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Nimble Fingers Newsletter May/June 2010

Co-Presidents’ Message –

Linda August and Patty Estey

The entire Board and members of Nimble Fingers want to thank Ruan Robertson, Priscilla Lai, Anne Datko and Ellie Lomax for their hard work to make our Guild so successful.  Jobs well done!

After a miserable Maryland winter, we are now treated to the annual flourish of spring colors.  Become inspired to start a quilt reflecting the rich colors of azaleas, tulips, daffodils or pink dogwoods.  Try a new technique.  Finish a UFO.  Commit to serving on a Nimble Fingers committee. Volunteer to work at the October Nimble Fingers Quilt show.  For new (and old) members, the very best approach to becoming an integral part of Nimble Fingers is to volunteer.  It is fun and rewarding. On the subject of volunteering, we want to put out the call for a volunteer, individual or group, to take over Quilting for Others.  Beth Smith did a phenomenal job as chairperson but is moving out of the area.  Please consider volunteering for this key job in our guild.  

We look forward to working with our VP Pat Lefevre, Secretary Evelyn Farinas and Treasurer Barbara Kilby.  As fairly new members ourselves, we also look forward to getting to know more of the membership.  Bear with us as we learn your names. And of course, call or email any of the members of the Board with comments or suggestions.

We plan to hold our first board meeting after the June guild meeting.  Committee chairs should plan to attend and all members are always welcome.  We will send out an agenda closer to the June meeting date.

As this is the last newsletter until September, we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a great summer!  When we reconvene in September, the quilt show will be our number one priority.

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Quilt Show 2010 – Beverly Ferrell

Please see the article at the end of the newsletter!
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Programs – Susan Sellers, Carol Clanton, Cheryl Layman,

Jill Ruspi, Julie Taylor

  
June will be the month of transition for the Nimble Fingers Program Committee as the outgoing committee members step down and the incoming committee members begin their volunteer service.  Julie Taylor, Jill Ruspi, Carol Clanton, Cheryl Layman, and Susan Sellers, chair, will comprise the new committee.  We are excited to begin our task of bringing interesting programs and talented quilters to the Nimble Fingers meetings.  We welcome your suggestions of topics or individuals for future programs.  Please contact any one of us to relate your ideas.
May 5 - Paula Scaffidi, an internationally known textile artist, innovator, and creativity coach will join us for a lecture and trunk show.  Noted for imaginatively combining classic sewing techniques with emerging technologies, Paula offers her students doable steps with creative options that naturally eliminate rubber stamped results.
May 6 – 7 Paula will provide her new, two-day workshop Carpe Diem:  Abstraction Inspired by the Land. “Fresh piecing techniques and essential design basics will beckon everyone on a journey. Learn to compose intriguing abstract art. Discover it rooted in memories of a place in nature that you’ve loved. Find out what abstraction is; and how a landscape can guide you in delivering expressive, unique artistic statements in cloth. The silent language of pieced color, shape, line and value will shape the feeling. And you will learn to spontaneously sew fluid lines, neatly fitting straight and curved shapes together ... all without templates or pattern pieces. Leave behind the fuss of pins for smooth, elegant mastery of curved sewing. Build color within a palette that will make your heart sing. Satisfy eye, mind and hand with a non representational inner landscape. Seize the day!”  Class fee $110.  Supply list will be provided. Contact Burt White at abilumo@aol.com for sign up information.
June 2 - We are delighted to have Gyleen Fitzgerald, a talented Maryland quilter, presenting our June 2 lecture on “The Art of Color Blending” and teaching a full day workshop on Thursday, June 3, 10-4, entitled “It Takes Seven Sisters.”  Gyleen has taught locally and nationally and is best known for her incredible sense of color and design.  She enjoys using traditional quilt patterns with fresh, contemporary colors and will show us how the blocks come alive with skillful color placement.  The use of a special ruler and other tips and techniques will help make this block pattern easier.  The cost of the workshop will be $45, plus a $5 pattern fee to the teacher. Contact Susan Sellers at sjsellers@aol.com for sign up information.   For more information about Gyleen Fitzgerald, check out her web site at www.colourfulstitches.com.  If you haven’t yet started that special quilt for the Nimble Fingers October quilt show, this is your chance to create a showstopper!

