Reunion!

Had an amazing reunion last night with Robyn Whitbread, former owner of Satin Moon quilt shop in Victoria, and lots of staff and teachers.  Was great to catch up with everyone.

We had the event in a restaurant IN THE OLD STORE!  How fun is that.

More Fall Workshops

There are 2 shops in Victoria where I teach.  I told you about Calico Cupboard a few days ago. I am also very lucky to teach at Satin Moon Quilted Garden, one of the best-known shops in Canada. This fall's schedule includes these workshops:

Lemon Breeze is a Give & Take Appliqué™ design. You will discover the ‘no waste’ way to use fusible web. as you learn my positive/negative technique where one shape equals two fused designs. You will see how I stitch perfect curves and points when doing machine appliqué.

Strippy Stars is a design I developed to use 'strip packs' - Jelly Rolls, Tonga Treats, Stone Strips. Look closely and you'll see that the star points are unusual. I'll show you the magic of the method in this class! 

I also teach my 'First Steps' Basic Patchwork workshop at the store. If you are a beginner, know someone who would like to learn to quilt, or just want a refresher and a place to sew a fun quilt I hope you'll consider joining me to make this baby quilt.  You'll learn everything, from rotary cutting to binding and all the steps in between.

Satin Moon - Fall Class Brochure Available Online

I finished the Satin Moon Quilt Shop Fall Class brochure a couple of days ago and it is now available on the Satin Moon website.


A great lineup of beginner, design, art and technique classes are now available for registration and samples are hanging in the store.


My classes include:

• Give & Take Applique Table Runner (from my new book!),
• Machine Quilting (beginner & intermediate),
• First Steps Basic Patchwork (a great first project to start your quilting journey),
• Paper Pieced Needle Case (makes a great gift for a crafty friend),
• Triangle Tangle (great 2nd project for beginners) and
• Windfall (learn about spontaneous machine curve piecing)

My fellow-teachers have many more classes for you to choose from. Hope to see many of you in classes this fall!

Classes Update

How time gets away from me!  I've been busy teaching, learning and filming over the past couple of weeks.

First, my beginner students at Satin Moon Quilt Shop finished their quilts - isn't this a great quilt for a special little boy!

I also taught my Dragonflies by Moonlight quilt at Satin Moon. Satin Moon had kits for the blue colourway.

(You can order the pattern from my website: http://www.patchworkstudio.com/ - and Northcott is reprinting the brown colourway and it should be in stores in June!)

I'll post about my learning and filming soon.

Classes - February 14-19

At Calico Cupboard - phone registrations to 250-658-2722:

Paper Piecing for Beginners, Wednesday, February 16th, 1:30 - 4:30 pm

Learn to make a small cat block and then create a needlecase to showcase your new skills.

Hand Quilting, Friday, February 18th, 1:30 - 4:00 pm

Learn all about needles, thread, thimbles, quilt marking, batting, hoops and frames, and then learn the traditional rocking method of hand quilting.

At Satin Moon Quilt Shop - phone registrations to 250-383-4023:

Machine Quilting 101 - Walking Foot (basics for beginners), Saturday, February 19th, 9:30 am - noon

Machine Quilting 201 - Stippling/Free Motion, Saturday, February 19th, 1:30 - 4:00 pm

Chinese New Year in Victoria

Victoria has the oldest Chinatown in Canada and yesterday was the big New Year celebration. Satin Moon Quilt Shop is in the Chinatown area of the city and I was at the store teaching Beginner Quilting. We took a break from our class to watch the Dragon come to the shop to bestow good luck.

The tradition includes providing an offering of 'greens' for the dragon. Gord from Satin Moon hung the lettuce above the doorway to the shop and the dragon came to dance and pull down the lettuce.

I'm sure this year of the Rabbit will be a good one!

TAP® Most Innovative Product

Lesley Riley’s TAP^® Transfer Artist Paper has been selected the winner of the 2011 Winter Innovations Showcase at the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) - and I'm teaching a class this coming Sunday at Satin Moon Quilt Shop.

