PRESID ENT’ S M ESSAGE

Merrimack Valley Quilting Guild

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2010-11

President:

Beth Wood

Vice President

Gail D’Arrigo

Secretary:

Carol Sullivan

Treasurer AP:

Ginny Plattt

Treasurer AR:

Lyn Grenier

Celebrating 31 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 1435

Haverhill. MA 01831

Newsletter items must be

in to me by the 1st of

each month:

Pat.lucey@verizon.net

October 2010

President’s Message: .

Volunteers always

needed!

October 21st

Nancy Halpern

―Northern Comfort‖

Happy October to all! I love the cooler autumn weather and its sights,

sounds, and smells. Having hot apple cider, going pumpkin picking, the

rustling of the fallen leaves, and, of course, quilting.

Wasn’t Bonnie McCaffery’s presentation inspiring? I’ve been looking

at silk flower arrangements, wreaths, and garlands in a whole new light. Some

of the wreaths around my house may be missing a flower or leaf in the near

future…and that bag full of tulle that’s been sitting in my closet may actually

be put to use!

We are still in need of a member (or members) to coordinate the making

of our 2011-2012 raffle quilt, as well as some folks to organize the UFO

auction in February. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in

either of these positions.

Looking forward to seeing you at the October meeting!

Beth

MVQ COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Merrimack Valley Quilting Guild Page 2

Block Exchange

Blog Cathy Harnish, Pat Lucey,

Shirley Reid, Carol Sullivan

Historian Carol Majahad

Hospitality Jeanne Elliott

Library Liason Deb Zukas

Membership Patty Doucette, Joanne Burnes

Monthly Fabric Lottery Marianne Nowacki,

Museum Rep Rosemary Bray

Mystery Quilt Carol Robinson

Mystery Bus Trip Gail Wozniak

Mew member Greeter Cathy Harnish

Newsletter Pat Lucey

Program 10/11 Terry Gelinas, Nancy Dempsey

Program 11/12 Gail Wozniak Mary Jo Ray,

Sue Calderwood, Helen Wey-

mouth, Carol Emerson,

Publicity Angie Cyr

Quilt Show Mary Ginn, Pat Lucey

Raffle Quilt 10/11 Ildi Tary

Raffle Quilt 11/12 Patty Doucette, Joanne Burnes

Storybook Quilts Carol Robinson

Scrapbee Exchange NEEDED

Sunshine Doris Bennett

Ufo Auction Ildi Tary

Vendors Bev Vallee

New England Quilt Museum

18 Shattuck Street

Lowell, MA 01857

Phone: 978-452-4207

www.nequiltmuseum.org

The current exhibit at the quilt museum is:

Contemporary Broderie Perse - The Elegant Revival (July

15, 2010-October 17, 2010)

The upcoming exhibit is African-American Quilts Today : A

Celebration of Motherhood, Sisterhood and the Matriachs

(October 21,2010 - Dec 31, 2010)

Thursdays at the Museum

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

October 7 Think Pink Quilts and Bras for a Cure

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

November 4 Visit the NE Quilt Museum Booth at the Gath-

ering(no brown bag)

December 2 A Trunk Show by the Volunteers

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

October 15 American Quilts: The Democratic Art 1780-2007

by Robert Shaw

November ? This I Accomplished: Harriet Powers Bible

Quilt and Other Pieces by Kyra Hicks

December 16 The Devil's Cloth : A History of Stripes by

Michel Pastoreau translated by Jody Gladding

Other up coming events :

Barnes and Noble Book Fair - Thursday November 18, 2010

Barnes and Noble Nashua NH

Check the website for upcoming classes and UFO comple-

tion days.

Rosemary

Page 3

Time to think about the Quilt Show!

Are you willing to help out?

Members are required to give two

hours during show.

Rev up those sewing machines!

Sharpen that rotary cutter!

Dates:

April 29 and 30th at Timberlane

Co chairs: Mary Ginn & Pat Lucey

“Quilt Show meeting:

October19 Tuesday

Georgetown

Library,

Margaret.”

6:30!

―Count me

in, Lil!”

SUNSHINE LADY!

Please be sure to contact me,

Doris Bennett, if you know

of someone in our guild who

could use some get well wishes, condo-

lences, thinking of you or any other ex-

pressions of care and concern. I’m very

happy to share our prayers and good

wishes to any member in need of them.

Directions to Georgetown Library

Pleasant Street to Library

Rt 97 to Georgetown Rt 133 to Gtown Enter

On side

Lights in town center

QUILT SHOW MEETING OCT 19 Tuesday– GEORGETOWN LIBRARY 6:30

Newsletters by Mail

Available to only those who do not have

access to a computer

The guild is trying to go green

Mailing is work intensive for the editor as

we no longer use a print shop and she prints

them out on her home computer

Cost is $10 for the year [covers stamps and

paper and toner]

Please give 12 mailing stickers and $10 cash

to Pat Lucey

Thanks for your consideration! Pat

Raffle Quilt 2010

Our quilt this year is stunning.

