February 2011 Newsletter

Today is Wednesday, February 23rd, and I am way late on getting this out to you. I apologize. Life has a way of getting in the way of the newsletter,...or anything else getting done for that matter. Note to self: Never try to juggle too many balls at one time!

January 24, 2011 meeting highlights: When we first started this group, one of our focuses was to have a member given demo at most of the meetings, in addition to show and tell and general jaw flapping in the night air. We seem to have lost that, and are now about to reinstate it starting with the next meeting. More later.

Next Divas' Show: We have been given the dates for our next show which is to be held at the Naperville Art League once again, thank you very much to you, NAL! Set up will be on Friday, October 21, 2011, take down will be Sunday, October 30,...MAYBE. We may be able to leave it up for more than a week. That is yet to be decided.

We will have more rules, earlier deadlines, more organized in every aspect. We are learning more with each show that we have, and intend to use that knowledge. Yea for us! We will kick in the discussions on this starting at the July meeting.

March Challenge: This meeting will be the official unveiling of the latest challenge, Underfoot! There were no rules, size restrictions,...only a willingness to explore it's many different interpretations. Looking forward to see what you folks are up to!

Anne Lullie: We have all agreed that we'd like to have Anne give us a class. We forgot to discuss WHICH class! Duh! And I haven't had time to call the church to see if they have any opening dates, and what it would cost to rent the space.

www.harbor-sales.com: That's the website for DeColourant. This is a product that is painted onto fabric, removing the dye in that area, leaving the original fabric color pre-overdying. It comes in 23 colors, smells citrusy, and has ads in Quilting Arts magazine (Dec/Jan 2011, and Pg. 77 in the Feb/March 2011 issue). We saw a sample at the meeting, and it was way cool!

ThermoChromatic Paint: I have no info on this other than it changes color with heat.

www.wheaton.edu/art/gallery/indes.html: Check out this sight. Jeremy Botts is a quilt artist who is exhibiting his work At the Wheaton College Hansen Main Gallery until March 9th. I apologize for cutting this so close for you.

Our very own DEMO SCHEDULE:

FEBRUARY 28: Cheryl will demo GRAFFITI FABRICS, and there will be a small fee in addition to the usual $3 meeting fee.

Everyone will need to bring:

-a large plastic garbage bag

- an apron or clothes you don’t mind getting paint on

-3-4 fat quarters of muslin or pastel colored fabric

-your own stencils (optional)

-Fabric markers (optional)

-$2 for materials

I will bring:

-an extra folding table

-fabric spray paint

-painters tape (to tape garbage bags to table)

-stencils

-samples

-baby wipes to clean the stencils

We will need paper towels.

We will need to put 2 people per table and we have about 5 tables there, correct? That means 12 people can take the class with my extra folding table. We can squeeze 3 people on some of the longer tables, I think.

MARCH 28: Linda and Camille will organize a name tag meeting. Now we'll actually know who we're talking to!

APRIL 25: Cheryl will give a demo on "E" textiles, "Electric Quilt" kind of stuff. (I feel like a dinosaur already! NOT FAIR!)

MAY 23: Nancy will demo Kelly Perkins paper fabric technique.

JUNE 27: Sharon will have us felting animals with a class fee included.

More on all of those later. The fees, if it applies, will be listed later, as well as any supplies. A lot to look forward to thanks to those who actually know something! (That excludes me because...REMEMBER? I'm a DINOSAUR!!!! You don't have to rub it in my face like that! It's just a little bit rude!)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 is our next meeting with Cheryl's demo, so come prepared if you'd like to participate. Naperville Art League at 7 pm. $3 plus the additional mystery fee (which is minimal) for the demo supplies (you are actually participating in this one, so demo is the wrong word to use here). See you soon! xo, Laurie

No December meeting

A reminder that there is no December meeting, and we will see you in January! Have a great holiday!

November Newsletter

Our last meeting was on October 25, 2010, with 17 people, 3 of whom are new!  Woo-hoo!...and welcome to you all.

QUILT SHOW:  The show was a big success with lots of positive comments, and quite a few visitors.  We discussed ways to pull off a more organized, and therefore, easier to set up quilt show.  Please continue to think of ways to improve.  With all of our quilt show experiences put together, this shouldn't be hard.  I believe we will be doing this again during the same week in October, 2011.

QUILT SHOW PHOTOS:  Our new historian, Jan Igor, took shots of the show being hung, as well as completed and during the artist's reception.  She will be putting them on a disc for us to burn copies for those members who may be interested.  We'll get a list going for that.  Anyone interested being the "queen of burn"?...as in burning copies of the disc?  

As far as the cost, we can do it one of two ways.  Either Divas pays for discs and everyone gets one whether you'd like one or not,...OR we figure out the cost and break it down between those who are interested.  We'll talk.

Also, I have asked Linda VanderKolk to ask her husband to burn a disc of the quilt show photos from May, 2009.  We will burn copies for those who are interested in these, as well.  We have offered to pay him for the copy being that this is his business, not his hobby.

DEB'S QUILTERY:  Deb Figved (not a real name to my knowledge!) has a shop at 210 N. Tatga Ave, Bartlett, IL  60103

630-837-6383, e-mail:  deb@quiltandsew.net

web site:  http://quiltandsew.net

She is open by appointment only, so no stopping in unannounced!

She sells both wholesale and retail.  14 different batt types (Legacy Batting Dist.), APQS rental and sales, carries Superior threads, Sew Batik, and Pellon, among other things.  We were able to touch all of the batts, and there was everything from classic cottons to silk, wool and bamboo!

MARCH CHALLENGE:  Our new challenge is "Under Foot"!  Let your imagination roam on that one for a while!  There are no restrictions of any kind other than those that are self imposed!  Could be something you walk on, emotions,....  Obviously by it being called the March Challenge, the due date is the March meeting.  Enjoy!

Think about this for a minute:  If you think you'd be interested in entering your challenge into any of the major quilt shows, get their size restrictions and work with those.

LOGO CONTEST:  It has been brought to our attention that our group needs a logo, and what better way to get one than to have a contest!  The winner gets a compete box of 64 Crayola Crayons!

Not really.  This logo should be graphic, not made of fiber.  This will make it easier, as well as more reasonably reproduced cost-wise.  This logo will then be used for any advertising that we may need to do, such as business cards and quilt show fliers.  When you see a major brand name (Coca Cola for example), you immediately recognize the logo without even reading the box.  That's what we're shooting for.  So, put your doodle brain in action and come up with something fun!  Thank you.

NAME TAGS:  We are asking once again for you to please wear a name tag!  I don't care if it's from a different guild, I don't care if it's the wrong side of a Jewel receipt,...it will make it easier for everyone if we can read your name instead of trying to pretend like we remembered it on our own!  I love you all, but I have no brain when it comes to names!  I've been quilting with a group of women in Elmhurst for 26 years.  When I try to introduce them individually, I choke every time!  I'm an idiot!  So, even if you don't want to wear a name tag for everyone else, then please show pity on me and wear one anyway.

DEMOS AND CLASSES:We will be planning to return to our original goal which was to educate each other, as well as have classes.  Please think about anything that you might like to demonstrate to the group at one of the meetings.  And we are back to considering having Anne Lullie teach a class. (www.annelullie.com).  This may take place at COD, but we'll see how it goes.  If there is anyone who is local that you are interested, please come to the meeting prepared with some info.  If you are unable to make it, just send me the info before noon on Wednesday.

NEXT MEETING:  The next meeting will be on Monday, 

November 22nd at 7pm at Naperville Art League.  Yes, that is the same week as Thanksgiving.  Don't forget your $3.

We will not have a December meeting, so the next meeting after that is January 24th, 2011, at 7 p.m. at the Naperville Art League.

508 N. Center Street, Naperville, IL.  $3 per person per meeting.

OUR FIBER ART EXHIBIT AT NAPERVILLE ART LEAGUE

October 23 – 30th 2010
at the Naperville Art League
508 N. Center St
Naperville, Illinois

A showing of art quilts, knitted, felted, mixed  fiber media and more from the members of the Fiber Art Divas group.

Join us for our Artist’s Reception  Sunday, October 24th from 1-4pm
See demonstrations of our work, talk to the artists, enjoy refreshments, and more!

Show Hours
Sat.– Noon—4pm
Sun.– 1—4 pm
Mon.– 7– 9 pm
Tues.- closed
Weds. thru Fri.- Noon– 4pm

September 2010 Newsletter

Good day to you, ladies and gentleman!

Our last meeting was on August 16, with 14 members attending. Nice show and tell as always, with a few organized people showing their completed "kitchen utensil challenge". (As much as I love them, there is a part of me that is envious and doesn't like them for being so organized! Argh! I fight with myself!)

Kitchen Utensil Challenge is due at the September 27th meeting. If you intend to display it in the upcoming show at the Naperville Art League, you will need to write up something about your inspiration. We have not discussed what this should be written on, typed on, or if they should all be consistent (as in one of us offers to type them all up). Something to discuss in 2 weeks at the meeting.

