Events, News and ME/NH/VT SAQA Gatherings

Holiday Greetings!

2013 EXHIBITIONS at the NEW ENGLAND QUILT MUSEUM

January 17 - April 13, 2013
MASTERS II: SAQA Art Quilts
Opening reception January 19th at 1 pm featuring a presentation by exhibition curator Martha Sielman. Let's make this our next gathering! Wear a name tag that identifies you as a SAQA member!

April 18 - July 7, 2013 - SILK! Luxurious Antique & Contemporary Quilts curated by Pam Weeks

July 11 - October 6, 2013 - A SLICE OF CHEDDAR: A Selection of Antique Pennsylvania Quilts
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The Winter Warmth Project: Make a quilt and keep a Vermonter warm this winter!

The Winter Warmth Project is on-going and we need your help more than ever. To date, more than 1,000 quilts have been made for Winter Warmth. We have given away 850 quilts so far. There are still orders in the pipeline. I originally thought we would need about 2,000.

As of 2 weeks ago, there were still 840 families displaced in Vermont. I don't expect to hear from those families until they are close to having a new home. You don't need extra stuff when you don't know where you are going. Many of the families involved have moved several times since they lost their homes. Many still don't know where they are going or what they are going to do.

The anniversary of Hurricane Irene was August 28. Because there are still so many families without homes, the Project is going to continue for another year. We have been able to reach about half of those displaced. The Champlain Valley Quilt Guild of Vermont (www.cvqgvt.org) is going to take over the Project as a separate arm of their Community Quilts. They will do a great job. I am really excited and gratified that they are willing to take it on. They will manage all the aspects of the Project much better than I did!

Marty DelNevo is currently putting together a team to handle the Project. But it doesn't stop there, and it shouldn't stop there. The Project and Champlain Valley are in need of YOUR help. Do you know someone who lost their home? Are you willing to do some stitching? Are you a longarm quilter? Do you have an unfinished piece that can be turned into a Queen-sized quilt? Finished QUEEN-sized quilts, queen quilt tops, fabric, batting, money, quilting time, and contacts are all needed.

Please communicate with Marty and ask how you can help or find out what she needs before you send anything.  Email Marty at msundbyvt@comcast.net
The Winter Warmth Project email is: winterwarmthproject@yahoo.com
The blog address is: winterwarmthproject.wordpress.com.

THANK YOU to everyone who has donated during the last year. Your willingness to participate is so appreciate. Together, we can be Vermont Strong.

Pam Druhen for the Winter Warmth Project
The Winter Warmth Project is endorsed by the Vermont Quilt Festival.

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Quilting for Sandy Relief in the Upper Valley, NH

Saturday January 12th   ***  All Day! ***  from 9 am - 9 pm
Sunday January 13th from 9 am - 5 pm
at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Summer Street, Hanover, NH

Please bring sewing machine, extension cord and sewing supplies like: rotary cutter, rulers, scissors, seam rippers. Also bring your lunch and any nibbles to share.

Remember, Art quilters can make charity quilts too!

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Next SAQA Gathering in the works.... for April 2013

I would like to arrange a SAQA gathering in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont for April 2013. If anyone would like to help me, please contact me at: msartquilts@gmail.com

My initial thoughts are to make it a one day event starting at 10 am with either:
(1) a talk about considering using a computer (primarily Photoshop) to enhance your work or
(2) having a panel of (3) Gallery directors take questions about what they look for in an artist and work.

Break for lunch with a 1 pm tour of the Hood Museum at Dartmouth with sketchbook time included

Meet up again at 3 pm for 4 mini workshops on "Sparking Creativity: Outside the Box"
I am looking for volunteers to run half hour programs. Suggested ideas for 1/2 hr workshops are:
The Artist's Way  |  Sketchbook Challenge   |  A Strathmore on-line workshop |  (Lisa Call?) on-line workshop

Group Dinner together (restaurant/take out/or pot luck?)
Show and Tell

Please Note: This is my initial plan. I'd love feedback, and I'm willing to gear this toward what you are interested in, so please email me. If you speak up you have a chance of getting what you want! : )
I will start the real planning January 3rd or so. The date of this meeting will be decided by when I can secure the facility to house the programs I am proposing. I will set up a block of hotel rooms for distance travelers! There will be a Sunday morning thing for those who stay overnight, too!