Machine Update

My trusty machine came home from the QP Spa purring like a kitten.  The foot pedal works, the beeping has stopped and the machine goes the speed it's supposed to.  No comment from the tech except he said "I cleaned it"  The look that came with that statement however spoke volumes . . . .

So my machine decision is put off again.  Off to Bernina University and Baby Lock Tech, the dealer conventions, this summer - we'll see what they have coming!

Debbie 

A New Sewing Machine?

My trusty Elna 7200 is on it's way to the QP Machine Spa, the hospital ward to be exact.  It's definitely having problems and the way I sew on it, it's no wonder.  As you can imagine, I sew  A LOT and, shall we say, I'm not gentle with my machines?  I'm not abusive but I could probably - ok, definitely - clean it more and take it in for service more often.

Right now the foot pedal isn't working.  I sew FAST - hence why I have a machine that sews 1,000 stitches per minute - and having the machine go fast, then slow down, then go a little faster, then speed up to fast again is, how shall I put it?  ANNOYING AS HECK!  To top it off, if it isn't doing that, it's beeping at me, stopping and showing me the knee lever is up.  THE KNEE LEVER IS NOT UP!  Can you tell it was a frustrating sewing morning?

Eleanor Burns signed my machine so it's dear to my heart.  El did a two day workshop for us in 2005 and I took home the machine she used for those two days after she wrote me a note on it.  It's been a workhorse since with not a problem until a few days ago.  I think it's tired.  Maybe a trip to the spa is just what she needs and she'll be fine.

On the other hand . . . . .

Have you looked at the new machines lately?????  So many neat features!  I have to admit I have a laundry list of what a new machine has to have - just in case.

1. Built in scissors - a DEFINITE.  Love that feature on my current machine and won't buy a new one without it.
2. Needle Up/Down - goes without saying.  I wish when you turned the machine on, it automatically started with the needle down engaged.
3. Knee lever - love being able to lift the presser foot without taking my hands off the fabric.  Great control when free motion quilting and chain piecing
4. A stop/start button.  Sometimes I don't want to use the foot pedal, like when sewing long strips or stippling.
5. Built in walking foot - ok, I admit I'm lusting after this feature.  The 7200 doesn't have it and I'm just tired of having to put one on and off and having it come loose if I go too fast.
6. An extended bed.  Have it now and wouldn't buy another machine without it.  Quilting and sewing bulky items is a breeze.
7. Stitches and more stitches - the more stitches a machine has, the better I like it.  How do you know when you'll want/need 80 million decorative stitches for a project?
8. Speed - it's got to sew at least 1,000 spm or it's too slow for me.
9. A motor that can handle qulting for long periods of time
10. A good feed dog system for great stitch formation.
11. A low bobbin warning.

A Wish List For Things I'd Love To Have but don't exist - sewing machine companies are you listening????

1. I don't want it to weigh 400 pounds.
2. I want it to run off two spools of thread - NO MORE BOBBINS! 

I think if I found a machine that ran off two spools of thread instead of a bobbin and a spool of thread, I might just give up one of the first 11 want/needs and buy a wagon to cart it around if it weighed 400 pounds!

Till next time.
Debbie

A Woman's Perogative . . .

is to change her mind!  Ok, it's day 20 of the Nine Patch Project and I still don't have any Nine Patches done.  I fear I'm failing in this project - ok, not a fear but a reality!  It hit me later in the day that I wrote the last blog that I can't take until August to finish the sample from the NJ lighthouses, it needs to be done ASAP.  So much for combining projects!

I've designed the NJ lighthouse project and have started making the blocks.  They're kind of like a nine patch in that they have a 9 patch in the middle.  I'm doing it in a couple of sizes and my goal is to have the wall hanging done and hanging in the shop next weekend.  Today's goal is to make the table runner sample from the challenge fabric.

Here's the wall hanging.  We'll be cutting kits this week and posting them on the web page as soon as they're ready.  Well, as soon as I finish the sample and we can take a picture to put in the kits!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.

