The Most Wonderful Time at AFIC

We cannot say enough good things about AFIC, which makes us just like everybody else who went!  Seven of us, all told, made the trip to Columbus, Ohio for the convention.  Our far-flung members from southern Indiana and Illinois came too, and it was delightful to get to hang out with Denise and Barbara and Liz -- we don't see them nearly often enough.

Here's our 'local group' at the Hat and Heels Banquet on Thursday night, wearing very sedate and tasteful chapeaus.  Leslie won an award for the unique placement of her heels (no way was she putting them on her feet!).


Leslie, Katie, Andrea, and Jude

We also had a great time with the planned entertainment of the evening, which was to sew a dolly outfit in as confused and unorganized manner as possible, very quickly.  (Disclaimer: the event was planned very well -- all confusion was solely due to the participants!)

Hard at work



Working on Denise's idea: turn hair scrunchies into fashionable footwear.



Sewing so fast the fabric is a blur!

After not nearly enough time, and a rule change or two, we created this little lovely.  Our table CEO, teacher Patti LaValley invented a utterly impromptu story about our blue-haired granny, wearing her fuzzy slippers and her so-old-it's-retro ball fringe skirt while rocking her grandbaby.

Fortunately, the rest of our creations in all of the fabulous classes came out with a little more style!  Check back soon for more.

The Lady Gaga edition of cloth doll show and tell

So our April meeting last week was packed absolutely full, with tons of show and tell, plus a swap meet, plus a photographer and a light tent to play with.  Altogether it will take two or three posts to share it all!  (We could actually have used two or three meetings to share it all, too, come to think of it.)

This post will feature an over-the-top original creation by Mary McNeely.  The doll was originally designed as an entry in the Black-on-Black Challenge last October.  Lady Gaga, for those who don't know, is a singer/songwriter who is also known for her edgy fashion style and her nearly impossible shoes.


Lady Gaga by Mary McNeely



A closeup of her fabulous eyelashes, as well as her button eyes, embroidered mouth, and star earrings



The pleather Lobster Boots (!), with chain loops above and beaded heels below

The "Bad Romance" pose

The next posts will have to wait until after AFIC -- five of us are going to attend the convention (and are sewing like mad to finish our homework!!!), and a few more are driving over just to see the exhibits, which will include our own club exhibit along with all the other fabulous dolls.  And vendors.  And more dolls.  And then some more shopping.  And probably even more dolls after that!

March 2011 meeting

We should go back and catch up with the March meeting from the 19th, which took place before our weekend workshop with Annie.  We started the felt etuis (see this post from March 9th) and had a pretty good time with them.  Here's the first finished one, in cheerful, spring-y colors!


Ann R. has the first finished sewing kit from our March meeting!



Inside and outside are equally pretty


We also had some small but sweet dolls for show-and-tell.  The first is a special doll that Mary made to remember a friend who would ride her bike in astounding outfits, including this red tutu with zebra leggings!

Mary McNeely's Wild Woman tribute to Pansy

Nita brought two new dollies, including this original sweetie made in bright colors to chase away the winter blues.


The appropriately named Sunny!  Designed by Nita B.

Nita also brought Olivia, shown below in beautiful lace with a delicately drawn face.  Olivia was made from a Miriam Gourley pattern.

That should hold us for a while!  Don't forget to bring 'stuff' to swap at the April meeting swap meet.

Beaded Faces from Annie Hesse's class

Well, it has been a long time since the last post, due to the icky flu and other life complications, like trying to do homework for upcoming doll classes, and there are probably other things I should post first, but... we have fabulous pictures from our Annie Hesse workshop this weekend!


faces by Julie G., Bonnie, and Lynn

We just had Annie here for a 2-day workshop, and everybody finished the beaded face in class (although there may have been some midnight oil burning too!).  Most of us also got most if not all of the doll finished as well.


faces by Leslie, Martha, and Andrea

Annie taught a seated variation of her Spirit Walker doll; the doll is named Garden Party and has wonderfully extravagant ribbon skirts!  She had nice patterns printed up for us, but they are not up on her website yet.

faces by Nita and Liz

Many of the dolls were still armless at picture time, but Ann R. got her doll's arms attached in time to hold Barbara's beautiful-but-bodiless face for the group portrait!

faces by Mary Jane, Ann R., and Barbara

Annie was a great teacher, and we all had a really wonderful time with her!  She had traveled directly from teaching her Raggedy doll in Detroit (we should have asked her the name of the group there) to teaching in Indianapolis.  Even doing two different dolls in two cities in 5 days, she was totally organized.  AND, she remembered every person who had been in a class with her before, and asked about family members and projects and was just super to hang out with.