March 2008 Newsletter

This issue includes:

1)  A Tidbit of History – March is Women’s History Month

2)  Tools, Tricks and Quilting Tips – Using Freezer Paper for Photo Transfers
   
3)  Featured Block of the Month – Jacob’s Ladder and Stepping Stones 
   
4)  Recipe for Quilters – Boxty
   
5)  Newsletter News – Good ‘ole Dad!

6)  Quilter’s Trip – Timeless Treasures 2008 - Melbourne, Florida

7)  Fabric Postcards for the Troops – Round ‘em up and send ‘em in before March 21

8) Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation - March 11 - John Watts Quilting Frame and March 19 - Tin Lizzie18 Quilting Machine

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1) A Tidbit of History – March is Women’s History Month

That surprised me! Yet, here we go. 

In an earlier newsletter, we talked about the women during Revolutionary times being very politically aware.  Even though they couldn’t vote, they supported the men in their towns who were fighting for the freedom in the Colonies.

Turns out that Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams was speaking out on behalf of women as early as 1776. The following quote was taken from a letter to John from Abigail written on August 14, 1776.

“If you complain of neglect of Education in sons, what shall I say with regard to daughters, who every day experience the want of it? With regard to the Education of my own children, I find myself soon out of my depth, destitute and deficient in every part of Education.

“I most sincerely wish that some more liberal plan might be laid and executed for the Benefit of the rising Generation, and that our new Constitution may be distinguished for encouraging Learning and Virtue. If we mean to have Heroes, Statesmen and Philosophers, we should have learned women. The world perhaps would laugh at me and accuse me of vanity, But you I know have a mind too enlarged and liberal to disregard the Sentiment. If much depends as is allowed upon the early education of youth and the first principles which are instill'd take the deepest root, great benefit must arise from literary accomplishments in women.”

Abigail was the wife of President John Adams and mother of President John Quincy Adams. She was born Abigail Smith in Weymouth, Mass. A lively, intelligent woman, she was the chief figure in the social life of her husband's administration and one of the most distinguished and influential of the first ladies in the history of the United States. Her detailed letters are a vivid source of social history.

2) Tools, Tricks, and Quilt Tips – Using Freezer Paper for Photo Transfers

The trick is to not leave the iron in one area too long.

Once the coating on the paper is gone the fabric comes off. I generally cut a piece of the freezer paper bigger than a piece of copy paper, then place a piece of fabric wrong side up on the ironing board.

Next place the freezer paper shiny side down over the fabric. I iron half at a time. I start at the top and iron down the length of the paper then lift the iron up go back to the top and do the other side.

It doesn't take much to melt that wax on the paper. Try it with some scraps and you will find the right speed to move the iron. After the fabric is attached to the paper and cool I trim it to standard paper size for the printer. This takes care of getting rid of any little threads on the edges of the fabric that could get caught up in the printer.

3)  Featured Blocks of the Month - Jacob’s Ladder and Stepping Stones

This month we take a look at yet another way quilt block patterns are manipulated, resulting in a new look and new name.

Jacob’s Ladder (on the left) is a pre-Revolutionary design. All Jacob’s Ladder quilts are made in two tones only, with the dark patches being very dark and the lights being correspondingly light. No intermediate shades are allowed, since the fundamental idea of Jacob’s Ladder is extreme contrast resulting in a series of dark “ladders” running up and down the quilt or diagonally across.

Now take the same block, reverse the light and dark fabrics, and add a medium, and you get Stepping Stones (in Virginia and New England), The Tail of Benjamin’s Kite (in Pennsylvania), The Trail of the Covered Wagon or Wagon Tracks in Mississippi and the prairie states, and The Underground Railroad in the Western Reserve (Connecticut and the northeastern portion of Ohio).

Each new name suggests characteristics of its locale, and creates a image in the mind’s eye – grass-embedded stepping stones set between planters in old Colonial gardens; Benjamin Franklin, pompously dignified in small-clothes, with his jacket and broad-brimmed hat flying a child’s kite in a thunderstorm; the covered wagon trekking its way across the prairie carrying settlers to their new homeland.

And, isn’t it amazing how changing just so few colors can make a difference in the look of the block and quilt?

