Sew excited! Ordered my free 4-day pass (MQG member perk!) and added on a Friday lecture pass + 1 lecture on Saturday. Just about all of the classes are already full. Not to worry. Should I decide something looks interesting once I get to QuiltCon, I can always check the classes buy/sell board near the registration desk. I’m actually planning to do a sew-cation in my hotel room, plus hang out with other quilty friends. Shopping, visiting and looking at quilts is our mission – not necessarily taking classes.
Right now, we’re planning to drive over on Thursday morning and head back to the ATL after lunch on Sunday. Fortunately, the week following QuiltCon is winter break, so no need to hurry back to get ready for my Monday homeschool enrichment munchkins. 🙂
Visit a Quilt, Fabric or Sewing Machine shop to see what’s new.
Make a quilt, placemat or pillowcase to support local charities.
Teach someone else how to sew.
Experiment with a technique/process that intrigues you – applique, sashiko, EPP, shibori dye, weaving, felting, zipper insertion, detailed quilt blocks, bag making, paper piecing, crochet, etc.
I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to do what I loved most about my work as a children’s librarian – sharing great picture books and creating/making stuff with the kids. Three different homeschool groups share the space where I work as an enrichment teacher on Mondays. This means I must bring all materials and supplies with me each time. We’ll be sticking with paper, felt and nature crafts for now.
This week we created a our version of Mo Willems’s Duckling character along with zero calorie cookies:
The kids enjoyed making the cookies. In hindsight, I should have precut EVERYTHING for K & 1, put precision tips on the glue bottles and remembered to bring plastic baggies to wrap the cookies in for transport home. Oh well, I learned some valuable things – namely this activity is better suited for grades 2 & up rather than K-1.
Following is a list of the items I find essential for our crafting activities. An asterisk indicates items kept in small bins that I bring to each class. Other materials are added depending on the projects we make.
Essential Craft Supplies Crayons* Colored pencils Markers/Sharpies Scissors* Glue sticks* School glue* Glue gun & glue sticks Cellophane tape* Plain copy/printer paper White cardstock Large pad of drawing paper* Construction paper Assorted colors of gift tissue paper (or single color napkins) Scrapbook assorted paper pad (12×12) Paper plates Coffee filters Craft sticks in assorted sizes Ruler* #2 pencils* Pencil sharpener* Single hole punch* Twine Felt (assorted colors) Wax paper
Add-on Craft Supplies (easy to transport and reasonably priced on sale) Yarn in assorted colors Stickers Wiggle eyes Chenille stems (pipe cleaners) Pom poms Pony beads Craft cord Ribbon and trim Washi tape Bling – stick on jewels, sequins & glitter Polyfil stuffing (small bag) Large eye sewing needles for craft cord Needle threaders Large tomato pincushion
Specialty Craft Supplies Small set of acrylic paints Modge Podge Small set of assorted size paintbrushes Small set of foam brushes Melty Beads Looms & loops for weaving Pom pom makers Shrinky dink E-textile findings (thread, snap circuits, LEDs, etc.)
Dollar Tree is an excellent source for basic craft supplies and ready-made seasonal craft kits. Where else can you pick up a craft kit to make six complete items for $1.25? Hobby Lobby is my go-to for craft kits, paper goods and general craft supplies when marked 40%-50% off. For me, Office Depot was the best place to get crayons, markers, scissors, glue and glue sticks during back-to-school sales.
I personally purchased all of the items listed under the specialty category while I was still working full time. Said items were definitely not left behind when I retired last year.
Come Stitch With Me 