Quilting By Design

Little did one small group of quilters realize that the positive impact of a new project would change thousands and thousands of lives. What began as an idea I had, born in the middle of a sleepless night, grew into one of the most worthwhile projects that I have ever had the honor of participating in.

The vast majority of people’s lives have been touched by a tragic event, whether it be the loss of a loved one, a long (and most times, scary) journey with a loved one suffering from a terminal illness, or an event that was devastating to those directly involved, such as losing a home in a fire, etc.      We see such sad news on televised shows every day and night, but after the broadcast quits airing, most of us quickly dismiss it in our minds.      What if it were you or a loved one you know experiencing tragedy? As anyone that has lived through it knows, emotions run high and this article is not intended to address all of them. Feelings of loneliness, helplessness, and despair are but three and each are frightening and stressful. Hope may seem to be so far away that it appears unobtainable. We know that we cannot miraculously make everything “OK”, but, as quilters, what can we do? Anything? The answer for that is a resounding, “ABSOLUTELY”!      The Round Robin Charity Drive (RRCD) Project was announced on the Quilting Passion Forum in 2002 and the response was so immediate that it took off like a rocket! The RRCD Process is simple and has evolved, even perfected, if you would, over time.      Grab a cup of coffee as you enjoy the interview below with the Coordinator, Peggy (Idaho) and her assistant, Sheryl (Missouri) of this very special and unique project, but first, a glimpse into these wonderful women’s lives!      Peggy lives in Idaho and has been quilting since 1999. She has made about 25 bed-size quilts, has four (4) children of her own, and enjoys crocheting, quilting, reading, reality TV, and soapnet! She works outside the home and has met several people through the forum that she has corresponded with on a regular basis. She also visits with several forum members on the telephone, including me!      Sheryl lives in Missouri, has been quilting since 1985, and has made about 200 quilts, including 98 for Project Linus. She has two (2) grown children and recently retired from a secretarial position. Since then, she has been volunteering at a large hospital in her area. She also loves to read and crochet and has been making crocheted newborn caps for the hospital nursery. Terry: When did the project begin and how many quilts have been donated since then? Peggy: The QP Charity Project began March 5, 2002 and together, we have donated 1,387 quilts… of course, this figure will change before this gets published! NOTE: At the time of publication, the number had increased to 1,402, with 138 of those being donated thus far in 2007. Terry: How does the project operate? Peggy: A forum member will donate a medallion (center of the quilt) and ask for volunteers to donate more blocks, borders, backing, batting, binding, and a label. We have a couple of ladies on the forum that make and donate finished quilts on their own, too. Terry: How long is the waiting list for organizations wishing to receive quilts? Peggy: The waiting list is usually 25 groups, give or take a few. Terry: How many quilts do waiting list recipients receive? Peggy: We like for each group to get three (3) quilts… of course, we always end up giving them more! It’s hard to just give three because they are so grateful to receive them. Terry: How long does it usually take for names to come to the top of the waiting list? Peggy: We can easily exhaust a list in 4-6 months, usually. And, I don’t always start at the top and work down. I like for the donated quilt(s) to go to the area of the person that mails it, if possible. It helps keep the cost of postage down for them. Terry: What sort of “specialty” charity projects have the volunteer group participated in? Peggy: We are currently donating quilts for a cancer drive in Idaho and we have participated for the past three (3) years in Quilt Pink. NOTE: Quilting Passion Forum donated seven (7) quilts to Quilt Pink 2006 and helped with two (2) other quilts that were started locally in Mayes County, Oklahoma, making a total of nine (9) quilts donated for 2006. Terry: What is your role, as Coordinator? Peggy: My role is to monitor the progress of the quilts on the forum, maintain the mailing list of volunteers and the donation list. I troubleshoot problems that rarely occur and I also go through, every 3-6 weeks, and ask how everyone is doing and do they need help getting their part of the quilt finished. Real life happens to all of us and sometimes a volunteer needs to pass it on before she can do her part of the quilt. Terry: What is the Assistant’s role? Sheryl: I keep records of the progress of the Round Robin quilts, using an Excel spreadsheet. I monitor the forum every day to make sure that I know where every quilt in progress is. If quilts are not moving at a reasonable pace, I assist Peggy in inquiring about the progress of a quilt and offering assistance, if necessary.      When a quilt is mailed, I also keep a record of its completion, its name, and its destination.      Another thing I have been doing is writing Project Linus Headquarters in Bloomington, IL, when our donation list is getting short. They have been kind enough to include information about our project in their newsletter to their coordinators, who in turn contact us to request donations. Terry: How many active volunteers are there currently? Peggy: There are currently 48 members on the volunteer list. Terry: What type of time-frame do we like to use to turn a quilt around? Peggy: We like to see a turn-around in about two (2) months time. Terry: Who is eligible to receive these quilts? Peggy: Sheryl will send a letter to Project Linus Headquarters and ask the different chapters if they want to receive quilts. They then e-mail us with their address. NOTE: Any non-profit organization that can substantiate their existence and cause can request to be placed on the waiting list. Project Linus is the largest organization on our list, but we have also served other organizations in the past. Terry: Are all of these quilts made by hand/machine? In other words, are quilts ever purchased to give away? Sheryl: I have never heard of anyone buying one to contribute. One of the basic conditions of Project Linus is that the blankets be hand-made. Terry: Do people outside of your list of volunteers donate batting, fabric, etc.? If so, and someone would like to donate, how can they contact you? Peggy: We are always looking for volunteers and donations from anyone and everyone! However, the majority of our donations come from our own forum members. Inquiries about donating can be made via e-mail. Sheryl: I have received donations from a local civic group and a retiring fabric salesman, but I think most people have donated from their own funds entirely. Terry: Are there any recipients with such touching stories that you would like to share? Sheryl: I remember a family that lost their house in a fire. We sent quilts for all seven (7) children and both parents.      I also sent a western quilt to Montana that was given to a teenage boy who was paralyzed in an accident. His grandfather spent time talking with him, making up stories about the cowboys in the printed fabric. When his grandpa died, the boy couldn’t go to his funeral, but insisted that the quilt be draped over his grandpa’s casket. Also, coincidentally, the design I quilted into the borders matched their ranch’s brand!      I also donated a flip flop quilt locally that was chosen by a mother while her teenage daughter was in a coma. The mother wrapped herself in it while she waited for her daughter to wake up… and she did! Terry: Another quilt was donated to a 16 year-old boy in Oklahoma City that had a heart transplant. His grandmother said he clung onto that quilt for the year that he lived after receiving it. The young man requested that he be buried with his quilt and he was. One of our volunteers lived in the area and the Daily Oklahoman did a feature article on it and took pictures. It was very sad for us when the young man passed away.      I hope it has become apparent to all of you who read how important this project is to the Quilting Passion Forum. There are many on the forum that support the project, but do not volunteer to work in it, due to time constraints, finances, etc.. I also hope that this article inspires you to make a quilt, no matter how large or small, and donate it to a charitable cause. The satisfaction you will get cannot be described with words; only through experience!

