RCTQ FAQ August 2005

Welcome to RCTQ, a usenet discussion group of quilters. We want to read
all about your quilting activites, and welcome questions. We may even come
up with some helpful answers! But we do have a few requests, to keep this NG
moving along. We ask that you do not post pictures here, but we love to
click on links to see your quilts elsewhere. Please, no advertising.
Rec.crafts.textiles.marketplac*e is the appropriate place for ads.

Do your best to remember to put OT in the subject line of off topic posts.
While this group is one of the most tolerant of top posting vs bottom
posting (we have some of each), please try to remember to trim the original
post to the most relevant bits.


What is a Hug, and how do I contribute? Hugs are quilts made by this group
to help someone through a life altering event, and let them know how much we
care. Karen, Queen of Squishies, maintains a Hug list. When a Hug quilt is
needed someone will contact Karen, and she in turn sends an email to
everyone on the Hug List with instructions and color preferences, date due,
and the reason for the Hug. Its always your choice to participate or not.
Hugs can be made without going through Karen and the list as well. Anyone is
welcome to start a Hug, when they feel the need is enough.

What is a Squishie? A squishie is an envelope that comes to you, thats
slightly fat and squishie. It can be a bit of fabric someone knows you'll
love, or a birthday surprise, the main thing is that when a squishie comes
in the mail it makes you feel like smiling. The same thing happens when you
send them out, oddly enough! When thanking someone for a squishie please try
to contact them privately, off the list. If you arent able to, most of us
don't mind sharing in the joy of a public thank you. A follow up post with a
more eloquent explanation will follow this post.


What is a Thunkie? Its similar to a squishie but it can thunk instead of
squish and hold interesting things related to quilting, like chocolate or
special things we quilters find indespensible for quilting.


What are all those abbreviations?
LQS Local quilt store
TSWLTH The store we love to hate aka Joann fabrics
DH, DS, DD, DSM Dear Husband (or dratted, danged etc.) Dear Son or Dear
Sister, Dear Daughter, Dear Sweet Mother.
FQ - Fat Quarter - fabric cut as 18" x 22" - still a quarter yard of fabric,
but cut so as to be more useful than 9"x WOF
FE - Fat Eighth - a FQ cut in half so it measures 18"11"
WOF - Width of Fabric - across the entire width as it comes off the bolt,
usually 42-44"
S.E.X. we use this manner of spelling to discourage trolls from seeing it...
it means Stash Enhancement eXperience, or eXpedition - fabric shopping!
QIs - Quilt Inspectors - often those 4-legged critters that can't stay away
from quilts in progress, although some are 2-legged (kids and birds)

The following are abbreviations that are common in usenet, but not
necessarily quilting-specific
FWIW - For What It's Worth
IIRC - If I Recall Correctly
BTDT - Been There, Done That
(ok, I can't remember anymore. I'll add to this as I think of them)


What is the Directory or how do I get someone's address? A directory of
everyone who chooses to be in it is updated about two times a year,
depending on the schedule of LN, who is in charge of compiling. Watch the
newsgroup for posting about the next update. Only people who are listed in
the directory are allowed to have it. No one is allowed to give the
information in the directory out to anyone who isn't in it. Not everyone
chooses to be in the directory, so how do you get someone's address? Ask
them for it. Its ok, it wont spoil the surprise if you wait till they forget
you asked. Or, ask someone else to ask the person if its ok to share their
address with you. Be sneaky. Its ok.


Trolls and flame wars... what are they and what can be done about them?
Trolls come to groups to try to stir up trouble. The best advice is ignore
them. Its fun to poke at them or treat them as legitimate posters but they
thrive on attention. Flame wars are discussions that get out of control and
angry words are hurled about with abandon. Its easy to get caught up in the
heat and say things that are regretted later. We all have bad days. All of
our words are open to interpetation, lets all try to give people the benefit
of the doubt and believe the best of them and their posts.


