, I will be stepping down as programs chairperson in June. Most of the classes are booked for next year so

the program is set! I am traveling on and off for the rest of the guild year so the sooner I can start transferring

information to the new chairperson the better!

If you’re worried about running programs by yourself, I have heard from someone that has expressed interest in being a

Vice Chair and would be willing to help at most of the workshops next year.

MVQ programs would benefit greatly from having a committee! Get a few friends together and help plan the programs

for our guild! Many hands make light work! Programs allows us to bring in new and exciting teachers to share their

experiences and techniques with us. Please help MVQ continue our history of hosting speakers from across the country!

Heather Shields

******************************************************************************************

All workshops are $25 for members and $35 for non-members. Member Maggie Judd’s workshop will be $10

for members and still $35 for non-members. Payment is due when you sign up for the class. Supplies and kits

required by the instructor are separate. Supply lists will be available at time of sign-up so please review them

carefully to make sure it works for you. Sign-up fees for the class are non-refundable.

_________________PROGRAMS 2019 - 2020___________________

February 2020: UFO Auction : Thursday, 2/20/20: UFO Auction

Saturday, 2/22/2020: Workshop – Hand and Machine Applique, Led by member Maggie Judd

This workshop will include two different ways to appliqué. The morning will be spent on Hand Appliqué featuring the

«Back Basting» method of needle turn appliqué. Appliqué stitch and how to make perfect circles will be demonstrated. In

the afternoon, we will get out our sewing machines and tackle Machine Appliqué. Turned under (not raw edge) appliqué

will be demonstrated. Sewing machine with highly adjustable zig zag is recommended.

Kit fee: $15 (includes almost everything needed for two appliqué designs

***********************************************************************************************

March 2020: Michelle Banton (http://littlepupdesigns.com/)

Thursday, 3/19/2020: Lecture – Look Great, Dresden Plate

Saturday, 3/21/2020: Workshop – Dresden Neighborhood

**************************************************************************************************

April 2020: Pam Weeks (http://www.pamweeksquilts.com/index.html) Thursday, 4/16/2020: Designing Women

No Workshop

******************************************************************************************

May 2020:

Thursday, 5/28/2020: TBD

Saturday, 5/30/2020: Workshop – Led by member Cathy Harnisch

Have you ever heard someone say if you don’t like a fabric, you haven’t cut it small

enough? This quilt is from the book “Color From The Heart” by Gai Perry. I went

through most of the quilts in this book with a friend of mine. I thought the first one

would be a great class to show how almost any fabric will work if you cut it small

enough. Using a multitude of fabrics, we will construct a postage stamp wall

hanging. This class will help get you to loosen up with your fabric selections.

******************************************************************************************

June 2020: Kathie Beltz (https://kathiebeltz.com)

Thursday, 6/18/2020: Lecture – Studio 180 Design Lecture and Trunk Show

Saturday, 6/20/2020: Around the Pond

MVQ Guild meeting minutes 1/23/20 Call to order: 7:01 P.M. President’s Announcements

Liz’s husband John was in the parking lot collecting items for the UFO auction. Liz talked about a thank-you note from Pettingill House thanking us for the donation made from the silent auction at the 2019 quilt show. Ann Hockmeyer will read the note at the next meeting. The October guild meeting minutes accepted as circulated. Treasurer’s report is accepted as circulated. Liz needs to present a Nominating Committee in March which will consist of two board members and three non-board members. Liz has the two board members. Open positions are President, Vice President, and AP Treasurer. Liz talked about having a bylaw change to have a paper ballot vote. The Programs Chair position is also available. We need to have the nominees in place at the April meeting so they can be voted on at the May meeting. We will start accepting nominations as soon as the committee is announced in March. May guild meeting will be in Building C, Lecture Hall A Sew and Know volunteers are needed. See Janice Jones. Liz talked about seeing the newsletter at mvquilters.com and signing up for the email that will alert you that the newsletter has been posted. Judy Naylor is looking for people to sit with the Travel Raffle Quilt. There are three venues with multiple dates she is trying to fill. There are sign up sheets for the UFO Auction. They will come a pick up your items if you need it. Kits are available for the first round of the 2021 raffle quilt. Vice President – Ronni Longwell: Ronni introduced Eileen Giordano from Foster Kids of the Merrimack Valley who spoke of her organization. Our comfort quilts are going to that organization in the fall at the October guild meeting. Quilts in need are from baby to teen, keeping in mind twin size especially for teen boys. Tonight’s refreshments are provided by Priscilla Westaway from Believe Anything as a thank you for our donation of quilts last fall. President’s block will be presented to our outgoing president in June. Quilt show – Diane Kelley and Gail Forthoffer: Diane talked about the show being a different weekend this year: October 2-3 at Hope Church. She needs a silent auction chair and a kitchen chair. The challenge this year is an English paper-pieced pillow project. There is fabric that must be used in the project. 40th Jubilee – Liz thanked the Jubilee committee for a job well done. Membership – Bev Valle: There were 64 members in attendance, and 6 guests. There are a total of 119 members in the guild. Raffles won by Deb Kelso, Sandra Kassin-Deardorff, Maggie Judd, and Sue Kiberd. Programs – Heather Shields talked about programs for the year. Edyta Sitar will not be coming. Pam Weeks will be the speaker in April. Classes are set up for next year. Tonight’s program is Journeys with Catherine Flowers and Terry Maimone. Meeting adjourned: 9:00 PM

