March 2021 Newsletter
Mount Vernon Chapter Officers 2020-2021
President – Martha Dyckes
Vice Presidents – Sharon McAuliffe and Helen Shaver Secretary – Rickie Frost
Treasurers – Carol Allen and Nancy Barkume Nominating Chair – Libby Dudley
President’s Message
Hello Dear Quilters,
I hope you are enjoying this crisp, white winter weather. Young boys are taking full advantage of my steep driveway to rush their sleds into snowbanks and fall all over the ice. Better them than me!
We all hope for a change in the weather that brings endless sun and daffodils, but that may have to wait. Getting together in person will also need to wait. The Board has decided to wait until more people have been vaccinated before we venture into the realm of in-person meetings. The risk of infection is still strong,
especially in Northern Virginia.
Big QU has also decided that considering the uncertainties that lie ahead all chapters should plan on
continuing to meet via Zoom until January 2022. Our programs will continue to be on Zoom, but should the world be closer to normal by mid-fall we can possibly have our Bees and business meetings in-person. The Hollin Hall Senior Center remains closed until further notice.
Have you registered at least one quilt for the Virtual Quilt Show yet? I know many of you have been doing some splendid work and I do hope you will make it available for all of us to see. Don’t be intimidated by photographic guidelines! I shot mine on my iPhone and it is just fine. Ginny and Tina want to hear from you and have pictures of your projects.
The sun is out today and the future is looking brighter! Stay well,
March 16 Bee
12:30 pm via Zoom
The next Bee for MVQU is March 16. We will have a “Show and Tell” by slide show or showing your items in person. If you would like your items in the slide show on Zoom, please send your pictures to Sally Barber at
[email protected] by March 11. Also, we are going to have a sharing of “What is your favorite quilting tool?”
Announcement of MVQU 2021-22 Slate of Candidates
A big “Thank You” to all those willing to step up for Board positions for 2021-22! We have a slate, which was previously announced via e-blast. However, due to a change in circumstances, the position of Co-Treasurer (Membership) is again open. This is a call for candidates to fill that role.
Elections this year are to be held via email ahead of the Annual Meeting on April 13. The ballot and
instructions will be emailed to members closer to the date. A quorum for conducting the chapter's elections is 20 members, so your participation is important. The new board takes up its duties on July 1, 2021, and those elected have April, May and June to shadow their predecessors and begin planning their year. As in other years, nominations for all offices remain open until they are closed, normally at the annual meeting, but this year about 10 days ahead. If you would like to place your name on the list for a position or recommend someone, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee is pleased to present the candidates for the 2021-22 MVQU Board: President – Dianne Tippins
Co-Vice Presidents – Sharon McAuliffe and Helen Shaver Secretary – Ginny Mayes
Co-Treasurers – Kathy Watson (Financial) and [Open] (Membership)
Nominating Committee Chair – Martha Dyckes (and Immediate Past President)
Thanks again to those willing to serve and to all those who spoke with us as we did our search. 2020-21 MVQU Nominating Committee
Libby Dudley, Chair; Veronica Abrams, Member; Kathy Watson, Member
QU Quilt Show News
Excitement is growing regarding the 2021 Quilters Unlimited Quilt Exhibition. Vendors are starting to respond indicating their planned support of our online event. They will offer special sales and promotions the
weekend of the Quilt Show (June 4 -6, 2021) and will probably extend into the next week. The Big QU will award a prize to the chapter with the largest number of exhibited quilts. Let’s support the effort in a big way! Let’s exhibit our beautiful work and encourage at least 3 friends to visit the site that weekend.
This is an opportunity to educate the public on the art of quilting and to let them know of our charitable work. We plan to have a page that talks about the quilts that chapters donated, the surgical caps and face masks so many of you made and the Days for Girls Project. We can write about these activities and post pictures. The Quilters’ Studio is donating 2 new sewing machines, which will be raffled off. Tickets will be 3 for $5 and 8 for $10. The drawing will be announced Saturday, June 5, 2021. Of course, there will be
The deadline for entering a quilt in the QU virtual show is March 15. You can enter your quilt by visiting the
website: www.quiltersunlimited.org/quilt-show.
