Daily Blog

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Today, let's have a little fun.  Let's hear how you finish this sentence, "You know you're a quilter when..."

For example, last night I went to take a bath and guess what I found in the tub? No, not a spider, not a dust bunny, not even a bubble; I found little snips of fabric. You know, the little dog ears you snip off the corners when you trim up your blocks. They escaped and made a run for it from my sewing room.

So, submit a comment and tell us, "You know you're a quilter when..."

(Photo:  Inside of a quilter's garbage can.)

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Hey you people with the BIG machines, what tips do you have to share with our TQS members?

Just as those of us with domestic home machines have our little tricks that we use to keep our machines and ourselves humming; we are sure you long-arm users have a few up your sleeves.

For example, Jenny Mostek uses scraps of batting to keep oil from dripping on her machine.  Is this something you might do as well?

Submit a comment and share your little gem of knowledge.

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Let’s do something completely different for our Quilters Quips and Tips today and share a little bit of frivolity.

Have you ever been the subject of an April Fool’s Day prank?  Have you ever pulled a prank on one of your unsuspecting friends?  Well, you are not alone.  Submit a comment, and let us know of your dastardly deeds or share your embarrassing moments.

Do you wonder all the whole idea started? Well, there are many theories.  Many of them have to do with changes to the calendar.  Here is just one of the theories; in a Gentlemen’s Magazine from April 1766 a correspondent wrote,

“The strange custom prevalent throughout this kingdom, of people making fools of one another upon the first of April, arose from the year formerly beginning, as to some purpose, and in some respects, on the twenty-fifth of March, which was supposed to be the incarnation of our Lord; it being customary with the Romans, as well as with us, to hold a festival, attended by an octave, at the commencement of the new year—which festival lasted for eight days, whereof the first and last were the principal; therefore the first of April is the octave of the twenty-fifth of March, and, consequently, the close or ending of the feast, which was both the festival of the Annunciation and the beginning of the new year.”

That all makes sense, right?  If you’d like to see a few more thoughts on how April Fool’s came about, click here.

If you’d like to see a list of the Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes of All Time, click here

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It’s getting to be that time of year when quilt shows start filling up our weekends.

We’ve had a request from a quilt group to give them some ideas about the best quilt stands to use for their annual quilt show.

They need to be safe and secure and hold at least two large quilts apiece.  They also have to be easy to erect and store and not too expensive to produce.

If you are able to provide some help, please submit a comment, and let’s help them out and get those beautiful quilts up and on display.

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The question today is "How do you get your quilt flat?"  In other words, "How do you go about blocking your quilt?"

Are you lucky and they just come out that way?  Do you spritz with water and lay on the floor?  How about stacking a few books on the borders and hoping for the best?   

Submit a comment and let's get those waves out of our quilts and back into the water where they belong.

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Okay TQS members, one of your own is reaching out to you. She wants to know, "What is a comfortable chair if you are doing a lot of quilting?  Is it a typing chair? A dining room table chair?  What's does it mean when everyone says is should be "elbow height?"

What's the ideal height of the chair versus the ideal height of the table? She had a working desk specially made for her that is 81cm and she can't seem to find a chair the correct height so that she can quilt comfortably.  What are your thoughts?

And here is an extra kicker to ponder.  What is the ideal height of a cutting table if you are standing up?

I know you guys can help, submit a comment and let's find that chair.

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One of our wonderful TQS members, luvquilting, had a great idea.  She suggested that we ask the members of TQS to let us know what 3 favorite things they love about the TQS site.  Does your mouth water when you view the quilts in the Quilt Gallery?  Have a watched certain TQS Shows over and over again?  Do you visit the Classrooms to learn from top-flight instructors?  Is the Daily Blog your home page?  Do you enjoy the contests?

Submit a comment and let us know 3 things you love about TheQuiltShow.com.  Or, suggest ideas for what you'd like to see on the site.  We want to let everyone from Charter members to Newbies to have the complete TQS experience.

On National Quilt Day a lot of new eyes will be on TheQuiltShow.com.  To get them to know us better, tell us your favorite 3 parts of the site.  This way they will get a feel for what's available. 

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So you are thinking about making a new quilt.

Do you sit down with pad in hand and begin sketching? Do you break out the graph paper and ruler?  Do you turn on your computer and let it rip?

OR...do you break out the fabric, and let it rip?

Are you a planner, or a make-it-up as you go kind of quilter?

Submit a comment, and let TQS know your process for getting that new quilt off the ground and up onto your design wall.

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How do you label your quilt?  Do you run fabric through a printer?  Do you use needlepoint or cross-stitch?  How about embroidery?  And what do you write on your label?  Hopefully at least the name of the quiltmaker, date, and location, but what other information do you provide?  Do you give the story of the quilt?  Submit a comment and let TQS know how you make your label and what it has to say.

Here Judy Matheison put a photo of the original floor upon which she based her quilt, a photo of the computer design, and a photo the the quilt with other pertinent information.

Quilt:  Bristol Stars by Judy Matheison, photographed at the Wente Winery in Livermore, CA.

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Have you ever gone out of your way to get to a Quilt Show (and I don't mean Alex and Ricky's)?

What's the farthest you've ever travelled to visit a quilt show and why did you do it?  Was it near your relatives? Was there a particular class you wanted to take or artist you wanted to visit?  What was the show?  What did you see and was it worth going the distance?

Submit a comment and let's travel the world.