Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Quilters Emergency Kit

Hello... We spent the weekend with our son at college watching the Drake Relays. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. I hope everyone had a nice weekend.

This week the topic is Quilters Emergency Kit. When you go on a retreat or to a class do you have specific items that you bring with you? I go on a few retreats each year. Besides the projects that I'm going to be working on and my sewing machine and regular quilting supplies I also bring band aids, Advil, chocolate is a must, a pillow to sit on, and my small ironing board that I made along with my iron. The ironing board was made from a wooden TV tray covered with a piece of cotton batting and then fabric. I stapled it all to the bottom of the tray. It is the perfect height for pressing when sewing your blocks together. I do need to use the big ironing board when I am putting the rows of the quilt together.

I also started to add a tube of icy-hot and a heating pad to retreats. One year I had a knot in the middle of my back and by the end of the second day I was in so much pain, I went to the store to get the icy-hot and heating pad. It helped a lot and it's been in my kit ever since. A friend of mine brings along slippers and I thought that was a great idea. Another thing she has is one of the plastic 3 drawer storage bins. She did not put the wheels on and uses it to store all of her things. The top is used as another small table and everything is at her finger tips. You could also cut a piece of board and make a small ironing board for the top. That would be useful.

What's in your quilters emergency kit? Share, Share, Share.

Have a great week and Happy Quilting...

Monday, April 20, 2009

Designing Your Own Quilts

I hope you are enjoying your week. I don't really care for the rain, but I know that we need it and I'm so glad it is a soaker and the ground so needs it.

This week I'm wondering if you like to design your own quilts? I really enjoy it myself. I also like to tweak patterns and change them a little bit. I hear many quilters saying that they change patterns. Well, that is creating and designing. What do you like to design - blocks or quilts?

You can practice designing blocks or quilts with the attached shapes. Show us what you can do. Make it using paper or you can even use your fabric stash. It will be fun to see what everyone comes up with.

Enjoy your week.

Tracy

Monday, April 13, 2009

We hope that you enjoyed Easter with friends and family. This week we have a few reminders:
  • The Pulaski Quilt show is this Saturday, April 17
  • The Marinette Quilt show is this Saturday and Sunday, April 17 - 18
Be sure to visit one or both of the shows. I know at the Pulaski show the guild created another beautiful quilt from bride dresses. It should be wonderful to see.

We also have an extra way to earn points this week. Finish the Spooky Word Search and bring it to the shop to get your points.

The question for you this week is "Do you do your own quilting?" I usually send my quilts to a long armer (Mae Aprill) and she is wonderful. I so enjoy putting the tops together, creating patterns, and I'm even liking the binding. Quilting hasn't been on the top of my list, but I did just recently take a class and I was surprised at how easy it was. Of course it was only practice and on a small piece of fabric, but I did enjoy it. The problem that I have is what to do. I seem to do the same things over and over again, so getting new ideas from the class was very helpful. I'm going to start doing the smaller things that I make and keep on practicing. I have a friend that does her own quilting all the time. We had such a different outlook on that process. I said that I wanted to send it to someone else so it would get done right because I was afraid I would ruin it. Her take was she spent all that time putting the top together, she didn't trust anyone to quilt it for her, she thought they might ruin it. Totally opposite trusts.

What about you? Do you do your own quilting? Do you send out your quilts? What is your inspiration? Any tips you would like to share?

Remember, if you have any questions about QFL, let either Sue Lentz or me know.

Happy Quilting.

Tracy and Sue

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Favorite Ruler

Hi.. It was so nice to meet you at the first meeting. I've been reviewing everyone's name in my mind so hopefully I will remember everyone at our next meeting.

I know that we gave you a lot of information. If you have any questions, please ask and we will clear it up.

This week's topic is "What is your favorite ruler?"

I recently found an article in an old Fons and Porter magazine about the Omni Grid #96 Ruler. When I looked at it, I thought, "I have that ruler, but I haven't used it since I made my first quilt." I couldn't remember what I had actually used it for, so the more I read, the more interesting it was. This ruler makes Half Square Triangles from 1" to 6". I noticed at the shop there is another ruler called the EZ Angler. It does the same thing. If you make HST in your quilts and you don't always have Thangles available or you are not that fond of making them just a little bigger and squaring them up, pick up your EZ Angler or the Omni Grid #96 Ruler.

So, tell us what is your favorite ruler and what do you use it for. You might not think it's special, but someone will and it may just become their favorite like it is yours.

Until next week. Happy Quilting....

Tracy