MVQU Program Notes
3/26/13 Your Favorite Tool, Gadget,
Book or Hint
A winter storm found us missing our anticipated visit from
Georgia Bonesteel due to dangerous travel conditions in her area. To fill our program void members present took
turns sharing something quilting related.
Here are some highlights of that day.
Carol Conahan –
Carol saw the “Roll N Ruler” demoed at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival. It measures by rolling and makes perfect
circles. She says her husband like it
too. Here is a link to a YouTube video
showing how the ruler works http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouXGdkLynOA
Heidi Haynes -
visiting from Reston QU – “Easy Does It” quilt book by Georgia Bonesteel –
Heidi is a geographer, so made GB’s map quilt and brought it along to show as
she hadn’t heard GB wasn’t able to make it.
Bev Krysa – she
buys old quilt tops, especially ones in blue and white. She noted that the ones in bubblegum pink and
poison green are the brightest, and the least expensive. She likes how many of the earlier quilters
made do with what they had.
Ruth Roush –
recommended Don Linn’s book “Free- Motion Machine Quilting: From Practice to
Perfection”. She found the book at
JoAnn’s and is also available from Amazon.com.
Jennie McKinney – new member – To make your sewing easier she
recommended having enough light in your sewing room, from windows or other
sources.
Janet Betz –
mentioned a bit of MVQU history – noting that in the early years Jinny Beyer
taught beginning quilting classes to a small group in Janet’s living room. She later invited MV to her home after her
trip to India and again to visit her house built around a tree.
Kay Brill – said
she particularly enjoys the sisterhood of the group in helping one another
Marjorie Barondes
– noted that she is not a true quilter but enjoys the group and is working on a
redwork project designed by former member Jean Ives.
Joan Peake –
demonstrated how to keep applique elements orderly in a plastic carrying case
lined with batting and recommended storing completed blocks wrapped around
plastic “pool noodles” and saving bits of trim and binding by wrapping around
pieces of plastic pipe.
Beth Smith –
recommended Deb Tucker’s “Wing Clipper” template for making perfect flying
geese. You can learn more on Deb
Tucker’s website www.studio180design.net
Barbara Zygiel –
showed the group a charming collection of needlework ornaments by Chickadee
Hollow Designs that look similar to crazy quilted pieces. They can be ordered online from the company
and shipping is inexpensive www.chickadeehollowdesigns.com
Jill Crispino –
said she has discovered an easy solution to quilt block corners that won’t
match up during assembly…offset the rows.
She also noted that using your machine’s embroidery stitches in straight
lines can make charming quilting designs for the free-motion-challenged.
Kathleen Shaw –
loves her machine’s ¼ inch foot and also recommends Ott Lights for better
visibility. She noted that if you’re getting embroidered quilts quilted, be
sure to discuss the quilting design and placement with the quilter. Some people like the embroidered portions
quilted, others don’t. You don’t want a surprise. She reminisced that Jinny Beyer had also
hosted a group of quilters when her garden was redesigned to include some quilt
patterns.
Gigi Corbin –
likes to read quilt blogs from all over the world and discovered the
“Mile-A-Minute Quilt” method that way.
She demonstrated the method and said a tutorial is available online. Look for the March 2012 (http://inchbyinchquilting.blogspot.com/2012_03_01_archive.html)
entry to start at the beginning. It is a
great, fast, stash-buster! She brought a
large top she completed in 2 days, including cornerstone sashing.
Dianne Tippins –
announced that a new seam ripper will be available in April, Seam-Fix, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyot_s7Bhc
. It can be ordered online and will be
available at the Variety Store. She
noted that the store has a large special order business for quilters with a
usually speedy turnaround.
Barbara Dove –
enjoys using pre-wound plastic bobbins that come in a tube. Hers came from Sun
Sew Vac, but they can also be ordered online or found at other stores. Another quilter cautioned that the bobbins
should not be made of cardboard, which can be bad for your machine. Barbara also noted that she likes the special
foot for her machine designed for stitching in the ditch; the blade is in the
middle.
Sally Barber –
recommended Leni Wiener’s book “Photo-Inspired Art Quilts”, which has good
illustrations and instructions. It can
be ordered through www.leniwiener.com. She also has a great blog.
Ruth Morgan – for
beading work, Ruth likes “Tacky BOB” – a small, oblong, clear plastic box with
a hinged lid filled with a tacky substance.
Put beads on it to keep them from rolling or bouncing away while you are
preparing to use them. Tacky BOB can be
found at some needlework stores and other locations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ2AWUoZX9A
Ellen Icochea –
reported that Rhodes Grove near
Chambersburg, PA, makes a great retreat location. It was just used by Vienna
QU. While there she discovered the
“Handy Caddy: The Clear View Organizer” for keeping your tools and bits under
control at a class or retreat http://www.handycaddy.com. She won a copy of the quilting book “From
Spain with Love”, which contains attractive quilt patterns, recipes and
pictures of Spain – a threefer!
Jim Melton –
Orkney Springs, VA might also be a great retreat site. Recommended making quilted pieces from men’s
ties, esp. as mementos for friends.
Barbara Jones –
said her all-round, “go-to” reference book is “All-In-One Quilter’s Reference
Tool” by C & T Publishing. She uses
it all the time for measurements, calculations, sizes, how-to’s, etc. There is also a related reference book of
Tips for Piecing. This handy reference
tool can be found at quilt and fabric stores and online.
Dotty Eisenhour –
loves a book called “Material Obsessions” from Australia and its companion
volume by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke.
They can be ordered online. Also
recommended the ¼ inch seam marker.
Great for marking seams lines for sewing half-square triangles from
squares.
Carolyn Paden –
has enjoyed Second Saturday classes at Jinny Beyer’s Studio in Great Falls, VA,
where Jinny or studio staff do tool demos or teach a technique for around
$25/yr. http://www.jinnybeyer.com/studio/jinny-beyer-club.cfm.
There is an online newsletter to sign up for and there is an online sale
Wednesdays, and a great in-house grab basket of JB scraps.
Kathleen Pellegrini
– is busy embroidering blue jean scraps made from thrift store finds to make
into a quilt.
Lynne Fishburn –
recommended storing quilts at the top of a closet, rolled around “pool
noodles”, then covered with a fabric sleeve with a label, and held on the shelf
by an L bracket you can install yourself.
Libby Dudley –
zippered, net, lingerie washing bags help corral small scraps when they need
refreshing. Adding baking soda to the
soap and wash water may help, along with a separate rinse water containing some
white vinegar.