Ok, I admit it, I'm 13 Nine Patches Behind . . . .

Since today is June 13th that means I haven't even done one yet . . . .  AGGGHHHHH!  I was going to be so good and do one a day.  What happened???? 

Life happened.  I have been a little busy.  New grandson, who is absolutely adorable even with the current shade of orange/yellow skin he's currently sporting making him resemble a little pumpkin, the shop turned 14 and had a birthday celebration, I had a birthday.  Hmmm, what else has been going on?  ISN'T THAT ENOUGH????  That all happened in one weekend so I think I can use the excuse that I took this past week off to recover and didn't get any Nine Patches sewn. 

But even I have to admit - no more excuses.  I've decided to combine two projects into one.  I NEED to  make something with our NJ batik.  I want to make nine patches.   Why not combine the two? 

So today, I'm going into the store and dipping into the 30 new batik bolts that went onto the sales floor yesterday and finding something for a background for my 9 patches.  Then I'm going to claim owner's privilege, designer's privilege, SOME PRIVILEGE, snatch a whole bolt of the lighthouse batik and bring it home.  That's what I'm going to make my Nine Patch Blocks out of.

Ok, I have a plan, a course of action, and a deadline.  This could work!

Till next time.

Announcing our 2010 Summer Challenge and Our EXCLUSIVE Batik!

Isn't it gorgeous???  This is our exclusive batik done with Hoffman Fabrics for our 14th birthday celebration!  I'm so excited about the whole thing, I can hardly stand it!

Last fall market I was at the Hoffman booth chatting with my Hoffman rep Barry.  (Yes Barry, I stole your picture off Facebook!)  He reminded me that Hoffman does exclusive prints for shops and I mumbled something to the effect of "Yes, I've been thinking about it".  And I really had, I just hadn't done anything more than give it a passing thought of something I'd like to do "someday". 

Turns out, that was the day.  Jane, the head designer at Hoffman, happened to be at the booth right then and Barry called her over.  A short time later, she walked away with my ideas of what I wanted.  Turns out I'd been giving it more thought that I'd thought!

I knew I wanted a batik.  I knew I wanted a lighthouse batik and I wanted it to be only NJ lighthouses.  I also had colors in mind but beyond that, I was clueless.  Jane rode to the rescue and sent a black and white copy of a "cap" (pronounced chop) about a month later.  A chop is a picture of what will be printed on the fabric.  I loved it but wanted the shells a bit further apart,  Once that was ok'd, they sent 5 strikeoffs - large rectangles of the printed fabrics - for me to choose colors.  Of course I wanted them all!  Well, until I sat down and figured out how much it would all cost - reality check!  I really wanted two colors but storing 1,000 yards of fabric was not practical so I chose one and sent my choice off to Hoffman in April.

Click here to read how batiks are made.

Barry, being the great rep that he is, kept on top of the whole process.  First emails kept going off into cyberspace somewhere and that caused delays.  Then the rainy season came to Bali - no printing of fabrics then.  We didn't think we'd get it in time for the birthday celebration, did I still want it?  YES!  YES! YES!
After being out of phone range in South Dakota for awhile, we picked up our messages one day last week and one was from Barry, the batik had arrived and SHIPPPED last week!  YAY!  It's here and I'm sure Barry is thrilled he doesn't have to think about it anymore.

I'm ABSOLUTELY thrilled to see something that was in my head printed on fabric! 

We're doing a challenge this summer using the NJ Lighthouse Batik!  Here's the details:

1. Challenges are due into the shop by August 29th.
2. One yard minimum purchase of the NJ Batik fabric is required to participate
3. Quilt entries must be a minimum of 24" x 24".  Wearables and purses/totes are also welcomed.
4. Entries must be finished.
5. The NJ Batik fabric must be recognizable on the front of the challenge entry.
6. Entries will hang in QP for viewer voting from September 4th - 26th.
7. Three viewer choice prizes will be awarded - first prize will be a $100 QP gift card, second prize will be a $50 QP gift card and third will be a $25 QP gift card.  We'll also have a special prize given out by a special judge - Barry Spingarn!

