How-to-Quilt.com

February 2005 Newsletter

 Greetings and Happy Valentines Day!

A portion of the February 2005 Newsletter

"Tips, Tools and Tricks" - Hand sewing made more comfortable
"What's in a Name?" - Learn about a traditional quilt block that has many different names
"Recipe for Quilters" - Thanks to Jill for sending this fabulous recipe, Cantaloupe-Tomato Salad

Tips, Tools and Tricks - When you are hand sewing, having your work raised from your lap can save your neck and eye muscles. One way to do that is to put a comfy, soft bed pillow or folded quilt on your lap under your hand work. Not only will that lift your work closer to your eyes, but it will give your arms a nice place to rest.

Looking for a small lap table? Cover a ceiling tile with batting or flannel and place it on your lap. That creates a solid, lightweight surface that your fabric pieces will stick to and not slide off onto the floor, chair or couch.

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 given credit to a city or state.

This month's block has only four different names: Nancy Page called this block Pennsylvania and Criss Cross Quilt; Nancy Cabot calls this block Simple Irish Chain; and it has also been referred to as a Simple Cross. You can view this block and all of its names at: http://www.how-to-quilt.com/patterns/blocks.shtml.

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

Recipe for Quilters - Jill sent this recipe to us saying that although it sounds pretty ECK!, it is very good. It's worth a try :-) Cantaloupe-Tomato Salad

First thing in the morning - 1 good tasting ripe cantaloupe, cut into bite-size pieces 1 or 2 good tasting ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces (Sometimes Jill scoops out the seeds in the tomatoes) Put them together in a ceramic (not metal) bowl. Cover with a saran-type wrap and place in the refrigerator. That evening you have a salad with its own dressing. Jill reports that Dinah Shore did this recipe on her TV talk show (for those of us old enough to remember Dinah)

Thanks Jill!

If you have a recipe to share, email us at: info@How-to-Quilt.com. We will be happy to publish the recipe in an upcoming newsletter.

©How-to-Quilt.com 2005