Also on June 2- Paint Chip Challenge quilts will be due.  If you are participating in this challenge, as I am, many of you may have spent countless hours staring at those paint chips and wondering what possible quilt could be created to bring such discordant colors together.  Have you also trudged from quilt show to quilt shop, clutching those three chips and squinting to try to pretend that the fabric on the bolt is a match?  I suppose that this is the purpose of a challenge-to take us out of our comfort zone and stretch our color sense by forcing us to try new combinations.  I am still working on my challenge quilt.  I hope that you will also rise to the challenge and I will be interested to see your quilts at the June meeting.  Remember that the suggested quilt size is between 30 to 40 inches per side and that all three paint chip colors must be used in the quilt, along with unlimited additional colors.
And, if you participated in January’s Mystery Quilt workshop with Kim Jalette, please bring your quilts (finished or not!) for a group show and tell at the June meeting.

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Hospitality – Carole Auth, Karen Cyr, Nancy Sharp

 
Spring has finally arrived and with all the lovely flowers and new birth around us, we should make MAY special. We will have a High Tea Luncheon. It will be a nice celebration for the officers who have left and to welcome the new officers. I hope that everyone will enjoy this day. 

The luncheon menu will be:  Finger sandwiches, canapes, cheese with crackers, any appetizers, fresh fruit, salads, cookies and favorite cakes.

Hostesses are to bring a teapot each, and all members are to bring their own tea cup. There will be hot tea and ice tea.

Hostesses for May: Helene Min, Mary Hanes, Linda August, Nancy Rose Opeka, Mary Hagen, Carole Auth, Marilyn Barth, Jacqueline Callahan, Tisha Fass. Hostesses, please arrive at 9:15 am to help set up and do not leave until all is cleaned up.

Members with the last names ending with A - F please bring canapes, cheese with crackers or appetizers, G - L fruits or salads, M -S cookies or tarts, T -Z cakes. Please be generous, and bring something that you think most people would enjoy.
 
The June luncheon will be deli sandwiches again and the hostesses will each bring in a dessert and 2 liter beverage.  Hostesses: Jane Oden, Anne Datko, Ann Plunkett, Ellie Lomax, Susan Sellers, Ruan Robertson, Mary Jo Haczewski, Ginger Peebles. Once again, hostesses should be there at 9:15 am to help with setting up and stay through clean up.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN - have a wonderful summer and it's been a pleasure working with you all and enjoying all the lovely foods that you so kindly brought in this past year. Looking forward to the next year and meeting new people. If you have any suggestions please feel free to email me. I’d like to give a big thanks to my other captains, Nancy Sharp and Karen Cyr. They have been so generous with their time and help.

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Membership – Ronnie Sullivan

JUST A REMINDER:  DUES are DUE!


The Nimble Fingers fiscal year is from May 1 - April 30. Your annual dues of $25 for the year beginning May 1, 2010 and ending April 30, 2011 are now being collected. Many members have already renewed for next year. Please add your name to the growing list by bringing your dues to the May or June meetings. Or, you may send your check to Ronnie Sullivan, 8208 Scotch Bend Way, Potomac MD 20854.

