Quilting Confections News for August 2010

What's New?

What's new, you ask? Every month I like to tell you about a new item or a new line of fabric that's arrived. This month is no exception. We've received 15 new Island Batik's, each one more lovely than the one before. Our batik shelves are about to explode! Another new line that's just arrived, is called Bliss by Northcott - it's a fresh, bold and bright line of fabrics. There are 40 different coordinates in this line, so if you're making a quilt with lots of fabrics this one will give you plenty of options.

I've saved the best for last - we've added a new line of blenders and the entire line has arrived - we have 138 different Fusions fabrics by Robert Kaufman (my favourite designer!) Whatever colour you need, you can be pretty sure it's there.

Did you count them? That's 193 new fabrics this month. Come by and take a look - and you're always welcome to bring your work in progress or the fabrics that you already have on hand for your next project. We'll be happy to help you fill in the gaps. We're pretty well stocked right now!

Dog Days of Summer Sale!

We need space, you need fat quarters, dogs need food. Well, this perfect storm has caused a fat quarter sale to occur. We have lots of new fabrics to add to our fat quarter shelf and we've run out of room. Starting now selected fat quarters are 25% off when you bring in laundry soap (powder or liquid) or hand sanitizer for the Humane Society! This sale will run until the end of July and includes what's already on the wall, but not our new Bliss or Fusions lines of fabric. Can you help us make some space? Can you help the Humane Society? Can you improve your fat quarter collection? Who knew that quilting could be so socially beneficial?

FYI

We have a good selection of Ackfeld decorative quilt hangers to fit the 6" PatchAbilities patterns and other small wall hangings.

Civic Holiday

Monday, August 2 is Civic Holiday. The store will be closed. Do your civic duty - relax and enjoy the day. And, maybe do some quilting.

Classes

Enjoy classes in our spacious classroom with lots of table space, two oversize ironing boards, design wall, great teachers, and good company. Whether you come with someone you know or venture in on your own, you are sure to make new friends, learn new skills, and have a great time! By the way, if you need to cancel a class after registering, you can get a full refund up until one week before the first class.

Tumbling Blocks

Saturday, July 24, 10:00 - 3:00
Instructor: Tara Barrette
Fee: $35
Level: Confident beginner and up

You can do it! Tara will show you how to use your Square-in-a-Square ruler to make this quilt top. It looks difficult, but it's not! This is a lap quilt size, you can make yours whatever size pleases you. No inset seams!

Circle Pillow Sham

Thursdays, July 29 and August 5, 6:00 - 8:00
Instructor: Linda Glover
Fee: $35
Level: Confident beginner and up

Let Linda show you how to make this lovely pillow. A bit of machine applique and a lot of style! Make them for your own living room, or make a few to put aside for gifts..think housewarming, birthday, Christmas...

Scrap Queen

Sundays, August 8, 15, 22, 12:00 - 4:00
Instructor: Sue Aylesworth
Fee: $45 or free with purchase of kit
Level: Confident beginner and up

This beautiful quilt has hundreds of fabrics in it - so we've put together kits and even cut the starting squares for you. Join us for a free class in August. We promise to keep our classroom cool and the coffee flowing!

Popsicle Sticks

Monday, August 9, 10:00 - 3:00
Instructor: Sue Aylesworth
Fee: $35
Level: Confident beginner

This pretty quilt got so much attention during shop hop, we decided to offer a class. Start with precut strips or fat quarters, both will work. The pattern offers instructions for several different sizes, you choose. The little one makes a nice lap quilt or topper for a small bed. Choose a scrappy palette or colour coordinate for a different look

Kids Can for Summer

Wednesday, August 11 to Friday August 13, 10:00 - 1:00 each day
Instructor: Heather Northrup
Fee: $55 plus kit
Level: Beginner

Each child will make their own small quilt from our kit. We precut all the fabrics and the kids will focus on constructing their quilt. They'll sew their top and then quilt it too. Come on in out of the heat for a bit. Be creative and have some sewing fun! Snacks provided.

Moving in Circles

Thursday, August 12, 5:00 - 9:00
Instructor: Linda Glover
Fee: $30
Level: Confident Beginner and up

This is a fun applique project that you can make into a square or rectangle for a wall hanging or table topper. This is Linda's own pattern and she'll share with you all the tips & tricks on how to place it on your background and how to get started. Choose your own colour scheme or purchase one of our kits.

Machine Applique - an introduction

Saturday, August 14, 10:00 - 2:00
Instructor: Katrina Constantine Lagace
Fee: $30
Level: Confident Beginner and up

Katrina will show you how to get started with buttonhole stitch applique. Learn how to round those curves nicely and how to make nice corners too. You'll learn how to use fusible web and how to finish off nicely too.

Magic Mountain

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 10:00 - 4:00
Instructor: Olga Malott
Fee: $40
Level: Confident Beginner and up

This is an interesting block and Olga will show you several different ways to set it for a different look. Make it scrappy or colour controlled. For a larger quilt, make more blocks.

Dresden Plate Mini

Monday, August 23, 10:00 - 3:00
Instructor: Yvette Sullivan
Fee: $35
Level: Intermediate

This beautiful little quilt is pieced and Yvette will show you how to work with the tiny pieces to put together your own little mini. Add some tiny prairie points for a nice accent. Dress it up with your decorative threads, the sky's the limit.

Learn to Love your Quilting System

Monday August 23, 5:00 - 9:00
Instructor: Melissa Milos
Fee: $35
Level: Beginners welcome

If you already own a quilting system or are thinking that you might like to, this is the class for you. Of course we're always ready to show off our B-Line quilting system but to get some really in-depth working knowledge, you can't go wrong. Melissa will show you how to load your quilt and how to get started with the quilting process.

Mini Spinning Stars

Wednesday, August 25, 10:00 - 3:00
Instructor: Yvette Sullivan
Fee: $35
Level: Confident Beginner and up

Foundation piecing is perfect when you want precision. Yvette will show you how to get perfect points on this tiny project. Some things are done a bit differently when you're working with miniatures and Yvette has lots of experience to share with you. Choose your favourite colours, you don't need much fabric to make a bit impact!

Simply A Pleasure

Thursday, August 26, 10:00 - 4:00
Instructor: Olga Malott
Fee: $40
Level: Confident Beginner and up

This is an eye-catching table runner and you can make placemats to match too. Choose a conversation print and coordinating fabrics or purchase one of our kits. Spend the day in our cool classroom with quilting friends and leave with a lovely runner.

Miniature Landscape

Sunday, August 29, 9:30 - 4:30
Instructor: Dianne Bergmann
Fee: $70
Level: Intermediate/Advanced

In this class you'll learn several techniques for piecing/appliqueing fabric for the landscape background, free motion thread painting and embellishment techniques. You'll learn a bit about perspective, light and shadow and how to use fabrics to their best advantage. Come in to see more of Dianne's lovely landscapes. Hurry, only one spot left!

Back-basting Basics

Saturday, August 21, 10:00 - 1:00
Instructor: Sue Aylesworth
Fee: $25
Level: All sewers welcome

Back-basting is a hand applique technique that promises placement precision. Learn how to mark your layout and get started with your applique project.

Fabric Dolls

Saturdays September 4 - 25, 1:00 - 4:00
Instructor: Sue Pilutti
Fee: $70
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

She can be sweet or saucy, Sue will show you how to construct your doll and how to give her a great personality. You will be creating the body, attaching jointed arms and legs, creating the face using coloured pencils and markers, needle sculpting the face, adding various types of hair, and learn techniques for dressing/finishing the doll.