Happy New Years, ladies! It's a fine day to hunker down and write y'all about what has passed and what is yet to come. We're expecting 6" to 8" of snow today! Argh! But this is why God made snow blowers.NOVEMBER 2011 MEETING: 17 of us met, and had a mighty fine gathering. Show and tell was nice, as always. The subject for the evening was:
FAVORITE TOOLS: Here is a list of favorites, the best to my note taking abilities. There are moments in life that just get passed me. I wanted to share these in case you missed the meeting, or just couldn't remember that one idea....
#1 MILLINER NEEDLE: sharp but straight (doesn't bulge at the eye) so it can do heavy French knots, etc, and you can pull the needle through easily.
RUBY BEHOLDERS, color evaluator 2: This has green in addition to the red plastic so you can get values on red fabrics!
HEAT GUN: To dry paints and inks.
RING SIZER: for marking circles. You know, like the jewelers use!
PRE CUT MATS OR FRAMES: to help choose fabric section for a project, and fussy cutting in a larger sense.
STILETTO: This favorite is actually made of purple plastic! And there was a 2nd stiletto choice mentioned: She sharpened a chop stick in a pencil sharpener! (I'm not sure, but I think she was trying to hurt a dinner guest during Chinese take out night and had a revelation!)
SILPAT: SILICONE BAKING SHEET: Found in the baking section at Bed Bath & Beyond in a variety of sizes and prices (the larger one being around $20 minus your 20% off coupon!). This is used to protect your ironing board. Plus the fabric doesn't shift which means your block won't stretch. Great for bias edges. Only problem is that your iron won't slide across the surface. Several women swore by this one, not at it!
PINEAPPLE SHEETS (paper piecing): Pre printed sheets by Jane Hall & Dixie Haywood. She also paper pieced 1/2 square triangles on a roll.
DENTAL PICK: Another stiletto!
HEMOSTAT: Because it's like a pliers with a lock, it's good to pull threads out of your machine, etc.
SNIPS: These thread snips are hard to describe. Instead of the standard scissors design, it's bendy metal, and from the side looks like an Egyptian eye. You press down on the top and bottom "eye lid", and this causes the small blades at the end to work like a normal scissors. Very odd looking, but they do the trick.
SIDE WINDER: to wind your bobbins with an additional spool of thread rather than un thread your machine every time. Available at JoAnn's, then take your 40% off coupon. (One just has to love coupons!)
FINGER COTS: These are actually used to protect your fingers when cut. It's a quilter's condom without the reservoir tip! Gross! But now you have the opportunity to practice safe quilting! Roll it partially down your pointer finger, and it helps by gripping the needle as you sew. Especially good if you have arthritis in your thumb! For every pound of pressure you put at the top of your thumb, it's 10 pounds at the base of your thumb. When you don't have to grip as hard, less pressure....you get the picture. These can be found in quilt shops, as well as drug stores near the bandage section.
NEEDLE GRIP-IT: Similar to the finger cot idea, these are flexible self-adhesive dots for easy needle handling. They are 7/16th" circles, stick to your finger or fingers, and away you go. There was a tell of actually doing dishes with them on when taking a sewing break! Magical! Even a band-aid won't do that!
BODKIN: Tweezer with teeth that grips and locks to pull things through the casing. Sounds great for small work.
FURRIER WAXED SKEIN: For hand sewing. The card read New Bedford Thread Co, Inc, New Bedford, Mass., Size A, 675 yards, and comes pre cut!
KANZSHA FLOWER MAKER (CLOVER): This gadget makes one petal at a time, comes in a variety of sizes. It's similar to their yoyo maker, only it's petals! Make as many as you need per flower. Way cute.
DOUBLE DIAMOND RULER: $21 at bright-quilting-notions.com. This allows you to cut diamonds that are 1.5" to 3.5".
FIBONACCI ... NUMBER SERIES: This is to help you make your designs to be visually pleasing by getting your dimensions to your best advantage. (Did I get that right?)
C&T PUBLISHING ULTIMATE 3 IN 1 COLOR TOOL: This is an updated 3rd addition and comes with red and green clear sheets. If I remember right, it was a booklet sort of thing with directions, etc.
JEAN WOFROM'S "MAGIC DESIGN RATION TOOL": again, to figure sizes.
Okay, that's all that I have notes on. So, if you missed the evening, you have an idea of what was shown. If you have more questions about any of these, hit reply all on the notice for this newsletter being ready, and ask away!
DEMO SCHEDULE: January 23: Snow dying! Providing we have snow on that evening. There are several sites on line showing how to do this, all a little different. Patty will be doing this for us. If no snow, then she'll be demonstrating how to use a thermofax thingy. (I think it's like a silk screening process.) Patty, you need to let us know what we should bring. Are we all snow dying, or watching you? Is there a charge? Thanks. March 26: Cheryl will have an LED light project for us to work on. More on the cost, and the supply list later. April 23: Linda will be giving a kaleidoscope quilt demo. Always fun. That's it for now: We are looking for more demo's, so if you have anything interesting, please let us know at the January meeting!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SELL YOUR BOOKS? Never forget your Diva friends! But if you'd prefer not to sell them to us, you can go to Half Price Books store (they give store credit or cash). Frugal Muse gives store credit.
BLOOMINGDALE PARK DISTRICT MUSEUM 2012 EXHIBITION SCHEDULE: www.bloomingdaleparks.org/Facilities/BPD-museum/exhibitions.htm will give you all the info. There will be 8 exhibits ranging from student art to quilting. July 21 - August 25 (artist's reception July 29, 2-4pm) will be the Fiber Artists Coalition: "Conversations in Stitch on Nature". Interestingly enough, I just checked the site and it's got nothin'! Must be too soon, but mark your calendars. It's normally the likes of Laura Wasilowski, Freida Anderson, Emily Parson, Patt Kroth,...names like those, but not necessarily them.
GENTLER TIMES QUILT STORE: This is a new store! 476 S. Route 59, Suite 152, Naperville, IL 60540. 630-305-0102. M - F: 10 - 8, Sat: 10 - 6, Sun: zip! www.gentlertimesstitching.com This place is on Route 50 and Aurora, right near the John M. Smithe store. Look for a giant Bernina sign on the building, not Gentler Times. Nice, clean and bright. She was getting new fabrics in as I shopped! Definitely shows promise.
CraiLin Studios: Quilt Photography: This is owned by our member and her husband, Craig and Linda Vander Kolk. He did an excellent job on our quilt calendar a few years ago, and has his own business now! Yea! 630-527-8500. www.crailinstudios.com. Congratulations!
THE END! Okay, that's it. I've run out of words. I hope to see you all at our next meeting, Monday, January 23 at the Naperville Art League, check a past newsletter for the info at the end. I'm hungry and must go feed me! See you in a few weeks. xxxooo, Laurie
