Weekly Update - March 7, 2015

Fabric Fun Ladies - Here's a recap of last Saturday's meeting.  Please check to see if you took home my small gray cutting mat that was up on the front left side table (right side table is where sign-in sheets are placed) - so opposite side from sign-in table.  It's a 12" x 18" Gingher cutting mat that has light gray on one side and darker gray on reverse side.  Here's a lesson to learn, ladies, I'm not sure that I have my name on the mat.  My bad because I know better and that our name should be on all our utensils, tools, notions, etc. we take to/from our sewing crafting and any other fun clubs.  Okay, I'm going to do lots better about this for the future.  This little Gingher mats is one of my favorites I use here at home, so for ladies who came Sat., please check the supplies you toted home.  Thank you!

Thank you very much to Lois Rose for the fun demonstration about Easter and Spring Placemats.  Lois had the room a-buzz with the project of egg-shaped placemats after she gave her excellent demo of sewing the strips of fabrics together.  We also pointed out that once the strips are sewn together - making what is referred to as a strip set or strata - then you can  use that to make any shaped placemat and definitely egg shape is very appropriate for Easter and Spring!  Sue Campbell made a lot of template sets and printed out copies of pattern to make wedge-shaped placemats that are perfect for round table settings.  We have a few more of these patterns with the templates available, and we will keep one marked as "Master Only" that ladies can refer to and make copies from that will be kept on our reference shelf space in the closet.  Lois and Sue - you're very inspiring and fun sewing crafters - thank you!!

Lois Rose made another one of  her Fabric Fun delivery trips this week and dropped off 22 dog beds, 12 cat hammocks, towels and newspapers to the animal center in Marion County.  Then she delivered 12 quilts to Ocala Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Center.   When there she asked if there were other items the center needed, and she was given a list and she'll be sharing that with us for possible future use in our picking projects and charitable work planning.

Sew...Things happen for a reason... This is something I believe in, to my core, and that usually leads me in right direction.  I've procrastinated contacting ConKerr in Tampa mainly waiting for all the pillowcases to trickle in, and hoping that someone from their org. would be up this way and could stop by to pick up the latest batch of pillowcases you all have so generously sewn together.  Well, top on the list of needs at the Ocala Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Center is a need for pillowcases!  Imagine that! and our club (now) just happens to have a beautiful - stunning assortment - of lovely homemade, loving, caring, big, little, girl, boy, young, old, you name it pillowcases!!  If there are no objections, I'm hoping that we can donate this wonderful assortment of pillowcases right away to the Ocala facility where they will be put to good use right away right here to help heal and care for these people young and old who are also in their own "critical care" situations.  If I don't receive any negative feedback to this email, then I'll get together with Lois and find out best way to make our pillowcase donation happen as soon as possible. 

Attached see Cornerstone SALUTES Program description and the small quilt that group is asking us to make up.  I've already worked out the pattern needs, cutting, construction of top.  They want 3-4 quilts/month which seems pretty reasonable.  We'll do a full-day sewing day - hopefully in May - to work up a bunch of these - newbies - this will be excellent learning process for you as well and chance for all of  us at doing some fun sewing  for a great cause.  I've got two tops ready to insert the medallion squares which are being supplied by Cornerstone.  Once we get the supply of medallions, we'll be able to start construction.  Honestly, this is terrific way to get your "feet wet" with quilting for anyone interested. 

This week there were a couple calls requesting Fidget Quilts from our Daily Sun article - I'm glad we got a little press and help this work along.  We sent away a box of 10 quilts to a facility in Naples, FL this week.  I was amazed how many fit easily in the large - one rate USPS box.  I could have gotten a couple more FQ's in box, but only took 10 to send - the center there requested 5-6, so they'll be happily surprised to get this box!  All thanks to you, Fabric Fun Ladies of this club.  Thank you!!

Show & Tell:  Thank you to all the ladies finishing up Fidget Quilts this week and bringing them in for Show & Tell and donation - Awesome work ladies.  Please check out the pictures on the BlogSpot - you will find the link below.  You all do amazing work that surpasses any expectations and definitely fills me with pride!

 Lu Karatzas - Fidget Quilt

 Peggy C (per Lu) - Fidget Quilts

Nancy C - coiled basket and Fidget Quilt - the basket was made wrapping fabric around clothesline and then hot-gluing it around and around to style her basket.  One of these days we'll do the fabric wrapped sewn baskets again - they are always fun and very popular items to make.

 JoAnn C - Fidget Quilt - Tablerunner and purse (Midi style that she put pockets inside - good work, lady!

Mary Poretta - Fidget Quilt with awesome golf bag styling and also Mary showed and turned in the Fidget Quilt her granddaughter made, too.  How about that - pretty talented young lady already!

Marie Bray - Fidget Quilt and Baby rag quilt - good stuff - soft & pretty!!

 

Sue Campbell - Still Alice Fidget Quilt!

Pat P - Improvisation wallhanging - something like the wonky log cabin or even what we call "crazy quilting".

Joyce Snyder - shared assortment of the projects planned for our return to crafting visits with the assisted living facilities here around the area.  We will return to our monthly or bi-monthly visits in the fall again - stay tuned for details during the summer!  So Joyce has a lot of the "prep work" done already and that's so terrific!

Kathy Jones - quilt for a friend (who actually joined us at the meeting) - very pretty like all of Kathy's work

 Eileen DiSanto - Modern quilt and pot holders

Lois Rose - charity scrappy quilt (yes, another one done!), Fidget Quilt, pretty (St Patrick's Day) wreath!

Mary Kondrad - Check this one out - hand sewn - the "cars" quilt top that she makes are incredible with detail and workmanship - inspiring!!

Darlene M. - big - huge - king size quilt!

Ellen Hein - Fidget Quilts, please see the really cool flowers she styled using fleece and flannel and serged edges.  We're going to look at doing these.  Club has serger we keep on shelves and my serger is there, too - so we'll whip up some of these soon.  Moral to the story - save your decent sized scraps - boy do they come in handy and opt for great creativity time!

Next Saturday - March 21st - Alice Meunier leading demonstration to make Sewing "Waste Bag"  -  these are those handy-dandy-handy notions we are able to keep right next to our sewing machines to catch threads, etc. and double as pincushion - both well used and important notions for us!   I will have copies of the pattern for everyone.

Materials needed are:  1/3 yard or fat quarter of Material A

1/3 yd or fat quarter of Material B

18" long piece of strapping - club has some on hand

Rice or dried beans for filler (or any other similar filler)

Rubberized shelf liner - I have a big roll of this already.

Email back if you have any questions... FYI - your reply emails come directly to our Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts email inbox and not to any other individuals.  Never hesitate to use the "reply" button when writing back, rest assured what you write will not go out to the whole club, unless it is something you request us to do that would be of interested to ladies.

Thank you, have a good week, God bless our troops and God bless America! 

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(¸.·´ (¸.·'      Micki MacCumbee

Club Leader, Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts