Camp Quality II

On to this year's project. It began with a wonderful donation from the EGA Great Lakes Region. Last year they organized the EGA's national seminar in Chicago. I was a latecomer to the committee.

At the end of seminar I was hanging around, helping pack up, and happened to be handy when the question of what to do with the big bag of leftover tassles came up. They were lovely wooly tassels made as gifts for attendees and also used in matched pairs for the bag check. I offered to take care of them and use them for Camp Quality. So we had tassels.

When I shared the good news at a chapter meeting, the consensus was bookmarks. The children like plastic canvas so a bookmark with a colorful tassel was planned. Joyce gave me a lovely sample of designs on plastic canvas that she used for a workshop at another EGA chapter. We were on our way.

Then two things happened at about the same time. We were told our theme was Paris and France and all things French. And we were given a second donation, from a large donation made to the guild, of no-fray Aida cloth. A whole lot of no-fray Aida cloth. So now we have bookmarks in Aida cloth, not plastic canvas, and with a Paris theme.

Another chapter member made a lovely plastic canvas Eiffel tower cut-out design and got it to me along with the drawing she used for inspiration. I thought it was really cool so I took that and made a paper pattern. Then I put the pattern on the Aida and cut out large Eiffel Tower shaped bookmarks.

I put a hole at the top so we can add our tassels. I think I have just about enough Aida cloth to make enough (usually there's around 60 children--what's saddest is there's always a waiting list!)

I also cut some square bookmarks, too, from the extra pieces of fabric. Perhaps someone can chart out a simple back stitch Eiffel Tower and the word Paris. Or a fleur de lis. What else is Paris?

I got four Eiffel Towers from one piece of Aida (three shown here). I have red, green and pale blue so the bookmarks will be colorful. The tassels are each a solid color but there are many colors in the collection. (It looks like they were made from donated Persian needlepoint wools so the colors are fairly subdued.)

The last piece of the puzzle for this year's project is to find some thread for stitching. I had said I'd contact DMC but I haven't. The project kept evolving and when asking for donations, it helps to be very specific and clear. Since it's Aida we can use floss and so I plan to hit up our membership once again for donations. (they should be used to this by now!)