Semi Annual Clearance - Save up to 75% off!

Read about the sale here.

Foundation Piecing - PNQS taking the plunge!

I have always been a fan of paper piecing - I even taught a beginners class of a little heart a couple years ago.  In the shop Cindy offered a wonderful class last winter of the quilt below - it was a popular class and folks have been asking for more, more, more... 

 I have always dreamed of doing something like this:

                                                 or this!  At Quilt Market we entered the Judy Neimeyer Quilting booth.........   all three of us were stopped dead in our tracks - we were amazed.  After a bit a very nice gal came up to us and asked us to sit down - - after visiting for a bit we were hooked...

 

Now enter Julie Arrowood, a certified Quiltworx instructor.  She graced us with a visit to the shop last week and brought many samples and again, they about took our breath away.  We had a great time with her and put dates on the calendar to offer 4 Saturday classes this fall :)  She is a wonderful person and I have heard a very talented (and patient) instructor!

 

 

 

Glacier Star !!!   Julie will guide all of us beginning with fabric selection, she says they really are not that hard and once you get the concepts, you can make ANYTHING!

 

The center star is step one.

 

Each of the pictures below is another step on the journey...

 

 

Below is another colorway of the same quilt - Julie has been teaching this quilt for several years and she says again, I repeat, "if we can do this we can do ANYTHING!!!"  Oh, we can hardly wait!

 

 

We now have these patterns in the shop (and Connie is putting in our online store tomorrow :))

 Also coming soon - digitized quilting designs for Quiltworx patterns - Very exciting!!!

 We are so super excited about this Connie and I have enrolled to go to a Quilting Retreat for shop owners in Montana next year to become a certified shop!

 

So many new adventures - won't you join us?

We are OVERSTOCKED!

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A little TLC for self-healing cutting mats

Self-healing cutting mat….a hero in your sewing studio.

 

The self-healing rotary cutting mats are a tool no quilter can do without. The surface of self-healing mats will “heal” or close after cutting with a sharp rotary cutter blade, leaving no visible slice in the mat. Following are some tips that will make your cutting experience even better.

·       Lay mats perfectly FLAT when traveling to retreat or for storage, mats warp easily especially in a hot car and distortion is sometimes permanent.

·       Keep mats out of direct sunlight if possible.

·       Do not roll cutting mats.

·       Replace when there are obvious signs of wear and tear or blades dull quickly even after cleaning your mat.

·       Directions to clean your mat: (recommended 2X per year)

·       Fill you bathtub with room temperature water (not hot, not warm, and not cold) add 1/4 cup of white vinegar and a squirt of dove dish soap for a good lather. Use a mushroom brush (soft bristle brush) and scrub the mat gently getting a good lather with the soap. Then rinse your mat with cool water getting all residues off the mat. Dry it with a soft cotton towel, or air dry with a towel underneath making sure it lays flat.

The materials used to make the self-healing properties do dry out after a period of time; this method allows the mat to absorb water making it supple again. This TLC “bath” makes your mat last longer along with an added benefit, it keeps your blades from dulling so quickly because you are cutting into a softer, cleaner surface.

There is a practical limit to the amount of slicing and dicing a cutting mat can take, like everything, eventually you will need to replace your mat.  When you begin to see visible marks and/or grooves on the surface it is probably time for a replacement.  Even if you aren’t seeing surface damage, you may notice that your blades are dulling quickly or you have to push harder on the rotary cutter, it is likely time for a new mat.

 

Self-healing cutting mat care – now you know. J

San Fransisco - a great place to visit...

Last week my daughter Suzie and I traveled to San Fransisco - it was very beautiful to visit, but there is no place like home...

The weather was wonderful while we were there and we did get to do a bit of sight seeing, including a ride on the San Fransisco Belle to see the Golden Gate Bridge up close and a view of Alcatraz from the boat, a short trip down Fisherman's Wharf.  We were focused on our classes and seminars...



 

 

Above is Suzie with CEO of Bernina and the NEW Bernina 880 - it has so many new and wonderful features, internal color wheel, stitch designer, shaping tools plus a new touchscreen with over 1700 stitches built in! Add jumbo bobbin, faster speed, size. Bernina dual feed and stitch regulator - plus SEW MUCH MORE!  Arriving in our shop this fall!  Stay tuned!

 

Fourth generation owner of Bernina - Bernina remains the ONLY family owned sewing machine company that still manufactures their own machines.  Fine Swiss craftsmanship, made to last with pride, performance and passion.  Superior quality goes into each and every one!

 

 

Mr. Paul Ashworth, president of Bernina of America, presenting new products and vision....

 

 

 

Below, another taste of the city, the huge event San Fransisco Pride Parade.  Definitely a new experience for us...  We watched for about and hour, this parade was over 4 hours long and truly a rainbow mix of culture, sights and sounds...





 

Waiting at the airport for the flight home...

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

       There's no place like home.......