Show & Tell May 10, 2014

Micki started us off with a how-to demo.

Yesterday's demo about Facing an Art Quilt included some PDF's to illustrate and talk thru the various methods to do that.  This was created by Fiber Artists as finishing techniques so that their creations did not need borders, bindings, or anything additional work that could detract from their finished piece.  Even for just us sewing crafters who enjoy making our beautiful table runners, placemats, and especially wallhangings  these finishing techniques provide quick and enhancing embellishing to our fun projects, and the projects particularly wallhangings do have a wonderfully shaped edging that sits so nicely against the walls or on our tables.  There are copies of each of these available for ladies who cannot print or file copies on their tablets, etc.   

 

FYI about printed copies of PDF's:  rather than use Club Treasury money to reimburse me for ink/paper costs, I'm going to start what I've seen other club leaders do around The Villages.  I will start having copies available to members at cost per page - and the copies will be in a binder for ladies to look up and take  out what they need.  I'm going to set original prices at 5 cents for each black & white page and 10 cents for each color copy page.  We'll see how that goes and we'll just plan to do this on an honor system.  There will be a jar next to the PDF Binder and you drop in whatever amount you owe when you take printed copies.  I hope this works out fine and please let me now if you have any input to add.  Certainly, as with everything our club does, if you need a copy one week, no coins with you, just take the copies and put the coins in the next week.  Good grief, that is what we sewing crafting creators do - share, enjoy, trust and learn. 

Show & Tell

Lois Rose - doggie bed, and doggie bed "forms" that can be filled here or take one home to keep by your cutting area, so that when scraps occur, just pitch them in the doggie bed, and scrap by scrap before long your bed s filled (like about 3/4 way to top, leave room for doggie to puff and poof around, sew across the opening - done!  Lois then gave your leader (me) a very big treat... Lois just finished the latest session of Jump Start Sampler 12-beginner block quilting class at Sharkys.  Lois received and A++ for her quilt, terrific fabric choices, piecing, construction, her color schemes are classic, and her focus fabric for her main border is of course roses!   All around a very stunning creation and one that Lois can be very proud to have completed. I'm very proud of her for sure!!

Carol Planck - Our Sweetheart of Bling Extraordinaire was in the room and she did not disappoint - She showed off (yes - with that kind of jewels accessories, you gotta say "showed off!") two tote bags she completed recently, one using fabric panel for main fabric in very unique way, terrific inside pockets, this bag is very useful, chic and versatile.  Carol made the bag by watching a You Tube Video - that's what happens when you've been confimed to 'Quarters" for so long as Carol has been since Thanksgiving last year.  She looks great though and still knows where and how to add that bling!! bubba-bing!!  Kay Flanagan's eyes got so big when she saw those peacock jewels, my word - it took years off her expression!!

Carol's 2nd tote was actually a peacock pillow form pattern I saw and gave her - you know confined to quarters and all - and she goes and does it up blingier and bigger and makes a magnificient tote bag to strut around with!  I say... "when you got it, flunt it... and Carol - you've got it!

Pat Pipa - please from onset I must beg forgiveness for getting your last name pronounced wrong at least 90% of the time yesterday... Honest, I plead mercy because this is a gene I got from my mother, and after all it is Mother's Day, so please mercy... Pat turned in another one of her wonderfully and lovingly designed and made Fidget Quilts.  Some of you just have such deep insights in your hearts for this cause and Pat leads in the arena of - "it's easy, just do this, add that...!"

Donna Pachy - I miss you already - Donna will be away on a well-deserved mini-vacation next Saturday - Shared a Bargello pot holder she made at her quilting guild chapter meeting and it is made with Insul-brite for safe hands and tables.  Donna's sample of the bargello technique is definitely Donna's usual very neat work.  She calls herself a "learner" but I know how much this lady takes in and produces precisely just time after time - ladies Donna is an upcoming blossoming artist in the making and when she really ever retires... look out - no keep watch - because she'll be an over-achiever - remember that term - it is a good thing to be - we kid - but we also envy!!

Mary Kahlow - I'm so happy Mary shared her block with applique she made last week.  Mary purchased a new Janome sewing machine and learned how to bond with her machine and use all its wonderful built in qualities in a class at the dealer - Citrus Sew & Vac in Bellview - the block is beautiful - large churn dash with large flower applique, beautifully made and stitched!.  This is what is so important about buying sewing machines from reputable dealers, who provide classes designed to not just show you the wonderful features you are purchasing but actually (and key) how to use those wonderful features to create projects that will fill your heart with fun and pride.  We are lucky living here in Central Florida and particularly close to a couple very reputable dealers.  I've not been in Citrus Sew & Vac that sells Janome but I do get into Sharkys that sells Brothers very often and I would not hesitate spending my precious $'s in either location.  Then future away in other locations but still in driving range like Ocala, there are even more dealers and I've heard mostly terrific A+ stories about them as well.

Eileen DiSanto - Little gal is still cranking out pillowcases and fidget quilts - she's short but she's got a big stack of the charitable items all with her name written on them - thank you!

Kathy Jones - shared a beautifully made rag quilt she fashioned for her 7-yr old granddaughter and for her little sweety, Kathy watched a You Tube Video on how to apply satin binding and did just that to the edge of the rag quilt... faux chenille and satin - little girls heart's desires!

Kathy Nichols - shared and donated a fashionable ladies Fidget Quilt complete with a ladies white glove adorning it.  Very proper one for an "afternoon tea"

Carol Riggs - Good luck in your tournament next weekend!  But yesterday she turned in a rag quilt.  No matter what's going on... Carol's got time for charity work.  FYI, the "Facing the Quilt" demo was especially done for Carol to help her have ideas of how to finish the Zen-fully-tastic ZenDoodling Wallhanging Art Quilt she made in Suzanne Brown's class.

