How-to-Quilt.com

September 2007 Newsletter

This issue includes:

1)  A Tidbit of History – Natural blue fabric dyes

2)  Tools, Tricks and Quilting Tips – Atlas Gloves for Machine Quilting
   
3)  Featured Quilt Block and Patterns – Two Colors Quilt Block
   
4)  Recipe for Quilters – Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad
   
5)  Newsletter News – What comes next in the Trick or Treat at the Haunted House? 

6)  Quilter’s Trip – 25th Anniversary Quilt and Craft Show - Georgetown, Indiana

7)  Fabric Postcards for the Troops – Round ‘em up and send ‘em in before the Halloween deadline - September 28

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1) A Tidbit of History – Natural blue fabric dyes

Woad is the oldest blue dye, made by fermenting the leaves of the Isatis tinctoria plant.  Its importance greatly diminished as indigo took hold.  Woad and indigo have the colorfast substance indgotin.  Originally it was thought that only woad could produce certain of the finer blue dyes.  And so, for a time, woad and indigo were used in combination. 

In addition, the process to extract indgotin from the indigo plant was tedious and expensive.  The indgotin comes from the leaves of the indigo plant and 100 pounds of plant material produces only 4 ounces of dye.  It is not difficult to see why it was so expensive.

It took a woman to create the first successful indigo plantation in the US.  In 1739, Eliza Lucas Pickney received some indigo seeds from her father, who was the governor of Antigua.  After much experimentation, in 1747 she produced enough to ship from her plantation in South Carolina to England. 

The English were pleased to have a new source for indigo, and Parliament created incentives to produce indigo.  As Eliza Pickney shared her seeds and expertise, the dye became South Carolina’s most profitable export, culminating in a shipment of more than 1 million pounds in 1773.

The Revolutionary War ended the lucrative arrangement, and Eliza discovered that growing cotton was more profitable.

Natural indigo was replaced with synthetic indigo, and that was a good thing.  It is estimated that it would have taken more than half of the continent of India to grow enough indigo to meet the demands of the last quarter of the 20th century.

2) Tools, Tricks, and Quilt Tips – Atlas Gloves for Machine Quilting

For those who are interested in efficiency in machine quilting –
Machine expert, Pam Bauer, suggested getting Atlas gloves that she finds at her local garden shop.

As I was traveling around, I found these at my local quilt shop.  They are made by the same company, Atlas, and seem to fill the bill.

I used them in my Machine Quilting Adventure with a great deal of success.  Prior to hearing from Pam that gloves were needed for great machine quilting, I wondered what the value of wearing gloves was.

I wonder no more.  The gloves allowed me to maintain contact with the quilt as I was machine quilting.  The key is that the quilt remained flat.  In my previous machine quilting experiences, I had been grabbing onto the quilt and guiding (pushing and pulling and tugging – poor quilt) the quilt through the needle. 

The gloves have a magical traction system, so you can press your fingertips lightly on the quilt and glide it under the needle.

Here is the “official” description:

Nitril Touch Quilting gloves are lightweight hand protection that fit like a second skin. Palm & finger area is coated with Nitrile for durable protection & outstanding tacky grip. Ideal for hand support when gripping & guiding fabrics or handling rotary tools. Ergonomic support lets you work longer! Machine washable.

They are available at quilt shops and at joann.com online.  You will want to get a size that fits snugly.  Pam cautions that if there is extra glove fabric hanging around, it is likely to get stitched into your machine quilting.

If you want to hear more of what machine quilting expert, Pam Bauer, has to say, check out some of the articles in the Article section, or get your very own recording of her Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation at:

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

3)  Featured Block of the Month - Two Colors

This 9 patch quilt block is easy to make, using just squares and quarter-square triangles of different sizes.

Although the name of the block is Two Colors, I chose to use three colors, adding a different color for the background.

This is just one example of how you can vary the look of your quilt block and quilt by simply changing the colors in your block - by adding or eliminating colors.

Click here to download the 10 FREE Patterns of the Month

4) Recipes for Quilters – Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad

Dressing:
           1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
            3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
            1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
            1/2 cup olive oil
            1/4 teaspoon salt
            1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a jar.  Cover securely and shake until slightly thickened, creamy and well combined.  Set aside.

Salad:
            1 head romaine lettuce (or your favorite kind)
            1/2 pound Gorgonzola or other blue-veined cheese, crumbled
            1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
            1 red delicious apple, or a pear

Put all of the salad ingredients into a bowl.  Add enough dressing just to coat the leaves.  Serve.

Frequently, I prepare the dressing and keep it in the refrigerator – ready for whatever the salad of the evening is.

5) Newsletter News – What comes next in the Trick or Treat at the Haunted House? 

Every week a new block with complete, step-by-step instructions is posted in TheQuiltingCoach.com.  There is a special link in the Resources Box on the left side of the page, so it is easy to find.

Some of these are 8 inch blocks, and some are 9 inch blocks.  When they are all completed, we will add borders to transform them into Attic Windows, and make all of the blocks the same size.  The “pictures” in the windows will be different – possibly more haunted-looking.

Quilting daughter, Stephanie, and I are working on a special easy-to-sew design to put the blocks together.  It promises to be more interesting than my original plan, which was just to line them up – 4 across and 4 down.  She suggested a door and pointy roof. 

We’ll keep you posted.

You may also want to consider joining as a Star Member of TheQuiltingCoach.com – for only $20 per month more, you will receive a free copy of a recording of the Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation call.  This call sells for $24.97 as a separate item.

6)  Quilter’s Trip – 25th Anniversary Quilt and Craft Show - Georgetown, Indiana
Sep 28-29, 2007

Edwardsville United Methodist Church - Quilts, Handcrafted Arts and Crafts for sale, challenge quilt displays, special this year a display of quilts made by Willing Workers of EUMC and History of the Quilt Group at EUMC. Location: Edwardsville United Methodist Church. Contact: 812 945-2939

7)  Postcard Quilts for the Troops

Penny’s Postcard Posse Roundup for Halloween is in full swing.  Postcards are already beginning to come in.

So far, we’ve received more than 200 fabric postcards to send to our troops in Iraq.  There is still plenty of time to send your Halloween greetings in before September 28.

With fall themes, as well as Halloween themes, everything is welcome.

This week my Rotary Club signed postcards, and I dropped a stack of fabric cards off at the credit union for employees and members to sign their good wishes.

We are looking to get more than 5000 postcards for this Roundup.

There are postcard patterns for many occasions posted on the fabric postcard site: www.Fabric-Postcards.com Whether you are looking for patriotic, hearts or pumpkins, there is a variety there.

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
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