Weekly Update - January 30, 2016

Hi Ladies, Happy start of new week here... We kicked off new Demo Calendar on Saturday and Pat Pipa is happy to report that there's lots of enthusiasm and ladies have already signed up for some fun and nice demos ahead.  Here's the calendar for February meetings - looks good!

Feb. 6 - Lu Karatzas - Key Chain Purse Demo - Here are supplies needed for this project:  •4 pieces of 8" long x 4" wide fabric (for front & back)

•1 piece 4" x 2 1/2" (for tab)

•1 zipper  6 or 7 inch is good but any length can be cut to size.

•key ring. (Lu will bring a bunch)

Feb. 6 - PJ's for bigger kids - I'll have a set there so ladies can see the finished set and see the pattern pieces and instructions ahead of our cutting session and serging session.

Feb. 13 - PJ Cutting Session - We've got $190 worth of fabrics to cut for boys and girls PJ bottoms.  And Thanks to Kathy Franklin, we have 36 Tee Shirts ready to pair and embellish with the bottoms as we make them as well.  This will be a terrific start to what could be an excellent charitable effort to help the Girl Scouts PJ Drive come December.  Nice thing is... we can cut them out, serge the basic seams, and then ladies only need to finish up waistline with elastic and leg hems!!!  That can easily be done just sitting watching a favorite TV program one night at home.  ELASTIC... clean out your craft bins and draws and see if you have any 1/2 inch to inch wide elastic odds and ends - we could make good use of those!!!

Feb. 20 - Janey Westra - Little African Dress - okay, this cute project got it's name because of all the charitable efforts for helping 3rd world countries - BUT - this is a cute idea for even close to home here in FL.  Our club gives to several shelters in Ocala and nearby Lady Lake and Wildwood, we could easily make these dresses for those close to home, too.  And ladies who have little granddaughters, you don't want to miss this demo.  You start with a pillowcase!!  Check your closets, want to get rid of some slightly used pillowcases, this is perfect advantage to do so.  Our club has lots of lace, bias tape, and other goodies to use embellishing.  

Feb. 27 - Janey Westra - Small Origami Bag - and these are adorable - fairly easy - and very complimentary to the small little dresses!!  This is Lunch & Learn Saturday!!  They will go together perfectly... No RSVPs necessary.

Looking ahead - March will be doing chenille potholders and paper piecing!!  We could use a couple more ladies showing demo's - don't be shy.  I promise you that you'll receive a wonderful audience of eager learners and the club will be very appreciative!!  

Lois Rose - Fractured Art Demo - Thank you again!!  Lois took the project start to finish on Saturday and gave lots of tips and extra help to ladies picking their fabric repeats and set up to start their own projects.  It will be fun to watch the finished pieces start coming in again this Saturday!!  

Show & Tell - here is one of those weeks that "blows you away" with creativity, time, talent, and inspiration!!  Thank you Ladies!!!

Lois Rose - "Every day table runner" (10min-1hr-2hr version depending on who you ask), more embroiderd states for herRow by Row WIP and Sharky's Row by Row "Storm at Sea" Block

Block with kit fabrics

Practice Block

Nancy Cartlidge - My Angel on Saturday for getting me on track with "mitering" of the receiving blankets!!!  Completed charity quilt - take a look at picture on blog - it is really very very nicely worked and finished!!  Easy project - scraps, straight seams!!!  Ladies I encourage each and every one to give these little projects a try - empty the scraps from our storage shelves, and enhance a little one's life with a quilt.

JoAnn Colin - not fleece blankets - 3 (1-2-3!) Valentine table runners for daughters

Kathy Franklin - 5 Cat Hammocks!!!!! 2 Table runners and 2 sweatshirt conversions for her granddaughters!!!  How's that for production this week... I'm envious!!

Close ups of Kathy's beautiful work

Eileen DiSanto - Doggie Bed - like I saiid... each and every one counts.  Sometimes its the smallest, slightest project or charitable effort that really boosts us all along and gives inspiration needed.  These are just how I think about the doggie beds we make each and every week.  You should have seen the TABLE FULL sitting off to the side that Lois Rose took home for delivering.

