September Program - Feather Stitched Linen Hand Towel

Our program for September will be a feather stitched linen hand towel suitable for your guest bath or a lovely gift.  We will learn a simple feather stitch, then embellish it with Jeannie B's old fashioned bullion rose and some lazy-daisy leaves.  A kit will be available for $5.00 that will include the hemstitched linen hand towel, white floss, directions, and the appropriate needles (11 Sharp and 8 Milliner).

 If you have Jeannie B's Book of Embroidery Designs and Stitches, please bring it.  The A - Z Embroidery Stitches book is also helpful.   You will also need a fine point wash-out marker.  There will be two light boxes for copying your pattern onto the hand towel.  Of course, bring embroidery scissors, your thimble, if you use one, and magnification.

August Meeting - An inside-out bag

This month on August 27 , Debbie will teach us how to do an "inside-out" bag with a floral applique.  The pattern is by Cath Kidston, www.cathkidston.co.uk. 



A kit will be provided for $5.00.
 It will include: 
Bag pattern
Applique pattern and cut out
Fabric for applique, flower, and leaves

Instructions for applique

Needles

Thread

 Please bring embroidery scissors and look forward to a fun evening!

July Program: Christmas in July!

It will be Christmas in July for this month's program.  We will be working on a smocked Christmas ball using the plate called "Duck the Halls" by Little Memories. Stacked cables (picture smocking), backsmocking, and construction techniques will be skills taught this month   The smocked Christmas ball decorated tree and basic information about completing the ornament are by Dorothy Dyer and are in Issue #133, 2010, of Sew Beautiful magazine.  We will be providing kits, so if you want to make this ornament, email Diana and let her know you want a kit.

Basic sewing supplies will be needed.  If you have Issue #133 of Sew Beautiful, please bring it.  See you on July 23 at 7:00.   Ho! Ho! Ho!

June Meeting: Ozark Foothills Group Quilt

This month Debbie will share her quilting expertise with us as we work on a quilt using French General reds, khakis, and creams.  Here are basic directions for the quilt.  More precise directions will be given at the meeting.

Prewash and press all fabric before cutting

Fabric

400  3" Squares of your choice in varying colors of reds, khakis, and creams. We have selected a collection from the French General line.

A  variety of 1/8 yard fabrics.   From each 1/8 yard prewashed fabric you will get a minimum of 14  3" squares.

A  variety of 1/4 yard fabrics.   From each 1/4 yard prewashed fabric you will get a minimum of 28  3" squares.

You will need a total of 400 3" squares.  Of these 400 3" squares,  you will bring 20 to exchange at the June meeting. These 20 can be all of the same fabric or you can bring a variety.

Assembly Instructions

Select 400 3" squares for center of quilt.

Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew blocks 20 rows by 20 rows.

Center of quilt should measure approximately 50" x 50".

Border

You will need two and a half yards of border fabric.  Two yards will work but after washing it is better to have extra for the border length.  The border width will be the width of your fabric divided by four.  For example if your fabric width is 40" after washing and cutting the selvages off you will have four 10" widths.  The inner sashing can be cut on the width to save fabric but will need to be pieced.  Depending on the width of the inner border you want depends on the amount of fabric.  Backing will depend on all of your measurements.  On this quilt I would use the left over fabrics and piece them for the backing. 

 Makes finished size about 71”.  Number of squares would need to be adjusted to make a different sized quilt.  

May Program - Shadow Work Embroidery

We will be learning to do shadow work embroidery at our May meeting.  Our project will be worked on a sweet Wee Care gown in your choice of white, pink, or blue, and three different styles of gown.  Patterns for all three styles, fabric, ribbon, floss, and embroidery designs will be included in your kits.  Kits will be provided by the Wee Care budget from the Chapter.

Bring your regular sewing supplies including washout marking pen, scissors, embroidery needles for one strand of floss, a 3-4 inch embroidery hoop, and magnification if you need it.

Remember that each member needs to complete at least 3 Wee Care items per year to satisfy membership requirements!

April Program, DIY Bishop

The April program was taken from the July/August 2012 Sew Beautiful magazine.  Claire Meldrum had an article about a DIY bishop with honeycomb smocking.  We were intrigued about being able to design our own bishop pattern, so Diana researched the article so that she could guide us through the process.  We were glad she did all that research, because she found out that several of the directions and figures in the magazine article were in error, and we would have ruined our fabric if we had followed them.  The magazine has published corrections on its website. 

The honeycomb smocking was familiar to several of us who remembered it from years ago when we did that stitch on gingham.  On this pattern, however, we had to draw grid lines instead of putting the fabric through a pleater.

We are looking forward to seeing the completed dresses at the May meeting.

Stitchin' in the Foothills 2013

Stitchin' in the Foothills moved to the Embassy Suites in Rogers, Arkansas, this year.  Twenty wonderful ladies enjoyed two and a half days of stitching with Jeannie Baumeister.  We had a terrific venue at the Embassy Suites.  Our meeting rooms couldn't have been better, and the meals were great.  Jeannie is a talented instructor with unlimited patience in teaching and explaining the skills we needed to have in order to complete the precious little slip and linen hemstitched and embroidered dress.  Door prizes, raffle baskets, and hoo-haws (table favors) all made for a fun experience for all attendees.

Thanks to all of our out-of-town ladies.  You are family to us!  Thanks to all the OFC SAGA chapter members who worked so hard to make this a great sewing experience. Thanks to the staff of Embassy Suites for going above and beyond to make us feel welcome and comfortable.

January Program - Beribboned Baby Bonnet

Our January program was the last in our year-long bonnet series.  The bonnet originally was in an issue of Sew Beautiful magazine and designed by Sara Norris.  We were able to get the beautiful silk dupioni fabric and ribbon at The Stitchin' Post in Little Rock...thank you, Jane and Linda, for always coming to our rescue with wonderful supplies!

Susan taught us how to make the lovely silk satin ribbon roses, leaves, and ruching that decorated this bonnet.  We can't wait to get ours finished.

Stitchin' in the Foothills XV

It's official!  Jeannie Baumeister is coming to Ozark Foothills Chapter, March 21 - 23, 2013, for 2 1/2 days of wonderful classes.  Thursday afternoon, we will be making a little slip to go under the dress pictured above.  For the slip, we will learn to make whip tucks (also known as overhand tucks) along with the hand shell hem.


On Friday and Saturday, we will make the "Rosebuds and Hemstitched Old Fashioned Baby" dress shown above.  Jeannie will teach how to prepare fabric for hemstitching, then the half and whole hemstitch, as well as lace insertion, lace edging, hand embroidery techniques, and construction.  

Cost for this class will be $225, which will include instruction, kits for both dress and slip, and lunches for both full days.  For more information, email ozarkfoothills@gmail.com.