Session Start: Fri May 12 21:03:48 2006
* scooter says We are using protocol for this meeting so 
if you have a question, please just type a "?" If you 
have a comment just type "!" Please wait your turn and 
when you are recognized, state your question or comment then.

<merrybee> Marcia I borrowed a bit of your bio for promotion
<merrybee> hope you didn't mind :)
<Marcia> I saw that :o) not at all!!

<scooter> thanks for coming everyone, I know you are 
excited about talking with marcia tonight
<Marcia> ( I hope) LOL
<merrybee> lol they are trust us Marcia

<scooter> Most of us know that Marcia is the founder and 
creative person on quilterscache.com
<Marcia> ( the head cow..so to speak)

<scooter> Marcia, would you please tell us a little about yourself
<Marcia> I absolutely will :o)
<scooter> thank you

<Marcia> Starting with the personal gibberish....
<Marcia> I'm married....and i have two daughters, 24 and 20....
and two step sons..22 and 14:o)
<Marcia> and::::: believe it or not...I quilt :o)
<scooter> yay!!!!!

<Marcia> I was thinking that tonight I might start with a 
little bit about the site and designing..then open things 
up for questions...would that be okay??
<scooter> that would be perfect, thank you

<Marcia> well then first off..Thanks for having me!  
It's great to see you all :o) i LOVE Quilt Chat!
<scooter> :)

<Marcia> I am betting that most of you are familiar with 
The Quilter's Cache…at least I sure hope you are! 
(If not, here's the web address: 28http://www.quilterscache.com ) 
I believe that at this point in time we are the largest 
quilting web site on the WWW, with just under 4000 pages 
of patterns and instructional pages!  
<Marcia> If there are larger sites..I dont know of one!
<Marcia> BEAMING :o)
<Marcia> What a labor of love this has been for me, and continues to be! 
Sometime last month I was able to post my 1200th pattern to the site, 
which feels GREAT! In 2001 I stopped working my 'real job' in order 
to run the QC full time…a giant leap of faith to leave a paying position 
to run a free pattern site!  ga
<scooter> that's amazing, Marcia
<Marcia> Last month..the site did some 30 million hits.....and I remember 
the first time i got 25 hits as clearly as if it was yesterday!

<scooter> does anyone have a comment or question? 


<t^maude> i just finished a quilt using the rocky mountain puzzle block
<Marcia> thats great Maude!
<t^maude> i did them with a print throughout and a color 
and did positive negative applications
<t^maude> but i wanted to say i find your instructions very clear
and appreciate it
<scooter> very good, thanks t^maude
<Marcia> awesome!

<merrybee> You are a resourse we often point people too  and your 
better than a quilt library

<Marcia> Thanks!!  and I continue blabbing....

<Marcia> I started quilting when I was in high school, and 
then dropped out a bit in favor of other artistic pursuits 
the whole gamut of hand crafts and needlework…and came back to 
it when my girls were young, some 25 years ago. To this day though, 
my quilting is not nearly on a par with my designing. 
I strive for ::::Good Enough:::: with my personal quilts

<Marcia> Now having said that, last year I did have 2 quilts in 
the Vermont show and both took ribbons, which was exhilarating! 
I have a close personal friend who fairly recently started quilting 
in earnest, and she does IMPECCABLE work…which has motivated me to 
try to get things to match a bit more! 

<Marcia> It is indeed a full time job, and the pay is most 
often in emotional gratification and fulfillment! I do also sell 
patterns, to help support the cost of maintaining the web site, 
but the #1 goal of the site remains the same….to continue to 
amass a collection of patterns, and provide them for free on the site :o) 
It feels GREAT doing this! The big p
<Marcia> plug here is that the store does have a Tiny Store, 
here: 28http://www.quilterscache.com/Products.html   ga
<scooter> wow


<BearPaw> What program do you use to create your patterns and 
do you have a 'process' or just start playing?
<BearPaw> i love the Fading Start pattern by the way
<Marcia> LOL i'm getting to that!
<Marcia> Most often folks want to know about HOW I design patterns.  
While I do have the program EQ now,I have never used it, 
nor any quilt program, as I am afraid it will change "my style" 
On busier days it is sore tempting to try it out though!  ga
<Marcia> Instead, I draw each and every graphic, one at a time, in 
a program called Paint Shop Pro, which was just taken over by Corel. 
Some things I draw on paper and then scan into the computer. I also 
scan fabrics to use as fills in the block pictures.  ga


<merrybee> absolutely evyeryone love your site Marcia!

