“Scraps & Snippets”

Local Quilt Shop News

CLOTH & BOBBIN

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ROUNDABOUT QUILTING

• Wahoo Wednesdays - 10% off per yard of selected fabric
• Saturday - Guild day!! All guild members with membership cards receive 15% off.
• Every day - any group of 4 or more receives 15% off!

Monday, CLOSED
Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.
The shop is also open during evening classes - call for times.

• Coming west on Route 842 from West Chester, come to a stop sign at the Route 82 intersection. Turn left or south on Route 82 - Roundabout Quilting is the third building on the left. Turn onto Cemetery Lane, just past the building, and you will see a strip of parking on your left.
• Going west on Route 926, at the Landhope Farms intersection, turn right on north Route 82, proceed by the high school, through the roundabout, stay on Route 82 north, just past the cemetery, go past three frame houses, and turn between the two brick houses onto Cemetery Lane. There is parking on the left.

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QUILTER'S CORNER

*** Brandywine Valley Quilters would like to thank Angela and her staff at Quilter's Corner for supporting our Guild. They have graciously made their classroom space available to us for our Board meetings, and they welcomed the attendees of our 2009 New Member Tea with demonstrations and provided gifts for the new members. ***

Quilter's Corner is located in Olde Ridge Village on Route 202, south of Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Shop hours are: Monday - CLOSED Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, 12 noon - 5 p.m. Phone: (610) 459-8993; Toll Free: (866) 534-1186 E-mail: QuiltersCornerPA@comcast.net Website: www.quilterscornerpa.com

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THE QUILT SAMPLER

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Upcoming Local Guild-Sponsored Events

Silent Auction and a “Lucky Ticket Raffle”, March 10, 2010

Calico Cutters Quilt Guild's March meeting program.
Fame Fire Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania
Meeting starts at 9:30 a.m.
www.calicocutters.com

BVQ Doll Clothes “Sew-In Day”, Saturday, March 13

We will be making doll clothes and accessories for the 2010 American Girl Doll which we will be raffling at our quilt show in October.
Location: Brandywine Town Center Community Building, located near the Target store and on the pond in the Brandywine Town Center on Naamans Road in north Wilmington.
Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If you can only attend in the morning or the afternoon, we welcome your participation! Please let us know if you plan to attend by contacting Heather Smalley OR Betty Jean Boyd.
Bring:

• Lunch
• Sewing supplies, including an extension cord (a Serger works very well for making these clothes)
• Trimmings - lace, rick-rack, fabric, patterns, buttons, Velcro, snaps, etc.

Valley Forge Homestead Quilters, Tuesday, March 16, 7:00 p.m.

At the monthly meeting of the Valley Forge Homestead Quilters, Linda Hahn (see April 17 event below) will introduce members/guests to “Margarita Madness and Other Cool Quilting Techniques”. This is a machine quilting class ***without a machine***. Using a technique to audition designs, attendees will draw and design along with Linda as she demonstrates numerous backgrounds, blocks, sashing, and border quilting designs.
Visit their website, www.valleyforgequilters.org for further information.

BJ Titus Workshop, Saturday, March 20

Celebrate National Quilting Day 2010 with a workshop with BJ Titus sponsored by BVQ.
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., at the Goodwill Fire Company, 552 East Union Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Participants will make a daffodil wall hanging using BJ's applied appliqué technique.
Cost is $40.00. The class is limited to 25 participants - as of February 10, there are still openings.
Download a flyer and sign-up sheet for more details.
Click here for the supply list.

Undercover Quilters, Monday, April 12, 7:00 p.m.

Undercover Quilters will host Beth Pauley as the guest speaker. Beth is a familiar face at Undercover Quilters. A former member of both Undercover and BVQ, she is an NQA judge and has judged at several past quilt shows (including BVQ in 2004 and 2006). Beth’s program is called “Getting Better” and to get the most out of her lecture, please make a block as instructed below and bring it to the meeting. The blocks will be shared among the members so we can discuss how to improve our piecing skills. We are also asking you to make the blocks in the colors suggested. At the end of the meeting we will collect all the blocks and donate them to Kids’ Quilts. So everyone wins - you get pointers on your quilting techniques and someone in need will get a lovely quilt!
More information at: www.undercoverquilters.com.

Sue Benner Workshop, April 15-16

“Fusing the Grid: Variations on a Square Theme”
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Chester County Historical Society, 225 N. High Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania
Pre-registration required. Cost $125/$100 for CCHS members (for 2 days). No refunds. Call 610-692-4800 to register. BVQ members may attend for the CCHS member rate of $100! Please note that you are a BVQ member when you register and bring your membership card to the workshop.
http://www.cchs-pa.org/calendar.php

Valley Forge Homestead Quilters, Saturday, April 17

Valley Forge Quilters is hosting a Workshop: Bermuda Sunrise (or New York Beauty) with Linda Hahn (2009 National Quilting Association Certified Teacher of the Year).
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, King of Prussia, PA.
9:30am to 4:00pm.; $25.00
Visit Valley Forge Homestead Quilters at www.valleyforgequilters.org for more information and availability.

