How-to-Quilt.com

December 2005 Newsletter

1) A Tidbit of Quilt History – Victorian Quilts

2) Tools, Tricks and Quilting Tips – A Simple Border Design

3) What's in a Name? – Learn about a traditional patchwork quilt block that has many different names.

4) Holiday Recipes for Quilters – Egg Nog and Crab Quiche

1) A Tidbit of Quilt History – Victorian Quilts

When dating quilts, it is helpful to look at old advertisements of dry goods stores. Since the various materials were shown in ads, a search of these old ads may be a clue to the age of a quilt. After all, the quilts were made of fabric left over from other projects, or from worn out clothing. Victorian Quilts were usually made of silk, velvet or satin. Some of the silk fabric was saturated with shellac to make it stiff enough for ladies’ skirts and sleeves. Although beautiful, the shellac may cause the fabric to disintegrate if the quilt is handled too roughly.

2) Tools, Tricks, and Quilt Tips – A Simple Border Design

Many of us struggle with what to do to create an interesting border. How about just reversing the colors of the blocks in your quilt and adding the new blocks to the outside of your quilt? For example, if the blocks in your quilt were an Ohio Star with dark star points and a light background, you could make the same Ohio Star, and make the star points light with the background dark. Simple – no extra measuring, no special fitting, no complications. Just add one more row with the reversed colors to the top, bottom, and each side of your quilt.

3) What's in a Name?

Early in the 1900s, as more women became interested in quilting and wanted to expand the variety of blocks they used in their quilts, they would write to magazines and newspapers for ideas. Publications would list the requests in one issue then publish the answers in the next issue. The blocks would be published with instructions and a picture. Often the blocks were renamed to sound more current or to give credit to a city or state, and one block would end up having several different names.

This month’s block has just three different names: Cats and Mice, Beggar’s Blocks, Roman Square

4) Holiday Recipes for Quilters – Egg Nog and Crab Quiche

In keeping with the holiday spirit, I thought I’d share one of our favorite recipes – my dad’s famous Egg Nog. For nibbles along with the Egg Nog, I’ve included a Crab Quiche treat. Between these recipes, everyone should be in the holiday spirit – people, cats and mice! (I’m wondering what’s there for our dog friends! But, then, most of them will gobble most anything.)

Happy Holidays –

Egg Nog

Separate 8 eggs.
Beat whites until stiff and add 1 cup sugar.
Beat yolks and fold into the whites.
Add 1½ pint whipped cream (whipped until stiff), and 1½ pint milk. Stir.
Chill for 2 hours before serving.
Add 1 jigger of Canadian Whiskey per serving. (He adds the booze one cup at a time. That way, people can enjoy it plain; and the Egg Nog stays fresh and can be refrigerated for the next day.)

Crab Quiche

4 eggs
1 ½ cups dairy sour cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ cup salt
4 drops red pepper sauce
1 can (6 ½ ounces) crabmeat, drained
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (about 8 ounces)

Mix eggs, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, flour, onion powder, salt and pepper sauce in a 4 quart bowl; beat until smooth. Stir in crabmeat, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Pour into ungreased 10 inch pie plate. Cook in 350° oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Happy Quilting!