So far it has been quite success-

ful in the sale of raffle tickets.

If there is an event in your town

– ask if you could bring the

quilt and sell some tickets.

28th Annual Quilt Show:

"Homage to Grandmother"

Location: Shelburne Farms

Coach Barn

Harbor Road (off Route 7)

Shelburne, VT 05482

Dates: Saturday, Oct 30, 2010

from 10 to 5

Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010 from

10 to 4

Thanks to Terry Gelinas and Nancy Dempsey for putting this program together!

Month Lecture Workshop

October 21 Nancy Halpern

Northern Comfort

10/23

Japanese Puzzle

Dec 2 Holiday

Celebration

January 20 Journeys:

The stories of three

MVQ Quilters

1/22

Comfort Quilt Sew-in

for ―Women in Transi-

tion‖

February 17 UFO Auction 2/19

TBD

March 17 Demonstrations-

Nine tables of different

techniques

3/19

Quilt Show Favors

April 21 Stephanie Hatch

Antique Quilts

4/21

Jean Kearney

―Star in a star

May 19 Faye Labanaris

The Great Baltimore

Revival

5/21

New England Album

Wreath

June 16 Karen Eckmeier

Happy and Accidental

Landscapes

6/17 Accidental Land-

scapes/Seascapes

6/18 Let’s Make Waves

Free Advertizing We have many talented business people in our guild and shops that we frequent.

We are starting free advertizing for these businesses online as soon as we develop the information.

Please give Pat Lucey any information that might be relevant.

Jeanne Elliott QuiltsEtc@aol.com

Beginning Tole Painting

Beginning quilting

Professional quilting of your quilts!

The Bead Lady Vendor

from Plaistow invites

all members to sign up

for her monthly

newsletter:

Go to her website:

http://

www.miafelicita.com

La Mia

Felicita

MVQ Meeting Minutes September 16, 2010

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm at St. Luke’s (Holy Angels Church) Plaistow NH by president, Beth Wood.

Kathy Pearse spoke about a guild quilt retreat at the Franciscan Center in Kennebunkport. Nov. 11-14. There are currently 12 peo-

ple signed up and there are a total of 20 places available. She also presented information on an AAA sponsored trip to Lancaster

PA for a quilt show an other excursions from March 16-20 2011. Contact her for more information about either event.

Maggie Judd announced that blocks for the batik block exchange are due at 6:30 pm at the Oct. 21 meeting.

Linda Gueli described the Open Studios Event in Lowell Ma Sept. 25, 26 and invited guild members to attend. For more informa-

tion contact Lowellopenstudios.org.

Lin Caido mentioned that the Lowell Quilt Museum would be having a project Linus day at the museum on Oct. 23.

Pat Lucey reminded everyone who would like a newsletter sent to them via US Mail to send address labels and $10 which

will cover the cost of printing and mailing to her. She also announced that another person was needed to work with Marianne

Nowacki on publicity for the quilt show.

Carol Sullivan spoke about the raffle quilt travel. It has been to Images in Lowell, World Quilt Festival in Manchester and Mann

Orchards in Methuen. Help is need at the Boxford Apple Festival on Sept. 18 and A Quilter’s Gathering in Nashua, Nov. 4-

7. Sign up sheets were circulated. She also mentioned that an open sew would be held on the third Tuesday evening of the month

at the Salem NH library from 6-9. Everyone is welcome.

Vice president Gail D’Arrigo announced that this year’s comfort quilts would be made for Turning Point in Newburyport. This is

a safe haven for battered women and children. Quilts need to be 100 % cotton, machine washable and dryable, twin size of any

design with no embellishments and should not have any writing or label on the back. Donations of new stuffed toys are also wel-

come.

Rosemary Bray, museum liaison, announced that our quilt won 1st place in their guild challenge at Images. The current exhibit

running until Oct. 17 features Broderie Perse. African American quilts will be shown Oct. 21 - Dec 21, with an opening reception

on Oct. 23 at 1:00pm. There will be a fiber trunk show on Nov. 6 at 1:00 and a slide show show Nov. 13 at 1:00. Sept. 25 will be

the text and textile bag sale - $35 to fill a bag. There are also special events on the first Thursday of the month. Check their website

for more information.

Beth announced that there were openings for a Storybook Quilt coordinator and showed one of the books with its quilt. Someone

is also needed to plan and oversee the creation the 2011-2012 raffle quilt. Please speak to Beth if you are interested in either job.

Many finished items were presented at Show and Tell ending with Jan Taylor’s Japanese Puzzle quilt. Terri Gelinas stated that

this pattern would be the class taught by Nancy Halpern at the Oct. 23 workshop.

After the break, Beth announced that a coordinator was also needed for the UFO auction.

Maggie stated that 10 1‖ strips for sashing could also be brought to the block exchange.