Also, this committee is looking for new members. Ronnie has agreed to stay on until new volunteers come forward.  Please contact Ronnie if you’d like to find out what is involved.
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Quilting for Others – Francie Parrack, Temp. Chair

I have agreed to be the temporary chair for Quilting for Others.  It would be terrific if one or two people would come forward to take on this very worthwhile project.  I agreed to be temporary chair as I previously chaired this committee for 10 years with Peggy Elgin.  I would be happy to provide any assistance to those who might want to take on this committee.  It is always rewarding to help others, and this is the main community outreach of Nimble Fingers.  If interested, please contact one of the co-presidents or me.  Francie Parrack

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Quilting Bee – Mary Campbell

Quilting Bees are always on the third Thursday so next on May 20 and June 17. 
Location:  Habitat for Humanity, 9110 Gaither Rd. in Gaithersburg (past Capital Quilts, on the left), beginning around 10 and continuing until 12:30. 
Questions:  Contact Mary Campbell at mcampscomp@aol.com
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Current Events - Ann Plunkett

Now–June 19 -  VisArts at Rockville, Rockville MD  “Wearable Art/Un-wearable Fashion”
www.visartscenter.org

Now -May 28 – Black Rock Center for the Arts, Germantown MD: Sandra Woock, Fiber Artist, www.blackrockcenter.org, www.sandrawoock.com

Now – September 5 – Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore MD  “Textiles Recycled/Reimagined” www.artbma.org

April 29-May 1 - Faithful Circle Quilters Quilt Show, First Presbyterian Church of Howard County, Columbia MD www.faithfulcirclequilters.com

May 3 – Friendship Star Quilters presents a lecture by Jane Sassaman “Quilting Against the Odds”, Church of the Nazarene, Goshen Road, Gaithersburg, MD, 7:30 pm. Admission fee $5 for non-members.  For more information, annewtrudel@yahoo.com

May 15-September 12 - The Textile Museum, Washington DC “Art by the Yard: Women Design Mid-Century Britain” www.textilemuseum.org

June 3-6 – North Carolina Quilt Symposium, Charlotte NC www.charlottequiltsymposium.org

June 4-6 – Quilters Unlimited 37th Annual Show, Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly VA www.quiltersunlimited.org

June 12-13 – Annapolis Quilt Guild, Quilt Show, Annapolis Sr. High School, Annapolis MD www.annapolisquiltguild.org

June 17-19 – National Quilting Association 41st Annual Show, Columbus OH www.nqaquilts.org

June 25-27 – Vermont Quilt Festival, Essex Junction VT www.vqf.org

July 9-11– Mid-Appalachian Quilters 23rd Annual Educational Seminar, Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg MD www.maqonline.org

July 14-17 – American Quilter’s Society Show and Workshops, Knoxville TN www.americanquilter.com

July 22-25 –Quilt Odyssey 11th Anniversary Quilt Show with Workshops and Merchants Mall, Hershey, PA www.quiltodyssey.com

August 6-8 – Four County Quilters Guild Quilt Show, The Frederick Fairgrounds, Frederick MD www.fourcountyquilters.com or bisenmann@verizon.net


Member News

Studio 210 Fiber Art Studio @ VisArts  - Visit our own Floris Flam and Betty Ford, resident artists at VisArts at Rockville: www.visartscenter.org/artists.html

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SPECIAL THANKS FROM ALL OF NIMBLE FINGERS TO SPECIAL MEMBERS:

Diane Heller – who so graciously provides the Nimble Fingers website
Francie Parrack  - for EVERYTHING she has done over the years (and continues to do)
Beth Smith – our intrepid and dedicated Quilting for Others chair, along with other past responsibilities – we will miss you; Ohio is not really all that far away, so you can visit us!


Library - Patrice Thomas

Members who have taken out Nimble Fingers Library books this year are asked to return them to Patrice at the Library table at either the May or June meetings so that a complete accounting of titles can be done during the summer recess months.

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Welcoming -- Mary Hagan

This committee is looking for new members.  Mary Hagen has agreed to stay on until new volunteers come forward.  Please contact Mary at 301-977-6397 if you’d like to find out what is involved.  Making sure that our new members feel welcome and connected to the group is important to all of us.

