Note: This text-only document is not the official graphical newsletter (which contains guild photos and may have additional information in graphical form). You can easily make yourself capable of downloading the official version of the newsletter by going to the following web site and following the easy directions for downloading a free copy of Adobe Reader: www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html This is a completely safe download and will enable you to access a variety of other graphical material not related to the guild.

VFHQ News – September 2007

Clips from Chris

Wow...can you believe it is September!!! What a line up of events...kids are back in school (hurrah!), seasons change...and the board members change.  I must say I have a tough trail to follow, thanks to Lou...what a great job Lou! along with the past board members and committee heads, thank you all for a job well done.  I look forward to the next two years of serving all of you as president.

All of these changes have forced me into the “clean the closet” mode, better sew while the sewing is good, then of course I couldn't find a fabric I knew I had ...and couldn't find it, but I continued to search and search some more then before you knew it the closet was almost empty. Did you ever take the time to realize what a stash one really has? Well all I can say is please don't ask...after the purchase of more of the missing fabric and the closet was organized by some type of system (?), I found the fabric now I have plenty. At this time, I have spread my hobby to all of the remaining guest room closets and rooms! What fun...and actually I wanted to thank all of you my quilting friends for helping! All of my wonderful friends have suggested that building a stash is so important as well as having great sewing machines.
Thank You!!!
Chris

September Meeting – September 18, 2007

“The Proverbial Challenge” quilts will be displayed, voted upon, and winning ribbons presented. If you have a challenge quilt you’re presenting, please have it there, in a brown paper bag (with no identification), no later than 6:30 PM. Deliver it to the stage area-left. Cover your label, or leave it off your quilt. Be sure to also bring your typed description (75 words or less) explaining how you used the theme. As usual only one entry per member. Also please notify Linda Hamel, 610-454-1283, if you will be bringing a challenge quilt so we know how many quilt stands to set up for the evening. We will also have our “2nd” giant fabric and book sale (please see more information about that in this newsletter). Following all these festivities, next year’s challenge will be revealed. Our challenge night is always a delightful evening you won’t want to miss.

REFRESHMENTS

Hors d'oeuvres Sweets Drinks

Sandy Darlington JoAnn Thomas Ann Palmer

Barb Sherman Deb Graves Ruth Heslin

Cathy Fennell Karen Glasthal Beth Quigley

Beth Quigley Jean Corday

Bees Bees Bees Bees Bees…

Afternoon Bee—2nd Tuesday

The Afternoon Bee will take place on September 11, 2007, 12:30 – 3:30, at the home of Joan Markowitz, 112 Boulder Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, 610-828-9749. Everyone is welcome. Bring whatever project(s) you’re working on. We’ll sew, eat, and chat.

Evening Bee— 4th Tuesday

Cathy Fennell, 32 Clearfield Avenue, Trooper, PA 19403, 610-630-8645, will host the September Evening Bee, on September 25, 2007 from 6:30 – 9:00 PM. Work on your own projects, get help and advice and refreshments, and enjoy the company. See you there!

Birthdays

September

September 2 Linda Hamel

September 5 Deb Graves

September 12 Cathy Radcliffe

September 15 Jacqui Santangelo

September 22 Jean Hayden

September 27 Sherlee Hilberg

September 30 Lori Wilson Memmen

October

October 4 Betty Dix

October 9 Susan Stehman

October 10 Denny Shaw

October 12 Chris Candello

October 14 Art Hutchinson

October 15 Jacqueline Carman

October 18 Karen Glasthal

October 25 Gerry Higgins

Our Giant Fabric Sale – September 18, 2007

Here are the details…

Clear out your unwanted fabric from your stash — fabrics you liked when purchased, but that you now know they are probably not going to get used. Why not sell them at our September 18th meeting? All monies realized would go directly back to you so that you can buy more new fabric to replace what you just sold. And remember — one quilter’s stash–trash is another quilter’s treasure. So whether you’re bringing fabric to sell or not, come prepared with cash for those treasures you’re sure to find!

Here are the guidelines:

1. You set the price

2. Each piece of fabric or “package” of fabrics must be clearly labeled with:

your name

price you are asking

yardage or size of fabric

3. Put all this information on a removable label or tag so when the buyer goes to pay at the cashier table it can be recorded on the “sellers” sheet.