<Blockit> Your site is awesome, The Aunt Rachel's Star won 
the Walmart challenge for me this year, thank you very much for you effort.
<scooter> wtg Blockit
<Marcia> GREAT blockit!
<scooter> we are proud of Blockit  :)

<Marcia> The Quilter's Cache is MAINLY a traditional block pattern, 
or I try to keep it along those lines for the most part. 
The original designs come about when I will start with some 
traditional pattern idea ...and you know how you just start 
wondering...Well, what would happen if I added a four patch there 
instead of that corner square?...and what if I string pieced that 
half square...and added this....anbd this....it snowballs from there


<Marcia> Don't be afraid to go out on a limb when you are 
thinking about making blocks! One of two things will happen 
you will either like the result or not! I think every quilter 
should have a large supply of graph paper and colored pencils 
or a computer program that lets them draw! 
I do tend to try to have a variety of textures, print scales, and 
contrast within each designed project, but truthfully, I just 
pick what I like, and perhaps do that without giving it a great deal of thought. 
I do the same for my own quilts, and for designing.  
For the site I also try to keep in mind that while I love 
plaids and all things rustic…it isn't the ONLY thing I should do!  
I try to keep the site a blend of styles/colors etc    ga...


<Marcia> and now......LOL  does anyone have any questions????  :o)
<scooter> sorry Marcia, I got too excited there, lol
<Marcia> LOL  thats okay!!

<antique 58>  What is the location of your web site?
<Marcia> Antique 58....I run the Quilter's cache  http://www.quilterscache.com
<antique58> thaNK YOU

<quiltyangel> marcia do you have a trick to share for picking fab 
<Marcia> quilty....what I do...is grab PILES of bolts that I think go 
well together and start making STACKS in the store...
from those piles...I take OUT what doesnt seem to work with the others

<antique58> you sound like my quilt teacher     amazing


<quiltyangel> ty Marcia do you have a tried and true rules?
<Marcia> there are tried and true MATH rules yes.....but other than 
that..I obey very few!
<quiltyangel> ty


<Blockit> Do you have an absolute favorite pattern on your site
<Marcia> and as for a favorite pattern....
my favorite traditional is a Loc Cabin..
every time..with SMALL LOGs
<Marcia> my own favorite of my originals...no clue


<iowegian> i just want to congratulate you on quitting smoking.  
I am so proud of you for doing that     :+)
<Marcia> iowegian..I am so proud of MYSELF too...and amazed!


<dayle> Marcia, I love your website and was wondering how 
you use stripes creatively?
<Marcia> I love stripes in borders...sashings etc

<dayle> what about in blocks?
<Marcia> I use them in blocks also...and plaids!
<Marcia> sometimes it's a bit fussy 
needing to get their direction going the right way though
I LOVE stripes for DEPTH...like in the sides of an Attic Window
<dayle> thank  you

<Marcia> ( hi Jeri :o)
 If anyone happened to read the bit I wrote in earlier 
about HAVING to sew better because of a friend showing me up with 
the impeccable quilting...that is Jeri..who is with us now
<scooter> hi Jeri
<Jeri> hi  :o)


<antique58> I am trying to find a pattern to make for our class reunion  
need places for signatures   any suggestions?
<antique58> 100 signatures
<Marcia> there are so MANY antique..... I hardly know where to start!
<Marcia> Signature Star? Signature Cross?
<iowegian> rail fence?
<Marcia> Rail Fence would be nice too!
<antique58> so far the only one i have come up w/ is like a churn dash 
which i can embroder 8 names in each square
<Marcia> :: or a simple Square in a Suare?
<Marcia> if you want to email me...marcia@quilterscache.com  
I'll try to pull some pattern names for you!
<antique58> marcia  that would be wonderful   will do so



<LaughingRain> have you got the victorian boot designed yet?
<Marcia> Nope :o(
<Marcia> yipes..it's spring..I forgot all about boots!
<scooter> lol
<LaughingRain> :(
<dayle> AND UMBRELLAS?
<Marcia> It is on the request list though :o)  
That bad news is..that list IS SO SO Long


<quiltyangel> when designing how concerned should you be with straight of grain
<Marcia> when designing.....somewhat...when sewing..very!


<Sioux> We are doing a block of the month with your blocks.  
Each one goes to get their pattern for the month.
<Sioux> The first meeting was a great success!
<Sioux> If you remember me emailling  you about it
<Marcia> Great!  I hope folks like the patterns!
<scooter> I think that's a definite YES

<iowegian> i love your patterns, marcia and i have a quilt all made from  
one i would love to send a pic
<Marcia> that would be GREAT :o)
<iowegian> it is Mrs. Morgan's Choice
<scooter> very nice
<Marcia> Oh I like that one!

<Blockit> Do you like PP better than piecing? I do because it is more accurate.
<Marcia> for myself personally...not generally. I like traditional 
piecing best..but of course there are certain patterns that realy NEED paper piecing
<Marcia> basically it's taking the paper off that drives me batty :o)
<iowegian> lol
<scooter> great tv watching chore
<Blockit> ty

<swooze> Is there any issue with copyright on blocks?  
Are people able to copyright common blocks? ie churn dash


<Marcia> Hi swooze...Im glad you asked that :o)
<Marcia> its a qualified yes to that question, with an explanation
it is the design of churndash that is in the public domain
...the SHAPE..that we recognize as Churn Dash
So....any person can make a "Pattern"  for Churn Dash....
and their OWN WORK, will be copyrighted to them....thier drawings, 
pictures, wording and in the case of the internet....their HTML coding
<Marcia> thats why you will see Churn Dash...or Log Cabin...or so many 
other traditional blocks in many different books and magazines....
each c\opyrighted to its own aythor /designer

<swooze> So what is copyrighted just  the packaging Marcia and 
the presentation of the infortmation?
<Marcia> more than just the packaging.   Lets say...you go to 
this page: http://www.quilterscache.com/A_C/ChurnDashBlock.html
<Marcia> everything that you SEE is copyrighted to me
<Marcia> even though the "shape that we recognize as 
"Churn Dash"/////is in the public domain
<Marcia> see??
<swooze> I think so ty Marcia

<BearPaw> Marcia, I just wanted to say thanks for all of your 
hard work and committment to keep the site up and 
running all this time...... I know it is an invaluable 
resource....... and has been a great pattern source for 
block swaps I have hosted and been involved with. 
<scooter> :)
<Marcia> Folks seem to like it BP...and I am SO happy that they do!

<jojo> do you have a person that does your quilting, 
and is there a place where i can go to get ideas 
for quilting? (new longarmer here)
<Marcia> I have two women who quilt for me....
One, is a very verty creative and original quilter, 
who would do my show quilts....and I have another gal 
who is also just getting into long arming who does the 
quilts that will be MINE :o)
<Marcia> I think going to Pantograph sites would be a good 
place to start....and to other longarm quilter sites..to see THEIR work!
<jojo> ty
<Marcia> YW 

<Blockit> I did give you the credit on my Aunt Rachel's Star
 when I won, you deserve it.  Did I do wrong in making it for the contest?
<Marcia> Ordinarily folks will ask...but...since it is a 
traditional block...and only a block...thats just fine blockit :o)
<Marcia> I'm happy it did so well for you!
<Blockit> ty

