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CURRENT
INTERNET SPECIAL | | |
Oak Leaves & Acorns
Sale Price: $10.00
(Regular Price: $12.00)
Click here to purchase this pattern.
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WHAT'S NEW? | | |
- Janice has added lots of her hand-dyed fabrics.
- New bolts came in, which means we also have
- New Fabric Packs,including two ombre fabrics for the Halloween quilt we showed last month.
We only got a very short bolt of this one, just two Fabric Packs available with this fabric choice.
A full bolt of this one, either in a Fabric Pack, or as yardage, plus many more bolts.
Look for this  little
symbol identifying all the new items on our website.
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READER QUESTIONS | | |
Which is the easiest pattern to do first?
We are asked this question a lot, and we always have one answer: "The one you like the best."
Why do we say that? Because all applique is made up of just five simple shapes: straight line, inside curve, outside curve, inside point and outside point (valleys & mountains). Once you know how to do those 5 shapes, all applique is the same. Some quilts take longer, because there are more inches to be stitched - but that doesn't make them harder.
Beginners often like to see fast results, so our Penguin Family, Kimono, Calla Lilies, Crowning Glory, or Cyclamen quilts have more straight, or gently curving lines than points. So, if you really like any of these patterns, they would be good choices for a beginner, or anyone who wants a faster project.
If you choose the pattern you like the best you will be motivated to work on it and it will get finished! If you pick a pattern just because you think it looks easier, or faster, but you don't really like it, it may never get done.
Start with the one you like the best!
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BE A WINNER | |
Beam N Read Personal Light
How would you like to win a Beam N Read LED6 Personal light? Between now and when we send our November e-Newsletter (approximately 4 weeks from now), just send us an email telling us who* you would like to give an LED6 Personal light to and why. You could be a winner!
In our November e-Newsletter we will share some of the entries we receive and announce the winner.
This handy little light hangs around your neck, is battery operated, and provides extra light just where you need it as you applique. Read more about this great product in our December 2010 e-Newsletter, or on our website.
Click here for more details and to buy yours now, $27.00.
REMEMBER: Tell us who you would like to give one of these lights to and why, for your chance to win one.
Send your emails to: info@prqc.com
Enter as often as you like, but each entry must list a different person and reason. No purchase necessary.
Winning entry will be chosen at random and announced in our November 2011 e-Newsletter.
* We don't need the full name of your chosen person. It is OK to identify the person by first name, or occupation (i.e. my quilt teacher, my nurse, etc.)
Have no fear, we are not using this as a way to harvest email addresses. We will not share your email address with anyone, nor use it for any purpose other than to notify you if you are our winner.
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| QUILTCHONG.COM | | |
RETREAT TO THE OREGON COAST!
Fall and Winter along the Oregon coast are magical seasons with autumn colors in the hills and storms at sea. A change of scenery, any time of year, stimulates and inspires. Make your plans now to spend time at Nancy's studio in Gold Beach, Oregon, for your quilting retreat or for private applique lessons with Nancy. Whether you come for one day or several, by yourself, or with friends; you deserve a place to relax while you stitch.
Go to QuiltChong.com for more pictures and information, then call Nancy to book your retreat!
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| Greetings!
 | | Happy Halloween! |
Whew! Nancy has been busy since our last newsletter. First, there was the Gold Beach Quilt Show, followed by the Mid-Valley Quilters Guild in Salem, Oregon. Then a trip north to speak to the Puyallup Valley Quilters in Puyallup, WA, and on to the Block Party Quilters of Issaquah, WA, for a presentation and class. This was a particularly delightful trip because it was Nancy's third visit to each of these quilt guilds. What fun it is to meet so many new quilters and spend time with old (and not so old) friends, see their beautiful quilts, and just spend time together.
As we write this newsletter Nancy is with the Salt Creek Quilters in Hinsdale, IL and will be leaving there for a brief visit with her sister-in-law in North Carolina (who is not a quilter - yet); then on to the Sea Island Quilters in Beaufort, South Carolina. That will wrap up her teaching schedule for 2011. We know she (and her husband!) will enjoy a welcome stretch of staying home to work on all the projects waiting for her attention there!