Looking for guidance on photographing your quilts? Attached to the email that delivered this newsletter are two documents. One is about photographing quilts and the other is about storing photos of quilts.
Days for Girls Project
Ladies, we were contacted by the Days for Girls Project and asked if we would make drawstring bags to hold kits. They need 300 by the end of April. We don’t have to do all of those, of course. Any, we do will be appreciated. If any of you are willing to help in this endeavor, please let me know. My cell is (703) 328-7849
and my email is [email protected]. I will be responsible for picking up finished bags and mailing
them to Fishers of Men in Lynchburg.
The dimensions of the finished bag are 10 by 12.5 inches. They ask that you choose colorful fabrics, and prewash it before sewing. Cut the piece 11 x 28 inches. The written directions are posted on the Days for Girls International website or I can send them to you. YouTube has an excellent video for making them, entitled Days for Girls Drawstring Bags. If you need fabric, let me know. Also, if you have shields or holders that are now completed, let me know as well. We can mail everything at the same time. They are happy even if you cut the bags out to make it convenient for others to sew.
Thank you for all you do! Veronica Abrams
Charity Quilting
We hope that everyone took advantage of the cold snowy weather to stay indoors and make charity quilts!
Mary Mazzuchi and Ginny Mayes will be at the Hollin Hall Senior Center on March 28th from 12:30 pm until
2:00 pm to collect your lovely charity quilts and to offer you charity quilt kits and/or batting and/or QU labels for future efforts. They will be in the parking lot near the main entrance, and hoping for better weather than they had at the last quilt collection!
June Challenge Block
MVQU Challenge Quilt Block
Want to learn an easy and fun quilt block and maybe win enough blocks to make a quilt? Join in on the challenge by making the block below!
There are some rules though:
Background must be white or white on white Use blues or greens for accent color
Find fabric from your stash (If not, you could purchase or ask someone to give you an 8-inch square) Cut 2 - 8” squares, one blue or green and one white and follow the directions below.
For each block you make, you will receive a ticket for drawing—-so making more blocks will increase your chances of winning all the blocks.
We will start collecting the blocks in May for the drawing in June (maybe at an in-person event—who knows??)
If you have problems or questions, contact Helen Shaver ([email protected] or 248-909-9748)
MVQU Challenge Quilt Block
1. Cut two 8-inch squares. One white and one blue or green.
2. Right sides together, sew ¼ “ leaving 2-inch openings as shown in attachment. 3. Cut on the Diagonal through the sewn corners.
4. Stack the triangles-aligning all edges.
5. Measure and cut 2 inches from the left edge through all layers
6. Measure and cut 2 inches from bottom edge without disturbing the stack.
7. Press the seams open and arrange. Sew together in rows. To reduce bulk, press seams in top and bottom sections inward and seams in the middle outward.
8. Center and trim the block to 9”X9”.
QU Virtual Spring Event 2021 – Pack and Follow by Jenny Bowker
Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. EST via Zoom
QU is excited to host international quilt teacher Jenny Bower from Australia as she discusses her quilts, including both art and traditional quilts; the travel she’s done that has inspired her amazing quilts; and her work to bring the Tentmakers of Cairo to international quilt audiences. Jenny is really funny, down to earth
and her story and work are moving. See more at http://www.jennybowker.com.
This is a FREE EVENT for all QU Members, but registration is required and limited to 500 attendees. Register
at https://forms.gle/r9Vx8hFC5X5Jyjrv6. A Zoom link will be emailed to you a few days in advance of the
event. Contact Julia Graves, QU VP, at [email protected] for more information.
March Birthdays
Veronica Abrams Carol Allen Blanche Carpenter Eleanor Carter Lisa Coakley Sharon McAuliffe Helen Shaver Susan Skypeck
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