Tidewater Quilters' Guild Virginia (TQGVA) - Blog

September President's Message

8/28/2017

I know many of you have already heard the exciting news that AQS is planning to have quilt shows in the Virginia Beach Convention Center in 2018/2019/2020. It seems prophetic that last month I compared our shows to AQS shows and this month I am announcing that we will actually get a chance to compare the two close at hand. We will have our show in August and their show will be in October.

AQS has asked for our assistance with the show in exchange for several things (1) $1000 payable at the end of the show (2) a table to sell our raffle tickets and (3) a table to check packages/coats from which we will keep all the profits (4) Room for a silent auction. They will need volunteers to hang/unhang quilts and to take tickets for lectures and special events. A copy of the contract I will sign with your permission is included in this newsletter.

It is not necessary for us to put this show up for the entire guild to approve since we will be making money instead of spending money, but we wanted all of you to have a voice in the process so that you will be as eager as your board is to participate. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at hulet.walls@cox.net . I hope to get any concerns addressed before the chapters meet in September so all of you can make an informed vote.

A concern has been called to my attention about the Fall Festival. Several members would like us to have a “Sit and Sew.” The Fall Festival is held in the year that we do not have a quilt show, but it is neither meant to replace the quilt show nor mirror the Spring Fling. There were several years since I have been a member where there were no Fall Festivals. One year it was only “Sit and Sew.” It is traditionally designed by those in charge and some years are more elaborate than others. This year the theme is “A Celebration of English Paper Piecing.” It is designed so that anyone would participate whether they have ever paper pieced or not since there are three levels of classes from beginners to experts. Those in charge this year have decided not to add “Sit and Sew.” The guild offers the opportunity to sew with other quilters monthly at the Saturday Chapter meetings. In addition many of us belong to a bee. We hope you will choose to take advantage of this opportunity to learn paper piecing.
ANN WALLS
TQG President

August President's Message

7/29/2017

August 2017
We are revamping our kitchen and as I was looking through tiles, I found one that is a 5" star block. It was the right color and I was very tempted to use them in our backsplash. However, when we moved into the house, the backsplash had several blue tiles of windmills. The couple who built the house was from Holland so the tiles were important to them. I hate them. Not only because I didn’t want windmills but because of the color blue. I like blue but wanted more flexibility in decorating the kitchen. Therefore, even though we plan to live in this house the rest of our lives, I opted not to use the star tiles. I will use a white mosaic that may still be hated by someone else in 20 years but at least they are neutral (I also really like them). It’s the same with our quilts. The colors we love may not be appreciated by someone else. Even the colors combinations we love now, grow tiresome and we move on to others.

I talked to a lady the other day who had once been in the guild and plans to come back (I will only have to goad her a little bit). I told her that the guild would inspire her. Then I had to reflect back and think about how I have been inspired. When I started in the guild, I knew very little about quilting, of course. A more experi-
enced quilting friend would spout words like trapunto, applique, nine-patch, block, etc. I thought to myself that I would never figure all that out. It did happen though. Gradually, I have learned all those terms and am still finding new ones (my favorite if FUFO-Future UFOs; kits I have bought but not started). I loved the look of applique but hated the process. Now because of seeing your work and taking classes through the guild, I enjoy both hand and machine applique. Piecing is still my preferred method of putting a top together, but I have moved from simple nine-patches to more complex blocks that actually fit together when I sew them.

Speaking of inspiration, the Mancuso Show has already requested our theme for our display at the show in February. Diane Bennett has graciously created a theme and given them our paragraph to put in the program. The theme is "Threads of Life." I like this because any quilt can be used with this theme. We don’t have to make a quilt to fit the theme. For instance, we make quilts to commemorate a birth, a graduation, a wedding… We make quilts just to keep warm either at night, in front of the TV or in countless over situations. Now that we have the theme, we need someone to gather the quilts. It’s really a fun job. Jackie Gaskins and I stepped in at the last minute last year and were able to easily take care of it. Please give me a call for more information if you (and maybe a friend) would be willing to perform this role.

