Costco has manufacturers change their recipes.

Does this look like regular HV dressing mix?  Well it's not.  Following is an email I sent to Costco.  It came out a little garbled because I was angry when I wrote it and I didn't proofread it very well.

Go and type "is MSG harmful to humans into  Google"

I am writing to complain about your deceptive labeling practices. I purchased a membership earlier this year and have been visiting and shopping once or twice a month. I purchased a package of Hidden Valley(HV) ranch dressing mix and I used it in a recipe. It tasted different, sweeter and less savory than it usually did; so I checked the list of ingredients and compared it to the list of ingredients on the HV website. The MSG was deleted and SUGAR was added. I was furious. Nowhere on your packaging label did it say that the recipe in the HV package varied from that being sold in other stores. I was sitting down to write this email it suddenly popped into my head; I also bought Better Than Boullion there, also. Sure enough, different ingredient list than the national website. No warning about recipe change on that label either.

I know your store is activist in changing American diets and now I know you are doing it on the sly.

Well, your ignorance about MSG is shining brightly because MSG is harmless. Through a single man claiming that MSG bothered him and due to some junk science; nearly the whole of the American populace believes that MSG is dangerous for humans to consume. Do your research folks, even the FDA says that it is safe for consumption.

MSG is NATURALLY contained in many foods that Americans consume everyday with no ill effects.

I am going to return my package of HV dressing for a refund.

I want you to start labeling your packages that vary from the national recipes. If you are going to perpetuate junk science and urban myth rather than choose to educate and correct the publics' misinformation; at least own it loud and proud. Otherwise I will be dropping my membership when it comes up for renewal. I am also posting this email on my blog and on facebook. I am sure that it will not affect your bottom line one iota but I will have done my duty in exposing your deceit. Sincerely Annette 

44" medallion made from Barb Brackman's #2078, TUTORIAL

This block is not for the beginner nor the faint of heart.  But if you are an experienced and accurate quilter you should be able to achieve it.  When I give directions I am going to assume that you have your fabric prepared and you already know how to do basic cutting and piecing.

You will need:

2 cutting rulers, cutting mat, cutter, sewing sundries, and a sewing machine

Not necessary but nice to have; a large square cutting ruler

Plenty of background fabric

5/8 of a yard for points (fortunately I had more as I messed up and had to recut)

18 1/2" square for center

 44" Center block for a queen sized quilt.  It is block #2078 in Barb Brackman's encyclopedia.

 These are background fabric pieces that you will need.  

One 19 1/4" square cut into quarter square triangles

One 9 1/4" square cut into quarter square triangles

Four 13 1/2" squares                                              

Four 5 1/2" squares                                               

                                           

Now is when we get to the biggest cutting challenge; what I call Mirror Image Truncated Triangles (MITT).

 You will need two Widths Of Fabric(WOF), cut 9 5/8".  Leave them FOLDED in half.  You will be able to get two sets of MITT's from each WOF.

 Notice where the selvages are located (to the right).  Measure fifteen inches from the selvage and mark this spot.

 Make a 45 degree edge to edge cut at that mark.

 45 degree cut successfully completed at 15" mark.  (point is pointing to the Left, selvages to the right)

Set excess aside carefully as you will be cutting a second MITT set from it.

Tricky part coming up.  Pick up fabric layers and flip them over so that your point is now pointing to the Right and your selvages are now on your Left.  You will be trimming this shape down to 13 7/8".  

A little more clarity for this cut:  You need two rulers to make this cut.  The first ruler will be used to position the second ruler.  You will be using the position of the second ruler to actually cut.  

Take your FIRST ruler and place it along the cut edge of the fabric with the point falling just onto the 13 7/8" measurement on your ruler.  Place the SECOND ruler alongside the end of the first ruler and remove the first ruler now trim off the selvage end using the second ruler.  

Take the FIRST ruler and place it on the bias cut so that the corner of the ruler falls exactly on the point of the corner where the bias cut and top edge meet.  Lay your second ruler along the end of the first ruler.

Remove your first ruler and and trim off the half of a square triangle.  

LOOK at next photo to see the cutting ruler falling exactly on the point of the angle.

All of the positioning and cuts need to be very accurate.

Make the commitment.  Cut off the half square triangle.  Discard the half square triangles.

Open them up and admire your handiwork.

After you complete the cutting for this set of MITT's; gather up the excess that you had set aside, lay it out with the point to the Right and complete the cutting for your second MITT set from this WOF. Two sets of MITT's cut.

 Repeat with second WOF for a total of four MITT's'

 NOTE:   When you go to cut out the second MITT from your WOF you will be trimming off the fold instead of the selvage. 

Take a large quarter square and a small quarter square triangle and sew one to each MITT.

Press to the dark.

Pin and sew the seam, press. Repeat for a total of four units. 

Center unit:  For your 5 1/2" background squares; fold them in half diagonally and gently press.  Open out the squares and place one on each corner of your 18 1/2" square, RST.  The crease should run from adjacent side to adjacent side for each corner.  Pin in place.

Sew each background square to center square using the crease as a sewing guide.  Lay the 1/4" line of your ruler along the stitched line and trim off the excess triangle leaving a 1/4" seam (cutting through the background fabric and center square fabric).  Discard these triangles.

Check the size of each MITT unit.  Make sure that is 13 1/2" by 18 1/2".  If it isn't; make is so.

You will now make a giant nine patch with your nine units.  (One center square, four MITT units, and four 13 1/2 squares)

Sew two MITT units to center square like this.  (Center strip of nine patch block.)

Sew a 13 1/2" square to each end of remaining MITT's like this. (Two outside strips of nine patch block.)

Lining up the MITT units perfectly with the center square is the hardest part of constructing this block.

Unacceptable to me. I ripped this out and redid it.

Baste all the junctions before completely sewing the length of the seam.  Stab a pin through the seam 1/4" from the edge and into the seam of other unit 1/4" from the edge.  Baste seam.  Check.  If necessary rip out and redo.  Repeat until all seam junctions align perfectly.  

Sew all three strips together to form a single block.  

44" medallion with 4 borders. Queen size

 The center block is actually a 9 patch.

'nother I spy, last of graduation 2015, and honor flight

An I Spy quilt pieced by my cograndmother and quilted and bound by me.

Last of the 2015 graduations quilts.  Don't worry it was given last year; I am just getting around to posting it.

An honor flight quilt.  In April and October a business man sponsors a flight of veterans down to the DC memorials for the day.  When they return they are presented with a lap quilt made by quilting volunteers in the area.  A friend pieced the top and I quilted and bound it.

2015 grads, giant star, I spy

I spy, queen wedding quilt, 'mingo quilt

 I spy quilt.

 quilting detail.

 queen size quilt.

 quilting detail.

 'mingo quilt for my oldest granddaughter.

quilting detail.

graduation 2014 5, 6, and 8

Where is 7 do you ask?  Well, I forgot to get a photo before I gave it away.  

My goal for this year was six graduation quilts but as I was working on 5 and 6 and rejoicing because I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, #7 came to my attention.  A couple of weeks ago, #8 came to my attention but I think all of the grads in 2014 are finally taken care of.  All are 72 x 90 and all are my original design.