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Bits and Pieces

From a Thank You Note sent by Susan Leonard, April’s Speaker and Instructor:

Good Morning, Ladies,
Thank you for the opportunity to present to Nimble Fingers yesterday!  Your group is so welcoming I almost forgot to be nervous.

Thanks to the dinner for 10 the night I arrived, to Lois and Don's constant hospitality, to open and generous questions from my morning audience, and to amazing creativity of my workshop participants, I was able to let go of my first time jitters and ENJOY my time with all of you yesterday! 

Susan Leonard
Quilted Fabric Art
110 Rock Glen Road
Wynnewood PA 19096
www.quiltedfabricart.com

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Houston, TX- Entries sought for “Still We Rise Again: Quilts for New Orleans”
This is a juried exhibit featuring quilts that celebrate the unwavering spirit of New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, themes of rebirth, renewal and the recovery of a city devastated five years ago by Hurricane Katrina. Houston, TX- Entries sought for “Still We Rise Again: Quilts for New Orleans”

Quilts will premiere at International Quilt Market & Festival October 30-November 7, 2010. (Other exhibit locations TBD.) Entry deadline July 1, 2010. You may submit up to two entries for consideration. Jurors: Jennifer Gilbert & Martha Sielman.
For Entry form e-mail: m_walter@charter.net or visit www.aquiltersgarden.com
(Exhibit to benefit appraiser scholarship & conservation workshop for damaged quilts)
Questions contact curator Mary Walter 617-480-6360
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Committee Chairs - contact these people to volunteer or get information:

Current Events:                      Ann Plunkett
Historian:                                Susan Sellers
Hospitality:                             Carole Auth, Karen Cyr, Nancy Sharp
Library:                                   Patrice Thomas
Membership:                         Ronnie Sullivan – TEMPORARY, NEED VOLUNTEER(S)
Newsletter:                             Kim Jalette
Programs:                              Susan Sellers, Carol Clanton, Cheryl Layman, Jill Ruspi, Julie Taylor
Quilt Consortium:                  Elizabeth Davison
Quilt Show:                             Beverly Ferrell
Quilting Bee:                          Mary Campbell
Quilting for Others:                Francie Parrack – TEMPORARY, NEED VOLUNTEER(S
Retreat:                                  Lisa Walker
Sunshine:                               Betty Ford
Website:                                 Jane Van Horn
Welcoming:                            Mary Hagen – TEMPORARY, NEED VOLUNTEER(S)

All telephone numbers, snail mail and e-mail addresses can be found in the Membership Directory.  Copies are available from the Membership Chair.

Please notify Ronnie Sullivan with any changes in home address/phone number/e-mail address.
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Quilt Show - Beverly Ferrell

Quilt Show 2010-Colors of Our World

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring weather.  It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were talking about snow dyeing, blizzard projects, and no electricity.  Time marches on, sometimes way too quickly.  I find it amazing that we have now been in Quilt Show planning mode for a year.  New team members are continuing to join our efforts and while the task before us can seem overwhelming at times, it has also been a lot of fun meeting guild members and working with new friends.  There is room for everyone to participate, whether it be actively serving on a committee, donating items, selling raffle tickets, white gloving, or show set-up.   Please consider helping us.  I’m certain you will find the experience just as rewarding as I have. 

Speaking of donations, Anne Datko and Barbara Kilby reviewed the tax deduction issue for items given to Nimble Fingers.  Donated items are tax deductible, and receipts are available when you present your gift. 

Linda Molinari and Mary Hanes have been working on a new, simplified process for registering our quilts.  They will share the results with us very soon. 

Julie Taylor will again be charged with displaying our quilts.  Many have commented on Julie’s keen eye for arrangement, so be thinking about which quilts you might choose to display.

Floris Flam has completed the design of the rack cards.  She expects to have them available for the May guild meeting.  Nimble Fingers members will be asked to take publicity materials like rack cards and bookmarks to nearby locations.  This will be a topic of discussion at our May guild meeting, but in the meantime, please start thinking about a geographic area you would like to cover. 

