Cheryl Fall

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-17-2022

Quilting results in pieces prized for both usefulness and beauty. The long history of quilting offers ages-old tips, and modern technology throws in some shortcuts, if you want to take them. But the lingo hasn’t changed very much and tips for choosing quilting fabric remain practical as well as creative. Knowing how to apply common fabric yardages to quilting is useful, and so is having a list of all the materials that go into a finished quilt.

Article / Updated 01-24-2017

A border is a strip (or strips) of fabric that frame the edges of the quilt. Your entire quilt top is usually bordered, but you can also have borders surrounding your quilt blocks or as part of the quilt block design. A quilt's borders can be wide or narrow, pieced or appliqued, or a combination of techniques. Always try to choose a border that complements rather than clashes with your blocks. For example, if you have stitched together some busy-looking blocks in bright colors, consider adding a simple border. Its simplicity will complement the complexity of your blocks. If you choose a border as complicated as your block design, that complex border could detract from your design by making it impossible to tell where the block ends and the border begins. In contrast, if your blocks are simple and traditional, multiple bands of borders may be just what you need to set them off. The idea is to make sure that all the elements of your design combine to make it eye-catching. Selecting a border type Although you can have dozens of border options to think about when planning your quilt, you most likely will use one of two basic types. The easiest and most common border style is the plain border, shown in Figure 1. You can stitch the plain border with squared corners or with mitered corners, depending on your expertise. A mitered corner is stitched at a 45-degree angle to the sides of the quilt. Figure 1: A plain border can have squared or mitered corners. The squared-corner border is the simpler of the two to stitch. You can use a single wide length of fabric, or you can use several different plain borders together in one quilt. Borders with cornerstones are simple borders with the addition of a square in the corner of each border (see Figure 2). The cornerstones can be a complementing or contrasting fabric, or you can use pieced or appliqued blocks that complement the center area of your quilt. Figure 2: A border with cornerstones. Calculating border size Calculating border size is really pretty simple. Just total all the finished measurements and add your seam allowances. For example, suppose that the quilt in Figure 3 is made of 10-inch square blocks with one-inch wide sashing strips, and you want a finished border that is 10 inches wide. Figure 3: How big are my borders? To find the size you need to cut for the borders: 1. Find the size of the side borders by adding up the blocks (three 10-inch-square blocks = 30 inches) plus the sashing (four 1-inch-wide strips = 4 inches): 30 inches + 4 inches = 34 inches The finished size of your side border will be 10 wide x 34 inches long, but this is not the cutting measurement — yet. You need to add your 1/4-inch seam allowances to each side of this measurement, because this figure is the finished measurement. You certainly have not yet stitched the borders in place, so the borders are not finished, right? The seam allowances are the areas of fabric along the edges that will be taken up by the stitching. This area needs to be added to the finished measurements, or the border strips will be too narrow and too short after you stitch them to the quilt top. 2. Add 1/4-inch seam allowances to all four sides of the finished measurement. This results in 101/2 inches x 341/2 inches as the cutting size of the side borders. Now to cut two borders using this measurement — one border for each side. 3. Find the measurement for the upper and lower borders by adding the blocks (two blocks at 10 inches = 20 inches) plus the sashing (three strips that are 1 inch wide = 3 inches) and the finished width of the side borders that you fiddled with in the previous steps (two borders that are 10 inches wide = 20 inches). Now you have a finished measurement of 10 inches wide by 20+3+20= 43 inches long. 4. Add the 1/4-inch seam allowances to all four sides of the 10-inch x 43-inch length. The final measurement for the upper and lower borders is 101/2 inches x 431/2 inches. You need to cut two of them this size — one for the top edge and one for the bottom. Did you have any trouble? You're not alone if when you assembled the quilt center area, your stitching wasn't exactly perfect and your seam allowances were not quite 1/4 inch. You may even discover that the left side of your quilt center is longer than the right side of your quilt. That's okay; you can tweak it into shape by creatively cutting the borders! Here's a nice simple method for cutting your borders while squaring up the quilt top at the same time, making those uneven measurements jive once again! To keep things simple, assume that the border width in Figure 4 is 10 inches. Figure 4: Making sure your measurements measure up. 1. Measure the length of the quilt top down the center. 2. Round off the measurement to the nearest inch (assume this quilt center is 33 inches long). Since the border is going to be 10 inches wide, you now have a measurement of 10 inches x 33 inches. 3. Add 1/4-inch seam allowances to all four sides. This makes the length to cut 101/4 inches x 331/4 inches. 4. Measure the quilt from side to side and include the borders. Assuming that the width of the quilt is 22 inches, and your side borders are 10 inches wide, your unfinished measurement will be 10 inches + 10 inches + 22 inches. 5. Add the 1/4-inch seam allowances to all four sides. You've now got a cutting measurement of 101/2 inches x 421/2 inches. Stitching the borders to your quilt Before you stitch the border to your quilt, you need to prepare the border strips so that everything will (hopefully) come out okay. You don't want to end up with too little or too much border fabric in proportion to your quilt top (kind of like ending up with too much cake at the end of your frosting). First, fold each of the four border strips in half to find the centers of the strips and press the center of each border to form a crease, or place a pin at the halfway point to mark it. Find the centers of all four sides of the quilt top as well in the same manner (fold and press or mark with a pin). After you mark the centers, you're ready to stitch. As shown in Figure 5, align the center of the border with the center of the quilt top, having the right sides together. Pin through the layers at the center marking to hold them together while stitching. Add a pin to each end to hold the ends together, too. Figure 5: Aligning the border with the quilt top. Stitch the border to the quilt along its length, easing in any excess fabric using the technique described next: Be sure to ease the excess fabric in place when you stitch. To do this, place the side that has the excess (whether it be the border or the quilt top) next to the feed dogs of your machine. These feed dogs will help ease the extra length for you. Now, start stitching, holding back the top (shorter) layer slightly and allowing those feed dogs to do their job of feeding that lower layer of fabric as shown in Figure 6. Figure 6: Feeding your border through the dogs. Stitch the borders to the quilt, placing the side that needs easing toward the feed dogs and pulling back on the top layer to ease. After stitching the borders to the quilt top, press the borders outward and the seam allowances toward the border fabric.

