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N&J Your Hawaiian Quilt and Applique Specialists
Newsletter
Applique - We share your passion!
Issue: #13 June 2010
In This Issue
ROSE ARBOR & FANTASY ROSE: 2FAQ quilts
TROPICAL FLORAL: Hawaiian quilt
NEEDLES FOR APPLIQUE
COMING EVENTS
Quick Links
Visit Our Website
Patterns
MAHALO
Our special thanks to everyone in Hawaii who made our students feel so welcome. 
 
Maui 
 
Kaua'i
 
 
CURRENT INTERNET SPECIAL
Rose Arbor

Rose Arbor - pink 
Regularly priced at $12.00, available for a limited time at our Internet Special price of just $10.00
 

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WHAT'S NEW?
 
FABRIC
We have added many new bolts of fabric.  To see what's new start with the Fabric Finder.
 
FABRIC PACKS
With new fabrics Janice can make up new Fabric Packs, too.  Start here, on page one, and be sure to click through to see what's new on all four pages!

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I HAVE A NOTION
Introducing you to the notions Nancy and Janice use.
 
Needles for Applique
 
John James Straw Needles
For needleturn applique, choose John James Straw needles in size 10 and 11, or John James Gold 'n Glide Milliner needles, also size 10 and 11.
 
John James Gold ' n Glide Milliner needles are the same needle as the John James Straw needle, with one difference.  A patented coating has been applied to Gold 'n Glide needles to help them glide more easily through fabric.


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Aloha!
  
We are so very pleased to report that a wonderful time was had by everyone in our recent classes in Hawaii.  Wonderfully creative quilts emerged from the the two design classes, and many more quilters discovered the joy of applique from Nancy in her two applique classes.
 
For inspiration, we toured gardens and museums, we saw antique Hawaiian quilts and were privileged to unfold several old and yellowed paper Hawaiian quilt patterns.  Local quilters mesmerized us with their Hawaiian quilts at evening Show & Tells, and we even managed to spend a little money during our private shopping hours at local quilt shops. 
 
Classroom clippings
Classroom clippings-Maui
Students' timid apprehension was quickly replaced with creative energy and piles of cut paper scraps as the quilt designs began to flow.  Every student went home with at least one quilt design, ideas for many more, and everyone who wanted to, had a cut and pin-basted quilt to show for their efforts. 
 
One student has told us, "I'm disciplining myself not to drag people in off the streets to show them my beautiful design, which will one day be a beautiful quilt! Thank you for helping me achieve this dream."
Design by Kristi Duncan
Kristi Duncan design
 
If your dream is to one day design your personal Hawaiian quilt, watch for our upcoming book and DVD for the help and inspiration you may need to make your dream Hawaiian quilt come true.  Coming in 2011.
 
In the meantime, we are off to several quilt shows this summer where we hope to meet more of you.  See our schedule below, and watch the Calendar on our website as you make your summer travel plans.
 
If you are in Oregon, or southwest Washington this weekend, come see Nancy at Sandy Historical Society's 12th Annual Quilt Show, "Quilts in Our Own Backyard".  Friday, Saturday and Sunday (June 25-27, 2010) at the Sandy High School in lovely Sandy, Oregon.  See you there!
 
A hui hou,
 
Nancy & Janice 
 
ROSE ARBOR & FANTASY ROSE - 2FAQs
Everything's coming up roses
 
Rose Arbor, 24" x 36"
Rose Arbor - red
Can anyone say "Everything's coming up roses" without actually singing it? 
The song is from the 1959 Broadway musical Gypsy: A Musical Fable, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and music by Jule Styne.  Want a treat?  Listen here to Ethel Merman belt it out.  But I digress.
 
We have two quilt patterns for those of you who love roses.  Rose Arbor (left) captures the beauty of a rose in full bloom with two buds starting to open.   
Fantasy Rose, 24" x 36"
Fantasy Rose - black
 
 
 
Fantasy Rose (right) is a stylized image designed by Nancy. She was remembering how, as a school girl, she would lay down heavy layers of colored crayons on paper, with a black layer on top, then using her fingernail, scratch out a design.  Yes, the black fabric is the top fabric, appliqued on a colorful background fabric!
 
Rose is the flower for the month of June.  So, while it is still June, why not make a new rose quilt for yourself, or someone you care about.
 
Rose Arbor is our current Internet Special.  Order your pattern now for just $10, normally $12.  Click here.
 
