January Meeting 2015

Old and New Business Our two challenges are in process, "Free Floating Flabergast" an anything goes, made up words, you figure it out, kind of easy challenge. A more formal challenge for the April UVQG Show is "Fins, Feathers, Scales and Tails", this challenge is due at the March meeting. 20" on a side limit, any technique or materials, have fun and be creative.
Show & Tell

We have photos from the meeting, but no notes, so I can't attribute any of the photos to the artists, so I'll just wing it. Dorie is wearing her wonderful jacket made with couched yarns over a heavy navy fabric. It is very impressive.

Several of our talented spinners could have made these beautiful yarns and the knit hat. The hat is small and almost looks tie dyed with the color variations.

All I can say is "WOW!" Pat G. made this hexagon masterpiece, it will be on display at the Umpqua Valley Quilt Guild Show in April, if you want to see it close up.

Peggy's delightful Frog Frolic, is full of detail for the Flabergast challenge. The words will be used in the border.

A multi color dyed fabric with a woven texture. Who is our color master that dyed this?

Jana has been loving the thread painting technique, her crow has many layers of threads and subtle color changes. It's bold look will be great on whatever project she puts it on.

The crewel embroidery rooster is proudly standing on a pillow cover. I'm guessing this might have come from Nancy's sewing room cleaning project.

Several photos are printed on fabric, which challenge are they for?

An elegant case holds a set of Japanese Sumi brushes, were these a Christmas present?

Demo Lorraine and Crystal did the demo for this month, how to make the microwave bowl potholders. Start with two square pieces of fabric for the front and back.

Use an all cotton batting for the filler, polyester batting can melt when hot items are touching it.

Two colorful finished bowls.

Corners are rounded and a "V" is cut on all four sides, cotton batting is added to the top and it is free motion machine quilted. Then the "V" darts are sewn together.

Sew the darts on the backing fabric, layer it with the front/batting piece right sides together, and sew around with a quarter inch seam. Leaving a 3-4" opening to turn it right side out. Hand stitch the opening closed and iron the edges, top stitch a 1/4" around the outside edge.

Use the potholder around the bowl when you put it in the microwave, then when it is hot you don't have to juggle the bowl, the potholder is already on it. Thank you Crystal and Lorraine for the demo.

Peggy's Lemon Zucchini Bread

Here is the recipe for the Lemon Zucchini Bread that Peggy brought to the potluck at the Dye Workshop.
2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
zest of one lemon
1 cup grated zucchini
Beat eggs, add oil, sugar, lemon juice, buttermilk, zest, until well blended.
Fold in zucchini, then add dry ingredients, mix well. Pour into greased 9x5 pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Glaze with powder sugar mix.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon milk
ENJOY!

November Meeting 2014

Old Business December meeting is our holiday potluck, bring a dish to share and your plate and utensils. Due in December is your art piece "Free Floating Flabergast"

Here is the cartoon that Maureen got the idea from. It is a "soft deadline" do it if you want to, if you don't want to participate, that's OK too. Our main challenge due at the March meeting, for the Umpqua Valley Quilters Guild Show is, "FINS,SCALES,TAILS AND FEATHERS" we encourage all members to participate in this one. The only rule for both challenges, is that they be no larger than 20" per side. But since we are art quilters who like breaking the rules, the size is up to you, if you can't restrain yourself. CD's of Amy's photos of the quilts at the Portland Sewing Expo, will be available next meeting, let her know if you want a copy. New Business For the January meeting, Crystal and Lorraine will show us how to do the microwave bowl potholders. There is a new shop downtown on Jackson St, "Knotty Lady" with yarns and fibers. Michael's Crafts now have small bottles of spray dye.
Show & Tell

Vi has been knitting potholders and baby hats. She modeled her jeans jacket, and the scrap bags that is is creating. Maybe after the holidays, she can give us a class on the jean jacket.

Kay shared a picture of the wedding quilt she and Sherry have been making, it is Log Cabin blocks with Batik fabrics. Jane Yurt at Country Lady Quilt Shop did the machine quilting.

Corienne participated in the BIG Portland Hand Weavers Show. She wove the 5 yards of fabric needed for this jacket in a couple of days, and it took a whole day just to set the warp on the loom. The pattern came from a cape at a second hand store. Nancy has been working with the Umpqua Valley Arts Center for the Oregon Wildlife Watercolor Show, raffle tickets for a painting are $10 each or 3 for $25.

Crystal finished her Farm Animals quilt, from the pages of a fabric book. The animals are just too cute.

Crystal is opening a new business downtown, at the Old Hons Dry Cleaning location. It is called "Create and Sip" she will be holding classes and parties in painting and other art techniques, BYOB. These paintings are just a small sample of what she will be teaching. Good Luck on the new endeavor Crystal.

Cheryl began spinning yarn for this knit scarf last night, the scarf is a Christmas present for one of her sons. By the end of the meeting the scarf was almost complete. Cheryl got to go to N & S Carolina and Tennessee for her birthday. They went thru Smokey Mountain National Park for the fall leaves, the SE Animal Fiber Fair, dinner and concerts and an Art & Music Festival. They toured the John Campbell Folk Art School on the last day of classes, and were able to see what all the artists had made.

At the Umpqua Arts Center Fiber Week classes, Cheryl taught needle felting fun critters. Her dolls, frogs, monsters and other critters are just fun and cute! They all have so much personality.

Claire bought an Indigo dye kit, she wore the blouse she dyed and it has ceramic buttons. Her gradations of indigo on hanks of rayon thread, just glimmered in the light. She will use the indigo rayon on the beaded tassels that she makes.

Sue has made a hanging with a hedgehog, for the wooden racks her husband made for her daughters. She also has been collecting Jelly Rolls of fabric for a challenge with her daughter and 2 granddaughters age 9 & 13.

Lorraine took a beginning dye class from Vera, they did gradations, parfaits and folded Shibori.

Lorraine also finished a Block of the Month an Oregon patriotic quilt, designed by Corinne in the Umpqua Valley Quilters Guild. They are collecting quilts for the returning Charlie Company National Guard. Pat G. is at an all day Patriotic quilt workshop. Several of the Fyber Cafe members are going there after our meeting.

Lorraine is also making more block of the month star patterns for patriotic quilts.

Amy did some tie dye with 3 friends at a BBQ at her house, they all made several t-shirts. Amy wore her rainbow spiral, and showed her Shibori dyed T-shirt that was wrapped around a PVC pipe.

At the end of the day they poured the leftover dye, dripping down a large piece of muslin, the colors blended, as they ran down the fabric.

Vera did some dye painting and worked with the resists that she taught in class last August. Her fabric is beautiful!