Sewing N More Kick-off Meeting

We had a good first meeting of our new club.  12 ladies joined me at El Santiago. We started with a discussion of how the club will function.  Once we got the business done, we had Show and Tell and our inaugural project.  Here are the details on how we agreed the club will operate:

1.      Meeting will start about 12:30 PM every Wednesday.  The Rec Center will be checking IDs at the beginning once we get our sewing machines in, so the official meeting won’t start until they are done.
2.      Agenda will consist of announcements, Show and Tell, demo, and project time.
3.      Dues will be $10 for the first 6 months.  This will be to cover purchase of items to be stored at the rec center so we don’t have to carry large items in each week.  Everyone will either supply their own supplies for projects or pay for a kit the coordinator puts together when that is more appropriate.  In January we will review our financial status and determine whether any additional funds are required.
4.      We have a small area for storage.   So far, the Alamanda Quilting Chapter has given us an ironing board and Donna Rissman has donated an iron.  I had a message from a woman offering to donate other sewing items, but I must have gotten back to her too late yesterday and another club beat me to it.  Eileen DiSanto and I went shopping after the meeting and bought some of the other items we deemed essential to the club.   An accounting will be sent out in a separate email.
5.      Everyone will be expected to bring ideas for projects to the club.  This can be either something you can demonstrate or something you want to learn.  If you bring an idea and no one can teach it, we will schedule a video demo day.
6.      On video demo days we will find a YouTube or other class that shows what we need. I will bring my laptop and a projector.  The rec center has internet, so I will be able to project the video large enough for everyone to see.  We will watch the video as many times as needed and then try the project ourselves.
7.      We will continue to support Charities as follows:

a.      Dog Beds and Cat Hammocks – we will accept fabric donations to make these.   I will deliver them to animal shelters in Marion, Sumter, and Lake counties.   I will send the cat hammock pattern in a separate email. Linda  Lynch has offered to donate a roll of the fabric required for the tabs on the cat hammocks.

b.      Any other fabric donated will be sorted for usefulness.

c.      If any members want to make Activity (Fidget) quilts, I will continue to make deliveries to nursing homes and individuals who request these.   I will bring the supplies I have for these to the club on the first Wednesday of each month.  Unless a majority of members vote to have a special sew day for these, we will not use a meeting day to make these. Members can make these at home and bring them to meetings.

d.      A few of the nursing homes have requested wheelchair/walker bags for their patients. If anyone would like to make these, they would be greatly appreciated.  I have a sample of one that I will try to remember to bring next week and will send a pattern for one in a separate email.

e.      Pillow Cases – Carol Riggs will try to reestablish her contacts with ConKerr pillowcases for children with cancer.  Anyone who wants to make pillowcases can bring them to the club.   Adult pillowcases will be given to the Ocala Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Shelter.  Children’s pillowcase may be given there or to ConKerr.  We will have a pillowcase demo. (See demo Schedule).

f.       For anyone who would like to support local charities, but who doesn’t have time to make any of the above, or who would like to contribute in addition to their craft time, we will support the following:

                 i.     Aluminum can pop tops:    Lady Lake Elementary School collects these. Once a year they weigh the aluminum for recycling.  The money raised goes to Ronald McDonald house.   Bring your pop tops to the club each week and when we get enough, Linda Lynch has volunteered to bring them to the school.

                  ii.     Newspapers:  Saint Vincent DePaul Society collects newspapers for recycling.  The money raised goes to pay for groceries and utility payments for needy area families.   If you are just throwing away your newspapers or putting them out for the recycling pick-up, bring them to the meeting instead and I will get them to Saint Vincent DePaul.

                  iii.     Ocala Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Shelter – This group has a long list of items they need.  I will send these lists out in a separate email.    If you can pick up any of these items in your regular shopping trips, bring them to the meeting.   A shopping bag will be set up for you to drop items into and I will deliver them to the shelter.