DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
                                                 NOV. 2009


My latest book is finally here!!  Getting a book published is a bit like giving birth to an elephant!  It’s worth the wait, though, because AQS did a beautiful job on it.  I asked for lots of color and they did it!  Even the illustrations are in color, making them very easy to understand.  For more information please go to our website <http://Quiltwithdonna.com/>. You can order the book directly from the website.  Would you like it signed…  just let me know by email.  Donnaposter@comcast.net <mailto:Donnaposter@comcast.net>   I’d love to.


Fall is here and our mountain is just gorgeous!  The trees make me want to buy fabric in those  incredible mixes of golds, yellows, oranges, reds and  deep maroon.  I just gotta make a quilt like that!


Eliad turned five October 18.  I just can’t believe it --- that funny little kid is growing into a really nice young man.  Very responsible too --- when we leave I tell Mr. Donna , “I have my cell phone” and he calls out, “And the battery’s good and it’s on!”   When I forget my coffee, he’s the one tells me it’s on the roof of the car.  His big thing these days is Thomas the Train.  He knows all the stories, the trains and their personalities --- spends hours setting up variations of tracks.  He’s a fun kid and Mr. Donna and I are really enjoying this Gran’ma & Gran’pa thing!

I just got back from the Houston Festival.  I met my San Diego daughter there and we had a wonderful three days.  I’ve been going to the Houston Markets and Festivals for over twenty years as either a vendor, buyer or teacher.  This is the first time I’ve gone “just  for fun” and  I actually felt a bit naughty!
As with everything this year, it was a just bit smaller --- a few less booths, quilts and classes.  But you’d never know it unless you’d been attending for many years!  It was still incredible and well attended.  The aisles were packed and people were buying. Felt good.


I found a few new fun things, too.  Clover has a new thimble out --- and we’re always looking for the perfect thimble!  It’s of flexible rubber for comfort but has a ridged metal tip for stitching.  Feels comfy and works great. 
Bohn has a wonderful tool for marking fine lines on dark fabrics.  It’s a mechanical pencil with fine chalk as the “lead”.  It never need sharpening, it won’t go “smudgy” and it comes with six refills.  I’ve been looking for something like this for years!


You know those “sticky” rollers that take lint off garments?  Well, there’s a new one out that never needs refills and rinses clean with water.  It’s advertised for pet hair, furniture, carpets, etc. but it looked perfect for my studio floor.  Besides thread they were showing that it’s sticky enough to pick up buttons, safety pins, etc.   I bought one, tried it --- works great!  I don’t see a website on their packaging but the address is: Easy Living Products, 2705 W. Lincoln, Anaheim, CA 92801


Of course, I came home with a new pile of fabric.  One booth had fat quarters of the most beautiful batiks I’ve ever seen for $2.00 each!!  I bought twenty-five of them!  Lots of books, notions, sewing room furniture and longarm machines.  And, of course, the quilts!  I’m always in awe of the quilts on display.  Where do they get these ideas?  One of my favorites was of a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing.  The “pieces” were scattered on the “table” below the puzzle.  It was adorable.


And I can’t believe the time that’s spent creating these quilts.  Sieglinde Schoen-Smith had a new one --- remember her “Mother Earth” that won the grand prize a few years ago?  It’s of the twelve days of Christmas and  really defies description!  I’m sure she’ll be having a book on it someday!


Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written.  Meanwhile, winter is just around the corner, giving us plenty of excuses for staying indoors and quilting!


Hope you’re well, busy and happy,
Donna