NSQG Workshops

• November – FULL-WAITLIST ONLY – Fabulous Freehand Curves, Cindy Grisdela
• January – Free Motion Quilting, Teri Lucas
• March – Bauhaus Sampler, Daisy Dodge
• April – Pictorial Whole Cloth Quilts, Christina Arcenegui Bono
• May – Dancing with the Wall, Irene Roderick

Questions? Contact programs@northernstarquilters.com

Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered to be a committee head for the 2024 Quilt Show!

We still need committee heads for the Admissions and Quilt Handler committees.  Both of these are roles are critical to the success of our show!

•  ADMISSIONS – responsible for the functioning of the admissions tables.
  This position involves overseeing ticket processing, cash & charge payments, wristbands, pre-paid attendee tracking and cash box return to treasurer and register closeout at end of day.
•  QUILT HANDLER – responsible for the handling, storing, and transporting show quilts from Drop-off day thru Judging to Show set-up.
  This position requires the person to sort and pack the quilts by category and transport to their home, Drop-off – Saturday, April 27, 2024;  to transport to  and from Judging – Tuesday am/pm, April 30, 2024;  and finally to deliver the quilts for Show Setup – Friday am, May 3, 2024.

• BLACK AND WHITE CHALLENGE – Challenge yourself to make a quilt using only black and white fabrics.  Black and white prints are okay, but no grey, and no other colors!  The perimeter can be no larger than 80” but can be any shape you choose.  Full rules can be found on the NSQG website challenge page.  Questions? Contact Constanze Toplansky at constanze.toplansky@gmail.com
• ORPHAN BLOCKS – Pick up an orphan block kit from Patricia Loquet at Comfort Quilts or at the next Guild meeting.  In the bag you will find a selection of donated orphan blocks that you can sew into a beautiful quilt using your creativity by adding your own fabric and clever ideas.  This takes a bit of ingenuity and curiosity, but you will end up with a beautiful quilt.
• UGLY FABRIC AUCTION – Please continue to bring your ‘ugly’ fabrics to Guild meetings and Comfort Quilts meetings.  The auction is always a happy meeting that raises funds for the Guild while we all have a good time bidding on the donated fabrics.  Jean Degl is storing the fabrics at her home, so if you are in the Mahopac area, call her to make an appointment to drop them off.  Rona Spar will also collect fabrics at her home in Mt. Kisco, just call to let her know when you are coming.  Questions? Contact Linda Finegan at linfin612@gmail.com

  – 2024 Raffle ticket booklets for the beautiful bed sized quilt, Parfait, will be distributed at the November 15^th  Guild Meeting, can be picked up at Comfort Quilts, or can be mailed.  Please help by picking up packets for members who are unable to attend meetings.  Proceeds will benefit the North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps of North Salem NY.  Thank you Carol Auer and Karen Carlson for coordinating this project and all our members who helped sewing and hand quilting this beautiful quilt.

Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

Same Jelly Roll – Different Quilt.  See how many different quilts have been made using these 33 strips!  Interested Comfort Quilters got matching jelly rolls  The quilts will be on display and one (or more depending on how many tickets sold) will be raffled off to help cover Comfort Quilt expenses.  Pick your favorite – winner’s choice of quilts.  Tickets $5 each, so come prepared!

• October – Landscape Quilts, Rachel Derstine
• November – Fabulous Freehand Curves, Cindy Grisdela
• January – Free Motion Quilting, Teri Lucas
• March – Bauhaus Sampler, Daisy Dodge
• April – Pictorial Whole Cloth Quilts, Christina Arcenegui Bono
• May – Dancing with the Wall, Irene Roderick

Special activities, for and by members, are taking place throughout the year.  Be sure to check for details and event information on our website.  If you have an idea for a guild activity and would like to chair that activity, please contact me.
Rona Spar, Activities Liaison, activities@northernstarquilters.com

• Orphan Blocks Project
  Donations of orphan blocks will be accepted through the October Guild meeting and can also be dropped off at Comfort Quilts.  Distribution of Orphan block kits will continue through December 2023.
  Questions? Contact Patricia Loquet at jamloquet@optonline.net
  
  

