hav4boys

My neutrals have been placed in the security of the USPS.

sewbizgirl

Bwah ha haa ha! Good one, Hav4...

jaba

Mailed my neutrals today also, should be in Red's hands on Monday.
CrispyFrog, when you send your quilts/ and or backing do they re-iron before quilting? I do on my customer quilts that are mailed to me because they end up so wrinkled from shipping.. Just wondering, I have a quilt that is 110 x 110 that is a little big for my frame. I know I am going to have to piece the back in order to make it large enough for the machine and table. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Jane Quilter

Now that's an oxymoron! Mine are cut and ready to pack. I'm packing 18 in a bag because there seems to be some confusion, or differences in taste, as to what a neutral is. So I am sending more in case someone doesn't like a couple of my choices....

sewbizgirl

Mine are all ready to go, as soon as I lay hands on a five dollar bill to complete my return postage! I added a couple of extras to my bags, too.

sewbizgirl

Someone in the 9 Patch swap posted a link to this quilt, as an example of one way to use 9 patches... I'd like to share it here as an example of how some great non-white, non-cream neutrals can really bring a quilt to life, especially a scrappy quilt.

Since we are learning about neutrals, take a look at this quilt. Scroll down to see all the closeups of the great neutrals that were used. Then imagine it in WOW or cream backgrounds. It wouldn't be half the quilt it is!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...rs-choice.html

Jane Quilter

Just for the record: Bonnie Hunter in Quiltville calls these "lights", not neutrals, and defines them (as opposed to "darks"), by being lighter than a brown paper bag. I agree that they are spectacular, and full of variety that makes scrap quilts extremely appealing to me.

Fizzle

Ok guys. Another question. I have my fabrics and am ready to cut and package. But I wonder. Should I starch my fabrics before I cut them? Thanks for the help...

givio

Jane Quilter ...???? I'm not sure what you mean when you say, "Bonnie Hunter in Quiltville calls these "lights", not neutrals". In the link given for BH's Scrappy Sister's Choice article, BH writes she is using neutrals.

The bright quilt with pink stars looks so different from the quilt with the green stars! This star pattern is the pattern I'm planning to sew using the 9Patch blocks! I didn't realize that was the name of the pattern-- which is now fun to know! I really like the scrappy neutral background too. I'll have to think about that setting.

sewbizgirl

I wish you wouldn't... The rules for swaps state that if a fabric is so thin that it must be starched to be acceptable, it's not fit for swapping. Now some people like to starch so they can cut better, but I would think all that starch would dull your blades faster.

You are going to get differing opinions on starch. Some people love it. I like fabric that feels like fabric, not cardboard. We are all different. In every swap I get some that are starched enough to stand up by themselves! Just do what you prefer.