[Nfb-krafters-korner] braille monitor

Tue Apr 3 01:57:12 UTC 2012

KK ROCKS - and so do you, Joyce.
Lynda Lambert
River Road Studio, Since 1976
Village of Wurtemburg, PA 16117

Visit my Web Site at:  http://lyndalambert.com
Visit my Blog at:  http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com

www.lyndalambert.com
www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Blindhands at aol.com>
To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 9:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] braille monitor

>I am sitting here clapping my hands!  Hats off to a wonderful article
> regarding Krafters Korner and a big Thank You to Ramona and those who 
> allowed
> their stories to be included.
>
> Joyce  Kane
> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
> Blindhands at AOL.com
>
>
> In a message dated 4/2/2012 7:15:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> b.butterfly at comcast.net writes:
>
> NFB Krafters Division
> Satisfy Your Artistic Flair or Make Some Extra Money
> by Ramona Walhof
>
>>From the former Editor: I can't  count the times that I have spoken with a
> newly blind person who laments  the loss of crafting as an inevitable
> consequence of blindness. I know that  this does not have to be true, but,
> except for knitting, I am not an  arts-and-crafts person, so I can give
> little hands-on advice or help.  Ramona Walhof is a longtime Federation
> leader who has always enjoyed  sewing, knitting, and other handcrafts. In
> the following article she  describes the work of one of the NFB divisions
> with which she is active.  Some readers will be interested in becoming
> members, but all of us should  know about the Krafters' work so that we 
> can
> pass along the information to  those who need to know about their work and
> learn how to keep active with  the crafts they love. This is what Ramona
> says:
>
> Although only three years old, the Krafters Division of the NFB is
> probably  the most active of the thirty NFB divisions. Federationists may
> wish to  know more about its activities, and some may wish to join.
> President Joyce Kane from Connecticut has done crafts all her  life.
> She knits, crochets, makes clothing and quilts with her sewing  machine,
> does safety pin beading, and is interested in all sorts of other  arts and
> crafts. Joyce lost her vision fourteen years ago and began looking  for 
> and
> creating techniques to do the things she had always enjoyed in  order to
> continue doing them without vision. She joined the Federation and  was 
> soon
> elected to office in her chapter and state affiliate. She was  president 
> of
> her chapter in southern Connecticut for eight years. Joyce  made contact
> with other blind crafters and found that most had experience  and ideas to
> share. Several years ago she contacted President Maurer about  forming an
> NFB division. He recommended she hold an organizing meeting at  the 2008
> convention.
> Before that meeting Joyce had  recruited officers and board members
> from all over the country. Dr. Maurer  asked me to help the group write 
> its
> constitution along the lines  customarily followed by NFB divisions. I
> didn't think I had time for one  more activity but was elected to the 
> board
> and now serve as secretary. This  division is different from others in 
> which
> I have been active, and it is a  lot of fun.
> By the time of the organizing meeting in  2008, Cindy Sheets of
> Kentucky had agreed to develop a website:  <www.KraftersKorner.org>. 
> Laurie
> Porter of Wisconsin and some others  had agreed to teach classes by
> conference telephone. Diane Filipe of  Colorado brought handmade ceramic
> Braille pins to sell at the 2009  convention as the first division
> fundraiser. Before organizing, the group  had already begun holding Monday
> night chats by conference phone calls each  week, and in 2012 these chats
> continue.
> The  listserv, nfb-krafters-korner was established before the division
> was  organized. Today approximately 150 people are subscribed to this 
> list,
> and  it is one of the most active of all the nfbnet lists now in 
> operation.
>>From 15 to 40 messages may appear on this list most days.  Topics cover
> crafts from quilting to pottery, from crocheting to weaving,  from making
> Christmas decorations to using the sewing machine. Some of the  topics
> discussed during December of 2011 were candy wreaths, blocking  knitted
> items, crafts that can be done one-handed for someone about to have 
> surgery
> on her shoulder, crocheted cupcakes, snowmen made on the knifty  knitter
> loom, gumdrop trees, sewing rags for rugs, and on and on. To join  this
> list, go to <www.nfbnet.org> and select the link entitled Join  or Drop
> NFBnet Mailing Lists.
> President Kane is  always eager to recruit volunteers to teach
> classes. Frequently three or  four classes are taught by conference phone
> call each week. Some classes  are complete in one hour, while others 
> stretch
> over three or four lessons,  each lasting from one to two hours. During 
> 2011
> twenty-nine classes were  offered and completed. Anywhere from three to
> fifteen students can be in a  class.
> As usual Joyce was recruiting teachers and  students last fall. After