  Jody Sullivan’s OB quilt

• Super Saturday, February 17,2024 at First Presbyterian Church in Yorktown
  Teachers Wanted….Do you have a skill that you would like to share with your fellow quilters on Super Saturday?  Please contact Lefa Alksne at lefermilch@gmail.com
• Black and White Challenge Dropoff, March 20, 2024
  Keep working on your Black and White Challenge.
  Questions? Contact Constanze Toplansky at constanze.toplansky@gmail.com
• Quilting Retreat #2 at Mariandale in Ossining, March 22-24, 2024
  2 nights, 6 meals, lots of quilting space, and the camaraderie of talented quilters.  Cost-$250 for Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, $75/day for day only participants (includes 2 meals)
  Contact Jody Sullivan at jodysull@optonline.net
• Ugly Fabric Auction, May 15, 2024
  If you have quilting fabric that you wish to donate to the Ugly Fabric Auction, please bring it to a guild meeting or to a Comfort Quilts meeting.  You can also bring to Rona’s house in Mt. Kisco,  please call first at 914-941-4931.
  Questions?  Contact Linda Finegan at linfin612@gmail.com

  ---

Time is Running Out – Click to Renew Now!

Hi everyone,

The new guild year is off to a great start. Our membership stands at 181. There were 98 people present at the September meeting including four new members and two guests. Thirty-three people have joined the guild since the quilt show in May including our seven newest members who have been added to our rolls over the past two and a half weeks! Please join us in welcoming Patricia Gair of Hartsdale, Patricia Bradford of Nyack, Susan Farstrup of Sleepy Hollow, Riva Fisher of Tomkins Cove, NY, Damaris Scafidi of Riverside, CT, Liz Titus of Katonah and Valerie Zeller of Mohegan Lake. We would also like to welcome back returning member Carolyn Finn of Ossining.

If you would like your name/photo included in the hard copy of the 2023-2024 Membership Directory and in our email list, the renewal deadline is October 6^th.  If you would like to add/change your photo or update your contact information, please email us at membership@northernstarquilters.com.  The directory will be ready in time for the October meeting. Don’t forget to stop by the membership table to pick up your copy!

Membership Directory Photo Gallery – We strongly encourage you to join the many members (50%) who have already submitted photos for the Membership Directory. It’s a great way for other members to connect your name with your face and for you to recognize them!  Any photo will be gladly welcomed whether it’s a selfie sent from your phone or a favorite picture from a special family event. Each photo is cropped to feature only your face.

Wishing you many hours to quilt this month!
Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW!

Hello, everyone!

Welcome back to Northern Star! Summer is nearly over, and it’s time to gear up for a new guild year. The Quilt Show committee is forming, the board is getting ready to welcome you to our new home at Fox Lane High School and programs for the year are in place. We hope to see you at the first meeting of the year on Sept. 20^th at 6:00 PM (doors open about 5:30 for snacks and socializing).!

Please join Joanne and I in welcoming seven new members to our group: Ashley Fikes of Pleasantville, Visala Ekanadham of  Mohegan Lake, Laurel Izard of Michigan City, IN, Angela Reyes of Hastings-on-Hudson, Stacey Murren of Pawling, Michelle Parker of White Plains , Heather Feldman of Bedford, Beatrice Isaacs of Mt.Kisco, and Kristen Scheyder of Rye.. There will be membership badges waiting for new members who don’t have theirs, yet.

REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO!

As of August 29^th, 50% of the membership has renewed.  The hard copy of the Membership Directory will be going to press earlier than usual this year.  The deadline for being included in the hard copy of the directory is October 6^th.

• Option 1 – Renew your membership online at:  nsqg.formstack.com/forms/nsqg_member_registration_cc
• Option 2 – Joanne will be accepting registration forms accompanied by cash or check at the September meeting of Comfort Quilts, or you can bring your check to the meeting on September 20th. (Registration forms will be available if you forget to bring yours.)
• Option 3 – Mail your registration form and check (payable to Northern Star Quilters Guild) to:   Northern Star Quilters’ Guild, P.O. Box 232, Somers, NY  
  

We strongly encourage you to join the many members (50%) who have already submitted photos for the Membership Directory. It’s a great way for other members to connect your name with your face and for you to recognize them! Any photo will be gladly welcomed whether it’s a selfie sent from your phone or a favorite picture from a special family event. Each photo is cropped to feature only your face.

See you in September!
Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

Please welcome the return of NSQG’s Library, this time at Fox Lane School! We’ve certainly been busy over the summer.

