Free Republic

HAMILTON, Mo.—This tiny farm town used to be known as the home of James Cash Penney Jr., founder of the namesake department store chain. These days, it is better known in some circles as the home of Jenny Doan. Those would be quilting circles. Over the past few years, Mrs. Doan, 57 years old, has become a veritable superstar of the craft. Her YouTube tutorials on how to make quilts have drawn as many as a million viewers, some from as far away as South Africa. Her family's Missouri Star Quilt Co. gets as many as 30,000 orders a month...

On stage Friday at the Sewing & Stitchery Expo, sewing guru Linda MacPhee presented a fashion show of eclectic jackets. As a model twirled at the end of the catwalk, audience member LeeAnne Ulrich stood up from her folding chair, her jacket nearly identical to the model’s. “Oh, look!” MacPhee said into her microphone. “That’s so good – it sends shivers. You must not be able to go anywhere without people wanting to touch you and feel you. Come up here!” After some coaxing, the 54-year-old Ulrich walked up on stage and showed off her creation – a flannel-backed satin...

I was so surprised when I learned that some 20+ veterans in one of our local nursing homes were veterans who are in need of lap quilts. So I thought, how quickly can I make a lap quilt? The answer is simple. One afternoon. That's from start to finish -- cutting out the material, sewing nine inch squares into rows, putting the rows together, then putting the back side, the batting, and the quilt top together. I fund material at a local fabric store that has 12" squares of beautiful insignias for each branch of service. By the time I...

Sewing is making a huge comeback lately. The reason? What else? The economy! It's cheaper to make your own repairs and alterations than paying someone else to do it. Women of all backgrounds and ages are learning how to sew in order to help stretch their dollar. In a full class of eager women, each is learning the long lost art of sewing. "I am a workaholic," first time sewer Tina Noel said. "I don't cook. I don't clean. I just work." *snip* Noel says altering every season gets expensive. Pant hems cost on average $12, a skirt hem about...

Looking for person from a hobby-sort of web site. Don't know her name here. Don't scream at me, I AM posting this in chat.

Help save our fabric source!click here for petitionI make lap quilts for the VA Hospital spinal cord unit. in Memphis and Wal-Mart is the only source of fabric in Millington, TN...as a widow my income is very limited I can't afford to drive 20-30 minutes to the next 2 sources and pay $2.00 more per yard for fabric. Quilting is my only hobby. I've made 10 lap quilts so far this year for the VA Hospital spinal cord unit.For many rural women Wal-Mart is the ONLY source available for fabric. Better yet call 800 Wal Mart and talk to a...

The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle 'Twas three days before Christmas, and all through the house, The panic was starting, and even the mouse Knew better than stand near the kitchen and stare, And away from the sewing room -don't even go there. The projects to finish, the work left to do, The presents to wrap, and more cooking, too As aunties and uncles, grandmas and pas and nieces and nephews expect Santa Claus, And husbands lay low, lest they get in the way, and children don't need an excuse to go play, On cookies, on bread dough,...

The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle 14 more days and counting!

The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle Weekend Chat! Want to gripe? Want to share? Want to brag? Need some care? Then pull up your chair, get out your workbasket, and come tell us about it!

The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle Ok, Weekend Chat. I was going to post last night but got way too involved with the live thread on the House vote last night. Too excited to even knit! But now Thanksgiving is upon us. I am busy deciding what we will finally have: Goose or turkey? Dressing? Low fat/lowcal desserts? Wanna talk about what you are doing, foodwise, craftwise, recipe wise?

The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle afghans counterpanes, coverlets quilts throws bedspreads laprobes baby blankets whatever. If you can cover yourself in a sizable way, use it for a bedspread or throw, or blanket, someone is going to have tried to make it in multiple techniques, out of different materials, ornamented in just about every way imaginable. So, what do you make?

The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle Today, as the Christmas season is almost upon us, and Thanksgiving looms close, let us talk about charity needlework. Do any of you get involved with this? There is a lot of need and a lot of resources out there, especially for knitters and crochets, but most crafts have some things that can be done. Are there any projects we might want to think about supporting? I'll share my resources if you share yours!

Today, let's talk about quilts and covers of various types: redwork, patchwork, whole cloth, woven blankets, embroidered throws, bed rugs, blue work, bed hangings, crewel, or whatever.

Ok, come out of the woodwork. We know you are out there, doing needlework at your computer terminal. Knitters, cross stitchers, crocheters and others. What's your craft? Wanna share? Want to form an online knitting circle or whatever?

Here's the info: Marine Comfort Quilt Group is a not for profit ministry whose objective is to provide a memorial quilt of comfort to the next of kin of our fallen military. Our quilts are made from thirty quilt squares, each containing an inspirational message from it's donor or another serviceman. Our quilts are stitches of love from those who want so badly to bring comfort, but don't know how to help. Our Marine Comfort Quilt Group has now decided to take on a greater project. With the War on Iraq, we have lost many Marines. Our initial project was...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...