♪ Georgia Bonesteel: WELCOME TO OUR "BACK TO THE BASICS" SHOW.

INSIDE HERE AT FREEDOM ESCAPE, THERE ARE 27 LADIES WITH ITCHY FINGERS, EAGER TO LEARN, SHARE, AND JUST HAVE FUN FOR A WEEK.

JOIN US AS WE MAKE THE VIRGINIA REEL WALL PIECE AND LEARN THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF PATCHWORK.

♪ "LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INCORPORATED, MAKERS OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS FOR THE HOME, CLASSROOM, AND INDUSTRY.

AND COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING J&P COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS THREAD.

FOR YEARS, I HAVE BEEN SHOWING AND TEACHING YOU QUILTING, AND SOME HAVE SAID, "YOU'VE LOST ME.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

EVERYTHING'S GOTTEN TOO INVOLVED."

SO WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO BASICS TODAY, AND I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME WITH MY CLASS HERE AT FREEDOM ESCAPE FOR A WEEKLONG RETREAT.

NOW IT'S ONE THING TO GO TO A CONVENTION OR A SYMPOSIUM FOR TWO DAYS, BUT WHAT ABOUT A WHOLE WEEK TAKING QUILT LESSONS AND GROWING AND SHARING AND JUST HAVING FUN TOGETHER?

I KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY SEEING WHAT THE GIRLS ARE DOING THIS WEEK AT FREEDOM ESCAPE.

HOW DO YOU BEGIN?

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR QUILTING?

IT'S REALLY VERY ELEMENTARY.

WE GET CARRIED AWAY WITH SOME OF OUR TOYS, BUT WHEN YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT, WE JUST NEED A PAIR OF SCISSORS, WE NEED SOME ROTARY CUTTERS-- WE'RE CUTTING ROUND AND ROUND THESE DAYS-- WITH SOME NICE MATS TO GO WITH IT, WE NEED THREAD, STRAIGHT PINS, SOME NEEDLES, MARKING DEVICES-- AND THAT WOULD BE PENCILS, FABRIC MARKERS, AND CHALK PENCILS-- THIMBLES, AND OF COURSE WE NEED OUR FABRIC.

AND ONCE YOU'VE GOT THAT IN HAND, YOU'RE REALLY READY TO START QUILTING.

IF THE TERMS BOTHER YOU AND YOU'RE NOT REALLY SURE OF ALL THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK, I THOUGHT WE'D HAVE A QUICK REVIEW IN THAT.

A QUILT IS, AFTER ALL, NOTHING MORE THAN A SANDWICH.

IT STARTS WITH THE BACKING OF A QUILT, AND WE QUITE OFTEN SEE MUSLIN USED AS THE BACKING.

THE STITCHES SHOW UP SO BEAUTIFULLY ON THE MUSLIN.

IT'S A NICE SURFACE TO WORK ON, AND IT'S BEEN VERY POPULAR.

SO MUSLIN IS ONE WAY TO GO.

IF YOU'RE CHOOSING A SMALL PRINT OR ANY SORT OF A PRINT, I THINK IT'S NICE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STITCHES SHOW UP, AND SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING LAP QUILTING LIKE THE PRINT BACKING BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN HIDE AND DISGUISE THAT CONNECTION ON THE BACK.

THE MIDDLE PART OF OUR QUILT IS CALLED THE BATTING.

THAT'S THE MEAT IN OUR QUILTS, AND QUITE OFTEN TODAY, WE'RE USING POLYESTER BATTING.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TODAY.

IT TAKES THE NEEDLE VERY EASILY, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO QUILT SO CLOSE AS YOU USED TO WITH COTTON BATTING.

A QUILT IS USUALLY IN 3 FORMS.

IT'S EITHER AN APPLIQUÉ QUILT OR A WHOLE CLOTH QUILT, WHERE IT'S JUST A SOLID PIECE OF FABRIC, OR IT'S A PIECED QUILT.

THIS IS THE MONKEY WRENCH PATTERN, AND IT'S A PIECED BLOCK, AND IT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING TODAY.

STENCILING REFERS TO ALL-- GOING BACK TO YOUR MARKING-- ALL THE WONDERFUL FRILLY LINES, THE FEATHER WREATHS, THE HEARTS, THE UNUSUAL SHAPES THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO THE SURFACE.

SOMETIMES, YOU BUY THEM ALREADY MADE.

YOU CAN BUY BOOKS AND COPY OUT OF, OR YOU CAN--IF YOU'RE CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN DESIGNS, BUT THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT KEY TO THE QUILTING, AND WE LEARNED SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH OURS THAT THE GIRLS HAVE ALREADY STARTED DOING, AND I THINK IT REALLY IS A FUN WAY TO BE VERY NOT ONLY CREATIVE BUT KIND OF PERSONAL ON YOUR QUILT.

