How-to-Quilt.com

December 2006 Newsletter

This issue includes:

1)  A Tidbit of History – Crazy Quilts

2)  Tools, Tricks and Quilting Tips – Sewing Accurate ¼” Seam Allowances
   
3)  What's in a Name? – Learn about a traditional patchwork quilt block that has many different names. 
   
4)  Recipe for Quilters – Bananas Senegalese
   
5)  Newsletter News – Beginner’s Guide to Quilting, Vol. II – Robin’s Nest DVD

6)  Quilter’s Trip – Road to California – January 18-21, 2007

7)  Fabric Postcards for the Troops – Round ‘em up and send ‘em in before December 7

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http://www.how-to-quilt.com/newsletter/archive/index.shtml

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A Quilter asked about crazy quilts and whether they needed to be sewn onto a foundation piece.  The quick answer is “no, not really.”  To bring in a bit of history, Crazy Quilts date back to the 1850s and 1860s and were made up of odds and ends of materials that were lying around the house.  These fabrics included cottons, silks, velvets, ribbons, and wool.  

Because the fabric was left over from other projects or remnants from worn out clothing, curtains or other household items, frequently the shapes did not lend themselves to being easily sewn together in a traditional patchwork style.  And because fabric was scarce, quilters did not trim the pieces in order to make a square, triangle or rectangle that could be easily sewn into a patch.

Instead, quilters found that they could easily overlap the odd-shaped pieces of fabric and stitch them onto a foundation made of a backing and “batting,” finishing the edges of the overlapping fabric with fancy embroidery stitches or ribbon.

Of note is that during this period in history, men controlled most of what went on in the household – including the fabric used for clothes and household decorations.  For some reason, men did not interfere with the creation of quilts, and crazy quilts were the beginning of creative expression for many women during the mid-1800s.

2) Tools, Tricks, and Quilt Tips – Sewing Accurate ¼” Seam Allowances      

Since lots of quilters ask how to sew accurate ¼” seam allowances, we’ve posted an article that has many tips and tricks about measuring your seam allowances to see whether they are accurate, how to sew up your sewing machine with a ¼” guideline for sewing an accurate seam allowance, and pictures of the miracle “Little Foot.”  The article can be found here: http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/2007-quarter-inch-seam-allowance.shtml

Did you know that you can take two standard hexagonal pencils, rubber band them together, and they will draw two lines that are ¼” apart?  So, if you want to mark your fabric for cutting and sewing, you can easily do it in one step using these magic pencils.

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.

London Roads
At the Square
Betty’s Choice
Colorado Arrow
Fireside Visitor
Rope & Anchor

Thanks to Maggie Malone's book 5,500 Quilt Block Designs for this information.

Download your 10 FREE Patterns here

4) Recipes for Quilters – BANANAS SENEGALESE    serves 4

With the upcoming holidays and visitors dropping by from out of town, wouldn’t it be nice to have a quick, easy, fun and impressive dish that you can whip up in a minute.  This one is even kind of healthy and in keeping with the holiday theme.

A Swiss gentlewoman, married in Tangier to an American army officer, and now living in Dakar, sent this recipe from darkest, or nearly darkest, Africa with the admonition that it should be made only to the deep beating of tom-toms and the high thin wail of a conch-shell horn.

If you can arrange the necessary musical accompaniment and have the ingredients, you can make a pretty, sweet, mildly alcoholic, and, therefore, desirable dessert. In the absence of authentic African instruments, I have successfully used an old recording of Ravel's "Bolero." The bananas should be firm.

4 BANANAS, PEELED
½  CUP GREEN CRÈME DE MENTHE
3   TABLESPOONS BROWN SUGAR
l6  MARASCHINO CHERRIES
½  TEASPOON BUTTER
Grease a large shallow baking or ovenproof serving dish lightly with butter. Cut the bananas in half lengthwise, and lay them, flat side down, on the dish. Pour the green mint over them, and sprinkle lightly with brown sugar. Garnish with the cherries. Place the dish under a medium broiler flame (400 degrees) for about seven minutes. Serve hot.

This historical recipe is from Fast and Fancy Cookery - recipes for those who work from nine to five and still enjoy entertaining at seven, with hints on the gracious feeding of the unexpected but welcome guest, by John Philips Cranwell, and published in 1959.

5) Newsletter News – Kick back and enjoy a bowl of popcorn while you learn how to quilt!  Yes, now learning how to quilt is as easy as watching your favorite movie on TV.  As a matter of fact, watching the construction of a quilt from start to finish, may become your favorite movie on TV – or your computer.

Discover how you can have more than 26 years of quilting experience at your fingertips whenever you need it:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/robinsnest.shtml

6)  Quilter’s Trip – Road to California – January 18-21, 2007

California’s largest quilt show is coming up in January, and is well worth a trip to the beautiful Ontario Convention Center in Southern California.  What an excuse to get out of the snow, rain and cold, and enjoy a bit of sunny Southern California while seeing some of the most fabulous quilts on earth.

Plus, under the same roof, you can attend workshops and lectures presented by talented quilters, and visit the vendors’ mall to see the latest quilting gadgets and trends.  This is one show that is not to be missed!

7)  Postcard Quilts for the Troops

Penny’s Postcard Posse is Flying Again.  This time the theme is the holidays – Christmas, Hanukkah, just plain winter, whatever you like.   At last count, 49 tiny quilted postcards had been received at Postcard Posse Headquarters. 

With the deadline fast approaching on December 7, you’ll want to quick like a reindeer whip one up and send it along.

Check out pictures of the fabric postcards already delivered:

http://fabric-postcards.com/christmas.shtml

Have a fabulous Month!

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
www.How-to-Quilt.com
Inspiration and Education for Beginning Quilters

www.Rag-Quilt-Instructions.com
Fast, Fun and Funky Quilts

www.Fabric-Postcards.com
Quilt Mail Across the Miles

©How-to-Quilt.com 2006