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Volume 7 Number 6

June  2007

    

  • Welcome

  • Did You Know....

  • eNews Overview

  • Announcements/Events Submissions

  • Subscriptions

  • Contact Information

  • Copyright

  • What's New

  • Announcements/Events

  • Interesting Tidbits!

  • Free Patterns

  • Pattern/Project of the Month

  • Mystery Quilt News

  • Subscriber's Gallery

  • Forum News

  • Quilting Classes

  • What's Next

  • Suggestions

  • Summary
 


by Terry

     There is nothing like living in northeastern Oklahoma in May this year!  We had record-breaking rain; in excess of 12 inches in my area alone.  Needless to say (then why am I saying it???), my property is flooded.  Not only down at the waterline beside the lake, but also between my house and the highway!  I have not been able to mow since April 29th due to the flooding!  Well, I take that back.  I tried to mow, twice, and each time I got stuck and threw the deck belt off of my mower.  My grass is almost 3 foot tall.  The good news?  My garden and flowers are flourishing!

     Mother's Day went well for me.  I had dinner with my sons and their families on the Thursday night before, then went to a Mother's Day Banquet with my mom at her church.  They were taking photographs of the mothers and daughters as they attended and, while our pictures aren't perfect, I do believe it is the best one that I have of mom and me, despite the fact that my poor mother is still recovering from surgery and can't remove that sling/brace yet!  You can see it in the blank area at the bottom of column 2!  Caution:  Please ignore the bad hair and big hips (I've gained 18 pounds since Christmas, which has made my family and doctors deliriously happy and me extremely sad and paranoid).

      I had a memorable Memorial Day.  I had pre-planned not to plan anything.  I was hoping to have a little pity party with only me attending, but you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men!  My eldest son called and said he wanted to get my boat in the water and running, then for us to go out.  I was almost hoping it wouldn't start, but due to his patience and diligence, it started after him working on it for an hour or so.  We (Mike, Kelly, Nate, and Rylynn; son, DIL, grandson, and granddaughter, respectively) loaded up and headed out.  Rylynn looked adorable in her little bathing suit!  She turned one in April and this was her first boat trip.  She loved it!  We first ran Mike's trot lines and scooped up about a dozen big catfish (I declined dinner that night, as I don't like fish).  We then pulled the triangular tube with Nate in it.  He had a blast.  I wondered how he could NOT be freezing to death in the water.  Youth is amazing, I remind myself.  After tubing for awhile, we just motored from one end of the lake to the other.  Whilst at the other end, we noticed that it sure was getting dark to the west of us.  Did that look like a major thunderstorm?  I believe it did!  We rushed back toward the dock (where I keep my boat) and made a pit stop on the way at my home to drop the fish off (Mike's pickup and boat were parked there).  It began to pour down rain just as we left.  I mean pour.  Mike rushed to put up the canopy, while Kel fashioned a quick little tent made from a huge bath towel to put over Rylynn.  As Nate was hopping back on board the boat, the wind caught the boat and slammed his little jaw (he's 7 now) into the rail!!!!  I could see blood running from his mouth as he was crying in pain.  Mike was busy getting the canopy, Kel busy with Rylynn, so grandma here took charge of little Nate.  Those of you that have children and/or grandchildren, you will know what I mean when I say that I wanted to cry with him and for him!!!!!  Mike finally got us a dry environment with the canopy and I tended to Nate.  He cut his lip and his teeth were bleeding, but he was going to be fine.  Just hurting.  We started to the dock once again and it began a downpour once more.  Mike stopped the boat and I told him to go back and all of them to get off and get in his pickup and I'd take the boat back.  That idea went over like a lead balloon.  We sat it out for a few minutes, while Rylynn kept poking her head out and trying to lick the rain.  She was loving the whole day!  We found a stray trot line Mike thought was lost on the way back and it had more fish on it.  As he bent over to pick it up out of the water, his customized eyeglasses (safety for work) slipped off of his shirt right down into the murky lake!!!  The sun came out during this last episode and as we neared the shore, Nate remarked that we had a pretty sad day.  I immediately said we had had only two sad moments; his mouth and his daddy's glasses.  And that that was only about 10 minutes worth of sadness versus the 3 other hours of fun we had had.  His dad chimed in then confirming with Nate that he had had fun tubing.  Nate emphatically stated that he had!  So, we then all concluded that we had had a good day.  How could it not be a good day, after all, with me spending it with my family?

