October 2009 Newsletter

Greetings, ladies!  I actually made it to this meeting, so there will actually be a newsletter!  Woo-hoo!  We have agreed that when I am not there, someone will be designated the official note taker for the evening.  They will then get me the information so we can proceed to forward the new info onto our members.  Thank you to whoever decides to step up for this very difficult task!

16 people were present, and there was a lot of show and tell.  Some people brought their "meat/meet...challenge", others brought their "red/read...challenge", while others just brought fun stuff they've been creating.

NOVEMBER 9 IS OUR NEXT MEETING!!!!!!!!!  Please mark this on your calendar.

Due to the holidays, that's what is available.

THERE WILL BE NO MEETING IN DECEMBER!!!!!!!!  Enjoy your holidays without the

added pressure of trying to make a meeting.

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ARE TO BE ANNOUNCED!!!!!  Due to classes that were set up for our meeting space at the art league, we are setting up other options which will be posted at a later date.

LACE CHALLENGE:  This is due at the November 9th meeting, ladies, so put your thinking caps on, and rev up those sewing machines.  Anyone new who would like to participate but did not get in on the lace passed out, just use whatever lace you have on hand.  The only criteria is that you challenge yourself, with no size restrictions.

"GOLDEN" Lady:  Dorothy talked to the woman from Golden products, and she is willing to give us a class using her company's products at the Naperville Art Legue on February 6 or 27.  Her cost is $500, which will be split among those who sign up, plus $15/person for supplies.

We will go outside of guild if necessary to get enough participation to keep the per person fee at a reasonable rate.  Remember what you would pay for a class at a major show.  So, check your calendars and bring your yea or nah to the next meeting.  Please and thank you.

"COLORED PENCIL LADY":  She will do a class with pencils on fabrics,...whatever kind of pencil your little heart desires.  Water color pencils, regular ones.  We will discuss scheduling once we get the "golden" lady set up.  Fees will be told at that time.

ART CAN BE POLITICAL show will be presented by PAQA (Professional Art Quilt Alliance/Association...my mind is laughing at me again!  Sorry!).  The show will be at the Naperville Cultural Center in the Main Street Promenade, 55 Main St, #211,

Naperville, IL.  It will run the month of November, with an opening reception on Sunday, November 7 from 3 to 6.  Even if you are not necessarily interested in politics, this would be an excellent viewing of local quilt artists and their styles.

INDIANA HERITAGE QUILT SHOW will be hosting their 19th annual show in Bloomington, Indiana on March 4 - 6, 2010.  We discussed at guild about how this is a nice show to get your feet wet in,...you fill out a form, send it in with your $10, and you're in!  Once your quilt arrives, it is then judged.  The only additional expense is the shipping there and back.

www.IHQS.org

If you go to this site and check out the 2009 show winners, you will find my quilt under the applique section.  I am still amazed!

Alright, that wraps it up.  Remember, November 9th is the next meeting.  See you there.  Naperville Art League, 508 N. Center St, Naperville, IL  60563.       

xxxooo,  Laurie

August 2009 Newsletter

Good morning, ladies!  We had a very nice meeting last night with 16 women and one sewing machine.  Lots of show and tell, including one red challenge.

THREAD PAINTING DEMO:  was given by our very own Maggie.  A very interesting process done with the help of a Viking Yarn Couching Feet Set.  There is thread and bobbin thread in the machine, but the yarn to be couched is brought in from the back of the machine.  She opts between stretching a water soluble plastic in a hoop or just holding the plastic tight as she free motion stitches the yarn in place.  Another option is to carefully place her yarns between the 2 layers of plastic to keep a design in place; or trace onto the plastic with marker, the couching as she goes.  The plastic is actually the dirty laundry bags used at some hospitals.  They fill them with laundry, throw them directly into the wash without handling anything.  They dissolve in the wash, which is what it will do after you stitch and wet it.  Ta-da!  Order them on line:  Hot water soluble bags on a roll (25 bags?).  Thank you, Maggie, for turning us on to another embellishment technique.  Oh, and she also showed thread painted leaves that she really thread painted onto the actual leaf!  Way cool!

FIBERINTHEPARK.COM is the place to check out more information on, of all things,

the Fiber in the Park show!  It is on September 19th, from 9am to 4 pm.