Our Fiber Art Exhibit at the Naperville Art League, as listed just below this newsletter, is quickly approaching. We have only one meeting (September 27) to complete our plans, so please be there with your thinking caps packed snuggly in your bag.

We will be passing around a sign up sheet for demo's that will take place at the artist's reception on Sunday, October 24 from 1 - 4 pm. I think we are just looking for warm bodies to be working on a piece while people visit the show. Maybe I'm wrong,...more on that at the meeting. (Another good reason to show up!) We have a member in charge of designing a sing in book, so we're good there.

We also discussed if anyone was interested in submitting an artist's statement for a binder that would be made available to be viewed by our visitors. This can be as elaborate or as informative as you are comfortable with. It is an excellent opportunity for those members who wish to sell their work (from the show or from home), listing their web site or any other information they'd wish to share. This is up to you as to whether or not you choose to participate in this portion of the show.

Keep sewing those challenge quilts!!!

Check out this website: www.jcrabtreeart.com for beautiful stitchery art by Julie Crabtree-Pfannes (and we know she means business because she has her name hyphenated!) Her work is beautiful and well worth the visit to her sight!

If anyone has any information on places to exhibit fiber art, please send it to me so that I may post it for those who are interested.

There will be a show held at the Morton Arboretum from November 12 - 14.

"Animal Felt", a class by Sharon Malec will take place at the Morton Arboretum on Saturday, October 16, from 9:30 to 3:30. More information is available at mortonarb.org. I've seen her work and it's incredible!!!

Okay! I have a love/hate relationship with my computer. Right now it won't type in any other size. Argh! So, as before, our next meeting (the last before the exhibit) will be on September 27 at 7 pm at the Naperville Art League, 508 N. Center St, Naperville, IL. Be there or be square! xo, Laurie

August 2010 Newsletter

Good day to you, ladies and gentleman!

I apologize for the delay, but sometimes life comes before the newsletter.

Our meeting of July 26th, 2010, had 14 members.

Cara Gulati, Curves for Cowards will be the next speaker for Faithful Circle Quilt Guild. Held at the First Presbyterian Church, corner of 4th and Fairview in Downers Grove, 7 pm on Wednesday, August 25th. $5 fee for non members. (www.doodlepress.com) She also has a workshop on Friday and Saturday, same subject. Contact the guild if you are interested. I don't know if there are any openings, but it's worth a try. Also, this is a 2 day workshop, which is much better than a 1 day workshop, and the price is much better than at a big quilt show.

Anne Lullie was last month's speaker for Faithful Circle and was enjoyed by all. At one point we had discussed having her come for a workshop. We cancelled the idea when we saw all that she required for her presentation, and the work area we would need. Talking to one of our members, it was mentioned that we could rent the above mentioned church basement (the same place as the Faithful Circle meetings and classes) for $50. That changes everything. We need to go back to her website (www.annelullie.com), and reassess. It is possible to make this work. In talking to her, she said that she can eliminate some of the things she requires as part of her class, which would make it easier. Find out how many people per class max, add the room rental fee, and divide it by the first magic number. Still works out to less than anywhere else. Anne is a member of the Chicago School of Fusing, so if you aren't into fusing, this class may not interest you. But if you are into COLOR, it definitely will be right up your alley. She has a very nice way with color. Also, she was selling color wheels that were coming from a different angle (fusia, etc) which I'd never seen before, and was very helpful. So check it out and we can discuss it at the next meeting.

TIPS OF THE MONTH:

#1: Epson 1400 ($300 or less) comes with photo shop elements. It has a straight feed printer with a wide bed that will take fabric that's stabilized.

#2: Fold the end of tissue paper over regular paper, then feed it through your printer (folded over end first) to get a gauzy affect for collage work, etc.

Blick has 18" x 24" sheets of double tack paper that is NOT intended for sewing. A fusing product can be used for fabric. It's like double stick tape with paper on both sides. Check for it on line. (I have a feeling I screwed this up somehow. Hopefully I can correct it in the next newsletter! Sorry.)

QUILT SHOW: Our upcoming quilt show will be at the Naperville Art League, as before.

October 22, Friday, will be set up.

October 23 through October 31 will be the show.

October 24, Sunday, from 1 - 4, will be the Artist's reception with demos.

October 31 or November 1 will be take down.

Art league hours are Sunday 1-4, Monday 7-9, Wednesday Thursday Friday 1-4, Saturday 10-4.

We will be displaying wall hanging sized pieces due to the gallery size as well as the number of participating members. Our latest challenge (kitchen utensils) will be displayed at this show (check for the due date in a previous newsletter). We will try to hang all of the pieces that arrive, but there are no guarantees that they will all fit.