Jane Swafford - Sweet Jane made up a STACK of pillowcases this week - adorable pinks and blues for girls and boys.

Jane Motrinec - finished up a charity quilt from scraps collected off the shelves - check it out - very nice use of strip piecing and cutting - beautiful piece completed.

Ellen Hein - Men Fidget Quilts - THESE ARE ALL WOW ONES!!  I just had to use CAPS because frankly you all know how special I feel these fidget quilts are, each one a masterpiece for sure and will be surely loved and used... but Ellen took some discarded pillow shams from previous job and fashioned up very beautiful and very creative pocketed fidgets with gadgets and stuff that just amaze me how nicely done.  I don't often get "blown completely away" but this is one of those times.  And I saw a WIP one she was working on during the meetings that has "Dreams" and pockets - can't wait for Saturday to see this one. 



 And Ellen who is very crafty with her serger then serged up napkins for her daughter using discarded back pieces - a whole set of pretty blue ones!!

 Brenda Severa - Valentine Hexagon - that we all want her to show Demo on this process!!  Table Topper and WIP String Quilt - very nicely styled with a "solid" white grid running thru out the quilt pattern.  I'm hoping that Brenda will get on calendar to show making these quilt blocks as well!  I think she used old telephone book pages and these work terrific, but they can also be used with paper piecing, foundation piecing and just plain string piecing... end products all the same... just fun to look at and decide on technique you want to go with!!  You'll see Brenda's fun.

Pat Pipa - Scarves - 2 - made using the Linda Parr knitted and deconstructed scarf pattern - very nice - Pat is making them for Busy Hands Happy Hearts to sell

Alice Meunier - UFO completed - baby quilt - using blocks she had on hand, making the sandwich, having fun with her Bernina BSR (balanced stitch regulator) that makes stipling fun and easy to do and ENJOY!   Beautiful... makes me want to put my BSR foot on my Bernina and spend and afternoon doing the same thing.

Marie Bray - shyly forced into showing (but still won't let me take her picture) - her completed Quilt Block Carrier and Seam Roller - Marie is a seamstress, now working on a skirt for a friend, and we all know these sewers like the "hams" and seam rollers for each and every seam!!  Well done!  If you're a seamstress, check in with Marie while she's here from England and get yourself one of these handy dandy sewing notions made up!

Ladies, I've said it before... but this week I'm going to get it done... it is time this club has an official Quilt Label... so first prototype will be ready for Saturday.  I'll design it up, embroider out with my machine and then leave one line open so that you can print/write you name in with an archival pen.  Long about time!!  Thank you for all your do.  

I was at church this morning and saw the entire front of church lined with finished craft items by the church's various craft and sewing groups that are done for charities that go nearby and all around the world... from bears to "plarn mats" to prayer shawls, tied quilts, sweaters, and on and on and on.  Ladies, we are talking a year long effort and many many ladies who do nothing but the specific charity projects over and over.  I want to give a shout out to Fabric Fun Ladies because week after week I see what efforts you do and the completed pieces mount up!!!  No organization or club has it over what you all accomplish.  God bless all of you.

As always, I encourage you to bring any ideas, needs or concerns to my attention.  This club is meant to be fun and social learning and doing.  I want you to feel very good about the time we spend together each week.  We always have our ongoing charity work in the background and then we try to make it entertaining and information with show and tell and demos.  And we certainly want ladies on every level of sewing enthusiasm and expertise to be inspired and joining in.  That's my personal goal as the club leader.  We've not cluttered up our time with rules, business meetings, or committees.  It is meant to be sewing crafting fun and sharing time only.  

Please use the link below, just need to click on it, to go to the blog spot and see the wonderful pictures from last Saturday and all the weeks... thanks Lois Rose for your continued updating and maintenance of this wonderufl resource for our club.

Have a good week and hope to see lots of happy faces and show and tells next Saturday, 

As always, God bless you and your families, 

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(¸.·´ (¸.·'      Micki MacCumbee

Club Leader, Fabric Fun Arts & Crafts