WE'RE DOING THIS--A LOT OF THEM ARE DOING IT IN THE CENTER BLOCK OF THEIR VIRGINIA REEL PATTERN, AND WHAT YOU DO IS TAKE A PIECE OF FREEZER PAPER, FOLD IT INTO A TRIANGLE-- IT NEEDS TO BE A PERFECT SQUARE, ACTUALLY SMALLER THAN THE SURFACE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE QUILTING BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO QUILT OUT TO THE EDGE IN LAP QUILTING.

SO IT NEEDS TO BE-- IN THIS CASE, WE'RE WORKING WITH AN 18-INCH BLOCK-- I WOULD SAY ABOUT 17 OR A 17 1/2-INCH SQUARE FOLDED INTO A TRIANGLE ONCE, TWICE, AND THEN ALL THE WAY DOWN AGAIN.

SO YOU HAVE A FOLD AND THEN A FOLD ON THIS SIDE AND ANOTHER TWO FOLDS.

THEN GO AHEAD AND WITH YOUR PENCIL DRAW IN YOUR INITIAL, MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE FOLD HITS OVER HERE OR OVER HERE, AND THEN ONCE THAT IS OPEN, YOU GET A BEAUTIFUL DESIGN THAT CAN GO ON THE SURFACE, AND NOT ONLY-- WITH THE POLYCOATED SIDE, YOU CAN THEN ADHERE THAT WITH AN IRON BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR BATTING UNDERNEATH AND TRACE AROUND IT, AND YOU HAVE YOUR DESIGN ALREADY READY.

JANE MILLER HAS ALREADY GOTTEN HERS NOT ONLY CUT OUT BUT PLACED AND BASED IT AND READY TO GO.

NOW THIS IS THE CENTER OF HER QUILT, AND THE CENTER OF MINE, I USED JUST THAT STENCIL DESIGN.

THIS IS THE WHOLE VIRGINIA REEL PATTERN MADE WITH 4 MONKEY WRENCH BLOCKS, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY 4 PLACES TO DO PIECEWORK-- AND I GOT A NEW LITTLE GOODY TO SHOW YOU ON THE BACK HERE-- PLUS 5 PLACES, THE CENTER AND 4 OTHERS, TO DO JUST QUILTING, AND IT'S GONNA BE UP TO YOU WHETHER ON THESE BIG AREAS, WORKING WITH A LARGE FLORAL PRINT, WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO HAND-QUILTING, MAYBE TRY SOME MACHINE-QUILTING, OR JUST CROSSHATCHING.

CROSSHATCHING ARE JUST STRAIGHT LINES THAT OVERLAP EACH OTHER AT RIGHT ANGLES, AND THAT'S ALWAYS VERY HANDSOME IN QUILTING, TOO.

SO LET'S GET A RUNDOWN ON HOW THIS BLOCK WAS DRAFTED.

WE NEED TO GO TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO DO THAT.

PATCHWORK STARTS ON PAPER.

IN ORDER TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOUR SHAPES ARE GOING TO BE DESIGNED, YOU NEED TO DRAW AN OUTLINE OF YOUR BLOCK-- IN THIS CASE, IT'S A 12-INC BLOCK, AND THEN EVERY TIME YOU SEE A LINE DRAWN, THAT REPRESENTS A SEAM LINE, AND THEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT TO DESIGN A TEMPLATE THAT WILL HAVE A SEAM ALLOWANCE THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO SEW THIS TOGETHER AND EAT UP THE FABRIC.

SO LET'S GO TO THE BOARD AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

EVEN WHEN YOU'RE DRAWING ON PAPER, YOU NEED TO HAVE GOOD RULERS AND PENCILS, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THIS WAS DRAFTED, STARTING WITH A 12-INCH BLOCK.

PRETEND THIS IS, OF COURSE, OUR 12-INCH.

THIS BLOCK IS GONNA BE A PORTION OF OUR BIG WALL HANGING, SO YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY DEALING WITH A 9-SECTION WALL HANGING, AND THIS IS THE ONE WE WERE GONNA DO OUR QUILTING IN AND ALSO THE 4 CORNERS.

WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR PATCHWORK ARE IN THESE 4 BLOCKS.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONCENTRATING ON.

THIS IS A 12-INCH BLOCK.

NOW ONE OF YOUR MOST BASIC BLOCKS IS 4-PATCH, AND WE THINK OF A 4-PATCH OF JUST EQUAL DIVISIONS OF ANY GIVEN AREA.

I ALSO REFER TO THIS AS A 4-PATCH IN THAT YOU FIND THE MIDPOINT ON ALL 4 SIDES AND CONNECT THEM, AND YOU'RE GONNA START WITH 4 TRIANGLES ALL THE SAME SIZE, AND THEN THIS DIAGONAL LINE, YOU'RE GONNA FIND THE MIDPOINT AGAIN HERE, HERE, AND HERE AND CONNECT THEM.

