DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
April 2005
FINALLY SPRING: We have a four month winter season where I live in Pennsylvania and, though the snowfalls are beautiful here on the mountain, we sure do love to see spring arrive! I have a picture window in my sewing studio that looks out over our back yard and the woods beyond and I can see daffodils, forsythia and grass getting green ---lovely!
CHICAGO: I just got back from the Quilt Festival in Chicago where I taught five classes to a grand group of ladies --- and two gentlemen! I didn’t find any new tools that inspired me but I did find some great ideas and fabric. My favorite booth was selling batiks at 6.99 a yard!! Oh wow --- I had a ball at that booth!!!
Of course, the best part of any show are the ideas you get. It started already on the ride from the airport to the hotel where I sat by a gal who hates to do bindings so much that she developed her own original technique. I really wasn’t too impressed till she showed me some photos. Oh my goodness --- I’ve got to try this. She quilts the piece, then satin stitches the edges, then weaves a funky knitting yarn through the satin stitching. The one I liked best had “eyelash” yarn and all those little threads hung out on the edges! She does rather contemporary quilting so it’s a very fitting edge. Gorgeous!
The next idea was one I will definitely make for myself. The quilt was the same as my Easy Peaks and started at the bottom with florals, then went into trees and mountains, then ended at the top with sky --- it was darling!
There’s more and more embellishment of fabrics being shown, with these fabrics then being used to make anything from quilts to garments, accessories, etc. Very inspiring!
SIMPLY QUILTS PROGRAMS: I’d like to mention that a very good schedule of Simply Quilts programs can be found at the website---checkerdist.com---. It seems that the newer programs are being aired on HGTV (Home and Garden TV), while the older programs are being aired on DIY (Do It Yourself). The entire months schedule is usually posted by the third of each month. The schedule is also available on---hgtv.com--- and---alexandersonquilts.com
NEW STUFF ON THE WEBSITE: Three new Free Projects, which use the Foldy Stuff patterns are now on our website---donnaposter.com---for a total of eleven projects. They are: FUSSY CUT which uses the Hexagon pattern, TABLE RUNNER which uses the Pineapple pattern and PLACE MAT which uses the Log Cabin pattern. There has been a bit of confusion about these projects. These are not patterns in themselves. They are projects that give the fabric requirements, cutting and assembly instructions for new ideas using the Foldy Stuff patterns. If you have any problem printing these projects just let us know ---arnposter@aol.com <mailto:know---arnposter@aol.com>----. Mr. Donna will be glad to print and send them to you.
Also new on the website is literature about the classes and lectures I do for quilt guilds with the various designs I am set up to teach. Print this out and give it to your Entertainment Chairperson. It is all under the link---Have Donna Visit Your Quilt Guild-----which can be found at the home page.
TWO PROGRAMS AIRED: Two of my Simply Quilts programs aired since the last newsletter. The Foldy Stuff program aired in New Zealand and the Peaks Megapattern program aired in this country on March 14. As a result of the New Zealand airing we now have a distributer in Australia who has an extensive retail website---punchwithjudy.com----and you folks in that part of the world can obtain all of the Foldy Stuff patterns from this site.
NEW RECIPIES: Mr Donna has also been making funny noises lately about blasting off another of his famous recipes in the May newsletter. Bolt yourselves down!
Q & A TIME
Q-Gloria asks: I would like to make larger blocks than given for the megapatterrn Peaks designs. How would I make 8” and 10” blocks?
A-To make the Peaks blocks larger just substitute the measurements called for with the following.
For an 8” block cut all rectangles 2 ½” wide and these lengths: 8 ½”,
6 ½”, 4 ½” and 2 ½”.
For the 10” block cut all rectangles 3” wide and these lengths: 10 ½”, 8”, 5 ½” and 3”.
You will be making less blocks so the yardages should be about the same as those in the pattern. An exception would be if the size of the quilt center (the blocks area) is larger than the one in the pattern. In any case I would purchase a bit more fabric just to be safe.
Q-Cheryl asks: Can you tell me about washing and general care of Foldy Stuff quilts. Can they be washed and cleaned just like other quilts?
A-I launder my Foldy Stuff quilts just like any other quilt. In fact, they launder better than most because I seldom use batting, so I don’t have to worry about that. When I do use batting I make sure there is little quilting needed because I only quilt (by machine) in the ditch where the blocks are joined.
Q-Beverly asks: I have kept your Foldy Stuff Log Cabin pattern in a drawer ever since I purchased it some time ago. I have never started it because I don’t do well with written instructions and I have forgotten what you did on the Simply Quilts program. Is there a video I might purchase?
A: Sorry, there is no video---but, you don’t need one. A lot of us have a hard time following written instructions. Here is what I tell people (and it really works). 1. Using your ugliest scraps, try a block. Figure on throwing the whole thing in the wastebasket when you are done. It takes all the pressure off! 2. Don’t even try to read the instructions the first time through, just look at the drawings and do exactly what you see. 3. Figure on totally screwing up the first few--it’s OK--you’re going to throw them away anyway. 4.When it’s starting to “work” try reading the directions and you will find they now make sense. 5. Remember, this is all worth it because, once you “get it”, you’ll find that this is the easiest, fastest and most fun you’ve ever had quilting.
Gotta go now --- Mr. Donna says we need some new applique patterns and I’ve got some great ideas! So, until May,
Happy quilting,
Donna