P R ES IDENT ’S MES SAG E

Merrimack Valley Quilting Guild

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2011-12

President:

Marianne Nowacki

Vice President

Cathy Harnish

Secretary:

Barbara Callard

Treasurer AP:

Ginny Plattt

Treasurer AR:

Karen Parent

Celebrating 32 years of encouraging the art of quilting in the Merrimack Valley. MVQ was established in 1980.

To reach any committee,

please address correspon-

dence to

MVQ Guild

PO Box 566

Haverhill. MA 01831

Newsletter items must be

in to me by the 1st of

each month:

Pat.lucey@verizon.net

February 2012

Dear Members:

Knock on wood, winter has been tolerable this year. However, I am still

looking forward to spring and our quilt show. So much to do, so little

time! Select quilts to show, finish another one or two or three, make

some items to sell at the boutique, pull out some extra stuff for the

white elephant table, start and finish the challenge, and put together a

basket for the penny raffle. AND help the show committee with the

background tasks so the show is a success. Please find some time your-

self to pitch in. Your membership in the guild requires your participa-

tion in working on the show. Let’s have some fun with it!

The UFO auction is our program this month. What fun! Maybe this

year I will finally outbid Roseanne on something we both like. I know I

always need more fabric so I will surely bid on those lots!

See you at the Auction!

Marianne

UFO Auction!

Come one, Come all!

Bid High!

Bid often!

Quilt Show Planning

meeting_

Plaistow Library

February 7th– Tues-

day

6:30

All are welcome!

We have TWO UFO occasions at MVQ.

#1 UFO AUCTION to be held at the February meeting.

Items that you don’t want to finish, fabric that you no longer

want, tools, accessories, etc. are auctioned off in both a

silent and a live auction.

DO NOT DONATE BOOKS OR MAGAZINES [these sell

like wildfire at the Quilt Show White elephant table]

If you have a large item– call Maggie - she will put it on

the list– bring it

the night of the AUCTION.

It is helpful to write the yardage of any fabric that is donated.

Maggie Judd

#2

Carol Robinson has organ- ized a list-ing of 70 quilts that 19 members have challenged themselves to finish for the April meeting or the

Quilt Show.

The incentive is a chit that will be in a raffle for

Money to be given at the end of the challenge.

Make sure to tell Carol when you finish.

February – UFO Auction and Saturday will be open sew for charity of the year

March – Froncie Quinn – www.hooplapatterns.com – She will be

talking to us about the story of Florence Petro and her quilt Calico

Garden which will be the topic of the Saturday workshop on hand

piecing and hand appliqué.

April Suzanne Marshall – www.suzannequilts.com – She has won awards at Paducah

and Houston for her appliqué and hand quilting. She will do a talk on The Evolution of

a Quiltmaker and talk about design inspirations from her award winning quilts. She will

offer a Friday class on hand quilting and a Saturday class on appliqué.

May – Lenore Crawford – www.lenorecrawford.com – She will talk about fusing and

fabric painting with quilts. She will do a Friday workshop on Mini Blended Fabric Col-

lages and a Saturday workshop on fusible flowers.

June – An end of year dessert social – with a talk from Pam Potter from NH Quilt Em-

porium on what you can do with those jelly rolls, layer cakes, five inch squares etc.

We will be going to Kennebunk, ME for our next quilting weekend from March 28 to April 1.

This trip is always on a first come basis. Your application accompanied by your check is what holds

your spot - not talking with me! We have about 16 people signed up as of now 2/1 so if you are hoping

to come along please get your applications and checks in to me via the mail. Thank you. No applications will be ac-

cepted after the February MVQ meeting. We also cannot take any more than 24 people. Thanks for your understanding and

cooperation.

Kathy Pearse

kmpear@aol.com

978-688-1688

Doris Bennett is our “SUNSHINE LADY”- So if you know of a guild member who needs a little sun

in her life– let Doris know!