How do I find an old post? Go to
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...quilting?hl=en

or use http://tinyurl.com/d4zva , thats the url made easier (by way of
http://tinyurl.com/ ) , and use the search option, remembering to use the
"look in this group only"
function. If you still can't find the information you're looking for then
feel free to ask the group.


Please take the time to read the followup posts in this thread. Some of the
most touching tributes to this group and the love we generate is there for
you to savor. Good info on picking out a good sewing machine will be found
there too.



--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
De-STUFF email address to reply

Here is a compilation of a lot of what others have already about buying a
first machine, plus a couple of other comments. This FAQ also applies to
those who are in the market for a new machine, having used one particular
model for a few(?) years. Many thanks to Salley Holmes and Lee Hinton for
helping get this together.

First, if you're considering buying a machine as a gift for someone else,
the consensus is that you should give, perhaps, a card or a spool of thread
as a token of your willingness help to enable the recipient to choose the
machine that suits him/her best. By all means do some homework to help
him/her to narrow the choice down, but a sewing machine is a personal item
that should be chosen by the person who's going to use it. Think about it.
Would you want someone to buy you a car without your input?

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you shop:

How and what do you sew? Are you interested in sewing clothes, home decor
items (slipcovers, curtains, etc.), sports costumes like skating, etc. Do
you want an embroidery machine? IS IT SOMETHING YOU WOULD USE OR JUST
SOMETHING YOU WANT? This is an important distinction to make. What
feature(s) would you use and need? (Why pay money for things you don't need
and don't want?) If you do mostly quilting, then maybe you only need a few
stitches rather than a whole array of stitches. How easy it is for you to
learn programming (a must in some machines)? How large a machine do you want
(will you be taking it places), does it pack up easily if you need to take
it someplace? What kind of classes are given? Does it have a freearm and do
you need one, what kind of extra feet are available that you need, etc. Do I
need a machine that can be updated with new cards, attachments, programs,
etc.?

Now, which machine is the best one? There's no such thing as the one best
machine just as there's no such thing as the one best car. This FAQ can only
give general advice because there are so many sewing machine manufacturers
and models out there. Once you've narrowed your choices down you may be able
to get advice on specific models or even dealers from the alt.sewing,
rec.crafts.textiles.sewing, alt.sewing.mach-embroider (if you are looking at
embroidery machines) or uk.rec.crafts.sewing newsgroups.

Having said that, nearly every maker makes wonderful machines ... but they
all have had periods where they have made junk. You might want to read your
national consumer magazine to see if they have recently reported on sewing
machines - this would be a good place to at least start. Sewing magazines
occasionally run such features, too, so check them. Remember, though, that
no survey can cover all the available machines, and that a sewing machine is
a very personal item. What suits a reviewer may not suit you. And talk to
friends who sew to get their opinion on which makes are reliable. After
that, the person who is going to use the machine should be the person to
pick out what they want, within the constraints of your budget, of course.

Your budget may limit your choices, but especially if you are new to sewing,
I would suggest going for an all purpose reliable machine with fewer
stitches rather than a machine with lots of stitches, but also turns out to
be picky about the type of thread you use, won't sew on thick or thin
fabrics, and sulks and chews the fabric up if you dare to LOOK at it wrong.
You need to know that your machine will be reliable or learning to use it
will be a very frustrating experience. Whilst it's a waste of money to buy
features you won't use, it's also false economy to buy a machine that you'll
"grow out of" if you can afford one with more features.

Unless you get a fabulous bargain in a private sale, one thing to also
consider is the dealer from whom you buy. A good, honest, reliable dealer
can help make your sewing experience wonderful, and help you pick the right
machine for YOU. Some dealers offer a trade-in/trade-up policy where if you
decide after a few months that you'd like a fancier machine, the dealer will
credit all or a large part of the cost of your initial purchase to a better
machine. Don't be taken in by the claims that all-metal interiors are better
than plastic: there's cheap plastic, which may crack and warp, and there's
nylon, which is lighter than and a hard-wearing as metal and doesn't need
lubricating.

