SNOWDAYS

How full of the creative genius is the air in which these are generated!
I should hardly admire more if real stars fell
And lodged on my coat."
--Henry David Thoreau, 1856

Hasn't this been the strangest winter for weather here in the Pacific Northwest? Snow, rain, and then snow again! Areas of our state getting lots of snow that usually don't have much snow while other areas of a regular winter snow event get a mere skiff! Strange, indeed.

I love the snowy weather. It gives me a great excuse for staying inside day after day and quilting the day away or getting some much needed computer work time in without many interuptions. While at the computer I took a break and googled "snowflake." Wow, what a lot of fun sites come up with all kinds of activities for kids, adults, quilters, knitters, crocheters, photographers. To share just a few of my favorites...

First, you'll want to be sure and visit Quilt Design Northwest and check out Marje's website. Follow her advice for brightening a gray cold wintery day with her easily pieced pattern for snowflake decor. With many options regarding size, excellent instructions for easy painless paper piecing, and even a free bonus snowflake block offered online at her website, you can't go wrong.

This last December I found Ken Libbrecht's book The Art of the Snowflake and spent way more time than I should have browsing through all the beautiful photographs and absorbing the information about different kinds of snowflakes. You can get a sampling of his wonderful artwork and information at his website.

Amazon has a great book out for kids. I would have loved having this book when I was teaching school. I think kids of all ages would have fun creating snowflakes for all seasons. It reminds me of a favorite of all my classes when I was teaching ... If Snowflakes Fell in Flavors. Don't forget the recipe for growing your own snowflakes, and did you know that the man-made snow used on the slopes to beef up the snowbase for winter activities doesn't form real snowflakes? It may look like snow but it is really ice droplets.

For the people who love to crochet I found a free on-line pattern for creating snowflakes with pearle cotton. Creating a virtual snowflake on line is a fun thing to do ... good practice for controlling your mouse and you can even hear the sounds of the scissors snipping away as you cut out the snowflake. Better Homes & Gardens also has a similar activity. Want to create the "real" thing using with beads? BHG also has a free online pattern for easy-to-make pretty beaded snowflakes for hanging in the window. Many times snowflake decorating falls within the holiday decorating scheme but I always feel so sad when all the Christmas decorations come down so I save my snowy wintery things for the month of January.
This next discovery was a big surprise in my snowflake searching. You may be familiar with Paula Nadelstern's beautiful book on snowflakes and quilts. Check your bank balance before purchasing. The asking price for this book is now for as little as $80 and as much as $175! Great investment if this book is in your library of quilting books.

A snowflake quilt that is a little more within my budget is Terry Martin's Snowflake Follies. I'm seeing lots of quilts in different picture galleries using a variety of settings for the traditional carpenter's star block. In fact, I even have one I pieced in the early 90's still waiting to be quilted. I think I need to pull that top out of the closet and finish the quilting before all this snow goes away!

QUILTING CRUISE & THE COLOR OF SUNSHINE

Lots of plotting and planning happening in the studio these days. I've been putting the final touches on new designs due to be released in a week. Several new E2E designs I'm sure you will enjoy using on your quilts. Some are designs that have been cooking on the back burner for a while and some are filling special request for fellow quilters. Never hesitate to drop me an email or give me a call if you need a design altered or you have an idea you need worked up into a pattern.

The design catalog is a work in progress. It seems to have a life of its own but I'm beginning to get a handle on how to "tame" it and make it work for me and for quilters. Some days I feel like my head will explode if I have to learn one more new piece of software ... or ... if I have to make one more piece of software work for me the way I need it to work. I have had (knock on wood) pretty good success with all my programs and Vista. I did have to have to Geek Squad out for some fine tuning, and I have one program that I still can not get to run yet. The odd thing about that program - it's a brand new up-to-date program. Ah well, what's a few more hours on the phone with tech support. You gotta keep your sense of humor!

Final touches are falling into place in the planning for our cruise to Alaska this coming September. Statler/AutoSketch Classes, Piecing Classes, Quilt Shop Tours, and sight-seeing in some of the most beautiful country in the world. It's a cruise you won't want to miss. Continue to check back often for updates and more information.



DESIGN SNEAK PREVIEWS:
1148 ROSES ... and ... 1149 WOVEN HEARTS














Stay tuned for more updates with designs and patterns.

And finally, food for thought ... THE COLOR OF SUNSHINE. Have you ever notice the difference in the color of Spring Sunshine vs. Winter or Autumn Sunshine? I'm sure there is a scientific explanation as to what causes these differences but I'm not sure I want to explore that avenue. It would destroy the magic of recognizing June Sunshine and how different it is from August Sunshine.