ANOTHER SET OF TRIANGLES ALL THE SAME, BUT THEY ARE SMALLER THAN THIS ONE.

SO YOU'RE JUST KIND OF FINDING THE MIDPOINT AND COME DOWN ALL THE WAY, AND YOU COULD JUST KEEP GOING, COULDN'T YOU, AND IF YOU KEPT GOING WITH ANOTHER SET OF TRIANGLES, YOU'D HAVE A WHOLE NEW QUILT BLOCK PATTERN.

IN THE CASE OF THE MONKEY WRENCH, AFTER 3 TRIANGLES-- LARGE, MEDIUM, AND SMALL-- YOU STOP AND YOU CREATE A 4-PATCH JUST LIKE THAT.

NOW IF I WERE DESIGNING THIS ON PAPER AND THEN WANTED TO MAKE MY OWN TEMPLATES, I'D STOP AT THIS POINT AND DECIDE HOW MANY TIMES IS THIS REPRESENTED.

WE KNOW IT'S 4 TIMES.

THAT'S REPRESENTED 4, SO LET'S SAY THAT'S TEMPLATE "A."

IT HAS TO BE CUT OUT 4 TIMES, AND WE'D PUT A GRAIN LINE ON THAT.

WE'D PROBABLY SAY, "CUT 4."

THE GRAIN LINE HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE OUTSIDE OF THE BLOCK, SO WE WANT THAT TEMPLATE TO BE PLACED ON THE FABRIC PARALLEL TO THE STRAIGHT OF THE GRAIN.

WE TALKED ABOUT GRAIN LINE.

THAT WILL MEAN THAT THIS SIDE OF YOUR RIGHT-ANGLE TRIANGLE IS GONNA BE ON THE CROSSWISE.

AND THE SAME FOR ALL OTHER 3 CORNERS.

OUR NEXT TRIANGLE WOULD BE TRIANGLE "B," LET'S SAY, AND WE'RE GONNA CUT 4 OF THAT, AND BECAUSE IT'S AN INSIDE TRIANGLE, YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE GRAIN LINE AGAIN, AND I'D JUST AS SOON GO AHEAD AND HAVE THIS RIGHT ANGLE BE SEWN TO THAT BIAS OF THAT.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A STABILITY THAT HAPPENS IN PATCHWORK.

IT'S FINE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

THEN WE HAVE TRIANGLE "C," WHICH WOULD BE 4, ALSO, AND I'D DO THE GRAIN LINE LIKE SO, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR 4-PATCH.

NOW THE WAY YOU DECIDE ON YOUR FABRIC SELECTION IS GONNA MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS BLOCK.

THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT A MONKEY WRENCH.

NOW WHAT IF YOU SAID, "WELL, I'D LIKE TO DO "A WALL HANGING, ONLY SMALLER, "BUT I'LL START WITH AN 8-INCH BLOCK INSTEAD OF A 12"?

YOU SAY, "WELL, I'LL FIX THAT.

"I'LL JUST GO TO THE XEROX MACHINE AND HAVE THIS REDUCED UNTIL I GET 8 INCHES."

THAT WON'T WORK.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU THEN HAVE TO START WITH AN 8-INCH SQUARE, BUT ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR DESIGN ON PAPER, YOU CAN THEN GO BACK TO TAKING ANY SORT OF TEMPLATE MATERIAL-- IT COULD BE YOUR OPAQUE PLASTIC, IT COULD BE GRITTED PLASTIC.

PLACE IT ON TOP, AND THEN EACH TEMPLATE, THE "A," THE "B," AND "C" AND THE SQUARE, NEED TO BE CUT OUT, AND YOU NEED TO ADD A QUARTER-INCH SEAM ALLOWANCE.

SOMETIMES TEMPLATES COME IN BOOKS WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND GLUE IT AND MAKE A CARDBOARD TEMPLATE.

ONCE YOU DO THIS AND YOU HAVE YOUR QUARTER-INCH TURNS MARK, YOU CAN PUNCH THESE OUT WITH A HOLE PUNCH, AND THAT ALLOWS YOU, AS YOU'RE MARKING YOUR FABRIC, TO GO AHEAD AND PUT A LITTLE DOT ON THE CORNER OF YOUR FABRIC, AND YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE SEWING THROUGH.

IT'S NOT WHERE YOU STOP, BUT IT GIVES YOU A GUIDE TO SEW THROUGH.

LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

WITH TEMPLATES IN HAND, WE'RE READY TO THINK FABRIC.

LET ME JUST REVIEW HERE.

YOU'VE GOT THE 4 TRIANGLES, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY'RE GONNA END UP LOOKING LIKE THIS BLOCK.

WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN OUR TRIANGLES IS THE FACT THAT WE'VE GONE TO TWO DARK AND TWO LIGHT WITH EACH ONE OF THEM.