Please don’t forget your raffle tickets.  Shirley Malia reports that many members still have outstanding tickets. We need these funds to cover ongoing expenses like postage and printing. 

Please call or send me an email should you have any suggestions or to volunteer.

Thanks for your help.

Beverly Ferrell
beverlyferrellquilts@yahoo.com

More Show Updates

Artisan’s Attic – From Jane Oden:  Please donate your used sewing and craft items, e.g. Patterns, Fabric, Books, Quilting & Sewing Notions, Beads, Buttons, Yarn, Crochet & Knitting Equipment, Art Supplies and WORKING Sewing Machines & Sergers, etc.

Bring your donations to the May 5th or June 2nd Nimble Fingers meetings. There will be a collection table at the meetings, where you may leave items. To help members with heavy or large items, I will park my car (a silver VW Passat) near the front entrance to the Potomac Community Center. I will be collecting donations in the parking lot before and after the meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Jane Oden at 301-279-7707.

Boutique – From Rainie Broad: Our committee is reviewing guidelines for the Boutique, and hopes that we will have a lot of guild members selling their wonderful items.  Please consider making: pot holders, placemats, pincushions, jewelry, pillows, table runners, aprons, baby quilts, purses, tote bags, zippered bags, camera bags, cell phone bags and anything else you can think of that would be a good item to sell.  Remember we can target Halloween, Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter and Christmas.  We will be having a few workshops where we will teach you how to make items for the guild.  If you have any questions, please feel to email Rainie at rbroad6@verizon.net.

Challenge–Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts – From Kim Jalette:  The first 2 quilts have been turned in for our Challenge – thank you, Maryanne and Ruth!  We will be collecting quilts at the May and June meetings, and all are due no later than the September meeting.  If you can’t get your quilt to a meeting, contact Kim to make arrangements for pickup.  Each quilt can be no larger than 9” x 12”, so YOU CAN MAKE ONE!!! We would ask only that you include a bit of red or orange in your quilt, no other fabric or design requirements.

Our quilts will be displayed at the Nimble Fingers quilt show, then collected and sent to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI), for on-line auction through their Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts project.  All profits are used to fund Alzheimer's research.  Visit www.alzquilts.org to see other auction quilts and to find out everything being done by this organization.

Coming soon on the Nimble Fingers website: the registration form and additional information you will need so that our quilts can conform to the AAQI guidelines for submission.  A registration form must be turned in with your Challenge quilt – this is totally separate from the registration of quilts for the show.  Any questions, contact Kim at orangecouchquilts@verizon.net, 301-926-1378. 

Demonstrations – From Susan Sellers:  We need you to volunteer to be a part of our quilt show by sharing your quilt related expertise in a ten to fifteen minute presentation.  We will be scheduling one demonstration for each hour that the show is open, except for the opening and closing hours.  This was an extremely popular feature of our last quilt show and showcased the depth of talent of our members.  Last show we included such topics as hand quilting, free motion machine quilting, redwork, Paintstiks, discharge dyeing and more.  We would like to include new topics this time as well as revisiting some crowd favorites. Contact Susan Sellers at sjsellers@aol.com to volunteer for this opportunity to pass along to others your quilt related knowledge and skills.

Opportunity (Raffle) Quilt - From Nancy Sharp: The quilt travels during Summer, too! Even though Nimble Fingers doesn't meet during July & August, our raffle quilt is still available to travel during those months.  For example, we are visiting the Bayside Quilters Guild, Easton, MD on August 11.   Contact Nancy with ideas and suggestions at NurseSharp@aol.com, 301-466-9200.

