We wrapped up our Fall Session with hearts full of appreciation—both from our students and our teachers. To celebrate, we hosted a cheerful “Beginner Sewing Club Graduation” pizza party. The teachers were surprised with the sweetest gift bags from their students, each one containing a thoughtful note and a beautifully hand-painted apron.
In return, we congratulated each student with a certificate of completion and a promise to continue our creative journey together in the Spring.
We also proudly finished all of our in-progress projects. Many students stitched something personal for someone special: stuffed hearts for mom and dad, a quilted heart for grandma, a mug rug for a family member, and more.

Our hope is that we’ve sparked a glowing ember of sewing curiosity—something that inspires creativity, builds confidence, and gives these young makers a sense of accomplishment they can carry forward.

​Here’s to sewing, growing, and creating together! ✂️🧵💕

​We had a big hit at the club this week—the Crinkle Cat Toy! Ms. Debbie showed everyone how to use the precut kits to put the toy together with bright, colorful fabrics, crinkle paper, a little catnip, and soft polyester stuffing.  The kids loved how it made a fun crinkly sound, and the project was simple enough for everyone to enjoy. It was so much fun that about half the class finished their toys before the end of the lesson, and the rest are excited to finish theirs next time. ​Eris Fields was so proud and excited to finish her very first quilt, made especially for her 22-year-old bear, named Bear-ie.

The 20-minute circle-of-sharing at the beginning of each class holds a unique kind of magic. It’s more than just a routine—it’s a time to connect, share, and spark inspiration. As we present hand-made quilts, unique pieces of clothing, and anything else that might capture the imagination, we’re not just sharing objects; we’re offering stories, history, and creativity. The students’ faces light up with curiosity and wonder as they engage with these treasures, and watching their interest grow is nothing short of enchanting. It's a moment that brings the class to life, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement that sets the tone for the entire session. During our fourth lesson, we guided students in crafting Christmas stockings—a vibrant and joyful project that added a festive splash to our creative journey.​

Our 2nd class was equally fun. Ms. Marj demoed an antique chain stitch Wilcox and Gibbs sewing machine from 1858 that raised intrigue in both students and teachers. Most of our students finished making small pouches, about 12”x15”, that they will use to keep their sewing materials and unfinished projects.​

It all started in March 2025 when Kelly Bonfante and Megan Handy—the teacher and Director of the after-school enrichment program at Lower Lake Elementary School—reached out to us through our website with a fantastic idea: a sewing class for students. What better way to share the art form we love with the next generation?
As a guild, we're already committed to giving back through quilting—creating baby quilts for new parents at Adventist Health Hospital in Clearlake, comfort quilts for local residential homes, and heartfelt donations for disaster victims. So, when the opportunity came to pass on our skills to young makers, we were all in.
A Club is Born
After six months of careful planning and preparation by 10 dedicated guild volunteers--Marj Sweeney, Rene Schultz-Hein, Suzanne Hoyt, Debbie Strickler, Linda Debolt, Martha Ball, Kathy Verstoppen, Theresa Dapiran, Jane Smith, and Lan Ali-Adeeb—the Lower Lake Elementary School Sewing Club officially launched on Thursday, October 16, 2025. We were thrilled to welcome our first group of enthusiastic young sewists!
The Fall session runs from October 16 to November 20, meeting every Thursday from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. Details for Spring and Summer sessions will be posted on both the LLQG and LLES websites soon—stay tuned!
A Warm Welcome
The first day came with a mix of excitement and first-day jitters, especially for those of us leading the club for the first time. Fortunately, Jane Smith—a guild member and LLES teacher—created a helpful "Teacher Cheat Sheet" to help guide us. And retired 4th grade teacher Kathy Verstoppen gave a wonderful introduction, helping students and teachers connect with ease. Her thoughtful approach made students feel comfortable enough to share their questions and ideas right away. It was a joy to witness their enthusiasm.
What’s Ahead
We began by reviewing classroom rules and safety guidelines, then introduced students to sewing tools and the basic parts of a sewing machine. To spark their creativity, we shared the exciting projects they’ll be working on—where they’ll pick and personalize their project with fabric colors and prints from stacks of pre-cut fabrics:

• A drawstring pouch to hold their in-progress work
• A personalized pillowcase
• A quilted Christmas stocking kit made possible by Pat Dandy’s generous donations

First Stitches
To build confidence, students practiced sewing straight lines—first on paper without thread, then with thread, and finally on fabric scraps. By the end of class, our youngest member, a 9-year-old 4th grader, proudly completed a small 6"x4" fabric bag. It was a wonderful moment that showed just how quickly these students are learning and growing.
More Than Just Sewing
Our Sewing Club is about more than fabric and thread. It’s about building creativity, confidence, and the joy of making something with your own hands. We’re excited to see where this journey takes our students—and we’re proud to be part of it.
​
Thank you to everyone who helped make this first day a success. We look forward to many more inspiring afternoons with our talented young makers.
A special thanks to an anonymous donor, a friend of Marty Ball’s, who donated the funds that allowed us to print color copies of the Sewing Club student booklets. 

Lynn Koolish presented "Make Design Principles Work for You" using basic design principles for creating compelling work no matter the preference style - Art, Modern, or Traditional.  She compared four well known quilt artists that work in different styles and how they put design principles to work in their quilts.

UFO and Sew & Tell:  ​Leanne Harvey, Susanne Scholz, Marjean Evans, Kelly Mulligan, ​Kerrie Hershey, Gail Coyle   

July block of the month sharing by Dawn Spurling
UFO Sharing:  Susanne Scholz, Jane Smith, Suzanne Lee
Show & Tell Sharing:  Jane Ahrens, Suzanne Lee, Claire Grieve, Linda Morrison, Shery Loewen, Jane Smith, Debbie Strickler.

Debra Heltzel shared her cyanotype samples, which will be a workshop given in August.  We also got a preview of the spectacular 2026 Opportunity quilt done by Rene Schultz-Hein.

Sew and Tell with Josephine Syphax, Marj Sweeney, Charlene Younker and Barbara Peebles.

Show & Tell.

Marj Sweeney and Rene Schultz-Hein showed us their stunning art quilts.

Marj's art quilts

Rene's art quilts

Show & Tell

Dawn Spurling showcased the January-March Block of the Month.  Our members shared their beautiful works of art. They were:  Rene Schultz-Hein, Theresa Dapiran, Debbie Strickler, Linda Debolt, Alice McCombs, and Gretchen Moore.    

This month, we showcased some of our member's mystery quilt blocks.  UFO by Susanne Lee, Susanne Scholz, and Leanne Harvey.  Show and Tell by Tina Maldonado, and Quepha Arnold,.​