By Christina VanGinkel
If you have dreamt about joining a local craft club, but there is none in your area, and all of your attempts to create one have failed, do not despair. Joining an online club that could be even better than anything in person you would ever find, may well be the answer to your quest.
My first introduction to an online craft club was some years ago. I was not even looking to join an online club, but was actually in search of an outlet to buy supplies for my bead hobby. Local stores did not carry what I was in search of, and shopping online was only given me mediocre results. In my online search for some other outlets though, I stumbled across a few online stores and individual people's websites that offered access to groups related specifically to the hobby of bead working.
These groups, on the surface, appeared to be just places to chat about the hobby, about beads in general, but reading some of the saved messages, I discovered that they were much more than that. They were information clearinghouses, and places for friends to share resources, get in on bulk buys, make trades, sell unwanted supplies, and of course, to chat about all sorts of things, both hobby related and otherwise.
Even if there are craft clubs in your local vicinity, they may not be accessible to you for a variety of reasons. They might meet at times that are awkward for you, you might have tried them, but the group was just not, what you expected, nor did you seem to be getting anything from them, not even the enjoyment of meeting others with the same interests.
So now, you find yourself considering joining an online club. What can you hope to find in the way of an online craft club? Ideally, exactly what you are searching for. There are clubs that are about a specific craft, and those that are for crafters in general. Most share resources and access to supplies, with some even offering club kits that arrive monthly or following some other specific timeframe. Most clubs that offer a service such as this are hosted by an online store, though most do not require you to participate in order to be a member. Such a service is usually only offered as one service of the club among many other services, mainly a meeting place to hook up with other individuals who enjoy the same hobbies as you.
Most online clubs meet via a message board. A message board ahs many advantages over a group, such as the all familiar Yahoo group. They often have rooms, specific to different needs of the group. A club that meets to discuss crochet for example might have one room for the sharing of patterns, another room to upload pictures of finished projects, several rooms dedicated to various types of crochet, such as Filet Crochet or Tunisian Crochet, or rooms dedicated to fixing pieces of old crochet, or how to block your work.
One of my favorite aspects of being a member of an online craft club is that there is never a bad time to visit. Messages are stored, so even if everyone else is online in the morning, if you cannot pop in until later in the day, it is never a problem. You can read what was going on earlier, and then post your own messages whenever it is convenient to you. Rarely is everyone online at the same time anyways. Most clubs have people popping in and out at all different times of the day.
Membership in some online groups is by invitation only, and requires that you submit an application on why you would like to join. Once the club owner has read your application, and approved your membership, you are then sent information on how to enroll. Others just require you to set up a password and fill out a bio.
If you are having a difficult time locating a group locally, or just would rather check out the online group options, jump right in. You are sure to find a group, or even two or more, that is just what you were looking for.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Start a Crafting Club in your Hometown
By Christina VanGinkel
Many people are solitary crafters, preferring to create their crafts on their own; taking advantage of the quiet time provided them to feel productive while enjoying their solitude. Others like to create crafts with the added inspiration of others though, at least occasionally. A large proportion of scrapbook enthusiasts seem to enjoy the camaraderie that a group of like-minded individuals provides, often seeking out others to share their much-loved hobby. Other craft enthusiasts do too, from those who crochet or knit, bead workers, even painters. Even those who are solitary crafter the majority of the time, might sometimes encounter times when getting together as a part of group has advantages.
Creating crafts for a fundraising event is one such example, or as a way to combine two loves, meeting friends to chat and share a cup of tea, along with trading ideas, patterns, even supplies to make your solitary crafting times that much more enjoyable. For whatever reason you are in search of a group atmosphere, starting your own craft club in your hometown is an ideal answer to your needs.
If you do not have a group of people in mind, run an ad through a local penny saver or similar paper, requesting interested parties to call. You could also post a notice on a church or other organizations bulletin board if you would like to keep a more tight control over those who first contact you. If your place of business has a board for private messages, that is another good option. Once you have an idea of how many people are interested, search out a location to hold your first meeting. This might be somewhere you intend to continue holding meetings, or just somewhere to get together to work out the issues of starting a group in the first place. If your local library has the space, ask if they allow such meetings. If they have conference rooms available they might charge you a small fee, but try to avoid paying anything until you have the ground rules set and only if others are willing to contribute to the cost.
Churches are often quite willing to host craft groups, especially if a sale of some sort is in the makings, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the church fund. If you plan to keep membership limited to just a few people, meeting in a home might be a good idea too. Some of the best groups I know of have members rotate who hosts the meetings each month. That person is also in charge of refreshments for the meeting, keeping the refreshments limited to just a snack and beverage.
If you cannot find enough people who participate in the same crafting hobby that you do, a general craft club, where each member brings an item of their own choosing to work on can also be a good foundation for a craft club. It is actually a great way for members to see and learn about other crafts.
