How-to-Quilt.com

May 2008 Newsletter

This issue includes:

1)  A Tidbit of History – Candlewicking

2)  Tools, Tricks and Quilting Tips – Cool Fingers™ by SewUnique
   
3)  Featured Block of the Month – Kite (for Spring)  
   
4)  Recipe for Quilters – Tomato Soup
   
5)  Newsletter News – News from TheQuiltingCoach.com

6)  A Quilt Idea – Hand Applique Animal Quilt

7)  Fabric Postcards for the Troops – Round ‘em up and send ‘em in before June 8 for the 4th of July

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

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1) A Tidbit of History – Candlewicking

Last month we explored Candlewicking.  Let’s explore a little more this month. 
Candlewicking originated in the the UK and was used in the US and Australia as early as the beginning of the 19th century.

Originally the thread used was the same cotton twist yarn used for candlewicks, hence the name.  Early on, women used old sheets and even feed sacks for their embroidery.

Currently, if we want to stick to tradition, unbleached muslin is the closest fabric to embroider on. 

However, any cotton fabric, silk or polysilk may be used. As for threads – you can use thin crochet cotton, DMC coton perlé or the six strand embroidery yarn.
Although traditionally, white or off white thread was used, today, quilters and embroiderers use many different colors.

This quilt was made by a quilter in France. You can see a picture of the whole quilt by following the link:

http://rakowsz.club.fr/Anglais/candlewicking.htm

2) Tools, Tricks, and Quilt Tips – Cool Fingers™ by SewUnique

This heat resistant finger protector will keep your finger safe from your hot iron.

All you do is put the Cool Finger on your finger.  It acts like a fingertip on a knit glove, and when you rub the hot iron against the Cool Finger, you can’t feel even a little bit of heat.

From what I can tell, the Cool Finger comes only in one size, and it is very loose on my first finger, which is the one I would normally use to hold a seam allowance open for ironing.

Quilting daughter, Stephanie, suggested that you could buy a regular glove and cut the finger tip off for a better fit.

3)  Featured Block of the Month

Just in time for spring and summer kite flying. This fun and easy-to-make 9 patch depicts a kite along with its tail.

Boring, maybe, traditional, yes. Certainly modern kites offer different design features. But, many are the happy memories of flying paper kites with thin wooden dowels with rags tied on for tails.

Click here to download your 10 FREE Patterns for May

4) Recipes for Quilters – TOMATO SOUP

COMPILED BY THE LADIES' AID SOCIETY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
MARION, OHIO, 1894.

Now that spring is upon us, and we are starting gardens, in anticipation of a bountiful crop of tomatoes, here is a recipe for tomato soup:

TOMATO SOUP.  MRS. T. H. B. BEALE

Put on soup bone early to boil.  Have two quarts of liquor on the
bone.  When done, remove the bone from kettle; put one can of tomatoes
through sieve; add to the liquor; then immediately add one-half
teaspoon soda, a small lump butter, one tablespoon white sugar, one
heaping tablespoon of flour mixed with a half cup of cream or milk;
salt and pepper to taste.  After the flour is in let boil up three
times, and serve.

5) Newsletter News – News from TheQuiltingCoach.com

Spring is officially upon us, and it’s time to start a new quilt.

This time, we are working on a baby quilt, although if you change the colors, it could easily be a quilt for anyone.

This quilt is made of two traditional 9 patch blocks – Flutter Wheels and Spring Stars.

These are relatively easy to make, and include some different size triangles and squares. By the time you finish this quilt, you are sure to be an expert in sewing triangles – big ones, little ones; equilateral ones and other ones.

The inside border is pieced, which will give us an opportunity to discover how to match a pieced border with the quilt top.

A new lesson will be posted each week. Check the “Fluttering Stars” link in the Resources box on the left. All of the lessons will be listed there.

In addition to written lessons, we will post video for special techniques.

We have had some great Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation calls, and all of the transcripts are posted as well as highlights of the calls in audio format. We will continue to post important and interesting clips.

Those of you interested in learning how to make money online – using eBay or your own website – will be interested in some new resources that will be coming soon.

There is a link for Business on a Shoestring where information will be posted. In addition, you may want to join the email list to be first to get information.

6)  A Quilt Idea – Hand Applique Animal Quilt

Each year when my kids were in elementary school, their teachers were the recipients of a quilt. The design for the quilt generally came from an idea that they had, and we converted into a quilt. One year, quilting daughter, Stephanie found this Thank You card and decided that it would be the perfect design for her teacher – although more for her teacher’s daughter who was a relative newborn during Stephanie’s fourth grade year.

The pattern was created by projecting the image from the card onto a large piece of paper on the wall. Once the shapes were outlined, I cut out the full size patterns and cut each piece of fabric using the pattern.

Most of these fabrics were hand dyed, although the flowers were cut from some tropical fabrics where the flowers were the perfect size. The toucan’s beak is a tie-dye fabric that Stephanie dyed for the quilt.

All of these pieces were hand appliquéd and layered. The hand quilting follows the lines of the animals and creates some texture in the bushes and sky. The smile on the lion and the wings on the birds were embroidered on.

I can hardly wait to hear Martha Nordstrand’s method for appliqué – I only wish I had known it when I made this quilt!

7)  Postcard Quilts for the Troops

It’s hard to believe that the Fourth of July is coming upon us once again, but here it is!  June 8th is the deadline to get your postcards to us here at How-to-Quilt in San Diego.

With the many troops from Miramar serving in Iraq, it would be great to send boxes over there to let them know that we are still here supporting them with our pocket size quilts.

Any design, patriotic or otherwise, will be much appreciated. Send your cards to:
Penny Halgren
7925 Pasadena Ave.
La Mesa, CA  91941

Have a fabulous Month!

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren
www.How-to-Quilt.com
www.TheQuiltingCoach.com
www.Rag-Quilt-Instructions.com
www.Fabric-Postcards.com

©How-to-Quilt.com 2008