Dry Ideas

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Penny Haren

This quarantine has brought back so many memories of my grandma! (Who knew that house dresses would be back in style!) She always had a half-filled sink of soapy water and a towel on the counter with a rack on top to dry the dishes. So when Kristine Poor of Poorhouse Designs submitted this pattern, I was all in! So many teachable moments!!!

It uses pre-cut sheets of In-R-Form to make it even easier to have a class – and they will go home with a finished project! Or do a little video and sell the kits on-line!

Dry Ideas Drying Mat In-R-Form Sew in Foam

After this quarantine, you should have a lot of new customers who dug out their old sewing machines to make masks – and now want new projects. This is the perfect beginner project! Teach them strip-piecing, paper-piecing, (yes, those wine glasses are paper-pieced) top-stitching with micro-tec needles… Remember – these new sewers probably came from clothing and are used to 5/8″ seams so there will be a learning curve!

Kristine has also written a pocket guide to Interfacings. Many of your customers have not worked with this product before so it is another educational opportunity!

They are due to arrive this month so order now!

Kitting made Easy

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Penny Haren

Displaying kits in an attractive way is always a challenge – but not any more! These new bags by The Gypsy Quilter™ come in two sizes and have a snap closure to keep everything organized and neat.

The medium size measures 9-3/8″ x 11-1/2″ and are packaged in twelves.

The large size measures 12-1/2″ x 16″ and also has a snap closure.

You can use these for kits but your customers may want them to organize their projects – if they have any UFO’s after the quarantine! These are in stock so order them now!

Show Some Love with Creative Grids®

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Penny Haren

The popular I Love my Quilting Friends ruler is now available in a smaller size!

Creative Grids I Love My Quilt Friends Mini Quilt Ruler 2-1/2in x 6in

This 2-1/2″ x 6″ ruler is the perfect carry-along size. The pink you see is actually our exclusive grip – just in oh so cute heart shapes! The center pink strip is 1/2″ wide and divides the ruler into three sections. The bottom inch features out traditional markings with a dashed 1/4″ marking along the entire six-inch length.

The top inch is divided into two 3-inch sections. One features a 1/8″ grid, the other features a 1/4″ grid.

This is the little sister to the popular larger 2-1/2″ x 10″ version.

Creative Grids I Love My Quilt Friends Quilt Ruler 2-1/2in x 10in

These should be arriving the end of April so order yours now.

Chicken Runner

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Penny Haren

Cotton Ginnys does cute so well – and this has to be the cutest!

If this place mat or table runner doesn’t make you smile in the morning, nothing will! We even have some chicken wire fabric from Elizabeth Studio to go with it! But checks, stripes and polka dots would be just as charming!

What a great combination! AND, a great choice for a make it/take it class! They could easily finish it in an afternoon! The fabric is in stock now, the pattern is due later this month so order now!

Waddles

Posted on February 20, 2020 by Penny Haren

Just the name makes me smile! He is the cutest little penguin to grace the South Pole! Waddles #CLPLDB004 From Cut Loose Press™ by Lisa DeBord.

He is the perfect companion for Noggins #CLPLDB003 from Cut Loose Press™ by Lisa DeBord.

Both are made with the Creative Grids® four-inch curvy and four-inch log cabin trim tools.

Creative Grids 4in Log Cabin Trim Tool Quilt Ruler

Creative Grids 4in Curvy Log Cabin Trim Tool

Why not bundle some fabrics together that would work great in these quilts? These make a great class. Let them choose either pattern since they share all of the same blocks – but we know they will want to make both!

Teach them how to make a traditional log cabin and complete the blocks as homework. Then, you can move on to Courthouse Steps and Curvy log cabins. If you start now, these guys could be ready to hang by Christmas!

Sew Kind of Wonderful – So True

Posted on January 25, 2020 by Penny Haren

I love the gals from Sew Kind of Wonderful and everything they do! They are releasing a new ruler next month that is brilliant!

It has markings to cut and square up the blocks to make these amazing quilts!

The patterns and ruler are due to arrive next month. I can’t wait to get my hands on them! You know when it is done by Sew Kind of Wonderful, the quality is there!

Sixty-degree Angles Just Got a WHOLE Lot Easier!

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Penny Haren

Designing quilts with sixty-degree angles just got a WHOLE lot easier with the introduction of Sheila Christensen’s Creative Grids® Half Sixty ruler.

Creative Grids Half Sixty Triangle Ruler

This tool is the perfect companion to the Creative Grids® 80-degree rulers. Since it is 12-1/2″, it works with both. Sew the straight side to create pieced 60-degree units; sew the angles side to create pieced rectangles. It is really that easy!

Just look at the possibilities! This Cut Loose Press™ pattern – Pinwheel Hexagons #CLPSCH001- is a great beginner class. Sixty-degree triangles are pieced from two half sixties and then squared up to create blocks with half sixties. How simple and easy is that!

But this is NOT a one-trick pony! Look at just some of the possibilities! Who would ever think that they were all created with the same tool!

And don’t you love her vibrant choice of colors? The sixty-degree triangle is our number one selling triangle of all time – and now it has a friend! Your customers will love it!

Christmas All Year Round

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Penny Haren

I just love this guy! Noggin #CLPLDB003 is a Cut Loose Press™ pattern made with two different Creative Grids® rulers. I already have mine cut out!

Most of the strips are cut to 1 1/4″ – half the width of a jelly roll so it is a great stash buster as well.

You need the four-inch Creative Grids® Log Cabin Trim Tool…

and the four-inch Creative Grids® Curvy Log Cabin Trim Tool.

The pattern features three different versions of log cabins – log cabins, courthouse steps, and curvy log cabins. What a great series of classes.

Quilt Cadets

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Penny Haren

This is such a brilliant idea that I wish I would have thought of it! For those retired Girl Scouts among us, this will make you smile!

Why not start your own Quilt Cadet program? There are twelve badges – each supporting a different skill. There are even age-appropriate patterns! Some are beginner level but as their skills grow, the projects include more techniques.

Why not start a group in your shop next year???

Coffee for Christmas

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Penny Haren

Coffee Break from Cut Loose Press™ by Karla Alexander is so much fun to make! I got out my Fiestaware and started throwing out fabrics that coordinated. It turns out, I couldn’t stop at a table runner. They are just way too much fun – and I am a little OCD…

So what is a gal to do? Make 35 more and turn them into mug rugs for gifts for coaches, teachers, principals….you get the picture. And, if you have a good relationship with your machine quilter, she may even add their names.

But, I live in Ohio – and they are #1 so…..

These individual cups measure approximately 8″ so I cut an 8″ square of fabric, folded it in half, and used it as a pocket on the back. I’ll put coffee gift cards in the pocket as a homage to Karla. After all, she lives in the Pacific Northwest and KNOWS good coffee!

You still have time to finish six or six dozen by Christmas so get started!

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Category Archives: Class Ideas