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                          DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
                                                       JULY ‘06

It’s raining here! Boy, is it ever raining! We’re having the wettest June/July on record and everything’s beginning to feel a little damp. We do need it, though, and the flowers love it. So, I’ll just hole up in my studio and, who knows, I might get a few new patterns out.

We’re having a ball with our little Eliad. He’s quite the mimic these days. His siren is so realistic I thought I was being pulled over the other day! He’s not really talking yet, though he does have a few hand signals he uses very effectively. BUT---he understands everything and is storing up all he hears for the day he can verbalize it. With that in mind, we are listening to what is coming out of our mouths and--uh, oh--we need to do a bit of editing. Mr. Donna, especially has a few choice, macho-type phrases he’s fond of that will have to go on the back burner for a while! We also don’t want his first words to be *#/<*&’#>!!!.

FUNNY STORY: A personal quirk of mine is that I like almost everything a bit off center. If I have three pillows on the sofa, two will be on one end and the third will be on the other end. So, one of my favorite quilts is an off-center variation of the Drunkards Path. I had a class scheduled to teach it and when the owner of the store noticed a customer studying the model she was sure she had another student for the class. She could hardly keep from laughing, though, when the customer asked her, “ Do you think someone should tell that lady that she didn’t get her quilt centered?” I love it!!!

The following suggestion came from Patty:
Why not add pictures of the new tools or tools you like so we can see what they look like. What are straw needles, etc?

     My answer: Patty, What a great idea! It just never occurred to me to add pictures of the tools I’m talking about. I will definitely start doing that.

What are straw needles? I am told they got their name because they were originally used to do hand sewing on straw hats. Mmmmm---that sounds a little too “obvious” to me, but, who knows, it could be true. All I know (or care about) is they are very long, very slick and perfect for applique!

Eleanor writes: “I have a suggestion for the lady with the foldy quilt. I have made a couple of these using lattice between the blocks. I back the border and the lattice with flannel from my grandson’s receiving blankets. They have been washed many times so they will not shrink anymore. This works great. Better than muslin or other quilt fabric.”

My answer: Great hint! I often used flannel as batting in my regular pieced quilts until I had a bad experience with shrinkage (even after preshrinking several times) and I haven’t used it since. Your hint it is a fine solution.

A personal comment here: We don’t all have receiving blankets by the gazillion, so I’m trying to think of other ways of getting good used flannel. Good Will, maybe? Any ideas?

Here are some more hints I found in my stash: When sewing a seam where the two ends should match, I just match the beginning of the seam. I then take a few stitches, stop with the needle in the “down” position and then match the other end of the seam. Tug gently and sew! Now---a few notes on this technique:
     1. I’m not opposed to tugging a bit more than gently if needed. It’s called easing! 2. Do not use this method if both edges of the seam are bias edges!!! In that case, you’ll want to “pat” the edges together and even kind of “help” them through. If they’ve become stretched to different lengths, a little pressing with steam often helps.

Many beginning quilters do not realize that pressing is as important a part of quilting as careful cutting and stitching. Here’s what I teach my students: When pressing a seam, always press from the right side. If you press from the wrong side the only way you can keep from getting a pleat is to pull on the fabric and this is really a “no-no.” It can be difficult, though, to press from the right side without messing up the seam allowances. Here are several way to do it: 1 You can press it very lightly on the back just to turn the seam allowances in the right direction, then finish pressing it from the front side, or, 2. Lay the two pieces on the ironing board the same way they were when you stitched them. Use your iron to “push” the top piece over, pressing the seam as you do this. Whenever possible, press with the grain, not the bias.

And remember, you are only pressing these seams. You are not ironing a pair of jeans!!!

This is great: A quilter is someone who pays to have her ironing done, but thinks nothing of standing for hours, pressing twenty yards of fabric for a quilt.

I’ve heard from just a few of you about quilt programs you don’t like, but those of you who are happy with your programs are not responding. We really need to hear about the good ones, too!

One of Mr. Donna’s fans questioned why there’s no more of his great recipes and decided to send him one of hers. Lorna Baker calls it Fruit Dip, the Easy Way. To a container of Cool Whip, add a container of vanilla yogurt (the small individual size) and about two teaspoons of Apple Pie Spice. Serve with any fruit. I haven’t tried it yet, but sounds good enough to pass along.

Mr. Donna here: We are coming onto ripe tomato season, and that means , “chili.” I have a killer chili recipe that will be in the Aug. newsletter.

I get so many compliments and thank you notes for coming up with the Foldy Stuff! It’s so easy and just plain fun. Well, I have ideas for five new ones and all I need now is the time to bring them to the pattern stage. Hang in there, gang, you’re going to love ‘em!

Mr. Donna and I have a busy July coming up---all good stuff. A few days in Baltimore for a mini vacation over the fourth of July, a vist from our San Diego daughter, then teaching at Quilt Odyssey in Hershey, Pa. Hope you’re all having a great summer, too!

Your quilting buddy,
Donna