Show & Tell - June 21, 2014

This club continues to attract very wonderfull sewing crafters and you all just keep bringing in the prettiest and most creative stuff to share each week.  What's the saying here about "It's always a beautiful day in The Villages"... I've got my own take on that... "It's always an amazing Saturday afternoon at SeaBreeze with the Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts Ladies!".    Okay, so maybe my take isn't as "catchy" as that first one that also has a catchy tune and website... but I'm sticking with it!!

Our club is build on fabric, fibers, threads and yarns and this country is built on God, Family, the Rule of Law, and the mighty, great brave men and women who take an oath and then live and die for that oath to keep this country safe.  Honoring those men and women is the most patriotic and thank you we can give back.  On Wednesday, June 25th - yes, this week, we have opportunity right here where we live to do just that - honor our bravest heroes. 

Kathy Nichols is Guardian to one of the Veterans on this Honor Flight.  If  you ever have a chance, please tell Kathy thank you for this terrific deed.  She truly is putting her actions before words.   And we can all get in on some of the action this Wednesday evening right on the large parking lot at the American Legion Post corner of CR466 and Rolling Acres Rd.  Kathy says festivities start at 9:30 pm and buses bringing Vets back from Orlando Airport will be pulling in around 10:30 pm arriving back home from their Flight of Honor to the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.  So with cheers and flag waving and big happy smiles our actions can also say thank you for your brave and true service. 

If you are in town and want to go on Wednesday evening, please give me a call or email back.  Our car is small but we can take 2 people with us, and I'm sure there are others who attending who can take a rider or two.  This is definitely one time where more is better and it is worth missing your bedtime!

Yarn Baskets was project we worked on Saturday and they are very unique.  These are made using Clover's pre-cut cardboard forms and weaving, wrapping around and around the yarn to complete the construction - no machine needed, just giggles and patience.   Most of us dug right in, picked a form up, and picked our skein of yarn, and started weaving our hearts out, while a couple ladies hung back, saw the process develop, and then they made their choices of yarns, and amazingly they were able to weave and wrap and catch up.  So we all left with just about finished baskets with just the topping portion to add.  I got to say it turned out to be very fun and worthwhile project and all thanks to our Frugal shopper Donna spotting these Clover products on sale at Tuesday's Morning.  What a hoot!

July's main project will be pretty styling eyeglass cases (or purse little change purse possible) made using texturized fabric.  There are two sizes and these little cuties are going to be lots of fun, too. 

I shared a table runner that is made using 4 fabrics, mostly 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch rectanges and just 4 3 1/2 inch squares.  Its sews together so quickly, then by using a simple finishing technique turns into a fast completed project with a lot of impact.  I'll include the pdf of this table runner and pictures.  This Saturday there will be demo and step by step visual for anyone who wants to see it. 

And - This Saturday - is Lunch & Learn!!  As promises, we will have for viewing the Ribbon Embroidery 30 minute tape that shows very basic stitching using silk ribbons - these create very easy and fast "flowers" especially roses, daisies and leaves.  It will sound harder than it actually is... you just need to use a good needle and have nice ribbon to work with.  There are 4 basic steps and there will be a sample piece for everyone to work thru while watching the video or to take home and then sew.  We did this once before a couple years ago or more, and it was a lot of fun then.  It's always good to review this stuff and then maybe provide inspiration for future embellishing as we make our projects.  I can see daises and roses added to the upcoming eyeglass cases and Midi bags!!

LUNCH & LEARN - This Saturday - NO RSVP's required, just come, if you're able, please bring a favorite dish/fingerfood/appetizer/veggies/fruit/etc, to share.  There's always plenty spread across the tables in the back, no one goes hungry, and some of us even go back for seconds (but who's watching ha ha). 

Yesterday, 5 of us went to Sonny's after the meeting for dinner.  It was fun and Sonny's have a new appetizer called "Sonny's Egg Rolls"   I don't eat Chinese Egg Rolls so I'm not sure Sonny's have anything in common with those... but they are good - different - good.  Next time we get a chance for a get together like this, we're talking about going to Cody's to sit at the bar and have some of their famously good chicken wings that are something like 60 cents each!  Yum!!