The fine print: - we will do our utmost to ensure your entry is taken care of but QP cannot be responsible for any theft or damage.  All prize decisions are final.  Prizes have no cash value.  Entries must be picked up by Oct 1st.

I'm hoping that you will all take part in our 2010 Challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with!  Click here to purchase that batik online.

Till next time.

Nine Patch Project

Join us in our Nine Patch Project!  A group of friends who own shops are getting together and doing a Nine Patch Project - basically Karen Montgomery is doing all the work and so far the rest of us are just coasting along on her coattails!  LOL 

This is what's going on.  Starting today, everyday you make a Nine Patch Block from your stash.  Just one block.  WE CAN DO THIS!  At the end of the summer, we'll post patterns for you to put your blocks together.  You can do your blocks totally scrappy, with a color theme, kind of controlled scrappy - your quilt, your stash, your blocks.  The goal is to use up some of your stash, no rules, no one will be checking up on you to see if you made your block today and you can do it the way you want.  What could be easier???

Here's directions from Karen:
If you want to make the 6 inch finished size you will be making your blocks using nine squares that are cut 2 1/2 inches. Stitch those squares together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, in three rows of three. Press the seams in the top and bottom rows toward the center block. Press the seams in the center row away from the center block. Stitch the rows together, your seams should nest. Your finished block should measure 6 1/2 inches including the seam allowance. That's it. Sleep and repeat, every day until mid August.

Want to join the fun?  We'll be providing simple setting directions for your blocks at the end of the summer.  You can do this.  I can do this. 

Ok, it's the first day and my first block is not going to get made - what a start!  However, tomorrow I'll make two blocks and the quilt police will NOT be coming to call.  You can make 7 blocks every Saturday!  The goal is one block a day till mid August - how you get there is up to you BUT DIG INTO YOUR STASH AND JOIN US!

Join us on Facebook and post your progress and pictures!  ://www.facebook.com/pages/9-Patch-Project/116885848345468?v=wall&ref=ts

Till next time.

Quilt Market Teasers

Here are some teasers from Quilt Market.  Look for more details as soon as I finish unpacking!

Winsome Wreaths is a new block of the month we will be starting in July.  As soon as I get two minutes to myself, I'll figure out the details and post them online and in the shop but for now here is a picture and the general gist of how it will work.   

There are 12 wreath patterns to make a 35" x 45" quilt.  In addition, each month you will be given a fun companion project!  July is a hanging banner for Independence Day.  Each pattern has a 4" x 6" watercolor print on the back side, ready to frame.

This is a rough picture of McKenna Ryan's newest block of the month and I don't even think she's named it yet but I'm calling it Sand In My Shoes after the line of fabric she designed for it.  Patterns aren't ready, the top literally had the pieces pinned to the background (a woman after my own heart!) and the fabric won't be available until August.  McKenna was gracious enough to come over and show me what fabrics to order extras of.  She was funny, saying over and over "I think I'm going to use this one a lot, you'll need more of this one because I'm thinking about doing more braided borders".  It's really still evolving!

About five years ago I spoke with McKenna at a market somewhere and asked when she would do a more east coast one and now she has!  Look for details at the end of June when she plans to have the patterns available.  For now, here's a couple close ups.

The top

The middle

the bottom

I brought back a BUNCH of new patterns, a new Hunter's Star ruler & other things I can't even remember!  Coming soon will be a new Snap Tool that will make adding snaps to your purses, totes, baby bibs, jackets etc well, A SNAP!, soft minkee-like fabrics in new textures, a new club to join from Terry Atkinson called Gadget Girls and more! 

And here's the biggest hint of all!  QP will unveil it's own batik at the Birthday Celebration the first week in June!  I'm SO excited!  Look for a challenge announcement during our birthday weekend!  WOOOOEEEEEEE!!!!!! 

Till next time!