Tips for Quilt as You Go Projects

"A quilt is a treasure which follows its owner everywhere."

Greetings Quilter -

Whew! All of the holidays are now behind us. The kids are back in their homes and life is as normal as it gets around here.

January marks the 50th month that www.How-to-Quilt.com has been online, and we are celebrating. For the first 50 days in 2009, each day we will be providing you with our best quilting tips and information.

In addition to getting grand quilting information, this is an opportunity for us to take you to our various sites so you can explore the many resources we have to offer.

Once you have seen these resources, plan to visit them again when you have a quilting question. The links at the bottom of the web pages here at www.How-to-Quilt.com will lead you back to the pages. Or, you could bookmark them.

The Quilt as You Go webinars were rousing successes. More than 300 quilters attended the presentations and got great information about how to complete a Quilt as You Go project.

If you weren't able to make one of the presentations, you can get a download of the slide presentation and watch the video clips here:

Quilt as You Go Webinar Handouts and Videos

At the webinar on January 4, we also saw a short video clip showing how to make 2 color binding.

Thanks to Linda J from Virginia who sent along this technique. The video is short, and shows all of the basics. The measurements are: 1 inch strip that will show on the front of the quilt and a 2 inch strip that will show on the back of the quilt. That is assuming you will sew the binding on the front first and then fold it around to the back. Reverse the measurements if you plan to sew the binding on the back and fold it around to the front.

I was amazed after I stitched the binding on and folded it around to the back of the quilt - the seam was perfectly aligned along the edge of the quilt. Watch the short video below.

Happy Quilting!

Tips – for Quilt as You Go Projects

Quilt as You Go projects are for any quilter, anywhere. Whether you travel, or quilt only at home, these are fun and easy to complete. The idea is that you finish one block at a time, including the quilting. Once your blocks are finished, you attach them to make a completed quilt.

There are several different options for putting your blocks together, and if you were part of one of the Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation webinars in December, you learned about several of them, and saw videos showing how to stitch the blocks together.

Here are just a few tips for making these projects easier and more fun:

• Use a print fabric for the backing to hide your stitches
• Keep your quilting at least 1/2 inch away from the raw edge of your quilt block – give yourself plenty of space to stitch the blocks together
• Use ribbon or bias tape to cover the seams where your blocks come together
• If your blocks are different sizes, consider adding sashing of different widths to make them the same size as you sew them together
• If you are hand stitching your blocks closed, be sure to end your stitching and tie a knot in a place that will still be there when you trim your fabric to add the next block or row
• If you plan to complete your project entirely using your sewing machine, consider a Quilt as You Go option where the backing folds on the top of the quilt

Classic French Dressing (for Salads)

I've often wondered how to make a classic French Dressing, and I finally ran across a recipe; and this is a classic! It's from a cookbook from the late 1950s:

This will make 1 pint of dressing:

For all green salads and most others, French Dressing is basic. It consists of olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; nothing more, nothing less. You may add things to it—mustard, cheese, various herbs, or even bacon, and have an excellent combination for salads, but you will not have French Dressing.

The dressing will keep almost indefinitely, but should not be stored in the refrigerator. Oddly enough the ingredients combine better if mixed in a small bowl or cup embedded in ice. Any type of vinegar—wine, malt, or cider may be used, but red wine vinegar is to be preferred.

½   CUP RED WINE VINEGAR
½  CUPS OLIVE OIL
1 TEASPOON SALT
½  TEASPOON PEPPER

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl or bottle, stir well with a fork or shake vigorously, depending on the container. Repeat the stirring or shaking process immediately before using.

Featured Block in Video - Birds and Kites Quilt Pattern

Did you know that January 5 is National Bird Day?

If you have listened to any of my DVDs, you may have heard my little bird in the background. I shut the door between her and my video camera, but she just loves to chirp at me; so when I am talking, she chirps back.

To celebrate National Bird Day, the quilt block video demonstration is the Birds and Kites quilt block. You can get a free download of the pattern by visiting www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com

Postcard Quilts for the Troops – All aboard for Valentines’ Day and then Spring!

Penny’s Postcard Posse is Roundin’ ‘em up for Valentines’ Day. And because of the time it takes to get them to Iraq, the deadline is fast approaching.

To make the Valentines’ Day deadline, get your cards to Diane by January 15, and for the Spring Roundup, March 8.

Please send your cards to:
Diane Malaznik
14215 Westmore St.
Livonia, MI 48154-4149

Diane is doing a fabulous job keeping the pictures updated, and if you have sent cards in, let your friends and family know that they can see pictures of them here: www.Fabric-Postcards.com

Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation

January 22 – Karen Combs - Karen Combs is an internationally known quilt teacher, author and fabric designer who will be our guest for our Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation. Karen specializes in optical illusion quilts – quilts that create a 3- dimensional design.

This promises to be a great call with information all quilters can use to make their quilts more intriguing.

Or join the Eavesdropping Quilters Club:

We now have a new special level of membership in TheQuiltingCoach.com for the Official Eavesdropping Quilters Club.

This level of membership gives you access to all of the same information Eavesdropping Quilters have gotten in the past – the Telephone Worksheet, the Transcript of each call and a copy of the CD recording delivered right to your snail mailbox.

Now, with membership in TheQuiltingCoach.com, in addition to the special notices of telephone calls, telephone worksheets and transcripts, you will get the full unedited recording of the call online. This is the from-start-to-finish call and includes all of the questions from quilters.

This recording is posted a few days after the call, so you can listen to it on your computer immediately and not have to wait until the CD recording comes in the mail.

Members will still get the CD in the mail just has before.

In addition, you will have access to everything in a special download area on TheQuiltingCoach.com.

That is where the transcripts and telephone worksheets are posted, and in addition, there are hundreds of quilt block patterns and step by step instructions for quilts and other projects.

Plus, there is a search engine on the site that makes it really easy to find things you are looking for.

I'm sure you will agree that this is a great deal - you are getting more information for the same price, and still getting the CD recording in your snail mailbox.

And, the first 30 days are free, so you can test it out.

Because I want you to see for yourself how good this is, by signing up for membership in TheQuiltingCoach.com at this new membership level during November, you get the first 30 days to give it a try on our nickel.

And, the current rate for membership in the Eavesdropping Quilters Club remains the same as it is right now - $24 per month. And you get the Telephone Worksheet, transcript of each of the calls, and the CD recording in the mail.

But this deal is only for a limited time.

After the first of the year, new members in the Official Eavesdropping Quilters Club will not get the first 30 days free and will be paying a higher rate.

And, once you sign up, the $24 rate will be yours as long as you remain a member. It can never be increased.

So, you'll want to take care of this soon, otherwise you will miss out on this deal, and end up paying more to get access to this information.

When the Official Eavesdropping Quilters Club began, the plan was to have one interview a month. Because there is so much information and so many quilters to interview, scheduling them has resulted in having 2 interviews for most months.

I love providing all of this information for you. But, as you can imagine, this means that the cost per month is double! And I have continued to maintain the cost to my loyal Official Eavesdropping Quilters the same low $24.

By joining TheQuiltingCoach.com as an Official Eavesdropping Quilter today, you will guarantee that same low $24 with all of the extra benefits of membership in TheQuiltingCoach.com.

Here is the special link to use for your Official Eavesdropping Quilters Club membership. Take care of this today, and you will be sure to hear every word Rosie says on November 19:

http://www.thequiltingcoach.com/public/663.cfm