Daily Blog

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Many of us have friends and family in the Southern CA area which is being ravaged by fires. One such person is my friend, Jan Krentz. I was more than relieved to hear from her this morning - via the internet (You got to love this medium of communication!). She directed me to her site where she is keeping an on line diary. I asked for her permission to blog regarding her efforts and here was her response:

Thanks, Alex - Sure, Please feel free to link folks to my newsletter.

I wanted to provide active links to local news stations for folks outside our area who need info for family & friends, particularly those who are evacuated and have no contact with family.

I am updating it daily during the crisis.

I am moving earlier entries to individual linked pages.

www.jankrentz.com/newsletter.php

Thank you Jan!

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   "Snake Charmer" by Pamincan 

Time to dust off some cobwebs - We are planning to minimise the amount of rooms in the chat area - then reopen as needed. We will keep the Bernina and Scheduled Chat rooms, but what should be the other three be? Please throw your ten cents in the ring. Inquiring minds want to know.

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     "Under the Gian Coneflowers" by Ann Fahl

Ann Fahl, art quilter, teacher and cat fancier will be our guest artist in "Featured Guest" chat room Thursday October 25, 2007 at 6:00pm Pacific/9:00pm Eastern.  Even if you aren't a cat lover it's sure to be an hour filled with creative ideas for your own whimsical quilt.

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     "Surf's Up" by TQSWizard 

When was the last time you read a quilt pattern all the way through before beginning the project?  Are you like most of us, so excited about the project that you just dive right in imagining that you will understand it all as you go along?  Sometimes this strategy works and everything turns out just fine.  On other occasions it may be another story.

Take the quilt pictured.  It was intended as a baby quilt, but the maker was too anxious to get started before noticing that the surfboard appliques were quite large.  Once the top was sewn together the quilt was large enough to fit a twin bed.  What was a project that would require just a couple of weekends to complete actually involved several months.  Lesson learned.  Next time you purchase a pattern and are ready to begin working, be sure to stop and thoroughly read ALL of the directions.  It may just save you lots of extra hours of sewing.

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     "Chile Peppas" by EllenG

When was the last time you spend a while working hard to get that machine quilting on your project done just right only to find that there are "dimples" in some areas? What to do? A quilt teacher once said there are no mistakes just embellishment opportunities.  EllenG was learning to machine quilt on this project when she discovered some areas that needed embellishment.  Not one to let a little thing like that stop her, she just added some more chile peppers to the design.  Not all of the peppers are hiding little dimples.  Can you tell which the cover ups are?

The next time one of your projects has a few imperfections why not add some embellishements to disguise those areas that are noticeable?  No one will be the wiser if you make it look as though they were planned all along.

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The 'Three Sisters' news blog from yesterday has raised some questions from several of you regarding the symbolism within the quilt.  Here is the Tri-Nation Tale as it appears on the back of the quilt to complete the story.

The Three Sisters
A Mythic Collaboration of Epic Proportions

Once upon a time, so the tale is told, there was a cunning coyote and an amazing dragon who was able to shift shape magically. The coyote called out to the dragon, daring it to change its form. “Can you change into an elephant?” the coyote challenged. Instantly the dragon transformed into the large beast. “Can you change into a rabbit?” The dragon did so without effort. Finally the coyote taunted, “I bet you can’t change into an itty-bitty dragonfly.” Without hesitation, and with no thought to the consequences, the dragon transformed itself into a dragonfly. To the dragon’s great shock, the last metamorphosis was instant, complete, and irreversible, and the dragon has remained in this form to this very day.

This myth is woven throughout this collaborative story quilt crafted by three artists from three different countries: Australia, Canada, and the United States. Each artist incorporated her own image as well as her animal totem, identified in the story. Thus the quilt includes the blue-gray-eyed Canadian with her blue-eyed dragon, the American with her howling green-eyed coyote symbol, and the Australian, whose blue-green eyes are mirrored in her companion dragonfly. Mailing the quilt from country to country, they worked together stage by stage, weaving this tale of magic and myth, and watching the metamorphosis unfold.

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   "Fishing Quilt" by sewgirl17

Many of you may remember the quilt project we offered in August called Fishing With Pop Pop.  You may have even decided to make a quilt of your own.  While glancing through the Forum recently we discovered that three of our members had completed their quilt and posted the photos in their profile.  We thought we would share with you some of their handiwork.  Be sure to also check out dogquilter and bridget473 for their take on this quilt. 

If you have been working on this quilt we want to see your handiwork.  Post the pictures on your profile.  Even if the quilt is not completed, we would love to see your progress as it goes along.

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    "Home & Harvest" by linmcquilter 

It seems wherever quilters gather there is usually food to be found nearby.  The two just seem to go together.  Who wouldn't want to enjoy a good piece of cake while chatting about quilting with friends?  As pumpkins are to be found everwhere at the moment, we thought you might enjoy a recipe for a delicious Pumpkin Cake Roll.  The recipe is from Creme de Colorado and has been enjoyed by our friends and family for many years. If you have a favorite recipe that goes well with quilting let us know.

Lilo

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup solid pack pumpkin (from the can)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup finely chopped pecans

powdered sugar

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

4 Tbs. butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat eggs on high for 5 minutes, gradually adding sugar.  Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.  Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture.  Spread batter on a greased and floured 10" x 15" jelly roll pan.  Top with chopped nuts.  Press nuts in batter slightly with your hand.  Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes, or till JUST done.  Quickly turn out on a kitchen towel which has been liberally sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Roll up (towel included),beginning with short side, and keep covered till cool.

In a medium bowl, beat all the filling ingredients until smooth.  Carefully unroll cooled cake and spread with filling.  Re-roll cake again (without the towel).  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Remove plastic wrap.  With a serated knife slice off a bit from each end of the roll.  Slice into individual pieces and serve.

8-10 servings

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Three talented art quilters from 3 different countries; Annette M Hendricks, from Chicago, IL, USA, Gail E Thomas, from Vernon, BC, Canada and Helen Godden, from Canberra, ACT, Australia have combined their strengths and passion for colour, design and textiles to create an award winning Tri-Nation Collaborative quilt.

The THREE SISTERS will be world premiered during the Winner’s Circle Celebration at the International Quilt Festival 2007 in the George R Brown Convention Centre October 30th – November 4th Houston Texas USA. This amazing combination of three talents combines three nations and has been awarded a prize in the Collaborative section of this prestigious world quilt mecca.

All three women, from USA, Canada and Australia, will be present at the ceremony and available to meet and chat about their quilt during the spectacular show. Come and see just how well 3 nations of this troubled world can work together in harmony and come up winners!