So with all this food talk... guess it's true as ever - crafters know how to enjoy many things!!

Show & Tell:

Suzanne Brown - Doggie Bed and beautiful quilt she made that has a great lattice woven effect.  Suzanne also treated us to a project she is working on taking a real chenille quilt and downsizing it from a queen to a twin size bed size.  It's one of those pretty looking chenille blankets with the colorful flowers.  It's going to be fun project and Suzanne does everything really beautifully.

Ode to Joy Stanton - Redwork doves that are really Yellow/Gray work!!

Cheryl Minieri - shared the making of a Custom Fidget Quilt she made for a lady in her quilting guild chapter who requested it for a loved one.  The custom request included patriotic and fishing and Cheryl created perfect motifs and touches to give this lady's loved one lots of comfort and joy.  Well done, Cheryl!!

Donna Rissman - showed us a wall hanging made in a butterfly motif.

Kathy Nichols - shared a "whatchacallit" - Ha Ha !!  Kathy made a placemat cover carrier all that has the plastic bags inside to hold lots of sewing or other type necessities.  These are so useful - more than useful - fun to make.  I love it every time one of you ladies bring in these fun projects to share and I'm always amazed how you put those stunning personal touches on each one to make it your own creations.  Kathy's an expert at doing just that, too!  And then, Kathy shared an ensemble she made for her 7 year old granddaughter, but ha ha Kathy even doned the ensemble and gave a demo of how it all comes together.  So who did you really make this ensemble for?...?... It's so cute - Kathy created stilts using cans, strings and the Gucci duck tape on the market.  Then, she made up a scarf, hat, t-shirt, and just total accessorized outfit to go with these jazzy snazzy stilts.  That's a hoot!  Kathy, thank you for sharing God, Family and Fun with us this week!!  Awesome is my word for it!!

Donna Pachy - July's wallhanging is well on it's way to completion and most definitely will be in the mail to Mom & Dad in Michigan with cookies and love.  And Donna finished up the Noah's handwork square of Gators. 

Kathy Jones - This isn't faux chenille but it's just about as terrific - an Apron fashioned from a second hand store men's button down shirt!  -  Kathy saw one in a gift shop that was pretty pricey at $30something dollars, and said heck, I can do that... And she sure did.  Kathy wrote up her version in tutorial form with pictures of how to take a button down shirt, use the front, shape it, cut off the back, and add the ties (made from the back material taken off).  Kathy demo'd that the collar cut out can be tricky.  Ladies, get your second hand shirts together, and one week in July and one in August, we'll go ahead and make up some of these "thrifty" jiffies that can be used for presents in the months ahead as we head into the fall season of holidays and giving.  It's very important that the men's shirts have collars and button all the way up. 

Pat Pipa - Finished her Noah's All Creature Great and Small blanket squares.  Pat also shared her completed ZenDoodles Wallhanging from Suzanne's class in the spring.  Pat, very pretty finished project!!

Mary Nargiowicz - shared baskets she makes with pine needles using ceramic forms that have pre-made holes in the forms.  Okay, so it's not fabric, fiber, threads and yarns, but looking at these ceramic forms... I'm saying that how artists today use everything "under the sun" that I can see those products being used in place how Mary's have pine needles.   But definitely the bowls and baskets Mary shared are works of art and beautiful just the way they are made!

Audrey Philips - shared several items - her name tag, one of those Linda Parr knitted scarves, and some very pretty table napkins with embroidered accents. 

Didn't I say it was another amazing Show N Tell week!!  Surprises, OOOhs, many AAAhs and tons of inspiration fun.  Thank you everyone!!

My handy dandy calendar next to this desktop today says... "Keep on learning-this is key to being a successful person.  Patricia N. said that in 1942 in Fridley, Minnesota.  This lady had insight into the future and definitely was talking about you all!  

As always, be good, take care and God bless America and God bless you,

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(¸.·´ (¸.·'      Micki MacCumbee

Club Leader, Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts