So this happened a Sizzix Big Shot Pro. It’s waiting for me to cut big hexies for a project, which is part of some magazine work that needs to happen. But first there are Ads to sell, and copy to write (I’m transcribing an interview of a quilter) for the Fall Issue of said magazine. Yes, Ad Sales too, if you want info email me.
Then there’s this too:
Click on the picture to go to Melanie’s website to purchase this book. I’m going to review it for in our pages.
Saturday is the next Quilted Block of the Month post. Stay tuned. I’m going to reveal the next block
In a nondescript building in Toms River NJ lives a cozy, kitchy restaurant: Shut Up and Eat. RUN don’t walk to for good food, and good service.
Our server, Ross, was in the midst of working her last day prior to heading off to get her PhD.
The walls are decorated by the humor of life.
<—— I sent this in a private message to a couple of my friends. Sometimes this is true because I’m a human being with feelings.
I’d share another picture but I got someone’s head in it and it’s really fuzzy.
I had perfectly poached eggs, with house made hash and home fries. You get to select the meat in the hash so bacon, pork roll (Taylor Ham) and something else made me so very, very happy.
My sweetie had a chorizo burger, it was big, and he ate the whole thing. The fries were crispy. I nipped a bit from his plate, then did it again.
Go. Just go. Eat. Enjoy.
Coming later this week:
Sizzix is in the house!
Quilted Block of the Month (Saturday)
and there’s probably something else too. Oh! I’m going to reblog something on Friday.
New on the teaching schedule: Saturday September 16, at the Quilt Basket (Pawling, NY) I’ll be doing the “If the Foot Fits Use it” and offering some advice on quilting your quilts. First lecture at 11, second at 1, and I’ll be there til 3. Give them a call and sign up. Bring two quilts and a sketchbook, let’s talk.
We had some family time over the weekend so not much in the way of quilting. I did visit Quilting Possibilities. This morning I’m going to open the big box
Last week we focused on the “bones” also known as stitching in the ditch. When you’re working on a quilt it’s not a “have to do” rather, it’s a good thing to do. When working on something like @play the bones get stitched as these would be the ditch in a pieced quilt top. Finer thread makes this stitching almost disappear into the batting, which is the goal.
Our post ended with this delightful conundrum, makes you kind of tense doesn’t it. Changing thread weight and color means that the needle, and tension need some kind of adjustment. For the top Wonderfil FabuLux Hush a 40 wt. trilobal polyester (means shiny!) designed by Debby Brown, for the MicroQuilter by Superior, an 80 weight polyester. Finer threads in the bobbin take up less room in the stitch, allowing tighter, closer stitching without skewing the quilt.
Clearly the tension was off in the first few stitches. This is a simple adjustment of the tension.
– lift the presser foot lever
– increase the tension (move dial to a higher number)
– take a few stitches, stop and check
– if the tension is good, keep stitching
– if the tension isn’t good, tweak it
Using the Sewline Marking pencil I placed a dot, about an inch up from the arc, about in the middle. I stitched from the peak of the spikes to the dot, then from the dot to the next peak. Using the same thread, I arced back. Just a small curve from the top of the peak, to the same dot.
What choice thread? Lime Green or Orange?
Next up the big expanse, other wise known as the corner. The options are limitless. A long time ago this would have completely freaked me out. Now either there’s something on my brain. Sometimes I wait. This is a time to doodle, write blog posts, articles, walk up and down the stairs for the heck of it. Then there’s the old phone a friend, and the send friend a picture of the quilt.
The thinking led me to straight lines. It’s a basic principle – opposites attract. Straight lines highlight, and help define curves; curves soften the feel of straight lines. General rule. Lots of straight lines can do something dynamic to a geometric, square, block style quilt. Straight lines chosen, because why not.
Purple and orange are my favorite colors so I chose the orange Magnifico, another 40 weight, trilobal polyester thread. Stitch, stitch, stitch. Using the edge of the #24 Free Motion Embroidery foot, which measures 1/4 inch from needle center to the outside edge of the foot.
I started in the ditch (seam allowance) Next week I’ll show you the finished straight line quilting, including a wee bit of unplanned stitching, and what happened in the corner.
Quilts are fascinating creatures with stories all their own from why they were made, to what went wrong while making them., or what went right while making them. Often when I tell the story of 49 Pieces of Chocolat the focus is on the what not to do with wool batting or the sewing room vortex of it all.
Today it’ll be the character of the quilting. You see it’s not incredibly good. Oh snap! I just did that.
I Always, Always, Always give my students the most important thing I learned from my first machine quilting class, “Show people what you did, don’t point out the flaws”
Sometimes my students show me their work, and try showing me where the quilting is not up to the competitive level of quilting that beginners should achieve right out of the gate. If I were one of my students the conversation would go something like this:
Jeanne* “my quilting isn’t very good
Teri, “it’s quilted isn’t it”
Jeanne, “yes but it doesn’t look like…”
Teri, “I’m the teacher. I don’t remember giving you permission to diss your work.”
Jeanne, “I know.”
Teri, “So, if I like it, and I’m not pointing out the ahem “problems”, then you don’t get to either.”
Jeanne, “okay, okay, I get it now”
*names have been changed to protect everyone involved
I don’t know if you’ve ever notices I can be, shall we say, a bit snarky, so I’ve had the “oh you’ve been free motion machine quilting for about 6 minutes! so you should be perfect with every stitch now.” conversation.
As we stitch and make some quilts with great character we develop our quilting character. Fun isn’t it! Should be experience shame when we’re learning? NO. Amiclearenoughonthat?
MJ Kinman – Go visit this site. Do not pass go. Do not collect a minimal amount of cash funding.
Well then there’s Charles, Candy’s Quilting manager. Totally loved working with him at the other shop when it was open. He’s been working with Candice to get Candy’s Quilting open. Check out their facebook page and instagram.
They’ve curated a selection of books for the Modern Quilter, and the quilter who enjoys precut fabrics. Some of the shelves are glass and steel giving a clean fresh look and a lovely way of displaying books, and the some fabric.
Here’s part of the fabric selection: Me+You batiks, Allison Glass, Northcott Toscana, some lovely plaids and stripes. On another shelving unit live the solids, and Shannon Cuddle.
Classroom space galore! This is a space for local teachers to have private lessons for up to three students. A quilter can go use this space to work privately.
There are two other classrooms: The first has 10 machines, each with it’s own table and power outlet.. There are currently 6 cutting stations (a few more coming soon), and four ironing stations.
The final classroom is for handwork.
So there’s lots of space and there will be classes to choose from later on. As of August classes to “work on your own project” with Charles will be available. Quilting and other classes will start in September.
Local teachers now is the time to reach out to Candice and Charles to get on the schedule for fall. Send a class description, supplies list, and photo of your project giving them all the information they need.
Here’s Candice, the owner, speaking with Mary and Jamie, the Candy’s Quilting staff. Mary is the tallest of the three.
Candy’s Quilting location: 140 West 22nd St. between 6th and 7th, close to the subway and some really good restaurants. And let’s not forget Trader Joe’s is nearby.
Oh! They carry Aurifil thread located behind the main counter!
This note is an honest-to-goodness handwritten note card saying thank you for the postcards. I sent two, one to keep and one to give. And honestly, if someone chose to give the postcard I sent, that’d be fine with me. It’s a gift, no strings attached. Oh, perhaps I’d better rephrase that…no expectations of keeping. Getting the card this was an act of kindness that filled my cup just a little bit more mostly because it was unexpected.
Debby Brown, in her Tuesday Facebook Live vid, shared a new product from her website – A Postcard Kit a pack of six – 5” x 6” pieces of fusible peltex, with clear envelopes that will fit a 4.25 x 5.5. This works well for 1000 postcards for peace. This kit is a great thing to keep by the sewing machine to stitch after, or before, or in the middle.
This is the beginning of a journey that requires concentration, choices, and confidence. The next time the quilt make an appearance? Not sure yet.
In a nondescript building in Toms River NJ lives a cozy, kitchy restaurant: 
This note is an honest-to-goodness handwritten note card saying thank you for the postcards. I sent two, one to keep and one to give. And honestly, if someone chose to give the postcard I sent, that’d be fine with me. It’s a gift, no strings attached. Oh, perhaps I’d better rephrase that…no expectations of keeping. Getting the card this was an act of kindness that filled my cup just a little bit more mostly because it was unexpected.