Respectfully submitted, Jamie Ruh, Secretary

MVQ TREASURER REPORT

1/31/2020

Gail Forthoffer, Treasurer

Assets:

Checking Balance Money Market Annuity as of 12/30/2019

$11,161.93 5,053.47

17,408.55

Ending Balance $ 33,623.95

Liabilities (Uncleared Transactions): - $255.65

Expenses:

Operations 22.00

Insurance 500.00

Special Events 242.86

Spring Retreat 300.00 Quilt Show Expenses 160.00

Meeting Expenses: Refreshments 27.35

Membership 36.57

Total Expenses $ 1,288.78

Income:

Membership 30.00

Special Events 120.00

Investment: Annuity 257.48

Total Income $407.48

Jeanne Elliott QuiltsEtc@aol.com

Beginning Tole

Painting

Beginning quilting

Professional quilting

of your quilts

Where can I find: Quilt-quality fabric? Needles? Pins?

Patterns? Interfacing? Muslin?

108” fabric? Flannel? Discounts?

Art Greeting Cards? Templates?

Cutters? Olfa Mats? Rulers? Books?

http://AtQuiltersQuar-

ters.blogspot.com 59 North Street Georgetown MA 01833

‘Just 2 doors north of Perley School’ : https://atquiltersquarters.blogspot.com/ Now open!

Stop

Quilters Support Local Organizations

HAVERHILL, MA — The Merrimack Valley Quilters Guild (MVQ) recently donated approximately seventy quilts to two local organizations. Each quilt was lovingly handmade by its members and presented at the October MVQ meeting.

The first organization is "Believe Anything and Everything is Possible’ — a non-profit organization that is committed to helping cancer patients and their families while going through cancer treatments. Priscilla West-away is the founder, President, heart, and soul of this organization. Priscilla, a cancer patient at Lahey Health Oncology Center, felt compelled to help others in a similar situation. Believe Anything and Everything is Possible is a continuation of Priscilla's love, compassion, and commitment to individuals and families in need that began with her own

battle. With the help of the oncology staff at several hospitals, she will facilitate the disbursement of these beautiful quilts for pa-tient comfort and care. For more information, visit Priscilla's website at believeanything.org.

The second organization was High Pointe House in Haverhill, MA, the hospice and palliative care residence of Merrimack Valley Hospice. It provides a comfortable, welcoming, home-like alternative for patients in need of specialized end-of-life care. It is our hope that each patient will have a warm, beautiful quilt to snuggle under during their precious days at the House. In addition, a special quilt was made and presented to High Pointe House and is called the Dragonfly Quilt. The dragonfly means hope, change and love. It has been a symbol of happiness, new beginnings and change for many centuries. This quilt accompanies a patient from the House when they leave for the last time. It is a wonderful and lasting memory for the families during a difficult time. The quilt was designed and pieced by member Bev Valle and machine quilted Thy member Cathy Harnisch. For more information, visit info@ homehealthfoundation.org.

MVQ was founded in 1980 for the purpose of encouraging and developing the art of quilting. Members come from all age groups and live in MA and NH. The Guild typically meets on the third Thursday of the month at NECCO Technology Center (100 Elliot Street in Haverhill, MA) with social time at 6:00 p.m. and meeting/program at 7:00 p.m., but there will be some exceptions this coming year.

For more information, visit mvquilters.org.

Thank-you Bev Valle for sending us this article from the newspaper.

Next Meeting: February 20, 2020 ............UFO Quilt Auction

doors open @ 4:30PM for UFO Auction Setup

Sew and Know Demo : none this month due to the Auction

Meeting starts @ 7pm

Where: Northern Essex Community College

Technology Center

1st floor, last room on left

Refreshments: M-Q