Club Notes - August 30, 2017

There weren't any major announcements today.  I brought lots of donated fabric that needed to be pressed or sorted and several ladies stepped up to the task.  We get so much in each week, it is overwhelming. I keep hoping we can find good use for enough of it to reduce the volume, but it keeps growing.  We can't seem to use it fast enough.  

I misspoke about what next week's project is.  I  guess I'm so concerned with our growing stash I wish the quilt week would come sooner.  I need remember to look at our schedule each week before I say anything.  

Next week Bev Minnerly will demonstrate how to make the pineapple back pack.  This is a fun project.  If you don't have a child in your family to make it for, you can make one for the foster kids in the area, as one of our Christmas donations.  I will send out the supply list in a separate email.

Show and Tell:

Bev Minnerly showed the big stack of doll clothes she made for Giving Dolls.  

Mary Nazgiewicz showed her beagle wall hanging from the row by row shop hop and a fidget quilt.

Shirley Minier made a beautiful quilted jacket.

Nella Rose showed a pillow she decorated with a tangle art she has been saving for the right project.   She also made a little bag for herself using the same technique.

Our newest member, Joanne Sheahan , showed a set of fabric boxes she made in her previous quilting guild.

Marty Rhyne showed a potholder mitt she purchased at the dollar store, took apart, and embroidered with her own choice of Halloween design.

Lu Karatzas completed a patriotic drawstring backpack that her grandson cut out for her.

Diane Placek showed potholders she made for family members she is going to visit.

Eileen Navikas showed a placemat she made using the pattern we use on dryer sheets, only using plain white fabric squares for the backing instead.

Audrey Phillips brought a stack of pillowcases and also showed her experiment with free motion quilting on a small flower printed fabric.

I made 3 snap bags this week, the first to the pattern Linda Parr showed, a second one for my Kindle and a third for my sunglasses.

******************

Donna Rissman demonstrated how to make the woven fabric box.  I am looking forward to seeing these completed projects in future weeks.

Since we have a number of new members, I have attached a new copy of the member directory to this week's email.  If your information is not shown, it means I have not received your permission to share it with the club.  If you would like your info included, or if your information has changed, email me with an update.

Club Notes - August 23, 2017

We had a good turnout for today's meeting -21 ladies including 2 new members.  I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of sewing ladies who have moved into the northern area of the Villages in the past few months and found our club. I think we have had a new member each week all summer.  Welcome ladies, I hope you find your new best friends in our group.

Show and Tell:

Carol Riggs completed the car trash bag project that I demoed a few weeks ago.  

Bev Minnerly continues to make lovely clothes for the Giving Dolls project.

Lu Karatzas is back from her New Hampshire summer.  WHile visiting with her family she showed her grandchildren how to make drawstring backpacks.  They made some for themselves and 2 for charity.Lu also showed another fidget muff she made.

Mary Nazgiewicz made 2 pillowcases and a fidget quilt

We also received pillowcases from Vanessa Hathaway, Diana Gosselin and myself. More were turned in during the meeting, and several people took fabric home to make more.  I don't have a count, but the pile I handed to Carol was pretty big and I took home a bag full to wash.

Linda Parr demonstrated how to make snap bags this week.  She gave us several hints on how to make this easier.  I've attached her pattern to the email.

After the demo everyone sewed or cut or sorted fabric as the spirit moved them.  Mary Nazgiewicz and I worked our way through a tricky row by row pattern, but I think we're both close to conquering it.  

Next week Donna Rissman will be demonstrating the fabric strip box. Next week Donna Rissman will be demonstrating the fabric strip box.  See the July 5th blog for a photo.  

Club Notes - August 16, 2017

The altered order of events had me a little off this afternoon.  Thanks to those who straightened me out so we got all the agenda items covered. 

The only announcement I had was an update on our room situation. As I've reported previously, we have been given a room at Mulberry Grove on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of Jan, Feb and March.I have talked with the leader of the club that has the room at Mulberry on the 1st and 3rd weeks and she is checking with her group to see if they would be willing to swap with us.  If the recreation department approves the swap, we could possibly have one consistent meeting room for every week instead of bouncing between 3 different rooms during the year,  The only problem is storage at Mulberry, but if the other club agrees to the swap I will see what can be done about that.

Our guests from Ryan's Case for Smiles gave a great talk explaining the origin and mission of their organization.  They provided a handout, which I have scanned and attached to the email so you can learn about them even if you couldn't join us this afternoon.  If you'd like to find out more, click on the link above.

Our show and tell was short today - only 3:

Ellen Hein came with 12 pillowcases and 9 bandana bibs.

Audrey Phillips showed several variation on snap bags she made.

I showed a VW themed quilt I made from the rows I've collected in this year's row by row shop hop.

After show and tell and the 50/50 we started sewing up a pile of pillowcases.

The 12 Ellen made went to Ryan's Case for Smiles.

12 of the ones made this afternoon that were more adult oriented will go to the Ocala Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center.

