Weekly Update - July 18, 2015

Hi Fabric Fun Ladies - Saturday's meeting was one of our "this and that" days - summertime smaller group but that never tampers our fun and never ever tampers our inspiration and productivity - and we welcomed 4 new ladies who (I don't think) we didn't seem to scare away with all our charity sewing talk.  In fact, I think all the 4 newbies already have joined in sewing projects and even took some stuff home to sew, too.   That's the spirit!  

One lady has a pretty simple sewing (what I call "vanilla" version) machine - not a whole lot/any whistle and bells - and yet in just about 15 minutes looking at just one of the machine feet and 3-4 of the basic stitch options - I was able to show her some really fun ways to use the machine and its stitches - and possibilities ahead with it.  That was really "cool" for me to have that opportunity to do and I'm actually sorry I don't take time or get more time to do that with meetings.   In a separate email, I'm sending out an available embroidery sewing machine here in The Villages.  Yes, that is always a way to get into more advanced sewing crafting, but you can get into "a whole lot of advanced-type-fun" all with a vanilla machine, too. and that's kind of my goal with Foot Book exercises and practice pages.  It's how I learned to use my machines and sew with them, and it has always been the best base for me to build upon.  It's the old saying of "get your feet wet" and go from there then.  

FYI - 3 of 4 newbies all live south of 466A in new areas of The Villages and so our club continues to grow in all directions along with our neighbors!!   So we have ladies from around the country (and outside the U.S.) and ladies from around The Villages.   One lady this week came to live in The Villages from as far away as Orlando, FL! and one new lady came to live here from my hometown, Baltimore, MD.  Welcome all!!!!!

Next Saturday - Lunch & Learn - "By the Sea" Fare - Joan Thomas already has "tuna salad" and I'm making "kelp salad" - not really using kelp, just using SpongeBob SquarePants name... As always, NO RSVP necessary, come early, come with food, don't bring food, there's always enough and there's always a nice assortment for one and all to partake from.  Learn - something will be something "fishy"!!

Before I forget again! - great suggestion came up last week on how to "stuff" the doggie beds at home.  We always mention, take a "form" home and have it near your sewing space sew(or so) that when scraps come up... just put in the form, and before you know it that empty form will be 2/3 full and ready to sew the opening close and Wallah--- another doggie bed complete!!  Great suggestion is - sew up 3 sides of form leaving one side completely open, then insert the form in a garbage can (like we do with our plastic can liners) and fill, fill, fill, easy peasy way to have the opening available and stuffing takes on another facet altogether - once "full" just pull out of can, sew up the 4th side and wallah - that's complete!!   We got that fun- useful - suggestion from not only Marty Rhyne who heard it when watching one of fun videos at Missouri Star Quilting Company.  FYI - that is one (if not the one) top websites for sewing tutorials and especially quilting - fun, fun lady who has great personality, likes shortcuts and loves sharing sewing crafting fun and knowledge.  check it out!!

Here's the link for anyone who hasn't been to the website before:

https://www.missouriquiltco.com/

I gotta tell you though... going there can be costly because there's always an abundannce of wonderful sewing ideas to buy, fabrics, notions, etc. etc.  

Show & Tell:  

 

 

Pat Pipa - doggie beds filled by Allamanda chapter of quilt guild, Christmas Block - Allamanda chapter's addition to the golf cart quilting cover being made for the Christmas Golf Cart Parade - very cool!

Suzanne Brown - machine embroidery tissue box cover and towel holders - these are very nice project to have fun with - Suzanne certainly is enjoying her new machines and doing a "bang up!" job of learning and growing her crafting fun.  But that's our Suzanne for sure!!  And as always - she loves sharing the fun and knowledge, too.  And Suzanne is current President of Allamanda chapter - and she took home a couple more doggie bed "forms" for filling by the ladies when they bring in their scraps.  

 

 

 

 

Side note here - talk about scraps - A lady came in with 3 bags full collected from Manatee and Eisenhower chapters of quilt guild - she was just dropping them off - then before going home - Judy Johnston and I stuff, stuff stuffed form after pre-made form, Pat Pipa sewed up the openings - and I think we had about 12 beds made in about an hour or so.  Thankfully, one of Judy's neighbors is on board of Sumter County animal shelter, so she loaded up back of her van, called her neighbor, and was delivering them on way home.  I said thankfully because in all honesty, my garage cannot hold one more thing for Fabric Fun, we are still without our dear heart Lois, and our shelf space at SeaBreeze is jam packed already - so I was going to be in a real "pickle" if it weren't for Judy on Saturday - Hey, I owe you, girl!!  Thank you!!  And we don't always get many beds over to Sumter anymore, so that was kind of neat, to boot!!!

 Carol Riggs - pillow case and dog bed that she sewed up from taking home fabic last week -yeah!  that's what we're talking about!!  Carol is our resident one-liner-lady who has been pretty quiet of late... but did get in a few zingers last week and yesterday!

 Marty Rhyne - thank you again for doing your effecient photo snapping - and you're getting pretty good at it (we didn't have to remind you once this week - ha ha!!!!) Seriously, without Marty's "focused" effort... if left up to me - Lois knows that many many pics would have fallen by the way side... Thanks Lois for picking Marty and thanks Marty for saying yes!!  So Marty shared her Bobbin the Robin - great job! and Zipper pouches made from MSQ tutorials - Hey Marty, we've had a few live tutorials during FFAC meetings - what are we "chop liver!"  No seriously, this is proof positive and goes to show how we have fun around here.  See it once, twice, or see it somewhere else once twice, bring it in to share - just more fun for sure.  This is why I love our weekly show & tell start for meetings, too.  It keeps all this stuff current year round for us.  I love the pouch pattern and tutorial on MSQ, too.  It's a very good one!!