The most basic machines are straight-stitch only, and old ones can be picked
up very cheaply from sale rooms, some sewing machine dealers, and garage/car
boot sales. The next step up is a machine that does zigzag stitching. The
basic zigzag machines usually do some sort of blind hem stitch and maybe a
couple of decorative stitches. Even if they don't have a built-in buttonhole
you can do a manual buttonhole with a basic zig zag machine, but it's no fun
after the first few. If you are planning to sew a lot of clothes, buying a
machine that has an easy buttonhole maker may make good sense.

After that, the number of stitches increases (along with the price) and you
are in the realm of medium to high end sewing machines. Electronic machines
give the same penetrating power at all speeds and usually a needle stop
up/down option. Right at the top end, for several thousand pounds/dollars
you can buy a machine that will connect to your computer and embroider
images that you've designed on the PC.

However much you're planning to spend, you'll get more for your money if you
buy second-hand. People often trade in their old machine when they buy a new
one. A trade-in will be much cheaper than the same machine when new, and if
it's been serviced by the dealer and has a dealer's guarantee it should be
fine. There isn't much to go wrong with sewing machines. Unless one has
really been hammered - used non-stop - parts don't seem to wear. Check the
finish of the paint: if it's worn or has lots of nicks from pins, it's
probably been used a lot.

When you go to test-drive machines, take along samples of the type of
fabrics you'll be sewing. Dealers often use a stiffened felt-type fabric for
demonstrating their machines: almost anything will sew well on it. Take
samples of light-weight fabric such as fine sheeting or voile, and\line some
heavy-weight such as upholstery or denim. If you have a pair of old jeans,
cut off the leg and try sewing over the bulky seam. Also try out the sort of
things you'll be sewing - do you use a lot of zippers? You'll need to test
the zipper foot. Buttons mean checking the buttonhole facility. Make sure
that YOU do the sewing - don't just watch the dealer demonstrating. If the
dealer won't let you sew on the machine, leave the shop.

When you've decided which machine is for you, there's the price. You
wouldn't buy a car at the price on the windscreen, would you? Well, a sewing
machine is just the same. Haggle (nicely). It isn't rude: it's good business
practice. Every pound/dollar you get knocked off the price is another spool
of thread to use on your new machine. Ask "Will you take $xxx for cash?"
"Will you throw in the xxx foot for that price?" Say "That's more than my
husband/wife/anyone else who isn't there wants me to spend - can you knock
something off?" "I like this, but machine xxx at dealer yyy is nice too, and
it's less". Don't push too hard, though: you need after-sales support.

If you want extra feet, the quilting kit, or lessons, now is the time to
negotiate for them. You may be able to get them thrown in or at least\line
reduced in price.

If you're buying a lower-end machine, a good bargaining tool is to make it
clear to the dealer that you'll come back to him/her when you're ready to
upgrade to a fancier model. You don't have to tell him that it may not be
within this lifetime.

There's a frequent debate in sewing newsgroups about buying on-line. You may
be able to save a lot of money, but it will be at the expense of local
support. A machine bought on-line may not have a valid warranty. You have to
decide whether the money you'll save is worth the support and warranty.

Once you've got your new machine home, take care of it. Clean it out at the
end of every project, and give it a nice new needle after every 6 hours of
sewing. Protect your investment by using good-quality thread and needles.
Oil it if the manual tells you to, and do bring it in to be serviced if you
notice something is wrong.

Most of all, tho, enjoy your new hobby!

