F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 3 0, I S S U E 2 Falls Quilt Guild February Newsletter February Meeting Tuesday, February 10, 7 pm Senior Citizens Center Celebrating Community Service Komforters for Kids Join us Tuesday for a fun evening of seeing new KFKs with the extra added attraction of mingling with your fellow guild members. Some of the KFKs you ll see are the Mystery Quilt KFKs. Looking forward to seeing how the same pattern looks so different with just a change in fabrics. (Maybe a little value and color lesson in there?) Greeters - Dorothy Poitra and who else? Treaters - Annie Neiffer, Deana Wilson, Johanna Mellinger, Lynn Hebert Fat Quarter drawing - Hearts or Red Bring: Yourself, friend? Show and Tell KFKs Block exchange blocks (if participating) UFO list and fat quarters Final Month How often do you want meetings? Last month we started a discussion on how often the membership would like meetings. There were many ideas so we asked you to think about it and then vote on it in February? So, would you like to have: Meetings throughout the year? Skip July like we did last year? Skip July and August? Skip the whole summer - Jun, Jul, & Aug? What are the advantages or disadvantages? What needs to be done during those months? Please come to share what you want - it s your quilt guild.
Page 2 Falls Quilt Guild February 2015 Volume 30, Issue 2 Sara Graft of the Children s Bereavement program at Benefis, and Scott Schandelson, Chief Flight Nurse at Benefis, talk about how the Adopt a Bear program impacts both area. Sara explained that many children will name the bear after their deceased loved one. For some, it allows the child to talk in the third person as they work through their grief; for others, it gives them something special to hug and to take care of. Scott still thinks of the room where the bears and quilts are stored as the Magic Bear Room ; there s always bears with quilts; it never gets empty. And those bears and quilts are just the ticket to take the edge away from a difficult procedure. What makes these bears special, he adds, is that they come with a quilt specially handmade by quilters from the community. Thank you. January Meeting January celebrated Adopt a Bear s 15th Birthday. And what a celebration it was. Suzan Seery outdid herself getting us in the party atmosphere with balloons, decorations, and prizes galore. Of course, bear quilts were the hit. So many of them, so many opportunities to use up scraps and practice all those techniques that we were afraid to try on an heirloom. Guests Scott Schandelson and Sara Graft spoke from the heart as they thanked us for the bear quilts accompanying the bears. Scott summed it up when he said, The quilts really make it special. It give the children something to do as the wrap and rewrap the bear. Just a few of the many, many, many, many bear quilts And the cake went fast! Part of the festivities was the Parade of Bears with bears from childhood days. There were so many, each with a wonderful memory attached to it. Here Dody Sproles cuddles a World War II bear from her father. It s 65 years old.
Falls Quilt Guild February 2015 Volume 30, Issue 2 Page 3 Challenges and Exchanges The 2015 Stash and UFO Buster Challenge How many projects are you going to finish in 2015? Have you got a list? What birthday quilts, wedding and graduation quilts, UFO s, and, of course, there are those I saw the pattern and just have to make it! quilts are you going to make and finish? To enter the challenge (a few new rules): 1. Make a list of the quilts/projects you would like to finish for the challenge. 2. Bring a fat quarter (quilt shop quality) for each quilt on your list and a copy of your list. You may enter the challenge only during the months of January and February by bringing your fat quarters and your list and turning them in to Diana Simkins, so go through your UFOs and stash, make a list and make a plan, then bring fat quarters! 3. Each time you bring one of your listed, finished projects for show and tell at a guild meeting, your February is the deadline for signup. Bring your UFO List and a fat quarter for each project listed to this meeting. name will be added to a drawing for the fat quarters. Be sure to let us know that your show and tell is for the challenge! Note: You have to bring your quilt COMPLETELY FINISHED (no tops) for show and tell, so be sure to get those that are for gifts done early enough to show before shipping! 4. The drawing for the challenge winner will be after show and tell at the December guild meeting. Your name may only be added to the drawing up to the number of fat quarters you donated and only for the quilts you listed. Diana will be keeping track! You will have only until December to COMPLETELY FINISH AND SHOW your projects to enter the drawing. Good luck and let s get quilting! p.s. If we get a great number of fat quarters, we will divide them and draw for more than one prize. Split 9 Patch Block Exchange The Split 9 Patch Block Exchange began last month and will go through December. The complete directions were in the January newsletter. Remember, you can hop in or hop out any time. If you missed the directions, you can get them from the newsletter posted on the website or contact Diana Simkins or Lynn Hebert.