The following special activities, for and by members, are taking place throughout the year.  Information is also on our website.
Rona Spar, Activities Liaison, activities@northernstarquilters.com

Pre-Meeting Offering

Orphan Blocks

Orphan Block Quilt by Patricia

2023-2024 Challenge

This year’s challenge is to design a small quilt using only black and white.  The challenge is inspired by the Karl Lagerfeld exhibit recently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  All information about rules and parameters for the quilt can be found on the NSQG website challenge page.  Questions, please contact the challenge coordinator, Constanze Toplansky, constanze.toplansky@gmail.com.
–

Quilt Retreat

The first quilt retreat of this year will be held on Monday-Wednesday, 10/30/23-11/1/23, at the Mariandale Center in Ossining, NY.  If you wish to board there, the fee is $250 for 2 nights and 6 meals.  If you wish to participate as a commuter, the day fee is $65/day which covers your workspace and 2 meals a day.  To sign up, contact Jody at jodysull@optonline.net.  Make your check out to Northern Star Quilters’ Guild and bring it to the September meeting or mail it to Jody Sullivan, 74 West Lane, Pound Ridge, NY 10576.
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Ugly Fabric Auction

Please start bringing your UGLY FABRICS (quilting fabric, quarter yard or more) to the meetings starting in September.  You can give the fabrics to Rona Spar or Linda Finegan who will pass them along to Jean Degl, who has kindly volunteered to store the fabric.  The Ugly Fabric Auction coordinator is Linda Finegan, linfin612@gmail.com.

Super Saturday

Super Saturday will be held in February, date and location not yet confirmed.  Several members have already volunteered to teach classes on that wonderful Saturday.  If you wish to teach a class at Super Saturday, please contact Lefa Alksne at lefermilch@gmail.com.  Lefa needs someone to be her assistant so please consider contacting her to help with this very special activity.
–

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

• Improv1 led by Jane Eyes (currently at full capacity)
• Improv2 led by Rita Romeau
• For Art Lovers led by Tamar Drucker
• Scrappy Quilts led by Jennifer Larrabee
• Long Arm Quilting led by Kathy Vanacoro and Lorraine Freed

September – Walking Foot Quilting, Marge Tucker – waitlist only

October – Landscape Quilts, Rachel Derstine

November – Fabulous Freehand Curves, Cindy Grisdela

If you haven’t already, renew your membership for 2023, then sign up for our upcoming activities.

Renew Now!

RACHEL DERSTINE
Landscape Quilts:  Nature & Architecture
Thursday, 19 October 2023
9:30 am to 4:00 pm EDT
Members $50 / Non-Members $70
In-person workshop at the Millwood Firehouse, 100 Millwood Road in Millwood, NY 10546.

Rachel will teach how to create a landscape quilt that focuses on nature or architecture or some combination of both.  You will be able to work from one of Rachel’s images or from one of your own choosing.

In this multi-level, full day workshop, Rachel will teach how to create a landscape quilt that focuses on nature or architecture or some combination of both.  Rachel will briefly cover her favorite techniques, tips & tricks so that you may stick to a simple landscape or apply them to a more complex design.  The possibilities are limitless:

• Think waterscape–an oak tree shading a meandering river, maybe a bridge. . .
• Think farmscape–fields of corn and soybeans, an endless sky, maybe a barn. . .
• Think cityscape–buildings, streets, windows, doors, maybe a magnolia tree. . .
• Think gardenscape–a winding path, hosta, irises, a weeping willow, maybe a bench. . .
• Think mountainscape, seascape, skyscape, and many more. . .

Rachel’s workshop is for every quilter! You want simple? You want complex? Rachel will cover her basic techniques for construction and design so that you can apply them to the “scape” of your choosing.

HIGHLIGHTS – Fusible applique collage; simplifying elements from a photo or sketch; creating the illusion of depth through overlapping and layering, size, color, value, and linear perspective; quilting and how to add facing.

Visit Rachel’s website to learn more about her artwork: Rachel Derstine Designs

CINDY GRISDELA
Fabulous Free-Hand Curves
Thursday, 16 November 2023
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Members $65 / Non-Members $85
In-person at the Millwood Firehouse, 100 Millwood Road,  Millwood, NY 10546

Cindy is an artist, teacher, and author of two books about creating original quilts without patterns: Artful Improv and Adventures in Improv Quilts. She specializes in improv design and using color fearlessly in your quilts. Her work has won awards in both quilt and art venues, most recently her artwork was juried into Quilt National. Cindy has a BFA in Art History from the College and William and Mary and an MBA in Finance from George Washington University.