We hope you have been able to get out and about a little this past month. Perhaps you took a class, visited a museum, or enjoyed a country drive? We all benefit from seeing and doing out-of-the-ordinary things from time to time. It helps stimulate our creative juices and keeps life exciting.
Now, we invite you to sit for just a little while with us. We love visiting with you each month, and are glad you like to spend a few minutes with us, too.
E komo mai! Nancy & Janice |
| OAK LEAVES & ACORNS | | |
2 Fabric Applique Quilt
 | | Oak Leaves & Acorns |
Why is it that when shopping for clothes you need to always be thinking several months in advance? If you want a swim suit for summer, don't go looking for it in July! You needed to be shopping for a new suit in March. Why is that? It drives us nuts!
We are only in the mood for certain things at certain times of the year. And right now, we are in the mood to be making our Halloween, Thanksgiving and autumn flavored things. We suspect we are not alone with that. So, this is the month we are putting our Oak Leaves and Acorns quilt pattern on sale.
 Of course, just because our quilt sample is in autumn colors, that doesn't mean your quilt has to be for autumn. Make yours in fresh spring green colors, or just be fanciful and make it using purple, pink, or blue.
But, if you, too, are in an autumn shopping and crafting mood, we're here for you!
Oak Leaves & Acorns, 24" x 36". Normally this pattern sells for $12.00, for a limited time it is ON SALE for just $10.00. Click here to get your pattern now.
We have a variety of Fabric Packs for you to make your Oak Leaves & Acorn quilt. Click here to see them.
We would love to add a photo of your Oak Leaves & Acorns quilt to the Gallery on our website. Please send us a photo along with your permission to post it on our website. Thanks!
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| LILIES OF THE VALLEY | | |
Hawaiian Quilt - "Na Lilia"
Now, for those of you who plan a bit further ahead, and want to start on your spring quilt project now, here is our Lilies of the Valley Hawaiian quilt pattern.
 | | Lilies of the Valley |
Nancy designed this quilt having never seen a real Lily of the Valley, only photos.
"I loved everything about their lines. The delicate nature of the blossoms hanging from the graceful stem, and the lovely curving leaves." She wanted to design a very delicate Hawaiian quilt, and this was it!
TIP: This quilt finishes up to approximately 36" square, and would be a good candidate for enlarging to make into a larger quilt. The delicate nature of the flowers and thin stems would still be graceful if enlarged by as much as 150%, or up to 54" square. (Read the next article for more about reducing or enlarging our patterns.)
Lilies of the Valley pattern: 36" square quilt pattern, plus a companion 21" block pattern. $12.00 Buy It Now
And click here to see the Fabric Packs for this quilt.
See two more versions of this pattern in our Hawaiian Quilts Gallery.
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I WANT A SMALLER, NO A LARGER QUILT | | | Reducing or enlarging patterns
We are frequently asked if a wall-hanging pattern can be enlarged for a bed quilt. Or, if a bed quilt pattern can be reduced to make a wall-hanging. Here are our thoughts and suggestions.
In general, we design quilt patterns to be a specific size. We fill the available space with motifs and elements that are proportioned to that size. For a large quilt we can fill the space with more flowers, leaves or whatever the design elements are to create a pleasing arrangement that is typically more intricate than a smaller design. It is generally best to choose a pattern that you like from the patterns available in that size range. We believe you will be happier with the outcome.
If you want to make a small quilt larger:
First consider these things:
- What will the LARGEST element in the design look like after it is enlarged? Will you like that look?
- If there are four flower blossoms in the design to begin with, there will just be four blossoms after it is enlarged - they will just all be bigger. Is that the look you want?
What else could you do?
- Use your chosen design as a center medallion and surround it with additional borders, either pieced or appliqued. Use the border from a bed-sized Hawaiian quilt pattern around a 36" or 42" wall-sized pattern.
