Show & Tell April 5, 2014

I can't find the photos from this week, so I'm guessing this was the week I missed to go to the big 10th anniversary sale at The Quilt Place in Rockledge.  (BTW, if you haven't been to this shop, it is worth the 2 hr drive.  It is actually 2 shops and has the largest selection of quilt fabrics I have seen. )
I am posting Micki's email and will update this with photos if I find them.

Hi Happy April All Y'All!

Last Sat. was a blast for show and tell - everyone seemed to have 2-3-4 items they were sharing and what a variety of creative ideas and personal touches...

Pat O'Connor - (hey I got her name all correct one whole meeting!) starts with her three things - all charity projects - tote for Ad Litem children in foster care program, nice, plump, soft doggie bed, and Fidget Quilt - two sided kind of - Pat added a pocket to back.  FYI Pat added pockets to front and back of this fidget quilt and little pockets-inside-pockets, you know like some jeans have.   I even think front pocket was an actual jeans pocket.

Jane Swafford for Sue Campbell - It's just fun to have Jane on the show n tell list because she's so darn nice to everyone!  Sue is Jane's sister and Sue's grandchildren in town, Jane bought Sue's two charity quilts to share.  (Please see info below about Women's Infants Toddler Pantry of Lady Lake)  Jane showed how Sue made one the square rag quilt way and one with strips in quilt-as-you-go fashion with nice flannel backing.  Nice!!

Marie Bray - shared "1 funny" - we go easy on Marie because she's our current British girl (go easy - ha ha).  Marie's got just a fantastic sense of humor, but when she gets into her normal British speaking mode... I get every other word at best.  Marie takes my kidding around in good nature and well... yes she gives back to me two-fold.  So Marie's 1 funny is the adult eating cover-ups (a.k.a. bibs) she made for a friend for Easter - using her base pattern, Marie bought bunny and carrot fabric item at Dollar Store, fussy-cut bunny and carrot out, appliqued to "bib" center - and in very little time created a one-of-a-kind item to gift to her friend.  Marie had made this same friend one last fall in style of faux tuxedo - at the dinner he attended, her friend won "best dressed"!  What a hoot - Marie has shared the base pattern with FFAC, so anyone looking for something special like that to make for someone, we have the pattern in our "library" on shelf.

Pat Pipa - I hope that I got everything written down for her, whenever I say her name correctly, it takes me a minute to stop "celebrating".  T-Shirt with button embellishing - Pat was given a very expensive shirt with beautiful assortment of buttons around neckline front.  Pat took the idea, got a bunch of buttons, needle and thread, and sewed her assortment all the way around the neckline - front and back.   We all agreed that Pat's better than the store-bought one.  And Pat made Doggie Bed, Fidget Quilt, Tote for Ad Litem, and rag quilt using all the 4" cotton and flannel squares we had cut out couple weeks ago.  Rag quilts go together easily and fast... but 4" squares take a lot of them and thus lots more seams to sew.  Thanks, Pat!

Carol Riggs - shared the Fat Quarter Bag she made up last week - Carol's kind of little like little Eileen DiSanto, so it's funny to think that she'll fill that large bag and hang it off her shoulder.  Joke about "dog walking owner" - in this case it's "bag carrying lady".  Carol's was beautiful red fabrics-pretty.

Joyce Snyder - showed her faux chenille KITTY CAT! and a new heart pillow project Joyce has designed to be craft we do with assisted living residents at Homewood and Mission Oaks - Please see dates below UPdate!  Heart Pillow is perfect size, the residents are going to love, love, love! these.  Joyce intends to sew prep all of these herself - but I'm hoping that she'll take some help because they're easily cut out and sewn up - with lace inserted in the seam.  Nice to learn.  There will be a big roll of pretty decorator fabric at our meeting on Saturday, and anyone wanting to help cut out and sew up - we can make that happen.   We have lots of lace, too.  Joyce made all the placemat totes for assisted living visits.  It's so awesome to be associated with Joyce and other ladies who join in this work for our club.  You all make it fun and very easy for your fearless leader-me.  Thank you!!  Joyce's kitty cat is awesome - I got to do these!!