Enjoy this picture of January Sunshine about 4:00 in the afternoon as it casts it's rays across the trees. Honest, no trick photography here, just a study in texture and natural color.

WINTER ART

Texture ... Color ... Line ... Shape ... Value ... Form ... Space

Emphasis ... Movement ... Unity/Harmony ... Balance ... Rhythm ... Contrast

The art form is negligible; the elements and principles are the same whether your create with music, dance, paint, crayons, pencils, your camera, words ... or ... fabric.

Every year during the end of January and through the month of February moving on into the end of April, I'm struck by the commonalities found in the art world regardless of the form. Beginning mid-January I spend my Sundays working with my husband and his studio of private low brass students by accompanying them as they prepare for solo contest. Our first two rehearsals are spent developing (or recreating since many are returning students having studied with Mike since they first picked up their horns as elementary students) a "feeling of ensemble" correcting rhythms and missed notes.

After the fundamentals are in place, it is time to communicate. What do you want to say to your audience; how do you keep them actively engaged during your performance. It is a fine balance between "playing what is on the page" and "owning the piece." The piece you "own" is personalized with your message stamped in each note, phrase, or movement.

Helping the students to find their voice, to move toward the goal of communication and connection with the audience through their music is how I spend my February. Some will do well and will qualify for the State competition. I take the month off in March from accompanying, and then we start up again in April with the elementary competition and helping the high school state competitors put the finishing touches on their pieces as we polish and refine.

Quilters, whether crafting art pieces, traditional pieces, or innovative pieces are faced with the same challenges. Communication and connection through your art form creates a sense of community developing a relationship and understanding of the beauty of nature in the whole of the universe.

Consider ...

• the emotional message in an art quilt
• the serenity and control in the repetition of shapes in a traditional quilt
• the blending of common elements in a new and surprising way in an innovative quilt

And sometimes, we make blankies because we love our grandkids and we want to connect to the across the miles across the generations with a quilty hug ... we want to communicate love everlasting, security, safety, and comfort.

LITTLE BITS

So much for a foggy morning with sun burning it off early and a clear cold day to follow. I had to cancel lunch with a friend and reschedule my hair appointment. Snow and temperatures below freezing seem to be more of the weather for today. I can get off the mountain fine but wouldn't be able to make it back up to my house later this afternoon/evening. And who doesn't love an excuse to stay inside and "play in the quilting studio?"

The tip for today: I have several chain pieced units all hooked together ready to be cut apart before moving on to the next step. I could use scissors to snip them apart, but I love my handy-dandy chair ripper. The base is very heavy holding it in place while I cut the units apart using the seam ripper that just fits in the base unit. For this particular model, the seam ripper and base unit are two separate pieces which comes in handy when packing up for traveling to classes.
I received my chain ripper as a gift several years ago from my friend Pat. I don't see this particular design on the market any more, but there are other chain rippers out there in a couple of different designs. Things to think about when choosing which you might like to add to your notions basket:

• Do you want the ripper tip blunted or left as a sharp point?
• How much does it weigh? (makes a difference when flying or carrying our
  "studio" to class and how sturdy is it on the table when doing the actual
  "ripping" apart.)
• Does the point have a safety cover when not in use?
• Does the ripper unit double as a regular seam ripper and a chain
  ripper?
  

And finally, from the newspaper ... did you know ... The first four notes of the Hallelujah Chorus" are the same as the first four notes of "Yes, We Have No Bananas."

A QUILTING DAY FOR ME

When this hobby becomes your career there is a shift in thinking from what pleases you to what will market well. What pleases you is still a part of the decision making process because that is part of what gives your product the stamp of your personality to your product. So when the rare day happens that you get to work on projects that will never be in a show, never be used as a class sample, never be published, it becomes a real treat. I got to have one of those days today.

When we woke up this morning we had a light dusting of snow and freezing temperatures. Schools called late openings and I called my Tuesday sewing group to let them know we wouldn't be having class today. The temperatures warmed through the day and I was snug as a bug in a rug enjoying working on a quilt for my daughter-in-law Andrea. She needs a "new Momma" quilt. She is in the hospital at complete bed rest awaiting the arrival of our grandbabies - twins, Colin and Lucy. We're hoping she can make it to at least the end of February before having the babies. She's been in the hospital since the week after Thanksgiving. It's been a very long haul and she's being a very good sport through this ordeal. And, I think I need to get this Momma quilt done pretty quickly. So today I started cutting.