Quilting By Design Site Map.
Original article first published on Quilting Passion by Terry Crawford.

quilting, charity quilts, quilts, Project Linus

Quilts benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation have surfed onto eBay in a vast sea of online auctioning as a result of an annual event called, “Quilt Pink“. The response to this event has been phenominal, resulting in over 4,000 gorgeous pink quilts made by quilters and/or quilt shops participating worldwide.

The first wave of handmade quilts are online right now, and up for grabs to the highest bidder. 100% of these Internet sales go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which is non-profit, to aid in the research to find a cure for breast cancer.      The Quilt Pink Event was sponsored by the American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine®. The six-month eBay auctions began on Thursday, April 5th, 2007 and new quilts will be up for bid every Thursday until all are sold.      This truly amazing effort to end breast cancer has united men, women, and even children, together in a global battle against this terrible disease. Many individuals and organizations came together in spirit, determination, and talent to help support this fight. One such organization to leap head-first into this war against cancer was the Quilting Passion Forum, which compassionately donated nine (9) quilts made by volunteers of the forum’s RRCD (Round Robin Charity Drive) Project, which began in March of 2002.      This revolutionary, global charity project was the first ever of its kind to hit the Internet. The project provides a unique method of making handmade quilts of the finest quality with minimal effort, time, and expense for its wonderful volunteers. This on-the-leading-edge project was the prototype that set the standard for similar projects that have popped up on other forums.      The trend to make quilts for charities is positively impacting thousands of lives by giving a spark of hope and something to hang onto during the roughest of times for families suffering from tragedy.      Keep a close eye on this Web site for an article (complete with interviews from the Coordinator and her Assistant) highlighting the RRCD Project on the Quilting Passion Forum, with its multi-faceted simplicity, later this week!

