Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts: November 2013

Show & Tell November 23, 2013

Kathy Jones was first up - she made a washcloth into a "travel kit" - this was a hoot! Kathy used a plain, everyday washcloth, sewed a couple lines, and made a small organizer for travel size products we all take on trips. (PS, one of our newbie ladies - Kay - I think too shy to speak up on her first visit - whispered to me that she had made similar for teachers at school where she worked, washcloths with seams and they put there eating utensils in the slots, wrapped up and tied with shoelace, to keep in their desks and cubbies.)

And Kathy shared two "Prayer Flags" she made from an article. I'm so thrilled to see Kathy's flags. This is a project I've had on my "to do" pile for so long now. Kathy's two flags are beautiful and inspiring!!

I first saw articles and blogs on Prayer Flags early in 2012, and especially when Quilting Arts Mag. editor Vivika Hansen DeNegre started The Prayer Flag Project blog. Vivika is a breast cancer survivor who is a wonderful fabric and fiber artist and one who believes in using her artistry to give back and help others. Her Prayer Flag Project describes its effort as "a collective project spreading peace, goodwill and kindness, one flag at a time."

Helen (Mom) Foxx - shared two Fidget Quilts made with fabric donated last week and she has two more in the works from same pieces of fabrics. So Helen took a piece of fabric, imagined, designed, and sewed up 4 FQ's - Yea! PS - Helen's going to join in the Golf Cart Parade Fabric Fun participation this year - First Ever for our club!!

Linda (Daughter) Parr - stitched up a beautiful pillowcase of fishies to put a smile on some little one's face.

PS & FYI: Carol Riggs said that Pillowcases no longer need to be turned in already laundered, ironed and in plastic bags. Linda Deloney of ConKerr tells us that she has volunteers who take care of this now for the organization. That makes it a lot easier for us to get these pillowcases done and submitted.

Little Eileen DiSanto - shared pillowcase (Winnie the Pooh - so cute) and Christmas wall hanging.

Kathy Nichols - wow! this lady sure has learned a lot this year!! shared a lovely poinsettia flower wall hanging - we'll get the pattern for this one!!

Pat (Full Service Sewer) Pipa - shared Patriotic Fidget Quilts, comfy Doggie Bed (made from a donated used baby blanket), Pillowcase, and for herself a terrific wavy table runner made with the wedge ruler.

Joan Galantha - shared another one of her magificient pieces of art - a framed picture collage - she's an artist and uses layering techniques to create these beautiful scenes and great stitching.

(Maybe sometime... our club can do a smaller version together - what they call ATC's - Artist Trading Cards. We might make this a project in 2014 that can be easily done in an afternoon.)

BJ (Sunshine Lady) Herter - made a reversible spiral tablerunner - Beautiful!!

Delaine Koonce brought a lovely patchwork quilt. In her spare time she also made up Fidget Quilts - great ones with awesome fun ideas - using patches and squares picked up off our club's donations table, sewn together, and comfy art lap quilts made!!

Carol (Bling Queen Herself) Planck - shared water bottle holder that is insulated (this will definitely be a future project in a slightly simpler form) and using InsulBright keeps beverage hot or cold for long, long, all day travel. Carol also made a dresser scarf with linen cloth and embroidery designs, and a Christmas Tree made completely in the hoop embroidered.

Lois Rose - only made 1 Fidget Quilts this week - Lois is very busy delivering our club's good will around this tri-county area and last week delivered Fidget Quilts to Ocala and Leesburg facilities. Fortunately, I get to tag along with Lois which I will tell you is nothing short of an honor to deliver these gifts of love you produce for memory care patients.

She also showed the butterfly quilt she finished this week as a gift for her niece.

Sandy Pawlowski popped in to say hello! She bought a box of trims and odds and ends to donate to the Fidget Quilt materials table - big thank you for that, Sandy! And she share a surprise - we all know how much she loves the MOO Cow fabrics, etc. On a thrift store trip last week, Sandy found a picture made so appropriate for her - 5 cows standing at a fence and overtop the words... "I herd the bells on Christmas Day" - Now that a hoot-T-toot or two!!

She also showed a lovely Christmas Dear sampler she finished.

Last in Line this week - Donna Pachy - shared her Toot Tote made from ziplock plastic bags and placemat and a beautiful set of Microwave Bowls she made in pretty chicken motif fabrics in three sizes. Donna equals Style!!

Technology Showcase November 19, 2013

In November, Mickie arranged for Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts to have tables at the Villages Technology Expo. Carol Planck showcased her embroidery machine and various projects she has created, Mickie MacCumbee took the center spot with a variety of computerized sewing machines and completed projects, and Lois Rose brought her combination quilting and embroidery machine.

Helen Lowry joined the table to help greet visitors and tell them about our projects.

One of the most frequent comments we received was one of surprise that a sewing group would be featured at a technology expo. This gave us a great opportunity to explain that many sewing machines are now computerized and can do so much more than the mechanical sewing machines our mothers used.

Show & Tell November 16, 2013

Eileen Navikas completed her rope basket and showed a wreath made of Christmas balls glued together that her neighbor made.

Eileen de Santo showed a pillowcase and a horse themed fidget quilt with a little cowboy hat in the pocket.

Pat O'Connor made 2 fidget quilts.

Bonnie Meyer showed plastic yarn bags, a quilted throw and quilted place mats. (We hope she might give a demo on her unique method for making the place mat out of leftover fabric strips.)
She also pulled a great scrappy quilt out to show.