Sunday, October 25, 2015

A Tale of Two Quilt Shows

While we wait for photos and minutes of our last meeting, I thought I'd share my past two weekends with you.

A tale of two Quilt Shows…
Submitted by: Deb Hathaway

I believe it’s important to support local organizations as much as possible. Since quilting is near and dear to my heart I try my best to attend as many quilt shows held by New Jersey guilds as I can. October is an extremely busy time of year for these shows.

Last week I drove an hour and half south to attend the South Shore Stitchers’ show in Tukahoe, NJ.  Held in a local community center it was exactly as I expected. Once I entered and paid the donation at the door I was handed a form (cutely folded to look like a letter) to vote for my favorite quilts in 3 categories… Small, Medium, and Large. Vendors lined the perimeter of the gym, with a boutique and demo section in a room off to the side.

Handpainted!!!
The quilts were AWESOME! So many different techniques, proudly displayed together. In addition to pieced and applique, some were hand-painted, others were cross stitched, and still others were embellished with beads. The raffle quilt was beautiful!!!

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy the stories behind the quilts just as much as the finished piece. Most of the stories began with, “I made this quilt as a gift…” for my daughter, my husband, my best friend, grandaughter, cousin, and on and on. Very few stated they were made for themselves! We quilters are certainly generous with our time and talents.

Love the colors!
Yes, the quilts were creative, beautiful and certainly worth the price of admission… however I found the mini-quilts made to remind everyone to ‘Don’t Touch’ a wonderful surprise. I believe these were the product of a guild challenge.
Guild Challenge
Please Don't Touch!


 Sadly I wasn’t able to participate in any demos. The instructors needed the use of a microphone to be heard over the others sharing the open room… like the boutique and other non-profit organizations. My personal hearing issues impeded my comfort… so I had to walk away. I’m sure they were great.

This weekend I drove an hour and a half in the opposite direction, to Belvidere, NJ to attend The Evening Star Guild’s show. Again… Once I paid the admission I was handed a program and voting slip… AND a lollipop of fabric! That was a nice touch!

The show was held in the local High School, which allowed the guild to spread out the different venues. Once inside the gym to view the quilts, my attention was diverted to the silent auction table. Instead of the usual table filled with ‘things’ to bid on… it was overflowing with a huge selection of handmade purses and totes, each one more interesting than the next. Each bag had a coffee can in it for you to place your ticket. Such a unique idea!

Again, Vendors selling fabric, sewing and quilting machines, jewelry and more lined the perimeter. Yet the quilts still stole the show! As expected I drooled over many of them… enjoying the creativity, surprising color choices, and expert sewing ability of the makers. I consider myself more of a ‘modern quilter’, preferring crisp, clean, geometric designs in bold colors, yet that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the work of more traditional quilters. Mini quilts depicting which entries were quilted by hand was a nice touch.





The demos were held in the library… plenty of space, easy to hear, and very informative. Lunch was available down the hall in the cafeteria, I felt like I was in High School again!

This particular show stands out in my mind of the best ones I have ever been to… and do you want to know why??? Because I felt ‘welcomed’. Every guild member I came in contact with was ‘engaged’, friendly, hospitable and informative. I was treated as a friend. They made everyone feel that way.


Fall is the season for cuddly quilts… and there are many more shows to attend. I look forward to every one. Feel free to join me!

BTW... If YOU have a story you'd like to see on this page, please send along to deb(at)debhathaway(dot)com.

Monday, October 12, 2015

We have a PINTEREST board!!!

PINTEREST

JSMQG officially has it's very own PINTEREST (pronounced Pin-trest... NOT Pin-Interest, or Pin-Ter-Est) account and is now under construction!!! How exciting!!! HOWEVER... you MUST BE a JSMQG member to view it. All boards, except ONE, Member Showcase is in the process of being set as a private board. In the next day or two you must be invited to join in order to view our boards and pins. Although this must seem to be a strange decision, let's explain why.

For those of you with Pinterest accounts already, you certainly understand the amount of time it takes to weed through all the information and cull only what is important. Pinterest is a public platform. JSMQG is a dues paying organization. It's not that we want to be 'unsociable'... we just would rather consider all this dedicated work as one of the many benefits of your membership.

So far only a few boards have been created, but as time marches on it will be a super source of information. Boards on specific designers, techniques, and tutorials as well as stunning and innovative quilts are already available for you to drool over and pin to your own boards. Future boards on member blogs, Local MQG activities and the mothership, The Modern Quilt Guild will be made to keep you totally informed of what's going on in the wonderful world of modern quilting.

ONE public board is marked 'MEMBER SHOWCASE'. The intent of this board is for members of JSMQG to pin their latest creations and projects. We want the world to see how wonderfully creative and talented we all are :-)

If you don't have a Pinterest account, I bet the above few paragraphs were 'greek' to you. The Modern Quilt Movement is fueled by the Internet and a computer presence, so why not jump on the bandwagon and open an account??? In a nutshell... think of Pinterest as a huge wall in your home covered in bulletin boards. Each board is labeled with a category, like 'Quilting', or 'Recipes to Try'. When you see something in a magazine you like, you cut it out and pin it on the board...  Except in Pinterest instead of magazines you find the information on the Internet... and instead of tearing out a page, you simply click a button and choose which virtual board you want to place it on. All you need to join is an email address. Go to www.pinterest.com today!!


Quilt show this weekend...

