Meetings & Programs – Prior Years

Meetings and Programs for 2023-2024

Meetings will start with social time at 6:00 P.M. The meeting will be called to order at 7:00 P.M.  Meetings may also be available via zoom- a link is sent by email prior to the meeting.

September 12, 2023: Business meeting only. Show and tell – Mystery Quilt, UFOs, etc.

October 10, 2023: Business meeting; Program: speaker – Carol Anne Grotrigan – Shibori Dying Techniques

November 14,2023: Business meeting; Program: Speaker – Debbie Wendt – Egyptian Tentmakers’ Applique

December 12, 2023: 6 P.M. – Holiday Social with a Potluck dinner

January 9, 2024: Business meeting; Program: Speaker – Christa Nee – Yoga

February 13, 2024: Business meeting; Program: Speaker – Andie Ordung – Civil War Fabrics and Quilts

March 12, 2024: Business meeting; Program: Speaker – Vivien Lee Sayre – Dating Quilts and Fabrics

April 9, 2024: Business meeting; Program: Speaker – Tracy O’Donnell – Deb Tucker Studio 180 Rulers and Tools

May 14, 2024: Business meeting; Program: Speaker – Pam Weeks – Japanese Quilts

June 11, 2024: 6 P.M. – End of Year Social with a Picnic 

Guild Meeting Cancellation Policy:  Guild meetings may be cancelled due to bad weather or lack of facility (i.e., loss of electricity) to ensure the safety of the members and speakers. In such a case, the Guild President will notify the Program Director(s)/Designee to notify the speaker. (If Program Director(s)/Designee cannot be located, the President will notify the speaker.) The President and Board will notify the guild members.  All will be notified as soon as the cancellation decision is made. If possible, the Program Director(s) and Board will work with speaker to find a mutually acceptable date to reschedule.

Meetings and Programs for 2022-2023

September 13, 2022: Business meeting. Show and tell – Mystery Quilt, UFOs, etc.

October 11, 2022: Mini-Stations / Demonstrations

November 8,2022: Thread Painting – Lecture / Trunk Show with Betsy Habich

December 13, 2022: 6 PM – Potluck Holiday Party

January 10, 2023: Why Should We Study Quilts? Zoom lecture with Marin Hanson from the International Quilt Museum

February 14, 2023: Barn Quilts Zoom lecture with Suzi Parron

March 14, 2023: Canceled due to weather conditions.

April 11, 2023: Something New on Every Quilt Lecture / Trunk Show with Pat Delaney

May 9, 2023: Make Your Mark – Lecture / Trunk Show with Adele Scott

June 13, 2023 –6 pm – Potluck Picnic 

Meetings and Programs for 2021-2022

Meeting will start with social time at 6:30. At this time there will NOT be any snacks. Meeting will be called to order at 7 pm.  Meetings are also available via zoom- link is sent by email prior to the meeting.

September 12, 2021: Business meeting. Yard sale. Show and tell – Mystery Quilt, UFOs, etc.

October 12, 2021: Quilt Clinic : Nancy Sullivan & Lynn Thibault – This fun lecture will include Piecing Headaches, Ruler and Pattern Dissection, Thread and Tension Pains and sew much more.  Come prepared with all of your quilting questions and problems for Nancy and Lynn

November 9, 2021: Quilts of Valor Darlene Coit.   A Quilt of Valor ® (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war. The Quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.” Darlene will talk about the organization.

December 14, 2021: Holiday Get Together – Bring two wrapped fat quarters. Feel free to bring wrapped cookies to hand out. (no eating) Start Time 7 pm  MTQ HolidayGiftBag

January 11, 2022: Timna Tarr, “Pieced Mosaics” Join us for this fun and colorful trunk show and lecture.  Timna is a nationally award-winning quilter and her beautiful new fabric line, Noble Menagerie recently hit quilt shops.

February 8, 2022:Carolyn Ducey PhD, Ardis B. James Curator of Collections, International Quilt Museum“Amish Quilts” via Zoom. 

March 8, 2022:  Janice Boutotte, ” A Sticky Situation: All About Fusibles”.  Janice will discuss the various types of fusibles used in quilting, how and when to use them, which fusibles are right for your project, and the properties, including advantages and disadvantages of various fusibles.  Types of fusibles to be discussed include one-sided and double-sided fusible webbing, fusible interfacings,and stabilizers.  Samples of different types/brands will be passed around to discuss their properties.