4165 East 16th Road, Earlville, IL.  So go to the web site to get a list of venders, classes, and a map.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM:  We have been warned!  The park district will be using our room for the January, February and March meetings.  We have been offered the gallery space to meet, and also there was mention of one night free of charge.  So, give it some thought, girls.  Is there somewhere else we'd like to meet at that point? Did someone want to give a demo in their home that is a little hard to do at the art league?  Would we like to have a field trip that night?  Maybe go out for an inexpensive dinner?  

CHALLENGES:  Look at the previous newsletters for challenge dates.  They are down below here.  Remember, there is no pressure to do any of the challenges.  But do keep in mind that the word "challenge" really does mean to challenge yourself!

OVER AND OUT:  That's is for this month.  Remember that next month, September 19th and 20th is the Faithful Circle Quilt Show.  Be there or be square.  For those of you who love applique, Selbe Baez will be the featured quilter, and her work will blow you away.  There will also be the Pilgrim/Roy invitational Quilt Challenge, as well as the guild challenge which involves VanGogh paintings!  (www.fcquilters.com)

Our next meeting will be on Monday, September 28 at 7 pm at the Naperville Art League (address, etc in letters below).  Be there or be square.  xo, Laurie

July Newsletter, 2009

Hello, ladies!  It's a beautiful day, blah, blah, blah!  Life is interesting and ever so busy.  So, I am going to make this short but sweet.

NEW MEMBERS:  There are five of you out there, thanks to our fiber arts show held at the Naperville Art League.  Your names will be withheld for your own safety.  Little did you know that there is a price on the heads of all our members.  (Did I say I was going to make this short?  Ha!)  Welcome, ladies.  I hope you enjoy the group,...we are a wild and wacky bunch. Many of these new women admitted to being dabblers!!!!!!!!  I wanted to tell them about the weekly meetings that we have,...dabblers anonymous, but I didn't want to give them the wrong impression.

DONATIONS OF SEWING ITEMS: Stephanie is looking for donations of sewing items (doesn't need a rotary cutter) for so that she can give sewing lessons to a girl she knows.  Fabrics, cutting matt, etc.  I think the girl is foreign, but I have no brain and forgot to write that part in my notes.  Duh!  This getting old stuff is for the birds, not the secretary!

RED CHALLENGE:  Some items were shown.  Fun!

NEW CHALLENGE:  The word dujour is MEAT.  Take that word anyway that you'd like, as in any homonym.  Meet, meat, oh, the list just goes on and on.  Any size, any medium, and yes,

this is once again, an optional challenge.  DUE AT THE OCTOBER MEETING.

LACE CHALLENGE:  Doroth Larsen was offered the chance to go through a box of "supplies" that the art league was getting rid of.  She chose a "bolt" of lace.  Anyone  who is interested may cut off a hunk and go to town.  Any size, any medium, optional again.  

DUE AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING.

Vicky Pigmatella will be at Riverwalk, but, of course, I don't have a date.  I'm sure you can find it on-line.  I don't know,...riverwalk.com?

FIBER ART SHOW:  The show received a very nice response.  Due to the date we chose, it forced many of the art league members to view our work (they were dropping off their work for the next show).  We were discussing the possibility of having demos at the next show,...yes there will very probably be a next show.  Felting was number one on the list.

Put your thinking caps on to come up with more possibilities.  Thank you to all who participated, we should be proud.  

NEXT MEETING will be at the Naperville Art League on July 27, 2009 at 7 p.m.  The address is 508 North Center Street, Naperville, IL  60563.  There is parking behind the building, on the street and across the street in a large parking lot.  We enter through the front door.

I will be unable to attend this meeting due to my class with Caryl Bryer Fallert!  Woo-hoo!

This time for sure!  See you in August.

MAGGIE WEISS:  Don't forget to discuss Maggie's class, thermofax basics (1 to 2 days).  Check out her website at www.maggieweiss.com.

xxxooo,  Laurie

Come Visit Our Gallery Show!

Naperville Art League
508 Center St
Naperville Il

Saturday May 23 10 am - 4 pm
Sunday May 24 12 noon -4 pm

See you there!

