How-to-Quilt.com

July 2005 Newsletter

 Greetings!

A portion of the July 2005 Newsletter:
A Tidbit of Quilting History – Crazy Quilts Tips, Tools and Tricks – Sore Quilting Fingers What's in a Name? - Learn about a patchwork quilt block that has many different names.
Recipe for Quilters – Caramel Cinnamon Twists

A Tidbit of Quilting History - Crazy Quilts

Crazy quilts are probably the ultimate in scrap quilts. With the scarcity of materials years ago, quilters cut pieces of fabric from whatever worn clothing was deemed to be still useful – whether it was cotton or wool.

These pieces were sewn together in a random (crazy) fashion. Generally they were sewn together on an inner lining (much as paper piecing is done today), making it easier to work with the unusual shapes and types of fabric.

The higher quality crazy quilts included yarn embellishments in the form of embroidery stitches around the pieces. In the 1870s, scraps of silk and velvet pieces were used in crazy quilts. The pieces were stitched with fancy stitches using silk floss instead of simple yarn. In addition, the quilts often were decorated with fruit, flowers, and heart designs.

Tips, Tools and Tricks - Sore Quilting Fingers?

If you suffer from sore quilting fingers, one or more of these tricks might help:

Here are some ideas of other fabrics you can use in place of batting in your quilt.

• Chapstick is soothing on pricked fingers
• Bag Balm (more commonly used for cow’s udders) relieves sore fingers
• Styptic pencil – to keep bleeding to a minimum and relieve soreness
• Dampen sore fingers and rub them over a bar of soap before bed
• Soak fingers in warm water with Johnson’s™ foot soap; after that, smooth callouses with a pumice stone

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 featured block has four different names: Twist Patchwork, Plaited Block, Ribbon Twist and Twisted Rope.

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 - Caramel Cinnamon Twists

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package active dry yeast
2 egg yolks
1 egg
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Mix together hot butter, sour cream, salt and vanilla. The mixture should be lukewarm. Sprinkle in yeast. Beat egg yolks and egg until blended. Stir into yeast mixture. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Beat until smooth. It is not necessary to knead this dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours.

Mix sugar and cinnamon. Spread half of it on a board. Divide dough in half. Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (15 x 18 inches). Turn dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture so both sides are coated. Fold over three times, as you would fold a letter. Repeat rolling, coating and folding three times until sugar mixture is almost used.

Roll into a rectangle ¼ inch thick. Cut into strips ½ inch wide by 4 inches long. Twist strips. Dip in remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Lay on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar mixture. Cover with towel. Let rise in a warm place until light and puffy.

Bake in a 375° oven 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot or reheat. Makes about 4 dozen twists.

Enjoy!

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.

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©How-to-Quilt.com 2005