April 12, 2022:  Janice M. and David Jones. This husband and wife team share a passion for creating art in fabric and paint.  They are members of Brush Art Gallery & Studios in Lowell

May 10, 2022: Cheryl Keigwin; “English Paper Piecing” English Paper Piecing (EPP) Enjoy the art of slow stitching as Cheryl presents her beautiful quilts and EPP, as she demonstrates this popular technique.

June 14, 2022 – 6 PM Picnic Supper

Meetings and Programs for 2020-2021

We are on Zoom! If you are a guild member you will receive an email with the link. If you are not a member and would like to join.

Meeting will start with social time at 6:30. Meeting will be called to order at 7 pm.

September 8, 2020: Business meeting. Show and tell – Mystery Quilt, UFOs, etc.

October 13, 2020: Meg Cox, Behind the Scenes at the Greatest Quilt Museum in the World: “Let Meg Cox, who serves on the board of advisors for the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska, open the vaults and reveal the treasures of this astounding place. Her PowerPoint lecture will show you masterpiece quilts, introduce you to curators and break down the steps in mounting an exhibition. IQM boasts a broad and unique collection of American quilts, including the red and white quilts that dazzled the quilt world when hung in Manhattan’s Park Avenue Armory in 2011. But it has also collected quilts from more than 55 countries. Meg created this presentation to benefit the museum she loves, so she charges less than normal for this talk and donates every penny to the IQM. To make it even more fun, the museum will donate a fun door prize from its museum store to your guild.” The speaking fee is donated to support the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Handout from the meeting: IQM Lecture Handout

November 10, 2020: Donna Morales-Oemig, Follow that Thread – Aurifil: Follow that Thread is an official Aurifil thread distributor. Donna’s presentation will be “Understanding Thread Weights”. Due to the need for a virtual program she will not be able to vend directly, however she will provide a discount to any Mothertown “attendee” who orders via her website www.followthatthread.com When ordering, state you are a Mothertown member in the “Note” section of the order form to take advantage of this generous offer.

December 8, 2020: Virtual Holiday Surprise, UFO #2 is due!

January 12, 2021: Nanette Zeller, Creative Journey – Finding Your Artistic Voice: “From a young age, Nanette was driven by the desire to create, but her life was also filled with plot twists and challenges. It wasn’t until she embraced her creative spirit that the magic happened, and the artistic journey came full circle. In this lecture, Nanette shares motivational techniques to feed your inner creative and find confidence to develop your own artistic style.”

February 9, 2021: Carrie Zizza, A Deep Dive Into Needles, Thread, Batting, and Fabric: “This lecture covers the minutiae, ins, outs, tips and tricks of choosing the right ingredients for your quilt sandwich. From which way to unwind a spool of thread to why does this batting beard?! I’ll lay out an array of information for your consumption. Yum!”

March 9, 2021: Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill, Content, Concepts & Quilts: Approaching Quilting as a Graphic Designer: “Our own life experiences can play a big role in our work as quilters. In this presentation and trunk show, Sheri will share how she applies
her graphic design training and practices to design quilts while showing a selection of her award-winning quilts. Come hear, see and be inspired as Sheri describes her creative journey and process.”

April 13, 2021: Janice Boutotte, Spring Cleaning-Let’s Get Organized. Video from the meeting:

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May 11, 2021: Diana Reinhardt Arris, Machine Quilting: “You will see many quilts in different styles of quilting. Casual, utility, customer, creative, formal. You will see my growth as a quilter and directions I am going in. Quilting your own or quilting by check.”

June 8, 2021 – 6 PM Picnic Dinner at Kathy D’s. Bring your dinner, a chair, bug spray (optional), donations for Raffle Basket, donations for Outreach, Show and Tell. Can’t wait to see everyone!

Meetings and Programs for 2019-2020

September 10, 2019 – Business Meeting, Show and Tell, Summer Challenge Reveal.  Also free fabric and other goodies that have been donated to the guild!

October 8, 2019 – Pop Up Quilt Shop – Join us for an evening of shopping and ideas for your next project! Quilt Kits from Donna ZienowiczCarefully selected patterns that are coordinated with beautiful variations of quilting fabrics for your loved ones! See our Gallery for a sampling of our quilt kits! Popular Notions! Rotary Cutters, blades, specialty pens, rulers, needles & pins are all available.  Patterns, Books, scissors … and the list goes on! Fun Quilt Gifts! A fun selection of items for your special quilting friend or yourself:Including wooden signs, fun magnets, door signs and more!!

