July 2008 newsletter

NEWSLETTER FOR JULY 2008 (at last)

Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July! I still have grandkids here, maybe for the whole summer.
Barb M is loving the 112 degrees in Q. It finally rained here in Alexandria MN. No we are not flooded here.
I just took a class making a convergence quilt. If the kids will ever let me get back to my sewing machine, the second part of the class will teach us how to decorate with paint sticks.

From Janet Nieuwenhoff; Please change my phone number in your book to 508-277-3737. By the way did you change my (B W)cell phone to 320-760-1078? The line phone is still the best to use anyway.
Need something to do this winter? Check this out : Quilting at the Lake, “Quilters Gone Wild”, hosted by The Havasu Stitchers January 8,9,10, 2009 Featuring classes by National and Local Teachers www.havasustitchers.com (under Odds N Ends) for those with internet. If you want registration blanks Barb Mitchell has some she can send you. Just give her a call. It sounds like lots of fun, plus it is close to Q.
Remember your charity quilt. I will gather the material and make mine in Quartzsite in November because it sure doesn’t look like I’ll have time here in Minnesota.

Right now I’m thinking about making my second quilt for Quilts of Valor. My guild here in Minnesota had a speaker on this subject. If any one is interested the minimum size is 50 x 60. If you make a top there are lots of long arm quilters that will donate their quilting for you. For more information, visit www.govf-um.org.

Puzzler…. If you have nothing to do while sitting in the shade drinking your ice tea, think about this. Janet has started another quilt with a zillion pieces. The finished size of the quilt will be 63 x 49 inches. Each piece will be cut 7/8 of an inch and finished to 3/8ths. She already has 36 squares done, just 64 to go. How many total pieces will she be sewing? Email your answers to me or mail or call them to her. She will have the quilt ready for our show. The answer will be posted this fall.

Presidents’ quilt. As you know Natalie’s term as president is coming to an end. It is our tradition to each make a quilt block for her. Natalie said she would love a friendship block from each of us with our name in the middle. Let us all make a block for her 10 ½ inches unfinished size. The center should be made with white muslin and have our name and what ever else you wish to add. Use what ever pattern or colors you like. Of course you know Natalie loves color.
Class schedule. .....I have none at this time.
Abbie I am working on an idea to use up all the little snippets of fabric that we have been saving, so keep saving them. I will let you know in the fall newsletter about September. I hope to list fabric requirement at that time.
From Janet Wickell, on www.about.com Your Guide to Quilting. Say Goodbye to All Those Strings if you Prewash your fabric. The only thing I really dislike about prewashing my quilting fabrics is all the strings that come loose during the wash, wrapping themselves in knots around the yardage. The threads twist and pull at the fabric when they get tangled up in the wash--and you have to remove them before they go into the dryer so that fabrics come out wrinkle-free. Neglect to lose the threads and you'll see oodles of accordion pleats when you take fabrics out of the dryer. It's easy to eliminate nearly all of the strings. Just clip off a little triangular section from each corner of fabrics before you wash them. Try about 1/2" or a little less. You'll still see a bit of fraying, but not enough to create bunches of knots.
Give it a try the next time you prewash your quilting fabrics--that little snip really makes a difference.
From Alice A. , HERE IS A WEB SITE FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH COMPUTERS....THAT YOU WILL LOVE....ANIMAS QUILTShttp://www.animas.com THEY HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL PATTERNS....AND ARE THE MOSTHELPFUL PEOPLE....NOT ONLY THAT THEY HAVEFABRIC....WONDERFUL DESIGNS. GO TAKE A LOOK AND BE INSPIRED....HAPPY QUILTING TO ALL MY WONDERFUL QUILTER FRIENDS....LOVE ALICE
I do like to send out greeting when ever I have a minute. July Birthdays are: BJ, Julie, Mabel, Margaret, Jean, Nanci C., Marce, and Sparky. August Ella, Reba, Evelyn, Jan, Ethel, Phyllis, Donna P., Arlene, Marylee, Barbara W., Rose C., Sandra. Happy Birthday also to anyone that I omitted or missed in June…sorry.

Happy Stitching. Barbara Williams