This quilt features the fabric line from RJR called Sweet as a Rose. I was able to pick up the quilt kit while in Houston for quilt market. I got a good start on piecing the blocks today but I wanted to share a tip to help make piecing the square-in-a-square block a little easier and more accurate to piece.

When sewing the triangles on to the sides of the squares most patterns direct you to crease the middle of the square and the triangle and then match the creases for accurate placement of the triangle on the square. I like to use the point trimmer from Judy Martin. I trim the corners off the triangles before sewing them on. Then when I place the triangles on the square the nipped off corners fit right up to the edge of square. No creasing ... no guessing. And, my square in a square comes out right to size each time.

I don't know what it has taken me so long to get on the pillowcase bandwagon. But today I jumped in with both feet and had a ball. I've always had seasonal pillowcases and special pillowcases to match the quilts, but I always made them the way my mother taught us when we were growing up. Her pattern features a cuff and hem all from one piece of fabric. She always had us use French seams, too, so there were no raw edges on the inside.

But today, everything clicked into place about how to make these pillowcases with the little accent strip and the separate cuff. I was still able to do my French seams, so no raw edges for me. I think our new Winter pillowcases turned out pretty great, and I have a Puppy Pillowcase/quilt bag for delivering Pat's Puppy Love quilt to her. We're almost finished with the binding!

For the last thing of the day, I'll let you in on a little secret. I really like the way the February Free Pattern of the Month is going together.

ONE BIG STAR

Don't you just love a day that is productive ... one where you just keep crossing things off the list? It's just the best feeling in the world. That's saying quite a lot for one who generally does not like lists. I think it might be the Gemini sides of me at war with each other ... one liking very much to be organized and the other hating boxes and loving to just have the day happen as it comes.

So, this morning was filled with left brained organized kind of stuff ... bookwork, website store updates, answering emails left from yesterday. The best part of my morning was working with paypal and smartcart regarding my website and learning I had set up everything correctly for accepting international payments. One more piece of the puzzle in place for those of you having difficulty placing orders for digital patterns on my website store.

And the afternoon it was time to play. I've been working with a design collection to go with the piece I already have in place for the Big Star pattern. You can see from the picture one of the ways I like to work with the design process is to create a quilt top mock-up using the Electric Quilt design software. I use the mock-up I've created in conjunction with my digitizing software to create what I call a quilt plan. I now have a visual idea of what the quilting might look like on the quilt top.

Now the best part about this project today is one of my UFO's just happens to be a Big Star quilt from about 3 years ago. I'm sure I'm not alone in getting a UFO tub out only to find the whole top is together except for the borders. This one had the top and bottom borders already in place. However, I'm ready to quilt this quilt NOW! ... so, cut off the borders I was adding. Now I have one border surrounding the big star in the center. It is square, but will look great on the diagonal across the best. And, finished looks really good.

I've added a couple of square blocks, a medallion, and a triangle to this collection in addition to the star ray which was digitized about a year ago for a friend. You can see Deb's Big Star quilt by visiting her blog and checking out her quilt gallery.

Yes, you caught me with the ripper in hand. I dropped in the first triangle just right, but lost my head on the second one and didn't leave the 1/4" breathing space all the way around. That just means I'll put on the earphones to the IPod and listen to The Memory Keeper's Daughter while I take out all those stitches. Listening to a book helps make the ripping time go a little faster.

I wonder if you're like me. Do you ever create your list for the day and the end of the day? Sometimes when I feel like a need a little extra pat on the back, I go through my day just before bed time, make a list (yup, even add it to the computer calendar ignoring everything on the list that I didn't do) of all the things I got done and then go back and check them off. Done! Completed! Finis!

Click here for more information about my class EQ Out of the Box & Onto the Quilt.

PUPPY LOVE

Who can resist the playful antics and the face of a puppy? Certainly not me. My husband says I'm pretty much banned from visiting any pet store for fear I'll weaken and bring home a puppy. But as much as I love dogs, my dear friend Pat loves them even more.

Pat and I have been quilting together since the mid 90's - 12 or 13 years. My goodness, that sounds like a long time and yet feels like just yesterday. Pat's not been doing too well the last few weeks. She suffered a mild heart attack right before Thanksgiving. They made the decision to wait until she was stronger to do the triple bypass surgery.

Surgery was successful and now Pat is in rehab doing her exercises and all that needs to be done for a speedy recovery, and, looks forward every day to a visit from her favorite, her golden lab, Vanilla.