November 12, 2019 Outreach Program – Our Outreach committee is putting together an activity and teaching us more about what they do to help our community. We will be talking about past and present efforts as well as our future goals. 

December 10, 2019  – 6 PM Pot Luck dinner.  If you would like to participate in the gift exchange bring a gift.  The suggested value is $10-15 and it must be sewing related.

January 14, 2020 Kathy Dugan – How to make your block swappable

February 11, 2020 – Beth Helfter – Trunk Show – “Oompah!  Accordion Sewn HSTs™”  Do you want to be as scrappy as possible but also hate wasting fabric? Beth will show us how she figured out a way to create half-square triangles that don’t have a twin and waste no fabric, by sewing “accordions.” Add another step, and you can sew the blocks for an entire quilt in individual accordions that come together almost like magic. You’ll see the quilts from her book “Oompah! Jazz Up Your Scrap Quilts With the Accordion Sewn HSTs Method” plus a few surprise treats.

March 10, 2020 – What Went Well – This is going to be a night of show and tells! We want to see what you’re proud of so bring in those projects and the gizmos that made them SO simple! All you have to do is tell us what you’re proud of and how you made it happen. All participants will be entered to win a prize! 

April 14, 2020 –CANCELLED – David Taylor – Artistry Through Applique – David will relate how he creates his art quilts that look more like paintings. From his unique pattern-drawing method to fabric selection, quilting and binding, his entire process is covered. These quilts are beautiful! You won’t want to miss it. 

May 12, 2020 – CANCELLED – Bolton Fair Program – Our Bolton Fair committee is putting together an activity and teaching us more about what they do to to prepare for the fair every year. We will be talking about past and present efforts as well as our future goals. 

June 9, 2020 – CANCELLED – 6 PM Pot Luck dinner.  Don’t forget to sign up to bring a dish. Show and Tell and Box Swap Reveal!

 

Meetings and Programs for 2018-2019

September 11, 2018 – Business Meeting, Show and Tell, Summer Challenge Reveal.

October 9, 2018 – Christa Nee – Joint Protection and Body Mechanics.

November 13, 2018 – Veronica Rose  Team trivia night! Get that quilty knowledge up to snuff.

December 11, 2018  – 6 PM Pot Luck dinner.  If you would like to participate in the gift exchange bring a gift.  The suggested value is $10-15 and it must be sewing related.

January 8, 2019 – David Sirota – What makes a quilter tick? A humorous look in the mirror.

February 19, 2019 (postponed from February 12th) – Bonnie Broders – Reproduction fabrics.

March 12, 2019 – Cathy Racine – Getting the most out of your feet!

April 9, 2019 – Jennifer Watchorn – Organizing your Quilt Space.

May 14, 2019 – Elizabeth Sylvan – Demonstration for constructing a landscape.

June 11, 2019 – 6 PM Pot Luck dinner.  Don’t forget to sign up to bring a dish. Show and Tell and Round Robin Reveal!

Meetings and Programs for 2017-2018

September 12, 2017 Business Meeting, Show and Tell, Summer Challenge Reveal

October 10, 2017 Kathy Graves – Modern Quilting techniques

November 14, 2017 Nina Hunt-Fabulous Fabrics-thoughts from a quilting weaver-How fabric is made and how it affects the quilt we make.

December 14, 2017 6 PM Pot Luck dinner starting at 6 pm.  If you would like to participate in the gift exchange bring a gift.  The suggested value is $10-15 and it must be sewing related.

January 9, 2018 10th Anniversary Quilt Show (October 2018)  Activities – raffle baskets, learn to make a sleeve for your quilt!

February 13, 2018  Group help class.  Pull out all those projects that are destined for the UFO bin and get some feedback from your fellow quilters on how to proceed.  Maybe you are having a problem with color choice, value, technique, change of design, anything!  Will be fun and informative!  UFO #3 Due.

