Monthly Archives: May 2021

May is our Annual Meeting, voting for the new Board will be done via Zoom poll, please be sure to attend.

Co-President:  Margaret Cibulsky

For most of my adult life, I lived happily on Long Island where I taught Kindergarten and First Grade for 32 years, where my husband worked for SUNY and where we raised two sons.  Three years ago, I moved from Long Island to Stamford, Connecticut and a few months later I joined NSQG, and participate in both Comfort Quilts and the Improvisational SIG.  I came to quilting 15 years ago, filled with grief after my husband passed, but I was able to sort out my life by working with my hands, mind, and heart.  A few years later, 2010, the NYC Metro Modern Quilt Guild formed, and I have been an active member ever since.  That is where I fell in love with improvisational and scrap quilts.  Hoping our year ahead is filled with positive energy, good health, and lots of time to quilt.

Co-President:  Jody Sullivan

I am married to my high school sweetheart Jim for 53 years.  We raised our three children in our 150-year-old house which we were constantly renovating ourselves and when it was finally “finished” after about 30 years, I found time to buy a sewing machine and discovered quilting.  I started by taking several classes at The Country Quilter and was hooked!  I have now joined the fabric hoarders’ society and spend much of my free time (particularly this past year) making quilts.  I joined NSQG few years ago and discovered an amazing group of fellow quilters and look forward to joining in their future.

Secretary:  Francine Jacobson

I took my first quilting class at The Niddy Noddy in Croton on Hudson in 1980 and I haven’t stopped since!  I have a large family and mostly make quilts for weddings and babies.  I worked for 30 years as an educator in Ossining and since my retirement I am able to dedicate much more time to quilting.  Since joining the guild a few years ago, I have begun to explore many new avenues in the world of quilting and appreciate the opportunity to give back!

Treasurer: Amanda Curley

When growing up, my grandmother always had a basket by her chair filled with quilt piecing.  Once she had a top pieced together, she would take it to Effie, an elderly country woman, who lived down a backwoods road with her flock of chickens.  Effie would finish the quilt by hand.  One of these quilts was my wedding gift.  I’ve been using Grandma’s Bear Claw Bed Quilt since 1972.

It has taken many years of travel, raising a family, and a career before the gift of retirement returned me to the world of quilting.  When I joined NSQG in 2015, doors opened that I had long forgotten and missed.  The world of quilting I knew as a child has changed.  I am fascinated with everything I am learning through the guild and captivated with the quilts made and shared while enjoying the friendship of so many quilters.  I look forward to giving back as the guild’s treasurer.

 Vice President – Communications: Anne MacDonald

I began quilting in 2014, and it was love at first stitch.  My mother had been a hand quilter in the 70’s and I learned how to machine piece from my sister-in-law after admiring all her creations.  Quilting is a welcome change from using my brain at work, and I especially like the tactile and repetitive nature of the activities – cut, sew, press, cut, sew, press!
I joined the guild in 2015 and enjoy being with others that are interested in all things fabric and creative.  My favorite day all year is Super Saturday and I have found that smaller group activity to be a good way to get to know other members.  Although we have had some great remote experiences, I am looking forward to being able to have in-person activities again!  I joined the board first as the Charitable Activities Chair, and then as Assistant to the Presidents and have really enjoyed the experience.

Vice President – Membership:  Carol Sterk

I was a college junior when I discovered some unfinished Dresden plates in my grandmother’s closet.  It was an “aha” moment for me, and I decided to learn to quilt once I finished my education.  I took my first quilting class in 1976 at Riverside Church in Manhattan where I learned to cut pattern templates out of cardboard.  I persevered despite many setbacks until, several months after we moved to Westchester, my husband discovered an article in the newspaper about a quilt show at JFK High School in Somers.  It was a revelation!  I bought my first quilting book, attended a tutorial given by Claire Oehler, a founding member of NSQG, and put my name on a sign-up list to be notified about the first meeting of a new quilt guild that was being formed.  I have been a member of the guild ever since.  I am incredibly grateful for the friends I have made, the educational opportunities that have helped me grow as a quilter and for the show that has challenged me to be the best I can be.  I have served in several board positions over the years including Hospitality, Membership, Education, Assistant to the President and Quilt Show (co-chair) and am excited about returning to Membership, a role that will allow me to take an active part in board’s commitment to keep the guild vibrant.  My special passion is making complicated pieced quilts out of as many “scraps” as possible from my extensive stash.

Vice President – Programs:  Kathy Tuttle

I am a retired educator who took up Quilting when I was waiting for my second grandchild to be born.  A good friend of mine told me I had to make a giraffe/measurement chart for the nursery, and she would help me.  Having been a sewer for most of my life I thought it was a great idea. That was five years ago.  While the project was way over my head in reality, I fell in love with quilting.  I am a self-taught quilter with a few classes here and there.  I was delighted to join the guild last year, excited to meet wonderful people and learn from experienced quilters.  Since joining the guild, I have realized through the many wonderful programs and workshop that my love lies with art quilting.  I am a life-long learner and I look forward to in person meetings and workshops as the world opens its doors again in the not too distant future.

