2009!

Okay, so the past couple of months were kind of a mess! Man, where does the time go... However! Moving onward and upward, let's figure out some fun things to do next - shall we?

Here's what we accomplished this year:

embroidery
sewing
silkscreen
herb/fruit infusions (vodka, olive oil, vinegar)
various knitting bits

Not bad! That leaves all these left on our "wish list" from back in July, when this whole thing started:

re-wiring - lamps, ceiling lights, wall sconces
beaded jewelry
soap and candles
lamp making
cross stitch
mosaic tiling
mat cutting for frames
general scouting/summer-camp skills (fire-making, cooking, whittling?)
printmaking and letterpress
homemade wine
reupholstering and slipcovers
possible themes for a meeting: lampshades! buttons! cork! felt!

We've still got a lot of ideas kicking around out there. I propose we all do some thinking (and I've got a few ideas in the works already...) and meet up in January for a pow-wow, and we'll lay out the first half of the year.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

1) Jot down some craft ideas - something you've done before that was really cool, or an idea you're interested in exploring

Ideas to get you started: do you have friends with a crafty job or a neat talent? ask them to be a guest! do you have a half-assed project that needs completing? suggest that as a topic for a meeting - we all might be interested.

2) Send me your inspiration! I am updating the blog list on here, so if you have websites you visit everyday for visual stimulation or craft inspiration... leave the address in the comments and I'll add it.

I've got a poll up, so vote for the meeting date. as usual, majority rules!

See you fools in January.

Meeting: Sunday, November 23rd

Okay, poll says that we're doing infusions of various kinds and a crafting wrap-up. I may knit a little, stencil a bit of fabric, who knows. But I am *definitely* infusing some stuff.

Infusions - the boozy kind

Okay! There was an inspiring article in the Washington Post the other day, with a recipe for Limoncello.... and that's what I am making! You need lemons and Everclear to start with, and a big ole jar. Here is the recipe: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120600243.html If you want to make it, but are too lazy or busy to get the ingredients, send me an email and I'll pick up the stuff for you and you can pay me back later...

I am also going to infuse some vodka with some herbs - fennel, maybe? Maybe lavender? And walnut. I have a shit-ton of fresh mint growing at my house, as well as 2 bushes of late-blooming lavender. Help yourself to those if you want. I also have some jars laying around that people can use. Otherwise, bring your own ingredients!

Here are some links to some fun recipes for inspiration:

- A Wikihow article on infusions

- A cozy infusion with oats and honey and cinnamon

- Orange bitters

- Ooh, this one is interesting. A recipe involving gin infused with chamomile flowers (available at the Yes! Organic Market - I've seen them at the one in Brookland...)

- Get inspired from the aquavit menu at Domku or the vodka menus at Russia House

- other flavors/colors to consider: saffron and chiles (that's my idea, i think it would be a wild color with a spicy burn); any kind of berry; dill; hazelnuts and honey; star anise; ginger?

Infusions - oils, for the risk-taker

Almost anything you could put in vodka, you can put in oil. However! There is a risk of food poisoning if you don't store the oils correctly, so I wouldn't go passing these out as holiday gifts at the office. You can make them for yourself, though, and as long as you use dried ingredients to infuse the oils, store the oil in the fridge, and use it up in a few weeks - it should be a-okay!

Infusions - vinegars, the carefree choice

Again, anything would go into a vinegar that would go into a vodka - make your choice of malt, cider, rice, wine, whatever, and pair with a fruit or herb. Rosemary malt vinegar?

Infusions - seasonings

What about sugar? salt? These can be infused too. Martha loves her lemon and vanilla sugars, and I've heard-tell of rosemary infused sea salt, fennel and cardamom sugars.

RSVP to my hotmail or in the comments, so I know if anyone is coming... See you fools on Sunday!

~Mel

NOVEMBER MEETING - DATE CHANGE!

A couple of people can't come this weekend, so I've taken the liberty of moving the meeting to NEXT WEEKEND - Sunday, November 23! See you people then!

In the meantime, let's vote! I'm adding a poll to the blog right snappy...

Let's make some messes.

Date: Sunday, October 19
Time: 3:30pm
Place: My house (766B Princeton Place NW)

RSVP: in the comments, so i know if any of you jokers are actually coming or not...