March 13, 2018 is cancelled due to Nor’easter. Rescheduled for March 27th with  Jennifer Watchhorn– From Hardware Store to Quilt shop

April 10, 2018 Adele Scott– Easily Quilting any size quilt on your home machine

May 8, 2018 Ann Lainhart – Fussy Cutting trunk show , Election of Officers

June 12, 2018 6 PM Annual potluck.  Don’t forget to sign up to bring a dish. Show and Tell and Round Robin Reveal

Meetings and Programs for 2016 -2017

September 12, 2016, MONDAY: Business meeting, By-Laws Vote, Meeting Time Change Vote (from 7 pm to 6:30 pm), Mystery Quilt and Fabric Swap Quilt Show

October 10, 2016, MONDAY:  Janice Jones-Art Quilt trunk show

November 8, 2016:  Terri Sontra of Purple Moose-Gadgets, Gizmos and Tidbits

December 13, 2016: 6 PM Pot luck, Gift Exchange and Donations for Our Father’s House, Inc.

January 10, 2017:  Expanded Show and Tell – MTQ members

February 14, 2017:  Diana Annis-Borders, Bindings and Labels

March 21, 2017: (Moved from March 14th due to snow!)  Marian Bressel of Fabritique, Fabrics from around the world

April 11, 2017:  Froncie Hoffhine Quinn– Oft think of Me/Museum Reproduction quilts

May 9, 2017:  Bobbie Bergquist of Quilters Treasures – New techniques in quilting and Elections of Officers for 2017-2018

June 13, 2017: Annual potluck starting at 6 pm.  Don’t forget to sign up to bring a dish. UFO #4 due. Round Robin reveal.

Meetings and Programs for 2015 -2016

September 8, 2015: Business Meeting Business meeting  and UFO Challenge #3 due.  Mystery quilt donation baby quilts and summer challenge revealed.   Start of new challenge Mystery quilt.

September 12, 2015 Craft Sale at The Quilted Crow 10 AM – 3 PM

October 13, 2015 – Program: Plays Nice with Others Vote on By-Laws change. UFO #6 challenge due.
Beth Helfter will present a lecture that focuses on group quilt making beyond the basic round robin, including several examples of group quilt projects she has organized on line through her website and blog.

November 10, 2015 – Program: Applique Quilt Trunk Show, Maureen Blanchard of Cobblestone Quilts

December 8, 2015- Program: Pot Luck  starting at 6 pm.   UFO #1 Challenge due

January  12, 2016 –  Program: English Paper Piecing workshop with Allison Rainville

English Paper Piecing workshop with  Allison Rainville.  Trivia game with Veronica Rose.   MTQ guild hexie quilt/trunk show by members

February  9, 2016 –  Program: Mothertown Guild Foundation/Paper Piecing Trunk Show Guild Trunk show and talk by Janice Boutotte Foundation/ Paper Piecing.  UFO #2  Challenge due.

March  8, 2016 – Program:  “Color – Mystery Solved” with Patty Sawyer  – owner of Border 2 Border Quilting Studio, will present a talk on selecting and using color.

April  12, 2016 – Program: Preparing your Quilt Top for Quilting with Candy Baril How to best prepare you quilt top for small and long arm machines. Business meeting and nominations.  UFO Challenge #4 due.

May  10, 2016 – Program:  Mixed Modern Quilts with Rhonda Galpern from Sew Fresh Fabrics Quilt Shop of Ipswich, Mass. will present mixed modern quilts. Elections for 2016-17 will be held

June  14, 2016- Program: Pot Luck starting at 6 pm.  Don’t forget to sign up to bring a dish.  UFO Challenge  #3 due.

 

Meetings and Programs from 2014 -2015

September 9, 2014: This is our annual extended business meeting. Mystery quilts, donation baby quilts and summer challenge reveal. And finally, UFO Challenge #2 is due. The new UFO Challenge for next year is presented.

October 14, 2014: Cathy Racine from the Charlton Sewing Center presents a program on everything you want/need to know about threads.  UFO #3 (2013-2014) is due.

November 11, 2014: Michelle Banton  discusses “From Camera to Cotton” going over various ways to print photos onto fabric

December 9th, 2014: Holiday Pot Luck starting at 6 pm.   UFO Challenge #1 due

January  13th, 2015: Favorite Tool Night – bring your favorite tools (like a specialized ruler, special pins,  etc.) and share it with the guild.

February  10th, 2015 – CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW Quilting in the 21st Century and UFO Challenge #5 due.

March  10th, 2015: Janet Elia shows us Sashiko and UFO Challenge #5 due.

April  14th, 2015: Lisa McCarthy – Compass Point Quilts Reaching Beyond Tradition with Foundation Paper Piecing: A trunk show of compass medallion style quilts by Judy Niemeyer and Jacqueline de Jonge. UFO Challenge #4 due.