     Meanwhile, I have taken a part-time job with a major company here locally to catch them up on their accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, etc.  Seems like the person they have had hired for the past two years didn't know what she was doing and it is so messed up that it is a challenge for me to straighten out!  Well, good thing I love a good challenge!

     Just a reminder that the YOUnique Designs Newsletter began publishing this past month sometime between the 10th and 15th.  That means that the next pattern for the Sunny Floral BOM on YOUnique Designs will not be available until that time.  To keep abreast of what's happening on that site, please subscribe to that Newsletter.

     Updating the Quilting Passion Web site is still in progress, and due to its size now (and it continues to grow!) and the fact that I have no free time these days, it is a very slow process.  I know that I still have several broken pages out in cyberspace and if you come across one, please send me an e-mail so that I can fix it.  Or if I've moved a page and you can not find it, let me know and I'll point you to it.  I appreciate your patience with me as my virtual dust is being spread about!
 

 

      That 2007 is Oklahoma's 100th birthday?  That the official birthday of Oklahoma is November 16, 1907?

      That a book, Centennial Stitches, has been published commemorating Oklahoma's Centennial?  It highlights Oklahoma's history in quilts and is written by Judy Howard.

      That those of you that filed tax extensions have six (6) months to get them done?

     That there are several holidays in June?

  • June 14th is Flag Day,

  • The 17th is Father's Day,

  • The 21st is the first day of summer.
 

     The Quilting Passion electronic Newsletter is a free monthly publication that keeps subscribers up-to-date on news that may include:

 

  

   Do you have any announcements that you feel would be of use to the eNews?  Perhaps a quilt show, a new grandbaby, etc.?  If so, please let me know and I'll squeeze them into the next edition of the eNews.
 

     Receive an e-mail notification when a new issue of this electronic newsletter (eNews) is published by joining the mailing list.  Membership is free.  To subscribe, simply send an e-mail to Terry.

     To subscribe to the Mystery Quilt mailing list, simply send an e-mail to Terry.

     To be removed from a mailing list, send an e-mail to the appropriate address (given above) with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject area.
 

Terry Crawford
2136 E 4675
Pryor, OK   74361
 http://quiltingpassion.com/
quilting@quiltingpassion.com

     The new Desktop Wallpaper Calendar is purple, blue, and green, in honor of June.  There are two (2) different versions of it; one with the seasonal graphics overlaying it and one without.  The blocks selected for this month's calendar are called, "Bird With Tail Feathers" and "Nosegay Wreath", both created using EQ5.  This month, I am featuring a little something different!  I am holding a challenge for these blocks, called the "Birds and Nosegay Challenge"!  Make either one or both of the spotlighted patterns for this calendar, send in a photo of the unfinished block, and it will give you an entry a contest.  The winner wins all of the blocks submitted, unless there are more than 16.  Blocks will be voted on anonymously.  Please have your block submissions mailed in to me by June 27th.  Voting will commence on or about the 29th.

     What else is new?  Well... I have now written a couple month's worth of articles for Quilting By Design, owned by 451 Press.  451 Press is supported by Google, by the way, and I appreciate everyone that is supporting my writing efforts on that site, both by reading it and also through your comments!  I am really enjoying this writing gig and one of the biggest perks is that I am "meeting" new celebrity quilters.  I have slated quite a few upcoming interviews and live chat sessions with persons such as, Marcia Hohn, Jodie Davis, Pati Shambaugh, Sue Ann Taylor, and more!  Please watch the forum or this Web site for more details of upcoming events!

     A few articles that you may find of interest from this past month on Quilting By Design include:

     I already have plans for quite a few articles (and other things) over the next month and if you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know.  There is also a site map that allows readers to easily navigate the articles by title.

     Something else new is the addition of photographs to this version of the QP eNews.  I realize that it is going to take a little longer to load this page, plus, if you print it off, that is going to also be more of a pain.  So, if you prefer that I simply add links to the pictures in the future, instead of the actual photographs on this page, please let me know!

     Lots of new events coming in June, too.  Be sure to read the Forum News in the third column for details on these!  And remember, you do not necessarily have to be a forum member to participate in all of the events that Quilting Passion hosts!

     Last new item:  The Australian Publication of Queensland Quilters Inc. magazine, "Material Facts", published an article written by me in the June edition!  The article is entitled, "What Size Is That?" and defines quilt sizes.  This article is a reprint of the original article that I wrote a few years ago, that has been updated.  A complimentary edition of this magazine was mailed to me and is shown below!

     Upcoming Events:

     For a listing of known quilt shows, birthdays, anniversaries, and other events, please refer to the Quilting Passion Calendar.  If you have an event you would like submitted, please contact me!