Article / Updated 01-24-2017

If you have chosen to machine quilt your project, you need to prepare your machine for the chore at hand. Each machine quilting technique requires a different type of presser foot and machine setting, so read through the following information carefully. If you have pin basted your quilt together, you must remove the safety pins as you approach them. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to stitch over a safety pin. Not only does stitching over them make them difficult to remove, but it's dangerous! You could easily break your needle, sending a fragment of the needle into your eye. Preparing large-size projects If you are quilting a large project, such as a bed quilt, be sure you have a large surface to the rear and to the left of your machine to help you support the weight of the quilt. These large-size projects are very heavy and can easily pull your machine right off the table and onto the floor! Prepare any quilt larger than 36 inches x 36 inches for quilting by rolling it as follows. Lay the basted quilt on the floor and roll the two sides towards the center, leaving a 12-inch swath of quilt unrolled, as shown in Figure 1. This is where you will begin machine quilting. Secure the rolls with safety pins or bicycle clips. Figure 1: Rolling and securing the quilt. You can find bicycle clips at the sporting goods store and at some quilting stores. Bicycle clips are flexible metal rings with a small opening. They hold your pants leg against your body while cycling so that your pants don't get caught in the bicycle chain. Bicycle clips function the same way on a quilt. Just think of the rolled edges of the quilt as the "leg" and put the clip over this rolled leg, holding it securely in place. Using straight-line quilting for the beginner Straight-line quilting is the easiest form of machine quilting. The results are always good, and it's quick, too! Begin by inserting an even-feed presser foot in your machine, as shown in Figure 2. These presser feet are also known as walking feet. If your machine did not come with an even-feed foot, make a trip to the sewing center to get one. Bring your machine's manual with you so the clerk can help you find the right foot for your model. Figure 2: An even-feed foot on the left, compared to a regular foot on the right. An even-feed foot makes machine quilting smoother and pucker-free because it feeds the layers of the quilt through the machine evenly. Without it, the feed dogs (those teeth under the needle) will only feed the bottom layer of fabric through the machine, leaving the batting and top layers open to puckering because they're not being fed through the machine at the same rate. To start machine stitching: 1. Thread the top of the machine with a coordinating shade of all-purpose thread. If you would like the stitching to be invisible, use clear nylon monofilament as your top thread. 2. Load the bobbin with all-purpose thread in a color to match or coordinate with your backing fabric. 3. Set the stitch length on the machine at 6 to 10 stitches per inch. 4. Place the unrolled center area of the quilt in the machine and take one stitch. 5. With the needle up, stop and raise the presser foot. Pull the top thread tail so that the bobbin thread tail comes up through the hole in the stitch you made in Step 4. You now have both tails on top of the quilt. 6. Lower the presser foot and begin stitching by taking two stitches and then stopping. 7. Put your machine in reverse and take two stitches backward to secure the thread. You are now ready to stitch your quilt. 8. Continue stitching normally (without reversing) along your marked lines, in-the-ditch, or however you have decided to quilt your project. 9. When you get to a corner that needs to be turned, lower the needle into the fabric and raise the presser foot. Pivot the quilt in the other direction and lower the presser foot again. Continue stitching. 10. When you reach a spot where you need to stop stitching, take two stitches backward to secure the thread, just as in Step 7. Remember, you need to secure the thread at the beginning and end every time, or you run the risk of the stitching coming undone at these starting and stopping points, resulting in an unsightly 1/4 inch or so that is unstitched. After you finish quilting the area you unrolled, remove the project from the machine and unroll the sides to expose an unquilted area. Continue stitching until you have quilted the entire quilt. Choosing free-motion machine quilting for advanced projects Free-motion machine quilting requires some practice to master, but the following description will give you a brief introduction. Plenty of books are available devoted entirely to this subject. Free-motion quilting is beautiful for fancy quilting patterns, with decorative possibilities limited only by your imagination. You can use it to create graceful curved designs and floral patterns, as well as the basis for stipple quilting by machine. To do free-motion quilting, you need a special presser foot called a darning or free-motion foot. This type of foot has a rounded toe that travels just above the surface of the fabric, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3: A darning foot for free-motion quilting. Because you feed the quilt through the machine manually, free-motion quilting requires you to disengage your machine's feed dogs: On some machines, you disengage the feed dogs by turning a knob, which lowers them out of position. On other machines (especially older models), you don't lower the feed dogs to disengage them. Instead, you cover them with a metal or plastic plate. You will find this plate in your machine's bag of tricks. Refer to your machine's manual to see how yours works. With free-motion quilting, you do not need to adjust the length of the straight-stitch on your machine at all. The speed at which you are sewing combined with the speed at which you move the quilt around under the needle determines the stitch length. This is why practice is so important before attempting a large project in free-motion quilting. After inserting the darning foot and disengaging the feed dogs, thread your machine