How-to-Quilt.com

October 2006 Newsletter

Thank you for your continued subscription to the How-to-Quilt Monthly Newsletter

This issue includes:

1)  A Tidbit of History – Cotton Seeds in Batting?

2)  Tools, Tricks and Quilting Tips – Test Your Batting Before You Fly
   
3)  What's in a Name? – Learn about a traditional patchwork quilt block that has many different names. 
   
4)  Recipe for Quilters – Alligator Tail Soup
   
5)  Newsletter News – Brand new Step-by-Step Guide – Turkey in the Straw Paper Pieced Pattern

6)  Fabric Postcards for the Troops

How-To-Quilt.com Newsletter Archive online – Many issues of the How-to-Quilt.com Newsletter from the beginning of 2005 are available online at:

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

Do you enjoy this newsletter?  If you do, please feel free to forward it to one or many friends and encourage them to join the group!

You are welcome to post this newsletter on a website or submit it to an e-zine. If you do, please credit the source to www.How-to-Quilt.com, and include the copyright and contact information.  We would also love to hear about it, if it is posted.

1) A Tidbit of History – Cotton Seeds in Batting?

And how big is a cotton seed anyway?  It turns out that a cotton seed is the size of a navy bean – not that small!  It is said that batting made before the cotton gin was invented (in 1798) had seeds in it.  Thing is, the seeds are pretty big, and would make big lumps in a quilt, not just specks that you could see if you held the quilt up to the light.  Because of that, quilters who made their own batting (generally because they grew the cotton), removed the seeds by hand.  In addition, the seeds contain oils that discolor the quilt over time.  What is sometimes left in cotton batting that causes it to feel lumpy is actually little hunks of cotton hulls.

So much for being able to “date” a quilt by feeling lumps in the batting.  Besides, sometimes modern 100% natural cotton batting has those hunks of hull in it.

2) Tools, Tricks, and Quilt Tips – Test Your Batting Before You Fly

If you’ve been in a fabric shop or looked online for batting, you know that there are bunches of different kinds – polyester, cotton, cotton blends, wool, silk, low loft, puffy, needle punched, and more.  Each of these batts has been created to allow you to get the exact effect you want for your quilt. 

If you are making a puffy lap quilt, you will probably want to use a high loft polyester batting.  If you are making a quilt for a mountain cabin that you want to cuddle up in late at night when it’s cold, you might be looking for a wool batting.

If you can’t decide what you want, or if you are making a group quilt, it might be a good idea to test the batting before you buy gobs and gobs of it.  Get a small piece, then layer it with fabrics you will be using for your quilt, and quilt away – either hand quilt or machine quilt.  This will give you a good idea of what your finished quilt will look and feel like.

Where do you get samples of batting?  Several of the batting vendors at quilt shows have packs of samples for sale or cheap.  Sometimes you can find sample packs at quilt shops.  Or, invest in a small (crib size) batt of some of the types you are likely to use, and keep them on hand to use as “test batts” for your future quilts.
   
Sounds like a lot of extra work?  Kind of, but remember, this quilt will last many lifetimes, and the extra hour or two you spend on it now will be nothing compared to the years of enjoyment future generations will spend with your finished quilt.

3)  What's in a Name?

With Halloween coming up, somehow Bats seemed to strike a chord!

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.

The Bat The Bat's Block

Click on either the picture of the quilt block or the name of the block that is highlighted in blue and underlined, and a file will open that has a colored quilt block picture, templates for the pattern, and rotary cutting instructions.  The pattern page has links for these block patterns as well.

Download your 10 FREE October Halloween Patterns

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

4)  Recipes for Quilters – Alligator Tail Soup

This month saw the passing of Steve Irwin, a dynamic and energetic “World’s Original Wildlife Warrior,” in a freak accident swimming with sting rays.  It seemed appropriate to raise a Soup-toast to Steve, just a little substitution of Alligator for Crocodile – it’s all in the same family.

And looking back in history, this recipe comes from a collection that dates back to 1956:
During World War II, when there were more vital foods than soup on which to expend one's blue ration points, a man decided he could still serve soup to his guests if he made it out of bouillon cubes and water, both of which were point-free. The recipe below was the result.

It proved successful enough to merit a name. He chose Alligator Tail out of pure whim. It was in fact good enough to keep on using after the wartime necessity had passed and is use­ful when you are in haste to prepare a dinner for people who have "eaten everything." The ingredients can be put together quickly, placed on the low burner, and allowed to simmer without attention until you are ready to serve.
 

INGREDIENTS:
6 BEEF BOUILLON CUBES
1   QUART WATER
1   TABLESPOON LIQUID GARLIC
1   TABLESPOON WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
TABLESPOON GUMBO FILE
12   COLOSSAL RIPE OLIVES
½   CUP DRY SHERRY TABLESPOONS CHOPPED PARSLEY

DIRECTIONS:
Put the bouillon cubes, water, liquid garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in a large saucepan, sprinkle the surface with the gumbo file. While the soup is cooking over a low flame, slice the olives lengthwise around the pit (or buy them already sliced!), and add the slices to the soup. When you are ready to serve, bring the soup to a boil, and stir in the sherry. Pour into soup cups, garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve.

5)  Newsletter News – Turkey in the Straw – Paper Pieced Step-by-Step Guide

Brand new, released just last week is a Step-by-Step Guide for a Paper Pieced Traditional Block Pattern, and making it a fabric postcard.

See how easy it is to foundation piece a traditional patchwork quilt block, just in time for the holidays.  Create some of these treasures to send to your family and friends – for Thanksgiving or beyond.  Heck, you can send these throughout the year.

After all, the Turkey in the Straw pattern is a fun quilt block you can do anything with.  Change the colors and make it be a summer pinwheel.

Get the details about this new, must-have quilting resource here:
http://www.fabric-postcards.com/turkey.shtml

6)  Postcard Quilts for the Troops

There’s a new project in town!

In June, we collected fabric postcards for the troops abroad for the 4th of July. 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it seemed like a great time to collect again and share our thanks and well wishes with the guys and gals who are defending our freedom overseas.  If you would like to participate, we are collecting fabric postcard sized tiny quilts – something around 3” by 5.”  Several of the postcards sent in June measured up to 9” by 12” and featured all kinds of fun designs.

Check out pictures of the fabric postcards delivered for the 4t of July:

http://www.fabric-postcards.com/memorialdaypostcards.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

P.S. Check out Nita's Place - Where creative embroidery projects inspire your imagination!