Quilterly Measurements

Here's a handy "quick reference" of the quilterly measurements in a yard. I have a copy pinned near my cutting table. With "Nickel" distractions every 5 minutes, it's definitely better than doing the arithmetic in my head!

Yards	Inches
1/8	4.5
1/4	9
1/3	12
3/8	13.5
1/2	18
5/8	22.5
2/3	24
3/4	27
7/8	31.5
1	36

If you have any difficulty printing it out, just let me know. I am happy to email you a pdf file that should print easily.

Pine Needle 2011 Fall Open House

The open house was tons of fun! I am very excited about Metropolitan Quilts' new designs and was thrilled to see all the customer quilts hanging from the Farmer's Wife classes and the Great Escape Retreat back in June. Check out the photos on my Picasa photo album.


I demonstrated the Strip Tube Ruler from Cozy Quilts ... a fast and fun way to cut pieced or plain half square triangles from a tube. Clever! I definitely recommend using starch to stiffen the bias edges of the blocks. I can't wait to make the Transitions pattern I bought two years ago ... with no idea there was a ruler to make it a snap!


And I demonstrated Pilot's new FriXion pens. I think these pens are terrific for marking quilt tops, including embroidery and applique. A quick touch with your iron instantly removes the marks. If you don't want to touch your work with an iron, simply hover the iron with steam over your work and the markings disappear. I had gone to great lengths to avoid marking my quilt top but no more! I eagerly await a color that is visible on dark fabrics.

Pine Needle Fall 2011 Catalog

Yippee! The Pine Needle's 2011 catalog is available:
http://issuu.com/pineneedlequiltshop/docs/fall2011?mode=embed

Basting the Quilt - Introduction

Once the quilt top is complete, you need to temporarily hold the quilt top, batting and back together while quilting. There are three main methods of basting the quilt:

• use a spray adhesive such as 505 Spray and Fix 
• use safety pins
• use thread to baste by hand or machine

Here I’ve outlined the advantages and any disadvantages of each method:

	Advantages	Disadvantages
Spray Basting	The temporary adhesive holds the layers together more securely because the adhesive is sprayed across the entire surface  You don’t have to stop to remove pins when quilting! It’s fast! 505 is odorless, acid free, adheres at least 5 years (ask me how I know this) and, when the quilt is washed, the adhesive releases 505 does not place any drag on your needles, nor does it gum up needles or scissors	Even though 505 is non-toxic, spray in an area with good ventilation
Pin Basting	Pin baste if you object to using a spray or prefer not to expose your quilt to the spray adhesive	Interrupting sewing to remove pins also disrupts the learning process for developing smooth free motion stitching Quilt layers are held together only where there are pins so it is easier to get pleats on the back Pin basting is slower, harder on your hands and, if you pin baste on the floor, is a killer for your knees and back
Baste by hand or machine	If stitches are not too far apart nor too long, holds layers together better than pin basting	Relatively slow, especially if basting by hand Must remove basting stitches unless you use water soluble thread

NOTE:  the quilt back and batting should be approximately 3” larger than the quilt top on all sides.

I personally will never pin baste again and can recommend the 505 spray. I have basted many quilts, ranging from small wall hangings to a queen-size, with success. The only shifting between layers I have experienced was with a lap-sized flannel quilt with wool batting. Because both the fabric and batting were fluffy, the layers were shifting slightly so I machine basted with water soluble thread in the top and bobbin - problem solved!

Ideally, your work surface is in a room other than the one in which you have your sewing machine.  To avoid getting any of the spray adhesive in or around my sewing machine, I baste my quilts on folding tables in my garage and open the garage door for good ventilation.

Next: layering for spray or pin basting.

Dinnertime and Mischief

Puppies, like children, are incredibly flexible. I am so envious ... I never realized nor did I sufficiently appreciate how fluid movement was until it became less so! Here is Nickel, sleeping in his soft crate ... head is north, front paws face south, hind legs face the moon!

Can this be comfortable?

Breakfast and dinner are major events in the lives of a golden so they give their undivided, utterly focused attention during meal prep.

 Harry filling their bowls ... any chance he could miss Nickel?

Unbearable waiting for the magic word ... OK!

Benny's tummy is sensitive due to his chemotherapy meds so we cook part of their food and let them lick the pan afterwards. Nickel will lick the pan long after Benny and Frankie give up, with high aspirations of cleaning every molecule out of the pan.

 Hold that pan still

Yummmmm!

Mischief!

 Nickel, is that my favorite fleece jacket?

 Jacket? What jacket?

I swear it wasn't me!

Nickel Meets Bodhi

Our dear friends, Jane and Gary, just brought home a new miniature Australian Shepherd puppy! His name is Bodhi. Here he is just 8 weeks old and weighs maybe 15 pounds. Boy is he cute! These photos are from his first weekend at  home.

 Don't you love the pink spot on my nose?

Cute little imp

 This chair is perfect for me

Love my green froggie

A couple weeks later, Nickel gets to meet Bodhi. What happened? Run run run run run run run run sniff run run run run run run run run run run run run sniff run run run run run run run pool splash run run run run run run run run run run run run sniff run run run run run pool splash run run run run run run run run run run run run ... wrestle! Once they figured out wrestling, it was non-stop for an entire afternoon.

