November Newsletter

A Bit About Life

It has been a beautiful fall with only ONE snow storm here in Idaho. I am certain there are more to come. I hope everyone is registered to vote and will vote for the candidate that would do the best for our country. It is hard this year, for me anyway, to know which is the best candidate. Speaking of candidates, you may enjoy this picture. My mother in law and father in law were in Durango on Friday when John McCain was there. She got her picture taken by the press. She said she stood in line from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. She is 82 and was very tired! She didn't particulary like the sign they gave her to hold up. Anyway, she got a little write up and her picture in the Rocky Mountain News!

Ideas For Christmas Giving

Here are a few ideas that you may enjoy for Christmas Gifts this year. CLICK HERE for more ideas to make.

New Quilting Patterns

I have been working on the elements for the Month After Month Wall Hanging. The December one is available. When my daughter saw the REAL one, she said, "Mom, the real ones are so much cuter!" The little Santa is Watching turned out so cute! This pattern is available just in time to get it done to hang for December.

Order Christmas Stockings In Time for Christmas

It is getting down to the wire to get your Christmas Stocking delivered in time for Christmas. I make each one as the order comes in because they are personalized with what you want. Choose from the many stocking designs that I have and add a personal name. Santa won't be able to miss his good little boys and girls if their stocking with their name is hanging in plain sight!

Personalize a Clock for Christmas

Browse through the many clock designs to find a perfect gift for those people on your Christmas list who are so hard to buy for. Any of these designs can be personalized with a name or saying of your choice. You can email your own photos and have them made into a personalized clock. Grandma and Grandpa would love a family photo made into a clock with the date of the photo.

Mystery Thanksgiving Table Runner

Tuesday is the day when the next clue will be available for the Mystery Thanksgiving Table Runner. I hope you noticed that I slipped in an extra "treat", just for Halloween!

November BOM available

If you have signed my guestbook, you receive the November BOM pattern as an attachment in your email. These patterns come automatically each month. If you haven't signed my guestbook, you may want to do that so you won't miss a single BOM patterns. CLICK HERE to view previous BOM patterns.

Quilting Tips

I use an electric personal shaver as an electric seam ripper. Just gently pull the two pieces of fabric apart so that you can see the threads, and touch the shaver to the threads. It really comes apart quickly and easily and what a time saver! - Cassie in Louisiana

When you need to rip out a seam, use your seam ripper and cut a stitch about every half inch or so. Then pull the thread from the other side, and it will pull out easily without distorting your fabric. You will have to pick out the small pieces of thread, but that's easier than trying to rip out a seam that will distort your block. - Marie in Mississippi

Getting small block pieces from the cutting table to the machine can cause arrangements to be out of order sometimes. I had my husband cut a piece of paneling about 16" square. I used a thin piece of batting and put this on top of the piece of paneling. Then I covered the batting with 100% cotton about 2" bigger than the paneling. I then wrapped about 1" of fabric all the way around to the back side and hot glued it down on the back. Makes a mini design board portable. Used it when I was teaching some quilt classes so the ladies could pass it around and see how the blocks were laid out.

I hope you are enjoying your preparations for the holidays. Until November 15th, have a "pieceful" day!

Susan

http://www.quiltingforless.com

Mid October Newsletter

A Bit About Life:

Note: Click on pictures below for MORE details!

We were into a perfectly GREAT fall and HOLY COW!! We got hit with a big snow storm this weekend! I could hear "Walkin' in a Winter Wonder Land" in my head for two days. My DH was in the forest when it hit hard and had to chain up his 4 wheel drive to get out. I'm glad that he made it okay! I do like Winter, but it sure seems that summer didn't stay long enough!

The grandkids are glad to be back in school after their two week "Spud" harvest vacation. From the sounds of it, the farmers had a good harvest here in Southeast Idaho. That means GOOD Idaho Potatoes for all!

New Quilting Patterns:

I am so excited! I have had this idea for months and I have finally got the first installment of a New Quilting Pattern. It is called Month After Month. It is a progressive wall hanging that changes each month. The pattern is perfect for beginners and seasoned quilters alike. The "Base" is available now! I will give you a sneak preview of a couple of the elements that go with it. I have it hanging on my front room wall and I get so many comments. I hope you like it!

This is the Base Part of the Wall Hanging

This is how it looks with the element.

Here is the November Element that buttons or ties to the "Base"

Order Now For Christmas:

The Christmas Stocking orders are coming in! If you would like a NEW Christmas Stocking for Christmas, you need to order as soon as possible. Each stocking is individually made with your chosen name, design and size. There are many designs to choose from. It is always fun to start a new tradition or add to an old one. I love putting out my 18 Christmas Stockings each year. The first thing I think of when we have an addition to our family is, "I need to get them a stocking made!"

NEW Mystery Table Runner:

The last clue is up and the mystery has been solved for the last Mystery Quilt Pattern! Many of you participated. Please send your pictures of your completed table runners to quiltingforless@gmail.com. I would love to share your results!!


Thanksgiving will be here soon, so collect the clues to the NEW Thanksgiving Table Runner and complete it for Thanksgiving. There are 7 weeks to complete it. Just in time to have a beautiful Thanksgiving Table Runner for your Thanksgiving Feast! Look for this Turkey and his quilt to lead you to the clues. The first clue will be October 21st.

Quilting Tips:


I love finding quilting tips! So many quilters have such wonderul ideas. I hope you enjoy a few of these.

To make sure that the label you add to your quilt cannot be removed, stitch to the back of the quilt before the quilting is completed. Quilt through the label. - Noreen in Massachusetts


I store my many wall hangings by wrapping them around the paper tubes from wrapping paper (right side out). Then I place them in a pillow case and that keeps them from rolling off the shelf. - Carol in Michigan


Use half of a regular wooden clothespin to finger-press the seams of small applique or paper-pieced blocks. Just a few passes over the seam, easy and quick. - Rebecca in Idaho


Leave your paper foundations in place until all blocks have been sewn into a quilt top. The result will be greater precision and less distortion due to fabric being stretched when the paper foundation is removed.

Clocks for Christmas Gifts:


I have so many clock designs to choose from. Each one can be personalized for a very special gift. I would like some new ideas. If anyone has an idea for a clock, email me at quiltingforless@gmail.com There will be a surprise in store for the person who's idea is chosen! Here are just a few of the MANY clock designs.

Until November 1st! Be sure to browse through my website for MORE great finds!

Keeping you all in stitches!
Susan
http://quiltingforless.com/index.html