Our quilting group decided what could be better than to make a quilt from all kinds of dog fabrics for Pat to snuggle in when Vanilla can't come to visit. So we put together a throw size Yellow Brick Road. Nancy pieced the blocks; Juanita put the rows together and added the borders. Yesterday I digitized Puppy Love for the quilting pattern and today I quilted it for her. Juanita is applying the binding this evening, and when our group meets again on Tuesday, we'll all work finishing up the handstitching on the binding and sign the label.


Then, we'll surprise Pat with a visit, spirit her away for lunch (if the nurses approve) and present her with her new quilt and look forward to lots more years of quilting and loving our dogs.

And just as a reminder, click here to review the symptoms for heart attacks

FRIDAY FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Here it is the end of the second week in January and I have loved my "slow-down" time. My friend Marje of Quilt Design Northwest asked me some time back,

"Kay, when IS your slow time?"

When you have to think about what the answer might be to that question, you're in trouble before you even know it. Thank you, Marje, for asking, because it has made me take time to slow down even if it is for just a short while. Time to reflect on goals for myself personally as well as professionally.

During this slower time I have been reading different blogs and stumbled upon one that bears mentioning because of the content in her 2 part post regarding the value of craft. But before you hop over to Paula's site and read what she has to say, let me preface it with some thoughts of my own and some from my daughter. Trust a daughter to always keep you on your toes and to tell it like it is.

I am a collector, a collector of all kinds of things, but mostly quilts. I remember thinking years ago one could never ever have too many quilts. I love decorating seasonally with my quilts ... on the walls, on the beds, on tables and over chair backs, and even on formal quilt racks. Since my hobby has since grown into my business, which I absolutely LOVE, I have lots and lots and lots of quilts. Samples for classes, samples for patterns, samples for quilting designs, duplicate samples for trunk shows, and retired samples which we have for every day use.

In fact I was sharing with my friend Juanita the other day that I really needed to get an inventory and organized storage check-in/out system going for all these quilts. It is amazing to have only lost one over the years for as much as they go in and out to this shop and that shop, to this show and that show, to this class and that workshop. But ... moving on ...

I come from a family of generational quilting --- great grandmother quilted, grandmother quilted, mother quilted, daughter (me) quilts, so it would stand to reason that my daughter might want to quilt. When asked about it this summer at my annual quilting retreat which happened to occur while she was home visiting, she just laughed.

"Why should I learn to quilt?" said Eryn. "Do we have any shortage of quilts in this house!" We all had to share in her laughter and admit, she did have a good point. I will say, in her defense, she asked for (and took with her) a scrappy 1 1/2" English paper piecing Grandmothers Flower garden project I had started over ten years ago with her in her move to Alabama this last fall. She's been working diligently on her project enjoying the journey, fondling the little scraps of fabric pondering which colors would look best as next-door neighbors. It appears maybe she did inherit some of the genes after all. And, she will have plenty of quilts to choose from when the time comes.

After that little prelude or warm-up, hop over to Paula's blog and read what she has to say about the value of craft. Thank you, Paula, for such an thought-provoking couple of posts.

QUILTING AND BACKS

First of all, isn't this the prettiest design for an overall edge-to-edge design? In helping my friend Linda come up with a possible quilting plan for a customer quilt, her request for an E2E pattern to go with the rest of the Gossamer Collection resulted in this design.

This was clearly a "slap me on the forehead" moment as this design grew from under my mouse. Using the elements common to the designs contained in the Gossamer collection as a foundation, this design just kind of fell into place. When I saw what the repeats looked like, I wondered, "Why didn't I think of that before?" I knew immediately I would be using it on a customer quilt waiting in the cupboard.

Yesterday I referenced the "dreaded tucks" that can sometimes magically (and I don't mean that in a good way) appear on the backings of our quilts with no warning. I wanted to share a few thoughts as to what I think are contributing factors to the tucks or pleats happening and welcome all comments and thoughts as to why you think tucks/pleats happen.

I remember, when I first started quilting with my first longarm machine, hearing about the importance of working with a backing that was square and straight. I asked everyone I knew as to what was the best way to square up a backing. Not many straight-forward answers to that question. So, by trial and error, I kept my fingers crossed and tried different methods.

I have noticed a significant decrease in the times tucks/pleats happen as I'm quilting - almost never (knock on wood) any more, but every once in a while. I get a surprise as I get ready to unload the quilt. One of the things I think has helped is how I prepare my quilt backings.