TRUE, WE'RE CUTTING 4, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO DARK, TWO LIGHT, TWO DARK, TWO LIGHT ALL THE WAY DOWN, EVEN TO THE SQUARE ITSELF, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS SNAIL OR THIS MONKEY WRENCH LOOK IN THE WHOLE BLOCK.

SO THEN WE TAKE OUR TEMPLATE AND POSITION IT ON THE FABRIC.

BECAUSE I KNOW I NEED TWO DARK AND TWO LIGHT, I'VE GONE AHEAD AND LAYERED THE FABRIC.

NOW WE SHOULD PRESHRINK THE FABRIC, WASH AND IRON IT BEFOREHAND IN JUST ABOUT ALL OF PATCHWORK.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I TAKE SOME LIBERTIES WITH A WALL HANGING, AND IF I'VE TESTED THE FABRIC, I WON'T PRESHRINK IT BECAUSE I QUITE OFTEN LIKE TO KEEP THAT SHEEN ON IT.

AND IN THIS PARTICULAR PIECE, I SIMPLY LINE UP THE TEMPLATE.

COME AWAY FROM THE SELVAGE.

YOU DON'T WANT THE SELVAGE TO BE INCLUDED.

YOU'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT.

TRACE AROUND IT.

IT MEANS HOLDING IT IN POSITION.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO WORK WITH A LAP BOARD, IN WHICH CASE THEY'D SECURE SOME FINE SANDPAPER UNDERNEATH THE FABRIC, AND IT KEEPS IT FROM MOVING, BUT GO AHEAD AND TRACE AROUND IT AND THEN COME AROUND LIKE SO.

BUTT THOSE LINES RIGHT UP NEXT TO EACH OTHER, MAKING CERTAIN THAT THAT LINE IS PARALLEL TO THE SELVAGE, AND THEN YOU'RE READY TO TRACE.

NOW WHEN YOU'RE TRACING, OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER.

YOU'LL HAVE TO TEST YOUR FABRIC.

YOU COULD USE A PENCIL OR SOAP SLIVERS, THE ONES THAT YOU'VE BEEN SAVING.

THOSE MAKE VERY NICE MARKS, ALSO, BUT MAKE SURE THAT IT'S WORN THIN, THAT IT MAKES--HAS A REAL NICE, FINE EDGE.

DO NOT USE A MARKING PEN THAT'S PERMANENT OR A BALLPOINT PEN.

THOSE ARE REAL NO-NOS.

AND I'D BE CAREFUL WITH THE FABRIC MARKERS BECAUSE QUITE OFTEN, THAT WILL LEAVE SOME RESIDUE ON THAT CUTTING EDGE, AND WHEN YOU GO THE IRON, YOU MIGHT BE STEAM-IRONING THAT MARK INTO YOUR FABRIC, SO YOU NEED TO KIND OF SAVE THOSE FOR YOUR MARKING.

FROM THAT ONE, I WOULD GO TO THE SMALLER TRIANGLE, LINE THAT UP.

GO AHEAD.

LET'S SWITCH TO THE SOAP THIS TIME AND JUST MARK IT ALL THE WAY AROUND ON THE OUTSIDE, AND ONCE YOU'VE DONE THAT, FLIP THAT AROUND.

WHEN YOU'RE READY TO CUT-- AND I'D GO AHEAD AND MARK ALL OF THEM, ALL 3 TRIANGLES.

WHEN YOU'RE READY TO CUT, YOU HAVE THE OPTION.

OF COURSE, OUR STANDBY, WONDERFUL SCISSORS.

GO AHEAD AND SIMPLY LINE THAT UP.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT A PIN HERE TO KIND OF KEEP THAT TOGETHER.

YOU'D BE AMAZED.

FABRIC SEEMS TO WANT TO LOCK ON AND HOLD TO EACH OTHER, BUT GO AHEAD AND PUT A PIN, AND KNOWING THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT ALL READY TO GO, JUST CUT THIS OUT, KEEPING IN MIND THAT THAT CUTTING EDGE IS THE GUIDE TO SEW IN 1/4 OF AN INCH.

YOU'VE ALREADY BUILT THAT IN TO YOUR SEAM ALLOWANCE.

THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO GET ONE OF YOUR SMALLER THICK-EDGED RULERS.

NOW YOU NEED TO HAVE A NICE THICK EDGE BECAUSE WHEN YOU USE THE ROTARY CUTTERS, IT'S JUST TOO EASY FOR THIS TO SKIP OVER.

LINE THAT UP RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND CUT RIGHT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

NOW ONE THING PEOPLE-- I HAVE SEEN DONE BEFORE IS TO NOT MARK FIRST AND SIMPLY PLACE THE TEMPLATE ON TOP AND THEN HOLD THIS ON TOP.

