Hello again, it’s that time of the week (plus a day or so) when I pop into your space and say hello. I wonder how much quilting gets done in the northern hemisphere when the sun is shining and it’s warm outside. Here in Australia, we’re in the thick of winter so there’s extra motivation to close the windows and curtains, put a DVD on and stitch up a storm!

I’m teaching a binding class in a fortnight and I’ve had a brilliant idea! Instead of creating something for the students to bind, I’m taking freshly quilted Linus quilts for them to bind. Win, win. Students get to learn to bind (including invisible joining), and Project Linus gets more quilts ready for distribution to children in need. To that end, I’m flat out getting quilt tops put together and quilted, ready to go. You might be interested to know that I don’t pin up my three layers. Don’t use pins at all. In fact I gave all my pins away!

I use a double sided adhesive batting which has a water based adhesive. All you do is iron the three layers together and quilt!! Yes, I’m not kidding. It’s wonderful. The adhesive comes out at the first wash, and it’s soft and light. I just love it and find that it’s about the same cost as other batting. Love it, love it, love it. I would rather eat glass than pin a quilt!!

I had a fun time surfing the web to answer a readers request for free insect and bug patterns for a boys quilt. Here’s the link to that article and 20 or so free patterns: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art172312.asp

All quiet on the forum this week. Are there any more additions to our quilt acronyms? Here’s the forum article for you to peruse.
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=43

Here’s a lovely selection of all manner of interesting stuff for you to browse through. Have fun!!

http://madquilter.blogspot.com/2008/11/mug-bag-tutorial.html a mug bag tutorial. Perhaps your quilt group would like to make it a group project?

http://loveaffairwithmybrother.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-fat-quarter-worth.html some pretty good info on the amount of squares you can get out of a fat quarter

http://thepinkcouch.blogspot.com/2010/11/envelope-tutorial.html a simple envelope that is lined with pretty paper, simple yet very chic.

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=6713 Dresden plate tutorial

http://midnightcreations.blogspot.com/2011/02/quilted-button-jars.html OMG, I could make a button jar quilt that wraps my HOUSE!!

http://www.craftpassion.com/2010/03/recycle-tutorial-woven-rag-rug.html love the idea of recycling fabrics and this is a wonderful use of them

http://www.fleecefun.com/baby-car-seat-canopy--tent--cover-how-to.html A fleecy baby car seat cover to make

http://appliquetoday.blogspot.com/2011/01/squiggly-leaves-tutorial.html this is a great tutorial on a very original idea using leaf patterns

Well, I hope you enjoy having a flick through these fabulous projects. It never ceases to amaze me the incredible creativity of quilters and needlewomen around the globe. I could spend five lifetimes on the web, and still not see them all. Fantastic.

Hope the next week brings a smile to your face, and some comforting quilting to your heart and hands.

Cheerio for now







Judie Bellingham, Quilting Editor
http://Quilting.bellaonline.com

One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com