978-470-0441

dorisben@comcast.net

Mary and Ann Stobbs are doing the

2011 MVQ Mystery Quilt. Part will be posted on the Blog and copies will be available at the meeting. It is an original pattern and called "Dancing with the Squares".

Thanks, Ann Stobbs

Art Quilts Lowell 2012: Music

A venue of the Lowell Quilt Festival Exhibition Dates: August 9 - September 15, 2012

Juror: We are thrilled to have Karey Bresenhan as our juror this year! Among her many, many accomplishments, Karey co-founded the new Texas Quilt Museum, and numerous quilting-related groups, including the International Quilt Association and Quilts Inc., which stages the annual International Quilt Festival.

DEADLINE FOR ENTRY: JUNE 1, 2012 (delivered, not postmarked) Art Quilts Lowell is a juried exhibition, organized by the Brush Art Gallery, to iden-tify and encourage quilt artists. The exhibition will include art quilts from artists throughout the United States and Canada, providing an overview of some of the fin-est quilts being produced. The theme this year is Music. 2012 is a milestone for many of us! It is the Brush Gallery's 30th anniversary and

our 10th year of participation in the Lowell Quilt Festival. And, the New England Quilt Museum is celebrating its silver anniversary this year! We hope you can visit Lowell during this wonderful, city-wide event on August 9 - 11. For complete information, prospectus and on-line application, please click or go to: http://www.thebrush.org/AQL2012 Questions? artquilts@thebrush.org

Good luck! Eileen Byrne Brush Gallery & Artists' Studios

BLOCK RAFFLE theme fabric will available before the meeting but not at break

time, so we can all get ready for the UFO auction.

Completed blocks should be submitted (with your name attached) before the

March meeting or sent to Andrea Bursaw; they

will be grouped and raffled at that meeting. Twenty-eight on board so far…….don’t miss out!

By special request, the blocks will be exchanged at the February meeting.

The Mystery bus trip will

be Saturday, March 31st .It is a $10 fee,

that is refunded when you board the bus. We leave

from Westgate Plaza (off 495) in Haverhill. A really

fun filled day with two shops this year. Sign up early

so you don’t miss out.

Sorry, that when planning did not realize it was the same weekend as

Kathy p sew in Maine. Bus almost full, please sign up quickly to get a

spot. T hanks, Gail Wozniak

Start thinking how you can help Karen Malio put on a terrific Quilt Show, April 27th and 28th.

As members of MVQ, we are each required to give 2 hours of volunteering at the show. This can be

done before or during the show. This is a GREAT way to meet members and form friendships.

And don’t forget to finish those quilts and enter them in the Show!

CHALLENGE:

PLEASE MAKE YOUR QUILT “RESEMBLE” YOUR FAVORITE CARD, SO WE

DO NOT INFRINGE ON COPY RIGHT LAWS.

Replicate Your Favorite Greeting Card

Think of all the possibilities this could be – do you have a favorite Mother’s Day Card which has a lovely vase of flowers you want to repli-cate in fabric , did you just get a Halloween card that has the cutest idea on it, whatever think about these ideas and lots more possibilities. Make a trip to your favorite card shop and see all the ideas out there. The card has to be attached to the quilt when dis-played

Please make it under 30 inches on any given size and a minimum of 12 inches on any side.

Donations Needed . . . for the Quilt Show’s Penny Raffle Baskets please! MV Quilters’ donations have been stel-lar in the past, and I’m hoping that the tradition will continue, starting at the next guild meeting. Anything new in its original packaging would be appreciated. Perhaps you bought a pattern and decided it’s not your technique of choice, perhaps you own a business and would like to donate a gift certificate for your services, perhaps you bought a fat quarter bundle but several fabrics are leftover, perhaps you bought a zipper for a new purse but haven’t made it yet or the color choice has changed, perhaps you bought a charm pack but have decided that you need bigger hunks of fabric to accomplish your project , perhaps you bought a tool and now can do without it, perhaps you have an extra rotary cutting blade for a size cutter you no longer use, perhaps you have an extra spool of thread, and so on. We could use empty baskets as well. In the past members have donated entire baskets filled with goodies. Wonderful! All donations will be appreciated. There will be a collection area at the next three Guild meetings to accept whatever you have to offer. Commercial sources are also being contacted for donations. If you have any questions, please contact me. In the meantime, many thanks for your help. Adeline Rieger Penny Baskets Raffle 2001 MVQ Quilt Show

