This message is for Donna: Who is that posing with you in the picture? Looks like a "Tom Cruise" lookalike to me. Really is a good looking lad. You must be proud.

Where is Portersville? I live in central Pa.

Suzanne

Suzanne, What town do you live in? I live in Bloomsburg, which is northeastern central PA.

Minda, I live in Port Royal, Juniata County, a little village on the Juniata River. West of Harrisburg while enroute to Penn State.

A friend's granddaughter is at school at Bloomsburg U. She is starting her second year there. Helen's dil also lives there with her children. Helen is also a quilter. Perhaps one day when she comes for a day, we can get together. Or perhaps meeting at Selinsgrove. We come to Mifflinburg to Verna's and Hoover's. Are you familiar with these shops?

Suzanne

Suzanne, It is Tom Cruise, I met him in London at Madame Tussaud's!

Portersville is a small town north of Pittsburgh I do consider myself a pittsburgher even though I live in Butler County. I live right near Lake Auther-Moraine State Park and McConnells Mills. Slippery Rock University is near also.

Suzanne, I bought my Berninas at Hoover's and I've bought lots of fabric from Verna's. Does Helen's dil quilt? She might be a member of our quilt guild. It would be nice to get together sometime.

Donna,

My one son went to school at Allegheny College in Meadville, north of you and my daughter went to Duquesne in Pittsburgh. John and I have moved about a bit, but the Steelers (and the Redskins) are our teams!!! We had lived in Ebensburg, where number two son presently lives. Ebensburg is between Johnstown and Altoona. Small world.


Too bad "the Tom" couldn't have looked at the cameraman when the photo was taken. Perhaps he was looking for a couch!

Suz

Suzanne, I'm lucky I got that close to Tommy , the place was packed .
We are 40 miles north of Pgh.
Alleghany is way north My Daughter's friend goes to Alleghany 3yr.
My son goes to Pitt but took some clases at Duquesne. 3child goes to Chatham in Shadyside. No matter where you live your heart belongs to Steeler Country. Donna

I hand quilt without a hoop. While in Colorado, took a quilting class at Harriet Hargraves shop. The instructor showed us quilting without a hoop, and I found that I could control my stitches better that way. Also it made my quilting more portable. Now I can quilt anywhere I have to sit and wait for something. It really is up to what is comfortable for you. We have already decided that we are more critical of our own work than any quilt police, so who needs em? LOL

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT I QUILT ON A TABLE TOP. THE ROCKING MOTION OF THE NEEDLE IN YOUR RIGHT HAND IS THE SAME, ONLY YOU SET THE NEEDLE TIP IN THE TABLE SURFACE AND NOT YOUR LEFT FINGER. BOTH HANDS STAY ON TOP..RIGHT HAND CONTROLS THE NEEDLE AND THE LEFT HAND STEADYS THE QUILT SURFACE. THEN RIGHT HAND PUSHES NEEDLE FORWARD AFTER LAST STITCH IS MADE; LEFT HAND CATCHES NEEDLE AND HANDS IT BACK TO RIGHT HAND WHICH PULLS THREAD THRU. BOTH HANDS GO BACK TO ORIGINAL POSITION AND RIGHT HAND STARTS A NEW RUN OF STITCHES.

WITH THIS METHOD, STITCHES ARE SMALLER UNDERNEATH AND A LITTLE LARGER ON THE TOP, BUT WITH PRACTICE, CAN BE VERY SMALL, NEAT AND EVEN..ALSO SEEMS PRETTY FAST. AND NO HOOPS, FRAMES, JUST A STURDY LITTLE TABLE.