DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
MARCH ‘06
UPDATE ON OUR LITLE ELIAD: Last week I bought some crayons and a great big drawing pad. I was only going to show him how to scribble. Well, folks, if it doesn’t have wheels he’s not interested. I did have a measure of success the second day, though, in that he threw a crayon across the room only once when I told him not to eat it.
MY LAST QUILT GIG: I just came home from Tuscaloosa, Al., where I gave my last lecture/workshop at a guild. They were so much fun! One gal finished almost ten Foldy Stuff blocks in class---there was a ten year old who sewed right along with the adults---they had a brunch (with wonderful food)---well, I just had a ball!! In the meantime, I have plans for five new Foldy Stuff patterns and lots of applique designs. I am looking forward to having the time to work on them. Also, I am looking into giving classes on the internet. One never knows I’ll be teaching at Chicago, Hershey (Odyssey), Nashville and Houston festivals this year. After that, ????
ANOTHER NEW FREE PROJECT: There is another new free Foldy Stuff project on the website called the Greek Key. Click onto--Free Projects-- at the home page of---donnaposter.com. There are now fifteen free projects, almost enough to print them all and make a book for yourself.
Since the Greek Key uses the Log Cabin design all you folks who have Log Cabin transfers left over can use them here, or you can obtain additional transfers from the website.
NEW SEWING MACHINE: In the February issue I mentioned I had bought a new sewing: machine because I wanted something simpler than I’d been using.
Arlene wrote: “I want to know which machine you just bought. I also have a machine----actually, several machines---none of which I am in love with---too many options for me when all I do is straight stitch piecing.
I answered: The machine I bought is a Pfaff Performance 2056, and I love it!! Sometimes I go into my sewing room and just pet it!
I’d like to add a note here. When people ask me about what machine I recommend I tell them to check out all the brands sold in their area and buy the one they like best, but only if it’s from a dealer who has a really good reputation for taking care of their customers!! There are many fine machines on the market but they are only as good as the service you will get from the dealer.
FABRIC BLEEDING: After receiving the last newsletter Kathy was kind enough to provide some input into the bleeding problem. Kathy writes, “I have one idea that may be the answer to the fabric bleeding problem. If you have your own well you probably have not added chlorine to the water. All commercial water systems have chlorine added to the water. Usually it is added as sodium hypoclorite (Clorox is a weak solution of this chemical).
Don’t know if this has any validity or if the manufacturers are not using the right fixing agents in the process. Anything to save money.”
Thanks for the info Kathy. The bleeding problem today is not nearly as bad as twenty years ago. I think the fabric manufacturers have learned a lot of chemistry since then.
AUSTRALIA AND VICINITY CUSTOMERS: One of my Simply Quilts programs was recently aired in New Zealand which produced a number of orders from the New Zealand/Austalia area. The shipping is expensive and the best Mr. Donna can do is a global envelope which costs $8.00 USA. He can get as many as four patterns in the envelope for the same price so that’s a thing to think about. Also, the website punchwithjudy.com.au, located in Australia, may have better shipping costs for folks in that part of the world.
ANOTHER REMINDER: An average of three quilters sign up for this newsletter each day, so thought I would just put in this reminder; all past newsletter are saved on our website and can be accessed by clicking onto Newsletters Archived at the home page.
MORE ABOUT SCISSORS: Gwen Frey writes,” I have found the best scissors ever---! Several years ago a young man in my church started selling Cutco Knives. I bought my obligatory paring knife, but soon discovered they have wonderful other products. I’ve since bought a pair of scissors that are the sharpest I have ever used. They had several sizes, and I have the bent handle ones. They are guaranteed for life, and after several years of use are just as sharp as the day I bought them. Their website is---cutco.com---.
QUESTION FROM PENNY: “The group I quilt with is making a Foldy Pineapple quilt for a raffle, and so far all is going beautifully. We’re constructing 96 squares to cover the top of a queen size bed (8 by 12 squares) and are now trying to decide how to make the “drop” for the sides and ends of the quilt. We would like to make folded borders to continue the foldy theme, and to maintain consistency in the weight. We are considering vertical folds, but not sure how that would work, or how to shape the edges (scallops, points, etc.) Could you offer some suggestions or advice? Thank you so much.”
Answer: I have a queen size pineapple quilt that I made using foldy stuff and I used a regular fabric (non-foldy) border on it because the quilt was so heavy. To equalize the weight, I used a lightweight batting in the border. Other foldy stuff quilts are not as heavy as the pineapple and I do use foldy stuff borders on some of them. My favorite is to take a long piece of muslin and transfer some strips across the width. I do this at random at various places, and use long strips of fabrics between the foldy areas. It’s fun, easy and eye catching! Enjoy!!!Donna
CHICKEN: Mr. Donna here: After a years of cooking chicken, in one form or another, I finally found out how to do it. I like stuffed chicken breasts and make them often. Every recipe for chicken has me preheating the oven. Now I found why I should not do that. Preheating the oven has the objective of searing the surface to “seal” in the juices. But, I’ve found that that also overcooks the outside surface of the chicken.. What I do, and it works like a charm, is this; my oven, (a convection type), takes about ten minutes to go from room temperature to 325 degrees. I turn the oven to 325, then wait until about half the time it takes to get there, and then put the chicken in prior to oven reaching full 325. The chicken cooks more evenly and there is no inside/outside doneness. I’m thinking about starting from a room temperature oven. By-the-by, a dash of chardonnay at the beginning and half way through, is recommended. I use Jacobs Creek from Australia, however, any light white wine will do.
Donna says, “my husband cooks with wine, I cook with whine!!!!!!!!
Mr. Donna here; But she makes one heck of a quilt!!!! And I might add she made all of our daughters’ clothing, including winter coats, when they were kids, and they were the best dressed in town.
Gotta go now. Let’s all hope for an early spring.
Your quilting buddy,
Donna