 Donna Chaffe ... drum roll ... Big Wow here - I should say Big Bling Wow Alert!  Donna has huge creativity and expertise styling and making purses and totes.  She shared a newly made tote with parrot fabric and simple napkin rings embellishing.  Then Donna shared tote she made using the Row by Row Timeless Treasures fabric using same tote pattern as parrots, adding crystals bling galore and WOW! they sure make that fabric POP!!  No kidding, everyone just went "OOOOOOHHHH!!!"  And additional prettiness added by fabric bow where napkin rings were in parrot version. 

Another side note here - Can't mention Bling without saying hello to our bling expert, Carol Planke, has been fighting health issues for a long time and I forget to include her every now in then in our prayers, but I know a lot of you keep Carol in your thoughts and prayers because you all ask about her at meetings.  And then - meeting like yesterday with Bling inspiration - and we realize how much we depended on Carol for her inspirations there.   So we're glad for Bling inspiration, we look forward to more - and as always say, get well Carol!!

 

Jane Swafford - always the lady, Jane followed the bling explosion with grace - and shared (no, not more pillowcases) a batch of Christmas ornaments she stitched up and stuffed this week - she's got enough to deck out a tree or fun garland for sure.  Adorable ornaments made from a pretty panel of fabric.  Christmas in July~~  I love it!

 Eileen DiSanto - pillowcases - yeah - couple real cuties with john deere fabric - oh and Eileen keeps us  up-to-date on one of our former sewing crafting buddies who now lives a way further north of us in upper state New York, Pat O'Connor - they are getting ready to enhance their home up there but plan to be in FL for Dec. - big shout out hello to Pat!! 

 

Nancy Cartlidge - shared another one of her "block" quilts made up this week - this one not done using rag quilt technique - it's going to be a cozy one for a little girl who lives up north - flannel on top, flannel on back and warm & natural batting in between.  And Nancy made up a pillow with some of the blocks adding a zipper to the back for easy on/off ad laundering.  Pretty pieces, lady!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FYI - Ladies keep asking Marty about her awesome tote bag that she carries her stuff each week to/from FFAC meetings - it's a 31 Bag - and Marty bought in catalog to share that shows complete line of their wonderful bags, totes, and other accessories.  Marty's good friend is a 31 Bag Consultant and her website is www.mythirtyone.com/MarciaLWheatley

Cat Hammocks pdf is attached on how to make those sweet beds - we found fleece and stretchy jersey knits are pretty good fabrics to use.  (See email or go to http://www.marioncountyfl.org/home/showdocument?id=4552)

Ice Me Nicely - small and large ice pack bags made out of terry cloth, old towels, or just tee-towels - that was a demo on Saturday - these are very useful and can be personalized or accessorized as well - the ice pack inserts are made with water and isopropyl alcohol - the latter makes for nice inserts because they get very icey cold ad slushy and not hard as a rock like a block of ice.  easy pattern and easy to make.

Prayer Chain updates:  News from Hilary about Barry was not what we wanted to hear - yes, there's cancer to deal with and he'll be in an aggressive battle with help of Hilary and his doctors for next few months - please pray for our friend Hilary and her sweetheart Barry - send your thoughtful prayers to across the pond to our east - you know the Atlantic Ocean - all the way to Barry and Hilary in England.  Barry is a tough old bird and the Big C will be no match to him for sure!!  But we can all use all the prayers possible.  God bless you two over there!!  We miss you and want you very very well for your visit next year!!

The Daily Sun article - hope everyone got to see the nice article on our club in yesterday's The Daily Sun Section C.  We're always glad to get the press especially when it emphasizes the hard work, enthusiasm, and good deeds you do each and every week making comforts with your sewing crafting talents.  Thank you everyone from the bottom of this leader's heart - you're the best!!!!

Talk about the best... that's our U.S. Military men and women - boy, they sure took a big hit this week - especially the Marines and Navy - but ladies, that was a big hit on our country - period.  Call it by any name - it was another terrorist attack by Islamic Radicals on our country - whether lone wolf - whether terrorist cell - whether ISIS motivated - ISIS inspired - parse all the words in the dictionary - it was a Muslim radicalized who committed this horrible crime to kill and mane Americans, our Nation, and our way of life.  We better insist on leaders in the 2016 elections who are going to name this enemy, put forth a plan to defeat this enemy, and then unleash our military on that enemy.  Stop with the parsing of words, pandering, meandering, stop creating ridiculous rules of engagement, and stop with political correctness - it is not racist to say that Muslims are killing Americans - it is common sense!!   It is not racial profiling to follow and invesigate Muslims who write Facebook pages about promoting Islam in America and hating American people and American way of life, and wanting to please Allah  - or whoever the H their that morbid idea or thing they idolize and follow.   More than ever, our military needs our support and our prayers - for the fallen, their families and loved ones - for their fellow soldiers who are hurting deeply - they all feel it - from the lowest to highest ranks - men and women alike - brave, true, our soldiers standing up for freedom - God bless each and every one and their families, Amen. 

 As always, have a good week, take care everywhere and God bless all of you, 

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(¸.·´ (¸.·'      Micki MacCumbee

Club Leader, Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts