| FANTASTIC FABRIC GIVE-AWAY | | |
You could be a Winner
For every $10 you spend on fabric from Pacific Rim Quilt Company during April, your name will be automatically entered in a drawing for a chance to win 2 yards of hand-dyed fabric from Janice!
Next drawing on May 1 for purchases in April.
Congratulations
to the winners of the April 1st drawing from March:
Maria from Missouri
Wati from Washington
Carolyn from Florida
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| DESIGN YOUR HAWAIIAN QUILT | | | Join us in Hawaii
There is still space for you in our classes, but time to register is running out.
Take advantage of a very rare opportunity to design your personal Hawaiian quilt with Nancy and Janice in Hawaii, May 2010. No drawing or quilting experience is required. Just a desire to create your own personal Hawaiian quilt. Take a needleturn applique class from Nancy in Hawaii, too. Click here to read all the details and discover the extra opportunities to view antique Hawaiian quilts seldom displayed. |
| CURRENT INTERNET SPECIAL | | |
Tulip Vases
Regularly priced at $12.00, available for a limited time at our Internet Special price of just $10.00.
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| WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR VIDEO: | | |
"The money spent to purchase your video, "Hawaiian Quilting", is the best investment I could have made. It is clearly presented and thorough. And very soothing. Thank you for making it available"
"I began my Hawaiian quilt pillow with no real instruction. Only when I got your DVD did I get any real information on tools, knots, stitching, fabric prep and choice, etc. I can't tell you how great the details on the DVD are."
"I am truly grateful that you shared this tradition on a learning DVD, which I found to be excellent."
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am a self-taught quilter that only makes applique blocks and this video, "Hawaiian Quilting with Nancy Lee Chong," opened my eyes on many techniques I would have never figured out. You are a wonderfully gifted teacher. I love the step-by-step process and details that make this easy. The advice on the larger quilt size was great, too. I never thought I would quilt more than a pillow, but I think I will start with a larger Hawaiian quilt sooner rather than later. There were so many ah-hah moments. Thanks for passing this technique on."
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| Aloha!
My husband has been watching the Masters Golf Tournament this weekend. He does not play golf, but has hit a ball around enough to have a strong admiration for the skill required to be a great player. What I enjoy is the beauty of the Augusta National Golf Course. I am mesmerized by the rolling hills of green grass, the artful arrangement of flowering shrubs at the base of majestic trees, the blue skies, stone bridges over meandering streams, and even the shapes of the sand traps. What beauty!
Spring is such a glorious time of year. Every day we see new life emerging. Brown gives way to green, and cold gives way (eventually, we trust) to warmth. This month we celebrate spring.
Yes, there is still room in Hawaii, in May, for you to join in our Hawaiian quilt designing classes, or take an applique class with Nancy. We may never offer this experience again, so if you have been debating, hesitate no longer! Sign-up today. E komo mai!
Welcome!
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QUILTING | |
To Quilt by Hand or Machine?
Your quilt top is finished. Hooray! You may have known from the beginning of this quilt whether you would hand or machine quilt it. Or you may have wanted to finish the top before you decided. If so, now is the time to decide. So what will you do, quilt by hand or machine?
Here are some things we think about when making that decision on each of our quilts:
1. Is there a looming deadline when this quilt needs to be finished? If there is, then it will likely be machine-quilted.
2. Is this a very special quilt that hopefully will be a family heirloom? If yes, then it will be hand-quilted.
3. Is this just a quick wall hanging? If yes, then it will likely be machine-quilted.
Hand-quilted on light fabric; Machine-quilted on dark fabric |
4. What fabrics have been used in the quilt? If the fabrics are prints, and the quilting will not show very much anyway, then it will be machine-quilted. If the fabrics are solids, or near-solid blender or background fabrics, on which the quilting will be visible, then it will be hand-quilted.
5. What if the quilt has a dark print fabric appliqued on a pastel background? Then it will likely be machine-quilted on the dark print (where it will not show very much), and hand-quilted in the background areas (where the quilting will be seen).
6. Is this a quilt made for a child to carry around and cuddle with? Definitely machine-quilted!
More and more it seems that time is the determining factor. Consequently, it is true that more and more quilts are quilted by machine. But there is a special quality about hand quilting, and there are special quilts that deserve to be quilted by hand. Now you know how we make our decision. We hope this helps you make your decision about that newly finished quilt top.
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| GARDEN WREATH | | | Choices, choices!
There is no right or wrong way to hang this quilt. It was designed to be hung portrait or landscape, which ever way you want!
Garden Wreath - landscape | A wreath of fanciful flowers made in spring colors, heralds the season of new growth.
TIP: Put sleeves on two sides, so you are ready to hang it either way.
Garden Wreath - portrait |
We frequently show you what our quilts look like with either a light fabric appliqued on a dark background, as in the quilt above; or a dark fabric appliqued on a light background, as in the quilt at right. All our quilts work either way, the choice is yours. This quilt also looks wonderful in fall colors for an autumn harvest quilt.
