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Ribbon Winner
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Congratulations to Molly Waddell who won “Best Pictorial” for her quilt,
"International Bridge" at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA
which was held Feb. 21-24. Along with other winning quilts, it was also
on special exhibit at The Quilt Fest of New Jersey from Feb. 28 to March
3, 2008.
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New Fabric Cuts
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We’ve all purchased fabric by the yard, but if you need smaller
quantities or crave variety you might want to try some of the pieces
you’ll find precut by manufacturers or quilt shops these days. Many
patterns and designs are being created to accommodate the new cuts.
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Fat Quarter:
A ¼ yard cut of fabric that is 18” x 22”. Two fat quarters result when a
1/2 yard piece of fabric is cut along the center fold. Many current
quilt patterns and designs are "fat quarter friendly".
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Fat Eighth:
Measures 9” x 22”. A fat quarter cut in half yields two fat eighths.
Much more usable than the traditional 1/8 of a yard measuring 4 ½” x
44”.
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Charm Packs:
Include 5-inch squares from an entire line of fabric. Usually packs
have 25 to 50 different pieces and sell for $5 - $10. A charm pack
containing 36 pieces will equal approximately 1/2 yard of fabric.
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Jelly Roll:
A collection of 40 fabric strips that measure
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2
1/2” wide by 42” long. A “Jelly Roll” with 40 strips equals 2 ¾ yards of
fabric and represents all or most of the different fabrics in a
manufacturer’s line.
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Layer Cake:
A package of 10” x 10” square cuts – each from a manufacturer’s complete
line of fabric. Four “Charm Packs” equal one “Layer Cake”.
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Using “Charm Packs”, “Jelly Rolls” and “Layer Cakes” can significantly
reduce cutting time, increase accuracy and give you a taste of
all the fabulous fabrics in a manufacturer’s line. Quilters can have
their cake and eat it too, but watch out for those fat quarters!
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Thread Guide Continued
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Nylon:
Should only be used for fusing. Fusible thread is nylon because it will
melt and fuse at a low temperature. Unfortunately, most invisible
monofilament thread on the market is nylon. Nylon thread goes brittle,
yellows over time, and melts at low temperature. Look for polyester
monofilament. Polyester does not go brittle, or yellow over time or
melt at low temperature.
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Rayon:
Not recommended. Rayon is often not colorfast. Colors can rub off or
bleed into the fabric. It is also weaker than other fibers.
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Metallic:
There is a huge range in quality of metallic threads. Avoid budget
brands. Use the best brand with the right needle and tension setting.
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Polyester:
There are three types of polyester.
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a.
Spun poly: Looks like cotton. Strong and durable. Look for a tight,
even twist. Avoid budget serger threads for quilting.
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b.
Filament polyester: Multiple strands of single filaments twisted to
make a multi-filament thread. Low lint and strong. Low quality
polyester has a loose or uneven twist and smells oily. Good quality
has a tight, even twist.
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c.
Trilobal filament polyester: High sheen polyester. Not quite as strong
as regular filament, but has the sheen of silk or rayon. Look for even,
smooth twist and even dyeing.
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Silk:
Great thread but very expensive. A good polyester like The Bottom Line
is stronger, one-twentieth the price, and will last longer.
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Monofilament:
Most is nylon, which should not be used (see above). Watch out for one
brand that labels its monofilament thread as 'polyamide' which is the
chemical word for nylon. That is misleading. Use only polyester
monofilament.
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Reprinted with permission from
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Bob Purcell, Superior Threads.
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www.superiorthreads.com
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- Lots of things for you from the
Internet!
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If
you like the idea of "going green" (by the club eliminating styrofoam
cups with refreshments) why not consider making your own shopping bags
to eliminate using plastic shopping bags. This site has directions:
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http://www.thecreativethimble.com/Downloads.html
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This URL will take you to Nancy Dill Designs newsletter for quilting in
Western and Central NY.
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http://nancydilldesigns.com/newsletter.html
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Directions for a quick Steam a Seam quilt sleeve: http://www.warmcompany.com/projects/sleeve.pdf
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Not too early to think about the Christmas holidays. Click on this URL
for a free strip pieced stocking pattern:
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www.cornwagonquilts.com/images/stripstocking_1_.pdf
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Just in case you don't have enough projects to keep you busy quilting
this summer, here are some free patterns to inspire you:
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http://www.quiltstock.com/freepatterns.htm
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- Happy Mother’s Day, Quilters!
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“Sewing was a way in which Mom expressed her creativity and love for
form and fabric. Coming home from school, I would jump off the bus and
run up the hill to our farmhouse, hoping for a tasty snack. Bursting
through the door, I would see Mom’s head bent over our kitchen table,
which was littered with fabric and pins – no food in sight. She would
look up and show me her latest work,”
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Maggie Gartner,Piecework Magazine, Sept/Oct 2005
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- Baby's Quilt
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The sun came up this morning
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It's promise sweet and long
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A
new child shares this day with me
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The birds begin their songs.
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A
special gift of squares and strips
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Was sewn for baby's cover
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The sparkling patches quite reflect
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Our feeling for each other.
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The beauty of the days ahead
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Are sewn in every seam.
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I'll wrap you up and hold you tight
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And anticipate the dream.
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Marilyn Robinson - from, "P.S. I Love You”
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“I
turned off the light in the living room and ran my hands over the
quilt. The soft light brought out the pattern of stitched lines and I
could feel the slight ridges of thread under my fingers. As I admired
our work, Mom came up behind me and put her arm around my shoulders.
‘Beautiful, isn’t it?’ she said. I said something like, ‘I love it.
Thanks for teaching me how to make a quilt!’”
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Maggie Gartner, Piecework Magazine, Sept/Oct 2005
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