and bobbin as you would for straight-line quilting. Place the quilt under the presser foot with one hand positioned on each side of the quilt, 2 inches or so from the presser foot. Use your hands to guide the quilt in the necessary direction under the darning foot. If your fingers feel dry, or if you are having trouble moving the quilt under the machine because your fingers are sliding on the fabric, cover the first and index finger of each hand (four fingers in all) with a rubber fingertip from the office supply store. Slowly begin stitching, taking two or three stitches in the same spot to secure the thread at the beginning. As you stitch, move the quilt, guiding it with your two hands, so that the needle follows your marked quilting lines or designs. Keeping the machine at a steady speed, move the fabric slowly and smoothly so you don't end up with gaps or overly long stitches. Slow and steady is the key here! Free-motion machine quilting takes some time to master. Start on small projects, such as pillows, placemats, or wallhangings, before progressing to larger projects. Stipple quilting is a great first-time use for free-motion quilting because you are not required to follow a set pattern. Instead, you learn to maneuver the project under the darning foot and get some much-needed experience. See also: Quilting For Dummies Cheat Sheet Ten Time-Saving Quilting Tips Framing Your Quilt with a Beautiful Border Selecting General-Purpose Sewing Machine Needle Point Types

Article / Updated 01-24-2017

Cooking a meal for a large group (family reunion or otherwise) takes planning and stamina. Here's a handy guide to food quantities and food safety, and advice on organizing a potluck party. Planning for potlucks The most common form of group comestibles is a potluck feast — which is the cheapest and easiest way to feed a crowd. For potluck meals, every attendee must bring a contribution to the buffet table. You get a wide variety of items from a wide variety of cooks. (You can even swap recipes with some of the other gourmets in your family at the reunion.) Some folks may even bring along old family favorites that you haven't had since you were a child. What a treat! Hosting a potluck for a crowd does require a bit of planning. Using a Potluck Tracking List (as shown in Figure 1) can help you keep track of who's bringing what. The feast can be a real bummer if everyone brings salads and nobody remembers dessert! To simplify the potluck process, you may want to assign each branch of the family a different item. For instance, your Aunt Tilly and her grown children can handle the salads, while Uncle Hubert's clan can bring main dishes. However, some family members often want to bring special potluck items that they've made for years. Whenever possible, try to accommodate them. Sharing these special dishes — and the stories that often accompany them — serve to enrich the reunion experience. Figure 1: Potluck Tracking List. Figuring out how much food to provide can be a challenge. A few family members always require more than the normal amount of food. If your nephew Clyde is a 7-foot-tall linebacker, he likely consumes enough food for a couple of people. The same rule goes for beverages. But there are also family members that will require less food than the normal adult, such as children and some seniors. Here's the advice: Don't worry about it. When it comes to potluck meals, there's always more than enough food! Use the following lists to help you figure quantities of common reunion items. Keep in mind that this information is merely intended as a guide — nothing is written in stone. The amounts are based on 50 attendees. You can easily double or divide the amounts. Appetizers Reunions, just like all parties, need lots of appetizers and snack items. This gives folks something to munch on while they're waiting for the main meal. Here are some appetizing ideas: 2 pounds of nuts 8 large bags of potato chips 4 cups of dip 5 pounds of cheese 5 pounds of assorted cold cuts 3 boxes of crackers 1 quart of pickles Accompaniments You can never have too many salads or vegetable dishes! Consider the following: 3 gallons baked beans 20 pounds of potatoes 50 to 60 ears of corn 60 rolls or 5 loaves of bread 2 pounds of butter or margarine Also choose two or three of the following items: 6 quarts of fruit salad 6 quarts potato or macaroni salad 25 melons (cantaloupe, watermelon, and/or honeydew) 1-1/2 quarts of salad dressing 12 heads of lettuce 8 quarts vegetable or pasta salad 1 gallon of fresh, steamed vegetables Meats and main dishes Be sure to keep the meat chilled in your cooler until it's ready to cook, and pull out only as much as you can cook at one time. Use the following list for figuring out meats and main dishes for the masses: 20 pounds of meat (such as ground beef) or poultry 25 whole chickens, average size 1 15-pound whole turkey with 1 pound of cranberry sauce 15 pounds of hotdogs with 15 packages of buns 3 gallons of soup Desserts And now for the best part of the meal — dessert! Some folks may not like chocolate or are diabetic, so be sure to include a variety of items. For example, you can plan for the following: 10 9-inch pies 3 quarter-sheet cakes 3 dozen brownies 2 gallons of ice cream (if you have a freezer available) Sugar-free cookies Ice cream isn't a practical dessert for a picnic unless you have found a nifty way to keep it frozen. Instead, substitute a few dozen cookies for the ice cream. Be sure to have plenty of ice on hand so folks can refresh their drinks! You can store fresh ice in separate coolers (from the beverage coolers) and refresh the beverage coolers as necessary. Be sure to check your ice stash regularly — it melts pretty fast. If it looks like you're running low, send someone to the local mini-mart or corner grocery store for a fresh supply. Opting for BYOs You can also plan a Bring Your Own (BYO) event. BYOs can range from Bring Your Own Beverage (the classic BYOB) to Bring Your Own Everything (BYOE). BYOE guests are expected to pack their own picnics, complete with food, beverages, plates, cups, and utensils. If you decide to host a BYOE, be sure that your guests understand what the term means so they don't leave the reunion disappointed and mighty famished. Avoiding an intestinal disaster When preparing the foods for your family reunion, you need to keep a few things in mind to avoid food-borne illnesses — especially during the summer months when the hot sun beats down on your picnic feast. Keep in mind that harmful bacteria begin to multiply after they reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit. You can't always determine by sight or smell that food is spoiled. The following guidelines can help prevent the clan from getting Montezuma's revenge. Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Don't let cold foods sit without refrigeration for more than 2 hours. If the weather is hot, refrigerate cold foods immediately after serving. Store beverages and foods in separate coolers. The lids to the beverage coolers tend to be opened more often, allowing the cold air to escape. Take only as much meat out of the cooler as you can cook at one time. Keep the remainder in the cooler until you're ready to cook it. When making chicken and pasta salads, make certain that all ingredients are thoroughly chilled before combining them. Keep washing. Be sure that your hands, utensils, and work area are clean before handling food and as you prepare different dishes (For example, you don't want to prepare a salad on a counter that still has evidence of raw poultry from the fried chicken you made earlier.) Transfer marinated meats to a clean platter — never reuse the platter that held raw meat and marinade without thoroughly washing it. Have plenty of antibacterial wipes or antibacterial liquid soap for guests to use before eating.

Article / Updated 01-24-2017

Having a clear vision of what your family reunion will be like helps to avoid confusion during the reunion planning. Use your vision to guide you in selecting the date, time, and place, and to pinpoint any potential problems. Setting a date Most reunions take place during the summer. This time of year is usually best because of favorable weather, children being out of school, and folks taking time off for vacation. However, if you decide to schedule the reunion to correspond to a special event, such as a 50th wedding anniversary, you need to keep the following points in mind: If you choose to have your reunion sometime other than the summer months, try to schedule it close to a three-day weekend or during spring break. If you decide on a spring-break date, be sure to check with all the families who have kids in school because spring breaks can vary. If you schedule a reunion in mid-October, family members with school children probably won't be able to attend. If you schedule a reunion in the winter, try not to schedule anything too close to major holidays, such as Christmas or Hanukkah. These are busy times of the year for most people, and their priorities may be elsewhere. Besides, have you ever seen a busy airport just before or after a major holiday? It's a zoo! Determine your reunion duration You can determine the duration of the reunion by using some common sense. One-day reunions are the easiest to plan and are the norm for families who live within driving distance of each other. These reunions are usually simple affairs, such as a picnic at the park or a backyard barbecue. However, one-day reunions can seem like a bit of a waste to folks traveling across the country to get there. Imagine paying for plane tickets, boarding a crowded flight in a congested airport, renting a car to attend a one-day picnic, and maybe returning to a drab hotel. That doesn't really sound like a barrel of fun. If your family is coming from far and wide, consider holding a weekend reunion that lasts two days. Multiple-day reunions do take more planning, of course. You must consider the cost of several nights in a hotel, and you should keep everyone occupied for more than one afternoon. For example, you may want to consider the following itinerary: Hosting a hospitality night for folks on Friday evening with snacks and drinks or a light supper. Holding the main reunion event (such as a dinner or a picnic) on Saturday. Having a casual, anything-goes day on Sunday. Multiple-day reunions are the most enjoyable and memorable type of reunions. Spending two or more days with relatives that you rarely see is a treat! Choose several options — majority rules When planning the date for your reunion, choose at least three possible dates that are a few weeks apart. After selecting a few potential dates, get some feedback from the rest of the family by using the survey in Figure 1. Mail a survey to everyone on your guest list to find out which of your choices works best for each member of the family. Doing so helps avoid potential problems later — mainly, the lack of attendees. Figure 1: A reunion survey solicits feedback from family members. You can use your computer's mail-merge program to make preparing the survey envelopes a quick and painless task. Most computers come equipped with software that features some type of address book. All you have to do is select the addresses and click a button, and your computer prints the addresses on envelopes or labels. Printing addresses directly onto the envelopes is a bit more time-consuming than labels because you have to stand at the printer and feed the envelopes through one at a time. If you have a deal of envelopes to address, then use the label method. In addition to asking for basic information — such as the number of people attending and their preferred dates — you should also ask the following questions: What types of foods do they suggest? What types of games and activities do they want? Do they want to help plan the reunion? Do they prefer a one-day or multiple-day reunion? You'll get a wide range of answers to your survey. Choose the ones that have a majority following. Sometimes, this doesn't include your top choice, so be flexible. The goal is to make sure that as many people as possible can get together and enjoy themselves, including you. When you decide on a date, stick to it. Don't change the date to accommodate anyone, because the new date will inconvenience several others who have already