     Enjoy these small bites of information!

     Unfortunately, the tidbits for this edition were lost due to my computer crashing!  I had at least a dozen interesting tidbits typed in before the crash and none when I returned!  And to make matters worse, I completely deleted the file that had the tidbits in it right before the crash!  I'm bummed.

     I plan on offering quite a few free patterns to subscribers of the via YOUnique Designs Newsletter.  If you haven't signed up for it, please feel free to do so!  There have already been a few floral appliqué patterns released, in the Floral Appliqué BOM.

    The Quilting Passion Web site has quite a few free patterns that I have designed over the past few years, plus two (2) new ones:  Bird With Tail Feathers and Nosegay Wreath.

    

     The patterns that I have chosen to highlight for this month are ones that I have come across this past month.

     First, is a cute strip-pieced tote bag, pattern provided by Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores.

     Second, are several necktie projects that are cute and different, provided by the DIY Network.

    The last project is provided by the Home Sewing Association.  It is a very easy and cute wine sack!  This would make an excellent gift!
 

     Plans for the next mystery are already formulated.  I'll give you a couple of hints, as I'm truly excited about it.  First hint:  If you are color-wheel impaired, this mystery is definitely something you should be interested in.  It's sort of a combination mystery and class, all rolled into one.  Second hint:  If you are very structured, it's time to throw caution to the wind and think outside the box!  This mystery will give you the opportunity to do just that!

     Has anything I've alluded to about the next mystery captured your attention?

     You can subscribe to the MQ mailing list to keep on top of current mysteries!  If you would like to view previous mysteries, then be sure to check the pictures of quite a few finished mysteries in the Gallery below!

     The Gallery has had a few new additions, so when you get a chance, take a look at all of the fabulous quilts made from our readers over the past few months.  A very special thank you to those who share their finished projects with me, but most importantly, to those of you that use my patterns!  YOU are the incentive that keeps me designing!  Did you realize that?

     If you have made a quilt using one of the patterns on this site, please share a photo with me so that I can add it to the gallery?  When submitting the photo, provide your first name and state that you live in.  I'd certainly appreciate it!


Mother's Day, 2007


 


 

     The forum is rock solid and keeps plugging away, thanks to all of you who keep it going!  Valerie and I have both remarked that our peers on the forum give us inspiration!

     OK, the new statistics are in!  Since opening the forum on September 17th 2001, we have had 7,250 people to join, up from 7,202 people a month ago.  That doesn't include guests!  This means we have had 48 new members join in May.  Lurkers are always welcome, and of course, if you feel the need to type and share, we love reading it!  The goal of the forum is to provide an environment where people can come to learn, enjoy, share their projects, and keep up with what's going on our quilting and personal worlds.  I feel blessed that many of you choose to spend your precious time with us!  Also, just a glimpse into our visitors count, this will amaze you.  Since opening, we have had a total of 54,875 visitors come our way!  Can we say, "WOW"?  Note:  These stats were taken at 1:00 AM CST, 05/30/07.   Not quite a month has passed at the time the eNews was written!

     A few of our monthly projects include:

  • FQ Drawing, which returned in October and it, as well as November, was a HUGE success!!!!!  May is underway!

  • Block Party, which debuted on January 1, 2007, after being on vacation for a long time!

  • Charity Projects,

  • Fabric Swaps,

  • Block Swaps,

  • Fabric Postcard Swaps,

  • Noodle Swaps.

      Special Projects in progress right now include:

       A special project that just completed is Project Comforting Virginia.  We donated a total of at least six (6) quilts.  We have not received word directly from Virginia Tech that they were received, however, each quilt was sent via the USPS with Delivery Confirmation and the DC confirms they arrived at their destination.

     The "Round Robin Charity Drive", or RRCD continues to grow and has quickly become one of the most popular activities on the forum.  We have donated a total of 1,415 quilts since March of 2002, 151 of those in 2007!  420 were donated in 2006 alone, and this year, we are averaging donating a tad bit over 1 quilt per day, compared to 1.36 quilts per day last month!  That's a little down, but no worries!  We are still cranking out quilts for a wonderful cause and I am so very proud of each of you that are accomplishing this miracle.

     A new, upcoming project is one in honor of our dearly departed friend, Patty.  Patty's birthday would be this coming July 7th, so that day is hereby designated the "Observance of Patty Day".  I plan on kicking off a block drive and then taking the blocks, making a quilt, and donating it to a cancer patient.  I am hoping that participation will abound!  More details will be announced on this Web site, plus on the forum.  Also, I am looking for more photographs with Patty in them; whether it be with or without a quilt.  Additionally, if we have a photo with her and her quilt, will someone send it to me, please?

