Thank you to the many listeners leaving comments!  The Husband especially likes your feedback

In March I had the opportunity to see Patricia Knoechel of Quilt-in-a-day fame speak and give sewing demonstrations.  It was well worth the $3.00 entrance fee and the 1/2 day of vacation!  She was promoting her sister Eleanor’s book, ‘Quilt Blocks on American Barns’. I bought a few things and had a great time.  I am glad I took the time to go.

Hurray!  I finished The Boy’s quilt.  Sorry, we are having technical difficulties with the camera so no photos yet but I wanted to share the awesomest finish on the binding I have seen: the ladder stitch!  I heard someone mention it on a podcast – I am thinking Annie Smith but honestly it was months and months ago so I am not sure who it was.  So I googled it to find a tutorial.  I found this super-clear and easy to follow tutorial at Turning Turning.  Check it out. 

Head on over to Big Tent to join the Pioneer Quilter group!  You will need to join the main Quiltcast Supergroup before you can join Pioneer Quilter.  Signing up will get you entered in a drawing to win a year of Quilter’s Newsletter!  You can also enter by leaving a comment here and by leaving feedback on iTunes (and then notifying me of your feedback here.)

Have a listen!

HOT NEWS!!!  The Clues in the Calico is available as an ebook for $19.99.  This long sought-after book was out of print.  Thanks to the miracles of science we can all download our own personal electronic copy.  Yippee

‘Quilting with Machines’ will be held in Aurora, Ohio from October 22nd to the 24th (2009).  If you are interested in learning to machine quilt using any type of machine – domestic, short, mid, or long this is the place for you!  And some famous quilters will be there too.

On to frugal quilting.  We’re making a hand-pieced potholder.  What fun.  (And here’s a frugal point – it’s “fun”ctional!)  What you’ll need:

1. Fabric – 3 coordinating cotton fat quarters should suffice; or you could do it frugal all the way and go scrappy with lights/darks for design contrast
2. cotton thread
3. cotton batting (just say no to poly!!!  It will melt in this case.  Same goes for the thread.)
4. template material – plastic, cardboard, whatever.
5. Printout of the template

Create the template – cut the paper copy out and tape it on your template material.  Trace around the edge and cut out the template on the line.  Then poke holes at the four corner dots and transfer the arrow onto your template material.

Using the template – lay fabric right side down on a rough surface, such as a piece of sandpaper.  Put the template down on the fabric.  Carefully line the arrow on the template up with the threads in your fabric…the arrow and the threads should appear to be parallel to each other.  Trace around the edge, mark the corner dots through the holes and cut it out. 

Cut – 5 squares using the template from one color and 4 from the other color for the front.  You’ll need a 10 inch x 10 inch piece for the back, and a 38 inch binding that is 2.5 inches wide.

That’s it!  You are ready for next time.  Have a great day!

Click here for episode #6

There are finally some signs that spring may be on it’s way here in Ohio.

 And the giveaway winner is….Brye Lynn!  Check out her blog and podcast at sewstitchcreate.com.  I can’t wait to hear it myself – it is downloading to the ipod now. 

Thank you everyone who joined in the giveaway commenting.  I know you were visiting to enter the contest…but your nice comments were very much appreciated!  Quilters are the best.

Alex Anderson is coming!!!  Abigayle’s Quiltery is hosting Alex for two lectures in the Cleveland area this May.  Click on the ‘special events’ button at the Abigayle’s site to see details.

Goal updates -

1. Round Robin – round one is complete!  That’s The Husband peaking over the top. 
2. Winter coat is complete!  The Husband managed to take my photo in it without revealing my flood pajama bottoms hanging out.  Ha!
3. Sunburst block - the second block of six for the year, complete!  No pic – just look at the last one.  They are all the same. 

Today’s main topic is my wishlist.  There is probably some blogging word for it that I don’t know, but I am defining it as a list of techniques, materials, blocks, patterns, etc. that I would someday like to work with.  In most cases I would create an entire bedsized quilt for an item on the list.  What is on my list?  You’ll have to listen to the show to find out!!  What is on your list?  Leave a comment or blog and leave a link to your blog entry.  I’d love to know!

Happy quilting everyone!  Welcome to Spring

There are lots of ways to get your quilt fix by snail mail – who doesn’t love getting mail?!

Show notices – glossy brochures to upcoming shows are lovely to get.  Here are a few I’ve recently received:

• The Original Sewing & Quilting Expo has 4 upcoming Spring events around the United States, including Cleveland on March 26th, 27th, and 28th.
• AQS Quilt Show & Contest in Paducah Kentucky, April 22nd – 25th.  Big Gammill giveaway – go here to enter for free or join up as a member.

Sewing catalogs!  I love catalogs!  Sure you can shop on the internet too but then you don’t get the joy of touching glossy paper.  And you can still browse when the electricity goes out.

• Keepsake Quilting - order a free catalog for yourself here.
• Sewing with Nancy - order a free catalog for yourself here.

Magazines!!  There are tons of magazines to read, here are the three I get:

• Quilter’s Home
• Quilter’s Newsletter
• The Quilting Quarterly (from NQA)

What about…

• Block of the Month programs – otherwise known as BOM’s.
• Fabric subscriptions – some shops offer a subscription service similar to fruit-of-the-month clubs, with themes like Bali or Moda fabric, etc.

Many thanks to those leaving comments!!!

As mentioned in the show, I have one goal for the podcast: twenty fifteen minute episodes in 2009.  Can I do it?  We’ll see!  1 down, 19 to go.

My personal quilting goals – I have four goals for the year.  Complete a guild crayon challenge quilt, complete a guild round robin (top only), complete 6 blocks from my hand pieced project – the Sunburst blocks from the Christmas in July project of the August 2007 Quilter’s Newsletter, and complete the Moulin Rouge quilt from the book Quick Colorful Quilts for The Boy.

I am a member of NQA and I spent some time talking about the benefits of membership & the SHOW!!  I can’t wait for the show, June 18-20, 2009.  I will be attending at least one day this year.  I hope to see you there