South Shore Stitchers in Tuckahoe is holding their 30th Anniversary Bi-Annual Quilt Show this weekend, October 16, 17, &18. Located at Upper Township Community Center  - 1790 Rt50 - Tuckahoe, NJ. Admission $7. Lots of Vendors... and take a look at their Raffle Quilt!!!



Sharing...

Look what Bonny has been up to!!! Working really hard her Patchwork City Blocks...






Sunday, October 4, 2015

Sunday News!

Survey...

Imagine you are wandering around your favorite quilt shop when out of the corner of your eye you spot the most PERFECT bolt of luscious fabric you just HAVE to add to your stash. Quick! How much do you purchase???

Share your fabric hoarding... ah, stash procurement thought process in the comments below.

NQM Quilts for Quilting...

Diane received this informational letter on how to donate a quilt for the annual National Quilt Museum Fundraiser. If you have some spare time and fabric, please consider donating to this worthy cause.

The National Quilt Museum
2016 Quilts for Quilting Campaign
Dear Diane, 
A Full House at the 2015 Live Auction
It's time for the National Quilt Museum's 2016 Quilts for Quilting Campaign to begin.  The Quilts for Quilting Campaign is one of The National Quilt Museum's largest and most important fundraisers.  Last year over 500 quilt enthusiasts participated.  We hope that you will participate this year and help the Museum achieve its fundraising goals. 

How it works?  The program is simple and everyone can participate.  To get involved simply donate a full size quilt or miniature quilt to the Museum for fundraising purposes.  The quilt can be a new creation or an antique and it can be any size.  Most donated quilts will be a part of one of our three annual auctions.  In a few cases they are held to be used in later events.  The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization so all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. 

Over the last 6 years, the Quilts for Quilting Campaign has led to critical funding for the Museum.  The dollars raised in this program have helped us expand several programs and expand our promotional efforts.  These proceeds along with other donations have ultimately led to thousands more people experiencing the work of today's quilting community through educational programs, in-facility exhibits, travelling exhibits, and other programs. 

In addition to helping the Museum, each campaign donator will receive a free gift.

How to donate your quilt to the "Quilts for Quilting" campaign:
  1. Send quilts to:
                National Quilt Museum
                215 Jefferson Street
                Paducah, KY 42001
  2. Please write "Attn: Quilts for Quilting" on the box.
  3. Please include your name, address, and contact information so that we may send you a receipt and a gift.
There is no limit to the number of quilts you may donate to the campaign.  We welcome multiple donations.  If possible, please donate by April 1, 2016.

Thank you so much for your donation.  The Museum relies heavily on the generosity of the quilting community for funding and we need everyone passionate about quilting involved.  2016 is the Museum's 25th Anniversary and we would love to ring in this wonderful milestone with the most successful auction ever!

If you have any questions about this program please contact Lori Robbins or Amanda Ball at 270-442-8856. 

Sincerely,
frank bennett signature 
Frank Bennett
  

The National Quilt Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Click here to get more details about how we are funded.  A full annual audit is available upon request.  

FYI...

Did you know the National Quilting Association dissolved this summer, after 46 years, due to lack of interest and dwindling attendance at shows. Why do you think is happened? What changes in the quilting world predicated this sad demise? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Here's a copy of the letter the NQA Board sent out:


September 4, 2015


Dear Friends and Members of NQA,


At a special meeting of the NQA Board of Directors held August 18, 2015, the Board celebrated NQA’s 46 years of achievements and successes. However, when looking toward the future, the Board has determined that NQA has had its season and by unanimous vote the Board of Directors voted to dissolve the National Quilting Association, Inc.


All this may sound like a sudden turn of events, but we assure you it’s not sudden, as the warning signs have been there for nearly 10 years. The steady decline in show attendance, consistent decrease in membership, lack of contingency planning and dwindling operational funds made this a clear but difficult decision. The current Board has worked tirelessly to find alternatives to keep NQA solvent and sustainable into the future, however our efforts did not result in a partnership with another quilting organization or adoption of our programs as we had hoped. 


NQA can measure its successes through the fostering of other quilt organizations and quilt shows, establishing criteria for excellence in quilt making, establishing a Masterpiece Quilt designation, professionalizing the role of the quilt judge and quilt teacher, offering grants to communities to fund quilt related projects and originating the National Day of Quilting. NQA is considered a leader in the quilting world and there is much to be proud of.


You may be filled with a variety of emotions – sorrow, concern, anger, bewilderment, and grief. All those are legitimate and we hope you will accept these facts and understand all efforts were made to keep NQA viable. It’s a time for decisiveness, clarity, and conviction. The NQA Board of Directors wishes to thank all of our faithful members and supporters who have done remarkable work together over the years. We all should feel a sense of pride and completion. 


Moving forward the Board is working to arrange transfer of our memberships to another national quilting association. Alternatives for management of our programs are still being researched. Watch for more news on this later.


You can help make this transition easier for NQA by being optimistic about the future and grateful for the wonderful experiences and friendships created because of NQA. We wish you all the very best as you continue those friendships and in al of your quilting endeavors.


Sincerely,




Marcel Miller, President
Mary Ann Guidos, Communication Chair
Margaret Powers, Vice-President
Heather Tighe, Chapter Chair
Margie Engel, Grant Chair
Mary Lou Paoletti, Treasurer
Priscilla Godfrey, Secretary
Sandra Dorrbecker, Education Chair


Look What Fellow Guild Members Have Been Up To...

Helen planned to get this up on the frame this week. It's a sample she made this summer of a retreat project several girls will be doing.


And here's what Sherre has been up to...


Meanwhile... 

Bonny shared the following Show and Tells from a Rebecca's Reel seminar today...