1. My backings that are 8" longer and 8" wider than the total length/width of the quilt top.
2. If I have to seam the backing, I create a seam with 1/2" seam allowance and I press the seam open.
3. I tear all edges. I start with the first edge of the fabric and tear across giving me a straight edge across the width of the fabric.
4. I measure from the torn edge to the desired length and tear again. I know now that I have the same measurement in length across the entire width of the fabric. I will continue in this manner until I have the number of lengths needed to equal the total length or width needed for the backing after it is seamed.
5. Next, I remove all selvage edges. This will allow the edges inside the quilt to give with the movement and stresses put on the quilt in daily use and life. You know ... when he pulls the covers.
6. You will notice the edges may be a little distorted. Steam them right back into shape with your iron and join the lengths together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Remember to press the seams open. 99% of the time this will give you a backing that is square and straight and ready for quilting on any machine - longarm, mid/short arm or domestic.

Since I,and my customers, too, have been preparing my backing this way, I rarely have tucks/pleats in the backs any more. I do advocate tearing when purchasing extra wide backing fabric. Customers bringing in backing with the extra wide fabric that has been cut most often have backings that are not square and barely fit the quilt top because of the overall shape of the backing. Frequently, these backs come into the studio in the shape of a parallelogram because they have been wound crooked on the bolt. If they won't tear for you in your local quilt shop, you will need to buy extra fabric just to be sure to have enough.

Some other thoughts about possible causes of tucks/pleats:

• sticky batting - the backing fabric gets hung up on the batting causing a wrinkle
• un-ironed backing fabric or backings with semi-permanent fold creases which are easily quilted into a tuck/pleat
• quilting with the take-up bar riding too low on the bed of the machine causing the bed of the machine to push the fabric/batting around causing a pleat/tuck to be quilted in
• saggy baggy backings with warps or distortions in the fabric; excess fabric folds in on itself causing a tuck/pleat (I will stuff batting scraps between the backing and the bar the backing bar to help keep an even tension on the backing fabric)

Add your comments and we'll have a pretty good problem solving list to help all of us banish the "dread" tucks/pleats once and for all. Also, do a google search with the words "squaring quilt backings." You will be amazed at all of the responses that come as a result of your search.

ELEPHANTS, BATTING, AND TUCKS, OH MY

And a busy day it was, but very productive. I notice you all must be a stumped as me as to what to do with those left-over batting scraps. Not a word or suggestion from anyone as to what to do with them. I'll share some of my favorites and the one use I don't like.

First, the use of batting scraps I don't like ... seaming all the scraps together to use as a full piece of battting in another quilt. I don't like the way the batting stretches with the seaming; I don't like the bump or lump it leaves along the seam line in the quilt sandwich. Having said all of that, I will in an emergency splice batting together in a quilt of my own, but never in a customer quilt. Tomorrow I'll go through the directions for my method of splicing batting so there are no lumps or distortion of the batting to interfere with the overall finished look of the quilt.

So, what do I do with my batting scraps. My customers always get their batting scraps back whether they brought in their own or purchased batting from me. That helps eliminate my batting scrap stash.

I keep bags of like batting together ... all the 80/20 in one bag, 100% cotton in another, etc. Periodically, I will go through the bags and sort by size. What will work for place mats, pillows, baby quilts ... what can be spliced together for a quilt project. After this initial sorting, I will have small pieces that are ready for cutting into smaller pieces for ...

• the local schools to use as erasers for their dry erase white boards (I always carry one with me when I teach classes and workshops for guilds, conferences, and quilt shops.)
• mop rags for wiping down my longarm table ... oil drips and dust
• the longarm "diaper" ... place a batting scrap under the machine to catch the overflow drips while the machine is not in use
• and ... I always have my box of 5 1/2" squares going for the on-going coaster projects

I'll let you in on a little secret. You can use the same technique I used yesterday to make a pot holder. I would be cutting my squares in the 8"-9" range. I would also use Insul-Bright for the batting to help reflect the heat and protect my hands more than regular batting. I also like to use this batting for table mats and place mats to help protect the family heirloom oak tabletop. Another stash busting tip ... use your orphan blocks for the backing and inside lining of these pot holder projects. You would still need to to the woven 4-Patch for the front side so you can get inside easily to turn the pot holder.

And now onto the elephants. Kristie and I have been working the last few days on a project - trying to figure why her purchased digitized files are not going through. Well, after many attempts and much sleuthing on both our parts, we figured out that her server is thinking I'm trying to pass on a virus or I'm trying to send her spam. So, the emails with the files were being blocked. by her server. Just one more thing to check if you're having any trouble with the digital downloads from Mountaintop Quilting.

In the process of all this problem solving we talked about an upcoming quilt project she has for a customer. The client wants elephants quilted on the quilt. Kristie sent me some pictures of the blocks and I came up with two possible designs for her to use on the quilt.

