A New Technique and a Great Demo

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Penny Haren

Missie Carpenter of Traditional Primitives has taken a starch technique to a whole new level with amazing results! Let’s check out some of her patterns – and once I have your attention, THEN we’ll talk about her method.

Look at these hexies – and as a border treatment? Awesome!

You can use the same technique to make circles and diamonds – and the accuracy is stunning.

Or simply commit and make an heirloom quality quilt!

Missie also has several patterns that showcase wool and needle punching. You can see that touches of those could add texture to any of these projects.

Watch the video listed with these patterns at www.checkerdist.com to see how simple it is to get these stunning results! All you need is a starch pen; an iron; a pressing pad and some freezer paper.

And then check out all of her patterns….you’ll be glad you did!

Mini Quilts are Hot Part Four

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Penny Haren

After writing three articles on mini quilts, the promotional materials for a new Jo Morton book arrived! Frankly, it won’t be out until May – but it needs to be on your radar as you are planning classes and events for this year.

The cover is the only image I have, so I blew it up as big as possible. This collection of some of her favorite patterns are a delight to stitch. Jo shared tips and tricks that will make you not only stitch them – but stitch them well!

Decorating your home with mini quilts addt a touch of charm and love in unexpected places and ways. I’ll share more photos when they are available, but for now, her reputation speaks for itself!

Mini Quilts are Hot Part Three

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Penny Haren

Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts has created 32 awe inspiring miniatures. Expand your repertoire by creating these quilts while learning new techniques.

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Whether you make these miniatures to accessorize a full size Edyta Star creation or create a vignette to add a touch of whimsy and charm to an alcove in your home, these beauties are sure to make you smile!

Just a taste of the surprises waiting inside….

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This book will be arriving soon so place your order now!

Mini Quilts are Hot Part Two

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Penny Haren

Several of your favorite designers: Pat Sloan, Carrie Nelson, Brigitte Heitland, Camille Roskelley, Me and My Sister Designs, Sherri McConnell, Sandy Gervais, Edyta Sitar, Lynne Hagmeier, Vanessa Christenson, Anne Sutton, Laurie Simpson, Jen Kingwell, Lisa Bongean, and Betsy Chutchian. contributed to this top-selling book: Mini Marvels. All of these designers have such a recognizable style that it is fun to guess who made each quilt – no peeking!

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Once again, the photography showcases these beauties to their best advantage – and makes you want to start cutting up that stash immediately!

Don’t forget! I know I mentioned this in Part One, but it bares repeating!If you are hanging them on a wall, you may want to consider using Soft and Stable for batting. They will hang perfectly flat and add that professional touch! It comes in several packaging options: Project Packs which include four 13 1/2 x 18 1/2 inch pieces (originally meant for place mats but perfect for minis), 1/2 yard cuts; 1 yard cuts; etc. Why not display these packaged options next to a display of minis???

Creative Grids® has several rulers that may help you along your miniature journey. They have put together a booklet entitled “Love Mini’s” which shows a wide variety of tools available to create small units. Help your customers find the right tool for their mini projects! There is also a tri-fold available to help your customers keep track of the Creative Grids® products they already have… or want! Be sure you keep a supply next to your cash register or Creative Grids® display. Newest rulers are listed in bold on the list – so be sure to replenish new brochures every spring and fall.

Mini Quilts are Hot Part One

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Penny Haren

Kathleen Tracy has created sixteen charming mini quilts based on traditional blocks that we all know and love. Minis are gaining in popularity and are a great way to accessorize a room by using the scraps from a quilt to create minis that coordinate with it. Don’t you love getting your “Martha Stewart” on?

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Or, add a spot of color anywhere in your home. Check out their photography for inspiration. Don’t you want these vignettes in your own home?

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Or display them all together to create a huge impact in any room! If you are hanging them on a wall, you may want to consider using Soft and Stable for batting. They will hang perfectly flat and add that professional touch! It comes in several packaging options: Project Packs which include four 13 1/2 x 18 1/2 inch pieces (originally meant for place mats but perfect for minis), 1/2 yard cuts; 1 yard cuts; etc. Why not display these packaged options next to a display of minis?

Sew Kind of Wonderful – Always a Class Act

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Penny Haren

I love the gals from Sew Kind of Wonderful! They represent the best of our industry – and if you have ever met them, they ARE as kind, honest, and gracious as they seem. In this day and age, it is refreshing to experience true class. I got to see their booth at Market and it was simply darling! Their new patterns are absolutely amazing.

Who would have thought that their Quick Curve Ruler and the Mini Quick Curve Ruler could produce such charming patterns?

Mod Pineapples uses the original Quick Curve ruler to produce this throw size quilt. The sign for hospitality has never looked so good!

Mod Owls and Mod Strawberries both us the Mini tool.

Urbanalogie features the mini as well and would make a great series of classes. All of the featured blocks can be combined to make the stunning cover quilt or can stand alone.

Their patterns are the perfect introduction to curves. They are so gentle that your students won’t even realize they are sewing curves until they see the stunning results!

Totes with Style

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Penny Haren

These new totes by Riley Blake are so reasonably priced that they would be great favors for your next quilting event.

These sturdy, reinforced bags will quickly become top sellers. Simply display them by the register. You could even offer their choice of one free with a qualifying purchase! I know these bags are not due in until April – but many of you are planning your shop hop events now and are looking for something “new”. You can’t get any newer than this!

Be Colourful Brings the Drama

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Penny Haren

Jacqueline de Jonge is releasing several new patterns this month – and they just keep getting better and better! Her sense of color is just amazing! Look how these rainbow colors pop when accents with white and black.

Fall colors and nature had to inspire these colorways….

Spring Fever is striking in these colors inspired by the sea – but would be a perfect choice for a Christmas quilt!

These patterns are all paper-pieced – and the foundations are included. Batiks are an obvious choice until I saw this beauty….maybe we need to start thinking outside of the box and expand our color pallet!

These patterns are due to arrive this week so why not pick your favorite and add a paper-piecing class to your Winter schedule? Be sure to order this DVD full of detailed paper-piecing instructions and tips and tricks to guarantee success! After the class, they can literally take Jacqueline home with them!

The Ultimate Quilter’s Planner

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Penny Haren

This organizer #LNQ120 actually gives quilting the respect it deserves! You schedule aerobics classes – why not quilting time? After all, it is the icing on the cake for most of us!

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This Planner includes both weekly and monthly calendars with lots of bonuses for the quilter in all of us.

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This laminated calendar includes paper and graph paper to sketch your latest quilt ideas.

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It includes block patterns as well as digital downloads for 14 quilt patterns from top designers. An added bonus? Practice your machine quilting skills.

What a wonderful gift for any quilter on your list!

Aurifil Introduces a New Cotton Thread

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Penny Haren

This eighty weight Cotton Thread by Aurifil was the talk of Market! For those who have gotten to try it, the response has been a resounding yes! No, I was not one of those people but I can’t wait to get my hot little hands on it when it arrives in January.

What is all of the fuss about? It is thin, so it is the perfect choice for applique and English paper-piecing. The stitches simply disappear!

And it is strong enough to use when machine quilting. I am currently working on a series of miniature quilts – and this will be the perfect choice. After all, we know there is a thickness to thread and traditional threads don’t translate well when working with tiny designs. But it works well when quilting traditional quilts as well.

But, first and forermost, it is the perfect choice for machine piecing – which is the most common use for any thread. So this is not a specialty thread. It is touted to become your go to thread of choice for ALL of your needs. With that in m ind, it comes in a wide variety of colors. And who can resist the return of WOODEN spools?

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Monthly Archives: December 2016