Once you have your members, a place to meet, and a general idea of what you all hope to gain from such a club, set up an initial meeting to set your actual rules. Write them up; even if the rules are, there are no rules, so everyone knows where other members are coming from. Some examples of things that rules might cover include how often you plan to meet, if new members can just join, or if approval will be needed, and by whom, what goals the group might have, especially for fundraisers, and if there will be any fees including those to cover the cost of meeting. Also, keep track of issues such as rules of trading supplies, and use of other's tools at meetings.
Consider some of the advantages of being a member of a craft club too. If you all enjoy the same hobby, the possibility of buying supplies in bulk can add up to big savings.
Starting a craft club in your hometown can be a great way to meet other likeminded individuals, or to gather a group of friends to put their talents to work for a good cause. Take the first step and put together a club today!
Many people are solitary crafters, preferring to create their crafts on their own; taking advantage of the quiet time provided them to feel productive while enjoying their solitude. Others like to create crafts with the added inspiration of others though, at least occasionally. A large proportion of scrapbook enthusiasts seem to enjoy the camaraderie that a group of like-minded individuals provides, often seeking out others to share their much-loved hobby. Other craft enthusiasts do too, from those who crochet or knit, bead workers, even painters. Even those who are solitary crafter the majority of the time, might sometimes encounter times when getting together as a part of group has advantages.
Creating crafts for a fundraising event is one such example, or as a way to combine two loves, meeting friends to chat and share a cup of tea, along with trading ideas, patterns, even supplies to make your solitary crafting times that much more enjoyable. For whatever reason you are in search of a group atmosphere, starting your own craft club in your hometown is an ideal answer to your needs.
If you do not have a group of people in mind, run an ad through a local penny saver or similar paper, requesting interested parties to call. You could also post a notice on a church or other organizations bulletin board if you would like to keep a more tight control over those who first contact you. If your place of business has a board for private messages, that is another good option. Once you have an idea of how many people are interested, search out a location to hold your first meeting. This might be somewhere you intend to continue holding meetings, or just somewhere to get together to work out the issues of starting a group in the first place. If your local library has the space, ask if they allow such meetings. If they have conference rooms available they might charge you a small fee, but try to avoid paying anything until you have the ground rules set and only if others are willing to contribute to the cost.
Churches are often quite willing to host craft groups, especially if a sale of some sort is in the makings, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the church fund. If you plan to keep membership limited to just a few people, meeting in a home might be a good idea too. Some of the best groups I know of have members rotate who hosts the meetings each month. That person is also in charge of refreshments for the meeting, keeping the refreshments limited to just a snack and beverage.
If you cannot find enough people who participate in the same crafting hobby that you do, a general craft club, where each member brings an item of their own choosing to work on can also be a good foundation for a craft club. It is actually a great way for members to see and learn about other crafts.
Once you have your members, a place to meet, and a general idea of what you all hope to gain from such a club, set up an initial meeting to set your actual rules. Write them up; even if the rules are, there are no rules, so everyone knows where other members are coming from. Some examples of things that rules might cover include how often you plan to meet, if new members can just join, or if approval will be needed, and by whom, what goals the group might have, especially for fundraisers, and if there will be any fees including those to cover the cost of meeting. Also, keep track of issues such as rules of trading supplies, and use of other's tools at meetings.
Consider some of the advantages of being a member of a craft club too. If you all enjoy the same hobby, the possibility of buying supplies in bulk can add up to big savings.
Starting a craft club in your hometown can be a great way to meet other likeminded individuals, or to gather a group of friends to put their talents to work for a good cause. Take the first step and put together a club today!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Quilting
By Christina VanGinkel
With quilting bees from days gone by, to computer-generated sewing machines that will create fancy stitching on your quilts of today, quilting is a hobby that has endured throughout time and one that is appealing to both men and women of all ages.
With so many different types of quilting, it is hard for someone not to encounter a form that appeals to them. The history of quilting alone is extensive enough to keep someone reading for eternity. When you start to realize just how important quilting and the quilts that were produced were and are it is just amazing.
Quilts have been created to tell a story. They have been created to keep track of an historical event. Quilts have been used as wedding gifts, as a gift to a newborn child, and as a final gift given to a loved one being put into the grave, referred to as a burial quilt. They have also been created as a form of bereavement, to be given to the survivors of a loved one, to mark the life and memory of the lost life. Many family members of soldiers who have lost their lives in the current war, taking place in Iraq, have been the receivers of just such this type of quit, created by volunteers wishing to honor the lives lived and lost. The largest quilt ever made is actually just such a quilt, and is the NAMES Project quilt, in honor of many of the victims of the AIDS epidemic, now referred to as The AIDS Memorial Quilt. Quilts have also been created as a form of artistic impression, in much the same way as a painting, and in my humble opinion, many are as beautiful if not more so than those paintings considered to be top pieces of artwork.