4. You may also sell kits, completed tops or orphan blocks. (PLEASE no U.F.O.s) All items or packages must be labeled like above.

5. Pre-register your name with Sally Rapp (610-489-6892) by Friday, September 14 if you plan to sell fabric. Since we have to plan the set-up in advance, only names registered will be given table space at the September meeting.

6. Buyers need to pay in cash, so come prepared.

7. Bring your own shopping bag to take home your purchases.

We hope this will give members an opportunity to earn some money for themselves while cleaning out your fabric stash to make room for more.

If you have questions, please call Sally or Gloria Clark.

Comfort Quilts

A big thank you to everyone who took the twenty kids “Match Game” quilt kits at the August meeting, that makes a total of forty kits given out this summer. The quilts will be delivered in November, so, please return them no later than the October Guild meeting. Just a reminder, please do not tie the kids quilts because of a possible choking hazard.
- Shirley Horning, Comfort Quilt Chair

Block of the Month

Dimensional Whimsy #10 for October is available on the website and will be presented at the September meeting. Paper copies of this block design will be at the BOM table. Bring your September block to the guild meeting and you could win one of the prizes. Photos of the blocks can be seen in the graphical version of the newsletter and on the web site.

Fat Quarter Raffle

The current Fat Quarter Raffle drawing will occur at November’s guild meeting. The fabric theme for this time is 1930’s Christmas, Hanukkah or winter theme fabric. To participate, simply bring a fat quarter, place it in the designated basket, along with your name, and you’ll be eligible for the drawing to win them all!   The drawing is held quarterly, and you will receive one chance to win for each fat quarter you contribute.  The guidelines are simple:

1.  The fabric must be a fat quarter measuring 18" X 22".

2.  It should be washed and ironed

3.  It must keep to the announced theme

4. It should be “quilt-shop-quality” fabric

Any questions, contact Linda Hamel

Welcome

Jeanne Dzedzy of Phoenixville, PA heard about us at the Quilt Odyssey in Hershey, PA. She has been quilting for one year but has been sewing since she was a child. Jeanne always enjoyed looking at the quilts displayed throughout the Amish country, so last year she decided to take her first quilting class. She enjoys patchwork quilt projects. Other than quilting she enjoys reading and cooking. Jeanne works part-time as a housecleaner. Jeanne is married to Tom and has four children; three are away at college while one resides with them.

Hailing from Spring City, PA, Amy Frazier heard about us from friends at a quilt shop. She has been quilting for more than two years and really likes the challenge of combining fabrics. She began quilting two years ago when she randomly decided to buy a sewing machine. Amy has completed a bed-size quilt and also enjoys scrap booking and being with her family. She also shares with us that she must enjoy work because she is always there. Amy is a marketing and sales leader for PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Amy’s husband, Ray, keeps her organized while her two boys, Brandon and Tyler, keep her busy. Her passion for creativity sometimes gets her in trouble.

Erin Marie Holvoer, also of Phoenixville, PA, found us through our website and Quilt Odyssey 2007 in Hershey, PA. Erin has taken one quilt class in 2005 and that was the first time she ever used a sewing machine! She became interested in quilting because her grandmother is a quilter as was her great grandmother. Erin loves the history and tradition of quilting and the idea of creating family heirlooms to be passed down from generation to generation. She most enjoys traditional block-style bed-size quilts or things that will be used. She loves piecing and measuring. She also enjoys family history and genealogy, baking, photography, and history pertaining to the American Revolution. Erin is a stay-at-home mom and is originally from the Cleveland, OH area but has lived in PA for eight years. She is married to Kristian and has a 2-year-old son, Eli and a crazy beagle named Baxter.

Meeting Minutes – August 21, 2007

Cathy Fennell welcomed all including 3 new members

BOM winner— Gloria Clark. Sally showed the block of the month (spool) for Sept.

Door Prizes: Marybeth Conard and JoAnn Thomas

Evening bee, Tuesday, Aug. 28th 6:30 – 9:00 at the home of Laura Chaplar.

Afternoon bee, Tuesday, Sept. 11th 12:30-3:30 at the home of Joan Markowitz.

A moment of silence was shared in memory of Nancy Dietch.

