Scrapbooking

**🎉 Book Swap: Bring Your Books to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library! 📚** 📅 **Date:** Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 🕒 **Time:** 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 📍 **Location:** Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001 **🪧 Room:** 401-G Conference Room **Agenda:** * **6:30 PM - 6:45 PM** \- Check\-in and chat * **6:45 PM - 7:00 PM** \- Introductions * **7:00 PM - 8:30 PM** \- Book swap **Please note**: * Gently used books are ideal for swapping. * If a book you bring isn’t swapped, you are responsible for taking it home. * This is a “stay-and-swap” event, so please join with the intention of engaging and connecting with the group.

Artistic Artifacts hosts **Open Stitch sessions EVERY Thursday evenings** from 5:30 - 7:30 pm — join us! This is a drop-in, bring your own hand stitching project and the necessary supplies (or you can knit, crochet... whatever needle arts you like). There’s no fee to attend, no instruction nor agenda — just a time to spend with other creatives! Visit our website for all our class & event information: **[https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/wk](https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/wk)**

Today we are Steve's Lab. RSVP and you'll be sent the location. It's in Silver Spring. ***Join us for an evening in an electronics lab where we will attempt to run clean scans of gold samples, and then clean up that data with post processing.*** This is a high sensitivity experiment, and we do not plan on being successful so early. But we've had promising results lately - so we will be putting in the time. We are NOT meeting at our usual location, but rather at Steve's house/lab. If you RSVP, you will get a DM with the address but it's located in Silver Spring. We will attempt full, clean lab - clean tip repeated scanning tests to see what we can learn and improve. We will experiment with online attendees, but if all possible showing up in person is strongly encouraged. Online join link is: - [https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers](https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers) Our community is building (and documenting for other teams) how to build a scanning tunneling microscope using a mix of common and 3D printed parts. This will allow us to scan and visualize a single atom - an ambitious we are doing over the course of a few months. The MoCo Makers community is one of the most innovative and competent groups in Maryland, and we've done everything from [publishing cancer research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38136356/), to [launching products](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gotim/cozy-curvy-multi-contour-pillow), [winning grants](https://covidinfocommons.datascience.columbia.edu/awards/2014255), and inspiring thousands. Now our biggest challenge yet has appeared. We are building a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, that will allow us to scan and visualize single atoms. To get a better idea of what we are doing, see our reference project here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g) All starting CAD, code, and reference files should exist. However, let's be the first Maker community to document the build process and share it with learners around the world. We will be publishing our work here -[ https://hackaday.io/project/202816-qt-panda](https://hackaday.io/project/202816-qt-panda) If you need a ride, let us know.

The WIFV Women of Vision Awards celebrate women's creative and technical achievements in media. On April 23, 2026 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, WIFV will recognize the work of **Kate Beyda, Phylicia Rashad,** and **Cheryl Ottenritter**. A moderated panel will provide significant time for the honorees to share their expertise, adventures, and answer audience questions! The reception and silent auction will begin at 6:00 pm in the Museum's mezzanine. Silent Auction bidding closes at 7:15 pm. The awards program will begin at 7:30 pm in the performance hall. **Ticket sales close April 20, 2026.** You MUST register here: https://www.wifv.org/calendar/#id=32427&cid=783&wid=401&type=Cal

Come Craft with us. Don't let the lack of RSVPs stop you, they aren't required, nor is membership to our group. Bring your project and join a boisterous group of crafters in the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery - American Art Museum. This glass roofed space is climate controlled and has the most beautiful light for crafting. (If there's an event in Courtyard head over to the MLK library Cafe.)

Love audiobooks and nature? Looking to connect with fellow book lovers? Come **Book It Around** with us! This month's is a shorter walk on a paved urban trail in conjunction with Independent Bookstore Day! We'll walk out-and-back on the Bethesda Trolley Trail then join the festivities just down the street at local indie Wonderland Books (7920B Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, MD). Meet at the playground at Battery Lane Urban Park, near the intersections of Rugby and Norfolk Ave. in Bethesda. There is street and garage parking nearby, and it's .75mi from the Bethesda Metro (Red Line). Monthly audiobook walks are FREE and held in accessible public spaces around the D.C. Metro area. These \~ 90 minute walks (though only an hour this month!) are often followed by a social gathering -- book swap, picnic, indie bookstore private shopping, etc. Get a little dose of nature, listen to a few chapters, and make a bookish new friend! All ages, fitness levels, and identities welcome. If the event listing says "full," ignore that, come anyway, and bring a friend -- the more the merrier! Questions? Email bookitaround AT gmail DOT com

Visit Artistic Artifacts on Saturday, April 25 from 1:00–4:00 pm for live demonstrations on our BERNINA sergers/overlock machines! Our BERNINA staff will be demonstrating on several of the machines, sharing lots of ideas of how useful these machines can be in your sewing room. April is **[BERNINA National Serger Month](https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/promo)**, so **stop by and see how these machines have advanced from the sergers of yesteryear that we all loved to avoid!** This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and see what a serger can do for you. Not only do BERNINA Sergers trim, sew, and finish seams simultaneously, but they also come with built-in tutorials, so every change is effortless. Quilters can use the serger straight stitch with endless bobbin for piecing patchwork, perfect binding and more. Built-in features give you unexpected precision and creativity with innovative techniques and texture! (*Note*, if you are thinking about upgrading, Artistic Artifacts does accept trade-ins of your older model serger.)

Let's Crop!

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Join us for our April Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Stop Me if You've Heard This One](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/stopmeifyouveheardthisone)* by [Kristen Arnett](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/about) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

**Let’s catch up and take an afternoon break.** **Grab a coffee or snack and let’s chit chat! Gayle and I will bring adult coloring books and/or a simple craft if you’d like to unwind and relax.😊**

**This month’s Creativity Circle is very timely. We will be making our own craft snowflakes out of paper, coffee filters, popsicle sticks, sparkles and more! Bring the snowy season inside without the wet and cold. All ages welcome, show up as you can, bring a friend or a few if you would like to! Excited to see you there! Seats Limited. Held at the Westerville Public Library Meeting Room B.**

It feels like we just saw each other 🤷. Join members of the local design and UX community for our monthly breakfast. For May we’re stopping in for Rooh’s popup breakfast/cafe concept. You know someone is getting the lobster yuzu croissant, and that’s not even the prettiest thing on the menu!.