Bits & Pieces

Taken from Sherrill Sorbets newsletter.
Sherrill Kahn develops paint for fiber artists, scrapbook makers and anyone who want great paint for many avenues of art work.
The paints work well on all surfaces including paper, fabric, wood, and cardboard. I have to share with you something that happened at my last store. I knew the owners and I had taught for the same store last year. I didn’t read my new contract carefully before I signed it. On the last day, I discovered that I had agreed to give 50% of my stamp sales to the store, meaning we made no profit on the rubber stamps.
In addition, the store took 50% of sales of my personal artwork. Please read your contracts carefully. Everyone that has heard this story has been horrified at such a large percentage being taken. I don’t want this to happen to any of you, so please read all contracts you sign very carefully before you sign them.
The artwork pictured above is something new that I am doing. I used Oil of Olay facial wipes to create the sewn textural areas of the design. I used the facial wipes to wash my face and then I washed out the wipe, let it dry, and then dyed it with paints and Jacquard’s Dye-na-flow. Since I discovered the magic of facial wipes, I have tried Ponds, Walmart’s brand, and other inexpensive wipes.
The possibilities are endless. You can collage them, sew with them, make beads, etc. Some tear easier than others after they have been dyed. If they don’t tear easily, make a small cut and then tear them. I have bags full of these to use in my art work and am writing an article for
Somerset Studio about the process.

You can learn more about Sherrill and her Sorbet paints at:
http://www.impressmenow.com/paint_set.htm

Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival

November 13-15, 2008,
Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Looking for volunteers to host our booth during the festival, 10 to 1 and 1 to 4; three hours apiece. Remember, working the booth gets you in free at the door!
We also need display items; they are always very well receivedby the public.

Contact Pennie Smith, (253)475-9170.

Kent Valley Needlers

We have a new Satellite! They meet in Kent at the Kent Regional Library, on the 4th Wednesday at 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Bonny Hardie (253-277-1352) and Nancy Massey (253- 333-1087) are the coordinators and you can email Bonny at: bonny-roy@comcast.net
They will have a new scheduled meeting for November. Nov. 12 Wed 10 to 12. This is for November only. December there will be no meeting January 28, Wednesday 10 to 2 Sept. - Loni is going to demo. sewing on stretch fabric. Bring samples of any fabric that you have questions about. Oct. - Nancy is going to demo Paper Piecing.
Bring sewing needle, neutral thread, and scissors. Nov. - Change for this month only. 2nd Wed. of the month and we have the room until 12 o’clock only. Nancy is going to tell us about American Sewing Guild, and if you have an event or group that you want to tell us about, we would appreciate hearing about it.
Also, if you have a web site that you like or a new product that you want to share with us, we would love to hear about it also. January 28th the demo will be ribbon weaving and in February the demo will be black stitch.

Mary Llewellyn

Mary tells us that her first and longest attended Satellite was the Narrows Needlers. Then Mary helped start the interest group Garment Workers and Comforters. She also belonged to the Doll Mamas, Moonlighters, Starlight Stitchers and PM Patchers.
About 1980 she took over the book orders and did that until a few years ago; she has been librarian for about 5 years or so. She says they have moved the library three times and that was NOT fun!
Mary feels NAGOPS has been a wonderful group of people. Her most precious item is the “Little Miss Mary” quilt that was made from the blocks given to her when she was coordinator for Comforters in 1987-88. It was designed by Jeannie Austin and 42 ladies made the blocks. It is a trip down memory lane when she looks at it as so many of our members have moved or passed away. They all signed their blocks and she absolutely loves it.
If it had not been for all the wonderful members and the wonderful classes she would never have
tried all the exciting projects, especially beading, thanks to Midge DeSart!
Mary has been on many nominating committees, worked on our exhibits, teas and luncheons, as
well as Librarian, coordinator, book orders and other times when she has been needed.

Charter Member: Yvonne Hayward

Yvonne says she was one of the handful of leftovers when the Satellites were formed by zip codes. They became the “Stitch Witches,” with members from Olympia, Gig Harbor and even Seattle.
She didn’t know to much about stitchery and gladly learned from Susie Frank who was their coordinator. She likes to dabble at different techniques; enjoying stump work, stitches like buttonhole stitch and just embroidery.
She says she know her limitations, but likes to take classes even if she becomes master of none!
Yvonne was the first treasurer and on the committee that formed the guilds constitution. She also was coordinator of their Satellite a couple times. She and Susan Parr are the last of the Stitch Witches.

Dear Members,
As of this writing we have 85 paid members. Did you notice the note on the back of the newsletter? See if you can interest a friend in NAGOPS this year.
Scholarship winners from June annual meeting are Marie Creson and Jean Thomas. We are looking forward to hearing how they use their scholarships to increase their skills.
Remember if you take a class from one of our newsletter shop advertisers you can receive $10 rebate from NAGOPS; you must save your receipt. Be sure to show your NAGOPS membership card to the shop when you pay for the class.
Sunshine cards will now be sent by Leslie Winchell. We thank Carol Dague who has been in charge of this service for many years. Carol has now moved to Nevada.
Service projects performed by the membership of NAGOPS will happily be announced and shared with our membership through the newsletter. Please submit your project, the beneficiaries, and the volunteer hours.
American Hero Quilts is one such project. Exhibiting our handwork is another example. Bibs for nursing homes etc.
Lakewood Library is the home a small display case belonging to Needle Arts Guild. We currently have a display of work by members of Moonlighters. November we have the privilege of displaying in the larger case as well as the small case. You are invited to display something in the Fall/ Christmas theme.

Contact Pennie Smith (253)475-9170

The Fair is Over by Leslie Winchell

The fair is over. As usual I had a fun time—lots of laughs, but my body is tired. Our fair is the 6th largest in the US so it needs many worker bees. Many workers are like me, retired from a good paying job, but willing to do this for a few weeks.
We say “we have the fair in our blood.” There is something fun about coming to the fair in the morning (I worked the opening to 4:30 pm each day)—the animals were always having their baths and us vendors were getting our booths ready for another busy day. I have gotten to know all the vendors around me. This Saturday was our only rainy day— the vendor next to me really had some flood issues so I helped him with soaked boxes etc—he would have done the same for me!!!
I feel very fortunate about my job. Many people have to stand all day so their feet get very tired and sore. I can sit in my booth, but with that said my knees are sore. I am not a sitter at home. We have a friend who is a knee doctor who always tells us that people that need knee surgery usually are sitters— not me! I was always glad to get my lunch break so I could go on a long walk. I can walk around my booth which is a small trailer, but it is defiantly not exercise! My stomach is very tired of cold lunches--I do not eat the unhealthy fair food, but really miss the lunches at home where I make homemade soups or salads. My ears are very tired of hearing Native American flute music which was played all day long by a vendor very near us! The music is lovely, but not all day. Actually the noise of the fair I find gets extremely tiring; I have always
been person who likes quiet.
Why do I work at this fair--well its fun. I like people. Most people at the fair are fun--I cannot tell you how many laughs I have had these past few weeks. I like the family I work for; they are hard working, but kind people. I love all the animals; I think cows are very pretty. I love the children who see all this in such wonderment.
Yes, I am a tired woman, but tired is good. The retired people who work the fair are healthy happy people who enjoy being around people. We are the seniors who are aging well, because we are willing and even like getting tired; and my guess is we will all be there next September!