Membership renewal was held tonight. Deadline is the end of September.

Our 20th anniversary Gala event will be held Oct. 16th. Cost to guild members is $10. Jean Hayden is accepting reservations now.

Gloria introduced Betty Lou Cassidy who shared museum quality slides and quilts during her presentation, “Crazy Quilts: Then and Now”.

Refreshments and break followed.

Jean Hayden announced the Oct. 6th workshop “Take 5”. JoAnn Thomas, who will lead the workshop, shared several quilts she made with the Take 5 pattern. Workshop fee -- $10.

Shirley asked members who brought comfort quilts to the meeting tonight to show their quilts. Eight finished quilts were shared. Shirley asked members to bring finished quilts as soon as possible for the Thanksgiving distribution at Walter Reed. Kits of 56- 6” blocks are available to be made for donation to St. Christopher’s.

Sally Rapp talked about: Holiday Bingo game boards. Using 2.5” squares, members will make game boards which will be used to play Bingo at our Dec. meeting. The boards will be collected at the end of the program and stitched together to make comfort quilts for children. Kathy Graff suggested a color fabric swap of 2.5” squares at the upcoming meetings. Directions for the game boards will be in this newsletter.

Fabric and book sale. Sally needs to know who is selling. She also needs 3 teams of cashiers.

Skippack Days. Raffle tickets will be sold Oct. 6-7 at the Playcrafter’s location. Members are welcome to help sell tickets and any other hand made items they wish to sell.

Retreat. Make reservations now. If you are not sure, see Sally for an informational brochure.

Show & Tell

Respectfully submitted
Nancy Hannum, Recording Secretary

Membership Renewal

Last chance to re-up before the deadline! Membership renewal was started at the August meeting and will conclude at the September meeting. Annual dues are $25. Please be ready to give check or cash to the Membership Committee at the September meeting OR mail your check to Linda Hamel, (334 Avon Avenue, Collegeville, PA 19426). Thanks for your prompt action to help our very active moving efficiently.

Thank you!

Dear Quilt Guild Members,
Art wishes to thank all those who had a part in making his beautiful quilt. It is very colorful in a masculine way and really long for a tall guy. He started using it right away and it is nice and warm. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and concern.
Love,
Ethel & Art

October Meeting Preview – 10/16

Celebrate with us at our 20th Anniversary dinner. The dinner will begin at 6:00 PM. This will be a special catered affair for all guild members to enjoy as we celebrate our 20th anniversary together. It’s being subsidized by the guild so the cost to members is only $10.00. We’ll have plenty of food, desert, great entertainment, and surprises. You won’t want to miss it!

Short Excursions – Day Trips

Dear friends,
I need your help. Starting this month, I am to plan day excursions for Valley Forge Quilt guild. We want to have some weekday trips as well as some for Saturday.  I can only plan excursions to events that I am aware of. So please let me know when you hear of a quilt related event that you think other members would like to visit.  I really do appreciate your help and look forward to all of us having a good time.
 - Susan Glaser, 610-687-0928 or sewglaser@comcast.net

Guild Workshop: Mark Your Calendars

Take 5 – JoAnn Thomas

PROJECT: Lap Quilt using five 5/8ths of a yard of different fabrics. This includes a road trip to Steve’s (they’ll open early for us).

DATE: October 6, 2007

TIME: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM

PLACE: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, King of Prussia, PA

PRICE: $10.00

BRING: Supply list will be provided upon payment to Jean Hayden

Quilt Guild Bingo – Game Card Instructions

This is an opportunity to accomplish two great things with one quick task:
1- Have great fun at our holiday party, and
2- Contribute to the making of a comfort quilt (a great thing to do around holiday time)!

You will need at least one card to participate in the Quilt Guild Bingo at our December meeting, but you can make as many as you want. When the game is over, we’ll collect the cards and they’ll be made into Comfort Quilts. Below are the instructions to make your game card(s):

Materials for 1 (10 ½”) card (block)

(Each fabric must be chosen from one of the following categories: batik, floral, geometric, heart, leaf, metallic, holiday, novelty, paisley, plaid, solid, star, stripe, or 1930s print. Use a black print for the center square.)

