Advice for the beginner…

I’ve discovered a website that helps with blogger’s block – it’s called Plinky. Each day, you are given a question to ask yourself, and then you blog about it. It is supposed to help you get your writer’s mojo flowing.

So, a recent question was, “What was the best advice you ever received?”. I’ve taken that one step further and thought, “What is the best quilting advice I ever received?”

I’d been quilting for many years, making all the mistakes I could possibly make, before someone finally convinced me to take a quilting class. It was a beginner class – Basic Quilting for Beginners –  at my LQS (local quilt shop). I don’t remember how long the class was, though I managed to finish a six-block quilt, so it must have been a six-week class.

I think that was the best thing I’ve ever done for my quilting – taking a beginner class. I managed to create a lovely quilt that I love and look at every day because it sits on the sofa in my living room. And I learned so much, from how to prepare fabrics to how to sew on a binding, and everything in between.

Most beginner classes help quilters with the basics of quilting, including various quilting techniques such as applique (think Grandmother’s Flower Garden), to  matching points when making the Ohio Star  and Road to California blocks. In my beginner class, we even learned how to ease the seam allowances if you’re quilt is different lengths on each side, so you end up with a quilt that lies flat, not rippled. I also learned about the local quilt guild (which I joined), got some great advice about colour and fabric choices, and had a wonderful time with some lovely, like-minded women.

Today, years after that class, I still frequently refer to the notes the instructor provided. I’ve also added some notes of my own, as I learn new things, new techniques and tips, and come up with new ideas.

So, I guess the best advice I ever received as a quilter was, TAKE A CLASS. After all, you have to actually learn the rules, before you can break them!

What was the best advice you ever received?

Happy Quilting! ~ Heather

Curve alert!

Do you have any quilts you’ve made using the free-form curve technique – not using a ruler and just cutting with your rotary cutter? I’d love to see photos! I’m working on a project, and need some inspiration.

Post a link to your photo, or send me an email at info@quiltersconnection.ca!

Happy Quilting ~ Heather

Positively Negative

I received an email from a quilter recently, asking me about a specific pattern for a quilt that was featured in the Winter 2009/10 issue of Quilter’s Connection Magazine. The quilt was by Julie Wind, our feature quilter in Show & Tell. The quilt was called “Positively Negative”. The writer asked me where she could find the pattern. I contacted Julie, but in the meantime, I lost the email address of the writer asking. Now that I have the answer to the question, I don’t know who to send the information to! I do hope she reads our blog, so that I can get the information to her.

Positively Negative by Julie Wind

Julie used a pattern from a book called “Log Cabin in the Round Designs” by Barbara Schaffeld, Bev Vickery. This book was published in 1992 by Lone Tree Press.

Oh my heavens!

Quilt Shop Alert! Quilt Shop Alert!

A new quilt shop has opened up in Burnaby BC, and I am so very excited, because it is so close to my home I can actually walk to it! I will likely have to take a cab home with all my purchases whenever I visit, but did I mention it’s so close I can walk to it? And there is a Starbuck’s right next door, too. Now I’m in heaven!

Oh, can you tell I’m excited?

I’m truly the spoiled one, because I met with Debbie Miller, owner of The Needle and I Quilt Shop and Sewing Centre earlier this week, before the grand opening. There’s been no peeking allowed by passer’s by, as the windows have been covered with paper for weeks now. But I not only got a sneak peak, I also received the coveted Needle and I Quilt Shop pen before anyone else! And I got the lowdown on the grand opening specials and great prizes too.

No Peeking!

Debbie Miller, the owner of The Needle and I Quilt Shop

Debbie took a few moments out of her crazy busy day to entertain me in her new store, show me around, introduce me to some of her staff, and let me fondle the beautiful fabrics she has in stock:

The Needle and I Quilt Shop

Louise - one of the friendly staff hard at work getting ready for grand opening

Oh, and drool over the Grand Quilter she has strategically placed in the front window!

The Needle and I offers a lovely selection of quilting fabrics for addicts just like me, and they are specializing in reproduction prints, including the Jo Morton line. The shop also sells and services Pfaff sewing machines, will have classes starting in the fall, and offers long arm services as well.  Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the neighborhood!

And, and, and… they are having a grand opening week until July 10th, with lots of great in-store specials, and some wonderful prizes!

The Needle and I Quilt Shop and Sewing Centre

7870 – 6th Street

Burnaby, BC

Tel: 778-397-8001

www.theneedleandiquiltshop.com

Good luck Debbie, I’m sure you’ll be seeing lots of me in your store! ~ Heather

Sharing my pain

Thanks to everyone for responding to the last blog posting on the trials and tribulations of dealing with Canada Post. When I read your comments, I laughed at some of them, I nodded my head knowingly at others, and shook my head in disgust at some as well.

Mostly, I thank all of you for sharing your stories. I feel better knowing that I am not along in my frustrations.

And I sure hope someone from the post office reads them!

Happy Quilting! ~ Heather

Grrr!

Please forgive my rant today. That’s all I can say – I cannot be held responsible.

I’m extremely frustrated with Canada Post. If there was another option, I’d be on it in a flash! I’ve had two emails – just today – from subscribers for Quilter’s Connection Magazine saying they have not yet received their copies of the Summer issue. It was mailed on May 27th. That was one month ago. Where did they go, to China and back? Are they on a boat through the Panama Canal to get to the other side of the country????!!!!!

And then…. Oh yes, there is more! I receive notification of undeliverable mail from Canada Post. They were unable to deliver the magazine to a specific address. I emailed the subscriber to confirm the address, thinking we had it wrong. No, we have it right. For some reason Canada Post still could not deliver it. Why not? Did the post man lose his way?

OH, wait, there is still more. I go to the post office today to re-send those issues that the subscribers did not get, and also mail some little gifts to Facebook friends in a Pay It Forward Handmade Swap, and this little package, which is 6″ x 9″ x 1″ and weighs about 2 oz – can’t say what it is is, cause it was supposed to be a surprise.

Oh yes I can, ’cause I’m not sending them now… it was a pin cushion for crying out loud!

Sorry ladies, if you’re reading this you’re not getting them! Because Canada Post considers this a parcel, and it will cost $13 to mail!

$13 each! And I have three of them!

Okay, I’m not cheap, but $13 for a fat letter is ridiculous!

To my Pay It Forward friends, I’m sorry. I’ll be making something else just as cute, but that will fit in an envelope. As soon as I can. Or maybe I’ll mail them from the US – it probably doesn’t cost nearly as much!

All right, enough of my griping. I plan to go to my guild’s Drop In tomorrow, and work on the following projects:

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER BABY QUILT

CARIBBEAN DREAMING SAMPLE QUILT

I promise to all my guild friends that I’ll be in a better mood tomorrow. I promise!

In the meantime, Happy Quilting, and Happy Weekend to all!

~ Heather

The MOD Squad

Thursday night stitch session: The first ever meeting of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild at a funky little place in Vancouver called the Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge. Lilli and Henry, the owners of Spool of Thread, just opened their doors a few weeks ago, and are already a hit with sewers and quilters.

Anyway, back to the meeting. 42 women and 1 man in attendance – all Modern Quilter’s in some form or another. As one quilter put it, “Modern Quilting is for those who don’t fit into the traditional mould.” I like that idea. I certainly feel like sometimes I don’t fit into any mould.

I wasn’t sure how the meeting would progress, as it was the first time we got together, and I really didn’t know what to expect. Would the agenda take on a similar feel as traditional guild meetings? Would everyone be younger than me? Would I fit in as a very new Modern Quilter, with only one Modern Quilt (not even finished) to my name? Will they serve coffee? Will they like me? Will they, will they, will they…?

Well, I should not have been concerned. There were several people I already knew there. And everyone was so friendly and welcoming. The meeting began by everyone introducing themselves to the group – who you are, how long have you been quilting, do you have a blog, etc. We had the usual Show & Tell. Wow! Some very talented quilters in the bunch! Especially Paul, the only man there, who has been quilting for 25 years. Very inspirational!

And then there was coffee and tea and treats – yummy! Thanks to Holly for those delicious ginger cookies, and everyone else who brought goodies. Quilting and food – two of my favourite things. This could be very fun!

Oh, and the door prizes – I won! I won! I never win anything. But last night I won a beautiful package of silk fabrics from Mostly Silk. Thanks Louise for your donation!

I’m very excited about the next meeting, planned for July 15th. Who’d have thought to have guild meetings in the Summer?? I’ve often wondered why guilds take the summer off. They say it’s because everyone goes on holidays in July and August. Is that really still true? More than a few of the members in my guild are Snowbirds – away half the Winter! Why don’t we take December and January off instead? Only makes sense to me – they are my busiest months. But, whatever.