The first one is fairly simple with a pretty quick stitch out as she works across the rows. The second one is more complicated but larger. It measures at almost 20" in pattern height and a little more than 24" in pattern width. You can cover a lot of "miles" pretty quickly when a pattern is designed to that height.

I wonder which one Kristie will choose. Which would you choose? You can help Kristie make her decision by voting in the poll on the sidebar.

The last subject for the day ... the dreaded tucks in the back of the quilt. Rarely do I notice them before I am ready to take the quilt off the machine. I don't get them very often any more, (knock on wood) and I have a theory about that which you will want to watch for a future post about preparing backings that are square and straight.

One of the quilts I did for a friend for her granddaughter's Christmas present had a tuck in the back of it. Rachel got to unwrap her quilt for Christmas, but we told her she'd have to wait until I fixed it before she could take it home for her bed. Fixing Rachel's quilt was on the list of jobs today. Fortunately, the tuck was in a corner rather than the middle so I was able to basically work "from the center out" to the corner dropping the blocks back in, re-ditching the framing border, and then finishing up with the piano key border.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts and comments about what causes those dreaded tucks to suddenly appear in the back of our quilts. We load the same every time; we use our clamps the same every time; we're usually consistent in the amount of tension between the bars every time; we check the distance between the take-up roller and the bed of the machine as we quilt. It is a mystery, and every time it happens to me, I am on a search working my way down the check list as to what could have made that happen.

Share your theories regarding the "dreaded tucks" with the rest of us in the comment area ... and don't forget to help Kristie choose her elephant pattern by casting your vote in the poll.

BATTING SCRAPS AND CHARM PACKS

There isn't a one of us quilters that doesn't have bags (lots of bags, usually) of left-over batting scraps from our quilting projects. What to do? What to do? Oh, What to do with all of these scraps that aren't the right size for any of our projects. Too small for lap quilts; wrong fiber content for baby quilts; not the right shape for a pillow sham; too puffy for a place mat or wall hanging. What to do? What to do?

I've had an idea kicking around in my head for quite some time thinking it through just how best to do this project. And the best part about this project is that is combines the use of two problem areas in my stash room - charm packs and left-over batting scraps. So, today was the day to as they say, "get 'er done!"

First, I cut up several left-over batting scraps into 5 1/2" squares. There's lots more batting scraps left yet, but I did fill the box.

Second, I pulled out the charm packs that I was least likely to use in the near future for any pressing project. The collection I used today was a charm pack from the 2008 Thimbleberries Club Lodge and Lakeside project for this year. I decided not to do this year's project since I still have last year's project, and the year before that, and ... well, you get the picture. The UFO list is for another day. If you don't have any charm packs waiting to be used up, this is a good stash-busting project. You need squares cut at 5 1/2".

Third, I sorted my squares into sets of six. One square will be used for the inside lining. You could substitute a plain muslin square for this patch if you're wanting to conserve fabric. Another square will be used for the backing. The remaining four squares are folded in half and woven together creating a four patch.

Fourth, I layered the squares/batting into a stack ... inside lining on the bottom - wrong side up; batting square; backing square; woven four patch unit. I pinned the stack together and then I was ready to sew.

Fifth, I sewed around the stack 1/2" from the edge.

Sixth, I trimmed any excess batting from between the seam allowances.

Seventh, I trimmed the corners on the diagonal to eliminate bulk.

Eighth, I reached inside the center of the 4-Patch and turned everything right side out so the raw edges of the seams were inside. I used my bamboo stiletto to gently poke out the corners trying to get them a square as possible.

Ninth, I top stitched around my new project ... a coaster ... 1/4" from the edge.

Not bad for a day's work! Well, I did complete more than four today and, I took time to get the process down in picture form in my photo album Free Pattern Charm Square Coasters with abbreviated directions in the captions. You'll have to watch for a posting announcing the free pattern available as a PDF on my website when we get it up.

I've seen this technique used in different ways. It makes a charming decorative ornament - skip the inner lining and batting - add a ribbon tie. A friend of mind follows a similar process to create the coasters in terms of layering, but hers are in the shape of a circle. It is part of her welcoming package to all new-comers joining in her private retreat.

I have some other ideas about how to use left over batting scraps, but I'd like to hear what some of you readers are doing with your batting scraps. Drop a line in the comments and share your ideas about great ways to use up those pieces of batting we just can't seem to just toss in the garbage.

TREASURES FROM THE TRUNK

We all have them; we save them; we protect them in acid free paper; we shield them from sunlight and dust. We may even bring them out every year or so just to re-adjust the folds and admire them ... and then back into hiding for another long year or two.