<Sioux> Does anyone own all the blocks that we see anywhere, 
magazines, books  etc, own or should i say copyrighted
<Marcia> I'm not sure I know what you mean Sioux?
<Sioux> either am i
<Sioux> lol
<Marcia> Do you mean is EVERYTHING we see in books/mags 
etc copyrighted to someone?
<Sioux> say i take a block from your site and make a quilt 
is it my quilt with your design?
<Sioux> what if the same  design is in a magazine  by someone else 
is it their design or yours???
<Sioux>am i making sense yet
<Marcia> well..if that a traditional design that 
\you got off my site...or could have gotten from many books or 
magazines....is that what you mean??
<Sioux> Yes, who owns the pattern \or does no one?
<Marcia> What you see on my site would be copyrighted to me...
what you see in that book, is copyrighted to them
<Marcia> As long as you are talking about a 
traditional design..like a ...LOg Cabin..or  Churn Dash....
<Sioux> oh ok, ty


<iowegian> How does a person go about getting to become a tester for you?
<Marcia> well they write to me expressing an interwst in doing that :o)  
I keep a folder of folks who have thought they might like to :o)
<iowegian> I would think that is a very fat folder    LOL
<Marcia> it's important though! :o)
<iowegian> ty, Marcia

<antique58> oops  sorry  just a comment   
just went to your web site   awesome   have put it in my favories
<scooter> excellent taste, antique58, lol
<Marcia> i agree! LOLOL

<Sioux> Would you like us to send you photos of the BOM for 
the patterns we use or do you have too many already?
<Marcia> I never can have too many...photos really help folks see 
what things will look like..in different colorways  etc
<Sioux> yes we like that feature

<Sioux> Or would you like the website where we have the photos?
<Marcia> I'd rather have the pix emailed to me??
<Sioux> ok
<Marcia> TY! ga

<scooter> Marcia, do you tell your testers what colors 
they should use for your site?

<Marcia> no..I don't it's their choice--very nice
<Marcia> I do ask that they use the same NUMBER of colors
scooter.....the testers are volunteers...can you believe it??? 
They do all of this just for the good of the site, and to help 
Make the Quilters Cache a great tool for the world :o)
<scooter> ok cool

<scooter> any more questions? or comments!

<Baker_ia> How long does it take you to write up instructions for a quilt block
<Marcia> well..that depends on the block. Some, like the 
Baltimore Treasures applique series took a couple of days ....
other ones, since I have been doing this for so long now 
generally take a few hours.
Writing the instructions is the easy peezy part...all 
that drawing is what takes the longest
<Baker_ia> TY

<merrybee> Marcia QuiltChat just ran a web challenge it will be posted 
Monday for voteing several of the pieces were made with  patterns from your site 
feel free to check it out Monday :)
<01Marcia> Cool Beans :o) - okee doke :o)


<Marcia> wow..there are lots fo chatters here!
<scooter> yes, there are--everyone is excited to chat with you, lol
<scooter> ok, folks this is your chance to get into Marcia's heads
<Marcia> heads...hmm........
<merrybee> lol
<iowegian> gee, scooter, how many does she have      LOL
<merrybee> right brain left brain Marcia
<Marcia> oh yeah  right brain..I forgot!
<scooter> let's make that ONE head, lol
<Marcia> ( actually Jeri and I share one Brain..and she has it more than I do..LOL)
<Sioux> we just love ur site
<Marcia> thanks Sioux :o)


<antique58> have been piecing for 5 years now and my blocks never   
turn out the size they should be, let alone square     
also, cool beans/  thought that was expression only used in Souther Illinos
<Marcia> I thought it was used on;y in  my mouth! LOL
* BearPaw uses cool beans in PA
<Marcia> another favorite saying is "Poodlefeathers"
<scooter> lol
<Marcia> well antique...you may sew like I do.....speedily but not so accurately! LOL


<Sioux> did I miss who Jeri is?
* Sioux says cool beans too
<scooter> yes you missed who Jeri is--lol
<Marcia> Jeri is my partner is crime/best buddy./
 and business manager for The Quilters Cache...which also pays nothing!
<Sioux> wah  wah
<Sioux> oh ok  nice to meet u Jeri
<Jeri> nice to meet you too!