Join us in Cindy’s newest improv workshop. Learn to cut large scale curves freehand without templates or patterns. Add dots, skinny lines, wonky triangles and more to give each curve its own personality, then combine them into a fun original design. Cindy will talk about color and design to create the composition as well as the techniques needed. Basic sewing skills and a sewing machine in good working order are necessary

Visit Cindy’s website to learn more about her artwork:  Cindy Grisdela Art Quilts

I’ve arranged for our guild’s quilt retreat at Mariandale Retreat Center, Ossining, NY from October 30-November 1 (Monday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon ).  The cost is $250 per person which includes two overnights, six meals and lots of sewing time!  There is also the possibility of being a “day commuter” for $65 a day which gives breakfast and lunch.  I have already heard from a few of you who expressed an interest in coming.  We will need a minimum of ten people for the two nights and there will be a maximum.  If you are interested and want to attend, please email me (jodysull@optonline.net) and I’ll add you to the list.  As we get closer to the date, I’ll ask for payment (checks made out to the guild) but send nothing now.

Later in the year I’m hoping to offer a “weekend” retreat (Friday to Sunday).  So far available dates are March 1-3 or March 22-24.  If that appeals to you, please let me know which date works best for you.  Their calendar fills up quickly.

Hope you’re all enjoying your summer and getting some sewing done as well!

Thank you, Jody Sullivan, jodysull@optonline.net

Every year around the end of February, guild members get together for a fun and productive Saturday. Our own very talented members members share their talents teaching classes on various techniques and projects. Sign up for a class or “Sit and Sew” on your own project. Lunch is provided by our Hospitality team. This is a a wonderful opportunity to mingle with fellow members in a smaller social setting.

Thank you to Lefa Alksne, lefermilch@gmail.com, who has volunteered to be our Super Saturday coordinator.  Help is needed! Please contact Lefa if you are able to assist or to teach a class.

Thank you,  Rona Spar, activities@northernstarquilters.com

Viewers Choice – Feathered Friends by Sandra Curry

The Viewers Choice quilt was Feathered Friends by Sandra Curry.  The quilt received 46 votes out of 330 cast.  Six other quilts received 15 or more votes.   The winner was announced and the ribbon posted at 2:30 on Sunday.

Thanks to Constanze Toplansky’s photography skills, you can review pictures of the 2023 quilt show HERE.

The Show Catalog was also put online this year, along with the Winners List. Both are available via the website ARCHIVES page.

Thank you to the Quilt Show Committee and the entire Northern Star Quilt Guild.  The 2023 show was a success and everyone had a role in making it a wonderful weekend.

I took on the role of Quilt Show VP for the 2022 show not because I wanted to, but because no one was in that role and there was a possibility that the show would not happen without a leader.  After two years of cancelled shows because of COVID, I could not bear to have another show cancelled, as the saying goes “The Show Must Go On!”, and so I raised my hand.  Little did I know what I was in for!

The past two years has been an amazing experience for me.  With no prior specific show experience, there was a lot of learning to do.  Numerous guild members kept supplying me with information and their expertise, answering endless questions, and stepping in to help where they could.

If you are ever thinking about stepping up to a role within this guild, do not hesitate.  You will be cheered on and supported by the most amazing group of creative spirits, and you will learn and grow from the experience.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you, and specifically to my wonderful team of committee members.

Lisa Alfonzetti

CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of our quilt ‘Blue Lightning’, Michele Morra, who resides in Hopewell Junction. She is a good friend and supporter of Sparrow’s Nest.

CONGRATULATIONS to Sparrow’s Nest, they will be receiving a very generous check at our June Salad Supper.

Thanks again to all our members for supporting the raffle.
Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

We look forward to our end of the year celebration, our Salad Supper.
Please bring an appetizer or entree/salad big enough to feed 6 people, serving utensils, and a card listing all the ingredients.
Be sure to mark any items you want returned with your name and collect them before you leave.

Beverages will be provided, as well as dessert.

Let’s celebrate together all that we have accomplished as a guild this year!

It was great to see many of you at the show! The Membership volunteers were a great team. They shared their enthusiasm for the guild with our visitors and encouraged them to join. Their efforts were successful! We gained 17 new members from a wide geographical area. Please join Joanne and I in welcoming them to the guild! The names of our newest members have been added to the digital directory which was sent to all members a few weeks ago. Please find the list of names below.