Quilting By Design Site Map.
Original project first published on Quilting Passion by Terry Crawford.

quilting, quilts, eBay, eBay quilts, eBay Quilt Pink, Quilt Pink, eBay Pink

Have you ever had the desire to quilt, but were afraid that the “hobby” was too hard for you?      If the answer is, “No”, then this is your day to begin! If the answer is, “YES”, then, well, get over it!!!!

     Quilting is much easier to learn than you would ever imagine. In fact, it is so easy that I learned how to quilt! And believe me, that is quite remarkable because I hate to sew! I fell into quilting literally by accident. You can see how I began by reading my profile here on this site.
     There is a beginning tutorial available for you if you are serious about learning. I try to be very careful when writing tutorials so that the audience that is reading/learning/studying the tutorial is able to understand. In this case, the tutorial is pretty much based upon the premise that you know very little (or nothing) about quilting. This tutorial should be enough to get you on the road to quilting, where you can join the millions of us that already addicted!
     There are quite a few reasons to learn how to quilt:

• Quilting is fun! It cannot get much simpler than that!
• Quilting is utilitarian. By “utilitarian”, I mean that it is a very practical hobby. There is not a single household in the world that does not have some type of cover/quilt/blanket in it. In fact, your first quilt could be made just for yourself, so that you can practice your newly-found hobby and also so that you have a hand-made quilt.
• Quilting can serve as a source of relaxation. Yes, it is true. Quilting is an excellent way to relieve stress!
• Quilting is an excellent hobby to begin because it gives you a unique way to give gifts to those you care about. Not just a plain, little gift, either. This is a hand-made gift that the recipient (and his/her heirs) will cherish for decades. It does not matter if it is not perfect, either. In fact, 99.9999999999% of quilts are NOT perfect. Each quilt has its very own flaws, which is one aspect that makes the quilts so unique to each individual. You will learn to embrace your uniqueness in quilting and accept it for what it is: Typical and normal.
• Quilting enables you to form friendships with people that you would never have had the honor of meeting, had you not taken up the hobby. Once you begin to quilt, join a local quilting guild or an online quilting forum. You will make new friends, quite a few of which will be in the same boat you are in: A new quilter. Guilds and forums give you many different activities to practice your newly found hobby and to also broaden your horizon and help you figure out what you really love best about quilting. If you had told me years ago that my favorite method of putting a quilt together involved appliqué, I would have laughed. On the other hand, I have found my least favorite method, too: Paper-piecing!
• Quilting can be profitable. You may be thinking, “What?? You have got to be kidding! I’m sitting here thinking, just thinking mind you, about learning to quilt, and this author is already talking about me using my skills (that I haven’t even learned yet) to make money??? Is she nuts?”. Well, am I close to what you might be thinking? If you would have told me 14 years ago that I would be taking orders for commissioned, personally designed quilts, I’d have told you that YOU were nuts. The old adage, “Practice makes perfect”, is really true.

     So, what are you waiting for? Begin learning to quilt today! You will enjoy it immensely for the rest of your life… and so will all of those people that receive a quilt made by you.
     And if you already quilt, please feel free to share how you got hooked!
Quilting By Design Site Map.
Original article first published on Quilting Passion by Terry Crawford.


quilting, quilts, beginning quilting, quilting tutorial, quilting lessons

     Today’s topic of discussion is one that is a little more on the lighter side. Nothing to really think about (maybe), nothing to learn, nothing to do but read, and, hopefully, just a little something to keep you kick-started with whatever quilting projects you may be working on at this time.
     So, out of idle curiosity, I suddenly find myself wondering what types of projects you have in process right now, as well as, how many. Now, I am not referring to UFOs (UnFinished Objects you’ve let go for awhile); I am referring to WIPs (Works In Progress) that you have been actively working on within the past two (2) to three (3) months.
     Ready to confess? Let me go first!

1. Rose Stained Glass Wallhanging (for my mother for Mother’s Day; my own design),
2. A sampler called “Surpassing Life’s Challenges“,
3. A commissioned quilt that I am designing and is made from antique handkerchiefs,
4. A charity quilt that I designed as a Mystery Quilt (it just needs bound and labeled),
5. 2 photo memory quilts that I am making for each of my sons.