made arrangements. Remember the old adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Location is (almost) everything Most small family reunions (20 people or so) tend to take place in the backyard of the family homestead or in a nearby park. Larger reunions tend to take place in rented halls, reserved park areas, and hotel facilities. In fact, many factors go into determining your reunion location. For example: The number of people planning to attend and where they're traveling from The date and time of day of the reunion Your reunion theme How early you start searching for a location Types of activities Your budget Finding a venue and taking the grand tour Finding a venue — or a place to hold your reunion — is simple. You open the phone book and make phone calls, find out about fees, and visit the sites. Before you decide on a reunion location, take a good look at the place. Ask for the grand tour and take notes. Keep track of all the information you gather on your location tours by using a location research log, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: A location research log helps keep your information organized. Check out the facilities thoroughly. Is everything clean or does it smell as if people have been cleaning fish in the main hall? Is there a kitchen that you can use, and does the facility supply small appliances, such as coffee makers? Is there a fee for using these appliances? Where are the restrooms? Does the site have any recreational facilities? Is there access for disabled folks? Does the site allow for the serving of alcohol? What about insurance? Is adequate parking available? These are important issues that you need to clarify before you choose the site. Reserve early or forever hold your peace Reserving a spot at any public place, whether it's a park, campground, or hall, requires reservations up to a year in advance — or sometimes longer, if the spot is popular. No matter what site you choose, be sure to ask about the reservation requirements. Start with the following questions: How far in advance do I need to make reservations? What is the fee? Do you require a security deposit? How much is it? What is your cancellation policy? Always start your planning early! Eighteen months is the minimum for a large reunion; a year in advance is average. But if you're a procrastinator, give yourself at least six months for planning and reserving the location. If you wait any longer than that, you're pushing the limits. A busy clan is a happy clan You want to have a variety of activities at your reunion so folks can get to know new faces as well as mingle with people they haven't seen in years. When selecting a location, check to see what types of activities are available because you may want to add them to your activities list. For example, some indoor facilities offer swimming pools, shuffleboard areas, volleyball courts, billiards, and other nifty activities. Likewise, outdoor sites may feature tennis and basketball courts or areas for rousing games of softball or touch football. Beachside reunions can easily accommodate sandcastle contests, beach volleyball, and other beach games. If you or a family member has a backyard with a swimming pool, consider having a pool-party reunion. Make sure that the backyard can accommodate the crowd. Most pools (except the blow-up, kiddie variety) take up a lot of space, leaving little room for people and barbecue equipment. If you select a beachside location or a site with a pool, appoint a lifeguard to ensure everyone's safety. Family members will be busy reuniting and can be distracted very easily when they are supposed to be watching whoever is in the water. The bottom line is that if you plan to have lots of activities for everyone, you can select just about any spot for your reunion. But if your list of activities is a little slim, be sure to choose a site that offers a wide range of things to do.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Your family members have unique personalities and sometimes these personalities can clash — big time. Clashing personalities can result in hard feelings and unexpected reactions among family members. This phenomenon is called family dynamics. Your cast of family characters may include such personalities as Mr. Negativity, Nosey Parker, Miss Congeniality, the psychic, and the know-it-all. No matter what you call them, you likely have some relatives who like to climb on the soapbox and stir up family controversy. At your family reunion, you get to see these personalities interact; in some cases, you may need to try your hand at conflict resolution. This article reveals common conflicts in family dynamics and some ways to deal with them. Aunt Patty won't go if Aunt Bev will be there One relative may refuse to attend because someone she dislikes will be there. Well, you may be thinking, "Fine. With that attitude, don't come to the reunion!" However, this approach isn't necessarily a good idea. Instead, chat with Aunt Patty and explain that her attendance is important not only to you, but to everyone else — especially the guest of honor (if you have one). Be sure to mention that the reunion can't be complete without her. Remind Aunt Patty of an old Chinese proverb: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Harry and Alex are fighting again, but their parents do nothing Those unruly kids have progressed to punching and kicking each other. You're probably thinking, "I'm going to lock the little offenders in a dark, cramped closet." Unfortunately, you can't. Even if you think that you can better handle the situation, you can't parent other peoples' children. Instead, you need to parent the parents. However, before you approach the parents, determine who is bothered by the situation. If you are the only one annoyed by the children, try to ignore them and move on. Visit with the folks on the other side of the room for a bit. If several other people have disgusted looks on their faces, you need to act fast. The most painless way to handle this problem is to pull the parents aside and explain the situation. Let them know that the kids' behavior is unacceptable but somewhat