I'm suggesting we rescue our treasured linens, quilts, our keepsake family heirlooms from the dark recesses of our trunks, attics, and closets. Bring them out and enjoy them. Fill them with love. Honor the makers of these priceless family gems, our connections to the past, be it our personal family legacy or our community of quilters and needle workers.

Respect, honor, and treasure all that is contained within these simple pieces of cloth - the workmanship, the love, the memories, and ties across the miles that say "I will always remember you; I will always love you; you'll always be a part of my heart and a part of my life."

Karen did so with her grandmother's cross stitch tablecloth ...




A word about the "technicalities" of quilting a piece like this ... I used the very lightest weight thread I could find and quilted right through the cross stitching patterns. I recommend So Fine for the top thread and Bottom Line for the bobbin area to work with minimal thread breaks and tension issues. Both are from Superior Threads.

I find I need very little adjustment in either area when working with these threads. I do have a bobbin case that is just for my pre-wound SuperBOBS so I don't have to reset the tension when using these threads, and I find I don't have to make any adjustments in the top tension when switching from King Tut to So Fine. Each machine is different. Don't be afraid to experiment to find the best settings for tension to make your machine "sing" when using these threads.

QUILTING CARTOGRAPHER

Some days you wake up and you know your job and what needs to done. Other days, you know what needs to be done; you've spent lots of time thinking about how to do it; you've rehearsed in your head a million times (especially at night when you can't sleep.) You've maybe even spent some time working it out on paper and with the computer design software exactly how to proceed with the job at hand. But when it comes right down to it, you just have to jump in with both feet ... seam ripper in one hand and one finger of the other hand hovering above the STOP button.

This was the case with Tammie's quilt. She designed the top herself as a gift for her antique map collecting husband as a gift.

Tammie: "Wouldn't it be neat if you could quilt longitude an latitude lines on it? That shouldn't be too hard."
Kay: "Well, I'll see what I can do."
Tammie: "Before Christmas?"
Kay: "Sure, why not?" Those words were no sooner out of my mouth than I was shaking my head at myself. What was I thinking? Oh well, too late now, and who doesn't love a challenge. Like they say, "Just do it!"

After a little online refresher course in geography - it's been over ten years since I taught World Geography to 7th graders, I had a good idea where and how I wanted the design to go. Next stop was an appointment with the trusty AutoSketch software design program.

I didn't need to draw the piecing part of the quilt out, I just needed the dimensions of her quilt. I was then ready to work out a reasonable spacing interval between the lines. Don't forget the curves! How will I figure out those out? Remember to add in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, an equator, and I think I've got it covered.

The latitude lines were easy because they are straight lines. I only had to remove ("frogging")the first two longitude lines because the P2P Curve1 didn't stitch the curved line as I had expected. The Pattern Height needed to be increased by 2.5 inches at each repeat to give the increasing curved line as I moved further and further from the center. The only other glitch to deal with was at the very last longitude line for the size of her quilt ... I ran out of throat space. I did have to digitize the to end connections to fill the outer corners.

Her husband was surprised and both were pleased with the end result. In hindsight, my recommendation: to save your peace of mind and eliminate a number of stops and starts (which can over time weaken the integrity of the quilt,) use a fancy compass rose design and some nautical motifs in the four corners rather than trying to get both of the ends to line up perfectly with the lines that were already stitched.

If you're able to attend the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show this year on July 12th, be sure to look for Tammie's quilt. She will be entering her quilt in the show.

CHICKEN CHOP SALAD

I'm always on the search for or trying to come up with gluten-free recipes for my husband Mike and my daughter Eryn. I think I've hit on a new "house favorite" with this salad. The crunch of the fresh jicama, the celery, and the nuts; the tang of the dried cranberries and the little oranges (you can use fresh oranges when they're in season) with the bite of the green onion ... and ... you'll have to read on for the secret ingredient!

Chicken Chop Salad
(a gluten free delight)
Ingredients:
1 can Mandarin Oranges, drained & set aside
A large serving bowl full of roughly chopped Romain lettuce and fresh spinach (4-5 cups loosely packed)

Add the following to the salad greens:
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium jicama, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, cooked and chilled (seasoned with salt & pepper)

And the secret ingredient ... 1/2 tsp dried Tarragon (If using fresh tarragon, I would probably use 1-2 tablespoons depending on how much you like the taste.)

Toss all ingredients together until well-mixed. Leave in the refrigerator overnight or for 2-3 hours for the flavors to meld. Toss in the Mandarin Oranges just before serving. Dress with your favorite "fruity" dressing (I like Poppy seed) or serve naked. I like to serve my salads with several dressings options on the side to meet the needs of the diners.

