Category: quilting

A Trip to PNQE

20170917_195204Yep, that’s what happened. I took the two plus hour trip to PNQE at the Oaks Sunday morning. I went just to go. Most shockingly of all – duhn duhn duh – I went by Myself. While this isn’t anything unusual, I went to visit with friends. That’s it. Visit. I didn’t buy anything. I didn’t take any pictures of quilts, though I walked the entire show floor. Many friends have quilts in the show, quilts that I love.

I enjoyed simply being there. I did have a lengthy conversation with Linda Pillion-Lease. Then chatted with Lisa Calle, and Sarah Bond. It was lovely. Lovely.

At the end of the day I did help Diane of SewBatik tear down, and load out. I was a wee bit too lazy to go change my into my sneakers. Note to self: change into your sneakers. Your toes will thank you later. No, no damage to toes, however a close call that was my fault. HA.

I arrived home around midnight having thoroughly enjoyed the day of simply being with friends.

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Happy Friday,

Teri

 

 

I’m kind of excited!

2017-09-15 19.05.13Visiting the Quilt Basket last Saturday was so much fun. The students enjoyed If the Foot Fits Use it. Both groups were so much fun, covering a lot of territory in a short amount of time. The lecture itself is about an hour, as we made this interactive – the students asked questions lots of great questions. I’m adding a couple of slides featuring pages of The Big Book of Feet. This one volume book from BERNINA is such an amazing resource. (Forgive the fuzzy shot, either I need new glasses or to clean the lens on my phone.) I’ll be going back to teach at some point, will let you know when.

If you’re going to Quilt Market or Quilt Festival – the Quilt Basket will be there with the Cutie Patterns. Please stop by their booth. And for a wee bit more fun – Debby Brown is celebrating Cutie Madness on her site. Follow along, and vote for your favorite, and an opportunity to win Cutie patterns.

"Twilight in the Bronx"

October 7 and 8 are quickly approaching. Why does this matter? It’s the weekend of the Dutchess Heritage Quilt Show. This is a long time planning and this quilter is still amazed and honored to be part of this event. Check out the lectures and workshops.  Paula Reid will be in the S&S booth, and I’ll stop by to demo on the 7 Series. This will be fun. @play is currently at S&S so please stop by to see it.

 

 

Quilt Market is quickly approaching and I have two classes:
Creating Consumer Confidence – Machine Sales Saturday October 28 9 AM – Fifteen tips and techniques for making sewing machines sales now and in the future. Includes staff training and consumer conversations.

Creating Confidence in the In-Store Talent Sunday October 29 6 PM Fifteen tips and techniques for making sewing machines sales now and in the future. Includes staff training and consumer conversations.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Happy Quilting,

Teri

Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!

This morning I am headed out to the Quilt Basket in Pawling NY. If you didn’t know this is the home of the Cutie Collection of patterns, the amazing Debby Brown is one of the pattern designers. I have at least one Cutie pack and pattern in the studio that are anxiously awaiting their turn at the sewing machine.

We pause to interrupt our regularly scheduled programming with the need to visit one of these places immediately. Duck Donuts. You’re welcome.

adding binding benartexIf the Foot Fits, Use It, a lecture Demo created to extol the virtues of the usual feet, and show some others not quite considered feet for quilt making.

Like using the zipper foot for binding! Just a wee reminder – try not to use the straight stitch plate with this foot.

Ask me how I know.

And then the big push to get quilts, kits, thread and put the finishing touches on the Generation Q Magazine Quilt as Desired lecture for the Dutchess Heritage Quilt Show. I’m kind of excited about this. Kits for this and the Connections Quilt Festival will have Quilters Select Batting. Woot! Woot!

Oh yeah wanna see something kinda cool?

kal 2 use this one

The block looks a little off because of the bulk of the seams. As I work on joining the blocks for a full on quilt the major seams will be pressed open reducing the bulk. I’ve got to admit I love this bit. Wanna know why? I’m madly in love with the Sizzix Big Shot Pro.

stitching in the ditch.jpg

I got started stitching in the ditch with 80 wt MicroQuilter. I’m a bit pokier that usual as there is much experimenting going on with thread, stabilizers and the like. Oh and the learning of the software hot dog! I’m still planning the whole cloth block, with a fabric in mind

I may go to the Oaks on Sunday…I’ll have to see what happens between now and then.

Happy creating,

Teri

Wow! Wow! Wow!

While Shadowing one of the Floriani Educators last week my brain went into high gear. She could see it as I sat in the back of the room listening to Sarabeth. I’m not using her real name because she isn’t a huge fan of social media, and I’m respecting that. Sarabeth presented each one of the stabilizers, sharing around samples for each one of the attendees to touch and feel. As makers that touchy-feely part is important.

The last day she showed the software from the Design Album right through FTC-U. In each program the icons are the same so if you’re in one program and get the next one, the interface is familiar, making it easy to navigate. I can assure you that, as someone who is learning the software from the ground up, this makes working in each environment way easier.

There is something I want to do and may yet figure out how to do what I want. If not I’ll draw it out and let the software do the digitizing for me.

Now for something completely different. This is Brilliant!

Yesterday I was determined! to make freestanding lace. In the software I designed something really cool, however it was in the wrong order and I wasn’t poking the right buttons to optimize the start/stops. And somehow I ended up with these crazy long stitches that make the whole piece seem weird. Then in typical me fashion I promptly forgot how I got from here to there. Gah.

first freestanding laceSo I made a piece of lace from the motifs that are in the B 560. In the top Floriani Silver Metallic. In the bobbin Floriani Silver Metallic. The needle – who knows. I put it in before my trip and haven’t checked what it is. The ONLY issue I had: the silver metallic and the eye of the bobbin sensor couldn’t see the silver thread, so the machine kept stopping “thinking” that there was no bobbin thread. Solution: turn off the sensor while completing the stitch out.