> some thought I realized there might be some  interest in machine sewing, 
> but
> we had to find out whether members had  access to sewing machines. It 
> turned
> out that some people did. They had to  learn how to thread their machines
> before the class began. We couldn't  teach that by phone to people using a
> variety of machines. Each student in  that class now has a new apron. Both
> Joyce and I were very pleased that we  could explain the techniques by
> phone, and the students were also happy. As  you might guess, Joyce is
> encouraging me to teach another class, this time  on making T-shirts as a
> means of teaching techniques used to sew knitted or  stretchy fabrics.
> On the listserv, problems are posed  and answered by other crafters.
> Members have learned new crafts and new  methods. Newly blind people have
> gained confidence and ideas for pursuing  the craft activities they wish 
> to
> master.
> We have  heard many stories of individuals who have conquered fears or
> other  problems. One member, Jewell Boll from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, sold
> her
> sewing machine when she lost her sight and is now excited about taking  up
> sewing again. She wants to tell those who are newly blind not to  become
> angry and frustrated. She says that, if she had been in touch with  more
> blind people when she became blind, she would have done things 
> differently.
> She is looking for a machine to purchase and has sought  opinions on the
> listserv about various models.
> Another member, Lynda Lambert from Pennsylvania, was a painter and
> was  depressed and angry when she became blind about four years ago, but 
> she
> is  now enthusiastically producing large and beautiful pottery and  beaded
> items. She held an art show displaying her work last fall and  received
> compliments from those who visited. She also sold several pieces  at
> satisfactory prices. You may wish to check out her  website,
> <http://lyndalambert.com>. Lynda has a lot of ideas, and she  entertains
> other listers as she shares her experiences. She says an artist  just 
> can't
> stop being an artist, even when she has to turn to a different  art. Her
> standards are high, and that will not change. Lynda also knits and  does
> other arts and crafts.
> Another painter who  lost her vision continued to knit dish cloths
> while recovering from her  surgery, but this was not enough of an outlet 
> for
> her love of art. After  some training at BLIND, Incorporated, in 
> Minnesota,
> Jeanny Nylander  returned home to Lacrosse to find that her husband had
> bought her a  potter's wheel. She had taken pottery in college and enjoyed
> it. She  contacted Joyce Kane and Lynda Lambert through the Krafters
> Division, and  pottery has become her new art. She is again making and
> selling art. Both  Lynda and Jeanny are extremely complimentary about the
> opportunities they  have discovered from each other and from the division.
> The two led a  discussion about pottery for other crafters and taught a
> class in January  of 2012 by conference call. They are planning to teach
> other classes in  coming months. Both say that artists have a need to 
> share
> ideas and  techniques.
> Another crafter, Jaselli Walter, uses clay  that does not need to be
> fired. She has led a Monday night chat about this,  and members are eager 
> to
> learn more about what she does. Division members  are encouraged to list
> items they have made for sale on the first and the  fifteenth of each 
> month.
> We have plans to make sales opportunities  available on the website as 
> soon
> as possible. The group also makes items  for charities.
> Becky Frankeberger from Washington  State taught a Tunisian crochet
> class in January and February, using an  email list.  Becky is a machine
> knitter and has gone into business  selling items she has made. See her 
> work
> at  <www.butterflyknitting.com>. A write-up on her and her work appears 
> on
> <www.KraftersKorner.org>.
> Representatives  from a group of blind quilters have joined the list,
> and I am sure we will  learn more from them.
> Division dues are ten dollars  per year and may be paid directly to
> the treasurer, Diane Filipe, 1455 44th  Avenue Place, Greeley, Colorado
> 80634, or pay using PayPal on the website,  <www.KraftersKorner.org>.
> Classes are free to members, and they are  described ahead of time on the
> website. Anyone who has questions or  suggestions should contact President
> Joyce Kane at (203) 378-8928 or email  her at <blindhands at aol.com>. All
> those interested in arts and crafts  should come to the division meeting 
> at
> the convention in Dallas this  summer. I believe we will also have a 
> display
> and sale of handmade items  Saturday afternoon, the day before the exhibit
> room opens. Please check  your agenda for times and locations. Plans are
> moving forward for a busy  week. If anyone has requests, don't be shy. We
> can't guarantee to do  everything you can dream up, but anything could
> happen.
>
> Becky  Frankeberger
> Butterfly Knitting
>
> Custom-made knit throws, shawls, and  more!
>
> Phone: 360-426-8389
> E-mail:  becky at ButterflyKnitting.com
> Website:  www.ButterflyKnitting.com
>
>
>
>
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