September 2010 Newsletter

SNIPPETS from Conversation in Cloth

Meetings are held on the last Thursday of the Month at the Menasha Public Library at 6:30 PM

September 30, 2010
Members Present: Sandy, Brenda, Betty, Karen, Michele, & Lois

Christmas Party Final Plans (Note Date change!!)
The annual White Elephant Holiday Party will be held at El Aztecca on December 16 at 6 PM. We changed the date so that those members who are also part of Sew Savvy can attend as well. Lois will make the arrangements so that we can have a table in a corner by ourselves. Please RSVP by November 30 to Lois at lwolfe@bayland.net.

El Azteca
201 W Northland Ave # D
Appleton, WI 54911-2600
(920) 996-0983

Karla Spinks Workshop
The Karla Spinks Workshop will be at Julie’s Sewing Center on October 16 and 17 from 9:30 Am to 4 PM. If you missed the registration and still want to attend, contact Lois Wolfe to see if there is still space available.

Call for Challenges!
Karen suggested that it was time for the group to get involved in another challenge. Lois and Karen discussed a challenge that they saw on display at the Madison Quilt Expo in which a piece of red cording was used as a continuous element throughout the entries. It was felt that we’d like to do something like this as we are all different yet ties together by our interests. We talked about using clothesline instead of red cording. Other ideas are very welcome. We’ll make a final decision on the challenge and deadlines ion October.

Should We Do a Show?????
Karen mentioned that it had been a long time since we had displayed our work as a group. The last time was at the Menasha Public Library quite a few years ago. We could approach the library again about doing something similar in their lobby cases or we could also ask the American National Bank if we could be a part of their arts series. WE discussed putting our challenge results into the show. Someone from the group needs to step forward to organize the show if we decide to go ahead. Again, we’ll discuss this in October and make a final decision.

Amazing Creations brought by our Artist Members
Check out http://conversations-in-cloth.blogspot.com/ for photos of everybody’s work.
Betty – brought a chenille purse and a fleece jacket that she had made. She intends to add beads which will really make it sparkle.
SANDY – wore a jacket that she made from a beach towel and matching fleece. Very colorful and innovative. It also looked warm. She brought photos of the bra that she submitted to the Casting for Recovery auction and directed us to a website of a woman who makes wonderful button necklaces. http://www.jillweisz.com/
MICHELLE – displayed some amazing fabric portraits of her son Oliver, herself and a musician (sorry Michele I forget the name). She used the Art Quilting Series Project 406-2 at www.quiltingartstv.com to make a stylized portrait out of shades of one color of fabric. Way Cool! She also brought along a new book by Susan Carlson called “Serendipity Quilts” that show case Susan’s unique style.
LOIS/KAREN displayed the zipper pins that they had been experimenting with from directions Lois found on the internet.
KAREN brought in the finished product from the dyed paper towel project that we did. Using mod podge, Karen applied the decorated paper towel to prepared canvasses. The 6 x 6 inch piece is one that will be brought back to the ART GARAGE in Green Bay for their “Art from the Heart” fundraiser. Anyone can participate by picking up a canvas at the Art Garage and adding a design to the face of the canvas. For more information go to http://www.theartgarage.org/ . Karen also brought in a necklace featuring a copper slag piece that she picked up this summer and a doll named “Roxanne” that she made at a class at Keep Me in Stitches Quilt Shop and her beaded face pin that she finished.

Treasurer’s Report
Lois intends to provide a regular Treasurer’s Report for you in the future. As of September 30, 2010 the cash balance is as follows:
Beginning Balance $173.28
Expenditures:  Postage stamps for Newsletters $ 8.50
Total $164.78
Revenue -0-
Grand Total $164.78

October 28 – Sandy will demonstrate how to make clutch purse or bag from a man’s tie. If you want to try making one that evening, bring a tie with an all-over design, sewing machine with thread to match, cording for the handle/strap, and a matching button.

Michele brought up the idea of using Facebook or Twitter as a means of staying in touch rather than the current blog system as very few people were using the blog. We can discuss this again in the future, but for right now, everyone wanted to stay with what we have.

2010 Future programs
December 16 – Annual White Elephant Holiday Party
January 27 – Karen will demonstrate how to get started on the beaded boxes (if the weather allows a trip from Green Bay to Menasha).
February 24 – Michelle will bring the Maria Elkins DVD and her samples so we can learn the portrait technique.
March - ???????