May  12th, 2015:

Allison Wilber Trip Around the World: A survey of Allison’s travels as a quilter, including a collection of exotic textiles, quilts made from faraway fabrics, and ideas on how to travel with a quilter’s eye.

June  9th, 2015: Annual potluck starting at 6 pm.  Don’t forget to sign up to bring a dish.  UFO Challenge #2 due.  Quilting in the 21st Century.

Programs from 2010-2011

Dec.14         Pot Luck and Yankee Swap:        Vicky Haskell will run the program for Dec.
                                       Andie Ordung will present Jan Program and information for meeting pre-prep and supplies.

Jan. 11        Outreach Project Teddy Bears
:     Andie Ordung and Serena Valentine will coordinate this project.

These simple to make Teddy   Bears  were made by Piecemaker’s Guild as an outreach, (by hand all in one meeting!) the teddy’s to be given to young children involved in a fire or accident etc. by first responders/EMT’s/police/firemen.  Everyone I have mentioned this to, likes the idea of a giving back project .
Serena is calling our towns for donating the Teddy’s.  She also has the donated cloth and some could be used for this project.
Andie will be presenting and assisting in January.  Jean James and Liz Field have made these at Piecemaker’s Guild and I am sure will help.
I have made three examples Andie will show at the Dec. meeting.
Susan and Serena, the pattern, pictures of the finished teddy’s and supply list should be put in the January Newsletter and on the website.

Members could pre-cut the pattern and start sewing on the faces and readying the assesory’s for the teddy’s  if they wish or they can all be done at the meeting.  This is an opportunity for members who can hand or machine applique help others less proficient. also with crew work for the mouth and nose’s.  A couple of sewing machines could make quick work of sewing them together.  Batting has been donated by my son’s girlfriend, Jess Rosewitz.  This project will carry over to Feb meeting as needed.

Feb. 8:          “Massage Therapy for Quilters” by Geoffrey Macduff of Helping Hands Massage Therapy
:  Bonnie will present this month.

Geoffrey will lecture and demonstrate pressure point/deep tissue massage therapy for typical quilting ailments and be available for a limited amount of consult.
We will also finish up and collect the Teddy’s for distribution.
Kathy Dugan will present March program prep work for the English Paper Pieced Basket, to be completed in March .
Susan and Serena: The pattern and instructions for the basket should also be on the website and in the March newsletter for any members who miss Feb.

March 8:      Quilted Basket using English Paper Piecing
:  Kathy Dugan will present this program making this basket.

April 12:       Kris Driessen, a Quilt Teacher, Judge and Appraiser from Albany NY will lecture on Dating cloth and quilts
.

Kris will have sample quilts but would like all members to bring in old ( anything before the last 25 years) quilts for dating.  Our own Quilt show of our family quilts and old quilts we have accumulated!  We need to encourage all members to bring in their quilts!!!!!  Both at the March meeting and In the  March newsletter.

May 10       Cathy Ruggerio of Candlelite Quilts will present a trunk show and workshop on Redwork.

The trunk show will expand our minds from what we think of as redwork, in colors and with quilts.  She will also have a workshop to demonstrate “Beginner No Hoop Redwork” and will have kits for purchase (under $10.00) to try her meathod out. those who have experience or have taken her class can help us newbies!  She will appreciate an approximate number of us who will like to purchase a kit beforehand.  The kit will have the material printed with a project, needle and  floss.

June            End of year Potluck on a June Saturday/Sunday afternoon at the General Artemas Ward House, Shrewsbury, MA

I am presenting the idea of a Potluck Picnic and a tour of the Ward Property.  My good friend is the curator at the Ward House, a property owned by Harvard Univ.  The property has a house acquired by Ward in 1765 and has been passed down in the family until given to Harvard in 1925.  Among the vast amount of family things spanning almost 300 years, are a dozen quilts and coverlets, one in the Massachusetts Documentation Project!    A tour would include the quilts, many usually in storage.  There is an unusual double barn on the property as well as a  cottage for use  with food prep/storage/buffet area for our picnic.  Shrewsbury Schoolhouse Quilters meet here every Sept. and quilt in a big circle on the lawn!  This tour and use of the property is being offered to us free of charge as it is the university’s mission to share what they have.  I would suggest organizing  carpools from our towns, I already have a number of drivers offering their services!  We can do this any weekend in June expect June 11/12,  but need to do a vote/decision soon to lock in the date.    I thought Sunday as we usually have Open Sew then, but will leave the decision to you the Board.