[Nfb-krafters-korner] FW: frequently asked questions article revised

Wed Aug 19 11:13:33 UTC 2015

Here is a nice article written by our own, Cathy Flesher.  It will be helpful to all the new members and promoting our group!
I am looking for the flier we handed out at convention.  That would also be helpful, if anyone has a copy.
Dates can be edited.

Terry Powers

-----Original Message-----
From: Cathy via Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org] 
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 4:10 PM
To: krafters korner
Cc: Cathy
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] frequently asked questions article revised

Hello all newcomers,

I posted an article on our blog for folks to learn about everything regarding our division. Read the information below and perhaps it will answer some of your questions or bring up other questions you would like to ask. I hope you find this article helpful

Alternatively, you can Go to visit our website, blog, Facebook or twitter, for more information. 

A place for blind and visually impaired crafters.

WHAT DOES THE NFB CRAFTERS DIVISION HAVE TO OFFER YOU?

There are a number of things that The NFB Krafter's Division has to offer you. To enjoy some of the benefits you must become a member of the division, however many things are free to anyone who is interested whether blind or sighted.

Monday Night Chat

One of the on-going happenings is called "the Monday night chat. "This is free to anyone to join although there may be costs involved for the long-distance charges for the conference call. Most Monday nights we have a conference call at 9 p.m. where a particular topic is the focus of the discussion.
These topics are wide-ranging but the thread of crafting runs through each and every one.

In the past we have had knit or crochet alongs where one of us would read a pattern and everyone on the call would follow the pattern.

Other times we have had special guests join us who have owned a crafting-related business, or who had experience with a particular craft and they shared their knowledge of it with us.

Technology is important to most of us and there are many websites, and aps that can aid us in learning and creating out crafts. Revelry, Facebook, Twitter, and the IPhone and how to use these products, services and websites with speech software have been very popular.

Other discussions have focused on types of yarn, the best scissors to purchase, as well as how to safely use scissors and other sharp tools.

We also have shared the adaptive tools we have found helpful in aiding us in our crafting such as braille tape measures, the Pen Friend, and color identifiers.

I probably have forgotten some of our chats, but what is important here is to know that you are welcome to join all our future chats.

Monday night at 9 p.m. eastern call 605-781-1000 and enter access code
875029 when prompted.
To find out what the chat is for Monday night go to:
http://www.krafterskorner.org <http://www.krafterskorner.org/> And scroll down to current happenings.

Or of course click on "what's happening" on our blog.

Listserv

One of the most popular activities on Krafter's Korner is to sign up on, and participate on the listserv. Here we all share about anything and everything to do with crafts. We share our "I can do it," attitude with one another.
Someone might post about the latest project they are working on, while another may have a question to be answered in order to help her continue with an on-going project. There are posts regarding websites listers have found to be good resources for information and learning, or places to shop for craft materials. Messages also announce upcoming chats and classes being offered. it is a busy and friendly list of folks who feel like family to one another.

If you would like to join the listserv, you do not need to be a member of the NFB Crafter's Division. The only requirements are that you have an email address and are interested in all forms of crafting for the blind and visually impaired.

To join the Listserv go to the following link and fill out the form.
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org

Classes

Probably the most popular of all the activities/opportunities available on the Korner is to take and/or to teach classes.

These classes are taught by, and for, visually impaired and blind adults.
Our instructors are members of the group who have learned a particular craft or skill that they are willing to share with the rest of us. Instructors are paid nothing for their services, but most would say if asked, that "a thank you is all they need."

Our classes are only for paid members of the NFB Crafter's Division.
However, we have a "try one for free," option to see if classes may work for you. How to become a member will be addressed later on this page.

What crafts have been taught at Krafter's Korner in the past? Well, you name it; we have probably had a class to learn how to do it. Some of the main categories of crafts that come to mind are: basket making, beading/jewelry-making, clay, crochet, knitting, kumihimo, Latch hooking, locker hooking, loom knitting, macramé, origami, plastic canvas, safety pin beading, sewing with a sewing machine, and soap-making.

For a full list of past classes go to:
http://www.krafterskorner.org/class2.html

How are classes provided to members?
First a message is posted to the list and this blog, announcing that a particular class will be available. A member who is interested in taking that particular class then goes to the class sign-up page and chooses their class of interest from the list of available classes, and fills out a form to sign up.
They are then sent a confirmation email acknowledging that they are signed up.
The next step for the student is to review the class sign-up page to learn such details as the name, date, and time of the class, the name of the instructor and his/her contact information, as well as a supply list.

There are two types of classes that are offered at Krafter's Korner: one is a telephone conference call class while the other is an email class.
If a student has signed up for a telephone conference call class, they will receive a special phone number to call in for the class via email. . If the student has signed up for an email class, they will be placed on a special email list only to be used for that particular class.

Are you interested? Well, how about going over to our sign-up page and trying your free class soon. Go to:

http://www.krafterskorner.org/class1.html

membership.
Membership in the National Federation of the Blind Krafters Division is only
$20 per year. The year runs from July to July. What are the benefits of becoming a member?

The primary benefit to Becoming a member is that it allows you to sign up and take an unlimited number of classes during the year. In 2014, we offered
62 different classes, and our members were welcome to take all of them.

Another benefit to joining the Division is that it allows you to rent a craft table of your own to sell your own crafts at the annual NFB National Convention, held each year in July. You can make some money for yourself and enjoy the convention as well.

A third benefit is that as a member you can vote on issues related to the running of the Division which are held several times per year via conference call.

If you would like to join the Krafters Division head on over to:
http://www.krafterskorner.org/join.html

There you can pay via PayPal or click on a link to get the information you need to pay by check.
Hope to see you joining and participating in Our many activities soon.

Cathy F

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