It was suggested that members bring stuffed Teddy Bears to be donated to Turning Point to the Dec. meeting.

There are 83 members present this evening and 5 new members. Door prizes were won by new member Joan, Gladys Sirois and

Carol Majahad. The monthly fabric raffle was won by Betty Hill. Tonight’s vendor is Quilt Essentials of Auburn ME and their

raffle donation was won by Marilyn Schweida.

The evening’s speaker was Bonnie McCafferty, who gave a presentation on her techniques of making fantasy fabrics and capturing

sparkly bits and other items under tulle. This was enhanced by the showing of many of her quilts.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Sullivan

Mystery Quilt news I'm trying a new mystery quilt designer this year- Susan Claire

from New Zealand. I came across her website while "surfing"

one day and loved her designs and the detailed instructions.

This mystery quilt would look great in a variety of colors, par-

ticularly quite strong colors as in the sewing diagrams, but you

are all so good at choosing colors you may have some very

different ideas! This is meant to be a fun project and will run

over six months . The quilt will look fabulous draped over the

couch or on the wall for a little extra decor, or just to use for a

much needed nap!

This is a pieced quilt and although some of the pieces are quite

small, it's manageable for all levels of quilters. When you

choose your fabrics I suggest you choose a main color (4

yards) and find 12 different colors that will contrast with it- fat

quarters are perfect. It would look terrific in hand-dyes, batiks

or of course, stash. I'm planning on a light batik background

with all those yummy batik fats I can't resist buying. The name

of the pattern is Starburst but that's the only hint as to the de-

sign. The overall size is 60" square with no border- easy to add

one if you need a larger size.

Check the website for monthly directions- they'll be posted on

or about the first of the month. First one is already posted.

There is a password which will be announced at the next meet-

ing or email Cathy (catherine-quilts@comcast.net) or me

(crob1961@comcast.net) if you can't wait. The directions in-

clude pictures of each step so should be simple to follow....I

hope!

This is my favorite pattern so far- can't

wait to see what you all will do! Carol

Scrap Bee

The Batik Scrap Bee will be exchanged at

6:30 PM, just before the October Meet-

ing. Please bring your blocks by 6:30

PM. If you are exchanging 1" strips, don't

forget to bring those along as well. Please

police yourself and only bring blocks that

measure 8 1/2" square, and are made of ba-

tiks only. Thank you in advance for your

cooperation! Looking forward to seeing

many beautiful blocks! Any questions, let

me know. Maggie Judd

A little scrap for recollection’s sake”

Quilts from the Concord Museum A New Exhibition at the Concord Museum

Friday, October 8, 2010 through Sunday, March 27, 2011

Concord, MA/ Quilts have about them an aura of virtue. The

virtues they are composed of — comfort, thrift, good cheer and

community — form the dialogue for this new exhibition of a

dozen quilts from the Concord Museum’s collection, together

with two from Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House.

Whether it is a small, well-used cradle quilt passed down in the

family of a patriot of the American Revolution or a large quilt

commemorating the 1975 Bicentennial of that war, each quilt has

a story to tell about the makers, the communities they lived in,

and the era in which the quilt was made. Rarely exhibited, the

quilts on view range from child size to full size, and include bold

geometrics, traditional patchwork, signature quilts and crazy

quilts, most dating from the second half of the nineteenth century.

Also included in the exhibition are quilt tops, squares and sewing

tools.

Of special interest are:

A signature quilt made for Rebecca Brooks and Joseph Allen

Smith on the occasion of their Concord wedding in 1849, made

up of 96 squares signed by friends and family, each ―a little scrap

for recollection’s sake.‖ Like most of the quilts at the Concord

Museum, this quilt was passed down in the family and in the

1960s—an era of renewed interest in quilting and women’s

work—was donated to the Concord Museum.

A quilt from the collection of Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard

House, attributed to Abigail (Abba) May Alcott, mother of the

famed author of Little Women

A quilt featuring an early example of the ―Pieced Pineapple‖ pat-

tern in vivid colors of ―turkey red,‖ ―cheddar‖ and ―poison

green‖

A friendship quilt made for Margaret Wyer Locke that is the ear-

liest-known example to date constructed using quilt-as-you-go

techniques

A crazy quilt celebrating the work of 19th-century children’s book

illustrator Randolph Caldecott

The newest quilt in the exhibition was made in 1975 by the Con-

cord Women’s Club in honor of the Bicentennial of April 19,

1775 and features 63 squares worked by 50 Concordians over

3,000 hours.

Next Meeting: October 21st Holy Angels Hall, Plaistow.

Nancy Halpern “Northern Comfort”

Check List:

Name Tag

Show and Tell

$ for raffle

Refreshments [if it

is your turn!]

$ for membership

Refreshments: O thru Z

MVQ is Good

Going on Publicity

Facebook! For our

Show!

October 21st Vendor The Sewing Diva, Quilt and Gift Shop, 106 Manning Street, Derry NH 03038 Christine Arlit