A Bewitching Evening

The Phoebes arrived at the October meeting dressed in keeping with the Halloween spirit. Sue is modeling her cute witch's hat fascinator and jack-o'-lantern earrings. A feature of the meeting was Harlene's enrichment session (see more below), where she demonstrated how she crochets her wire necklaces. One was raffled off at the meeting, and the winner was none other than Sue, shown here proudly wearing it!  

Calendar Of Events 

November 4 and 5, (Saturday and Sunday), BABE (Bay Area Bead Extravaganza), Oakland Marriott City Center Hotel, 10th and Broadway. www.beadextravaganza.com

November 16, (Thursday), Phoebe Meeting, 6:30 to 9 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. The exchange for this month will be an ornament.

December 14, (Thursday), Crinkle Workday (from 9:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M., followed by the Phoebe Day Meeting 1 to 2:30 P.M., Alameda County Education Building. Bring your machine to workday and help make more crinkle items for Stitchin' for Kids outreach project. The exchange for the meeting has been changed to a challenge... bring something made using a buckle.

January 18, 2018, (Thursday), Jo Magaraci's "Nasty Women" 12"12" Quilting Square Workshop, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Education Building. Free admission with a $10 kit fee. See July blog post for photos. Please contact Daisy for information and to sign up. The Phoebe meeting will take place in the evening from 6:30 to 9 P.M.

Enrichment with Harlene

Harlene is shown here demonstrating how to create beautiful jewelry using floral wire and a knitting spool, and also by crocheting. Below is a close-up of one of her necklaces. A striking effect is made by inserting beads inside the tube as you crochet. If you scan through past posts of Phoebe meetings, you will find many more examples of her crochet/knit wire work.

Show and Tell

Members were invited to bring examples of Halloween dolls, either ones they have made, or ones they have collected, to the October meeting. Some people who missed the previous meeting brought some of their tiny dolls, which were due at that time. And, of course, there were also the many wonderful items our members have recently completed.

Betts shared with us her fabulous Halloween flat paper doll wall hanger...

...and a cute tiny bat-like figure...

...and so many other items, both above and below, such as a Sherry Goshan crow, a fabric-covered goblet, a beautiful necklace, and numerous booklets made with fabric and/or paper.

Anne shared with us a small selection from her amazing miniature chair collection, many of which she has made herself.

Carolyn is wearing the beautiful fiber necklace her daughter, Jennifer, lovingly made for her.

And, above is one of Carolyn's tiny dolls in Halloween colors.

Colleen amazed us with the strip-quilted "tuffet." Love the color/print selection. The top view is shown below.

Donna brought a pumpkin lady doll she made some time ago using paperclay.

And also a fabric owl, inspired by Christie Salacci's whimsical designs., plus a paperclay and fabric "Juggling Jack" doll she bought in 2008 from Deborah Muller, from Winters, CA.

Suzanne showed us one of the dolls used in the "Stitch'n for Kids" outreach project. Below are examples of the clothes and accessories created by the ladies at the Cotton Patch in Lafayette and numerous other volunteers, including Phoebes. These will accompany the dolls to their destination—young girls spending extended time in Bay Area hospitals.

Harlene proudly models her latest vest, which she made with colorful fabrics she found on the Phoebe donation table at our last meeting. Her vests are always amazing!

Linda, who's specialty is miniatures, shared with us a few items from her acquired collection, including a tiny Punch and Judy theater.

And, this is the cute and ghostly doll Linda purchased at "A Bewitching Fete," the art show recently held in Pleasanton. 

Marcella, always the amazing collector, displayed a Melissa Tereck paper machè witch in a cone, and several other creative Halloween-themed items.

Sue brought two witch dolls, including the larger one where she used feathers for the hair. It works beautifully!

And, above is the polymer doll created by Sue (check the amazing details on hands and feet), as well as her husband's carved gourd. What an artistically-talented couple!