Vice President – Quilt Show:  Lisa Alfonzetti

I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1985 and began a job at a public relations firm in NYC.  It did not take me long to realize I was not on the right path.  The next step on the journey for me was purchasing a local fabric store that was for sale in 1987.  My fiancé and I took money we were saving for a house down payment and purchased the shop instead, and there has been no looking back.  We purchased the shop and got married all within the same month.  The shop had primarily a garment sewing focus, but we quickly added quilting cottons into the mix and, needless to say, quilting took over.
In my 34 years of shop ownership, I have strived to provide an environment that provides great products and experiences for our customers.  In recent years, my business has expanded to include sub-dealerships, working with other shops in the area to provide sewing machine expertise and service.  Working together has benefited not just us but our customers as well.  Our primary goal every day is a great customer experience.
While running my shop, I also raised 3 kids during this time, who are now 26, 29 and 31 years old.  And I am, with great excitement, expecting my first grandchild in July.  I served in many fundraising and event planning leadership roles during their school years – fundraisers for sports teams, the PTA, and most significantly, a Teen Safe Driving Program.  I feel my experience from these events will be my best preparation for running a successful Quilt Show.  Organization and a great team are the keys to success.
I am a new member of the guild, although I have been involved for many years.  Our participation as a vendor has included the donation of a BERNINA Sewing Machine for each show that we have been a vendor at.  I have always been appreciative of all the volunteers that make the guild, and the annual show, a success, and I feel like it is time for me to give back.

Click HERE for a pdf of the nominees info above as well as pics and bios of Board Members currently in appointed positions, not a part of the  election.

2021 Raffle Quilt –

CONGRATULATIONS to Amy Davenport of Connecticut, winner of the Grand Prize, “Painted Prism”, coordinated by Daisy Dodge and Debby Warren, made by the members of the NSQG Guild  and quilted by Angela Vertucci.

Winner of the First Prize, BERNINA sewing machine donated by Pins and Needles of Mt. Kisco is our very own guild member Patricia Loquet.

Congratulations to SHORE / ICARE, they will be receiving a very generous check from our Guild.

The latest Guild pin, designed by Daisy Dodge and based on the beautiful 2021 Raffle Quilt, is now available ($5) and was on sale at the Spring Fling.  Contact me if you wish to purchase one.

Comfort Quilts

All members are welcome to contact comfortquilts@northernstarquilters.com with any Comfort Quilt requests.

At the Spring Fling, Comfort Quilts distributed kits as well as the Surprise Summer Challenge – Feelin’ Plaid All Over.  If you need a kit or a summer challenge pack, just let us know.

We hope to have a few in-person meetings over the summer so stay tuned.

Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

Traditional to Modern

Scrappy

Art Lovers

Improv

Review our upcoming lectures and workshops on the website or signup anytime.

Emails with details and reminders about workshops as well as any extra events are sent regularly, be sure to watch for them.

Zoom lecture links are sent out a couple days beforehand, recording links for those lectures that can be recorded are sent out a couple days after.

Lisa Walton – Sydney Australia 

Workshop –  Fantastic Fusion – Two 3hr Zoom sessions

May 12th* & 19th – Wednesday evening 5:30pm-8:30pm (ET)

*Note – the first session is the Wednesday evening the week prior to Lisa’s lecture at the guild meeting.

No sewing is required to create this unique quilt top. All fabric is fused together and then the quilting is what holds it together. Learn to cut with no rulers and create your own original quilt.

This will be a two day evening workshop and is suitable for all skill levels.

See samples at this link – https://lisawaltonartist.com/portfolio-items/fantastic-fusion-2/

Skills learned

• Fusing
• Freehand fabric cutting
• Quilt Design
• Colour theory

Linda Stern, programs@northernstarquiltersguild.com

Happy Spring to all!

April brought two new members and one guest to NSQG last month bringing our total membership to 183.
Please welcome:
Rita Romeu of Crosswicks, NJ
Kristen Scheyder of Rye, NY
Denise Giardullo (guest)

I look forward to seeing you at the May zoom meeting!
Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

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ArtsWestchester Exhibit: Together ApART – Creating During Covid

ArtsWestchester is opening their first live art exhibit since March of last year on May 7.  The exhibit on display at their White Plains location will feature more than 250 works of painting, photography, sculpture, sewing, crafting, songwriting, poetry and other creative activities by 224 artists and community members from throughout the Hudson Valley.  All of the exhibited works were made between March 2020 and March 2021.

Over 500 works were submitted for the exhibit and we are pleased to announce that six NSQG members will have quilts on display.  The exhibit will include works by Donna Chambers, Susan Fasnacht, Linda Finegan, Jennifer Larribee, Judy Simek and Rona Spar.  Congratulations!

The exhibit will run until August 1.  It is open Wednesday – Friday and Sunday from noon until 5 pm and Saturday from noon until 6 pm, with entry every 30 minutes.  Reservations are required and can be made through the ArtsWestchester site by clicking Here.

It should be a great exhibit and a great opportunity to see art in person again.
Susan Fasnacht