It was really fun to see so many younger faces in the crowd. Quilting is really experiencing a resurgence, but with that I think quilting has changed quite significantly. Younger quilters are not content to create quilts like their grandmothers made. Just Google “Modern Quilting” and see what comes up. The first site is a Flickr site. With the world wide web, quilting has taken on a completely different personality. Quilters now Flickr, and Blog, and Tweet, and Facebook, and information is sent out faster than you can say, “I like Modern Quilts!”. Modern Quilts, and the fabrics that are used to make them, are new and fresh and fun. And one thing I noticed as I listened to everyone talk last night – Modern Quilting is where there are no rules, only suggestions, and where quilters aren’t afraid to try something new, and make mistakes, and shake them off and say, “Oh, well. I love what I did anyway, and I’m proud of myself for accomplishing this!”

Not to say I’m going to give up completely on Traditional Quilting, but I think I’m going to like being a Modern Quilter.

Happy Quilting! ~ Heather

The closest we can come to Canadian Stats…

Quilters Newsletter and Quilts Inc. have  just released the 2010 Quilting in America Study. Some interesting statistics on quilting. Would be interesting to do something like this in Canada!

Here’s the link….

Quilting in America 2010

Quilt Madness!

Ahhh, I just love a quilt show! I spent Friday and Saturday at the Lions Gate Quilters’ Guild show. Fantastic! I only wish I had more time to see the quilts – I was busy the entire two days at the QC Magazine booth in the merchant mall.

The LGQG put on a fabulous show! Very well organized, and bigger and better than ever. I congratulate the organizing committee for a job well done!

I did manage to get a couple of photos of the merchant mall, but sorry to disappoint you, no pictures of the quilt displays.

Thanks to all who stopped by the booth to say hello… Krista Hennebury and Kim Carlson – contributors in the Summer issue of the magazine. And many, many subscribers and friends. Had the opportunity to meet some new friends too!

Kim Carlson & Heather McArthur

Heather McArthur & Krista Hennebury

Quilter’s Connection Magazine booth

Martha from The Quilted Cat – A New Friend!

Karen from Stitches hard at work

My First Quilt

I follow a fair number of blogs, when I have the chance, and I love to check out WordPress’ ‘Tag Surfer’, which allows me to find new blogs to read, too. Over the time I’ve been blogging, I’ve noted many, many, many blog posts entitled something similar to “My First Quilt”. I love looking at the photos that accompany the posts, and it’s always fun to share in the excitement of someone’s accomplishment of creating that first quilt. I always hope that the quilter enjoyed herself so much that she joins the Sisterhood of Quilters, and moves on to bigger and better projects!

Do you remember your first quilt? Do you still own it? Some of us are terribly embarrassed by that first attempt at piecing – I know I was! And others seem to have the gift of quilting – the first quilt they make is better than any quilt I’ve ever attempted. I’m envious of these talented people, but they help to encourage me to continue to improve my skills. Someday, I think, I’ll be as good as they are.

I recently dug out my first quilt – yes, I do still have it – to see just how far I’ve come over the years. I started quilting in 1994, I had just moved into a new place, and needed to do some decorating. I wanted a throw for my bed that matched the decor in the room. I used what I had for fabrics, including poly-cotton! I have no recollection of what I used for batting, but it was likely an old blanket. I’m pretty sure I used polyester thread too. I didn’t have a walking foot for my sewing machine. I didn’t take a quilting class or buy a book to learn how to quilt. I figured, I had sewing experience, what else did I need to know??!!

Turns out a lot. If I knew then what I know now! That quilt would have turned out much better – it would lay flatter and straighter. Today I know more about fabric choices, colour choices, batting, thread, and binding. I’ve taken classes and I’ve learned how to use a rotary cutter, and discovered better basting and quilting techniques so that my backing isn’t all folded and puckered when I’m finished quilting. And I now know how to attach a binding. In fact, I now know several different methods to attach binding.

But my first quilt serves to remind me that nothing has to be perfect to be enjoyed. And that there is always room for improvement. And when I showed my first quilt to some quilting friends the other day, we had a good laugh at it. So, I’ve also learned you can laugh at your own mistakes.

Happy Quilting! ~ Heather

My first quilt