 A chapter of the Greater Hartford Quilt Guild 
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Our monthly workshop is Wednesday, May 14th
We will meet Wednesday, May 21st, Auction, Raffle, Show & Tell. Raffle: Marg Leventine & Janice Albro
A Little Information About ThreadHave you ever been confused about thread? To the non-sewing public, thread choices usually do not matter one way or another to them. If you are a sewer, than you definitely should know the difference, when it is time to buy the thread for your project. You need to consider your project and what you will be doing with the thread. Are you using it in your bobbin or for applique? Do you need to sew a seam or are you doing decorative stitches? You can start by looking at the end of your spool. Most of the time, what you need to know about your thread will be there. The weight, ply, fiber content, etc., should all be on the bottom of your spool. Different weight threads are good for different things you might be doing. On your spool end it will usually have the weight number first, than a slash and another number following, telling you what number of ply your thread is. An example would be this: 30/2 .That means 30 weight thread that is 2 ply. The higher the weight number is, the finer the thread will be. The ply number is actually telling you how many strands are twisted together to make up this thread. In most cases 20 to 30 weight thread is used for decorative stitching, because it is a heavier thread. When doing decorative stitching, you can use a 28-30 weight thread in your bobbin. 40 weight is a quilting thread and 50 weight would be a piecing thread. 50-60 weight are good for applique, but can also be used in the bobbin. Now the important thing to remember is that none of this is set in stone. Use what you consider right for you and try different threads in different ways, you might be surprised with the results!More About ThreadSpecialty threads are wonderful to use when you want a different look and texture to your project. With all the beautiful colors, thread can really make your work stand out and be noticed. But as with most things, you have to play with them a bit to get used to them, and find out what works best to get the maximum success. Here are some things that might help you. Plan on adjusting your tension and needle positions. Most of the time this will have to be done, and don't be afraid to try different settings! The look and effect will vary and you might find a new one you like. When you do find one that pleases you, jot it down along the with settings. That way you can refer back when necessary. Take it slow, it's not a race and specialty threads are a bit more challenging to work with. Check your needle to make sure it's big enough to accomodate your thread and sharp. Specialty threads don't have to be a headache, if you remember to have a little patience and find the best settings for you.Blocking a QuiltDo you know how to block a quilt? When you take the time to block your quilt, it allows you to square up your corners, so that it will hang flatter when it is displayed. Blocking also allows you to straighten and square up uneven edges on your quilt, and can help make your applique stand out more. There are two different ways to block your quilts, wet or dry. When you dry block it, it means the quilt is completely dry when you pin it into the shapes and dimensions you want. You will have to add moisture though, in one of these ways:
When you wet block, you immerse your quilt in water and put it on a gentle spin. Then you either pin it to a blocking board or a rug on the floor, depending on the size of your quilt. Wet blocking works best for quilts that need a lot of shaping, such as applique quilts or blocks that have been quilted. When wet, the fibers are easier to pull into the shape you need. Whether you use the wet or dry method, pinning your quilt is the most important part of this process. When you pin the quilt, the pins hold it in the shape you want it to be in, while it dries. Your pins have to be less than 1" apart so that your edges don't become scalloped. It is also important to allow complete and thorough drying time, while your quilt is pinned in place. You will be amazed how much easier it will be to hang your quilt evenly after this process.
Diane Derose is collecting thread spools for a project at Parkman school. Please save all empty spools for her!! Thank you!!
Last call for blocks! If you still wish to contribute blocks for the Quilts of Valor, please bring them to the May meeting. Also, if you are quilting a QOV quilt, please bring it to the meeting if you can. If not, just let me know the situation so I can confirm how many labels need to be made. My phone is 749-5215 & my email is cyndyostrout@sbcglobal.net. Help is still needed to assemble tops, layer, quilt or bind, so please let me know if your are interested in assisting with any part of the process. It looks like we will have 8 quilts total, and they are looking VERY nice. Thanks to all who have been part of these projects for our veterans! Cyndy
May 2-3 (Fri.-Sat. Noon - 4pm)
Enter your work with Creative Arts at the Big E
May 2-3 (Fri.-Sat. Noon - 4pm)
June 27-29 (Fri.-Sun.)
Aug. 7-10 (Thur.-Sun.)
Oct. 17-19 (Fri.-Sun.)
Farmington Valley Quilters
Oct. 18 (Sat.) Just wanted to send a note off to my secret pal, you are the best!! See all of you in June, I will not be able to attend the May meeting. Vicky
If you have news or events, Classified Ads or other information you would like to submit for publication, please Email it to Vicky, or mail it to Vicky Altenhein, 3 Elizabeth St., Enfield, CT 06082, or call 745-4956. The deadline for newsletter submittals is the first Wednesday of the month. (June 4th)
© 2003-2009 Enfield Quilters - All rights reserved.
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