Choose from a variety of Fabric Packs to make this and our other 2 Fabric Applique Quilts. |
| TULIP VASES | | Spring at its best
 Just about 40 minutes north of where Janice lives is one of the major tulip growing areas in the United States. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival draws thousands of people to the tulip fields every year to view acre after colorful acre of tulips.
One of the early harbingers of spring, there is nothing quite like a vase full of tulips in your house after a long, bleak winter. Even better, the tulips in these vases will never wilt!
Tulip block | TIP: This pattern also includes a 21" block pattern (right). Use the block pattern to make placemats, a pillow, tote bag, or add it to your next applique album quilt.
Choose from a variety of Fabric Packs to go with our Hawaiian Quilt patterns. |
| I HAVE A NOTION | | Hawaiian Quilting with Nancy Lee Chong
This month we want to highlight our video that teaches you everything you need to know about making Hawaiian quilts. This video teaches needleturn applique, AND how to hand quilt. While Nancy is right-handed, she demonstrates how to applique and quilt left-handed (not many videos do that for you!).
 Here is what you will see: - Applique Preparation
- Preparation Supplies
- Fabric Preparation
- Pattern Preparation
- Cut Out Applique
- Applique Placement
- Baste the Applique
- Needleturn Applique
- Applique Supplies
- The Basics
- Quilter's Knot and Ending Knot
- Needleturn
- Basic Stitch
- Straight Edge
- Points
- Outside Curve
- Inside Curve
- Reverse Points
- Echo Quilting
- Supplies
- Basting Layers
- Echo Quilt Lines
- Quilt into Hoop
- Marking the Quilt
- Quilt Thimbles
- Bury the Knot
- The Quilt Stitch
- Quilting
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Quilt Label & Binding
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Quilt Labels
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Binding Supplies
- Measure & Cut Binding
- Make Binding
- Square-up Quilt
- Attach Binding
- Hanging Sleeve
- Quilt Show
The pattern for the 20" Ulu, or Breadfruit, quilt block you see pictured on the cover is included. Suggested quilting lines are on the pattern page.
While most of the video uses the Ulu block for demonstration purposes, Nancy also shows you some of the steps on a bed-sized Hawaiian quilt. While none of the steps are difficult, it can be helpful to watch someone else, giving you the confidence to do it on your own.
Run-time is approximately 2-1/2 hours. The close-ups are amazing, and you can play it over and over as you make your quilt and practice your stitching.
Available in DVD or VHS format.
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COMING EVENTS | | Nancy's Whereabouts:
Here are opportunities to take a class from Nancy or catch a presentation at shows, shops and guilds. Most guilds welcome visitors, so don't be shy. Classes & Presentations Make your plans now for one or more of these events: - April 13-14, Folsom Quilt and Fiber Guild, Folsom, CA
- April 20 & 22, 2-day 2 Fabric Applique Quilts class, Quilter's Corner, Port Orford, OR
- May 20-31, Join Nancy & Janice in Hawaii for an applique class, or learn to design your personal Hawaiian quilt!
- June 3, Hand Applique Mystery "Enigma", Quilted Strait, Port Gamble, WA
- June 4, Celtic Knotwork Applique, Quilted Strait, Port Gamble, WA
- September 17 & 18, 2 classes at Falls Quilt Guild, Great Falls, MT
- October 1-3, 3 classes at the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, La Conner, WA
Quilt Shows We will have our booth at these quilt shows for your shopping pleasure: - June 25-27, Sandy Historical Society Quilt Show, Sandy, OR
- August 6 & 7, Quilts by the Sea Quilt Show, Newport, OR
- August 21 & 22, Lighthouse Quilt Guild Show, Crescent City, CA
- October 1-3, Quilt Fest 2010, La Conner, WA
- November 12 & 13, Feather Princesses Quilt Show, Tampa, FL
Register early for classes, they can fill quickly, or be cancelled if not enough people register in advance. Don't hesitate, sign-up to join us in Hawaii in May Design your personal Hawaiian quilt, or take a needleturn applique class from Nancy: - Maui applique class, May 20, 2010
- Maui design class, May 20-24, 2010
- Kauai design class, May 26-30, 2010
- Kauai applique class, May 31, 2010
"No tests. No grades. No pressure. New classes open every weekend from January until the end of October. Students receive a password to an online classroom with a teacher-led Discussion Forum and Student Gallery. A typical class consists of three or four lessons. Lessons open on Friday evening." Nancy's next Quilt University.com classes begin:
- April 23, Hand Quilting
- May 21, Hawaiian Quilting 101
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Thank you for spending a little of your precious time with us, we really appreciate it. As always, we welcome your suggestions, comments or questions.
A hui hou,
Until next time,
Nancy & Janice | |
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