Focus of the meeting will be printing - paper and fabric! i've cut out dyeing, because i don't feel like making that big of a mess in the house.... anyone upset about that? let me know and i'll reconsider. :)

Fabric:

Freezer paper method (thanks for the suggestion, jennifer! i forgot about the ole freezer paper method...) It's easy and low-fuss/low-mess. I will also have stuff for some easy silk-screening.

I will have:
- plenty of freezer paper
- cutting mat and knife(s)
- some old acrylic paints, a few colors of fabric heat-set paint
- mod podge
- a yard or two of silk for screening
- a few small embroidery hoops
- iron

You bring:
- paints if you have them, or if you have a color you are "dyeing" for. yuk yuk.
- something to print on! old t-shirt, new shirt, linens, tote bag...
- a design to use (we have a computer and printer, but it'll be easier if you have one already...)


Paper:

If paper is more your interest, let's try some simple block printing. I've always wanted to try this, so I am going to buy a few linoleum blocks for myself, as well as some ink, a few carving tools and a brayer (rolling thingie). You are welcome to use my brayer and tools and any cast-offs that I don't use, but you might want to get your own!

I'll have:
- glass for rolling out ink
- rolling pin, weights, things to press the paper to the block
- clean-up stuff
- whatever brayer i end up getting for myself, along with a few carving tools
- sandpaper?
- tracing paper
- some generic white craft paper to mess around with

You bring:
- any inks or tools you want to buy for yourself
- fancy paper to print on
- images to print

Let's do it!

As usual, if printing doesn't float your boat and you just want to hang out and knit or sew - that's cool too!

YIKES!

okay, so September pretty much just got away from me. i can't do our usual 3:30 this Sunday - i am driving out to see our wedding venue and take pictures for the caterer (yay!). plus michele, who is going to show us those lovely little orange cakes, can't do it this weekend anyway. boo hoo, on all accounts.

i think i have to cancel this weekend, unless i hear a pitiful outcry from you all. otherwise, let's keep working and skip on ahead to october!

i am double-pumped for october, and it might take some extra time to get prepped for that meeting. this is what we're doing:

Block printing paper goods!
Screen printing fabric!
Dyeing/painting fabric, perchance?

if the weather is nice, we'll do this out on my deck and in the backyard - a nice breeze and i won't lose my mind when i spill a kettle of indigo blue dye....

SUNDAY - get inspired!

okay, i finally added some fun links off to the side there... go trolling around in those, and visit your own favorites to get some ideas for Sunday. I have a bunch of Sublime Stitching patterns if you want to mooch, and a tote bag pattern I printed from someplace-online-i-forget-where.

I am making 2 pillowcases, then embroidering them with something pretty...

See you then!

AUGUST MEETING - SUNDAY, AUG. 17

Alright, ladies. By way of a tied vote, you've forced me - me! - to make a decision about the August meeting. I'm choosing August 17, because I am leaving for a week-long trip on the 24th and I know I'll be running around doing last-minute crap on the 23rd. So there! We have an August date.

I'll do a pre-meeting post next week, and add links for creative inspiration as well as some project hints. I'm also working on a new blog design that includes a simple calendar at the top, to keep track of upcoming meetings. The pre-fab bits of blogger leave some to be desired, but there's a way around any rule in the life if you just have some patience...

See you soon!

Next up: August meeting

AUGUST: simple machine sewing, cross-stitch and embroidery

We will have at least two working sewing machines on hand for folks to share. Think summer! Simple A-line skirts, aprons, beach bags, summery linens like tea towels, pillowcases - whatever strikes your fancy. We are pairing simple sewing with embellishment so you can do both at once in you want, or just focus on one. I plan to sew a pillowcase and embroider it with ridiculous designs. We will have a few members present with skillz in embroidery and cross-stitch to get us started.

To bring:
For a sewing project: fabric, thread, and a pattern if you need one.
For embroidery or cross-stitch: needles, colored floss, fabric or kit, hoop. Other helpful cross stitch items include a highlighter and some masking tape.

Place: My house (766-B Princeton Place NW 20010)
Time: 3:00
Date: ???

We decided that we would meet on Sunday the 24th... but I can't do it! I am flying out to San Francisco that day. I've added a POLL to the main page - vote for your favorite day.

SEND THIS LINK ON TO WHO EVER YOU THINK MIGHT BE INTERESTED.

First meeting of Sew Watts Cookin'!

