February Newsletter

Julie W's embroidered Scribbles

Upcoming Meetings

February 21, 2015

Charity Doll Sew-in/ Challenge Judge Form Review

March 21, 2015
Eyelashes -- Erin

April 18, 2015
Tips on Steampunk -- Sue

May 16, 2015
Joint meeting with River City

Mary's award winning dragon

Member Birthdays

We'd like to wish a warm Happy Birthday to Julie G and Liz M!

Lizzie and Grandma's teacup pincushion

January Meeting Minutes

Members Present: Virginia, Sue, Martha, Lizzie, Maggie, Vicki, Ann R, Julie W, Robbie, Ron, Julie G, Jude, Nita, Katie, Janet L, Ann C, Erin, Andrea, and Mary.

Mary's Miss Galaxy 2002

Show and Tell

We had a few test Scribbles in attendance this month.  Scribbles is the Charity doll pattern we are using this year, designed by Cyndy Sieving.  Click the link above to get your copy of the free pattern.  Julie W and Jude were thinking alike and used their embroidery machines to make the faces.  They are so cute!  I can't wait to give a ton of these to little kids who need a friend.

Mary's Countess

Martha brought her granddaughter Lizzie who loves to craft.  They made a bunch of dainty teacup pincushions.  The results were so fun and easy that they bet their non-crafty friends will enjoy making them, too.

Mary brought a lot to share with us, starting with her beautiful mermaid Mareena, from a Patti LaValley pattern.  She belongs in the sea with her deep blue tones.  Next was Miss Galaxy 2002, a lovely lady in a black gown and striking green eyes.  Miss Galaxy was a Dollmaker's Journey challenge using the Sylvia Schorr pattern.

Virginia's fairy Kiss

Then a beaded dragon which won Mary 1st place in an online challenge.  Great job Mary!  The pattern is Celtic Dragon by Melinda Small Paterson. Finally, she showed us Countess, a Christine Shively pattern dressed in purples and blues highlighted in gold. 

Ann C's Troll Baby

Virginia worked hard to get her mom's Christmas gift finished in time, and she was worth the time off work!  Kiss is a whimsical fairy who won't let anything get in between her and her Hershey Kisses!  Virginia even hand-dyed the body fabric.

We have a collaboration between two of our doll artists, the Dragon Charmer and her Baby.  Barbara sent Ann C the adorable Berry to dress, but she had to have a baby!  Mommy is the Sybil pattern by Jennifer Carson. Ann's baby is made of some of the Australian fabric from Threads of Time, using Ute Vasina's Troll Baby pattern.

Barbara's Dragon Charmer

Janet made two new birdies.  One is a little orange and blue fella, and the other is the Distlefink.  She designed the pattern herself based on folk art drawings of the bird.  We love seeing her embellished birds.

Jude's embroidered Scribbles

Business Meeting

Last year, the Board revamped the club bylaws.  We will take a vote to accept them at the February meeting.  You can read them here, or they are listed to the right if you ever need to see one of our rules.

Katie was contacted by the Original Sewing + Quilt Expo.  We were going to have a booth at the Expo, but they have canceled the event this year.  Too bad, we were looking forward to sharing our art with other fiber artists.

But we still have the Doll Collectors show in May.  There wasn't enough interest to have a club display, but a few people are going to share a table.  Contact Leslie if you want to share the cost of the table to sell your dolls.

Janet's Distlefink

The Show and Sale has been growing steadily over the last few years.  We have decided to appoint a committee to handle all of the tasks in planning and setting up the event.  Maggie, Andrea, Vicki, Katie, and Ann R have volunteered for the committee.  Thank you all, this is a great opportunity to make the Show and Sale the best it can be!

Janet's cute orange and blue birdie

Our workshop for 2015 is set with Angela Jarecki.  We asked to NOT make a fairy or a mermaid, I guess we're a little burned out on fantasy dolls. Anya and her Baby will be a good mix of the techniques we requested.  Class size is limited, so we will start the sign-up at the February meeting.  Email Andrea if you cannot attend the meeting but want to take the class.

Anya and her Baby- The Traveller

September 26 & 27Saturday and Sunday (Possibly Friday night as well, that is open for discussion)
Cost -- tentatively about $120 

Angela has also made available her Windows online class to all of our members at a discount!  More info on that to come.

Anya and Baby by Angela Jarecki

Next Meeting

We ran out of time to go over Kathryn's judging forms from the Fairy Habitat challenge. If you would like to share your comments from Kathryn, bring your judging form and we will read them.  It's good to learn from each other and the comments from viewers. 

After our business meeting in February, we will be assembling charity dolls for the Children's Bureau.  Please bring parts for at least one doll, the pattern can be found here. Sew and stuff the arms and legs.  Sew the head pieces to the body pieces, but do not sew them together.  We will do that at the meeting.  If you'd like to make the ears, baste them to the head.   

Scribble arms and legs

Julie and Jude will be making some embroidered faces to share, so you can also bring some bodies without the face attached. We will have sewing machines and stuffing.  You can bring ribbons or fiber for hair, tools for embroidery, stuffing tools, etc.

Scribble's front and back

Upcoming Challenges

2015 AFICC Club display - A Bar Scene - Create a character (about 14-16 inches tall) that you might meet in a bar or nightclub.  You may create just the doll, or include a setting like a corner booth or a bit of dance floor.  We'll display them together at AFICC in Columbus, OH in April.

2015 Paint Chip Challenge- Choose a paint chip with coordinating colors and make a doll that includes those colors. This will be due at our next joint meeting with River City in May of 2015. If you haven’t received a chip, you can get one from Andrea or find one you like at your hardware store.

2015 Australian Fabric Challenge- Choose a fabric from Threads of Time’s Australian collection to use in a doll. Doll is due in Danville, IL in June of 2015. There will be a People’s Choice award.

Leather and Lace- Due at the October meeting, make a cloth doll that includes the materials leather and lace in some way.  No restrictions on size or theme.

January Checklist

• Nametag
• Dues
• Charity Doll body, arms & legs 
• Fibers/ ribbons for hair, embroidery floss for face, needles, thread, stuffing, scissors, etc.
• Critique from the Fairy & Habitat Challenge to share

Mary's Mareena mermaid