In the hoop were 2 layers of Wet N Gone. That’s it, because I forgot to add the topping but whatev’s. After the machine finished stitching (no thread breaks!) I cut the stabilizer about 1/4” away from the motif. I can use the scraps for something else later. I went downstairs to talk to my Sweetie, and fix dinner. While in the kitchen the lace went into a small bowl of water. I went for less than 2 minutes to talk to him about something and when I got back the Wet N Gone was gone! Gone. Not slimy, not icky. Just gone! The water didn’t feel weird either. What’s left? giving the lace a quick press with the pressing cloth so it lays flat.

Last night after an hour long conversation with Trish, the gal who is going to be my right arm and leg at the Dutchess show in a couple of weeks I figured it out again. So now, today’s job is to make that piece of lace, and cut out 2 1/2” squares for a project for Sew Much Cosplay. The big reveal will be after Cheryl and Tracy see it because I might give them sneak peeks, I might not.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

 

September Quilted Block of the Month

It’s Still Saturday! Ha! At least for a little while yet.

So I’ve been thinking about this kaleidoscope quilt, how to quilt it and what colors to use. Before I got there bear with me for a moment.

Shadowing = learning for me. There are things to do. so watch this space for things I’m doing to learn what I gotta learn to do the work of teaching. Yesterday as I sat in the back of the room the gal I was shadowing said something and my brain kicked into high gear. Finger in the air tracing out some thing that made sense. I still think I can do what I want to in the software. There will be some trying going on.

Superior Threads Tiara Silk threa setSo then for the quilt my brain has been thinking split the complement! split the complement. Woot! Woot! I love splitting complementary colors. So splitting the complement it is. I’m going to focus on the orange as it is the background and primary color of the quilt.

Blue complements orange beautifully.
Purple complements yellow.
Green complements red.

I could go on adding colors and sharing the complement of said color, and while this would be an exercise adding color names, shades, tones and lots of words, the point is that each color has a color that is it’s bff, that adds spark, and sizzle and wow. And then there’s the next door neighbors who are kind of, well…I’ll go there another day.

Tomorrow is the travel day so while waiting for planes there will be some messing about in the software.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

And what do my eyes behold?

Greetings from Evansville IN! What am I doing here  you might ask? Well, I’m at my first Floriani event where I’m shadowing one of the teachers, at SewTech. I’m excited to get started. If you’ve been following on Instagram I’ve been working on the embroidery part of the machine a lot, and learning a lot in the software.

kaleidoscope blockWhile all this is happening I’ve been working on the September Quilted Block of the Month. My intention was to get the pieced block together before leaving for this first gig. Piecing, pressing, practicing embroidery, learning the embroidery software.

Learning means screwing up some, and then teaching some to get a handle on what’s what.

Now

planted by the waterEverything I learned about stabilizer and how to use it for the greatest success is being turned on it’s head, and in roller coaster fashion I’m enjoying the process.

There are reasons to use the different stabilizers, toppers, fabric preps and all that jazz. I’m excited about learning because I’m excited about teaching. What I’m learning right now in embroidery falls under the category of “if I’d only known this about free motion machine quilting when I got started” Yeah it’s that big and that dang good. When I teach machine quilting my entire goal is to set you up for success – it’s the same with the embroidery.

Sigh, it’s that good.

Here’s a link to the Stabilizer Workbook and the Quick Reference Guide. Both of these will add to the depth of understanding the what and why we’re all seeking. And! then there’s the difference and complimentarity of the quilting stabilizers.

so for Saturday I’m going to  post a little something that will add to the Quilted Block of the Month.

Happy Quilting!

Teri

September is gonna be fun

in the hoop 1Wednesday I leave for the first Shadowing gig with Floriani. In the meantime I’ve been spending some time learning the software and remembering how to do things on the embroidery side of the machine. I have to tell you it’s so stinking cool.

But I have to share something with you by way of showing you the first in the hoop project I made.

cork.jpgI’ve been friends with Lisa of Pickle Pie Designs for a couple of  years now – meeting at an Ambassador retreat. Pickle Pie is all about in-the-hoop projects. I’ve like them however doing them wasn’t on my radar. I’m a quilter. For a while now there’s been a blending of embroidery, and quilting, essentially offering us the opportunity to use the embroidery side of the machine to quilt. Diane Gaudynski had designs on the B 830 when it came out. This is a good thing because anything that gets us quilting and completing stuff is a good idea in my book of quilt making.
With this new gig with Floriani there is a learning process which I’m finding exciting. And I know no other amazing way to learn than by doing.

So doing it is. will hold a phoneThe Charlene Cross Body Bag is the first, of many!, in the hoop projects I’m going to make. Don’t tell Lisa but while working on this I broke 3 needles (totally my error!) and really enjoyed the process of making this. My cell phone and a few other things will fit in this case. Soooo more are on the horizon.

And the long term goal of a machine with a bigger hoop because in this case, bigger is better.

special quiltOn the horizon too: a quilt project for a couple of friends that I’ll show you later. here’s the fabrics.

Next weekend is If the Foot Fits, Use it! At the Quilt Basket In Pawling.

Oh yes!! The Dutchess Heritage Quilt Show is coming up quickly. I’m really excited about this, and I get to see Paula Reid.

 

May your day be full of fiber