Quilt Show Updates

7/28/2017

Tidewater Quilters’ Guild, Inc. proudly presents the 2018 Quilt Show "Every Quilt Has A Story"! The quilt show will again be held at Cape Henry Collegiate, Alfred T. Taylor Field House on August 17th – 18th, 2018.
H E L P !! We are looking for someone, preferably a TQG member, that can help us with "branding" the quilt show by designing the logo which will be used in all the quilt show’s publicity and a possible quilt show pin. If any of you have skills in graphic design or an artistic flare, please contact me via email karanfisher@cox.net .
The Quilt Show Committee (QSC) is in need of someone to fill the open vacancy for CAFÉ for the quilt show. Please con-tact me if you are interested or have questions of what that po-sition entails.
The next QSC meeting is August 1, 2017 at 6:30pm and is held at the Community United Methodist Church (same church as the Night Chapter).
Karan Fisher, Quilt Show Officer

July 03rd, 2017

7/3/2017

July President's Message

July 2017
Some friends took me to my first quilt show in Williamsburg around 2002 and I was amazed at what could be done with fabric. Last week, I received my issue of AQS Magazine and was amazed again. The issue contained the winners at recent AQS shows. The imagery, colors, techniques, and quilting were way beyond my capabilities and as much as I admired them, they also made me feel pretty inadequate. Then, I remembered our shows. I go around the exhibits and am impressed by the ability and imagination displayed by our members. Our skills range from talented first timers to over-the-top veterans. Our quilts bring joy, comfort and warmth. In addition, our skills are enhanced by each other. It can be called a special synergy—our whole is much greater than the sum of our parts. My skills have increased because of the motivation I received from seeing your work. I can see where I could do something a little different then the pattern; maybe combine some colors that I wouldn’t think as going together, etc.… Quilts in magazines awe me but your quilts inspire me. Please, please continue to enter your quilts in the shows and bring your quilts to chapter meetings for show and tell—I need you!

We had a discussion at the Executive Board meeting about our changing roles outside of the home and how it limits our participation in things we would like to do. We make time for those things that are important to us and we must be careful not to over schedule ourselves. I think the guild is important to us or we would not go to the meetings. In order to have the best use of our time at the meetings, we need to encourage participation in the planning and execution of them. The Night Chapter needs a treasurer and as these jobs go, this is a simple one but an important one. The budget is less than $1,000 a year and the treasurer keeps track of it by giving out receipts for money taken in by the side tables and writing checks for expenses. A simple worksheet helps with that and does the math for you. The Chapter Treasurers do not attend the Executive Board meetings and the Chapter Board meetings are only required every three months. Most of the time, these meetings are before or after your chapter meeting. Please consider volunteering for this job as a way to keep our guild moving forward. Many of my friendships within the guild have evolved from working behind the scenes and I can say without a doubt that I have never regretted my decision to get involved.
Ann Walls TQG President

An Appeal for Donation Quilts

7/2/2017

From President Ann Walls— WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING APPEAL FOR QUILTS:

The Outdoor Education Center Of For Love of Children

My name is David Hartness and I am the director of FLOC Outdoor Education Center, an educational non-profit working with at-risk youth. We focus on environmental education and adventure based education with the purpose and mission to get kids outside and provide positive exposure to our youth, who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience the outdoors. We work hand-in-hand with local schools to provide quality out of work time. As part of our program, we provide free summer camps for DC, and West Virginia youth. Currently, we use old donated hospital blankets in our lodge. These blankets don’t serve the purpose we need them to serve and don’t provide a welcome and caring atmosphere. Many of our students simply can’t afford a sleeping bag, and as such, we provide these blankets for their use. I would like to be able to provide something that says we care for their needs and welcome them to our site. This is why I am writing today. My mom has been a quilter for many years; in fact all my beds at my home have hand sewn quilts she made. I understand the love, care and passion that go into each quilt, which is why I would love to see each bed in our lodge with a quilt. I was wondering if your quilting guild would be interested in donating some needed quilts. We can provide a tax exempt receipt. We service mainly middle school age students. We are looking to receive 25 quilts, but any number that can be provided would greatly benefit our program. The measurements of the bed are 74” x 31” with a 4 inch mattress. We are thinking an additional 6” all the way around would allow for enough overhang. We serve both boys and girls so they can be gender specific and be of the design that would appeal to middle schoolers. I want to thank you for reading and considering this kind donation. If you have any additional questions or would like to learn more about our program, you can either take a look at our website or contact me personally. My cell phone and office phone are located in my signature. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards,
David Hartness
Director The Outdoor Education Center Of For Love of Children
671 FLOC Way
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
www.flocoutdoors.org
(p) (304) 725-0409 : (c) (206) 355-6649

Newsletter News!

