Hi there all, boy oh boy do these Wednesdays come around fast. I’m really enjoying writing to you each week and I appreciate the feedback I often receive.

I have discovered Textile Fabric postcards. I was invited to join a postcard swap when I spent a weekend in Bundaberg doing a class a few months ago. I have never thought of myself as an “art quilter”, and agreed to join, mainly because I’m a girl who can’t say no!!

But, to my amazement I’m having a fun time exploring this fabric manipulation thing. I’m going to write an article about it in a few weeks, so stay tuned. I’ll even have photos!

Last Sunday I posted the fourth of five articles on Accurate Rotary Cutting for Accurate Machine Piecing. The latest article looks at making flying geese units in a “quickie” fashion and one that I find to be the most accurate. I also cover accurately piecing with your sewing machine, to make perfect flying geese units.
Here’s the link to that article: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4971.asp

If you’d like to see all the articles, go to the “Tutorials” category which has all the articles posted.

Well, my dear quilting friends, this is the last newsletter from me until my return from our vacation. The next newsletter will be dated 11th June. I’m going to miss being in touch regularly, but everything will get back to normal on my return. (What ever “normal” is these days!!).

Don’t forget to check the Quilting site each week; for your convenience, I’ve posted an article for the four Sundays that I’m away. These are the titles of the articles (you get the news here first!!). I’ve written an article on Cindy Thury Smith a well-known quilter and poet; I’ve written my first interview in the new category of “May I introduce…..”; I’ve written a book review about Color and Composition, a great design reference book for quilters; and lastly, I’ve written the final article, completing the instructions for our accurate 4½” star.

My going away gift to you is some helpful hints on machine care. Hope they’re of use to you all.
• Thread Tension problems: If the top thread of the stitching is messing up then it is the bobbin tension and/or bobbin problem. If the bottom thread is messing up it is the upper thread tension and/or threading problem.
• Think twice about using "canned air" to clean out your sewing machine. It is possible to freeze the o-ring on the needle holder if canned air is used. Also, don’t be tempted to blow into your machine area around the feed dogs to remove lint and fluff. The moisture from your breath causes all sorts of problems. A light brush over will do or even better, have it serviced regularly.
• When you change thread on top, cut the thread at the spool and pull the piece of thread from the needle (not the other way), it keeps lint from going backwards into your thread-trail.
• If you have a machine foot that is constantly “on the move", turn the foot around. You can rest your foot easily on the edge, and you press forward like you are driving, and it stays in place.

Well, I’ll say cheerio for now, keep happy and well and I’ll be back in four weeks. Much love to you all.

Judie Bellingham, Quilting Editor
http://Quilting.bellaonline.com
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com