expected, considering the exciting atmosphere. Kids tend to get worked into frenzies, especially in front of willing audiences. Tell the parents that in order for the whole family to enjoy the reunion, everyone — including the children — needs to exhibit good behavior. Give the parents several opportunities to correct the situation before you take the most drastic action, which is asking them to leave. Do this only as a last resort because it's their reunion, too. Cousin Sue changes Junior's dirty diapers in front of everyone So the gang is just about to dig into the chocolate cake when Cousin Sue decides to change the baby's diapers. Gross. If you set up a diaper-changing area that is well away from the dining area, everyone will thank you. Keep the changing area supplied with a padded changing surface, a little stack of diapers, baby wipes, and trash container. If you set up a changing area, make sure that you point it out to parents. Most parents prefer not to change dirty diapers in front of the whole family. Fifi and Fido make boo-boos Cousin Bob brings his uninvited four-legged guests. He considers them his "babies" and won't go anywhere without them. One of the furry ones makes a mess, but Cousin Bob seems oblivious to the malodorous pile. What do you do? First, point out the problem to the owner of the pooch — in this case Cousin Bob — and ask if you can assist by providing him with a plastic bag and scooper for cleanup. Hopefully, he'll take you up on your offer. But, if he decides not to clean up after the pets, you really don't have an option — you have to put up and clean up before someone steps on the smelly landmine. Grab a plastic sack, scoop up the offending piles, and deposit them in the nearest trash bin. If you can handle this task before anyone else sees, smells, or steps in the muck, you've done beautifully. That's not the way it happened! Memory is a strange thing. Many people can witness the same event at the same moment, but each person remembers it differently. Some people have memories that last only as long as the blink of an eye. While at the reunion, you may try to gather family stories for your genealogical research. Of course, you want these stories to be accurate. Explain this fact to the people at your reunion, but if they can't agree on the details of a particular event, simply ask them to move on to the next great memory. Helen and Linda are squealing like greased pigs You hear loud squealing and raised voices. It's not kids, but some grown-ups! What to do? First, find out what they're squealing about. If they're just overly boisterous with their reminiscing, join in the fun! If they're arguing, pull them aside and explain the purpose of the reunion — to enjoy being with family, not to listen to two grown women fight. If they continue arguing, here's a sure-fire cure to be used only as a last resort and only if you have a tape recorder handy. Grab the recorder, microphone, and a blank audiocassette and record the squealing. Then play it back for them so they can hear what they sound like. They may even get a good laugh out of the situation. If nothing works, ask them to leave if they're going to continue their argument. They can return to the reunion after they get the fighting out of their system. Uncle Bill won't participate — as usual If Uncle Bill isn't typically a social person, leave him be. You don't want to make him uncomfortable. Some folks are happier observing the goings-on rather than participating in them. Perhaps he will join in the reunion festivities later. Encourage his participation, but don't push. Uncle Frank told you it wouldn't work Uncle Frank is torn between being the family psychic and the family know-it-all. Throughout the reunion, he stands over your shoulder and tells you how to manage the activities. If whatever you try to do doesn't work out, he is usually the first person to remind you. But don't let his remarks irritate you. Instead, ask him for advice on handling the next situation. If you give him a chance to take the helm, he may back off. He probably doesn't want to turn the tables and risk being criticized. Mr. Negativity wants to settle an old argument One common situation at family reunions occurs when Mr. Negativity tries to settle old arguments. In fact, an issue may be so old that only Mr. Negativity himself remembers what he's talking about. Some issues are so trivial that you wonder why folks bring them up in the first place. Simply put, a family reunion is not the place to settle a family feud. You need to pull Mr. Negativity aside and explain once again the purpose of the family reunion — to enjoy and celebrate the family.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When searching for cotton fabrics to use in a particular quilting project, keep in mind the look you want to achieve. Is the project a casual country quilt or a more formal Victorian design? A simple pieced block can take on many different moods depending on the style of fabric you choose. Soft pastels in tiny prints can give a project a feminine feel, whereas deep browns, rusts, and blues may give the quilt a country flavor. For a high-end, decorator look, choose coordinates for your quilt. Coordinates are a group of fabrics that complement each other, or coordinate. They can be as diverse as a large-scale floral with a wide matching stripe or as similar as a softly shaded, sweet little calico with matching solids and tiny little prints. Most fabric stores display coordinate fabrics together (usually on end-of-the-aisle displays), making it easier to pick and choose the fabrics that best fit together . . . and best fit your style. You can also find bundled selections of coordinating fat-quarters and fat-eighths in many stores. These bundles are the favorite weakness of some quilters, who purchase them on a whim or to fill out their fabric stashes. To get started on matching your quilt style to your fabric selection, use Table 1 as a guide. Table 1: Fit Your Fabric to Your Style Quilt Style Fabric Suggestions Victorian or feminine Realistic florals mixed with small- to medium-scale coordinates Cottage Bright pastels in small- to medium-scale prints mixed with