This is your perfect opportunity to learn all about TAP. I'm bring kits with images already printed on TAP along with card-making materials so you can make your own Art Cards in class.  Call the store to register and get your (small) supply list: 250-383-4023.

Classes - Winding Down for 2010

Here is my latest group of Beginner Quilting students from my class at Satin Moon Quilt Shop in Victoria. We had a great time together and aren't these quilts fabulous!  Our 'class mascot' was such a good student - he watched all of us with great interest and was on his best behaviour!

The class brochure for the Winter/Spring session at Satin Moon is posted on their website and you can start registering NOW. Check out the great classes and why not learn something new in 2011 (or just escape with a friend or two and have some creative fun).  I will be teaching my Machine Quilting series a couple of times; the Basic Patchwork Beginner Class is offered twice too, and a project to learn about triangles, Little Bright Star, is a good second project if you are new to quilting. This one starts on February 1st.

Little Bright Star

Teaching, Teaching and more Teaching

It has been a VERY BUSY fall season - lots of classes and many wonderful, enthusiastic students.

Including these Beginners at Satin Moon Quilt Shop - I think they're 'hooked' on quilting!

Also a trip to the Parksville Quilt House Quilters Food, Fun and Friendship event last weekend.

Ariano Shadows Give & Take Applique on Saturday.....

and Overlays & Cutaways on Sunday. In this workshop students learn the techniques I used for my piece included in The Art Quilt Collection (blogpost below). It was exciting to see how each student's work evolved as they worked with the technique. Every piece is very different, reflecting what each student was 'seeing' as they worked.

 

Upcoming Give & Take Workshops

I will be teaching my two most recent Give & Take patterns at local quilt shops this summer. And both designs will help you get a head start on winter decorating. I know, I know, it seems so far away but you KNOW what happens once September gets here. The days seem to fly by and before you know it all the quilting plans you made get pushed aside. Why not start now and spend the more relaxed days of summer working on those projects.

The first class is Winter Magic. This design uses the fabulous Stonehenge fabrics from Northcott. The class is at Calico Cupboard Quilt Shop in Cordova Bay and they have made up kits for the quilt. You just have to grab a kit, add some fusible web and thread and you're all set.  This is a very short class, just 3 hours, but enough to teach you all about Give & Take Applique and how to make this fun quilt.  Class is next Tuesday, June 15th, 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Drop in to the store or give them a call (250-658-2722) to reserve your spot now!  Don't forget to tell them to set aside a kit for you if you want to make your quilt just like mine.

My other new pattern is Festive Forest and I am teaching this design at Satin Moon Quilt Shop on Saturday, July 10, 9:30 - 12 noon. Again, a short class with all the instructions and practice you will need to make the Give & Take tree blocks and the alternate blocks I used in my quilt layout. Brenda (Satin Moon's owner) has ordered fabrics just like mine or choose traditional holiday colors (red & green) for your version of the quilt. You can sign up for this class by phone too (250-383-4023).

I think both these designs can be displayed during the whole winter season, giving you lots of time to show off your work to friends and family. And, you'll have all that time left for your your holiday preparations!

Reschedule and reschedule again!

After a couple of 'false starts', Brenda (from Satin Moon Quilt Shop) and I have rescheduled one of my workshops to accommodate more students.  Sheer Overlays is booked for Saturday, June 26, 11 am - 3 pm.

You will learn to layer a range of fabrics including cottons, silk and sheers to create an abstract underwater scene or landscape. Learn basic ground rules for creating an appealing collage and how to add interesting embellishments like interesting threads and fibres, embroidery, beads and charms. Sewing machine is optional - this can be a fun portable project for the summer! You can be inspired by walks in forests or along the beach - where ever your summer travels take you.