Choose from a variety of Fabric Packs to go with our 2 Fabric Applique Quilt patterns.
 TROPICAL FLORAL
Pohopoho style, with sashing 
 
Tropical Floral
Tropical Floral 6 multi-colored blocks
Tropical Floral is an example of the pohopoho style of Hawaiian Quilt.   Poho means "patch", so pohopoho means many patches, or blocks.
 
 
Blocks can be assembled with or without sashing.  When sashing is used the traditional echo quilt lines continue  to the edge of the block, where they meet the sashing.  A braid, or other quilt pattern is used in the sashing.
 
TIP:  Assemble three blocks to make a table runner.  Use individual blocks as placemats.  Or use varying numbers of blocks for wall hangings, tote bags, garment embellishments, or include these blocks in a sampler or album quilt.
 
Tropical Floral, pattern set includes six 21" square blocks.  Anthurium, Kukui, Pineapple, Maile, Hibiscus, Bird of Paradise.  $12.00  Buy it now. 
 
Choose from a variety of Fabric Packs to make your Hawaiian Quilt.
 
 Tropical Floral panel A
 NEEDLES FOR APPLIQUE
Needle Comparison 
 
We often receive questions about which needles we like to use for applique.  The answer is that both Nancy and Janice use John James Milliner (aka Straw) needles in either size 10 or 11.  (See the last 2 needles in the chart below.)  A size 11 needle is slightly thinner than a size 10, and works very well with tightly woven fabrics, and with batiks.  Because a size 10 is not quite as thin, it does not bend quite as easily, and is often preferred by beginners.  (Speaking of bent needles, we do not fret over bent needles anyway.  We think a needle with a slight bend helps to keep the thread from twisting.)
 
The length of the Milliner/Straw needles aids in turning under the 3/16" edge of fabric when doing needle-turn applique.  With a shorter needle there is not enough length to hold the needle and have sufficient needle to sweep the fabric edge under.
 
Here is a comparison chart showing the relative sizes of various needles used in quilting.  (Needles shown may not appear as their actual size.  By way of reference, the "Quilting" needle is actually 1 inch long.)

Needle Comparison Chart

Needles are often labeled according to their assumed intended use.  Thus, Milliner/Straw needles were originally used by hat makers (milliners), presumably for making straw hats.  More recently we see needles labeled as 'applique' needles.  But as you can see from this chart, there is a noticeable difference between manufacturers and what they consider to be a useful length for an applique needle.
 
We included a quilting (between) needle and a sharp needle by way of comparison in the above chart.  The quilting needle is used for hand quilting, when the needle is pushed, not held, and it needs to be strong.  Most of us grew up using sharps for general dressmaking, like hemming and stitching on buttons.
 
But, when it comes to our needleturn applique, we reach for our John James Milliner/Straw needles every time.
COMING EVENTS
Nancy's Whereabouts: 
 
Quilt Shows 
While you are making your plans for summer and fall travel, be sure to include a stop at one of these quilt shows to meet Nancy and Janice, and do a little shopping.
  • 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 
Classes & Presentations 
  • 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
  • October 19-26, looking for another excuse to visit Hawaii?  Join CP Trips and Nancy for an exciting time on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Take a Hawaiian Applique class from Nancy and learn all about Hawaiian quilts while you explore the Big Island.  Link for more details is on our Calendar, of course.  Sign-up Soon!
  • November 14 at The Applique Society Retreat in lovely Parrish, Florida.  Sign-up for the retreat now so you can take Nancy's mystery applique class "Summer Solstice", and so much more!  Sign-up Soon!
  • We have several classes planned in Florida in November - Clearwater, The Villages, Leesburg.  Check our Calendar for details.
 
Register early for classes, they can fill quickly, or be cancelled if not enough people register in advance.
 
Remember to let your local quilt shop and guild know that you would like to take an applique class from Nancy Chong.  Give them our website, or print Nancy's brochure and give it to them.  Be sure to circle the classes you are interested in!  Nancy will travel anywhere she is invited to teach. 
green dashed line
 
 "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:  
  • July 2, Baltimore Basics
  • July 16, 2 Fabric Applique Quilts
  • Aug 6, Make Your Own Hawaiian Quilt
  • Aug 27, Celtic Tablerunner 
Janice's next Quilt University.com class begins:
  • Aug 6, Photographing Your Quilts
 

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