     Those weren’t given in any specific order (and I think I remembered them all), however the one I am making for mom does have a deadline of Mother’s Day. The commissioned quilt is second on my list to finish (would like to have it finished by the end of May), followed by the charity quilt (which would take me about 2-3 hours to finish, as I hem the binding by hand). The sampler is a BOM (Block of the Month) quilt and so there is no hurry for it and the memory quilts are to be Christmas gifts, so I should have plenty of time for those.
     Sounds like I am doing fairly well on my quilting projects, does it not? Not too many irons in the fire, right? Well, remember the title of this topic? The operative word is “CURRENT”! Perhaps one day soon I will address the topic of unfinished projects that need a little (or a lot) of attention.
     Now that I have confessed, let me hear about what you are currently working on?
     And please, do not let these current WIPs become UFOs!!!!!

“Freezer paper to appliqué”, you ask? You bet!

     The word Appliqué is the French term meaning ‘to apply’ and is a beautiful and creative expression in which fabric shapes are stitched to a background.
     There are several different ways to use freezer paper for appliqué. The technique presented here is useful for simple shapes and fairly large appliqué pieces, making it the perfect method for beginners to learn how to appliqué.
     Freezer paper can be usually be found in the paper products area of your local supermarket or discount store. It is plastic coated and comes in a box similar to aluminum foil (and will probably be in the same section). Because of the plastic coating, one side of the paper is shiny, while the other side appears dull. It is the shiny side of the paper that will iron onto fabric, and also easily peel off. The ability of the freezer paper to peel off is extremely helpful when you have need of making multiple appliqué pieces that are identical because the freezer paper template piece is reusable (usually between 3-6 times).

     Items you will need:

1. Marking tool (permanent pen works well),
2. Scissors (both paper, to cut the freezer paper, and fabric),
3. Fabric pieces,
4. Appliqué pattern(s),
5. Silk pins (or a pin with a flat head),
6. Glue stick or an iron to press creases,
7. Needle & thread, if you hand-appliqué; Sewing machine if you don’t,
8. Thimble (if you use one to appliqué),
9. Tweezers (optional),
10. Freezer paper (duh)!

BASIC STEPS!
     To begin with, examine your appliqué pattern. Is it symmetrical (in other words, can you visually cut the pattern in half and each half be a mirror image of the other)? If so, then you can simply place a piece of freezer paper, waxy side down, on the pattern and trace the pattern onto the dull side of the freezer paper. If the pattern is asymmetrical (each half is NOT a mirror image to the other), then you will have to first trace the pattern onto tracing paper, then turn the tracing paper over and retrace it onto the dull side of the freezer paper. If you do not do this for asymmetrical patterns, the pattern will end up reversed on the fabric.
     As you trace your patterns onto the freezer paper, make sure to place them close to one another, but be sure to leave enough room between the tracings to cut them apart easily. You DO NOT add a turn-under seam allowance to the freezer paper patterns. Carefully cut out the freezer paper patterns on the traced line. Be sure to cut smoothly and not leave any jagged edges because these jagged edges may show up when you fold the fabric over the edge to appliqué it. NOTE: I always use my ‘paper-cutting’ scissors for this job. I never use any of my ‘good’ scissors to cut paper. TIP: To make multiple templates of the same shape, fold the freezer paper several times and cut through all of the layers at one time.
     Place the freezer paper patterns waxy side down on the WRONG side of the fabric and press them with a dry iron on a medium setting until they adhere to the fabric. Be sure to place them far enough apart that you can cut a ¼” turn-under allowance for each pattern. You can ‘eyeball’ this measurement. As long as you’re close (without going over), it’s fine. I actually prefer a 3/16″ turn-under allowance.
     If you have any patches with curves (like hearts), carefully clip the fabric up to within 2 or 3 threads of the freezer paper. This does two things: 1) Gives you enough fabric to keep it from fraying, and 2) Gives you enough fabric to anchor your stitches when you appliqué it on.
     Use a dry iron to press the turn-under allowances up and over the edge of the freezer paper. It is not necessary to baste the seam allowances. *IF* I am feeling particularly lazy and I am sitting in my recliner all comfy-like, and do not want to get up to go press these at this point, I use a glue stick along the seam allowance only on the fabric and fold the fabricover and allow the glue to adhere the fabric to the edges of the freezer paper. Then I finger press them into place (this is the best time to smooth edges, especially curves). One major drawback to using a glue stick, rather than pressing the fabric over onto the freezer paper: If you wait long enough before you appliqué the piece on and the glue dries, it’s a little bit harder to remove the freezer paper. You just have to be more careful in the removal.
     At this point, pin the fabric patches to your background fabric. Now, you can either appliqué the fabric patches to the background fabric by hand or by machine. If using a machine, use a very fine nylon thread (practically invisible) in the top and a cotton thread in the bobbin. Select the blind stitch (which takes a couple of straight stitches, then zigzags to the left once, then repeats the process). Make sure that the straight part of the blind stitch follows the outside edge of the fabric patch. Also, reduce the stitch width so that the zigzag part only catches a couple of threads in the appliqué. More appliqué tips are given on this same Web site.
     After the fabric patch has been sewn into place, turn it over and carefully cut away the background fabric from the underneath side. Try to leave approximately ¼” seam allowance.
     At this point, the freezer paper is visible. Remove it carefully. I usually remove mine by hand, however, using tweezers works very well, also.

