margaret | February 23, 2009
Does the word “free” brighten your day, or are you skeptical? If I were to tell you of websites with “free” software, would you then be skeptical? Would it make a difference if I changed the term to “open source” software? A clear cut explanation of the term open source may be found at www.opensource.org, so I won’t attempt to explain all the nuances of the definition; however, open source software means the source code is not proprietary, but open and transparent for people to see kind of “what’s under the hood”.
(more…)
Category: General |
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Tags: software, Tips
margaret | February 14, 2009
The room was abuzz and all the workshop attendees wanted one. This was not the first time members of the group had adapted products to meet quilters needs. Several of the group had small folding tables, even tv trays which were used as ironing boards. The tables were complete with small Hobbico custom sealing irons, the perfect size for workshop travel bags. But this day they were all interested in Anne’s innovation, the strip stick.
Rather than tell you about it, I’ve asked Anne a few questions.
What is your quilting background? I have been sewing most of my life. I have been a member of the local quilt guild for several years and am currently working on my fifth quilt. Since I’ve been interested in quilting for at least ten years, I’ve learned a lot from other quilters and have taken quite a few classes. (more…)
Category: Interviews |
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Tags: Interview, Tips
margaret | February 14, 2009
If you’ve visited the multimedia page on this blog recently you may have noticed a new category, poetry. If you’ve never visited the multimedia page and accessed the player I urge you to click on the Multimedia Player on the horizontal bar beneath the banner. The Music category holds mp3 files which you may access while you visit any of the blog pages. Movies about quilting or interests of quilters may be found under the category Movies and likewise for the new category, Poetry.
Below is a quilter’s husband’s explanation of the inspiration for his movie, Tears in the Trees. I hope you’ll enjoy this one as well as others he has produced; they reside in the movies category.
His thoughts:
Quilters like poets, authors, composers, painters, and others artists have an intrinsic need to create. Not only do they create, inspire, and reveal but also bring comfort and security to the people they love. We all need our security blanket or quilt. What can be more comforting the wrapping oneself around a quilt that brings both physical and emotional warmth.
In the poem The Leaves, the poet makes a metaphorical reference about leaves that evoke the same emotion.
The North Wind is calling, is calling,
And we must whirl round and round,
And then, when our dancing is ended,
We’ll make a warm quilt for the ground. (more…)
Category: General |
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Tags: video
margaret | February 9, 2009
Each of these three free, easy to appliqué, quilt blocks will fit comfortably on a rectangle of fabric 7.5” x 9.5”. The full size patterns are in pdf format. Simply click HERE to access each pdf file. (more…)
Category: Free patterns, Patterns |
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Tags: applique patterns, Free patterns, Patterns
margaret | February 3, 2009
Have you ever thought of using your computer to help with making fabric selections? Do you have one piece of fabric you just love, and don’t quite know which colors will support that fabric? Have you consulted your color wheel and you’re still not quite certain? (more…)
Category: Color |
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Tags: Color, Tips, video
margaret | February 3, 2009
Ok, call me old fashioned, but I don’t see a need to have a kitchen in my home. It only stays clean for a little while and then, time to cook and make a mess. If the kitchen was in a different building, overheating wouldn’t exist, odors wouldn’t permeate every room and, best of all, the dirty dishes couldn’t be seen. 
That made perfect sense to me, and we set out to build a separate building for the kitchen and dining room. I’m wondering if that’s what the early settlers had in mind. My rationale was if it was good enough for Thomas Jefferson it was good enough for me. And so it was.
Having one’s kitchen and dining room about sixty feet from the primary residence isn’t as daunting as one might suppose. Well, it was a bit surprising when going to the kitchen for a midnight snack my husband encountered a skunk with the same idea. (more…)
Category: General |
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Tags: introduction