7/1/2017

Dear Fellow Quilters,
I have enjoyed editing the TQG Newsletter for the last four years and thank you for your confidence in me. It has been a truly enriching experience.
I am grateful to previous editor, Jane Ann Snyder, from whom I received many helpful tips.
During the last four years, the newsletter has gone from a black and white printed and mailed format to today’s colorful online version. Jane Ann continued to print and mail the copies for 2 years after the change over.
It has been an honor to propel the newsletter into the new digital era. The TQG Newsletter will be in capable hands: Norene Skiles will take over as your editor for the September, 2017, edition. Please give her the support and encouragement you have always given me.
It has indeed been a singular pleasure being your editor!
B4N (bye for now!) Lola McCracken

Fall Festival 2017

6/29/2017

As the Summer finally arrives and the days get warmer, some of us are already busy planning this year’s Fall festival
The festival will take place on Saturday October 21st at the Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach and be a celebration of all things English Paper Piecing. We will be offering beginners, intermediate and advanced classes as well as lunch.
Registration will be open from August 1st and we will have samples of each the classes at all three chapter meetings in July.
Have a great summer and we look forward to seeing you at the Fall festival.
Pat Carney and Debby Coleman

President's Message May 2017

4/24/2017

May 2017
It constantly amazes me how diverse a group we a r e a s q u i l t e r s . Many of you talk about a new pattern
and then the next thing I know, it’s a completed quilt. Others of us--on the other hand--take months or years to complete a quilt. If I get frustrated, I set it aside to think about it for a while. A solution usually comes up so
I’m glad I waited, but weeks could pass. My biggest mistake was figuring out that I didn’t have to finish a quilt
before I started a new one!

Based on our entries in the quilt show,piecing seems to be the most favored method but those who piece also
appliqué or embroider. There are those of us who need a pattern and those who free spirit their way through
a quilt.

When Lyrick Kinnard was speaking to our guild, she was asked if she considered her quilts to be Art Quilts.
Her response was that she thinks all quilts are art quilts. I agree with her because they are each an expression of our tastes, moods and skills. However, we need to separate them into categories to communicate with each
other. For instance, when I talk of a utility quilt, you would know what I was talking about even though we
could say all quilts are utility quilts because they all have a purpose.

The one thing that people seem to stay with is their quilting method. They either hand quilt or they machine quilt. However, even that is getting blurred because I have met several people who do both based on the quilt and the time needed to complete it. Then again many of us (meaning me) quilt by our check books because as much as we love to sew a top together, we prefer not to engage in the quilting itself.

I am looking forward to our meetings again this month and seeing all your show and tell creations!
Ann Walls

TQG Mid-Atlantic Winners!

3/8/2017

VIEWERS’ CHOICE Lee Gravina

WALL QUILTS ~ 2nd Place ~ Jackie Gaskins

BEST IN SHOW ~ Cheryl See ~ (Jackie Gaskins’ daughter)

President's Message March 2017

3/7/2017

Wow! Another great Mancuso Show was presented for our enjoyment. Our Reflections Display was an excellent representation of the talent in our guild. Thank you to Bonnie Betz, Cathy Meador, Christine Herbkersman, Diana Bennett, Heather Hancsak, Jackie Gaskins, Joy Duke, Joyce Beckwith, Lola McCracken, Norene Skiles, Pat Carney and Wilma Gerald for sharing their quilts with us. (See page 13 for photos of their quilts.)

Thanks also to Linda Gower and Diane Fisher for stepping up to the plate with our Raffle Quilt despite losing a month because of the weather when our chapters did not meet in January. The quilt was revealed at the February meetings and they were still able to get the volunteers to sell tickets and white glove at the show. Speaking of which, kudos to Sybil Magrill for her design and execution of this quilt. She had the quilt made in record time.

On a personal note, I really appreciate all of your condolences on the loss of my father. I know many of you have also suffered personal losses and I am grateful for your concern.
Ann Walls, TQG President