Quilted Strait - Exception Fabrics for Everday Quilting
Quilted Strait Newsletter
October 2009

Stable Building It is with a great deal of excitement coupled with an equal amount of regret that I announce that we will be moving the physical location of Quilted Strait. We will be moving ourselves and the shop to Port Gamble, Wa (one mile from the Hood Canal Bridge) at the end of April 2010. This is a move that we are making for personal reasons, but one that will also allow for lots of new opportunities for the shop. Port Gamble is a National Historic Register old mill town with New England style buildings. The shop will be in the old stable building, which is pictured above. The management at Port Gamble will spend the next 6 months renovating the interior of the building for our use. Port Gamble also includes a wonderful event venue which will allow us to hold large classes as well as Guest Houses that will provide opportunities for retreats. We will be continuing to maintain our online shop. Watch in the coming months for pictures of the renovations progress. You can visit the Port Gamble website if you are interested in knowing more about Port Gamble.

Piecefully,
Kris
 
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Covered Box Tutorial
From Blackbird Designs

Now, the only thing that most quilters enjoy as much as browsing in a quilt shop is browsing in a stationery and paper supply store.  Follow this great tutorial from Blackbird Designs and learn how to create a fabric and paper covered box (which should of course involve a trip to both aforementioned stores.)

Part I

Part II

Questions and Answers

Old Primrose Inn

Is there anything that Barb and Alma of Blackbird designs can't do? In addition to producing books and patterns for both quilters and cross stitchers, they also design fabrics for Moda. Their newest group from Moda, Old Primrose Inn, is due in the shop sometime in November.


Quilting Tips
Keeping your best quilting tools - your back, wrists and fingers healthy!

-  Most of us operate our sewing machine pedal with the same foot. Try alternating your feet, it does not take long to get used to operating the pedal with your other foot and your back will thank you!

- Quilt is repetitive so limit yourself to 50 minutes of quilting/sewing in an hour's time
and take a break for 10 minutes in each hour of quilting, go for a walk to the mailbox or mop the kitchen floor.

- Keep your ironing board (and the chocolate supply) across the room to encourage you to get up and move different muscles

- Test the height of the tools in your sewing room.

If the height of your sewing machine is correct, your fingers can extend to throat plate when your arms are bent at 90 degrees.

Set your ironing board height at 6" below bent elbow and your cutting table height should be set 4" below bent elbow.

Your sewing chair height should be set so knees are bent 90 degrees and feet flat on floor.


Top Ten List of Reasons to buy Fabric

#3

I need extra weight in the trunk of my car for traction on snowy, icy roads. This is important, even in Florida and Southern California, as you never know when the weather will change.
New Fabrics ....

FolkloricaJulie Paschkis is a painter and children's book illustrator and her collection Folklorica for In the Beginning Fabrics is a continuation of her storytelling tradition. The rich, intensely colored theme fabrics are elaborately detailed in Julie's characteristic folk art style

Tiny TailorsTiny Tailors by J Wecker Frisch for Quilting Treasures is a collection of designs incorporating antique dressmaking notions and wonderfully fanciful animals! The crib quilt panel, book panel, stripe and assortment of tosses and blenders in soft, clear colors will be a favorite for sewers young and old..


Caffeine CafeIt is a good morning at the Caffeine Cafe. This coffee group by Diane Knott for Clothworks Fabrics features coffee cup fabric, coffee bean fabric and a panel with coffee pots and roosters. There is a free downloadable apron pattern featuring the Caffeine Cafe fabrics.


Rouenneries








Rouenneries prints by French General's Kaari Meng for Moda Fabrics. Rouenneries were the cotton prints printed in Rouen, France during the mid-18th century. These designs are based on a collection of old prints from this era. We have all of the prints in stock and the wovens and textures are on their way!


See more new fabrics here......
Class Schedule - Register Now

While our 2009 class schedule is winding down for the year, we are busy planning classes, clubs and Block of the Month quilts for next year. Watch November's newsletter for the 2010 class and event list.


Wool Appliqué Workshop
Instructor: Lauretta Ehling
Class Fee: $7.50 per session
One Sunday a month from 12:30 to 3:30 pm
Nov. 8, Dec. 13
This is your chance to get started working with wool, work on one of the 2009 Wool Block of the Month Projects, finish up old Wool Block of the Month Projects, or start a new wool appliqué project of your own choosing.  Whatever you choose to bring to class you will have the advantage of Lauretta's wool appliqué expertise at your disposal. She will be at each session of the workshop to advise, to lend color advice and to offer troubleshooting help. Give yourself a Sunday afternoon to work with your wool, enjoy the camaraderie of working with others and take advantage of Lauretta's vast wealth of experience working with wool.

Free Motion Machine Quilting
Instructor: Peggy St. George
Class Fee: $45.00
One session class: Thursday, Nov 12, 10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Learn the basics of free motion machine quilting from this accomplished and experienced machine quilter.  The focus in this class will be hands on practice. You will learn to control speed and direction of your quilting and have a chance to practice some simple designs as you learn to work with your machine. Your machine must have a free-motion or darning foot and you must be able to lower or cover the feed dogs.

Win a $50 Gift Certificate
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Sign up now! 

Next drawing November 25, 2009.

The October Newsletter Drawing Winner is
Stephanie from Barcelona Spain