Page 4 Falls Quilt Guild February 2015 Volume 30, Issue 2 Upcoming Quilt Shows March Billings - March 11-14, 2015 Big Sky Quilt Retreat and Show Fabric Fantasy, Shrine Auditorium, 1125 Broadwater Ave. For more information: info@bigskyquiltassociation.com or www.bigskyquiltassociation.com Remember: Falls Quilt Guild is on the WEB Falls Quilt Guild s web site, fallsquiltguild.org, is a one stop shopping site for guild info, newsletters, membership forms and pictures. Really helpful if you want to check out something that happened last October but you ve lost your newsletter(s). And the guild is on Facebook too. Just look up Falls Quilt Guild. Falls Quilt Guild General Meeting Minutes Tuesday, January 13, 2015 Senior Citizens Center Call to Order: The monthly general meeting of the FGQ was called to order by President Sherry Parnell at 7pm. There were 36 members present. Minutes: The minutes of the Dec 9 meeting were posted on the Bulletin Board. Financial Reports: Posted on the Bulletin board. Treasurer Annie Neiffer is available to answer any questions and clarify information. Committee Reports: 1. Adopt a Bear Susan Seery: Presented program 2. Block Exchange and Challenges Diana Simkins: a. UFOs - Fat Quarters and list of UFOs are due by February meeting. b. Exchange Blocks new design started and exchanges every month. See December newsletter. c. Membership Bev Mathis: Renewals are due now. Any dues paid by the end of January are included in a drawing for free year s membership. Programs -:February will be KFK tying. Bring your completed mystery quilt 1 5 Quilt show Diana and René Simkins: Stephanie has completed binding on raffle quilt. Pictures of quilt taken. Raffle tickets available from Jenni Grove. Committee chairs needed for quilt show please see Diana. Quilt show meeting following general meeting. New Business: 1. Programs: Membership is asked for suggestions for future programs and volunteers to lead Programs/Workshops. 2. Summer meetings. Membership asked to think about summer meetings none in July, none in June, July and August, Sew Saturdays, and Quilt Shop visits. Will discuss in Feb. Past President s Block Members agreed on participation in donating block for previous president.. Sherry will obtain block choice and colors and present in Feb. Program: Suzan Seery presented Adopt a Bear 15 th Anniversary Party. Susan gave history of program which included grant participation with Wal-Mart to Funding thru the Benefis Foundation. FQG member Jo Fitzpatrick donated more than 700 quilts and her husband honored her by donating to the Foundation and the Adopt a Bear program. Guest speakers were Scott Schandelson, RN from Mercy Flight and Sara Graft from Peace Hospice Volunteer Program and Children s Bereavement Program. Sara brought 2 volunteers that assist with placing bears and quilts in gift bags for distribution. Anne Walker from A&B Balloons brought a balloon bouquet and was thanked for her assistance with teddy bear purchases. Jean Duffy donated 3 door prize items including a kit to make a teddy bear along with an antique sewing basket and glasses. Refreshments including birthday cake were served. Door Prizes: Many prizes were given as part of the Adopt a Bear party. Fat Quarter Drawings: Kay Butler won the assortment of fat quarters. February s fat quarter is hearts/red. Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 10, 7pm, Senior Citizens Center Respectfully Submitted, Kay Butler, Secretary
Falls Quilt Guild February 2015 Volume 30, Issue 2 Page 5 Art in Pieces Quilt Show 2015 April 24-26, 2015 The raffle tickets are ready for the beautiful Stems of Joy raffle quilt. Get your tickets to sell from Jenni Grove. Stephanie Kern bound the quilt and it was on display at the January meeting. The quilt was truly a group effort. Several of the quilt show committee members gathered around the Stems of Joy quilt after the January meeting. From left: Lynn Hebert, Jenni Grove, Diana and René Simkins - co-chairs of the quilt show, Kay Butler, Bev Mathis, Deana Wilson, Stephanie Kern, and Annie Neiffer Show chair Diana Simkins René Simkins Admissions Antique Quilts Bev Mathis Art Quilt Silent Auction Deb Hunter Country Store Mary Ann Wattam Demonstrations Door Prizes Cindy Skelton Fat Quarter Raffle Green Room Annie Neiffer Guild Booth Information Table Pictures Lynn Hebert Publicity Lynn Hebert Quilt Documentation Lynn Hebert Quilt Registration Raffle Quilt Diana Simkins René Simkins Raffle Quilt Ticket Sales Jenni Grove Ribbons Kay Butler Set Up Show Pins Susan Hedahl Signs Take Down Thursday Party Treasurer Vendors/Merchant Mall Johanna Mellinger Volunteer/Hostess Lists Deana Wilson A treat from Show and Tell. Martha Wood this beauty for her daughter, Carla Bell. She said that it was hard keeping it a secret from Carla. And it was even harder because she couldn t have her main sounding board and help while she was making it! Won t this look great in the quilt show?
