I'll just bet!

I'll just bet that because I am a quilter and I own a quilt store that you all think I know how to do just about everything to do with quilting and quiltmaking.  Well I am going to confess something - I too, have trouble with certain basic quilting skills.

Like binding, not actually putting on binding but that last little bit of finishing - you know where you put the two ends together - well, for those of you who share my "disability" I have found a great little tutorial......

www.online-quilting.com

This website has the best tutorials with Marci Baker and I think I watch the binding one almost everytime I have to finish one off - comes out perfect every time.  Eventually it will sink in and I will be able to do it without the tutorial but in the meantime it's there and I thought I'd share it.  I teach Beginner Quiltmaking and just before I teach this part of the class I go online and watch the video....seriously, it's that good!

Okay - just thought I'd share that now I need to get back to finishing up my binding.

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

News fit to print!

No pics today - just boring news!

Everyone stay off the roads - Jonathan got his license on Wednesday morning!!!!  So I have found the easiest way to spend $1,000.00 in 5 minutes - call the insurance company.  Luckily he is still working so this will be his expense.......hopefully he will keep this job!  He seems to like it although I have to say, Jonathan in bed by 10:00 P.M. most nights is almost scary!

I am still quilting the rail fence table topper and working on the Mystery Quilt pattern but hopefully tonight and tomorrow night will be enough time to finish them!  Can't promise anything - I get home and collapse most nights so nothing gets done.

Didn't really get a day off this week, just a few hours on Wednesday and it's been a pretty busy week.....alot of cooking too!  Of course that's not a bad thing really!  Tomorrow is Machine Quilting with Carolyn and there are 9 students!!!!  Cool!  ....and Sunday the girls are coming for their monthly Stitch 'n Bitch!!!!  Can't wait to see them.....and I really want to see Gail's Photo to Fabric piece.....

Better get going - the quilt store awaits!!!!  Lots to do - look for a long e-mail soon!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Finally the pics!

As promised, a picture of my Rail Fence Table Topper......

I attacked my stash and went for 3 fabrics I had been saving for a Blue and Yellow quilt.  I have a friend who loves blue and white and yellow and will eventually really appreciate this table topper.  In the meantime, it will serve as a store sample for a few months.  I added a "dust collector" border - a 1/2" folded border in yellow - you can barely see it, and then I added another 1-1/2" border.  The topper measures (finished) 27" x 39".  I had to make provisions for the amount of fabric I had.

My student, Sarah, managed to get the centre of the topper almost completed this afternoon.  Tomorrow we will do borders, layer and quilt these toppers.  Then we will start on the Amish Shadow Quilt.  For me this posed a slight problem as I needed more black Kona to complete the top.  No problem, I own a quilt store!  Not so fast - Sharon informs me that Laurissa was in and purchased the rest of the bolt!!!!  Oh no, now what!

Emergency call to Laurissa and off I go to her house to "borrow" back some black!!!  We had a great shmooz and she hauled out a couple of quilts to show off - first, her and Artemis showed me this one....can't remember the name of it -

This quilt is massive and Laurissa blames it on Nancy who told her to put the pieced border on, but Nancy was right - it completes the quilt.  Artemis thinks so too!

She also hauled out this gorgeous flannel quilt.  This one she blames on her first dabblings on EQ7 - another gorgeous quilt......

Hanging out there for a bit and trying to get a photo of Quazimodo (the kitten who refused to come back into the house) forced me to end up burning the candle at both ends.....

Home again and back to Amish Shadow.....I think I showed the blocks I had started in an earlier blog which brings me to the TIP OF THE DAY (week, month, year!).....

About a year ago I found the most fabulous ruler - from Quilt In A Day, the 6-1/2" Triangle Square-Up Ruler.  I use it all the time for my HST's (Half Square Triangles).  Unfortunately I have yet to order in the larger versions, so I had to improvise.....so with my 12-1/2" ruler I improvised.......

 First, I fold the block in half.....I need the block to measure 7 inches.

 Next, I line up the centre with the 45 degree marking on my 12-1/2" ruler

and the stitching line with the 7 inch line on either side....I square it up and cut the sides

 Then I flip the block and measure my 7 inches again and cut off the little corners.

 This pic just shows those corners gone....

...and Voila - a perfect 7 inch block!!!!

Got them all squared off and now I'm off to get my beauty sleep!!!  Looking forward to another day with Sarah and teaching her all these little tips....

Have a great day everyone!