My what big teeth you have Nickel

Ears a flyin' 

 Nickel weighs 48 pounds, Bodhi weighs maybe 20 pounds

 I've got you now!

 Where ya goin' ?

Lots of teeth ... no injuries ... exhausted puppies ... peaceful evening

Manufacturers of Solid Fabrics

This list is undoubtedly incomplete; but, it is handy to know which manufacturers produce one or more lines of solid woven fabrics.

• Robert Kaufman Fabrics:  Pure Organic (21 colors), Kona Cotton solids (over 200 colors), Ultra Sateen (17 colors), Radiance 55% cotton 45% silk (52 colors), Carolina Chambray (7 colors)
• Northcott:  ColorWorks Premium Solids (over 100 colors)
• Moda:  Bella Solids (over 125 colors), Cotton Sateen (12 colors)
• Westminster/Free Spirit:  Designer Solids (100 colors), Shot Cottons (over 60 colors), Amy Butler Decorator Solids (29 colors)
• P&B Textiles:  Color Spectrum Solids (84 colors)
• RJR Fabrics:  Cotton Supreme Solids (126 colors), Robyn Pandolph solids (28 colors)
• Art Gallery Fabrics:  Pure Elements (24 colors)
• Galaxy:  Lumiere Cotton Sateens (color gradations in a sateen!)

I have been on a tear lately, collecting solid fabrics. I only get 1/2 yard at a time (unless it's green ... or gray ... or orange) and am building up a collection so I can make several "modern" quilts. I have several projects in mind:

• a quilt with lots of white ... fresh!
• a quilt of grays and yellows
• a quilt of grays, greens and oranges ... maybe charcoal too
• something with mulberry
• lots of reds

Do you know of any other manufacturers of solid fabrics? Thanks!

Wonderful, amazing news about Benny

Today, Benny had chest radiographs at the Oregon State Veterinary Teaching Hospital. He was so happy to see all his friends there. Frankie and Nickel went too. We wanted to check both Benny's and Frankie's progress; Nickel went along to meet everyone and be admired since he's such a cute not-so-little golden retriever puppy. His "feet off" manners are improving but he still needs a lot of practice.


We are thrilled to report that the nodule in Benny's lung that we saw previously is gone! The mass is either gone entirely or so small as to be undetectable. We are thrilled and so very, very grateful. Of course we will continue with the chemotherapy regimen in hopes that we beat the crap out of that cancer. And we promise to continue to enjoy every minute with our three musketeers!

Exciting news: group of 4 quilts may be published

The past two years, I have taken a week long design workshop with Jean Wells. In 2010, I took her Intuitive Quilting class then in 2011, Intuitive Quilting II. Jean is an amazing teacher. She has a gift of knowing which question to ask or just the right moment to check on your progress. I feel that I started to grasp quilt composition and enjoyed every minute. The workshops are offered at the Stitchin' Post in Sisters. A week devoted to quilting is, for me, an ultimate luxury. It's enough time to sink your teeth into a fairly complex project and make enough progress that you have some optimism that you can finish when you get home.


Here is a group of 4 pieces I started in the 2010 Intuitive Quilting workshop. I am pleased with the composition and am particularly happy with the quilting. I wanted the quilting lines to amplify and complement the piecing lines without overwhelming the small quilts mounted on the larger background quilts.

The exciting news is twofold:  first, Jean is writing a new book! Second, Jean asked me if she could include photos of this group of pieces in the book. I am thrilled and honored to be asked. There are no guarantees as the publisher, C&T Publishing, has the final say. So keep your fingers crossed for me!

4th of July with Dear Friends

Traditionally, we barbecue on July 4th with our cherished friends and neighbors:  Glenna, Peter, Acacia and Ezra. They have three dogs:  Reuben, Mia and Lizzie. Reuben and Mia are brother and sister bull mastiffs. Reuben weighs over 137 pounds (solid muscle!), Mia weighs about 90 pounds and Lizzie, the pug, weighs maybe 25 pounds. Nickel's first 4th of July holiday began by meeting Reuben, Mia and Lizzie.


Meet Reuben, a giant (literally) sweetheart. He loves to sit in deck chairs so he can observe the goings on in the back yard as well as be close to his peeps.

Nickel meets Reuben nose to nose.

Hi Reuben ... you're kinda big ...

 Struttin' with the BIG dog

Mia readily adopted Nickel. She's a great mom and is entirely willing to do her part in raising this pup.

 Yea! Mia runs really fast

And after all that running, you've just got to cool off. And isn't this the best bird bath ever? It's just the right size!

 Made for me

Well, I splashed out nearly all the water so Peter needs to refill the birdbath.

 Helpin' Uncle Peter

Gulp Gulp Gulp

 Ahhhhhhh ...

 My best friend Acacia

Harry with three tired goldens:  Frankie on the left, Nickel in the middle, Benny to the right. Benny is still doing well, thankfully. In his most recent lung x-ray, the mass was smaller and less opaque so the chemo drug is at least slowing the cancer down. We are grateful.

Family portrait