The Quilt’s Travel Schedule for May:
May 12 -- Needle Chasers, Chevy Chase, MD; Marina Baudoin
May 15 -- Frederick Guild, New Market, MD; Rainie Broad
May 17 -- Milltown Guild, Columbia, MD; Francie Parrack

The Quilt’s Scheduled Competitions:
June 17-19 -- National Quilting Association, Columbus, OH
August 13-21 -- Montgomery County Fair, Gaithersburg, MD
August 27 -- Sept 6 -- Maryland State Fair, Timonium, MD

Remember, each time you sell a $1.00 raffle ticket it goes toward furthering the goals of the Nimble Fingers Guild, including funding nationally known program speakers, and making contributions to local charities in Montgomery County, MD. 

Raffle Baskets - From Anne Trudel:  While doing spring cleaning, please keep in mind our RAFFLE BASKETS for the upcoming Quilt Show.  October will be here before we know it, and notions, threads, patterns, fabrics, fat quarters, templates, rulers, etc., are all needed to make our baskets enticing.  We have started collecting for themed baskets including Civil War, Batiks, Holidays, Beach, Sports, and Bali Pops. 

We are especially looking for some yardage of holiday fabrics to go along with the donated apron patterns from Cotton Ginny's.   We have apron patterns for a Rooster, Santa, Cherries, coffee bistro, turkey, pumpkin, cupcake, and cat.

We also need 1 ½ yard pieces for the apron front, ½ yard coordinating fabric for the  apron bodice, fusible web,  two yards of jumbo Rick Rack, and ¼ yard pieces of Pellon Stitch-N-Tear for each of the aprons.  All donations are much appreciated.

2010 Quilt Show – Committee Chairs

  • Art Work:  Debra Gabel
  • Artisan’s Attic:  Jane Oden, Greta Kunkle, Ronnie Sullivan, Marlene Livingston, Helene Bress, Maryanne Culliton.
  • Boutique:  Rainie Broad, Flo Warmack, Joan Winovich, Ellie McCurley, Luanne Lindeman
  • Challenge - Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative:  Kim Jalette, Morna Golletz
  • Demonstrations:  Susan Sellers
  • Design (quilt layout):  Julie Taylor
  • Opportunity (raffle) Baskets:  Anne Trudel, Nancy Rose Opeka
  • Opportunity (raffle) quilt committee:  Margaret Hartranft, Ginger Peebles, Diane Heller
  • Opportunity (raffle) quilt mother (and scheduler): Nancy Sharp
  • Opportunity (raffle) quilt tickets: Shirley Malia
  • Program Advertising:  Anne Datko
  • Program LayoutOPEN, NEED VOLUNTEER(S)
  • Publicity:  Floris Flam, Connie Condrell, Sue Walen
  • Quilt Registration:  Linda Molinari, Mary Hanes
  • Quilt Show Chair:  Beverly Ferrell
  • Quilting for Others:  Linda August, Margaret Natof
  • Secretary: Sheila Kramer
  • Show Set-up:  OPEN, NEED VOLUNTEER(S)
  • Signage:    OPEN, NEED VOLUNTEER(S)
  • Silent Auction:  Burt White, Sandra Chin, Donna Duce, Donna Kopp
  • Treasurer:  Burt White
  • Vendors:  Pat Lefevre, Evelyn Farinas, Margaret Hartranft
  • Viewers Choice Awards: Lois Smith
  • Volunteers:  Margaret Taylor, Trudy Strobel, Bea Stack, Liz Brigham
    Refer to the Membership Directory for contact information.
  • NEXT MEETINGS: 
    May 5 – Paula Scaffidi, lecture
    May 6 & 7 – Paula’s 2-day Workshop
    June 2 – Gyleen Fitzgerald, lecture
    June 3 – Workshop with Gyleen

    SNOW AND/OR INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY :
    If Montgomery County Public Schools are operating on a delayed opening schedule (either one or two hour delay), the Nimble Fingers meeting will go on as scheduled (10 am at the Potomac Community Center).
     If Montgomery Count yPublic Schools are closed, then the Nimble Fingers meeting will be cancelled.
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