THAT'S KIND OF RISKY BECAUSE YOU RUN THE CHANCE OF MOVING A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME REAL EXPERTS DO THAT, WHERE THEY CAN HOLD THIS RULER ON TOP OF THE TEMPLATE AND JUST GO AHEAD AND CUT OUT.

BUT YOU'LL LIKE THE NICE EDGE THAT THE ROTARY CUTTER DOES GIVE YOU, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT YOU'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL, KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM THIS EDGE, AND THE MINUTE YOU'RE NOT USING IT, RETRACT THE BLADE.

BUT ONCE YOU'RE CUT, THEN POSITION YOUR BLOCK ON A PIECE OF CARDBOARD SO IT'S ALL PICTURED EXACTLY THE WAY IT LOOKED ON THE TEMPLATE SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT'S GONNA BE SEWN, AND THEN YOU'RE READY TO GO TO THE SEWING MACHINE.

NOW WE'RE READY TO PUT OUR 4-PATCH TOGETHER.

START IN THE CENTER WITH YOUR BLOCK, AND I'VE PUT THE TWO RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, AND IT'S NOT JUST LINING UP THE SIDES YOU'RE GONNA SEW.

YOU NEED TO LINE UP THE OTHER CORNERS, ALSO, AND THEN YOU'RE READY TO START YOUR STITCHING, REMEMBERING THAT THE SEAM YOU'RE GONNA TAKE HAS GOT TO BE EQUAL TO WHAT YOU ALLOWED IN THE TEMPLATES WHEN YOU CUT IT OUT.

YOU TRANSFER THIS TO CLOTH, SO THEN YOU'RE READY TO-- AND SOMETIMES, I WILL PUT MY MACHINE ON A LITTLE HALF-RIGHT NEEDLE POSITION BECAUSE I CAN STILL KEEP THE FABRIC RIGHT LINED UP AS A GUIDE TO THAT PRESSER FOOT, BUT THE NEEDLE WILL GO OVER JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'LL SEW ALL THE WAY DOWN AND PICK THIS ONE UP.

TWO RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, AND A LOT CAN HAPPEN FROM HERE TO HERE.

SO WHEN YOU PICK THOSE UP, REMEMBER THAT IT'S THAT INSIDE SEAM THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SEW, SO PICK THAT, COME OVER HERE, LINE UP YOUR CORNERS.

IF YOU FEEL MORE SECURE AT FIRST, YOU COULD PUT A PIN IN THERE TO HOLD THOSE TOGETHER.

FROM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THAT, BUT IF YOU FEEL BETTER AT FIRST, YOU CAN START THAT WAY.

THEN JUST SLIDE THAT IN, AND YOUR MACHINE WILL JUST KEEP SEWING ALL THE WAY DOWN.

I WOULD USE A DUAL-DUTY OR AN ALL-PURPOSE THREAD.

YOU DON'T WANT TO USE A QUILTING THREAD, AND YOU WANT TO USE A LONG STAPLE THREAD.

YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THE KIND THAT ARE 10 FOR A DOLLAR AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER BECAUSE IT'S NOT A GOOD THREAD FOR YOUR MACHINE.

WHEN YOU'VE OPENED THAT UP, YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME BACK HERE AND JUST CHECK, MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO.

KNOWING THAT YOUR SEAMS ARE GONNA BE CLOSED, THUMB-CREASE THAT TO THE DARK AND THUMB-CREASE THAT TO THE DARK SO THAT YOU'VE GOT YOUR SEAMS GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

THEN YOU'RE GONNA COME AND SEW THAT TOGETHER, AND THE WEIGHT IS DISTRIBUTED.

YOU'VE GOT ONE SEAM GOING THAT WAY AND ONE THE OTHER WAY.

SO JUST LINE THAT UP.

WITH THE OLD LICKY-FINGER ROUTINE, YOU CAN THEN FIGURE OUT THAT THOSE ARE STAGGERED.

NOW YOU CAN PUT A PIN IN THERE AND CHECK DOWN HERE, ALSO.

COME HERE AND HERE, AND YOU'RE READY TO SEW ACROSS AGAIN.

AS YOU'RE SEWING, I SOMETIMES WILL STOP, TAKE THAT PIN OUT, AND PEEK AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S RIGHT WHERE I WANT IT.

I DON'T LIKE TO SEW OVER THE PINS, BUT COME ALL THE WAY DOWN, KEEPING THAT QUARTER-INCH SEAM ALLOWANCE.

NOW AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO THUMB CREASE IT AGAIN AND CHECK YOUR INSIDE CONNECTION.

BOY, I DID GOOD TODAY.

THANK HEAVENS.

RIGHT ON TARGET, AND IT'S AT THIS POINT YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT SEAM AND PUT IT ONE DIRECTION, AND YOU NOTICE THAT BECAUSE ONE WHOLE SEAM IS FALLING THAT WAY YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF BULK ON THAT SIDE, AND THAT'S GONNA BOTHER YOU WHEN YOU START QUILTING.