solid off-white Lodge Medium- to large-scale deep, woodsy-colored solids and plaids, all in shades of brown, green, rust, red, ochre, tan, navy, and sometimes black Country Muted, dusty-toned prints in all scales, plus solids or two-color schemes such as red with white or blue with off-white Scrappy Go crazy, pal! Anything goes here! Traditional Amish Deep jewel-tone solids and black; no prints Contemporary Colorful novelty prints, especially geometric prints Juvenile Bright crayon colors in solids and prints Pay close attention to the color values of the fabrics you select. Your projects need some contrast so they don't look washed-out, so for the best results, gather an assortment of light-, medium-, and dark-valued prints. In a well-designed quilt, light-value fabrics recede, dark-value fabrics pop out prominently, and medium-value fabrics hold the whole thing together. Without this variety, your quilt doesn't look like much from a distance — just a lump of fabric with batting in between the layers! Some fabric stores carry a nifty little tool called a value finder, which is simply a little rectangle (about 2 x 4 inches) of transparent red plastic that, when held over printed fabrics, allows you to see the color value without the clutter of the print getting in your way! It works by changing the color of the fabric to gray-scale, allowing you see with ease which fabrics are light, dark, or somewhere in between. The value finder's small enough to fit in your purse or pocket, so it's easy to keep on hand. In addition to value, scale, which is the size of a fabric's print, is also very important when choosing fabrics for a quilt. Just as with values, small-scale prints recede in a design, and large-scale prints can be real eye-poppers! Try to avoid using more than one or two large-scale prints in your quilt. They tend to look too "busy" and are hard on your eyes when cutting, stitching, and quilting, not to mention when you're trying to enjoy your final product.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Quilts today, while continuing to add warmth to a household, are no longer a necessity, but rather a means of self-expression — a glorious work of art in fabric! Quilt-making today is a hobby enjoyed by men and women alike. Machine techniques have replaced tedious hand-piecing and appliqué, but modern quilt-makers still take inspiration from quilts of days past, adapting those designs and techniques to today's lifestyles. Here are some time-saving ideas to help you develop your personal stitching style more quickly and smoothly. Keep your machine clean, oiled, and in top condition. Nothing wastes time faster than having to restitch a seam because the needle is skipping, adjust the tension during a project, or pick lint out of a seam because the machine wasn't cleaned before use. Set up an efficient workspace. The "kitchen triangle" that interior designers insist upon works for quilting, too! Instead of a "sink, stove, work surface," set up a "machine, pressing, work surface" triangle. Position everything so you only have to take a few steps in between. This saves time and energy when working on large projects. When piecing, choose one neutral thread color that works well with all fabrics. This saves the hassle of changing thread color for every fabric. Divide the work into manageable units that can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes time. Then you can work on them when you know you have some wait-time ahead of you, such as when waiting for a phone call. When working on small units, finger-press the pieces open rather than running to the ironing board each time. To do this, simply run your fingernail over the seamline of the opened unit to press the seam allowance open. You can press the pieces at the ironing board later. Chain-piece whenever possible. You can cut the units apart later, perhaps while watching television or helping the youngsters with homework. Likewise, trim all thread tails at once. Work in shifts. Divide your time by cutting out all of the pieces at once, followed another time by stitching units together, then the units into blocks, and finally the blocks into a quilt top. Stitch on the run. Are you working on a project which requires hand appliqué or hand piecing? Pack a resealable plastic bag with your fabric, thread, extra needles, and a small pair of scissors so you can work on your project just about anywhere. Tote your project with you during those endless lobby loungings at the dentist's or doctor's office. Keep it in the car and work on it while waiting outside the schoolyard during carpool duty. If you're bringing your project along on vacation or an overnight visit, bring a 75-watt light bulb along so you know you'll always be stitching in good light. Hotels are notorious for using low-wattage light bulbs. When doing hand appliqué, piecing, or quilting, keep several needles threaded at all times. Threading needles is a great job for the kids. If you're interested in measuring the amount of thread you put into a quilt, a great time to measure is when you thread your needles. Simply cut enough one-yard lengths of the thread at one time for any number of needles (working in 10s would help). Thread the needles and place them in a pincushion. Keep track of the number of yards cut in your notepad. Hey, some quilters go in for this stuff! Buy prepackaged binding rather than making your own. Binding is usually sold in 2- to 3-yard units.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

