Heather, yes the freezer paper is a must in the sewing room. I sometimes use card stock or index cards too. If I need a small design I will sketch it on the card, then sew over it using a large needle (18-20) and no thread. Then I hold it over the place I want it and use my pounce pad to mark the quilt. I can then use it in other areas of the quilt if I want. I also save my little homemade pounce stencils in case I want to use them on another quilt. I only mark one of these designs at a time, because the powder will sometimes bounce off as you quilt.

Heather, another alternative for templates to quilt around is sand paper. They don't slip and are very easy to reposition. I used them for stitching out the borders and sashing on my Caught Red Handed quilt, part of the Laura Nownes Sampler quilt along we had a few years back. I did post about how I did it, but unfortunately all the photos were left behind in the change over Yell if you would like further details of my technique.


Here is the whole thing for those that missed it first time around. The name came about because I dyed my own reds to yellows fabrics for this and found out the hard way that my rubber gloves had perished

Nancy, thank you for the freezer paper tip! I am putting that on my shopping list, because it definitely would have worked better than pinned on/taped on card stock! As you say, the card stock did not bend with the fabric, so as I scrunched and smooshed the quilt, I had to keep repositioning/making sure the pinned on bow didn't move too much.

Luann, I like the way you've set up the Row Robin (or described it in that last post) and would be interested maybe. Not till after Christmas for me, if that's not too late for everyone else. If it is, I can sit this one out and join in next time I think you have my email from sending me info on dyeing fabric, but if you need it again let me know.

Thanks, everyone, for the compliments! It is fun to have you ladies to nudge me on! I did take the 2 small quilts to the fair, so we'll see what happens. They would have been judged yesterday, so I will try and go this weekend to see how things went.

Today I am just working on the binding on the lone star, and then I need to make PJs for the Quiltapalooza PJ Party at Houston next month. That will take me a while, as I am not a garment maker at all. But should be fun!

Rosemary and others interested in the Round Robin,

My biggest concern is the postage! I've been doing a lot of pondering on ways to make this fun, but not expensive.
I mailed out a package of about 1 1/2 yards of fabric to Australia and it cost me over $16.00, no insurance added! So, I want to be sure this doesn't get like that!
Here's an idea I'd like some feed back on:
It would be a "row robin"
Monthly we each make one 'themed' row, 8 1/2" by 40 1/2", this gets sent to the next person on our individual list (something I will put together)
We use our own stash but the theme of our friend to make the row.
This way monthly postage would only be for a single row of the quilt, and the entire quilt would be assembled by ourselves.
It would look something like this:
My theme would be dragonflies and each month that my name was on Someone's list they would make a border with dragonflies as the theme. And send it to me.
My list would look like this:
Month 1. Lotti - nature animals
Month 2. Rosemary - oriental
Month 3. Lois - appliqué, please no oranges.
Etc, etc.
I think this would be fun and would keep costs down.

As you may have noticed in the theme idea, it can be technique or a focus word. Much like the Chinese Whispers. Each person could post a picture of what they received and as we finish adding the rows what they look like. Lots of eye candy at that point.

Before I start the other thread I want to know also WHEN everyone wants this to start by, or not beforehand!!
Please let me know,
Thanks
Luann

twiglet wrote: Wendy - don't tell me you are scared by 40 squares of fabric

Luanne - if we are to be posting a large bag of fabrics for the construction, along with the row by row/round robin, it will make the postage costs high. Something else to think about

Yes I am interested in joining in, making it international (again)

Does any one else remember the Round Robin style of quilt that Grover(?) wrote about in her blogs. Although they only worked on their own quilt, each month/round they would blind chose a wax crayon for a colour they had to add and they were given a shape/block that they had to use. It was interesting to follow how it developed.

Lois, hugs & prayers for you over the loss of your MiL.

Lotti love the photos, a delight to the eye.

Everyone else, it is always a pleasure to read about what you are all getting up to, even if I don't respond individually.

Well I've got my first bag with enough fabric to make a dozen quilts The strip in it is 2 rows of 1"squares, fine but it measures 19 1/2" here we go ........

Thanks for the comps on the duck - he's so much fun...

Rita: feet feeling fine
Two pics - muddy and sooty : immediately (15 min) after the firewall / clean: 5 days later ...






Only a couple of tiny blisters that allmost disappeared within a couple of days / NO pain!

Now off to the hairdresser and then a day out with my camera bag (& full contents)...

Just no time at the moment to comment on everything but loving everything I am seeing.

Lois, so sorry about your MIL, big hugs from Ireland for you and the family.

Lotti, the ducks are sooooo lovely. And as for the fire walking - how do your feet feel afterwards?

I understand why people don't do updates! I'm having issues getting back into my emails and I don't remember every password I've ever had, so it may take me a few days before I can bring some clarity to the Round Robin and start a focused thread, but I WILL get it done!
My email is fine, I can read what you send me, it's just a matter of reentering my pass codes every time I pop on over to something else! So, keep sending me info

And for those 'lurkers' out there, the first month for actually sewing for someone else may be January in order to get everything in order, so if next year looks promising send me your email, and I'll get the info to you, once it is complete. Then you can decide and we can go from there.

Luann
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
So you don't have to hunt for it,,,

Lois I'm sorry to hear about your MIL's passing. I know how involved it is sorting etc household items. Glad to hear you are making headway.

I like the idea of a row by row round robin too, I'll have to think about for a bit not a lot of extra time these days.

Barb

Oh Lotti your trousers are on fire


Sorry Lois to hear about MIL and your troubles. I hope things pick up and you get some time for yourself. x

So sorry to read about your MIL, Lois! sending you lots of strength, perseverance & good good health for you to keep you going.

thanks for the info re the round-robin, luann, just printed it quickly as i have to finish something then rush out
my colleague just had her fierst baby yesterday and i quickly dropped in to say hello to Julian. tomorrow morning i'm at the hairdresser and then taking the camera out for the day - it's supposed to be a good one - so off to enjoy one a fab warm autumn day before getting down to keeping the marketing department going with only 3 of the 5 staff we are used to - and that in the main autumn/end-of-year rush - we'll live - that's why i have firewalks, a great camera and a couple of fabulous sewing machines - to give me a chance to relax and energize


see you all later

Lois,
Sorry to hear about your MIL. Remembering can be very exhausting, so take care of your physical health as well as emotions.

Heather,
You can certainly be proud of your work! Looks wonderful.

Rosemary,
Point well taken. I just went back through this thread trying to find everyone's comments thus far, and it was only a few pages but following a topic within a topic is a bit confusing, and that's not mentioning all the rabbit holes I find myself stepping into!!LOL

SO, it will be a separate thread and we'll try to continue discussion over there. Once I get it up, I'll come back and post the name, etc. and we can try to occasionally mention it over here for any newbies that would like to lurk or join in before we actually get started.

Luann