That's all the news to print. Our next meeting will be on Monday, August 23rd, same time same place (again, check a previous newsletter for exact time and location). I look forward to seeing all of your smiling faces, and fun projects. xo, Laurie

July 2010 Newsletter

Yes, I know that this is really June 30, but I thought I'd let all of my inhibitions go and lie about the date. Now my true self has been exposed to you all. Sorry, and I hope that the truth won't be too painful.

Our June meeting was attended by 15 members, one of which was new. Lots of show and tell, especially tells! Always a fun time.

Susan Carlson Workshop: Faithful Circle Quilt Guild of Downers Grove will be hosting Susan for a lecture, Cutting Loose Fabric Collage, at 7 p.m. on October 27, 2010. ($5 at the door for non-members.)

There will then be a 2 day workshop on Thursday and Friday, October 28 & 29, 2010, based on her book Free Style Quilts: A No-Rules Approach to the Collage Piecing Process. Susan encourages playfulness, serendipity, and a willingness to "cut loose". www.susancarlson.com. There was an article about her work in one of the more recent Quilt Arts Magazines. Check it out!

She is a fuser. If you are not, don't let that stop you from taking this class. What you are really gaining here is the ability to let loose. Also a 2 day workshop is a definite bonus. It's amazing how much more you can learn in 2 days rather than 1. The fee is $70 for members, with an additional fee for non-members. Keep in mind what this class would cost you at a major show!

This lecture and class will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, on the corner of 4th and Fairview Ave, Downers Grove, IL. Lecture at 7, class from 9 to 3:30.

Contact information for the guild will be in your initial notice I sent in regards to this newsletter being ready for your consumption.

Anti-Chlor: ...and the debate continues: "suit saver for swimsuits" helps eliminate the chlorine smell from swim suits. Does it also neutralize the chlorine?

Would it work as an anti-chlor substitute? We're looking for a response from all of you scientists out there!

Color Catchers: This is an excellent product for absorbing free floating dye in your washer and dryer, found in the laundry product aisle. It was mentioned that they can be used up to 30 times apiece. I looked at the box in my cabinet which read to dispose of the sheet after each use. If anyone has any other info, let us know, please.

Stonehenge by Northcott: Stonehenge is a "new to me" fabric line that is out and available in a huge variety of colors. Its great. Especially good for stone walls, rocks, etc, but could actually be used in anything. The repeat pattern is every 3/4 yard. Check it out. I attempted to find it on line to give you a web site, but to no avail. Maybe you'll be luckier!

Another way to store your fabrics: Our very own "dog lady" will be demonstrating some of her fabric storage techniques at the July meeting. It involves cardboard and folding and organizing and all of the things we know would make our lives easier, but we tend to go there kicking and screaming! If you choose not to listen to this sort of time and frustration saving information, you have the option of sitting through this portion of our meeting with your hands over your ears saying lalalalalalalalalala to avoid any information overload.

October Quilt Show: There is not a lot of information at this point other than it will be held at the Naperville Art League the last week of October for 10 days. Set up is Friday, October 22. The show would be October 23 - November 1, if I'm not mistaken, which I often am. They mentioned an artist's reception, with demo's done at this time. Anything from beading to whatever is easily done at an event of this sort. Please give this some thought.

Quilt Gardens: Dorothy went on the driving tour of the quilt gardens (I'm sure of the one in Elkhart at least!), and says they are beautiful. A must see. Just check

www.amishcountry.org/quiltgardens to get more information.

Warning! Warning! I have just been informed from the world renowned David Taylor that Rustex fabric will last only around 40 years due to the never ending destructiveness of rust! Go figure! So he made his owl quilt using Rustex fabric, and found out it won't hold up. Nice. My advice: As beautiful as those fabrics are, and as much fun as the process is, do not use it on your heirloom pieces. Sorry.

Maybe there's a scientist among us who knows how to do the anti-chlor thing on rust!

Challenges due in September: I assume we are all well on our way with our challenges. We are hoping to hang them at the quilt show in October. If you need more information on this, please review it in one of the previous newsletters.

The end: At last we have reached the end of our newsletter. Thank you for hanging in there and reading it to this point in time. Our meetings are always held on the 4th Monday of the month (unless otherwise announced) at 7 p.m. at the Naperville Art League, 508 N Center (corner of Center & Fifth), Naperville. We look forward to seeing you on Monday, July 26, and then again on Monday, August 23. Remember we all love show and tell! Even traditional! We don't care! xxxooo, Laurie