DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
JULY ‘05
WHAT HAPPENED TO JULY
I can’t believe July is half gone! We’ve had such a busy month! First of all, we spent way to much time standing in the yard waiting for our new puppy to “piddle”! But she’s getting the hang of it and she is adorable! Mid-June our daughter got a call with the news that the adoption agency she is working with had an eight month old boy she could adopt, if-IF-she could be in Russia in two weeks!! She hadn’t expected the call so soon and portioned out all the chores that needed to be done. Mine included buying packaged food for her and toys for the baby!!! Now, it’s been about fifty years since I’ve bought baby toys. Oh, my goodness, they have wonderful toys these days!! She’ll now return to the states and wait while the paper work is finished. Then back to Russia, stay for three weeks, complete the adoption and bring the little fellow home. We are so hoping that all goes well and we’ll soon be cuddling our first grandchild!
STORIES QUILTERS TELL
I love the stories quilters share with each other! A well known teacher tells of the time she and a friend were setting up a booth at a quilt show in a northern state. They arrived in the middle of a snowstorm and freezing temperatures, only to find that the heating system in their hotel was not working! She and her friend spent a cold night. The next morning, as they prepared to help set up the booth, they realized they had spent a miserable night while over a hundred quilts lay neatly folded at the foot of their bed.
ORGANIZING YOUR WORKSPACE-CONTINUED
I sit on a 24” high stool when I’m at the sewing machine For some reason it automatically keeps my back straight. This is SO important to me, because several times I’ve sewn for seventeen hours straight (deadlines) and I don’t even get up to eat. Mr. Donna sets plates of food next to the sewing machine and I snatch bites between seams!! How’s that for fun!! By the way, do you have any idea what’s on the TV at three o’clock in the morning. Aaaaaghhhh!!!
SEND A GIFT
The Send-A-Gift program is just around the corner. It should be up and running by the Aug. newsletter. From the website---donnaposter.com-----. you simply pick the items you want to send using the shopping cart , then fill out the Send A Gift screen. You will be asked for a name and address, to choose a card and supply the message. Upon receipt of your order the card will be printed including your message and sent with the order to the person named. There is no extra charge for this service and there is no increase in the shipping charges or items. It’s just something we decided to do.
APPLIQUE PATTERNS
I know there is a lot of information in these newsletters about the Foldy Stuff designs, probably because they are so popular. However, we also have over fifty applique patterns and other items all of which can be found at the website. Our applique patterns have a few unique features. Each design is presented as a full size drawing plus separate piece part drawings number keyed to the full size drawing. In most patterns the numbers indicate the order the pieces are placed on the backing to form the design.
IT’S Q & A TIME
Q: Lena asks
Are the Foldy Stuff patterns in quilt shops in Ohio?
A: Although Holiday Designs (our production company) sells to individual shops, their main business is selling to distributors (there are six) and catalogs. Distributors then resell to their customers. The result of this is that we never know which shops carry the patterns. You can obtain the Foldy Stuff patterns, and any of our products, by going to your quilt shop and having them contact either us or their distributor, or go to our website---donnaposter.com---and order directly from there. The advantage of having your quilt shop get them for you is that you will save the shipping cost.
I need to mention about using your credit card with Pay Pal at the website. Pay Pal is the company transferring money from your credit card account to our account within Pay Pal, and that’s how you get to pay for the order. Well, Pay Pal is not the easiest, and there are a number of screens to go through. Be sure to keep on going until the last screen. Go to the bottom of each screen to see if there are other screens. Folks are having a bit of a problem here. If it doesn’t work out just download an order form, (link at bottom of Home Page) and write out the order, include a check or money order and send it along.
Q: Sandra asks
I received my Foldy Stuff order today which included the Hexagon, Pineapple and Log Cabin designs. Two questions: First, are your yadages based on 45 inch fabric?, and second, what do you suggest about pre-washing the top, backing fabric and muslin
A: So glad you asked about the Foldy Stuff, I love doing it! The yardage
charts are based on a 40 inch width of usable fabric after shrinkage from washing, trimming, etc. Most fabrics are 45 inches wide as purchased but I must also include fabrics that are of a “skimpier” width.
As for pre-washing, here’s how I see it. I will do to all the fabrics used in a project the worst things I think my family will do to the quilt in the next twenty years! So, if it is to be used I will prewash, but if it’s going to hang on a wall I generally don’t. While we are on the subject, most of my quilts are made to be used and even abused! It pleases me to see people enjoying them. I do have a few special ones that were a lot of work and usually costly. I make sure my family knows which ones they are.
CARING FOR YOUR QUILTS
This last question prompts me to include here a little piece I wrote in one of my books, it’s called “Caring For Your Quilts.” Here it is:
“Machine Washing and Drying
Machine washing and drying work fine provided you have used a bonded batting and have a washer and dryer large enough to accommodate your quilt. Use the gentlest cycle and mild detergent. Use your dryer on delicate cycle only. Dry only to a slight damp stage. Remove the quilt and finish the drying process flat on a blanket or bed.
Hand Washing And Drying
Fill the bathtub half full of lukewarm water. Use a mild detergent. Squeezing gently, swish the quilt around in the water. But never lift it by the edge while it is wet. The weight of the quilt at the bottom will snap the quilting threads. Rinse several times. Squeeze as much moisture from the quilt as possible. Do not wring. When lifting a wet quilt, fold it into a bundle and carry it in your arms. Dry your quilt on a blanket spread out on a large flat surface, such as the floor in a spare bedroom. Outside on a sunny day works well, but be sure to put the top side of your quilt down to prevent fading.
Storage
Fold your quilt loosely and wrap it in a sheet or pillowcase. Never store it in plastic. Air must circulate around the quilt to preserve it.
My next gig is Quilt Odyssey held at the Hershey Convention Center July 28-31. Gotta go now--have some exiting new projects sitting on my drawing board!
Happy summer activities,
Donna