Idie Benjamin, Becky Demir  Nancy DiMuro, Ellen Friedman, Gloria Gorell, Barbara Leader, Marjorie Livingston, Maureen McCurdy, Brent McGee, Katherine McGowan, Jean Moccia, Lisette Overweel, Susan Raab, Suzanne Rixon, Sonhild Rodney, Barbara Sarullo, Stephanie Torsiello

Whether you’re a new or existing member, please send us a photo to add to the directory, if you haven’t already done so. A selfie would be fine. Send to:  membership@northernstarquilters.com

Have a great summer! See you in September!

Joanne Visovsky and Carol Sterk, membership@northernstarquilters.com

—— Click on Map to enlarge ——

Reminder – Parking is one of our challenges – The shuttle bus will be running extended hours so even if you have a first or last slot, there is plenty of time to catch the bus at E1 or W1.

‘Blue Lightning’ 2023 Raffle Quilt

LAST CALL for returning your raffle tickets… the drawing is coming soon at our Guild meeting, Wednesday May 17 .

If you would like to purchase more tickets, or if you have misplaced them,  the best way to purchase them is online and I will fill out the stubs for you.
Just click  –  nsqg.formstack.com/forms/nsqg_charity_raffle.  You could be  our lucky winner!

As of this writing, 67% of our members have responded – THANK YOU to our Guild members, their families, and friends for supporting this year’s member selected charity, Sparrows Nest.

Thank you Rosemary De Paola for coordinating this project and  Angela Vettucci for her beautiful job of quilting

Dee Plouffe’,  charitable@northernstarquilters.com

Many, many thanks to all guild members, CQ’ers and others, who have made quilts and have thus kept our donation coordinators very busy; and thank you to the coordinators for delivering the quilts to those in need of the little comfort or hug that a quilt can bring.  A total of 501 quilts have been distributed so fart this guild season, including 81 quilts in the recent shipment sent to and now delivered to Kyiv.  Thank you Pat Julian for keeping a record of our donations.  Come join our group, all our welcome, we are very productive!

Here are projected Comfort Quilt dates for the next few months, all Wednesdays (not necessarily 1st/3rd).

• May 10 and 24
• *** June 14 and 28  (This is a change from the original schedule, we are NOT meeting the 7th and 21st
• July 19
• Aug 9 and 30
• Sep 13 and 27

We meet at the North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 14 Daniel Road, North Salem, NY, 10am-2pm.
Bring lunch or a snack if you’d like a food break at your seat.
Last minute cancellations do happen, if in doubt or coming for the first time, please check.
All members are welcome.

Contact Karen Carlson or Carol Auer for further information.

Some CQ April Quilts

If you would like to set up some kind of special guild activity for next year, we are always looking for members willing to share their skills, creative and organizational.

Maybe set up a special activity for December and April meetings when we don’t have a speaker (demos, games, swaps, trunk shows, challenges, ??? …), organize a field trip, offer a Zoom class, help with Super Saturday, whatever sparks your quilting interest ….

Please contact me, I would love to hear from you.
Rona Spar, activities@northernstarquilters.com

An upcoming special activity for next year sponsored by Patricia Loquet:

Over the years Comfort Quilts has given away thousands of quilts to those in need of love and comfort.  This year alone CQ has sent out over 500 quilts. We want to do even more and you can help.

I will be collecting orphan blocks during the May, June, September and October meetings.  Then they will be divided into packets of like colors and style and ANY MEMBER can then take a pack and make an improv quilt using those blocks plus any other fabric or blocks you have that you would like to add.

I’ll have a bit more to say as time goes by.  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, Patricia.

Hello All and Happy May!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Challenge this year.  The talent in our Guild is truly amazing.  If you thought the “Cards” looked great at our April Meeting, wait until you see them at the Show!  The Challenge display at the Show this year is going to look awesome.
Thank you, April

BEST DESIGN:

1. Carol Auer
2. Marie Sugar
3. Claire Hibbard

MOST CREATIVE:

1. April Russell
2. Claire Hibbard
3. Marie Sugar

BEST VISUAL IMPACT:

1. Claire Hibbard
2. Carol Auer
3. Caryl Castellion

BEST WORKMANSHIP:

1. Carol Auer
2. Caryl Castellion
3. Chris Roche