5 (2 ½”) squares assorted yellow and/or orange prints

5 (2 ½”) squares assorted red prints

5 (2 ½”) squares assorted blue prints

5 (2 ½”) squares assorted green prints

4 (2 ½”) squares assorted pink and/or purple prints

1 (2 ½”) square of black print

YELLOW And/or ORANGE	RED	PINK And/or PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN
YELLOW And/or ORANGE	RED	PINK And/or PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN
YELLOW And/or ORANGE	RED	BLACK	BLUE	GREEN
YELLOW And/or ORANGE	RED	PINK And/or PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN
YELLOW And/or ORANGE	RED	PINK And/or PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN

Block Assembly

Join 5 different yellow/orange print squares to make 1 row. In the same manner, make 1 red, 1 blue, and 1 green row.

Join 2 pink/purple squares. Make 2 pink/purple pairs. Join one pink/purple pair to each side of black square to complete pink/purple row.

Join rows, placing pink/purple row in center, to complete 1 Bingo Game Card block.

Any questions, please call Sally Rapp, 610-489-6892.

(NOTE: These instructions are from Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting, September/October 2006, page 117.)

Fabric Exchange

At our last meeting, when Sally explained the creation of the game card for the December meeting, we chatted about having a fabric exchange. This can increase the variety, minimize the cutting effort, and help those of us who don’t have much of a particular color of fabric. So if you’d like to participate, bring your 2½-inch squares with you to guild meeting in September, October and/or November. There will be five containers on the information table in which you can place your squares of fabric. Each container will be labeled and you may select a fabric you may need and put in fabric to help others. Thanks for the idea, Kathy Graff.

Quilt Shows

The Heritage Center Museum presents “Stars Over Pennsylvania”: an exhibition featuring quilts and other textiles with a star theme; April 6 – December 31, 2007 at The Heritage Center Museum, 5 W. King St., Lancaster, PA, 717-299-6440. For more information visit www.lancasterheritage.com

"A Quilt Sampler" at the Chester County Historical Society located at 225 N. High St. in West Chester - March 29 through Sept 16, 2007.  For more information visit their website: www.chestercohistorical.org. 

Quilts in a Material World: Selections from the Winterthur Collection. March 10 – September 16, 2007 at the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate, Route 52, Kennet Pike, Winterthur, Delaware, 19753. Discover Winterthur’s outstanding collection of quilts – some considered to be icons in the field. Ranging in dates from the 17th to the 19th century, more than 40 quilts will be on view – many for the first time.

September 6 – 9, 2007 – Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza XIV, Expo Hall PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA, Thurs-Sat: 10 AM – 6 PM; Sunday 10 AM – 4 PM, for more information visit: www.quiltfest.com.

“Going West! Quilts and Community” will be on view from October 5, 2007 through January 21, 2008 at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW, Washington, DC. The Renwick Gallery is open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Admission is free. For more information visit www.americanart.si.edu.

October 12 & 13, 2007 - How Sweet It Is quilt show, presented by Keystone Quilters, Inc., at Quakertown Christian School (new location !), 50 E. Paletown Road, Quakertown, PA. Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-5. Contact topothehillfarm@hotmail.com or www.keystonequilters.org

Quilt Show Exhibition presented by Lebanon Quilters Guild at the 2007 Festival of Trees; Lebanon Expo Center, Nov. 29 – Dec. 2, 2007; admission to both events is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 13-17, and children under 12 are free.

Come One and All

Have you thought yet about the next retreat…

The Fall Quilter's Retreat is scheduled for November 1-4, 2007 at Mensch Mill Retreat Center - Kline Lodge in Berks County. The cost is $180 for the Thursday to Sunday package or $130 for the Friday to Sunday package. This includes meals and linens. Bring your own quilting project(s) to work on. A deposit of $20 (non-refundable) holds your space. Interest is high and space is limited so sign up today with Sally Rapp or see her for further details.

Three New Quilt Shops

The Quilt Block, Inc.: 95 E. Welsh Pool Road, Exton, PA 19341; 610-363-0404 or www.thequiltblockinc.com. Run by Jan Brown and Cynthia West. They have fabrics, classes, books, patterns, and notions. Quiltmaking…from beginning to end and back again.

