A Note From Dianne — July 2010

 

Dear Quilt Friends,

            It’s Hot in Middle Georgia!!!  Summer just began, but it has been HOT for a couple of months now, and there is no sign of a let up!  The heat sure does not make me want to sit under a quilt to hand quilt, but machine piecing and quilting are great all year long.   And a day of shopping in the quilt shops might be just what you need to inspire you on your next project!  If that doesn’t do it for you, turn on a quilt video channel and beat the heat doing at-home research! 

            I sent out a questionnaire to a few of my quilt friends, and I want to share the feedback.  I think this proves quilters are not dull old fuddy-duddies!

 

1.  How long have you quilted, and how did you get started?   Answers ranged from 2 ½ years to 25+ years.  And reasons for getting started included a need for a creative outlet after retirement, just took a class and enjoyed it, and as an escape from a stressful situation.

 

2.  What do you get out of quilting?  Enjoyment, I enjoy seeing the fabric and design interact, it is relaxing, creating friendships, a sense of accomplishment like completing a jigsaw puzzle, and as an escape from the real world.

 

3.  What is your favorite quilt pattern?  Carpenter’s star, log cabin pattern, stars, double wedding ring (someday), rail fence, and my favorite—“The one I do tomorrow!”

 

4.  What is the most fun quilt you have made?  A Confusion quilt (we’ve all made one of these, whether we meant to or not!), Block of the Month, Twisted Bargello, and Log Cabin.

 

5.  What is your most important piecing technique?  Exact measurements in sewing and cutting, press well, have consistent exact seam widths, and match seams at intersections.

 

6.  What is your most important quilting tip?  Use a design wall to prevent mistakes, Press every seam well, use quality fabric and thread, and my favorite—“Give it to Dianne to quilt!”

 

7.  Where do you want to go from here regarding quilting?  Maybe appliqué, Finish my UFOs and experiment with color, enjoy the process and the friendships, try free-motion quilting, and my favorite answer from two people—“ The sky’s the limit!”

 

8.  What is your best advice to other quilters?  Don’t worry about perfection as long as you are improving, take your time and enjoy the process, be patient, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and my favorite—“If you are not having fun, just stop!”

 

Challenge Of The Day

 

·               Find a sewing or quilting gadget you bought but have never used, and see if it is really as good as the salesman told you it was the day you just had to have it!

·               Visit a shut-in, and share your quilting with them.

·               Research quilt software, and decide if it would improve your quilting experience.

 

Until next time…..

                                                            Happy Stitches,

 

Dianne