MY NEW TRICK THAT IS SO EXCITING-- I LEARNED THIS IN BILLINGS, MONTANA, SO I CALL THIS MY BILLINGS BONUS-- IS IF YOU'LL COME BACK WITH A PIN AND TAKE THE STITCHES OUT THAT WERE THE INITIAL SEAM THAT YOU DID.

TAKE A PIN AND JUST TAKE THOSE STITCHES OUT.

YOU DON'T NEED TO CUT THEM.

THEY'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

TAKE THOSE OUT AND THEN COME OVER HERE AND TAKE THE SAME THING OUT OVER HERE.

YOU NEED TO JUST PULL THOSE STITCHES OUT.

A SEAM RIPPER WILL DO IT FINE, ALSO, BUT IT'S REALLY EASY ONCE YOU GET THOSE FREE.

THEN TAKE AND OPEN IT UP, AND YOU SEE HOW THAT SEAM AND THAT SEAM ARE SEWN GOING WHAT WE WOULD SAY COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS PUSH THAT ALL THE WAY BACK, THAT ONE AND THAT ONE ALL THE WAY, AND YOU GET WHAT WE CALL CONCENTRIC SEAMS GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, AND YOU ALSO GET A LITTLE 4-PATCH ON THE BACK SIDE, AND IT DISTRIBUTES ALL THE WEIGHT.

IT REALLY MAKES IT SO NICE.

YOU DEVELOP A LITTLE 4-PATCH RIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION, AND I THINK YOU'LL REALLY LIKE IT.

AT THIS POINT, I WOULD GO AHEAD AND PRESS THAT BECAUSE THAT KIND OF SETS THAT FOR ADDING THE REST OF YOUR TRIANGLES, BUT YOU'RE GONNA LIKE THE WAY THAT FEELS.

IT'S GONNA MAKE IT EASIER TO PUT A NEEDLE IN THAT AREA.

AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE READY TO COME AND ADD YOUR TRIANGLES ON, AND WHEN YOU ADD THAT, USE THAT RIGHT ANGLE TRIANGLE RIGHT HE AS A GUIDE.

SEE HOW THAT'S GONNA LINE UP RIGHT THERE?

THAT IS CENTERED RIGHT THERE, AND YOU'VE GOT THE SAME AMOUNT OF DOG EARS-- WE CALL THOSE LITTLE DOG EARS HANGING OFF THE SIDE-- THE SAME AMOUNT OF DOG EARS HANGING OFF OF EACH SIDE.

THEN WE'RE READY TO STITCH AGAIN, AND ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU FEEL BETTER, GO AHEAD AND PUT A PIN RIGHT THERE TO ANCHOR THAT.

I GO FROM ONE TRIANGLE TO THE OPPOSITE ONE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

YOU CAN KEEP GOING ALL THE WAY ROUND, BUT IT'S SOMETIMES EASY TO GET CONFUSED.

ONCE THAT'S BEEN DONE, THEN OPEN THAT UP, AND I CAN GET BY HERE WITH JUST THUMB-CREASING, AND I WOULD COME OVER AND THEN SEW THIS ONE ON THE SAME WAY.

THEN I'D COME AND SEW THESE ON.

SO I'D HAVE MY FIRST SET OF TRIANGLES, AND I'VE REALLY JUST MADE ANOTHER SQUARE.

THEN I'M GONNA COME AND DO THE SAME THING.

TRIANGLE--AND MAKE SURE WHEN YOU CENTER THAT THAT THAT RIGHT ANGLE IS SQUARED OFF WITH THAT.

YOU SEE THAT AREA THERE?

IT'S ALL A MATTER OF BALANCE AND KEEPING THE SAME AMOUNT OF DOG EARS HANGING OUT, AND PRETTY SOON, YOUR BLOCK IS GONNA BUILD UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE PIECE BLOCKED, AND I USE A THREAD THAT'S COMPATIBLE.

IN THIS CASE, I'VE USED KIND OF A SHADE OF GREEN, BUT USUALLY THE MUDDY GRAYS AND THE TANS ARE YOUR BEST THREADS TO USE IN PIECING, AND AT THIS POINT, I KNOW THAT MY BLOCK FROM HERE TO HERE IS GOING TO BE A 12-- WELL, I HOPE MY BLOCK'S GONNA BE A 12-INCH BLOCK FROM THERE TO THERE, BUT IF I INCLUDE THE SEAM ALLOWANCES, IT'S GONNA BE 12 1/2, AND FOR OUR WHOLE VIRGINIA REEL PATTERN, WE NEED 4 OF THESE.

SO NOW I'M GONNA CHECK THIS ON THE IRONING BOARD, AND I FOUND THIS NEW COVER THAT REALLY IS NICE FOR MY BOARD.