Bus Trip to Chantilly, VA, Quilt Show, Saturday, June 5

Sponsored by the Lady Bug Quilt Guild of Newark, DE.
Bus leaves from Suburban Plaza on Elkton Road in Newark, Delaware at 8:00 a.m. and returns around 6:00 p.m.
Cost is $45.00 which includes ticket to show, bus fare, tip for the driver and a snack.
Contact Shirley Pierce by May 1st at pierce0275@verizon.net or call 302-369-8085.

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National Quilting Day - Third Saturday in March

The third Saturday in March is officially designated as National Quilting Day. The National Quilting Association (NQA) began sponsoring National Quilting Day with a resolution passed by members attending the 22nd Annual Show in Lincoln, Nebraska, in June 1991. BVQ plans to celebrate National Quilting Day 2010 with a workshop by award-winning quilter and BVQ member BJ Titus. The workshop will be held on March 20, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Goodwill Fire Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania. Cost is $40.00. The class is limited to 25 participants. Click here for details.

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Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

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Donate Your Stuff!

St. Jude’s Ranch Collects Greeting Cards

Over thirty years ago, wishing to show our donors appreciation for making St. Jude’s Ranch for Children pos-sible, the idea was conceived for turning the previous year’s Christmas cards into “new” cards for the coming season. The recipients were so delighted with their unique “thank you,” they requested the children sell them the special cards. And so, the St. Jude’s Ranch Recycled Card Program was born.

Since then, the Program expanded to include all occasion greeting cards…just about anything that starts with a used greeting card front. People from all over the world have sent us their used card fronts!

The children participate in making the new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back. The result is a beautiful new card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive“green” holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of “going green”.

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Other Items Being Collected

Mom prepares 30 goodie baskets for Forwood Manor each Christmas. We collect things all year long for them: combs, tissue packs, decks of cards, pencils, memo pads, costume jewelry (even the ugly necklaces - we restring them), small ornaments, lip balm, etc. We've already received a generous donation of toothpaste and toothbrushes so that's covered for this year. Mike's been making small gift boxes from Christmas cards to hold the “jewels”. I decorate with paint and glitter any small jewelry size boxes, so save those for me, please.

We'll be coordinating a pre-Christmas coat drive again through work. My cousin Jean, my friend Norma, and Mike's mother, Ellen, continue to crank out scarves and Ellen also makes baby afghans for Christiana's Neonatal ICU. With a heavy heart I delivered the last of Dad's hats this past December, but we hope to honor him by continuing to make hats. Mom's been working on some on a hand loom. When we're ready, we'll fire up his knitting machine and make a bunch in time for Christmas. A long-time patient who's contributed hand crocheted scarves to us each year has branched off and is coordinating her own coat drives now in association with her quilt and knitting/crochet groups. We gave them some of our extra yarn for hats and scarves they're making and also some to another patient who knits for the Seaman's Association. Mom makes lap size afghans for the Ministry of Caring. I'd be happy to share any yarn donations with all of these busy charity stitchers.

Save me your greeting cards, any occasion, which I can recycle into gift tags, holiday postcards and these cool baskets that I'm making from my great-grandmother Clara's old pattern. She was ahead of her time, recycling cards and plastic bags of all types (she had every family member and friend eating Sunbeam bread because their package had the best color scheme!).

Thanks so much for any donations you may make throughout the year - we appreciate it very much!
-Donna

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Delaware Quilt Documentation Project

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Three-Seam Pillowcase

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Quilt Basting Services

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DuPont Quilt Display

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Volunteer Opportunities

Wilmington Senior Center

Arden Quilters

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Insuring Your Quilts

    by Maria Elkins

• Your quilts may not automatically be covered by your homeowners insurance. Contact your insurance agent to determine if your quilt is covered under your current homeowners insurance policy. Don't rely on verbal assurances from your agent. Get it in writing.
• Ask if the policy is for full value or only replacement value. Be clear about what the terms used in your policy actually means and what it actually covers. Does it cover total replacement cost? Does it cover only a percentage of the value? Is your quilt only covered when it is in your home? Typically, a homeowner's policy does not cover your quilt while it is being shipped or while it is at a show, but it may cover your quilt while it is in your car. Be sure you know what the limitations are.
• Have a current appraisal. Your insurance agent will probably want an appraisal to establish the value of your quilt. Keep your appraisals current by having the quilt appraised every three years.
• Good record keeping helps validate the value of your quilt. This could include several photographs, receipts for fabric and material, estimated time spent making the quilt, size of the quilt, pattern, fabric samples, any shows the quilt was displayed in and awards it may have won.
• If you display your quilt at a show, check to see if it will be insured by the show coordinators during the show. Your quilt may be covered only for a nominal amount unless you give them a copy of your appraisal. Coverage beings when their representative takes possession of your quilt and ends when the quilt is turned back over to you.

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Thoughts on Quilting Labels

by Maria Elkins

As a minimum, your label should include the name of the quilter or quilters, name or patterns of the quilt, date finished, and the city and state or country. It is recommended that you also include your phone number and address, especially if you plan on shipping or displaying your quilt. Consider signing and dating the front of your quilt. Other information you may want to include would be the name of the recipient (if it is a gift), reasons for making the quilt, interesting stories relating to the quilt, new techniques tried, etc.

If this quilt is going to be a gift, it is wise to include washing and care instrucions. Quilt through your label so it can't be easily removed.

For security purposes, it is a good precaution to put your name in a hidden area that could be uncovered, if needed, to prove the quilt is yours. Choose a place that can be revealed without damaging your quilt. One suggestion is the space under the hanging sleeve. Use a Pigma pen to write your full name, address, and phone number directly on the quilt and then stitch the sleeve in place. You can also write your name in the seam allowance that will be inside the binding.

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What do Judges Look For?

• Thread color should not show in the seams.
• There should be no shadowing from underneath fabric used in appliqué
• Quilting stitches and the spaces between them should be of equal length whether they are long or short stitches.
• Consider using a Q-Snap frame for hand quilting.
• Traveling stitches should never be more than one inch in length.
• The mitered corners on bindings should be stitched closed on both sides of the quilt.
• Straight of grain binding can be used on wall quilts, but bed quilts should have bias binding.
• Quilt backings can be pieced together as long as the seams look appropriate on the particular quilt.

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Quilting Tips

Marje uses small pieces of leftover batting for hot pads and placemats, or for padding in packages to be shipped. Larger pieces of batting can be pieced together by hand to use in bed-size quilts:

• First, lay the batting pieces on a rotary cutting mat, overlapping by about 4", and rotary cut a gentle wavy line through both pieces.
• Remove the small excess pieces, line up the pieces along the curve, and hand stitch the cut edges together with large stitches. To make sure the stitching will hold, run a thread in each direction.
• Making the curved cut ensures that quilting stitches are more likely to catch both sides of the cut in many places.

For more details and photos of this technique, visit http://www.AmericanQuilterMagazine.blogspot.com/, scroll to the bottom of the page and click “older posts”, then scroll down to MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2009, Pieced Batting - Part 1 of 2. Scroll further to MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009, Pieced Batting - Part 2 of 2 to read about Marje's better method for joining small pieces of leftover batting, great for doll quilts and wallhangings.

Organizing Your Machine Needles
From The Quilt Show Newsletter - Volume 3, No. 36. Find more quilting tips, projects, videos and much more at www.thequiltshow.com!

Organizing Your Machine Needles: Keeping track of sewing machine needles can be challenging, especially when there are so many types of needles to organize. An inexpensive bead box (available at most craft stores) serves as the perfect solution for keeping your various needles segregated by size and function. The individual, self-locking lids make the box virtually cat-proof! Put a little antique button into the appropriate compartment so you'll remember what's in the machine.

Is it Time to Air it Out???
(from Nancy McElroy, from The Quilt Show Newsletter - Volume 3, No. 20)

Quilts often spend time being stored in less-than-desirable places, and will pick up odors from their environment. What's a quilter to do? Periodically airing your quilts outdoors is ideal, but not always possible depending upon where you live. Might we suggest a run to your neighborhood grocery for some Dial Gold soap?

Cut the bar of soap in half or thirds. Wrap the pieces in paper towel and secure with a rubber band. Place soap and the “offending” quilt in a covered box or secured large bag for several days. The soap will absorb the odors, making your quilt smell fresh and squeaky clean.

Keep That Iron Clean:
(from Nancy McElroy, from The Quilt Show Newsletter - Volume 3, No. 33)

Sprinkle table salt on the waxed paper. Run the hot dry iron over the salt until all the sticky residue is removed from the sole plate. How easy is that?! If you have a Teflon coated base plate, be sure to check with the manufacturer before trying this cleaning method.

Buttermilk Stain Removal Recipe:
(from Friendship Quilters of Southern Chester County's May 2007 newsletter)

1 Gallon of Water
1 Quart of Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice

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Recipes from BVQ Members

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
(submitted by Sue Green)

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional FYI...chocolate chips are NEVER optional...always a must)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Directions:

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.)