The Peabody Historical Society is seeking quilters to participate in our second annual quilt exhibition

Uncommon Threads: A Celebration of Quilts, Old & New. The exhibition will take place on Satur-

day, April 21, 2012, 10 am - 3 pm andSunday, April 22, 2012, 12 pm - 4 pm at the Society's Smith

Barn in Peabody, Massachusetts.

The theme of Uncommon Threads 2012 is Two Centuries of Tradition: Antique and contemporary

quilts inspired by traditional quilting patterns and techniques. If you have made a quilt inspired by a

traditional quilting pattern or technique, or if you have an antique quilt that fits this theme, please con-

sider submitting it for exhibition in Uncommon Threads. Quilts made by individuals or groups are

welcome. There is no fee to exhibit a quilt.

This two-day exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your work to quilters, textile enthusi-

asts, collectors, Historical Society members, and the general public. Uncommon Threads will feature

rarely-exhibited quilts from the Society's collection and from museums, private collections, guilds,

and quilters from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Other highlights include vendors from local

quilting and sewing shops, heirloom quilt appraisals, a quilt challenge for Uncommon Threads 2013, quilting demonstrations, and more.

We hope that you and other members of your guild will participate in this fun-filled weekend celebra-

tion of quilting. To submit an entry for Uncommon Threads, please review the attached guidelines,

and return the Quilt Submission Form and a color photograph of your entry to the Society by Mon-

day, April 2, 2012. If you would like more information about this event, please don't hesitate to con-

tact me at (978) 977-0514 or heather.leavell@peabodyhistorical.org.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Sincerely,

Heather Leavell

Curator

Is there a Guild meet-

ing tonight?

I really don’t like to

drive in the snow.

Check the Website!

Please go to

www.peabodyhistorical.org

For the forms

Jeanne Elliott

QuiltsEtc@aol.com

Beginning Tole Painting

Beginning quilting

Professional quilting of

your quilts!

Quilting by Catherine Hand Guided Long Arm Machine Quilting Custom quilting Edge to Edge Binding Basting (for hand quilting)

Catherine Harnisch

Catherine-quilts@comcast.net

Methuen, MA

978-682-1843

Our Advertisers are Guild members-

Anyone who has a business is welcome to ad-

vertize–

no cost–

just send the info to pat.lucey@verizon.net.

Support our members!

New England Quilt Museum

18 Shattuck Street

Lowell, MA 01857

Phone: 978-452-4207

www.nequiltmuseum.org

Ladies,

Brown Bag Lunch 1st Thursdays 12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Book Club 3rd Thursdays 12:30 pm- 1:30 pm

Rosemary

Diana Dow, LMT, NCTMB Nationally Certified – Licensed in MA & NH MASSAGE THERAPIST Stone Therapy Massage Specialty

Deep Tissue and Stress Reduction

617-823-2795 DDow613@aol.com

Andover Hair & Skin Care Salon & Spa 93 Main Street, Andover, MA 01810

Hours by appointment – INCLUDES Sunday and Monday

Gift Certificates Available – Introductory Offer - $65.00 Ask about the Signature Franciscan Stone Massage

Next Meeting: February 16th

UFO Auction

Check List:

Name Tag

Show and Tell

$ for raffle Refreshments [if it

is your turn!]

$ for membership

Refreshments: A-H

New England Quilt Museum

18 Shattuck Street

Lowell, MA 01857

www.nequiltmuseum.org

Remember as a courtesy to turn off

your cell phones.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!