Tonight we turn our clocks ahead…and get up an hour earlier in the morning.  I enjoy the longer evenings of daylight and somehow find I get so much more done.  Do you find this allows you more time for quilting, or do you find the darker winter evenings more condusive to quilting.
However, until the year approaches its longest day, in June, our mornings remain darker.  If we’re earlier risers, we’ll find it dark or dawn.  But…we may have the glorious adventure of watching the sunrise rather than having it fully daylight when we get up.
Do you find Daylight Savings Time affecting …read more

Often quilters write me and ask, “How do I identify this quilt pattern?  Do you know how to date a quilt?  How can I find out the age of this fabric?”
I’ve researched some books you may find useful:
Clues in the Calico: A Guide to Indentifying and Dating Antique Quilts by Barbara Brackman
Vintage Quilts: Identifying, Collecting, Dating, Preserving and Valuing by Bobbie Aug, Sharon Newman, and Gerald E. Roy
Fabric Dating Kit: A Pocket Guide to Identifying Quilts & Other Textiles by Color, Fabric & Style by Cindy Brick
Dating Fabrics: A Color Guide 1800-1960 by Eileen Trestain
Dating Fabrics 2: A Color Guide 1950-2000 …read more

Do you scurry around making school lunches, getting snacks ready, or checking the hot lunch menu if you have youngsters at home?  If you’re working outside the home at quilting or other employment, do you wonder what to take?
I’ve written about this topic at my Mary Emma’s Country Kitchen blog, under School Lunch Variations, covering school lunches from my mom’s day to the present when my grandchildren take lunch and snacks to school.  There certainly have been changes over the years. 
You’ll also find a recipe for Mayonnaise Cake, something we made often during my childhood for dessert at home and …read more

Some quilt shops are open on Super Bowl Sunday for those who aren’t interested in watching the game.  Check around your area and see if you can find a place to browse, chat and buy with other quilters.  Perhaps you can even make it an afternoon outing while the rest of your family are captivated by the TV.
Jean Murray, of Home Biz Notes, mentioned in a comment on my post, Super Bowl Fabrics for Super Quilting Projects, 
 No fabrics, but one of the local quilt shops is having a special sale on Sunday. I’ll be the first in line!
This is a great …read more

My daughter Beth has been experimenting with the techie aspects of quilt and fabric art design lately.  She discovered a new book she finds exciting and easy to understand.  Also, rather than being solely technical, it’s directed toward quilts and quilters, Beth says.
For more information about Digital Essentials by Gloria Hansen, check out Beth’s Meandering Threads blog.
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When I wrote an initial post about the children’s story book, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, I didn’t realize the interest it eventually would evoke.  One reader to my blog asked where she might find fabric with related designs on it, so I sent out her request in a post, Fabric to Represent Story Books, Particularly The Quiltmaker’s Gift.
Then I discovered there were books with quilt patterns to accompany the picture book and wrote about them in Follow-up Books for the Quiltmaker’s Gift.
The Quiltmaker’s Gift
Quilts From the Quiltmaker’s Gift
More Quilts From the Quiltmaker’s Gift

Bird Patterns & Designs
As I discussed bird designs on my blog, a spin-off of National Bird Day, I discovered a number of books for quilters and fabric artists that provide bird patterns and designs, along with ideas on incorporating feathered friends into your projects.
Feathered Friends: 18 Paper-Pieced Blocks for Bird Lovers by Jette Norregaard Neilsen
Backyard Bird Quilts: 18 Paper-Pieced Projects by Jodie Davis
Applique Takes Wings: Exquisite Designs for Birds, Butterflies and More by Jane Townswick
Exotic Birds Critter Works Applique Quilting Pattern
Memories of a Lifetime: Birds and Butterflies: Artwork for Scrapbooks and Fabric-Transfer Crafts by Nancy Rosin
Do you have any more to …read more

Favorite Posts
Periodically b5 bloggers post their favorite posts of the week.  I write three blogs at b5media, Alzheimer’s Notes, Quilting and Patchwork, and One Book Two Book.  (The latter I co-blog with Marcie Pickelsimer.)
Sometimes it’s difficult to choose your very favorite for the week.  However, here are the three for this week:
http://www.blisstree.com/…ilt-mysteries/
http://www.onebooktwobook.com/mary-e…storm-of-2008/
http://www.alzheimersnotes.com/not-h…-nursing-home/

Beginning Quilters

I have a friend interested in learning how to quilt. She received some patchwork baby blankets and is intrigued by this art.  So she’d like to know about web sites and blogs that have good basic instruction.
I thought my readers might have knowledge of online places where she could find this information, essentially tutorials in beginning quiltmaking.
If you have or know of such a blog or web site, do let me know.  I’ll post them here at Quilting and Patchwork, with links to the blogs, because there must be other beginners out there.
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Quilting/Fabric Art Books
Fabulous Fabric Beads
Kaffe Fassett’s Country Garden Quilts
Mixed Media Self-Portraits
Quilting Design Your Own Patchwork Projects
9-Patch Pizzazz
My Quilting Journal: A Quilters Memory Book
Quilting Your Memories
The Magic of Crazy Quilting
Dating Fabrics: A Color Guide 1800-1960
Marti Mitchell’s Machine Quilting in Sections
Radiant Sunshine and Shadow: 23 Quilts with Nine-Patch Sparkle
Carol Doak’s Simply Sensational 9-Patch Stars
What books do you particularly enjoy?  Can you add to the list?
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