Serves 4 as a full meal or 6-8 as a side salad.

Quilting ... on little cat feet ...

FOG

The fog comes ... on little cat feet. It sits looking ... over harbor and city ... on silent haunches ... and then moves on. Carl Sandburg

A day filled with ....

Thought Provoking: an interesting article in the paper that merits reflection and revisiting at another time ... leisure sickness"

Nature's Wonder: watching the fog roll across the valley with a lion's roar only to disolve into little whisps of kitty toes slipping into the tress.

Productive: finishing up the last two borders - six steps in all - of a UFO that will be used as a sample for classes and in the booth at Spring Market.

The piecing pattern is called Hopscotch.
The quilting patterns are:
In the blocks: Gossamer Point.
In the outer border: Gossamer Wings
In the red framing border Touching Beads.

Now go back and take a second look at those fog pictures while listening to a sampling of Soothing Sunrise.

WORKS FOR ME AND FITS MY BUDGET

I just pasted a new widget on the sidebar today ... a listing of recent purchases from ITunes. I thought some of you might be interested in what has replaced the "Holiday Soundtrack" for my studio. I love my Christmas music and start it running non-stop the day after Thanksgiving all the way through to New Year's Day. But now it's time for the January Soundtrack to be running.

One of the best additions with the purchase of my new computer last fall was my new sound bar. As you can see, it fits right under my monitor. It has an on/off volume control knob right on the face of the bar, as well as, responding to the controls on my monitor and great sound. I'm sure there are other sound bars on the market of various sound quality and price ranges. This one happens to be from a company called Altec Lansing. Wouldn't we all love surround-sound Bose throughout the house but, ... this works for me and my budget.

So, once you're wired for sound you want to check out one of my favorite new albums by just clicking on the cover on my ITunes widget. I happen to be a big fan of the acoustical guitar style and I've found a new artist ... I love his sound. Billy McLaughlin and the album is Guitar Meditations, Vol.2 ... Soulfood featuring Billy McLaughlin.

You'll also want to click on the link above to visit his website to read his amazing story. He suffers from a neuromuscular condition diagnosed in 2001 which prevents him from playing the guitar anymore. He has since relearned all of his music playing with his left hand rather than right and is back on stage sharing his beautiful music once more.

You'll see some other purchases in the line-up. I can't always hop on a plane to go hear Toby, my son who is the principal trombonist with the San Diego Symphony, in another concert. So the next best thing is to get together all of the selections for his upcoming performances and put together the playlist for my ITunes library. My favorites are Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition with San Diego and Prokofiev:Symphony No. 7 when he performs in New York City with the New York Phil. Not quite the same as live, but ... works for me and fits my budget.

What else am I listening to these days? For my nightly "reading" via IPod, I'm listening to The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani - a novel taking place in 17th century Persia about the struggles of a young girl and her mother trying to rebuild a life for themselves in a very male dominated culture after the tragic sudden death of her father. I usually prefer historical fiction from the Western World so this is very different for me. As I was exploring more about ancient Persia this evening I found a great traditional Persian recipe I'd like to try called Apple Stew. I also enjoyed looking at pictures in the gallery section of the author's website of Isfahan, the city where the story takes place. So, I'll eat the food, check out the pictures from the gallery, and read the story. Not quite the same as visiting Ancient Persia in person but ... works for me and fits my budget.

DRAGONFLY BLOSSOMS & GOSSAMER WINGS

A sneak preview of a pattern to be published later this spring in the AQS journal American Quilter with closeups of the quilting designs from the Gossamer Collection. First you see the border design Gossamer Wings and after that Gossamer Block filling in the pieced Blossom block.

















I resized Gossamer Block to fill an empty space around 1161 Gossamer Blossom. You can see how I used 1162 Gossamer Petals to complete the star sections of the pattern. I designed Gossamer Arcs specifically for this pattern to tie the star together and to look "flighty" as the dragonflies flit from here to there.


















And there is the closeup of 1162 Gossamer Petal from the center of the star blocks.

You'll want to be sure to take advantage of the special coupon savings this month. You will receive Gossamer Point free with any purchase of $9 or more. Be sure to remember the coupon code ... jan08pat. Piecer aren't left out of the special deals either ... just mention the coupon code when ordering any pattern and I'll ship a free pattern to you when I fill your order. You may choose from Rising Nines, Sweethears & More, or Hopscotch. Just indicate which one you would like in the Special Instructions on the order form along with the "secret" code word. (jan08pat)