DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
                                              APRIL ‘ 07


ELIAD UPDATE: --- We have decided that Eliad has forgotten how to walk!  He runs, hops, runs, jumps, runs --- !!!  But he never, ever, walks!!  He’s about the best two- year old we’ve ever seen (yeah, I know --- we’re grandparents)  He’s a joyful little kid and you can actually reason with him.  Sometimes I tell him to take a toy with him into the store because we’re not going to buy anything today.  He says, “okay” and grabs one of his cars.  When we go past the toy section he does “lobby” for a new car --- and I’d be concerned if he didn’t do that --- but he understands when I remind him that we have lots of cars at home and don’t need a new one today.  Now, that’s pretty good for a two year old!!!

This is our first month for the new website and Mr. Donna is going to try to get some pictures on it.  He hasn’t conquered that yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

NEW WEBSITE:  Mr. Donna has been hard at work on a new version of our website.  Log onto ----quiltwithdonna.com-----.  The new site is much easier to navigate, has larger type then the old site and easier to read. 
     A major new feature of this site is a section called “Your Projects.”  Here we will include projects sent to us by you folks.  At the moment there is only one project, but many more will be included, so be sure to return to the site often as many things will change.
     We encourage you to send a photo of any project you want to share with everyone.  We have about 2200 subscribers to the Donna Poster Newsletter so you will be sharing your finished projects with a lot of quilters. A few pointers:  When photographing the projects it’s best, but not necessary, to use a digital camera, and make sure that what you are photographing is at 90 degrees with the camera.  Also, if you are moved to do so, tell us a bit about the quilt project.
     If you log onto the old site---donnaposter.com----it will automatically bounce to the new site for about three months. 

YOUR SEWING SPACE:  I am really excited about the number of responses we’ve received on setting up a sewing space.  The one thing that almost everyone addressed was the problem of getting a design board set up in a small space.  Quilters are really innovative!  Here are some of their solutions:

Jeannette writes:
I too have a small sewing room that I have to share with a big computer desk/hutch that takes up a whole wall.  I wanted a design wall but no wall was available so I hung an old plastic tablecloth that is flannel backed on the wall behind me as I sit and sew & that’s my design wall.  I have a shelf above it filled with books & quilts.  It’s packed in here but I love it.

Donna says: I’ve always liked this idea as the whole thing could be rolled up with the project pinned to it while you’re using another one for another project.  Ask at a fabric store for one of the rolls they use for their upholstery fabric.  Most stores will give you one or two at no charge and the tablecloths are really cheap!

Pat writes:
I too have a design wall made from insulation wall boards but I covered mine with an old flannel sheet, enclosing it like a huge pillow case, slid it over the top, then hand stitched the bottom closed.  I can actually use both sides.  It is about 4 x 5 foot, I did not use the full height and wish I had.  I lean it against the wall behind furniture or door out of the way then, when working on a project, it can be brought out.  The flannel covering prevents marks on the wall.

Donna says:  I was really taken with the idea of having two sides to use!!  Yes!!!  Then I’m thinking,  OK --- if you’re going to store one behind the door, why not store two?!!  Now you’d have four design walls!!!  ( Am I the only quilter that has at least twenty projects going at the same time?  I think not!)

Teresa has a business involving her sewing/quilting and works it from a 10 x 12 space!  She sent a nice description and has offered to sent photos of it.  This is her idea for a design wall (which her husband will put up someday!) 

Teresa writes:
I’ve asked my hubby to hang a curtain rod at the top of one wall.  I have prepared a work surface using an old mattress cover that is fluffy with a white sheet on top of it.  I hemmed it close to the length of the wall and added a pocket along the top of it to insert it onto the rod.  I also added strong Velcro on the edges and prepared a black piece of material that can also hang on the mattress cover.  That way I can use it both to pin projects to it and to take pics against the black material for a more professional look to finished projects.

Donna says:  I have to try this black fabric trick.  I need pictures so often and am a real novice with a camera.  Thought I’d pass it along to you as we all like taking pictures of our quilts!  I have students who carry around whole albums of their quilts!!  I love it!!

Karen sent some great ideas and I’ll pass them on later but I especially loved the part about how she got her sewing room.  She wrote:

I am in the process of establishing my studio, being a still relatively new quilter --- 3 years.  I commandeered my daughter’s bedroom as she is out of college and off to her career.  After 6 years it dawned on me that she was not ’coming home’ and that she had really grown up so I dismantled the shrine to her childhood.

Donna says:  I don’t know exactly why, but that “shrine to her childhood ” really tickled me!

Let’s keep these ideas coming!  Next month I’ll pass on some tips on sewing & cutting tables.  I’d love to hear about yours --- and pictures too!

Here’s what we really need to hear about --- organizing all the “stuff” we quilters accumulate.  I look around my studio and it’s just brimming with “stuff”.  I’ve come up with some great ways of organizing it all but I’ll bet you have some great ideas too.  Let’s hear about  them!

Mr. Donna was just laughing about the pictures he’s going to take for the newsletter --- my studio “as is”!!  I am happy to report that every email on that subject said I should NOT clean it up!!  Yayyy --- I hate even the thought of straightening up this mess!

I made a recipe last week and realized I needed to pass this on to my quilting friends.  I do occasionally cook and this soup is easy, fast, tasty and even healthy!  Can’t beat that!
HINT:  It makes a lot of soup.  Leave it out for the family to help themselves so you can go quilt!

Cream of Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup
4 stalks of celery
1 small onion, chopped
2  T. butter
6 medium potatoes, diced
4 carrots sliced
1 large bunch broccoli (or more, if desired) chopped
4 cups water
6 chicken bouillion cubes
½ tsp salt
4 dashes garlic powder
¼ tsp pepper
2 2/3 cup milk
1 1/3 cup Cheez Whiz

Combine first 11 ingredients in pot and cook only till tender.
Add milk and Cheeze Whiz.  Cook just until cheese melts, stirring constantly.  Do not let soup boil-it will curdle!

Gotta get back to my design table now --- I’m almost done with the next Foldy Stuff pattern!

Be sure to check out the attached files.

Happy quilting!
Donna