Kandie Stedman & Friends - surprised us with a array of Christmas ornaments they whipped up while we were having show & tell so they literally whipped and made it before we were done our list and so - they all chimed in together.  We'll miss you now Kandie until fall...very much!!

Alice - gosh I forgot to write your name down again - but I'm so glad  you are back with us - turned in a very unique and quite visual Fidget Quilt with pockets to open for very soft softies and pockets to unzip for beautiful reflective inside, just a feast of fun and calming fidgety hands adornments.  It is a very thoughtful one and you are so special to create that and bring in in just one week back with us.  Awesome, lady! 

 Eileen Navikas came a little late, but she wanted to show her attempt at the bread basket that was demoed a few weeks back. She put it together a little differently that the sample but did a lovely job.

Throughout the meeting our soon-to-be 100 year old Kay Flanagan was busy with some hand embroidery.  Nothing stops this lady.










Notes From Micki:

Ladies, yesterday I did not officially welcome a couple new ladies to our club for the first time, and so I'd like to say welcome now to Joyce Yarborough and her mother Joan (last name I think is Kelly - sorry if I got that wrong but as hard I as I try, I'm always goofing someone's name up - just ask the Karen's and Kathy's in the room, and please the Pat Pipa goofups are becoming too hysterical to reason any longer.)  Please come again and don't hesitate to bring new projects, try new stuff, and join right in and ask questions.  You have a room full of learning sharers at your disposal for 3 hours every Saturday as we spend time together at SeaBreeze.

June Preview News:  Pat Pipa and I are putting are best ideas together to make June a fun filled month of hand (sewing) embroidery, aka handwork, aka Redwork, aka Blackwork, aka Needlepoint, aka Cross Stitch.  I'm not the "handwork police" quite as Pat is, so I just throw all the names into the same pot and say hand stitching or handwork patterns.  In my mind, each and every one can be traced back to the same Basic 8 Stitches all artists say to learn first, starting with Stem Stitch and Back Stitch. 

I'm attaching for you some prep work and introduction.  # 1 Prep - Hand/Finger Exercises - now don't laugh!  Yes, I'm being somewhat funny, but it is with a purpose.  I know that my fingers with arthritis and whatever, get crampy and want to "freeze frame" sometimes when I'm doing stitches.  About 12 years ago I took a 2-day hand applique class from the artists of Piece O'Cake Designs.com Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins.  Linda also suffered with Fibromyalgia and it was very important to/for her to stop every so often and do these same stretching hand exercises.  I've always done them since even when just on a long car trip, etc.  So luckily I found this pdf from Healthy Living to show you these useful little helps to do, too. 

#2 Basic 8 Stitches - the "Glossary of Early Stitches is actually from the www.embroideryguild.com website and includes the basic 8 plus.  Pat and I figure the club pretty much has all the supplies necessary to have our month of fun with the exception of a supply of new and right needles to use.  The club will purchase those to keep on hand because they are not that costly.  Pat's got several really cute little designs of each type of handwork that can easily be made up in little finishing techniques and projects, like a scissor FOB and they are always handy to have, that can also be used as zipper pull, etc.  So each week will have focus stitches, handwork and with the demo information will be supplies needed to do practice and project,  There may end up a slight cost for "kits" of say $1 and that is always just to replenish our treasury or add monies for club's charity supplies needs.  We will have reference books/magazines/articles to supplement this sharing learning time and, as always, we welcome additional input and project ideas.  Please remember this club strives to create and share that is fun for beginners to advanced sewing crafters.  No time to be shy either!

One calendar item - Mission Oaks visit this month will be postponed until the 4th Friday - May 23rd - 2:30 - 3:30 pm.  Because of schedule conflicts it is necessary to change the week this month only. 

Homewood's visit is Monday, May 19th - 2:00-3:00 pm.

Lunch & Learn is Saturday, May 24th - Lunch will be celebration in honor of  Kay Flanagan's 100th Birthday, please see sign-up of what to bring next Saturday on front table.  Learn will be Kay's presentation demo (with my assistance) of the beautiful "Mini-Tree-Skirt" that Kay designs and makes.  Talk about bling... Kay knows how to pour it on and make it shine!!  Truly, it is an honor to have this special Kay's 100th Birthday Lunch & Learn...!!

Okay, this one got a little longer than usual - no, Winnie, no wise cracks!  - Oh, alright, go ahead because you will anyway.  Winnie likes to point out occasionally that I sometimes can be "winded".   I like to think of it more as being thorough and as descriptive as possible, and to include all the incredible fun we have in just 3 hours of our meetings.   Now that's Precise!

PS:  Newbies to Fidget Quilts/sewing/etc. who took pieces and stuff home to make up your creations... don't hesitate and don't have doubts... please know that we are all with you.  Really, this is the most supportive club of sewing crafters and we each have made our first ones, too.  Go with your heart and please remember - there are no mistakes - only opportunities.

PSS:  Attached (to Micki's email) is a simple Bargello sample pattern I found - very similar to Donna's potholder.  This one is a little more complex, but again basic, easy to follow, we'll be demo-ing and doing this soon, just need strips of fabrics.  You are only ever sewing straight seams and cutting straight lines.  This gives you a picture of the technique.  And the illustration provided is good.

Lot of attachments, let me know if your server did not let you receive all of them - 9 in all - and I'd be happy to send individually to you one or all, whatever you request.  And, of course, you can always buy the PDF copies from the "PDF Binder" that will be on the side table at meetings now to use.

Hope your week goes nice for each of you, as always take care, be good and God bless all, Amen.