NOT ONLY CAN I IRON AND GET IT ALL SET-- AND I WOULD PRESS IT ON THE BACK SIDE, ALSO.

CLEAN UP YOUR BLOCKS, GET RID OF ANY EXTRA THREADS.

IF YOU'VE GOT DARK-- FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU'RE SEWING A DARK HERE AND YOU'VE GOT LIGHT ON HERE, MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DARK SEAM ALLOWANCES EKING OUT.

I'D TRIM ANYTHING OFF BECAUSE LATER ON THAT'S THE FABRIC THAT'S GONNA COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU, AND IT'S STUCK IN YOUR QUILT.

YOU CAN'T GET IT OUT.

SO NOW'S THE TIME TO TRIM IT UP, AND ANY EXTRA FABRICS, JUST GET RID OF THEM.

THAT'S EXTRA WEIGHT THAT YOU DON'T NEED IN YOUR QUILT, BUT I'D PRESS IT ON THIS SIDE FIRST AND THEN FLIP IT OVER ON THIS SIDE, AND I CAN LINE THIS RIGHT UP AND JUST KNOW THAT I'VE GOT MY 12 1/2 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THERE AND THERE, AND I'M READY TO THEN MAKE--TAKE A MASTER TEMPLATE, WHICH WOULD BE A PERFECT 12-INCH SQUARE, AND I CAN DRAW AROUND THAT, GIVING MYSELF THE 1/4 OF AN INCH ON ALL 4 SIDES, AND THAT BECOMES BY LINE TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU'RE GONNA PUT YOUR BORDERS ON.

SO NOW I'M READY TO SEE YOU PERFORM.

LET'S GET THOSE MACHINES REVVED UP, OK?

KAREN, FINE.RE YOU?

YOU'RE DOING THE VIRGINIA REEL, OR THE MONKEY WRENCH PATTERN, IN THE SMALLER SIZE, THE 8-INCH ONE.

YOU'RE PUTTING 3 OF THOSE TOGETHER.

SO YOU'LL COME UP WITH WHAT... A 24-INCH SQUARE.

AND I NOTICE YOU'RE DOING THE CENTER AREA DIFFERENT.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING INSTEAD OF THE INDIVIDUAL SQUARES?

RIGHT.

INSTEAD OF CUTTING OUT ALL THESE LITTLE SQUARES, THERE ARE PAIRS OF THESE, SO I HAVE SEWED A LONG STRIP OF THIS AND A LONG STRIP OF THIS TOGETHER, AND THEN I WILL CUT THEM OFF IN SECTIONS AND HAVE MY LITTLE PAIRS LIKE THIS.

OH, THEN YOU'RE ALL SET.

OH, THAT'S GOOD.

ASSEMBLY LINE.

RIGHT.

YOU'RE THINKING AHEAD, AND WE'VE GOT NEXT TO YOU, FITTINGLY ENOUGH, IS YOUR MOTHER.

THIS IS REALLY ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEAM.

LUCILLE, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR-- YOU'VE GOT YOUR INITIALS IN YOUR CENTER BLOCK.

TELL ME HOW IT GOES.

THIS IS THE CENTER BLOCK FOR THE MONKEY WRENCH PATTERN, AND I MADE THE STENCIL WITH FREEZER PAPER, AND I HAVE MY INITIALS ALL ROUND--"L.U."

HERE.

AND THEN IT TURNED OUT I HAD A "W" FOR MY MAIDEN NAME.

YOU LUCKED OUT.

THAT'S PERFECT.

YOU REALLY DID.

MARILYN, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.

YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW THIS OFF.

I MEAN, WE COULD CALL THIS THE YEAR QUILT CLASS, COULDN'T WE, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER, AND LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT BACK TO SHOW OFF.

I KNOW HOW PROUD YOU ARE.

IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.

OH, IT'S LOVELY.

DO YOU HANG THAT IN YOUR HOUSE?

YES.

HAVE NAMED IT?

YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN IT A NAME?

WELL, I'M SORT OF THINKING ABOUT "WEAVERVILLE STAR" FOR THE LOCATION.

THAT'S GREAT.

OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

MARGE, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

HAVE YOU STARTED YOUR PIECING?

YOU'VE DONE ONE.

I'VE GOT ONE DONE.

IT SEEMS TO BE GOING WELL.

I NOTICED IN YOUR DEMONSTRATION THAT YOU DON'T DO ANY BACKSTITCHING.

WELL, WE'VE FOUND THAT IT'S NOT REALLY NECESSARY.

IT TAKES EXTRA THREAD, TAKES EXTRA TIME, AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT INVARIABLY IN ALL PATCHWORK YOU'RE GONNA CROSS OVER AGAIN, AND WE USE THAT AS KIND OF A LOCK TO LOCK EACH SEAM.