Ronnie


--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
De-STUFF email address to reply

What is a Squishie? "Rules of the Game"

Squishie protocol differs. "Squishie" is generic, of course. Anything that
squishes in your mailbox (fabric-wise--we won't discuss vandals or kids with
too much time on their hands) is a squishie. If you're involved in a swap
('you send me... and I'll send you...'), or you lose a bet, then of course
the timeline on returns is worked out from the git-go. If, however, you're
being squished as a 'welcome friend!/no reason at all' gesture, the "rules"
are a bit grayer. I'd be willing to bet that the sender isn't really
expecting a return squish.

*However*, the general mood of these squishies is "pass it on". When you get
a chance to welcome someone else, or you see a piece that reminds you of
someone on RCTQ, send your own 'no reason' squishie. It all manages to come
back to you, in one form or another. One thing seems to be agreed-upon,
however: PLEASE acknowledge the receipt of your squishie, and do so
privately (through e-mail, not through this newsgroup). Whether you've
received the fabric as a result of a swap, or as a surprise gift, the sender
needs to know you've received it (but *only* the sender--no one else is
interested). These same guidelines apply to sending squishies: if you wish
to alert people to be on a lookout for some fabric, do so privately through
e-mail. Sometimes it happens that the only way you can contact someone is
through RCTQ. In that case, please refer to first names or e-mail addresses
only. Many people have no wish to have their last names known or made public
on/through the newsgroup.

And now, in the words of others:

A squishie is a package of quilt fabric sent to another quilter. These can
be pre-planned, like in the fat quarter exchanges (a FQ is 18" x 22"), or
spontaneous gifts to cheer someone, congratulate them, or for no reason at
all. by Singer
~~~~~~~~~~
The sort of envelope where you look at the return address and then just sort
of squeeze it in between your fingers, knowing that you'll have something
fabric-wise to fondle at work!
by Mary Beth
~~~~~~~~~~
Squishies are those wonderful packages you receive in the mail when you are
a participant in an exchange of fabric or quilt blocks. They usually don't
arrive as a typically flat piece of mail - but lumpy, soft, squeezable,
squishie! It's like a special gift that you can't wait to open!
by Pam
~~~~~~~~~~
A squishie is something that one quilter sends to another quilter, for no
reason at all, or to brighten the day, or... without thought of being paid
back. It is a gift. It is fabric, sometimes a fat quarter or two, or some
leftover pieces that you "know" so and so will just love these. It is done
because it pleases the sender to send it.
by MaryAnne
~~~~~~~~~~
Squishies - the things that make a trip to the letterbox worthwhile
(envelopes from far off places that contain cloth wrapped in plastic, and
sometimes contain other interesting snippets, and always come with and cause
great feelings of goodwill) and that drive the children nuts - "ALL the mail
was for you AGAIN, Mum."
by Vivien in Auckland, New Zealand
~~~~~~~~~~
Squishies are absolutly free-form! You can send fat quarters or fat eighths,
or charm squares (6x6 or 5x5 are the most common), or strips, or scraps. A
squishy is a welcome thing indeed! It's an envelope containing fabric that
turns up in your mailbox because some nice person wants to make sure you're
sticking to a high-fiber diet.
by (Nann, Official Librarian of R.C.T.Q.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leslie in Missouri wrote: I owe squishies to a few people Okay.
Here's where our ng terminology gets us into trouble. You do not OWE
squishies. Nope. Squishies are a gift from the heart and are not intended
nor expected to be reciprocated. (Have you read Ms. Sarah's most excellent
description of a squishie???)

Leslie NOT making any more trades; but still enjoying sending
squishies..... and stabbies and Furbabies in MO.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wendy (frood) wrote:
I have a theory that the universe knows when a squishie is going to be
needed, and helps them arrive in the right mailbox on the right day. Even a
terrible, horrible, very bad day can be brightened with a squishie.
Ordinary, everyday wearying days are also made better with one. If you are
having a bad day, and none arrives in your mailbox, it doesn't mean you
aren't loved. Try sending one out instead, and watch your mood improve!


--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
De-STUFF email address to reply