So! I feel like the first meeting was a wild success, don't you? Sorry it's taken me a day or two to post. I am easily distracted. For those of you who couldn't make it, here's how it went down: you are all banned from the club. Forever.



No really, the first meeting went just as I had hoped. We sat around and brainstormed about different projects and themes that interested each of us, and hashed out a rough schedule from now through the winter holidays. I'll also be jazzing up the blog this week, to include photos from the meeting, and some links to exotic locations on the web for inspiration.

THINGS WE DISCUSSED

Projects for future meetings:
embroidery
sewing (hey, pretty vague, eh?)
lamp making
cross stitch
mosaic tiling
mat cutting for frames
general scouting/summer-camp skills (fire-making, cooking, whittling?)
Printmaking and letterpress
Silkscreen
Re-wiring ceiling lights and wall sconces
beaded jewelry
soap and candles
herb infusions (vodka, olive oil, vinegar)
homemade wine (i forgot to bring this one up, but i thought it would be a dandy...)
reupholstering and slipcovers
Possible themes for a meeting: Lampshades! Buttons! Cork! Felt!

Meeting structure:
1) Craft or skill presentation
2) Break down into two groups: those working on the presented project/skill, and those working on whatever project they brought along
3) Wrap-up, and reminders/details about the next meeting on the schedule

Miscellaneous:
- My house is a good default location, as it has lots of space to spread out, but anyone is free to host
- Some meetings might be a field trip - park, G Street Fabrics, anyplace fun and relevant to the project at hand
- If the featured project involves special supplies, I will post a shopping list on the blog in advance of the meeting. If you want to participate in the project, bring the stuff on the list! If not, bring something else to work on.
- If the featured project/skill involves food, the presenter will bring the ingredients to make enough for everyone to sample/snack on afterward! If there are no food-related projects being presented, snacks are welcome... :)
- We'll try to take lots of each meeting to post on the blog - especially photos to document step-by-steps of the presentations. for folks who couldn't make it, and for general instruction/reference for later.
- In the weeks leading up to each meeting, I will post shopping lists to the blog as well as possibilities for inspiration related to the project or theme.

2008 Schedule:

AUGUST: simple machine sewing, cross-stitch and embroidery
We will have at least two working sewing machines on hand for folks to share. Think summer! Simple skirts, aprons, beach bags, summery linens like tea towels, pillowcases - whatever strikes your fancy. We are pairing simple sewing with embellishment, so you can do both or either. I plan to sew a pillowcase and embroider it with ridiculous designs. We will have a few members present with skillz in embroidery and cross-stitch to get us started.

SEPTEMBER: campfire baking, and intro to knitting
Meet at a picnic area of Rock Creek Park, where we'll learn fire-making skills, and how to make excellent little orange cakes around the campfire! Knitters of varying skill levels will be on hand for helping you start that fall scarf or hat, or sweater.

OCTOBER: Print making - letterpress, hard-carved block printing, silk screen
More details in development.

NOVEMBER: Beaded jewelry and other holiday gift ideas
More details in development.

DECEMBER: Holiday baking and project "wrap-up"! (finish lingering projects from other meetings, and make your own wrapping paper...)

JANUARY and BEYOND: we'll get to that later.

The birth of Sew Watts Cookin'?

Okay, so I borrowed the name from a 4-H club near where I grew up. But I've always loved the name. It makes me think of Nancy Drew, for some reason. Or some other old-fashioned girl heroine.

Sewing, cooking, messing with electricity. How fun! How about gardening, home improvements, and using power tools? Web design, photography, bike repair, self-defense? I know some of this stuff, and you might know some of this stuff. But the rest? That's where you all come in. Bring your own knowledge over to the party, along with a project that you are working on... or maybe a project that has you stumped.

For those of you who were ever in 4-H, we'll have a similar format. We'll try and schedule short, informal "presentations" by attendees on some kind of skill or interest. Sometime I'd like to make a presentation on something I know about - maybe gardening, or tools?

However, at the first meeting, we'll just hang out and be excited about stuff in general. Think about what you're good at and we'll hash it all out at the meeting. Then we'll drink wine.

What: Inaugural meeting of SEW WATTS COOKIN'
Where: My house (766-B Princeton Place NW)
When: July 27th (Sunday), 3:00pm
Why: Because, that's why

Foward this to anyone you think might be interested. RSVP in the comments section, so I know approx. how many people are planning to show up.