May 1, 2015 Zoey is ready for some sunshine and warm weather! Any day now... And it's a good thing, too! I've got a pile of brighty whities sent in

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ZoeySunglasses

May 1, 2015

Zoey is ready for some sunshine and warm weather! Any day now...

And it's a good thing, too! I've got a pile of brighty whities sent in by members of the Yo-Yo Sisterhood of the Traveling Panties that are ready to dye. Can't wait!

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airplane

On The Road Again

I'll be teaching in Marble Falls, TX later this month and in June I'll be in Rochester, NY. Look at the rest of my Teaching Schedule in case I'll be in your neck of the woods. I'd hate for us to miss each other.

This must be the season for booking quilt teachers. I've sent out five contracts in the last 10 days or so. Awesome! If you'd like me to come to your guild, I have room in 2016 and beyond. Tell your program chair to contact me. Quickly.

It's not unusual for groups to piggyback on to an existing booking. Sharing me among two or more groups saves on my travel expenses. Most of the time the groups are an hour or two apart. Next year I'll be enjoying the longest "piggyback" ever. I'll be flying from Flint to Miami, Miami to Seattle, and then Seattle back home to Flint! Each group will save significantly on my airfare.

So, if your guild meets in a major city, you've got more options than you might have thought!

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SitStayStitch

Scooter's Sewing Tip

Scooter here with a few tips. Staystitch the edges of your quilt tops as soon as you finish sewing them. That means you sew 1/8" from the edge all the way around the quilt top with your sewing machine. Watch out for your tail. A regular stitch length is fine. You can use any color thread because the binding will cover it. Run off the edge of the quilt at the end of each side and then start new on the next side, otherwise the corners get glumpped up. Mom says it's not good to lick the quilt at all. Ever. The staystitches will keep the fabric in your border or block from unraveling. That's good.

ScooterSews

Have your person stay stitch for you. Just be sure to supervise.

Staystitching keeps any seam allowances along the outside edge right where you pressed them too, so pay attention that you sew them where you want them to go. I sew while looking at the back of the top. In case you take your quilt top inside your crate, behind the couch, or outside to cover a squirrel, the edges might get a little ratty looking, but just up until the staystitches. Unless the squirrel takes your quilt top away from you and you have to run and run to get it back. Squirrels can't be trusted.

statystitched

Staystitch 1/8" from the edge of the quilt top.

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kai

Click picture to read more.

Kai Scissors

These are embroidery scissors, but I don't embroider. I use them primarily for two tasks that are wildly different. Are you ready? I use them at the sewing machine for clipping threads when I piece, and I use them for cutting clothesline when I make clothesline bowls! I'm shocked that the same pair of scissors work so well cutting such different things.

I like them for clipping threads because they are a good size, the handles are a little squishy so they feel good in my hands, and the thread slides easily so I can clip accurately. And clip, and clip, and clip.

They're sturdy as the dickens so cutting the ends off the clothesline at the beginning and end of the bowl is easy. I also keep a pair in my bag when I use my PowerWrapper (still on sale, by the way).

MayNeckLites

NeckLites
The next order of NeckLites are on their way. Colors for neck straps this time around are RED, REALLY BRIGHT YELLOW, and NEON GREEN. They've been shipped and should have been here today. I'm hoping for a Monday delivery. Get your order in now. I only got half of what I asked for. I have just a few left from the previous order: 1 Raspberry, 2 Rainbow, and 3 Hot Pink.

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PrintDialogBox

A Better Way to Print

Ever go to print an email and wind up with six pages of back-and-forth when all you really wanted was the most recent response?

Ever try to print from a blog and wind up with 17 pages of comments too?

Ever try to print from a web page and get "11d7" pages of stuff you didn't want to print? "11d7" is an invention by my Uncle Bud. If you say it out loud (eleven-dee-seven) it sounds like a real number, doesn't it? Go ahead try it out on your friends. I digress.

Back again with a solution to all three of these problems: the humble print dialog box.

Open the print dialog box by selecting File and then Print. (Or just hold down the CONTROL key and tap the letter "P.") ALL is always the default selection. To save paper click PAGES type 1 to 1 and you'll get just the first page of an email or document. For the other scenarios, click and drag your cursor so you highlight only what you want to print. Then pick SELECTION in the print dialog box. It works most of the time.

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Party Jars

Don't worry; I had never heard the term before either. You can thank Anne W. for cluing me in. If you're into fabric bowls, you'll want to check out Julie Moore's funery art.

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CatVideo

Scooter's Video Pick

Scooter here. I am rarely at a loss for words. I just don't know what to say about this video. I am so confused. The cat looked at me like I did something wrong at 32 seconds in. What's that all about?!

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Thank You!

Thanks for reading all the way to the end!

Have a wonderful quilty day!

AmiSimms Sig

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