Quilts and Thoughts…

margaret | January 14, 2010

Those of you reading this probably already have a blog, but many of our fellow quilters are a bit timid when it comes to setting up a blog. It is in response to this need that I’ve developed a new lecture and workshop to reach those quilters wanting a little help in joining the blogging community.

This is a pic of the website page, “lectures“. When you visit the page, just click on the buttons on the images to watch the movies I’ve made to let you know a little bit about what to expect from the lecture.

Lectures are just the tip of the iceberg, and the true learning comes from the workshops. This pic is from the page “workshops“.

My thoughts from so many years of teaching college students:

Lectures provide teachers an opportunity to share.

Teachers provide students an opportunity to grow.

Students provide teachers an
opportunity to teach.

If you provide the
opportunity,
I’ll share.

Category: Current projects, Lectures & Workshops, Tips | No Comments »
Tags: quilt workshop, quilting lecture, Tips, website visit

margaret | October 22, 2009

Are you a quilter looking for clip art for your patterns or for your website? I’m a busy quilt pattern designer as you may be, but I may be of some help with clip art. Here is a rotary cutter I’ve drawn and I’m using on my patterns. It was drawn in Adobe Illustrator, and as a vector graphic, you can enlarge or reduce it without fear it will look bitmapped.

If you are interested in using the rotary cutter (without the background color) just post and I’ll send it to you. It’s FREE! Also, if you are in need of other quilting graphics please let me know. I’d like to form a list of generic quilting graphics we could all use for various quilting projects.

Category: General, Tips | 8 Comments »
Tags: free quilting graphic, Tips

margaret | September 18, 2009

Want to create something really special for that loved one in your family?  Why not use your quilting skills to create a one-of-a-kind memory quilt; not a t-shirt quilt to remember the good times, but a portrait quilt to remember that special someone.

Do you have a favorite photograph of grandma or grandpa that’s fading, never to be seen again? Convert that flat image into an extraordinary tactile expression of heartwarming love and affection with simple pieces of fabric and an easy appliqué method. Give it a try, you can do it!

A great portrait quilt begins with a good photograph. Not the subject of the photo, but the contrast and size of the image. Let’s think about the technical aspects of the photograph selection. Of course your subject is worthy of a quilt, but the photo might not work “due to technical difficulties beyond our control”.

If possible, when selecting the photograph, look for a photo with just the head and shoulders, assuring a really close up image. It’s important to find all the nuances of the face to produce a truly realistic portrait in cloth, and this can only be achieved if those subtle expressions are visible in the photograph. (more…)

Category: General, Tips | No Comments »
Tags: published article, Tips

margaret | August 29, 2009

This is the first article of a six part series that appeared in Cotton Spice Magazine…

If someone told you all you needed to complete something you thought was too difficult to try, was a pencil, scissors, iron, and a sewing machine, would you give it a try? Why not, as a quilter you’re familiar with each of the items, right?

Let’s see, a pencil. It’s not a difficult thing to use, just press on it and move your hand, that’s it! You could use a pencil to sketch, but that’s not required for the project. You could use a pencil to write, but that’s not required for the project. A really simple use for the pencil is to trace. Tracing just involves putting paper over something and moving the pencil, now that’s easy enough, right?

How about scissors? So, scissors…hmmm…another easy item to use; just put your thumb and finger in the holes and open and close, the scissors do all the work. You could use scissors for cutting hair, but that’s not required for the project. You could use mock scissors for playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, but that’s not required for the project. How about using scissors to cut out the traced paper, now that’s easy enough, right? (more…)

Category: General, Tips | No Comments »
Tags: applique tips, published article, Tips

margaret | August 15, 2009

Use Adobe Illustrator (or a free drawing program) to help decide stitching patterns for your quilts.

Just take a photo of your quilt and use the [Place] command under [File] and place the photo into Illustrator. Next, use [Layers] to create a new layer above the photo. If [Layers] isn’t visible, go to [Window] and pull down to [Layers]. Look across the bottom of the [Layers] window to a small row of icons, the one next to the trash is the [New Layer] icon to choose. The icon looks like a page with one edge folded; click it. Now you have a second layer above the photo. Because you don’t want to draw on the layer with the photo, you will lock that layer.

Look to the left of the word “Layer 1” to see a small blank area; to the left of the blank area is an icon of an eye. The eye will allow you to view the layer and if you click the eye the layer will not be visible. The blank area to the right of the eye is where you will lock the layer (to prevent you from drawing on that layer); click right in the blank and a lock will appear. Both the eye and the lock are simply toggle switches, so you may switch them off and on at will. (more…)

Category: Tips | No Comments »
Tags: Tips

margaret | March 1, 2009

What would you do with an old quilt? No one really wants to cut up a quilt; but the smaller pieces can be turned into just about anything from ornaments to coasters or bags or oodles of other things.

Recently, at the end of a lecture I presented to a quilt guild I asked if there were any questions. A quilter held up her hand and the first question asked was, “where did you get your jacket”. I had just presented information on how to use a computer as a quilting aid and several ways to expand a quilter’s concept of computer uses within their homes and communities, yet, the most important thing on her mind was my jacket. Right on!

I began the story of the jacket by asking if any in the group had heard of “First Monday”. (more…)

Category: General | No Comments »
Tags: Tips

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 | No Comments »
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 | 2 Comments »
Tags: Interview, Tips