I will provide a kit with sheer fabrics, threads and beads so if these aren't in your stash don't worry about not having the supplies.  This is a fun and very creative session.  Here are a few pictures of the pieces I have made. Hope they get your creative juices flowing and I'll see you in the class. Just call Satin Moon to register.

Pillowcase Party - Satin Moon

The next Pillowcase Party at Satin Moon is on Saturday, May 8th, 10:00 - 11:30 am. Learn about my fun Give & Take Applique (tm) technique as you make another pillowcase for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge.

Satin Moon is working with The Cridge Centre for the Family to provide pillow cases to the individuals, children, and families of The Cridge Respitality Centre, The Cridge Seniors' residents , The Cridge Transition House for Women, The Cridge Supportive Transitional Housing, and The Cridge Brain Injury Program.

Call the shop at (250) 383-4023 to reserve your space!

Travels - St. George, Utah

I have just returned from a vacation/teaching trip to Las Vegas. Since Las Vegas is SO close to St. George, Utah, the 'WORLD HEADQUARTERS' of Superior Threads.....I just had to go for a visit and to pick up some thread for projects for my next book (and a game of golf).

I was welcomed by Heather (Mother Superior) Purcell and her husband Bob (theThread Professor). Heather and Bob lived in Japan for several years and they have some wondeful kimono in the front office area.

Bob took me on a tour of the warehouse. The floor of the warehouse is carpeted (and vacuumed every day), and has racks with row upon row of perfectly aligned boxes of thread. There is a separate area for shipping, a room for packaging Texture Magic and Dissolve stabilizer. I met several of the staff members as we walked through the various areas, including the lady who packages all the kits for the Block of the Month program for The Quilt Show (with Ricky Tims & Alex Anderson). Those kits looked so inviting! She also ships many of the books by the authors who have appeared on the show.

Along with the warehouse, Superior Threads also has a School of Threadology. This is housed in an addition to their original space and includes a huge room dedicated to mid-arm and long-arm machines. You can take classes with the top educators in the industry. More machines are coming - so they will have every brand for students to use.

Another large room has been outfittted for 'home machine' students. Bernina USA has supplied the classroom with Bernina 730 machines and special classes all about thread and workshops with the world's top teachers are presented here.

Thank you to Heather and Bob (and all the staff) for welcoming me and my husband. I am excited to use my new thread for my next Give & Take Applique projects.

Oh yes, I bought lots of thread - I just couldn't resist! I also picked up some more Texture Magic for Satin Moon Quilt Shop. My next 'Pillowcase Party' shows you how to make a pillowcase with a textured band. Class is on April 15.

We did go golfing as well!

Upcoming Classes

Here are a few classes that I'll be teaching over the next few weeks.

Cut & Paste Pickle Dish (Satin Moon Quilt Shop, Victoria, Thursday, March 18). A new Give & Take Applique design - learn this fun two-for-one technique, all about fused applique, and how to use those decorative stitches on your sewing machine!

Super Nova (Serge and Sew, Nanaimo, Friday, March 20). Have you always wanted to make a Mariner's Compass style quilt? Worried about the curves and points? This is the EASIEST way to make a quilt with smooth curves and perfect points. It's Give & Take Applique of course!  Why not join me and make your own 'Super' quilt!

Stamping with Paint & Ink (Serge and Sew, Nanaimo, Friday, March 20). Have you always wanted to use fabrics that nobody else has? Learn how to create your own personal stamps (with hardware and craft store finds!) and then create colourful, individual fabrics for your work.

Just drop in to the shops or give them a call to register. I hope to see you in classes!

Upcoming Class - Needleturn Applique

I told you about some of the projects I was working on during the Olympics, trying to be productive and still see as much of the 'action' as I could. One of the portable techniques I really enjoy is needleturn applique. It takes very little preparation (unlike some other methods of applique) and the small amount of supplies means I can slip a project into a small bag, into my purse and off I go. It is also great for a vacation project.