These two and 8 more are included in our March 2008 Patterns

4) Recipes for Quilters – Boxty

Boxty is a traditional potato dish, celebrated in the rhyme.

Boxty on the griddle, boxty in the pan, If you can't make boxty, you'll never get your man

1 cup raw potato
1 cup mashed potato
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
large knob of butter, melted
about 1/2 cup milk

Grate the raw potatoes into a bowl. Turn out onto a cloth and wring, catching the liquid. This will separate into a clear fluid with starch at the bottom. Pour off the fluid and scrape out the starch and mix with the grated and mashed potatoes. Sieve the dry ingredients and mix in along with the melted butter. Add a little milk if necessary to make a pliable dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface. Divide into four and form large, flat cakes. Mark each into quarters but do not cut right through, and bake on a griddle or in a heavy pan.

From the Appletree Press title: A Little Irish Cookbook.
http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/culture/recipes/index.shtm

5) Newsletter News – Good ‘ole Dad! 

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The t-shirt quilt is coming along nicely, but not without its challenges.

First there was printing the photos on flannel. In the end, it worked out, but the first time out, the printer freaked out and took about ½ hour to calm down.

Then there was the small issue of the Eccentric Stars being smaller than the t-shirt blocks. Poor planning on my part. Instead of using the templates I printed out with my pattern, I thought I’d be really bright and use some plastic templates. Next time I’ll check the size against the paper templates to be sure they are the right size.

Time to punt – so I added borders onto the Eccentric Star blocks to make them the right size. Now for the borders, backing and quilting. All progress is posted, along with specific instructions, under the “T-shirt Quilts” link in www.TheQuiltingCoach.com.

Penny’s Inner Circle members receive a copy of the Terrific Tees book for free as a part of their membership.  And another following in April. As a matter of fact, every other month members receive a new quilting resource and guidance through a project.

In addition, Penny’s Inner Circle members receive a recording of the Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation calls – February and March each had two informative calls. Inner Circle members get both – no extra charge.  Plus, Inner Circle members are invited to attend an exclusive telephone call, where we discuss quilting – projects, challenges, successes and more.

Check it out: https://www.thequiltingcoach.com/public/5.cfm before the Charter Memberships are gone.

Next month, we will be looking at Great Sets: 7 Roadmaps to Spectacular Quilts by Sharyn Craig, our guest on April 21 for our Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation, and selecting a project where you can use some blocks that are anxious to find a home in a quilt.

6)  Quilter’s Trip – Timeless Treasures 2008 - Melbourne, Florida

Timeless Treasures 2008 hosted by the Seaside Piecemakers. 300 + judged quilts and wearable arts, lectures & quilting demonstrations, certified quilt appraisals on site, traveling quilt exhibit, vendors, club boutique, club quilt challenges, door prizes and silent auctions, opportunity quilt.

Location: Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Boulevard, Melbourne, FL 32901
Hours: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
http://www.s-piecemakers.com/

7)  Postcard Quilts for the Troops - March 21 deadline

Penny’s Postcard Posse is Flying Again.  This time we are collecting for Spring. Send your postcards to us at:

How to Quilt
7723 Tyler's Place Blvd. #327
West Chester, OH 45069

Check out pictures of the fabric postcards already delivered:

http://fabric-postcards.com/

8) Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation -

March 11 - John Watts Quilting Frame

Finishing quilts seems to be one of the biggest challenges of all. Yet many of us aren’t quite ready to buy a longarm quilting machine. With the John Watts quilting frame, you can turn your home sewing machine into a virtual longarm quilting machine, without the major investment of a new machine.  John Watts will talk about machine quilting with his frame – perfected with feedback from quilters.

http://www.johnwattsquilting.com/index.htm

March 19 - Tin Lizzie18 Quilting Machine

Ernie and his dad designed this quilting machine to fit the needs of home quilters interested in a high quality, affordable quilting machine with high end features.  The result is the TinLizzie18 – a longarm quilting machine with an 18” bed featuring an extra large capacity bobbin that also winds as you sew, a walking foot, and a stitch regulator.  Ernie will talk about his quilting machine and how you can use it in your home.

http://tinlizzie18.com/

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

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