- Make the wall-sized pattern you like four times to create a 4-patch quilt. Photocopy the cover photo 4 times and lay them together to see if you like that look.
If you want to make a large quilt smaller, consider these things:
- What will the SMALLEST element in the design look like after it is reduced? Will you be able to needleturn the smallest elements successfully?
- Our designs included 3/16 inch for a turn-under allowance. When you reduce the pattern it will naturally reduce the turn-under allowance. To keep the design elements in proportion you will need to reduce the amount you turn under when appliqueing. Can you do that? Or will you be OK with a 3/16 inch turn-under that is now proportionately larger than the pattern elements? (Of course, if you are going to fuse your applique, this is not an issue.)
- If there are eight flower blossoms in the design to begin with, there will still be eight blossoms after it is reduced - they will just all be smaller. Is that the look you want? Will you lose detail that is important to the overall design?
 | | 10" x 34", approximate |
What else could you do?
- Use just the center medallion of a Hawaiian quilt pattern, omit the border.
- Choose a smaller segment of the large pattern that captures what you like about it. The Halloween photo in our Welcome message above is one example, the segment shown above measures approximately 9" x 14". Here are two more examples:
 | | 12" x 18", approximate |
Click on these photos to see what the entire 24" x 36" quilt looks like.
 | | 12" x 17", approximate |
TIP: When cropping to get a smaller section of a design, you may need to eliminate partial elements that intrude into the smaller quilt. In
this Butterfly example we left out part of the larger butterfly in the upper left corner, and eliminated a small flower blossom in the lower right corner.
These smaller sizes would make great table runners, or placemats from a larger pattern.
Generally, we think you can reduce or enlarge a design (using a photocopier) by about 10% and be within a safe range. Of course, this depends upon the pattern and your taste. We do not recommend this. If you want to reduce or enlarge by more than 10%, or if even a 10% change does not work, then consider one of our suggestions, or come up with other ideas to reach your goal. Then tell us what you did, and send us pictures to share with others.
You can see examples of what other quilters have done to make larger quilts from our patterns in the Gallery pages on our website.
To see one example of our Calla Lilies in miniature, click here and scroll down the page, on the right side. |
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COMING EVENTS | | |
Nancy's Whereabouts:
If you want to take a class from Nancy during November or December, book a few days in her studio for private lessons!
Looking ahead to 2012:
- January 9 & 10, Foothill Quilters, Auburn, CA
- January 13 & 14, Quilting at the Lake, Lake Havasu City, AZ. Hawaiian Applique workshop, and a 2 Fabric Applique Quilts workshop. Registration has begun, sign-up now!
- Feb 18-25, Cruise the Hawaiian Islands with Nancy while you learn to design your own Hawaiian quilt! See our Calendar for the link to C.P. Trips for all the details and to reserve your space now!
- March 27-29, Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, West Des Moines, IA
- April 25-26, Valley Quilt Guild, Yuba City, CA
- May 4-5, Mountain Star Quilters Guild, Medford, OR. Nancy will be the Featured Quilter and we will have our booth at this show!
Register early for classes. They can fill quickly, or be canceled if not enough people register in advance.
Click CALENDAR for details and contact information.
Nancy is booking classes, shows and events for 2012 and 2013 now. If you would like her to come to your area to teach, let your quilt shop, quilt guild or show organizer know. Print Nancy's Brochure and pass it along. Be sure to circle the classes you are interested in!
QuiltUniversity.com
If you do not live where you can take a class from Nancy in person, then perhaps a class at Quilt University would work for you.
"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."
Make Your Own Hawaiian Quilt
Nancy's last QU class for 2011
Class begins Oct 14
Registrations closes Sunday, Oct 16
Watch the QuiltUniversity website for the upcoming 2012 class schedule. |
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Thank you for spending a little of your precious time with us, we really appreciate it. Remember to send us your stories, pictures, questions, or suggestions. We love to hear from you.
A hui hou,
Until next time,
Nancy & Janice |
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