quilting00 wrote:
Hi Terry,

Yes, I'm an avid web surfer. I've found a few websites that sell this product, but they are usually out of stock when I try to order. That's why I think this product may no longer be produced, or is only produced for certain markets. Whenever I find it, I buy several.

Thanks,
Nancy

Nancy, Have you asked Google about where that spray starch may be sold? Google has become a place I ask a lot of questions! Terry

Hi Pat,

I also developed a similar freezer paper & glue stick technique that makes curved piecing a breeze with no pinning. It was so much fun making these blocks for my Baker's Dozen exchange this weekend. Dots was the theme.


I can no longer find my favorite sizing product, Niagara "Easy Iron" and nothing else seems to compare. So, I'm still looking for it and hope it hasn't been taken off of the market.

Nancy

Nancy, since we live on the coast in an area where insects thrive, I don't use starch, either, but I do go through large quantities of industrial-strength spray sizing that I find at the local grocery stores and Wally World--I think it's Magic brand. And now, I am using Elmer's School Glue to hold pieces together for sewing instead of pins. I put a thin bead of the glue about a half inch from the edge of a piece, put the piece to be sewn on, then heat-set with my iron, sew, and pop the glue apart. I have to wash the quilt after it's done, but that's okay, since I want to block it anyway.

Pat in Rockport, TX

cjbeg wrote:
Hi Cheryl,

Great tips! I did consider using starch, but didn't want to attract silverfish, which can happen if the block is stored for a long time. Unfortunately, I don't own a walking foot for my 38 year old Singer Futura machine.

After going back to the pattern instructions, I realize that I likely caused the stretching by placing the first quarter square triangles on the four straight grain sides of the octagonal center, instead of the four bias sides. However, I took great care to cut the pieces on the proper fabric grain. Next time, I will more carefully read the instructions and not rely so much on the pictures--my bad.

Thanks to all who gave me feedback.

Nancy

Nancy, "Arnie's Rising Stars" is the name that Diane Gaudynski gave one of her quilts. It's named after one of her cats, so that's not exactly a "historical" name! And I think that it gives us permission to name out quilts anything we want to name them!! I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this pattern!


http://www.dianegaudynski.net/gallery09.htm
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It is hard to go wrong with a two color quilt. I love the blue and white that you made.

nice job Nancy. As mentioned many times through out the forums, try starch for the bias edges and walking foot. that should take care of too much stretching. Cheryl

I completed a sample 10" block, using a pattern sent to me by member (Screen Name: Rorimer). It wasn't difficult to make, but it was time consuming because of all of the pieces. I used half square triangles and quarter square triangles. Here's a photo In the larger image at link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/2943980288_0d6676bfb7_b.jpg you may notice that the octagonal center is a little puckered due to stretching on the bias. I prefer the solid two-colors over busier prints for this particular block. I also put white half square triangles in the corners, instead of the dark color as the pattern suggests, because I wanted the star to float on the background. Now, I just have to decide what color I'd like for a quilt using this block.

Nancy, this one looks like a good one for hand piecing!

Hi Nancy
I just checked my mail and it worked. THis is good for everyone to know.

No, I didn't know about the IMG thing. I pretty much get along with the basics, but am learning more and more every day just like you.

THanks for playing around and figureing this all out. It is much appreciated.

Cheryl

cjbeg wrote:
Hi Cheryl,

Just for future reference, I just tried to copy/paste a picture into e-mail and that doesn't seem to work. However, you can copy/paste a link to the photo into a TQS member e-mail. To test this, I just clicked onto one of your personal photos in your profile and selected copy shortcut. Then I pasted that shortcut into a TQS e-mail message to you. Let's see if it works.

As you may know, when replying to a forum message, the Img feature allows you to insert an image, such as I'm glad you asked the question, because I learned something in trying to answer it.

Nancy

Glad I could help you Nancy. I knew about the how to contact you through the profile, but I didn't see a way to attach the photos for you. Good luck with this project it will be beautiful. Cheryl

cjbeg wrote:
Cheryl,

Thanks so much!! What you've already provided has been a great help. I can figure out how to resize it if I need to. It's so funny that when I searched the web for "Buttons & Bows" I get so many different quilt pattern results. By the way, this block is also known as "Arnie' Rising Stars". It's no wonder I had trouble finding the name.

Check out: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/qlt:@field(DOCID+@lit(le175))

To send an e-mail to another TQS member, go to their profile and look in the lower right side of the page for an e-mail frame.

Thanks again,
Nancy