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While wandering around the International Quilt Festival in Houston, it became apparent that "bed-size" quilts are not the norm.  While there are still a number of queen-size and king-size quilts, the average size tends to lean to that of  a wall-hanging.

Which leads to the question, What size quilt do you normally make; miniature, wall-hanging, or "for the bed only?"

Tropical Flowers by Rachel.

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Sharon interviews Gail Thomas with her quilt, Someone Found.

Here's Gail's artist statement: In 1836 in Texas, Cynthia Ann Parker, age 9, was kidnapped, adopted, renamed Nadauh (someone found), and spent 24 years with the Comanche.  The Comanche consider children their most precious gift.  Her son, Quanah Parker, is called the Great Chief of the Comanche.  This quilt express the contrast and blending of two traditional cultures.

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Helen is one of our favorites and one of the "Three Sisters".  (Watch for Gail Thomas tomorrow).  Helen brings Australia to the rest of the world in her quilts.  See how in Helen's quilt, "Swanning East."

Here's Helen's artist statement: The black swans of Western Australia are taking flight and heading east. This quilt celebrates the majestic beauty of black birds using over sixty different black fabrics on a hand-painted backdrop to depict their serene surroundings.

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Alex meets our friend Weeks Ringle (Show #206) in her Houston booth.  Weeks and husband-partner Bill Kerr, have great ideas and big plans.  Hear what is new with Weeks.

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Sharon Pederson was able to talk with Sharon Schamber in front of her award-winning quilt at the Houston Quilt Festival this year.  Sharon discusses her design process from beginning to end.

Here's a quick puzzle of Sharon's quilt, Crimson Promises.  It's your opportunity to create a Sharon Schamber quilt is less than a day!

Crimson Promises - 36 piece non-rotating

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It takes time and practice to build your skills with regards to free-motion quilting.  Why not let an expert guide you along the way.  Having taught hundreds of quilters over the last ten years, Don Linn (Episode 910) has found practical solutions to many of the problems students continually exhibit when learning to machine quilt.  We found a number of great tips in his book Free-Motion Machine Quilting.

• The foot control of your machine should be able to smoothly control the machine speed from very slow to fast.   If your machine tends to groan and take off all of a sudden as you press harder on the pedal,  Don recommends getting another machine for machine quilting.
• Don prefers using a small oval plastic hopping foot to others out on the market.  He uses an X-Acto saw to cut away the front to allow better visibility when stitching.
• Using a single hole throat plate will go a long way to help improve stitch quality.  The single hole helps guide the thread straight up and down as you move the fabric in all different directions.
• Don suggests that you always machine quilt with your shoe removed to allow for more speed control.
• Avoid the temptation to spin your practice piece.  This might work with a small practice piece, but will prove to be a problem when working on a larger project.  Practice moving the quilt in a circular motion without actually spinning the quilt.
• Don't lift your hands while the machine is still running.  Let the machine stop before moving your hands to avoid off track stitches.

To find more advice as well as practice projects, check out this great 'must have' reference book on Don's website here.

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At the top of her game, Jennifer left to recharge.  Where did she go and what does the new line look like?

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It's that time!  The first group of 29 quilts for The Alliance for American Quilts goes up for auction at 9 pm on Monday, 11/14/2011.

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Story Submitted by: sbyrd12