FREE STRIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

Jerry made this beautiful quilt and you won’t believe how easy she says it is. She said she has baskets of scraps and made this quilt entirely out of those scraps. She said that she just sewed varying widths of scraps together, adding strips until she could cut a 14-inch block. Once she cut the block, she then cut it crosswise from corner to corner and then cut it again from corner to corner. In other words, she made a big X cut across the 14-inch block. Then using two pieces where the strips opposed each other, she sewed the block together. She then put a narrow frame around each block. I forgot to ask, but it looks like she cut the frame strips at 1 or 1 ½ ”. Then she added sashing and a border to make this lovely quilt complete. What a wonderful way to use up those scraps!
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The Attic Window Newsletter is now out. If you have not received it in the mail, or via e-mail, you may download it from the sidebar. It has many new classes, new Bee’s, and additional UFO nights and days. There is also a new Make It & Take It each month that you won’t want to miss.
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Don’t forget the annual New Year’s Day Sale from 10-3. Discounts are between 15% and 75%, so mark this on your calendar now.
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Do you have EQ? Or maybe you’ve asked for the EQ softward for Christmas. I was reading Sew Cal Gal’s blog the other day and learned that Quilts at Jan T’s Utopia has lots of free EQ lessons. Check it out!
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Happy Quilting,
Caroll

FIVE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN 2009

I am participating in a group writing project put on by Daily Blogging Tips and since I have been blogging only a year, I want to share with you the five things I learned during 2009 about Quilting Bloggers.
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1. Bloggers make the world smaller. I have learned as I have blogged and read multiple quilting blogs over the past year, that quilting bloggers all around the world are similar. We not only have a love for quilting, but also as I look at their pictures I see we are all related, trying to make our homes prettier, make our lives softer, make something for those we love. Our homes reflect our love of quilting and our desire to create.
2. Bloggers make the world better. No matter where you are around the world, when a wild fire strikes, a hurricane or earthquake hits, when a beloved family member is injured or there is another family tragedy, Bloggers are there to help. They want to know what they can do. They are there to try to make things better for you with their hands, their hearts, and their prayers.
3. Bloggers make the world nicer. Giving away prizes on blogs, sharing recipes and patterns, are just a few ways Bloggers make the world nicer. They also like to share how-to tips and take the time and effort to create helpful tutorials.
4. Bloggers make the world calm. Bloggers have helped me not to be so anxious. When I started reading other blogs and seeing pictures of their sewing rooms, I realized it is okay to be messy. It’s part of the creative process. It’s okay to let the world see. It’s okay to be me. Quilting bloggers also like to share funny things that have happened to them during their creative process and this helps me to feel not so stupid or so alone.
5. Bloggers make the world fun. It takes creativity and dedication to come up with ideas for Make It Monday, Tool Time Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, and Fabric Friday. Think about it. You are committed to having a new post on your chosen subject every week. That takes a lot of work and dedication. However, it sure is fun for those of us who read the blogs and eagerly look forward to the next post. Maybe I will write about Silly Saturday, or Something Sunday, or …..Oh, well, I will have to think about that.
   

I want to thank all my blogging friends for making this a fun and fabulous year.

The new Attic Window Newsletter is out. You can download it on the sidebar.

The Painted Quilt has a First Friday Freebie. This month she has the cutest Christmas Eve stocking done in redwork. Check it out.
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Happy Quilting,
Caroll

KNOTTY GIRLS ARE AT IT AGAIN

I went to the Knotty Girls Bee Tuesday evening at the Attic Window Quilt Shop and look at what I found. Above is the Sue Spargo wall hanging that Sherri is working on. I love the way she is embellishing it with beads.

Sue is working on this lovely wall hanging. She told me she still had a lot to do. Wonder if she will be embellishing it with beads too? These girls really have the patience I don’t have to do this intricate work. Their projects turn out beautiful.

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Sheri Howard of Sheri Howard Designs left me these hints to help with my piecing. They are so fantastic that I wanted to share them with you:

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Well I will add my "what it's worth department" comment on piecing in general.

...1. You must be 100% sure your seams are a true 1/4" Some of us think it is, but it also includes the sewing thread. So (ha ha) sew a 1/4" seam, press and measure with an accurate device and if you are off even a 1/16th or 1/32, your piecing will not be on and it get worse as you try to add pieces. Believe me, I have found this to be true the hard way.

...2. When pressing, press the piece flat on top of the sewing before you press the seams in one direction, and press after every row, or every triangle...pressing means just that...press, don't iron back and forth. When you press the sewn stitching, it helps heat set the thread and makes a more accurate pressed seam later.

...3. Use PINS! I know we all want to hold it as we go, but it is too difficult to keep the seams tight up against each other if not! It takes a lot of time, but is so worth it if you have a lot of little pieces.

...4. Finally, square up each round of the block as you go, making sure it is the correct size before adding the borders, etc.

Thanks Sheri. I will take these things into account this afternoon when I start another project.
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I just read that Kellie of Don’t Look Now can’t sew or cut a straight seam, so I guess I’m in good company. You can read about her and see her beautiful new quilt here.

The Bronze Wombat has a fantastic folded star. You must see this to see how clever it is.
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Happy Quilting,
Caroll