May 2009 Newsletter

Greetings!

I have just arrived home from tonight's meeting (5-18-09), and have things that you need to know.  This will be short but sweet.  I have sent things via e-mail with phone numbers, etc, so hopefully you'll follow through on those things if they apply to your

person.

Barbara Rathke:  will be having her second surgery this Friday, May 22, 2009.  I am asking for as many prayers for her that we can muster.  I'm sure that all will go well, but what they hey, pray anyway!  Thank you.

Red Challenge:  will be due at the August meeting.  It has been moved from May due to lack of finished projects.  No finger pointing intended, just a fact.  What's the rush?  I think that's going to be my knew motto!  If you are looking for more information on

this challenge, look in the past newsletters down below.

Divas First Fiber Art Show at the Naperville Art League:  set up will be on Friday, 

May 22 from 1 to 4p.m.  The show will begin on Saturday, May 23 from 10 to 4, with 3 guild members being there.  The show will wrap on Sunday, May 24 from 12 to 4.

Pick up for your work will be from 4 to 5pm on Sunday.  If you are unable to pick up your work at that time, make arrangements for someone else to take it home.

Okay, that about wraps it up.  Short but sweet, much unlike my humor at the meeting!

Sorry, folks.  It was one of those nights.  Don't hold it against me.

xxxooo,  Laurie

May 2009 Newsletter

May 9, 2009, and this is to tell you about the April meeting.  We were lucky enough to be able to meet at Steff Rose's place, very nice and lots of treats.  I just want all of you ladies that couldn't make it to know,...I ate your share of the goodies she had! Sorry!

I figured if I ate an even amount of each item, it would be evenly distributed on my hips, and maybe people wouldn't notice that I had been to a fun meeting that week.

Didn't fool my scale, though.  Damn!

Steff did a binding demo for us.  She applied the binding from the back by machine, folded the fabric to the front and machine stitched it down.  This can be done with a straight stitch, or any old fancy stitch that your little heart desires.  I suggest that you have a glass of wine, giggle a little, and then do a fun vine or something unusual as an added element to your quilt.  Depending on your top thread and your bobbin thread, you can make the top and/or bottom pop out or fade into the fabric being stitched.  It was a much faster binding than having to hand stitch it, and is an excellent idea if you are binding baby/okay to spit up on quilts, charity quilts,....

NEXT MEETING IS MONDAY, MAY 18, not the following Monday which is Memorial Day!!!!!!!!  

FIBER ART DIVAS SHOW AT THE NAPERVILLE ART LEAGUE, May 23 & 24:

The May 18th meeting will be the drop off date for the "quilt" show.  I will forward you the note from Sharon Malec about how many pieces, etc.  She suggested a variety of sizes and nothing too large (such as bed size).

VOLUNTEERS:  We will need you for Friday to hang the show from approximately

1 to 4 p.m.

Saturday the Art league rep will be there, but it may be nice if people would like to be there to represent us. (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Sunday we need 1 to 2 people there at all times (the art league folks will not be there), from 12 to 4 p.m.

Sharon has a sign up sheet going, and if she sends me a copy of it, I will be happy

to post it via e-mail and you may contact her with further sign ups.

FOOD AND PRINTING:  We will need to contribute $20 (?)(total, not per person) to go towards food and printing.  We discussed people contributing food and drink for the show, and I'm sure that will be discussed further at the May 18th meeting (yes, I keep saying May 18th, which is a week earlier than usual due to Memorial Day!).  Printing as in fliers to be hung and passed out.  Those were passed out at the April meeting,...the one with all of the food!

PUBLICITY:  Again, posters and fliers, guilds, quilting bees.  Linda VanderKolk was going to contact newspapers.

This is our big chance to shine, ladies.  So bring your finest to the May 18th meeting, and let's impress the pants off of 'em!

I don't know.

Maybe that isn't such a good idea.

The Midwest Folk & Fiber Festival is coming in July in Crystal Lake:

Feel free to enter.  I'm sure you can google the information for this show.

Possible Lecture:  How to enter quilts into shows, win and get rich!  Or maybe just how to enter quilt shows!  I will be forwarding any show info that I get to you in case you are interested.  If you are not interested, just call me a dirty name as you delete it!  I     can't      HEAR      you      !!!!!!!!  So it's okay to call me those things.