CONCLUSIONS:
     The freezer paper method is my favorite way to appliqué. I throw all of my fabric patches (with the freezer paper ironed to them) into a small plastic bag, then put it into a larger plastic bag along with my scissors, needle, thread, etc., and away I go. Portable appliqué.
     Freezer paper is also an excellent resource for paper-piecing! Watch for articles regarding paper-piecing here in the near future.
     Two final thoughts: 1) I’ve found that appliqué is like a lot of other things in life: The more you practice, the better you become. And if I go for several months without appliquéing, I find that I have to get back into the swing of things again in order for the appearance to get back to what I like it to be, and 2) Freezer paper can also be used in needle-turn appliqué! Instead of pressing the freezer paper template to the wrong side of the fabric, press it to the right side. You would then still cut the piece out, leaving approximately 1/4″ for the seam allowance. Once cut out, place the pattern piece (with the freezer paper still on it) onto your project, pin (or tack it with washable glue) it in place somewhere in the middle of the piece, then use the edge of the freezer paper as your guide to turning the edges under as you appliqué the piece in place. Remove the freezer paper when finished and store it. It is reusable!
     Good luck and happy appliquéing with freezer paper!

NOTE: This original article first written by Quilting Passion and is copyrighted.

OTHER RESOURCES: Quilting Passion, Quilt Geek, CD Designs, Horizon Quilt Patterns, QuiltBus

applique, quilting, freezer paper

Appliquéd Rose, Pattern from Quilting Passion
     The word Appliqué is the French term meaning ‘to apply’ and is a beautiful and creative expression in which fabric shapes are stitched to a background.
     I’ve always admired appliquéd quilts, especially a Baltimore Album quilt, but was hesitant to try my hand at it (no pun intended) because I’d never quilted before and I’d never thought of myself as having a steady hand, capable of doing intricate work. I also thought I’d never have the patience required to appliqué. Big surprise.
     After becoming interested in quilting, I enrolled in a local quilt shop’s (The Quilter’s Nook in Tulsa, OK, which is no longer in business, unfortunately!) beginning quilting class. The object of this class was to complete a wallhanging made up of four blocks: Two were pieced, two were appliquéd. What a project to undertake with my new-found addiction! With the help of a fabulous teacher, I hand-pieced, hand-appliquéd, and hand-quilted this wallhanging. It’s currently hanging in the downstairs, guest bedroom. It’s one of my proudest quilting accomplishments.
     I’d like to share with you a few tips that I’ve learned along the appliqué path of life. Most of these were learned the hard way; by trial and error. Mostly error. Hopefully, by giving you a few tips, you will not have as many errors!