Quilter’s Corner: Olde Ridge Village, 100 Ridge Road, Suite 8, Chadds Ford, PA 19317; 610-459-8993 or 866-534-1186 (toll free) or www.QuiltersCornerPA.com. Hours are Mon-Fri, 10:00 – 7:00; Thursday ‘til 8; Saturday 10:00 – 5:00; and Sunday 12:00 – 5:00.

Cloth & Bobbin: 235 Haverford Ave, Narberth, PA 19072; 610-667-5366; johanna@clothandbobbin.com; Opening party—Saturday, September 8, 1-5.

Raffle Quilt Time

As reported in last month’s newsletter, it’s Raffle quilt time again.  If you’ve seen the quilt in person, you know that it’s absolutely delightful. It received rave reviews at Hershey. Kudos to all who worked so hard and well to complete it.

Now comes the time when we all team up to sell raffle quilt tickets. In addition to your ration of tickets (10-dollars worth), we get to take turns staffing various special events where the raffle quilt will be exhibited. Please check your calendars...there are a number of upcoming dates that we will need members to help sell tickets. We’ll pass around our Raffle quilt sign-up sheets at guild meeting.

 Some of the upcoming dates are:

Upper Merion's Community Day = 9/8/07

Upper Providence Community Day = 9/22/07

Skippack Days = October 6 and 7, 2007

So members...if you have some time to spare (at least one hour is helpful)...please help man our table and represent our guild in these events.  Also, if you have any suggestions regarding special events or ideas please contact Chriscandello@comcast.net.
Thank you again!!!

Hello from Steve's

 Our newsletter will be mailed and on our website very soon!  Among other things, it contains our schedule for fall/Winter classes.

 During the Fall, we kick into high gear!  September 20 to 23 is our Anniversary Sale.  There’ll be discounts on EVERYTHING, including 35% off quilting Fabrics from 6 to 9pm on September 21!!  We will also be taking orders for the new QUEST sewing machine from BabyLock.  You’re going to love this machine with it's Precision Dual Feed systems built right in!

 September is National Sewing Month, and Steve's is celebrating our own National Sewing Day on Saturday, September 29.  You won't want to miss a single minute of this fun-packed day.  We’ll have seminars, booths, trunk shows, Show & Share, lunch, charity events, and scissor sharpening.  And it is all FREE!

 We are please to have Kristie Smith from Bernina here on Wednesday, September 26 for the seminar, All Things Fashional.  Whether you own a Bernina or not, you'll want to attend this informative and fun seminar!

And all that is just what’s going in in September. Starting in October, look for our clubs, Saturday Sampler, Breast Cancer Bra Art Contest, Shop Hop, OESD Seminar, Fleece Workshop, New York City Fabric Shopping, and More!

We hope to "Sew" with you soon!  Dream Creatively, 
The Staff at Steve's

Fall Fabric Frenzy

It’s that time of year again, the 2007 Shop Hop Adventure! Pick up your Passport and let the fun begin! Free Shop Hop pincushion kit with your $5.00 passport purchase. Passports are available September 1. The Fall Fabric Frenzy starts on November 9 and goes through November 12. Here are the participating quilt shops: Steve’s Sewing & Quilting Center, Byrne Sewing Connection LLC, Chester County Quilting, Country Quiltworks, Fabrics on the Hill, Generations Quilt Shop, Granny’s Sewing Den, Quilter’s Corner, and Quilter’s Hive. Of course the closest shop to our guild is Steves where they’ll be delighted to sell you your passport.

Guild Officers:

President – Chris Candello

Vice President – Jean Hayden

Treasurer – Gail Dovalovsky

Recording Secretary – Marge Quinn

Membership Sec – Linda Hamel

Immediate Past President – Lou Chandler

Committee Chairs:

Program Chair – Gloria Clark

Workshops – Jean Hayden

Newsletter – Cathy Fennell (editor)
Lou Chandler (publisher)

Web Master – Lou Chandler

Refreshments – Paula Pettyjohn

Set-up – Cathy Fennell

Hostess/ Door Prizes – Patti McLain Fulton
Marebeth Conard

Hospitality – Donna Leblanc
Joan Gunder
Lisa Hudock

Block of the Month – Shellie Blake (2007)
Rosemary Geisler (2008)