By the way, I entered a quilt into the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show in Bloomington, and won 2nd place in the amateur art quilt division!  Woo-hoo!  I'm $151 richer because after I took out the cost of entering the show and shipping...well, the check was for $200!!!  First time I've won anything.  You can see the winning quilts at www.ihqs.net

Okay, it's late, I'm tired and if you can believe it...crabby.  My mother will be 85 in a few weeks, has been having health issues.  I love her dearly, but she makes me crazy, and she doesn't listen to the doctors or me, and then makes stuff up and misinterprets everything (example:  my mother thinks the very beginning signs of macular degeneration (she calls it immaculate degeneration) means that she will be blind by next Tuesday!)  This is upsetting to me because I can't figure out how she sleeps at night, how it is that altho the doctor says it, I write it down, I repeat it to her, I explain it to her in front of the doctor, I write it down for HER, and then she gets it all f'd up.  Do you REALLY need to know why I started to turn gray at the age of 27?!?  So, be nice to me.  I'm going buggy.   xxxooo,  Laurie

April 27th meeting and and Update about our May Exhibition

Hello everyone-
We're meeting at Stephanie Rose's house at 7pm on April 27th.

We'll be handing out the posters and postcards for our upcoming show at the Naperville Art League. Below is some important information about the show:

1. Any member of Divas or the Naperville Art League may enter up to 4 pieces of fiber art which includes quilting, weaving , felting, soft sculpture, handmade paper, etc.

2. There is no jury or entry fee. We will hang everything we have space for. Very large pieces may not get hung due to space considerations.

3. All art work must be delivered to the Naperville Art League building by noon Friday May 22. Work can be picked up at the end of the show on Sunday after 4PM. Sharon can bring home any work that is not picked up, but Sharon will not be at the June DIVAS meeting to return your work. Make your own arrangements...

4. Items may be priced for sale. NAL will receive a 20% commission on sales.

If you need directions or Stephanie's address, please use your directory or email us. (we're not posting it here so it's out for the whole world to see)
See you there!

Yo! Flower demo supply list

Hi everyone-
Here are the supplies you need:
-several scraps of fabric about 4 inches square
-thread (matching or not, but it should be strong)
-standard sewing needles
-fabric scissors
-fabric pen or ball point pen

Supplied:
-green chenille stems (pipe cleaners)
-bright colorful buttons
-circle templates

The directions will be supplied. This is a fun "make it-take it" demo. Hope to see you there.

Cheryl

March 2009 Newsletter

Hello, ladies!  Thirteen people were at the February meeting, and I believe 8 people showed their button challenges.  I was not one of the 8, but that was no surprise to me at all!  I'm hoping to have it completed by the next meeting.  HA!  We'll see about THAT!

Naperville Art League Fiber Art Show:

Sharon Malec talked to the powers that be and received the following information.  Our pieces do not have to be for sale, but if they are a 20% commission will be theirs.  So, mark your pieces accordingly, allowing you to receive what you want for your item, and giving them the 20% over that.  Medium to large pieces would be preferred, and by that I mean in the small range.  Think about the gallery.  There isn't room for bed quilts, so keep it in mind. We need to discuss the number of pieces (which will depend on the sizes again), as well as refreshments and publicity (will they advertise or should we, and who pays).

So, the weekend of May 23 & 24,  Saturday, Sunday.  We are going to try to meet on the Monday before that (May 18) so that we can drop off our show offerings, plus the 25th is Memorial Day.

Ugly 9 Patch:

has been extended to March.  Someone asked if it was to be donated to the blind.  Ouch!

Connie Pomerang:

is unavailable to teach a class.

Anne Lullie:

I looked over her website and her requirements for teaching a class.  I'm not sure if we can pull it off.  It's only $300 for 4 hours at 20 students tops, making it $15/person if we get 20.

BUT each person gets a full banquet table plus a design board.  She gets several tables, plus a design board, plus a dry erase board.  No sewing machines.  I forget what else.  I don't know if there is an area at COD that would accommodate us that we could get our hands on. Obviously the cost would increase with renting a space.  Something we need to discuss more.