Kathy Jones - okay, did I mention creativity before - Kathy has tons of creativity and loves sharing it.  She made her 2nd bunny and now has two cute bunnies for her sofa.  Kathy made a very nice baby quilt with long strips in various widths and the long seams because "faux chenille".  This is very good way to do one up - instead of all the squares cut up and sewn up - just using strips and long seams.  FYI - take about 4-5 quarter yard (1/4 yd) cuts of cotton, pair up with equal amount of flannel/fleece backing material, sew long seams together and you have a nice size baby/toddler quilt done!  See more about easy baby quilt/blanket patterns below.

Cheryl Minieri - All I can say is - Sumter County Humane Society No-Kill Shelters, look out! Cheryl made her first doggie bed... remember way back in late spring when Cheryl made her first couple fidget quilts... I do... each week after that, week after week, Cheryl came in with 2-3-4-5 fidget quilts made, share, and donate to our very worthy cause.  So now Cheryl's found the fun of doggie bed construction.  That's okay, in fact awesome - we happen to have a very large-huge plastic bin of scraps overflowing just waiting to be stuffing for doggie beds.  You Go Girl...

Women's Baby & Toddler Pantry (of Lady Lake, FL) - Rev. Jim Keogh said that the pantry is very thankful our club is making a charity project to supply the pantry with quilts/blankets and any other items ladies would love to make/buy/donate.   It was really great to hear Rev. Keogh appreciation for what this club is undertaking right now.  This pantry is operated by members of The Congregational Church of The Villages.  I'll keep you posted.

Ladies, I've heard from Judy Johnston and she's on the mend and loved the card.  Today I saw both Carol Planck and Edie Cave.  Both feel better but have their individual healing paths ahead of them.  We need to keep these gals in our thoughts and prayers.   Carol has been placed on the lung transfer list.  And, Edie, please don't ever get yourself in the hospital and not let us know - again - please, pretty please. 

Tetrad Moon - Keep eyes out on April 15th for the 1st of this marvelous sky spectacular event known at Tetrad Moon or Blood Moon - it's total lunar eclipse and amazing light from behind creates the "blood" red moon effect.  April 15th's beauty (weather willing) will be visible across the entire U.S.A.!

I love these things, even if I have to set an alarm to wake up and see.

Other baby items - for ladies who have sewn or would like to sew  up some other cuties, we have a serger on the shelves that come in handy for some of these things, too.  It is there to use during our meetings or open crafting times.  Want to use the serger, let me or Donna know, and we'll make that happen.  Serger is great way to whip up the doggie bed forms, too. 

Crafting Visits this month dates are:

FRIDAY - APRIL 18th - 2:30-3:30 PM - Mission Oaks - transportation to/from is available.  We always welcome extra hands galore for this outing because there are 15-20+ residents who participate in our visits.  Great!  The residents come in after to craft after having listened to a singer in the "living room" area from 1:30-2:30 pm, so the residents are already in a happy mood and ready to do something - anything - with us!

MONDAY - APRIL 21st - 2:00-3:00 PM - Homewood @ Freedom Pointe - the residents who participate with us have dwindled down over the three years we've been going, but we sometimes are pleasantly surprised with new ladies or gents popping in to see what's going on at the tables.  We have three ladies who come every month - Estelle, Francis, and Ginny.

Daily Sun - so we were mentioned on the front page last Sunday and in an article (no picture of our group) inside the front section.   It's great to receive recognition, but I was really hoping for more pictures that attract the readers and get people to read articles and take in the information.  So far, I've only had one phone call from the article, so it's a little disappointing. 

Lois Rose has been hearing back pretty steadily from inquiry letters she sends out to the memory care facilities.  She has some more deliveries set up for next week of fidget quilts requested.  Thank you, Lois!    We'll have to give you a pay raise for all this extra effort... but wait... that's right... you do all this for free!!   It's the wonderful word that always brings a smile to those who give it a try... Volunteer. 

My handy dandy Words for the Day next to this computer tell me:  "Make no major decisions at night.  Joy, optimism, and courage come with the morning.  (Said by Beck Ann S., 1921, Edina, Minnesota)  So with that good advise, I'll say, "Goodnight".

As always, take care, be good and God bless all Y'all... 

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(¸.·´ (¸.·'      Micki MacCumbee

Club Leader, Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts