WWQP Bulletin Board

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Ernest B Haight

And I thought *I* was the only one who knew about Ernest Haight! LOL

Long, long ago, far away, I thought it should be possible to make quilts with the sewing machine instead of all by hand. I snapped up the very first edition of Robbie and Tony Fanning's book "The Complete Guide to Machine Quilting" and there I learned about Mr Haight. It is the only way I would ever do grid quilting -- and if you are doing a simple block quilt you can do the whole thing without marking anything , just by lining up on some repeated block component to keep the lines straight. Fastest Irish Chains ever and the perfect use for that quilting guide that comes with every sewing machine!

Jean, who loves fast grid quilting for charity quilts...

More on Ernest B. Haight

The best information I've ever seen on Ernest B. Haight is in "The Complete Book of Machine Quilting" by Robbie and Tony Fanning. On page 107 they explain Ernest's method of assembly-line nine-patch and starting on page 143 there are pages of explanation and diagrams of his method of doing diagonal crosshatching on a whole-cloth quilt. There's even a photograph of this elderly gentleman in his bib overalls using his wife's old White sewing machine. The Fannings called Mr. Haight "the patron saint" of machine quilters.

In simple terms, Mr. Haight would start in one corner of a quilt, stitch diagonally unti he reached the far edge, pivot ninety degrees and stitch to the bottom edge of the quilt, pivot ninety degrees and stitch up toward the starting edge, pivot ninety degrees ... and keep on going. This was rather like a pinball that keeps ricocheting around in the pinball machine. The beauty of his system is that the bulk of the quilt is never under the arm.

If my words have you curious, see if you can find a copy of the book (published by Chilton in 1980 and I think I've seen a second edition as well) either at Amazon or on eBay or through your interlibrary loan.

Judy in Ohio

Practical Machine Quilting

Well, I searched using yahoo's engine and found a bit more info on Ernest.
Ernest B. Haight wrote "Practical Machine Quilting", a small brochure printed by Nebraska Extension Service, in 1974.
I once read a copy but had to give it back to its owner. Just a simple pamphlet on how to machine quilt in straight lines. Probably would be considered pretty basic in light of today's quilters and their fancy stitching.

JudyPete

Does Anyone Remember Ernest Haight

I believe it was Quilter's Newsletter Magazine that had an article in the early 1990s about Ernest Haight. This gentleman took up quilting after watching his wife and pieced and machine quilted (with a treadle, I believe) a huge number of finely pieced quilts, winning many ribbons at the Nebraska State Fair. He was inducted into the Nebraska State Quilt Guild in 1986. The Nebraska Extension Service once published a black and white leaflet/pamphlet with his method for machine quilting, starting at one side of a quilt, stitching diagonally to the other side, rotating the quilt 90 degrees, then continuing to the next side, rotating another 90 degrees, etc. But if you do a google on his name there is practically nothing to be found. How strange. Would love to hear more about this fellow.
JudyPete

Friday, August 24, 2007

For the Quilter Who Has Every Gadget But Likes to Look at New Ones Anyway

Our friend Holice is on the About.com forum as well as a visitor here and he is asking if anyone has tried using the new Oliso iron that lifts itself up off the ironing board. I had never heard of such a thing and so I had to go and take a look. It seems as though some engineer had another idea of how to protect a silly ironer from burning down the house .... when you take your hand off the iron's handle little feet drop down and lift the iron's sole plate up off the ironing board. I kid you not ... I would not make this up. Check out the Oliso iron at:

http://www.lifesastitchct.com/proddetail.php?prod=Oliso-TG-800

I certainly am not endorsing this new-fangled thing. I personally use an old vintage dry iron made by Sunbeam in the 1950s.

Judy in Ohio

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Hello ladies from the Mt! A bit head in the clouds today, but the sun is trying to get through after weeks of rain. We are so looking forward to summer!

Long time no post or read for me.
As those who know DH lost his leg in an accident last November, it has been a hard road here. Busy with the demands of the farm stock work falling mainly on my hands as well as my job and the family. Well, it has not been a smooth road for any of us.

So to briefly update, DH has had several more operations to improve the scarring and remove a neoroma- a cluster of nerves at the stump end. However with all that he is still not able to wear a prothesisic leg and so he is still on crutches and therefore less able to do things. That plunged him into depression which he has rallyed from.

Unfortunately he has gone through a denial stage of his loss, and is not adapting his lifestyle at all to accomodate his injury, attempting to do things regardless. Combined with his medications and their affects, at times his judgement shows some major flaws or merely absence of consideration for all factors involved leading to some really poor decisions which causes more stress for al;l involved!

Then about a week ago, when he was out on the 4 wheeler farm bike with DD2 (now 3yrs old) he decided to come back from checking the bulls up the steep slippery track to the house instead of via the road. It was raining, had been raining nonstop for a week, and the track is difficult at the best of time when wet. Then the bike cut out -which it had never done before- and he had to roll it back into the bank and got off- first the 3 yr old, then himself on his crutches- and the bike flipped and rolled towards him. He pushed DD2 across the track but the bike clipped him on both legs as it rolled. He has a nasty bruise on his stump now, and he thinks he has chipped the fibia bone below his good knee but won't go to the Dr.....

As for me, well, I found myself falling asleep in the car coming home from nightshift, and on the wrong side of the road. I reduced my hours for 5 weeks, and am now back doing my 4 days a week.
DH asked me to consider moving to the Prision for a Corrections Officier job, and I have done the Psychology tests and had the interview. However I find their shift roster too inflexible and will say no, and wait to see if a nursing position comes up. It is only 20mins down the road, instead of 1 hr travelling time, but that is not benefitted by the inflexible rosters.

DD1 has left home and is boarding in town. She finally had enough of the strain from the protesters issue, and trauma with DH and internal dynamics. So now DH is not speaking to her. Despite getting counselling for all involved, DH is saying he is being blamed for everything- hes not but he is a big part of the problem!
DD1 is doing really well at school and has top grades,: she is boarding with the District Nurse and they get on really well.

DD1 had an accident at netball and injured her foot and was also on crutches for several weeks, including her school ball! She sewed her own ball gown- a halter top in silver spangled purple, and decorated the crutches in the same fabric! I am very proud of her, she is a capable, intelligent and emotionally mature young lady.

As for me, I too would like to up and leave home at times! If it wasn't for DD2 I might, and I have not ruled it out yet. DH is refusing to consider giving up the farm, and is expecting everyone else to make concessions around him; including me to give up my job that I enjoy and like, because of the travelling stress, so that I can be here to help with the farm. Remember we only lease this farm, not own it.

We have had so many problems here this year-the leaking roof has been a serious issue with a huge leak in the lounge and DD1s bedroom. ( which I have now commadeered as an office and quilting room!)
Anyway, you don't need to know- suffice to say this has been a very trying year!

Good news though!!!!!!- I have almost finished DSDs scrappy heart quilt- it it away being machine quilted so just the binding to put on and it is done (about a year late!)
I have been making myself get in and do some quilting- as I was getting depressed over the family dynamics and dramas etc. I am currently machine peicing a tablecloth for my table, with some bright applique.

Next project is for my mum, who at 82 has not been well, and having chest pains but not showing heart enzymes for a heart attack, so may be digestion related, and my step father who has had more small strokes. I am doing a hand applique wall hanging/ medillion quilt centre block I designed for my mum, in yellow tulips, which is very cheering.

Well, stock to check this am (we are grazing 90 bulls) and the cows are calving- the family pets have safely calved this year, which is a relief-, must go, God Bless to you all and happy stitching.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

You can download free patterns, too

I had never seen Quilter's Home magazine ... probably because I seldom buy magazines in the store. However, Judy in Ohio piqued my curiosity so I did a google and found their website. I just wanted to mention that they have a number of interesting patterns for quilts, etc., that you can download for free. I printed out a copy of the instructions to make an apron...imagine that! I'm back to my very first sewing project. LOL
JudyPete

http://www.quiltershomemag.com/

AQS Show in Nashville this week

I just returned from the AQS Expo at Opryland Hotel. http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/nashville/2007/general_information.php
My feet and legs are sooo tired from walking around there 4 1/2 hours. I really liked the MetroTextural quilts exhibit by the Manhatten Quilters Guild: MetroTexture
My favorite was "Manhattan by night" (or something like that) At the linked website it is the upper left one by Ludmila Aristova. In real life it looks quite different and has subtle yet perfect beading in some palces. All the other quilt displays were nice but too many QTD'd ones, IMHO. My favorite was a nice old-fashioned ninepatch. LOL

I shopped till I dropped. My big find was the booth from Varsity Quiltsl I bought an Auburn Univ. lap quilt kit to make up for our son as a Xmas gift. It was rather pricey but all the graphics are machine embroidered, and very nicely done. They booth owners said they're working on getting the licensing agreements worked out with more schools and are open to suggestions for schools to pursue. (Part of the price includes the royalties they have to pay.) I can't wait to get started on this project. :-D

I think every machine company (long and short arm) had a booth there, lots of FMQ frames, and lots of nice fabrics. I didn't take any classes this year, as I just was not inspired by the offerings. I've taken so many over the years here and in Paducah, that I think I am finally at a point where I need to use what I have learned.

That's all I can remember for now. My mind is bursting with all I saw. ;-) I hope some of you can attend it this year.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

If You Like "Quilter's Home" Magazine

If you really, really like Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home magazine you might be pleased to know that the next issue is supposed to have subscription cards included. I read about this on the forum at The Quilt Show, so don't beat me up if it doesn't happen ... I am just passing along something I read somewhere else.

I personally love this new magazine because it is not the same old, same old. Mark acts like he is a bit of a dingbat but he's got a Q magazine full of offbeat articles and interviews (and only three quilt patterns). I like reading what he has to offer because he's like a kid brother full of surprises.

However, I suspect he's not really as much of a dingbat as he acts .... he's just a shrewd guy with a clever schtick. He calls his readers "Cupcake" and other silly names .... been a long time since anyone's called me Cupcake. :-)

Judy

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Blogger is Soooooo Dumb

Today I was on autopilot trying to enter a comment to Beth's comment on the recent "mystery" about name the star block. Blogger kept telling me that my password was wrong.

My password was not wrong. It is the same dumb password I use for umpteen different quilting websites. (JudyPete has chastised me for using the same password at too many places but I maintain the security of my personal ID is not dependent on quilting websites.) Anyhow, I kept retyping my password and Blogger kept saying Password is wrong.

I finally focused my brain and realized I had not entered my email address as my user name. I had entered Judy in Ohio instead of my email address.

Blogger did not tell me that my User Name was wrong. Dumb Blogger said my password was wrong.

Blogger must be a guy. He knew I was making a mistake but he didn't tell me which mistake I was making. How unhelpful can Blogger be???

I am telling this story on myself in case any of you are having trouble posting here on the BB Blog. You might be making the same mistake I just made. When it asks for user name give it your email address. And if it says your password is wrong, maybe your password is wrong and maybe it isn't. LOL

Judy in Ohio