March Demo:

Stephanie Rose will demonstrate binding a quilt completely by machine.  She suggests that we bring our machines, a small something to bind (not necessarily anything of any importance at all, a pot holder type thing, even), and a double binding cut at 2 1/4" to 

2 1/2", which ever you prefer.  Obviously bring sewing stuff, thread, scissors, etc.  Cool!

Woven Quilt Demo:

Barbara Rathke brought in a woven quilt which she completed.  Katherine used to teach a class in this area and has offered to give a demo.  The date is yet to be set.  Woo-hoo!

Next Challenge:

Todays challenge is brought to you by the word "red".  It may be interpreted in any way that you'd like.  Red, read, sounds like red or read, begins with the word or sound, is influenced by.... May your imaginations sail away with this one.  No size restriction other than 4" x 6" or larger.  This will be due in May.

And ANOTHER challenge:

I am challenging you all to design your friggin' name tags!  Sorry.  Did I use the nautical term "friggin"?  Any size or design you'd like, as long as we can read your name in there.  I will probably make mine trading card size.  How's about for the March meeting.  Yesssssss!!!!!!!!

Vote:

I feel so informed now!  Doesn't happen often, and it probably won't last, but I'll pass on what was discussed at the meeting.  The next election includes people on the COD staff.

DO NOT VOTE FOR Mike McKinon (he is evil)

DO VOTE FOR Sandy Kimm and Nancy Svboda (they are good)

More details were given, but that's all we really need to know.

Our next meeting will be Monday, March 23rd at 7am.  Same place as usual.  xxxooo,  Laurie

February 2009 Newsletter

And we're off:

14 people were present at the January meeting. Can't decide if I have a favorite.

Ugly 9 Patches update:

The directions for this project are in the previous newsletter. There was some

confusion with the directions that I gave. I apologize for that. I don't know how to

add a drawing. BUT if you draw what the directions are telling you to sew, it may be a little clearer to you.

Also, I did not realize that you are to use as much of your fabrics as possible, making multiple blocks. I only did one. Guilty.

Please bring them to the February meeting.

Connie Pomerang:

We discussed having her give a class on color, maybe later in the year.

Another class idea discussed:

The woman from Golden products (line of artist paints and mediums).

$35/half day (4 hours), or $70/full day (8 hours).

We pretty much agreed on a half day being enough. She would supply product and mediums, etc for the class. If it's fabric painting, we supply our own fabrics. She would need a 3 week lead time, minimum of 8 people in the class, and hopefully have it at COD (Please?).

Exhibit Fiber Art at Naperville Art League?

Sharon Malec is checking into the details of our exhibiting work there. Does the work need to be for sale, can some be for sale and some not? Probably for one weekend. She'll get back to us about that.

Button Challenge:

Please, please, please can I buy another month?!? There is no way that I can finish mine in time. If no one agrees, then just bring them on in to February's meeting, and I'll bring mine at a later date. I promise that I won't pout or anything! Yvette Thorn brought her completed one to the January meeting, and then she did a little victory dance! Very uncool, Yvette! (just kidding, folks,...she was very gracious about being the first to show hers, and intends to donate it to a worthy place. What a woman!)

Calendars:

Linda, if you have spare calendars, remember to contact Janice Arquette at

(number redacted). She has offered to sell them at the "All around the House" quilt show at Fischer Farm in Bensenville on March 7 and 8. I know we are selling them for $16/, but if you tack on a dollar, then they can get a little money as a donation for their help. All we have to do is get them to her.

Also, Linda was kind enough to donate one to Faithful Circle as a door prize.

Have your own fabric printed!

www.spoonflower.com

I haven't looked at the site yet, but they will charge $18/yard with no limit to how much fabric you have printed! Cool!

Anne Lullie:

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a workshop from this woman. Her website is www.annelullie.com

She is a member of the Chicago School of Fusing, is local, and has quite a few workshops that you may or may not be interested in. Please check her website out prior to the meeting so that you have an idea of what the heck I'm talking about. She is a member of PAQA and is an up and coming name in the quilt world. I'll bring her flyer and postcard to the meeting.

Okay, can't think of another blasted thing, so that ends it. Our next meeting is on February 23rd, same time, same place. Adios, moochacha's. xxxooo, Laurie