I am teaching Beginner Needleturn Applique this coming Sunday at Satin Moon Quilt Shop in Victoria. The class is 11 am - 4 pm, cost is $40 plus supplies. The Class is #120 and you can phone the store to register: 250-383-4023.  There are still a couple of spots left in the class - hope you can join me!

Pillowcase Party

I hosted the first Pillowcase Party for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge at Satin Moon Quilt Shop. Nine enthusiastic quilters joined me and here are some pictures from the event.


The next pillowcase part is on Tuesday, February 2, 10 - 11:30 am. Join Denise for the Prairie Point Pillowcase Party - phone the store to pre-register for this FREE event!

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge

Can you sew a rectangle? Want to have some fun during 2010? Why not join the Make a Pillowcase, Make a Difference project started by America Patchwork & Quilting Magazine.

Local teachers, designers and authors are teaming up with Brenda Stengel of Satin Moon Quilt Shop to make pillowcases monthly throughout 2010. We’ll be working with The Cridge Centre for the Family to provide pillowcases for children, families and seniors. Along the way you’ll learn some fun tips and techniques to broaden your quiltmaking skills.

We are planning a series of monthly events that will have your creative juices flowing! Brenda posted details about the upcoming events on her Blog.

Brenda and I will be hosting the Kick Off Satin Moon PillowCase Party on Sunday, January 10th, from 11 am - 2 pm. The first pillowcase will be my design from my most recent magazine article. Choose your favorite fabrics and join in the fun. Become a pillowcase diva! Call the shop at (250) 383-4023 to register for the party.

Here are the fabric requirements for 2 pillowcases (it's just as easy to mak 2 at a time!):

Main fabric: 1.5 metres

Accent fabric: .15 metre

Border fabric: .5 metre

I know some of you aren't here in the Victoria area - but you can still make a difference in your community. Just check out the interactive map on the main 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge website to see if there is a shop or group in your area. You will also find a link to several pillowcase patterns on the site.

Satin Moon Quilt Shop

Satin Moon Quilt Shop is brimming with Christmas goodies! Brenda invited local Victoria designers and artists to bring items for a Christmas Bazaar. The classroom is full of wonderful gifts. From small items (like Lisa's luggage tags) to large quilts (my Gingerbread & Cranberries quilt is for sale), you'll find some very unique and interesting choices.


The new Spring Class Brochure is also now available. I create the brochure for Satin Moon and it is always so much fun to be the first to see all the classes and projects each session.

Brenda has selected a broad selection of classes for all skill levels. If you are a beginner, there are projects where you will learn basic quilting skills, learn to work more effectively with colour, machine and hand applique, and several sewing projects. Intermediate students can explore machine and handwork techniques in more detail, work on design and paint and dye fabric.

Here are a few of the classes I will be presenting at Satin Moon:

Hand Applique - Needleturn Leaves (a short 2 hour session on Tuesday, January 26th)









Beginner Needleturn Applique (one-day, Sunday, March 7th)











Cut & Paste Pickle Dish -my latest Give & Take Applique design (one day, Thursday, March 18th)
















3D Applique with Silk Fabrics (another short session - 3 hours on Tuesday, March 23rd)








Mini-Dream Landscape - learn a unique way to make ANY landscape - machine sewing and embellishment, Saturday, March 27th

My Machine Quilting series is running again:

- 101 is the basic beginner class to build a foundation for machine quilting your quilts.
- 201 is all about stippling and free motion designs.
- 301 builds on your knowledge and skill to enrich the surface with bobbin quilting with thick threads.

My last class for the spring is Sheer Overlays - working with a wide variety of fabrics including sheer organza to create landscapes and underwater scenes. We'll develop expertise in creating interesting collage designs and incorporate embroidery and beading.

I hope these have piqued your interest! Brenda has a SPECIAL OFFER - 10% off class registrations until Sunday, December 13th. You can call the store and register by phone or stop in to see the samples in person, and check out the Bazaar too!