Show & Tell - May 31, 2014

Hi Club Members here and everywhere - Happy June to all!

For June's focus, I've attached some of the basic information in the club's arsenal of techniques and projects.  We're going to look at, learn and practice some of the stitches described in the information.  Pat Pipa will start us off with Cross Stitch and a Scissor FOB project.  We'll be able to send out the pattern pdf with next week's update.  Definitely, if you're able to attend, and you've done cross stitching previously, bring in your show & tell to share. 

Stonehenge Fabric enthusiasts... remember the beautiful Christmas tree panels "Starry Nigh" that made up beautiful lighted wallhangings last year... Stonehenge is following up with another new panel this year called "Starry Night 2" and this one is a beautiful wreath that can be lighted up pretty much like the Christmas tree projects.  The new Northcott Holiday advertisement is on the back of McCall's Quilting July/August 2014 issue.  One project using the panel is called Winter Lace by Jean Boyd designer.  You can see the 48"x48" wallhanding at www.patternsbyjeanboyd.com.  There's a smaller bonus table topper pattern included that is 31"x31".  This year's Starry Night 2 comes in three color - cranberry, evergree and starlight.  It's very blingy because of the metallic accents in the beautiful, high quality fabric.  check out www.northcottfabriccircle.com for lots of more information.

In this issue of McCall's there is also a really pretty tea cozy pattern along with tea cup coasters.  I'll try to get it scanned into pdf form because I'm sure our British ladies will enjoy seeing this one. 

Hey sewing crafters, do you have a project that you reached a standstill... just put it away and it's in the closet to finish sometime?  These are projects lovingly referred to as UFO's, but in my closet(s) I've got tons of WIP's because I truly do intend to finish each and every one... Ha Ha  Sometimes, it just takes a little to get the project finished and sometimes that can just come in the form of critique from someone else.  Critiques can jump start the creativity or just put an idea out there that is the helpful tip or plan of attack to finish up.  I'm thinking about designating an upcoming month to UFO's and WIP's.  Maybe you've got project(s) around your sewing room that you never plan to finish due to lack of interest, change of decor, whatever.  What's the saying about one person's trash is another's treasure... well just think about maybe the UFO or WIP would be just the project another person would love to take up and finish.  So we could even include that in the meetings a "project swap" table or just plan "project give away" table.  During the summer months is usually when we think about setting up projects to make for fall holidays and as Christmas presents.  Someone's WIP might just be the thing another lady could finish and give as perfect gift for someone. 

You all have heard me mention Quilting Arts TV shows before and the club even owns two seasons of the QA TV series.  About 3 or 4 years ago, QA TV series included segments called "Save my U.F.O."   Believe it or not listening to the suggestions and critiques were very inspiring.  I'm hoping that will be the case for some of us.  Creativity gets a boost!

Show & Tell:

 

BJ Herter - iron tote, 2 tote bags for Ad Litem project to help foster children have bags for their belongings as they go to their new foster care facilities and homes.   And BJ turned in the very first finished handwork square Lois Rose distributed a few weeks ago.  BJ did the giraffe - very nice work!!

 (Note from Lois: I'd like to see these all back by the end of July so I can create a quilt for the Women & Children's pantry from them.)

Donna Pachy - shared "June" wallhanging finished and ready to send with cookies to her mom and dad in Michigan - nice daughter!

Pat Pipa - fidget quilt

Alice Muenier - great red-white-blue pillow - Bargello style!

Carol Riggs - beautiful red and green shades rag quilt

Kathy Nichols - rag quilt nicely created as all of Kathy's projects are made

 

Eileen DiSanto - and she received the "frozen" member award last week - even with a sweater on, poor Eileen got colder and colder as the afternoon meeting went on - come to think of it, we should have wrapped her up in one of the rag quilts!  Eileen shared a new fidget quilt she made. 

 

Lois Rose - welcome back - shared a rag quilt she made and cross stitch

Ode to Joy Stanton - made two fidget quilts.

 

Joyce Yarborough - made her first #1 fidget quilt - of course, we've heard this before from others, she wasn't sure it was "good enough".  What's the reply... It's great!  There are no mistakes, no wrong way to make these loving, soothing comforts that bring joy and contentment to Alzheimer and Dementia patients - every fidget quilt turns out a masterpiece.