1. I strongly suggest pre-washing 100% cotton fabrics for most appliqué projects. Especially if the colors are extremely bright or they are specialty fabrics (such as batiks or hand dyes). In the above mentioned wallhanging, I used a bright fuchsia print. I pre-washed the fabric and was shocked to find that it still bled onto my white on white background after washing it the first time once it was finished. It took several launderings for it to finally quit bleeding. Had I watched the rinse water upon my initial pre-washing of the fabric and seen the dye still bleeding into it, I’d have washed it again. You can probably get by with not pre-washing blends. But I won’t risk it again on 100% fabrics that even look like they might bleed!
2. 100% cotton fabrics are best for most appliqué projects. Blends usually don’t crease nearly as well and also need pressing at a cooler temperature than cotton. I especially like the feel of appliquéing with batik fabrics.
3. Silk, lamé, and similar fabrics may need stabilized with an iron-on product fused to the wrong side before appliquéing.
4. When making templates, I prefer heat-resistant plastic over cardboard. Plastic templates hold their shape while I’ve found that cardboard ones don’t always (they can be ‘indented’ by marking too closely to it with your marking pen/pencil). Sewing your appliqué piece onto your background fabric is much easier if you first turn the edges of the fabric up over the template and press the crease. This can be aided by lightly brushing starch around the edge of the appliqué piece. I use a cotton swab on a stick.
5. The best method for me to appliqué is using freezer paper. It’s simple and I find that it gives the piece that I’m appliquéing enough stability to make working with it a snap. Simply trace the pattern piece onto the freezer paper, cut it out, then iron it onto the back side of your fabric. When you cut around your freezer paper pattern on the fabric, be sure to leave ¼” seam allowance. Fold the ¼” seam allowance over the back onto the freezer paper. I use glue from a glue stick to hold it in place, making sure to firmly crease it with my fingertips. Then, pin the ready-to-appliqué piece into place, ready to be stitched using an appropriate stitch.
6. When using the freezer paper method, after the appliquéd piece is finished, I turn it over and carefully clip the back side and cut out the inner portion of the base foundation beneath the appliquéd piece. I then carefully remove the freezer paper.
7. There are several methods of appliqué stitches. The stitch I choose depends on what I want the finished look of the quilt to be. I prefer invisible appliqué, but the blanket stitch, sometimes called button-hole stitch is also one of my favorite. To ensure invisible stitches, match the thread to the appliqué shape. 100% cotton sewing thread is recommended.
8. A small embroidery or appliqué needle is preferred.
9. Silk pins work great when pinning your piece to the foundation. Place pins every ¾ to 1″, perpendicular to the edge of the shape. Flat head flower pins also are good to use.
10. Instead of pinning a narrow shape, such as a flower stem, to the foundation, I use a glue stick to adhere it.
11. Always bring your needle up from the back of the appliqué piece to the front in the crease in order to hide the knot of your thread.
12. Some areas on appliqué pieces are hard to turn under without clipping. Make sure you don’t clip beyond your turn-under allowance. Clip only on concave curves (those curves that are shaped like VERY relaxed u’s) or at a “V” area, such as at the top of a heart. If you clip two or three threads short of the line you’ll be turning under on, it will give you enough fabric to anchor your stitches and also will help prevent fraying.
13. Turn off the steam when pressing your appliqué pieces. You’ll be working with your fingers near the iron and steam burns hurt! Steam can also stretch your fabric. If you do choose to press your pieces (as I do), make sure you press and not iron! What’s the difference? Pressing is a technique using an up and down motion from the iron to the fabric. Ironing is a technique using a side to side motion on the fabric, without picking it up. Ironing can distort fabric. Pressing shouldn’t distort.
14. I place all of my appliqué pieces into a zippable-type plastic bag. I also place my appliqué scissors, thread, needles, and other items I use in another zippable-type bag. I then place both of these bags into a larger bag. This makes my appliqué project portable.
15. A helpful (and comforting) tip that I’ve figured out on my own is that good appliquéing skills come with practice. And just because one project looks great this time doesn’t mean another one will look equally as good a few months from now. Why? Because practice *does* make all the difference in the world. Without appliquéing on a steady basis, one can become rusty. Unfortunately. But it is also comforting to know that it doesn’t take much time to get back into the swing of appliquéing if you do get rusty!

     Appliqué is one of the most rewarding aspects of quilting that I enjoy. It is relaxing, portable, easy, has a wide variety of techniques, and looks great!

     NOTE: This original article first written by Quilting Passion and is copyrighted.

     OTHER RESOURCES: Appliqué, Embroidery, Redwork

quilts, applique, freezer paper, blanket stitch, button-hole stitch, quilting

     Up until a few years ago, you never heard of documenting quilts, however, back in 1993 I realized that if I didn’t keep some sort of journal on all of my quilting/crafting projects, I would quickly lose track of them. The simple fact that the historical value of quilts is important is something that I didn’t want to lose out on.

     With that thought in mind, I developed a rough draft of a journal and the pages in the journal I called “QuiltSheets(tm)”. These pages are free to the public, as long as my copyright is kept intact. As far as I know, these were the earliest pioneer journal sheets for documenting quilts.

     If you would like a copy of the QuiltSheets, please e-mail me with QUILTSHEETS in the subject area. Once you receive the QuiltSheets, please come back here and let me know what you think!

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION: Quilting Passion Quilt Diary

Quilting is a relaxing hobby, a professional avocation and occasionally a cotton-based addiction.
It’s an enourmous amount of work and talent. It’s great to display these at shows.
It’s infuriating to see an unauthorized copy of your hard work and design sensibilty at a show.

Now, for the record, this has never happened to me.
(more…)