If you are a quilter yourself, or a quilter wanna be, shopping for supplies, including fabric and accessories, can be difficult, especially if you are not located near a large fabric store. As with many hobbies and activities that people participate in, the Internet has made it abundantly easy to shop, even when people do not have local access to a store.
With quilting though, not being able to feel and see certain products can be a hindrance. Swatches are a great way to deal with this issue. Many online companies sell swatch books of all of their fabrics, allowing you to see and feel every single fabric choice that they have available. Other companies will make available individual swatches, at a cost per swatch. While most will charge you for these swatch books or individual swatches of samples, most will also refund you the cost through applying it to your next purchase. Another way to deal with this issue is to learn how certain brands of fabric differ from others. Some fabric is clearly quality made, while other fabric brands can only be described as adequate or less so.
Quilting software is an advancement that the age of the computer has made available to those interested in designing their quilts. If this is something, you are interested in, keep in mind that many software programs are available in what is referred to as a Software Demo. These programs are available in a somewhat limited format free, and allow you to load and use the software with limitations to see if it is suitable for your needs, before you actually purchase and pay for the full version. There are also shareware and freeware programs available. Knowing what you expect to achieve with one of these programs will greatly increase the chance that you will get a program that does what you expect.
If you are just starting out, the purchase of a sewing or quilting machine may also be something you need to do. Features vary greatly from machine to machine, so comparison is your best tool. Also, consider the warranty that is offered with each and the availability of service. If two machines are almost identical, but one can be serviced locally and the other would have to be packed up and shipped in order to receive service, you surely want to consider that. If you know someone who has recently purchased a machine, ask him or her, what swayed their decision and if they would now change their mind in their selection, now that they have the machine they chose home.
With quilting bees from days gone by, to computer-generated sewing machines that will create fancy stitching on your quilts of today, quilting is a hobby that has endured throughout time and one that is appealing to both men and women of all ages.
With so many different types of quilting, it is hard for someone not to encounter a form that appeals to them. The history of quilting alone is extensive enough to keep someone reading for eternity. When you start to realize just how important quilting and the quilts that were produced were and are it is just amazing.
Quilts have been created to tell a story. They have been created to keep track of an historical event. Quilts have been used as wedding gifts, as a gift to a newborn child, and as a final gift given to a loved one being put into the grave, referred to as a burial quilt. They have also been created as a form of bereavement, to be given to the survivors of a loved one, to mark the life and memory of the lost life. Many family members of soldiers who have lost their lives in the current war, taking place in Iraq, have been the receivers of just such this type of quit, created by volunteers wishing to honor the lives lived and lost. The largest quilt ever made is actually just such a quilt, and is the NAMES Project quilt, in honor of many of the victims of the AIDS epidemic, now referred to as The AIDS Memorial Quilt. Quilts have also been created as a form of artistic impression, in much the same way as a painting, and in my humble opinion, many are as beautiful if not more so than those paintings considered to be top pieces of artwork.
If you are a quilter yourself, or a quilter wanna be, shopping for supplies, including fabric and accessories, can be difficult, especially if you are not located near a large fabric store. As with many hobbies and activities that people participate in, the Internet has made it abundantly easy to shop, even when people do not have local access to a store.
With quilting though, not being able to feel and see certain products can be a hindrance. Swatches are a great way to deal with this issue. Many online companies sell swatch books of all of their fabrics, allowing you to see and feel every single fabric choice that they have available. Other companies will make available individual swatches, at a cost per swatch. While most will charge you for these swatch books or individual swatches of samples, most will also refund you the cost through applying it to your next purchase. Another way to deal with this issue is to learn how certain brands of fabric differ from others. Some fabric is clearly quality made, while other fabric brands can only be described as adequate or less so.
Quilting software is an advancement that the age of the computer has made available to those interested in designing their quilts. If this is something, you are interested in, keep in mind that many software programs are available in what is referred to as a Software Demo. These programs are available in a somewhat limited format free, and allow you to load and use the software with limitations to see if it is suitable for your needs, before you actually purchase and pay for the full version. There are also shareware and freeware programs available. Knowing what you expect to achieve with one of these programs will greatly increase the chance that you will get a program that does what you expect.
If you are just starting out, the purchase of a sewing or quilting machine may also be something you need to do. Features vary greatly from machine to machine, so comparison is your best tool. Also, consider the warranty that is offered with each and the availability of service. If two machines are almost identical, but one can be serviced locally and the other would have to be packed up and shipped in order to receive service, you surely want to consider that. If you know someone who has recently purchased a machine, ask him or her, what swayed their decision and if they would now change their mind in their selection, now that they have the machine they chose home.
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