The older generations have a habit of slipping away when you least expect it. While you have the old-timers together at the family reunion, record their personal histories to share with future generations. The older people in your family have a lot to share, and they're more than willing to tell their stories. Reliving the glory days If you have a guest of honor or just have many interesting folks at your reunion, ask them to stand and tell the family about their childhoods or about memorable events in their lives. Reminiscing is a great way to get everyone interested in the family history. You (or another family member) can discreetly take a few notes mentally or on paper so the stories of the older generations can live on. Telling the family story If you or someone in your family has been researching the family history for years, ask that person to tell the family story. Provide a podium and bulletin board for visuals, such as a blown-up version of the family tree. The family history presentation is often an emotional time during the reunion. Some folks reminisce, and others find out information about ancestors and family traditions. To keep the sentiment going, honor the oldest family members by asking them to stand and share brief stories with everyone. Showing off the family tree Display a huge, blown-up version of the family tree mounted to a foam board to show how far back the family history goes. This type of exhibit always draws a crowd — folks like to see their own names when climbing the family tree! Keep a pen handy — hang it from a piece of string tacked to the board. Family members can use it to fill in any blanks, add new babies to the tree, or make any necessary corrections. Just be sure the tree has plenty of extra space for these additions. Recording an oral history A great way to record a person's oral history is to get it on tape. You need a tape recorder, a microphone, and some blank cassettes. You can also use a video camera, but that method can make some folks uncomfortable. Choose a quiet place away from the noise and bustle of the reunion activities, and provide a nice comfy chair for the interviewee. Roll the tape and begin the interview by asking the person when she was born. Ask her to tell a little bit about her birthplace. Was it a big city or a farm? Or was it in a taxicab on the way to the hospital? Next, have her reminisce about her childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. A few good subjects to bring up are attending her first day of school, learning to drive a car, traveling to faraway places, and hearing about the birds and the bees. You can make a list of questions, but you may rarely stick to it. Try letting the person being interviewed lead the conversation. The interview naturally progresses into the person's adult life. Let the interview happen — don't force it. If you notice the person is uncomfortable with certain questions, move on to the next one. Be sure to allow the person plenty of time to tell her tales. Setting up a family museum Before the reunion, gather pieces of family memorabilia from your relatives. These items can include old photographs of ancestors, veteran memorabilia, diaries, old passports, and handcrafts. Ask everyone to contribute something — they will get their items back after the reunion. Set up your "family museum" in a special location at the reunion, such as near the bulletin or photo boards. If you have any old "mystery photos" that include unidentified relatives, bring them along and place them on the museum table. Tack a note to each mystery photo asking if anyone can identify the person shown in the photo — it works like a charm. Filling in the records Give everyone a family directory form to fill out. Each form has a space for his or her name, date and place of birth, marriage, and if applicable, death. Be sure that you remind the clan to fill out these sheets at the reunion. Don't worry about blank entries — just get what you can from everyone. Sometimes, family members may be hesitant about giving personal information. This is understandable. But if you explain your purpose in collecting the information (which is, of course, to preserve the family history for future generations) and make a few small concessions, the process may go much more easily. Later, when you have had the time to compile the information and create a family history binder, offer to send the hesitant family member a copy. The binder surely will pique some interest! Let people know that leaving off their year of birth is okay. Although this is definitely an important piece of information, you can probably pick someone else's brain for it. Chances are, you have a relative who knows the exact year that everyone was born! Be sure to collect everyone's completed forms before the end of the reunion. Place a special helper in charge of this task.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

A quilt is all about the fabric used to make it. Sure there’s batting and backing, but the design and integrity of a quilt comes from the fabrics you choose to compose it. Use the tips in the following list when choosing fabrics for your latest quilt or for your stash of materials for future quilts: Always purchase 100 percent cotton fabric for your quilts. Avoid anything that has polyester fibers. Cotton handles beautifully, holds a crease well, and isn’t slippery between your fingers. It’s also the traditional choice for quilting. Select fabrics that compliment each other rather than clash. For example, if you choose a large-scale floral as the focal point of your quilt, complement it with two or three smaller print fabrics that don’t compete for visual attention with the large print. Also, choose colors that are similar to the ones used in the larger print. Be adventurous. Sticking to all small-scale prints makes a quilt look like it’s made from solid fabrics when viewed from a distance. Varying the scale of the fabric designs adds interest from both near and far. Try something out of the ordinary now and then. Mix things up by experimenting with woven plaids or warm, fuzzy quilter’s flannels. You can even mix flannels with regular cotton fabrics; in fact, flannel quilt backs are wonderfully cozy! When in doubt, choose fabrics from the same collection. Fabric manufacturers do the work for you so by creating collections of fabric in different colors and print scales meant to be used together so you can rest assured that everything works well together. In addition, sometimes store personnel assemble collections that go well together, just to give you some extra ideas to ponder. Pop your fabric into the washing machine as soon as you get home, then dry and press it before storing. Taking care of this prep work early on guarantees that the fabrics in your stash are always ready to use when inspiration strikes.