Page 6 Falls Quilt Guild February 2015 Volume 30, Issue 2 F A L L S Q U I L T G U I L D P.O. Box 6592 Great Falls, MT 59406-6592 Email: artlynn@3rivers.net Upcoming Birthdays Jenni Grove 2/10 LaDeen Williams 2/15 Doris Nygard 2/16 Janet McFarland 2/17 Mary Verploegen 3/15 Newsletter Due Date: The due date for articles for the Marchnewsletter is Fri, Feb 20, 2015 (2 Fridays after regular meeting). Corrections: If there are any errors - misspelled names, wrong dates, etc., please let Lynn Hebert know so she can make the corrections. 2015 Falls Quilt Guild Board President Sherry Parnell 750-1422 huckscritterdanas@gmail.com 1st Vice President Stepahnie Kern 952-1908 coniferbluff@yahoo.com 2nd Vice President Deana Wilson 453-4909 doxnlvr3@gmail.com 231-6976 Secretary Kay Butler 453-2033 bobkbutler@msn.com Treasurer Annie Neiffer 453-9563 annieneiffer@gmail.com 2015 FQG Committee Chairs Adopt-a-Bear Suzan Seery 453-5615 suzan505@msn.com Awards Patti Kercher 454-1957 kercherpj@gmail.com Block Exchange Diana Simkins 439-7918 Challenges familycomforts@aol.com Facebook Jenni Grove 231-6833 Website jkgrove39@hotmail.com Historian Lynn Hebert 264-5312 artlynn@3rivers.net 799-2763 Komforters Martha Wood 788-3855 for Kids quiltingfunm@gmail.com Librarian Susan Hedahl 799-1954 hedahlsa@yahoo.com Membership Bev Mathis 761-6140 bev1849@charter.net Newsletter Lynn Hebert 264-5312 artlynn@3rivers.net 799-2763 Programs Quilt Show Diana and Rene Simkins 439-7918 2015fqgshow@gmail.com (Our meetings are the second Tuesday of each month so you can mark your calendar now. They start at 7 pm except for August picnic and the December potluck which begin at 6:30 pm. Also a meeting of the FQG Board and Committee Chairs starts at 5:30 preceding the regular meeting. Members are welcome to attend any time. If you have a specific issue though, please let the president know so she can put it on the agenda.)
Falls Quilt Guild February 2015 Volume 30, Issue 2 Page 7 2015 Falls Quilt Guild Registration January 1, 2015 December 31, 2015 Renew Early - all registrations received by the end of January will be entered into a drawing to receive a year s free membership. The winner will be announced at the February meeting. Please complete the information so we make sure our information is up to date even if you ve been a member for a long time. Current Information: (Please PRINT CLEARLY) Name: Birthday: (Month/Date) Address: City: State: Zip: Home Phone: Cell Phone: E-mail address: Current Lifetime Member: New Lifetime Member: (Birth year ) (If you have turned 80 years young in the past year AND have been a member for at least 5 years, please so note on the form. You are eligible for lifetime free membership.) Make your check payable to the Falls Quilt Guild for $15.00 yearly membership. Send your payment along with this form to Falls Quilt Guild at P.O. Box 6592, Great Falls, MT, 59406 or bring it to the meeting. Remember- all registrations received by the end of January will be eligible for a drawing to receive the year for free! Optional: Special Interests: Ideas for Programs: Would you be willing to serve on a committee? Yes No If so, which committee(s)? FQG Membership Chair: Date Paid: Check/Rcpt#: To Treasurer: Added to Roster: Notice to Newsletter: Name Badge: Membership Card: Roster/Bylaws/Policies to new members: Please renew now. This is the last newsletter until you ve renewed. Thanks.
Falls Quilt Guild P.O. Box 6592 Great Falls, MT 59406-6592 January Meeting Komforters for Kids Tying Party Tuesday, February 10, 7 pm Senior Citizens Center