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!
:-)

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Karen Martin's Pumpkin Dessert
(served at BVQ's 2008 Quilt Show Wrap Up Meeting)

1 box (18.25 ounce) yellow cake mix, divided
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg

1 (29 oz) can pumpkin
1/2 c brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
3 eggs
2 T pumpkin pie spice

1/4 c butter, chilled
1/2 c white sugar
3/4 c chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
Set aside 1 cup of cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix with melted butter and 1 egg and mix until well blended; spread mixture in the bottom of the baking pan.
Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, 3 eggs and the pumpkin pie spice; mix well and pour over the cake mixture in the baking pan.
In a food processor, combine chilled butter and white sugar with reserved cake mix and mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over all.
Bake 45-50 minutes, until top is golden.

ENJOY!!

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Dale Kendall’s Chinese Cole Slaw

1 package prepared cole slaw mix
2 packages Ramen Noodle dry soup mix (crush before opening package)
1 stick butter or margarine
1 small bag slivered almonds or sesame seeds (or more if you like)
5 scallions chopped (optional)
Dressing (recipe follows)

Melt Butter/margarine in pan. Add in crushed noodles and almonds.
Sauté until lightly browned; let cool.
Add cole slaw and scallions to cooled noodle mix.
Add dressing just before serving.

Dressing:

1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

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Karen Martin’s Fruit Dip

8 oz. package cream cheese
7 oz. marshmallow crème
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. orange rind

Put the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and soften in the microwave for 15 seconds.
Soften the marshmallow crème in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Blend all ingredients with a mixer.
Serve with fruit slices and chunks for dipping.

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Peg Miller's Copper Pennies
(served at BVQ December 2007 PotLuck dinner)

2 lbs carrots, pared and cut into round slices
1 onion, chopped
½ cup chopped celery
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
Dressing:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) tomato soup
½ cup salad oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste

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Chocolate Applesauce Cake
¼ cup margarine
2 Tbsp. sugar
1½ cups sugar
6 oz. Chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 cups flour
¼ tsp. salt
1¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 can (1 pound) applesauce

Cream margarine and sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs. In separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Mix these, alternately with the applesauce, into the egg mixture. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Before baking, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the top; then sprinkle on chocolate chips.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. No need to frost as chips and sugar make a nice topping. Enjoy!

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Mother’s Quick Kolachi
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. milk
Dash of cinnamon
1 Crescent roll
½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first 5 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Divide Crescent rolls into 4 rectangles. Working with one piece of dough, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar and roll to a 4¼ by 6 inch rectangle. Spread with ½ of the nut filling. Starting at the short end, roll up dough. Place seam side down on a parchment covered cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.

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Pumpkin Pie Cake, submitted by Ann Tumolo
1 16 oz. canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1¼ cup sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Mix ingredients together and put in an ungreased 9x13 pan.
Then sprinkle 1 yellow cake mix (dry) on top.
Melt 2 sticks of butter and pour on top.
Sprinkle w/ pecans or walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 1½ hours.

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Vegetable Casserole, submitted by Gail Kozicki
1 can Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Celery soup, undiluted
1 can Shoepeg Corn, drained
1 can French Style green beans, drained
1 to 1¼ cups frozen peas (optional)
8 oz. sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 medium green pepper, diced (optional)
1 small onion, diced fine (could use less than a whole onion)
(Other vegetables could be substituted for the above, if desired.)

Mix all of the above ingredients together and put into a large rectangular baking dish.
In a small pan, melt 1 stick of butter or margarine. Crush 1 whole small box of Cheez-It crackers and mix crumbs together with the melted butter. (Put the crackers in a large zip-lock bag and roll a can of some kind over it to crush the crackers). Put the cracker/butter mixture on top of the vegetable mixture and bake.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

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Glazed Fresh Apple Cookies, submitted by Lillian Kreider
This has been in my family for 75 years!
4¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons soda
1 cup shortening
2 2/3 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cider (may substitute orange juice or milk. Do NOT use vanilla when using orange juice!)
2 cups finely chopped apples, unpeeled (Ida Red or Jonathan)
1 cup raisins
1 to 2 cups nuts

Sift together flour and spices. Cream shortening and brown sugar. Add eggs, cider, and chopped apples. Add dry ingredients. Fold in raisins and nuts. Drop from spoon on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Glaze while hot and remove from pan.

Glaze:
1 tablespoon butter
1¼ cups confectioner's sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2¼ tablespoons cider (may substitute orange juice or milk. Do NOT use vanilla when using orange juice!)
½ teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, sugar, and salt. Stir in apple cider and vanilla.

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