Paper or Fabric - a Bit about Foundation Piecing
and August Free Quilt Block Patterns

greetings quilter -

m. mouse here. penny's on a boat somewhere vacationing, so here i am talking to you - one of my favorite things in life! i bet she doesn't even bring me one of those special t-shirts. you know the ones that say "penny went on vacation and all i got was this lousey t-shirt." she probably knows i wouldn't wear it anyway!

penny's sister's birthday was just before penny left on her trip, and she'll easily admit that it is difficult to figure out what to get for her. wendy lives with her mom and has limited resources - both financially and emotionally. even so, she does enjoy her kitty cat and misses their dad terribly.

a month or so ago, wendy pulled out this fabric panel that a friend of hers gave her. the wall hanging part was finished - it had a backing, hangers and a string of yarn to hang it with.

Panel with kitty pictures before and after - click on image for larger view

but wendy could see the possibility of adding pictures of my dad with "his" kitty in each space.

the problem was, wendy didn't know how to do it.

originally she was going to glue some actual photos onto the fabric panel.

and, while that would work - the photos were the wrong size, and it didn't make much sense to her to glue paper onto the fabric.

she had chosen some pictures; so penny brought them home, cropped them to (sort of) fit the spaces, and then attached them to the panel.

penny's first plan was to sew the pictures on. however, once they were printed onto the fabric, she realized it might be easier to attach them with that double sided adhesive "stuff."

since penny had cut out the pictures with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, they looked like pictures that you get from the photo shop with the border, so she just ironed them into the spaces on the panel.

penny tells me that wendy was pleased when she unwrapped it at their birthday lunch at black angus, and was going home to hang it on her wall - then leave to gamble at the casino to spend her birthday money. (Hmmmmm - that's why she doesn't get money from penny!)

the next time you need a gift and are at a loss, check out the fabric shop for a panel like this - in a theme that your family member or friend likes, add some pictures and wrap it up. it is sure to bring a smile to their face, and a gift that will last many lifetimes.

of course, i would always choose a kitty theme, but you may want something different.

And now for the rest of the news - -

happy quilting!

m. mouse - while penny is on vacation

But Their Eyes Sparkled When They Saw the
Delicious Heirloom Quilt I Created from Those
Easy-to-Use Pre-cut Strips of Fabric!

Who would have believed that wandering around a quilt shop these days could be almost like a visit to a bakery?

A quick look at a counter top and you will probably discover Layer Cake fabric bundles, Honey Buns, Fat Quarters and Jelly Rolls - maybe even more.

Just like tasty pasteries, each has a different attraction, and using any of them you can create a beautiful heirloom quilt.

Now you can have the best tools at your fingertips to ensure that you maximize your pre-cut fabrics - ensuring you have enough fabric to make the quilt you want to make.

This is a brand new product from How-to-Quilt.com, and available for a limited time at our special Introductory Deal.

Tell me more - - -

Paper or Fabric?

It’s funny that we have a similar choice when grocery shopping now. The paper or fabric question also applies to foundation quilting.

I say “fabric” for all those who truly want to live the waste-free way of life. Here’s my reasoning.

First of all, if you are foundation quilting, chances are you are using up some of the smallest pieces or strings of fabric from your stash. If you piece them to a fabric background, they will have added security for the small pieces. Small stretchy scraps of fabric are strong when sewn onto a fabric background.

Another reason to choose fabric is that paper will eventually have to be pulled away from the paper pieced foundation blocks. Once you pull the paper away, it will generally wind up in the trash can.

Choosing fabric for your foundation for string or scrap quilts will also cut down on expense and effort. Your foundation fabric will actually serve the purpose of the middle layer of your quilt sandwich. That means you save the expense of batting.

You save time by not having to totally quilt the project, too. With a foundation project, there is no need to quilt the entire project. Once the sides are bound, all three layers are secure. You may choose to tie the quilt for decorative purposes if you would like to keep the layers from sliding around.