<01Tyroam> I thought I am the only quilter who is not accurate. 
 what do you suggest for us
<scooter> good question
<Tyroam> Any ideas of kinds of things non accurate piecers should do?
<Marcia> well...what is doing it for me is to ALWAYS 
use the 1/4" foot..and to SLOW DOWN...and to NOT SETTLE 
when things dont match up right....unstitch and re-sew :o)
<Tyroam> ty
* iowegian loves playing froggie sewing NOT!!
<Marcia> i hate it too iowegian..but...I've come to expect it!
<iowegian> gotta do it, tho
<Marcia> AYUH :O)
<Marcia> also....you know how a block..say a nine patch 
is made up of seperate units..be sure that each UNIT is correct, 
or the block wont be
<antique58> Happy to know that cool beans isn't as red necked as i thought it was      
thanks also for your suggestion to slow down and not be 
satisfied w/ it is almost square


<Sioux> this is a question i had the other night with a chatter
<Marcia> k
<Sioux> she has no place to put her cutting mat and cant cut fabric correctly
<Sioux> so it takes her forever to cut fabric
<Marcia> hmm
<Sioux> shes says it shifts ont he mat when it is on the floor
<Marcia> does she have a cutting table?
<Sioux> no,  has no room
<scooter> kitchen counter is a good height
<Marcia> kitchen counter?
<Sioux> that is what we suggested to her we told herthat she cant do it on the floor
<Marcia> that works well
<Sioux> ty
<Tyroam> kitchen or bathroom counter...small mat
<Marcia> right!
<LaughingRain> i have used a cutting board on the bed or kitchen table
<Marcia> on the BED?? laughiung rain?? how did that work??
<LaughingRain> okay with a stiff board, we make do!
<Marcia> oh...good idea!
<merrybee> even a  kitchen table can be made right hieght if you 
jack it up with canned goods so that cutting is comfortable\
<Iroot42> I cut mine on top of the pool table here it seems to be the correct height
<scooter> I suggest a towel or a rug padding piece to stabilize 
that mat so it won't slip
<scooter> had to get into the lineup, lol
<Marcia> very admirable!
<scooter> that shelf lining that's sort of rubbery works
<Marcia> thats what I use under my foot
<scooter> rubbermaid, I think
<scooter> me too and under my sewing machine, too
<Marcia> your machine moves?? you must be one SERIOUS sewer!
<scooter> lol I sew fast
<Iroot42> I have my machine set on the kitchen table here and on top of it 
I have a old table cloth , for picnic table.. and nothing slides
<scooter> that's good
<Marcia> I keep rubber door stoppers under mine
<scooter> cool beans, lol

scooter> more questions? or comments!


<Happie> to revisit copyright....a mention on label and on blurb 
for quit show. Is that enough?
<Happie> or should I email you for permission?
<Marcia> that depends on the pattern Happie :o)
<Happie> oh.
<Marcia> if it's a traditional pattern, design credit would be enough....
but it's always best to ask
<Happie> so for your originals you want a personal request before entering
<Happie> my guild quilt show is very small
<Marcia> most of the time I give permsiion for everything i am asked
..but I do like to be asked :o)
<scooter> :)

<scooter> I think we can open the floor for chatting with Marcia now, 
all  the protocol lamp is out!
<merrybee> Thanks marcia :+) very enlightening

<Tyroam> ty
<Happie> thanks so much for being here and open for questions Marcia
<matty> Thanks Marcia
<scooter> Marcia, this was so wonderful--thank you so much
I learned a lot tonight
<Baker_ia> Great Informational Chat
<Marcia> ah......thank you all VERY MUCH :o)
<Marcia> truthfully, I love the chance to just answer questions
<merrybee> well come do it again Marcia,  anytime standing invite!
<scooter> we love having you here, Marcia
<Marcia> thanks to all of YOU!
<scooter> bye Marcia, come back soon