     A new event is also slated for June.  This event is called the "Quilting Passion Hall of Fame".  It will kick off on June 5th and nominations will run through June 11th.  Once nominations are taken, then there will be a vote held to select two (2) sets of the top three (3) winners:  One set being the nominators and the other set being the nominees.  Each winning nominator will receive a prize (to be announced later) and recognition on both Quilting Passion and Quilting By Design.  Results will be announced on June 26th.

     I know you've heard it before, but you can help our Charity Project just by using a Yahoo search engine!  I would appreciate it if you begin using this search engine on a regular basis and also encourage your friends, co-workers, and family to use it, too.  Be sure to select "Quilting Passion Organization" when you do a search for us to get credit!  The search engine is named GoodSearch.  Instead of typing the Web site in every time you want to use it, it is simple to make it your default search engine by following these simple directions to change the default search provider:

  1. Open Internet Explorer.
  2. Left-Click the arrow to the right of the Search Options button (it's located next to the magnifying class icon).
  3. Click Change Search Defaults.
  4. Click on Find More Providers.  It should open a window that has this address:  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/searchguide/en-en/default.mspx
  5. In the new window, there is a yellow/orange area on the right, titled Create Your Own.  In the top blank area, paste in this address:  http://www.goodsearch.com/Search.aspx?Keywords=TEST
  6. In the second blank area, type in a name for the search engine, such as Good Search.
  7. Click Install.
  8. Click Add in the new window.
  9. Left-Click the arrow to the right of the Search Options button (it's located next to the magnifying class icon).
  10. Click Change Search Defaults.
  11. Select the name of the one you just added, Good Search (or whatever name you used).
  12. Click Set Default.
  13. Click OK.

Again, please use GoodSearch and recommend it to everyone!

    There are numerous block and fabric swaps going on, so if you're in the mood to sew, feel free to jump right in!  There are also a couple of monthly drawings that you can play in:  The Fat Quarter Drawing and the Block Party.  The FQ Drawing is doing well and I encourage you to "play" along with the others.  We had a truly tremendous response to the Block Party in April and May, due to more participation.  In fact, we have collected more than 60 blocks each month!  Lynn W, California, won the Jennifer Chiaverini book.  WAY TO GO!!!!  To view past winners, along with the guidelines of each, please visit the FQ Drawing page and the Block Party page.

     

     Classes are being planned for 2007.  One that is definitely in the works is a "Quilt As You Go" (QAYG) class!  Plans to kick it off in March didn't happen, due to circumstances in my life right now, however I still plan on doing this class when my life settles down.  And now another month is gone, but I promise that this class is going to happen!!!!

     Another class that is planned for this summer involves the color-wheel.  More information regarding that class is discussed in the "Mystery Quilts" section, to the left.

     Do you have any suggestions for a class?

         

    Hopefully, more free patterns, including a few to be used in our "Surpassing Life's Challenges" quilt.  In fact, I've had quite a few patterns and small projects in mind for the past few weeks and hope to find time in May to sit down and get to them!

  

     Any new ideas roaming around in your head that you'd like to share with me?  Ideas for mysteries, swaps, new patterns, anything?

     Spring is my favorite time of the year, with summer coming up a close second.  My roses, clematis, peonies, and wildflowers are all abloom and my front porch smells heavenly!  I have old-fashioned climbing roses climbing up trellises outside my door and every time I walk in, around, or out of my house, my senses are overwhelmed with beauty.  And as if that is not enough, wildlife is aplenty, as evidenced by the photograph below of a nice turkey walking in front of me in my driveway!  I have about 20 turkeys, tons of deer, Canadian Geese, an albino male peacock (which I have yet to capture on film, but it has been seen by three other people!), owls, armadillos, skunks, coyotes, foxes, bald eagles, and more!


Wildflowers, May 2007 (2 years ago, I only planted two that I dug up along side the road and now they have taken over my front yard... and they're the most beautiful weeds I have!)


Clematis, May 2007


Old-Fashioned Climbing Rose, May 2007


Turkey in my drive!  May 2007

     May each of you have a wonderful June; safe and happy.  Enjoy the time you have with your families, for they cannot be replaced.  Also take time to enjoy yourself, for your sanity cannot be replaced, either!  And above all, live life to the fullest!

Happy quilting,
Terry

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