 

Carol Lynch - shared a gorgeous table topper that she found the pattern and fabrics at a quilt shop in Las Vegas.  Please look this one up on the blogspot because it is stunning.  The fabric looks shiny like a lame. 

and... Thanks to Dorothy Levera of Allamanda Chapter of the quilting guild who brought us 4 boxes of donations of laces and trims and other embellishments last Saturday.  We'll really make very good use of these donations.    

Show & Tell May 24, 2014

We had a blast celebrating Kay Flangan's 100th Birthday on Saturday.  Kay, thank you for the privilege to know you and share your momentous birthday with us.  You, lady, are a real fun gal to know!!

 

In other awesome good member news... Helen Lawrie's hubby Jim came in the room on Saturday, yes, smiling and feeling better, and of course, carrying armloads of stuff in for Helen.  Jim thanked our club for good prayers and wishes for his health and we thank Jim for getting better and his support!

Edie Cave's Daughter, a Master Chief in US Air Force, Angie has returned home safely from her 6th deployment to Afghan/Iraq.  Angie even stopped in to say hi to the club and that was very special moment for Edie.  We all gave big cheer and applause in honor and appreciation to Angie for her service.

Audrey Philips proudly announced the birth of her first great grandchild, a beautiful baby girl.  With Audrey's embroidering talents and Audrey's daughter Lynn who is a professional seamstress and embroidery artist, this little baby is decked out in high fashion onsies like you've never seen before - !!  I've got to get one or two of the pictures to share with you all!!

Suzanne Brown who is now working at Sharkys several days a week filled us in on all the quality beautiful fabrics ad threads the shop is getting in each week.  The bolts of fabrics are very nicely arranged in shelving along the walls.  It is amazing how far this little vac & sew right in our neighborhood has advanced more to looking like a real-deal quilting store.  I personally encourage you to take time to visit the store and let that be your first choice to find the extra piece of fabric you need to complete a project.  The owners are very reputable and very open to requests for new items or suggestions of items you'd like to see carried.  If it is possible, I'm sure the store will carry them.  FYI, too, Al Lawson is forever grateful for our prayers and support during his recent health scare.  Also, Sharkys has an A1 reputation for their expertise as sewing machine repair shop.  Just saying... We support our local businesses and they in turn support our community. 

There were questions about how many 5x5, 6x6, and other cuts can be made out of a yard of fabric.  There are fabric calculators on the market and some free.  However, I do caution and most quilters will say the same thing... always buy 1/4 yard more than what you need.  Like if the pattern calls for 1 yard of fabric, it is wise to purchase 1 and 1/4 yard cut.  There are several tables in magazines and books, and I'm attaching a couple ones that come in handy in the sewing room.  Sewing.org provides the first one centered around the "pre-cut" fabric packs available that are very handy.  The other is a chart just on square cuts out of a yard of fabric that is just one piece of information provided by artist Bonnie Hunter on her BlogSpot and website.  Please let me know if there is other information you are looking for and we'll be happy to get that in the weekly information.  I will have copies of both these documents available at meetings in our "copies binder".  

Show & Tell:

Pat Pipa - Started off with triple sharing - 1 - Fidget Quilts, 2 - Doggie Beds and 3 - Rag Quilts - This lady is hard to keep up with, don't you think?!  Thanks, Pat!  FYI - Please remember Pat is leading us thru June with handwork fun - and she has beautiful samples and projects to fill the entire month

 

Annette Reddy - Pillow and Wool Quilt Wall Hanging made with beautiful felted wool pieces and her beautiful hand stitching.  Annette shared a really wonderful story for us.  She's one of our butterflies right now, and lives in West Palm Beach where she is a middle school teacher.  Pat took the idea of fidget quilts back to share with her 15 co-workers and they all put their fabrics and adornments together and worked during breaks, lunches and afterschool, and made over 50 fidget quilts for the assisted living/memory care facility closeby their school.  They made enough for everyone in the facility to have their own.  Really cool!!  Very inspiring to all of us!!