19 child themed pillowcases will go to the Shriners Childrens Hospital.

Several ladies took fabric home to make more and when these come back they will be sorted and the bright, youthful ones will  to Ryan's Case for Smiles.

A few of the ladies in the back of the room have been making snap bags and others in the group have been curious about them, so next week Linda Parr will be showing everyone how to make them.  I will send out the supply list in a later email.

Thanks for your efforts in this month's charity challenge.

Club Notes - August 9, 2017

We had a short show and tell, a short demo, and lots of free sewing time today.  It's all good.

Paul Farineau, the gentleman who coordinates the military Hospice quilts, came by the afternoon to pick up 4 we had complete and drop off 5 more of the center squares.  He told us how much he and the military families appreciate our efforts.

I received approval on our club permit for next year.  We have the same weeks and rooms as last year, plus a room at Mulberry for the 2nd & 3rd weeks of Jan, Feb & March when we don't have anyplace else.  I will send out a notice each each during the winter to make sure everyone knows where to go. 

Next week is our monthly charity project week and we will be making pillowcases for Ryan's Case for Smiles, the Shriners, and the Ocala Domestic Violence ans Sexua Assault center.  We have lots of fabric pre-cut and ready to be stitched.  If you want to bring a serger to finish them off, this is the week for that.

We also have 2 ladies from Ryan's Case for Smiles coming to talk to us about the program. I hope you will all make an effort to join us if possible to hear them speak and show our appreciation for their effort to come out to talk to us.

**********************

Show and Tell:

Charlotte Cecillio showed a fun purse made from a sexy red bra.   So cute, I think we all need one of these.

Our pillowcase queen Diana Gosselin outdid herself this week, turning in 29 pillowcases!

Pat Pipa finished 2 more fidget walker bags and a great 5-easy pieces quilt for her grand-dog.

Ellen Hein made a stack of bandana bibs for her granddaughter and future grandson

Nella Rose made a stack of potholders for her granddaughter.

Dariel Diestelkamp showed her complete hanging storage.

**********************

I did a quick demo on how to make a pot handle cover.  The very simple pattern is attached.  I saw quite a few of these completed in no time this afternoon.
After the demo a couple of us dived in to do more fabric sorting.  We made good progress and even filled another dog bed.
Hope to see a bunch of you come out next week.

Club Notes - August 2, 2017

We had a small but enthusiastic group this week, only 14 of us braved the rain.  Mother Nature was kind though, we had only light rain at the start and end of the meeting, with the downpours happening while we were all safely inside.

Today's announcements:

I misspoke about next week's project.  Next week is NOT charity pillowcase week.  That is scheduled for Aug 16th.   I have Bev Minnerly on the calendar to demo the Lobster bib next week and I am checking with her for what we need to bring.

The Material Girl Quilt Shop in Eustis is open again after a bit of a hiatus.  The address is 36844 Hart Ranch Road, Eustis FL 32736 and they are open Mon-Sat 10-4.  Donna Rissman was there this week and she gave a very favorable review to the group.

I have been working towards distributing the charity items that I have been collecting for the club.   As I mentioned in prior weeks, I brought a load to the Ocala Shelter a few weeks ago, all nursing home items went to the Helpertunity organization.  The only things I had left were a couple of Hospice Veterans quilts and 8 backpacks.  I gave the backpacks to the school supplies drive at the Quilt Guild on Tuesday. I call the coordinator for the Hospice quilts and he was supposed to pick them up at El Santiago, but he didn't show up, probably due to the rain.  I hope they will be delivered (and we get a few more of the center blocks) by next week.************************

Show and Tell:

Eileen DiSanto showed a lovely quilt she has completed.

Jane Motrinec came with 2 pillowcases and a walker bag.

Donna Rissman made 4 pillowcases.

Van Hathaway showed a set of machine embroidered placemats she is working on.  (They look much too pretty to eat off of.)  She also made 2 pillow cases during the meeting.

Susie Pandry showed a beautiful embroidered fall wall hanging she has almost finished.

Pat Pipa  made a fidget walker bag.

I showed the completed hanging storage I started in last week's meeting 

 and a beach themed quilt I made for one of my nieces.  (BTW, several people asked where I got the fabric.  I purchased the larger blocks in a panel 2 years ago and I think it is discontinued.  I can't find it anywhere now.  The smaller blocks and the beach umbrella fabric were purchased at Sharky's and they appear to be sold out of them.   They do still have the fruit-bottomed bathing ladies.)

********************************

After show and tell I showed how to make a car/golf cart trash bag.  These are photos of the one I made from the original pattern last year (blue) and the one I put together during the meeting this afternoon.  This shows it can be done in a little over an hour.

On August 16th, Jenny Ames from Ryan's Case for Smiles will be coming to talk to our club about the program.  I hope a large number of club members will be able to come out to greet her.  This is also our Charity project week and I will have lots of fabric cut and ready to make into pillowcases.