If you choose fabric for your foundation backing, be sure to wash and dry it first. Lots of fabrics used for foundation backs, like muslin,  tend to have some shrinkage factor that needs to be considered early in the process.

If you choose paper, you are in for what could become a very time consuming project. If you use actual paper, you will need to remove it all before moving on to the quilting process. Otherwise, you will have a crinkly quilt instead of a comfy one.

To opt out of the tedious paper removal, buy paper that dissolves when washed.  You can also buy water soluble stabilizer in your favorite fabric store. Once washed, the substance disappears. You pay for this luxury, of course, but your finished project at least won’t have crumpled paper stuck between the layers.

If you have never created a string or scrap foundation quilt, they can be a lot of fun. You are not limited to your design options for these kinds of quilts. You can hodge podge your scraps and strings together in a crazy quilt type of project or you can use them together to follow a quilt (or quilt block) pattern.

String quilts are nothing new. They date back to the late 1800s, almost as far back as crazy quilts. Leftover strings of fabric (generally at least an inch wide) were used often as a utilitarian effort not to waste any fabric. Today, they still are a great way to use your left over pieces of fabrics, whether they are strings or chunks (bigger, wider left over pieces of fabric).

String quilting can be enjoyed by all levels of quilters. Beginners can find many string quilt patterns these days. At the beginner level, it’s important to find patterns with detailed directions and descriptions. Quilting pros know that string quilts don’t have to have a scrappy look. Lovers of the scrappy look can certainly recreate it in a string quilt.

If you find yourself hooked on string quilting, you can easily organize your fabrics while working on other quilt projects. Devote a bin to strings and a bin to chunks. As you work on other sewing projects, stick your leftovers in the appropriate bin. When you’re ready to begin your next foundation string quilt, you’ll be ready to reach in and grab fabrics!

Looking for an Intern

If you know anyone at San Diego State University, let please let them know I have a great opportunity for a student to learn "the business."

I am looking for someone to help keep the flow of high quality quilting information coming to you. This person doesn't need to be a quilter (of course it would be nice if they were) or know much about an internet business.

I am mostly looking for someone who is a self-starter and interested in helping get my email communications flowing, web pages uploaded, product information organized, and even come up with fun things to provide you with.

The posting is on the SDSU School of Business site: Aztec Business Alliance Look for How-to-Quilt.com

Postcard Quilts for the Troops

Halloween Roundup Next - Deadline September 29!

Wow! We sent more than 1,900 fabric postcards to the Middle East for the 4th of July!

Thanks to everyone who participated in this worthy event. I know it will mean a lot to the soldiers who receive those greetings of thanks on the 4th of July.

This year, we've decided not to do the Birthday Roundup, and focus our efforts on Halloween and the end of the year holidays.

So the next Roundup is Halloween -

Halloween, like the 4th of July, in Iraq or Afghanistan is just another day unless it becomes something different by virtue of quilters' intervention!

Now you can send postcards for our Halloween Roundup. This is just a fun time of the year - with Trick or Treat fabric, memories of Halloween costumes and marching around the neighborhood begging for candy.

You can bring those memories back for the soldiers stationed abroad by sending them tiny quilts - fabric postcards decorated for Halloween.

We want to keep Diane doing the Penny's Postcard Posse project, but she is terribly allergic to smoke. So, if you can be sure that your fabric postcards are smoke-free, it will be much appreciated!

Check out the postcard patterns on www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com I will continue to add designs, and patterns for the fabric postcards are always free.

To make the Halloween deadline, get your cards to Diane by September 29

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

Remember you can get FREE postcard patterns at: www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com

These free August quilt block patterns will make your summer quilting fun. These quilt blocks include easy blocks as well as some that are a little more difficult.

Click here to download your August FREE quilt block patterns

Belle's Favorite	Bow Tie Wreath	Broken Irish Chain	Chimney Sweep
Going to Chicago	Goose Creek	Jack's Blocks	Leaf Album
	Spool and Bobbin	Wisconsin

Click here to download your August FREE quilt block patterns