Carol Riggs - showed us a nice iron carrier she made that opens to use as an ironing surface - these are great for ladies who go to classes (and clubs!).  In fact, our club has the pattern for this great notion item.  If enough ladies are interested, maybe we could make this a monthly project in the near/far term future.  You only need fabric for outside and the insulated fabric for ironing surface side.  As usual, Carol shared a beautifully made project that is inspiring!

Marty Rhyne - proudly shared her 1st sewing project made since high school - a beautiful bay rag quilt!  Good Job!!

 Cheryl Minieri - bought in a bunch of finished doggie beds - all in the same beautiful fabric that Cheryl's been using for project after project about two months now.   That was some big cut of fabric and Cheryl made use of every thread.

Joyce Yarborough - shared a beautiful article about a quilt made by others and donated to an awesome cause.  

Linda Parr - yummy meatballs - thank you!!  Made an adorable rag quilt for the Women's Pantry - cute doggies and stripes and more cute animals all over the back. 

  Joy Stanton - made a rag quilt - terrific! with flannels on both sides and a purse - that got a lot of wows and oohs!!! 

 Alice Meunier - shared a bunch of quilt tops she's got in the works.  These are not UFO's (unfinished objects), they are indeed beautiful WIP's (works in progress). 

Show & Tell May 17, 2014

Eileen DiSanto - shared a BeaUtiFul Fidget Quilt she made to send to her cousin who has onset Alzheimers - Lois is away and so it won't be on our BlogSpot yet, but make a note to check it out in the future.  Eileen's cousin was a dancer and enjoyed bowling and couple other highlighted parts of her life.  She crafted the FQ to be like a story of her cousin's life.  Eileen styled fancy fabrics into a beautiful dancer that is just so pretty to see. 

Audrey Philips - in her shiny purple hat - shared her very first Fidget Quilt!  And a very red, white, blue patriotic wreath - which I totally love!!!  She made the wreath from an idea she saw at JoAnn's that is done with toile.

Kathy Jones - made a Fidget Quilt inspired by our late friend Helen Foxx,  Helen saw cupcake fabric and said that would make a cute Fidget Quilt and Kathy made sure that happened.  Kathy  used one of the Facing techniques we looked at the week before to finish the Fidget Quilt with and it sure made a nice edge to the quilt.  Kathy was very happy with the facing finish and rightly so!  Thank you Kathy for putting that technique to such good use! 

Linda Parr - shared a couple pillowcases to add to our ConnKer Case for Smiles.  Then Linda showed us a beautiful sampler knit afghan made by Mom (Helen Foxx) and Daughter (Linda Parr).  I honestly had never seen an afghan made with sampler blocks before, and got to say how pretty and impressive it is to see one.  Linda has donated the afghan to our club's charity effort for Lady Lake Women's, Infants and Toddlers Pantry.  Plus, Linda bought in fabrics and adornments to share for our charity crafting projects.

Kathy Nichols - showed us an unfinished project piece from a curve class made using very small templates.  The piece is beautiful and clearly you see that the cutting/sewing is tedious but rewarding.  And, from the same class, Kathy showed us a spiral binding technique she learned.  It is pretty interesting so I'll be doing the "google" search in hopes of finding more information so we might be putting together a demonstration of that.

Alice Meunier - made yet another fidget quilt with her trademark soft, soft crochet/knit adornment.  This lady's creativity is beautiful to see!!  This one even had blinking lights made from a dollar store item.  I know...amazing!

 Edie Cave - shared 4 fidget quilts she's been working on during her move  the last few weeks - each one unique and thoughtful creative work.

Joyce Yarborough - shared the prayer shawl she is knitting and also a "wash cloth" she knitted.  I had never seen these before, so it was fun to hear about them.  I'm going to be looking into "patterns" for these, too.  Joyce is so nice because she handed me the one she shared, said take this home and use it.  I did just that and gotta say - I love it!!  These are the best wash cloths, so yet another thing to be inspired and enthused about!!

Although not captioned in Micki's weekly recap email, the following pics were captured this week.

Pat Pipa

Carol Planck

Eileen DeSanto and Pat Pipa

Jane

Alice Meunier, Audrey Philips

Linda Parr, Kathy Nichols