SEW IT ALL TOGETHER.

WE HOPE SO.

WE HOPE SO, BUT YOU'RE DOING GREAT.

MAY, I SEE YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

NOW YOU'RE CHECKING THE SIZE OF THAT BLOCK, THE CENTER SQUARE.

LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE TIP.

IT DOES HELP IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A TEMPLATE THAT IS THE SIZE OF THAT CENTER SQUARE PLUS THE SEAM ALLOWANCE, AND THAT CAN BECOME LIKE A LITTLE CHECKING POINT TO THEN PUT THIS ON TOP, AND OF COURSE, YOU HAVEN'T PRESSED THIS YET, BUT ONCE THAT HAS BEEN PRESSED, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN IT SHOULD BE, WHICH MEANS YOU'RE TAKING PROBABLY A SEAM ALLOWANCE THAT'S A LITTLE TOO FAT, TOO HEALTHY.

SO THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO THE OTHER LITTLE THING THAT YOU WERE DOING, WHICH WAS... TRIPPING OUT.. DID YOU HAVE ANY SECRETS OR HELP FOR US TO RIP OUT AT ALL?

NO.

HA HA HA!

JUST TAKES TIME.

CONNIE, I SEE YOU HAVE ON YOUR SHOULDER THE-- EVERYONE IS JUST ALREADY EXCITED ABOUT THE AWARD THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THIS WEEK.

THIS IS THE TRAVELING WARD.

SOME LUCKY PERSON WILL GO HOME WITH THIS HAND-CRAFTED, LOVINGLY MADE, JOYOUSLY MADE HANDBAG.

WAS THERE AN ADD-A-PIN, OR WHAT WAS THAT ON THERE?

THIS WAS A PLACE MAT THAT THEY STARTED TO MAKE, SO THIS IS AN ADD-A-LENGTH PLACE MAT.

ADD-A-LENGTH PLACE MAT.

AND THERE'S PLENTY OF ROPE INSIDE TO CONTINUE ON.

OH, I'M KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED.

AND THE ADD-A-SPOOL.

AN ADD-A-SPOOL IS THERE, ALSO.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, CONNIE.

JOANNE, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT GOING?

WELL, I'VE ADDED SOME OF MY TRIANGLES, AND I'M CHAIN-STITCHING THEM TO MAKE IT EASIER CLIPPING RIGHT.

MARY, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU UP TO?

YOU'RE QUILTING WITH WHITE THREAD ON BLACK.

IS THAT NOT UNHEARD OF?

NO.

I WANT THEM TO SEE MY NICE, SMOOTH, EVEN STITCHES.

OH, WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT?

MARY WITH THE EVEN STITCHES.

NOW THIS IS YOUR FOURTH YEAR.

I WANT YOU TO HONESTLY THINK OF ANY BENEFIT THAT YOU CAN TAKE HOME FROM HERE TO YOUR FAMILY.

CAN YOU THINK OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING WITH A GROUP OF LADIES LIKE THIS FOR THE WEEK THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR HUSBAND WHEN YOU GET HOME?

OH, I WOULDN'T SHARE EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON HERE WITH MY HUSBAND.

HA!

NO.

HA HA HA!

THIS BECOMES VERY PRIVATE AND PERSONAL.

THIS IS LIKE ADULT CAMP, AND THERE ARE SOME SECRETS WE NEVER LET OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

THAT'S GOOD.

NOW WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE I CAME?

WELL, BEFORE WE STARTED QUILTING, WE THOUGHT WE'D HAVE SOME FUN, AND WE MADE THESE LITTLE-- LEE TAUGHT US THE LITTLE DOLL PATTERNS THAT SHE HANGS ON THE DOOR, AND THEN WHEN IT'S COLD AND DRAFTY, SHE DROPS DOWN AND STOPS THE DRAFTS THAT RUN THROUGH THE DOOR.

SHE DOES THE SPLIT.

LEE, ANOTHER YEAR AT FREEDOM ESCAPE, AND WE OWE ALL OF IT TO YOU, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU INVITING ALL OF US AND HAVING FREEDOM ESCAPE.

WELL, THANK YOU, GEORGIA.

WE REALLY ENJOY HAVING YOU HERE, AND WE LOVE YOU.

THANK YOU.

WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT OUR HELPERS THIS WEEK?

JUDY, WHERE ARE YOU?

THANK YOU FOR HELPING.

AND, GLENDA, THANKS A LOT.

WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HELP.

♪ "LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INCORPORATED, MAKERS OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS FOR THE HOME, CLASSROOM, AND INDUSTRY.

AND COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING J&P COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS THREAD.

GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS THE AUTHOR OF "LAP QUILTING," "MORE LAP QUILTING," AND "NEW IDEAS FOR LAP QUILTING," PUBLISHED BY OXMOOR HOUSE AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.