Photo by Gregory Case

Catch Episode 407 with Elsie Campbell
Join us as Elsie Campbell, award-winning quilter and author, demonstrates how she achieves piecing perfection with some of her favorite tools and techniques. Then, see Alex share tips for adding a bit of pizzazz to a "needy" quilt. This fact-and-fun packed episode is sure to keep you on your toes. To watch the show, click here.

 
1997.007.0319, International Quilt Study Center, UNL, www.quiltstudy.org To access more traditional Baltimore Album quilts in the IQSC collecton, see end of article.

Quilter's Hall of Fame: William R. Dunton (1868-1966) Quilt Collector, Author, Psychiatrist
By Karen Alexander

It’s hard to realize just how many years have passed since I saw my first exhibit of Baltimore Album Quilts at the Baltimore Museum of Art. It was in the early 1980s, and I was new to quilting but loved appliqué; I found myself stunned by these fabric beauties and intrigued by their history. I soon would learn that the first person to research and document this particular quilt style was a male, and that he was among the original six people inducted into The Quilters Hall of Fame in 1979: Dr. William Rush Dunton of Baltimore.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1868, Dr. William R. Dunton was a psychiatrist at Sheppard-Pratt Asylum in Baltimore for many years in the early part of the 20th century. He had a long association with Johns Hopkins University as an instructor in psychiatry, and was a founding member of three professional societies within his field. Bunnie Jordan’s chapter on Dunton in the book, The Quilters Hall of Fame, shares interesting details about his professional career as a psychiatrist, as well as in occupational therapy. In fact, Dunton wrote the first complete textbook on occupational therapy, and is often called the “father" of the field. How very appropriate that the father of occupational therapy would include quilting from the very start of his exploration into the benefits of occupational therapy! Today, many millions of women (and men) know of quilting’s many satisfying benefits.

To learn more about William R. Dunton and other quilting pioneers visit Articles here.

Photo by Gregory Case

April Fool's Day:  Chat with David Taylor
It's no joke! Join us for a lively hour in the chat room on Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern (01:00 GMT April 2, 2009) as "Featured Guest" David Taylor (Episode 406) shares conversation and tips on creating your own fabric masterpiece. Not able to join us "live?" You can read the transcript of the chat by clicking on "Chat Transcripts" and selecting the chat you'd like to read.

Photo by Gregory Case

Let's Get Focused
Are you overwhelmed by the thought of selecting fabrics for a quilt project?  Not sure where to begin?  Let Alex teach you how to be a "good detective" when it comes to fabric shopping for your next quilt. To visit Alex's TQS classroom, click here.

Tip of the Day:  Pony Tail Holders
Sometimes after a long day of working in the quilt studio, you may or may not remember to turn off the iron. Thanks to this great tip sent to us by JoAnn Hart (Quilting-Gram) you can avoid the possibility of overtaxing your iron--or worse, starting a fire!-- with a little accessory from the girl's hair department. 

Use a pony-tail holder to secure the cord of your iron when the iron is not in use. When you plug in the iron and begin sewing, remove the pony-tail holder and place it around your wrist. If you leave your studio and the pony tail holder is still on your wrist, you'll know you forgot to turn off the iron: an easy, inexpensive reminder.

Actually, we find these little holders are great for corralling any number of corded items around the house. They are a colorful and inexpensive way to keep things organized.

Master Hand Quilting with an Expert

Master the secrets of beautiful hand quilting with an award-winning quilter "by your side."  In her winning book, appropriately titled Winning Stitches, Elsie Campbell guides you all along your way with clear text and helpful step-by-step photos. In addition to two complete projects, the book includes 50 orginal quilting designs to begin you on your hand quilting journey. To find this and other quilting books, visit the Shoppe here.