CONTACT US
Subscriptions:
1.800.910.1925 EXT 4
Questions:
info@meanderpublishing.com
By Mail:
MQU Magazine
PO Box 918
Fort Lupton, CO 80621
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Our E-News Sponsors
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 The Class & Quilt Competition Catalog is ready! And
HMQS 2010 announces -- new this year -- ONLINE class registration opens
Monday, November 16th! Learn the latest tips, tricks and
techniques from the experts! 140
classes to choose from! Start
making your award-winning quilts! Print quilt entry forms online. $24,000 in awards! www.hmqs.org*******************
 Another great innovation in computerized quilting from the people that brought you IntelliStitch® and EdgeRider Wheels™*******************  One Song Needle Arts*******************  *******************  Kimmy Brunner |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the new and updated MQU
e-newsletter. We are constantly striving to make this tool a better
resource for you, the readers. Please send us your feedback at info@meanderpublishing.com.
Happy Stitching,
Vicki Anderson Kit Robinson
Executive Editor Managing Editor
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Wow! November already. Where did the
year go? Did you accomplish all that you set out to do this year? I
sure didn't! But sometimes the plans we make take a new form, or a
different direction. I know we did accomplish a lot here at Meander
Publishing, and we have even more great ideas and changes for 2010.
One change is in this newsletter. We
currently have a "Tips" column, giving you great
suggestions to improve your machine quilting. We have decided to turn
that column over to you. Send in your tips and ideas and we will pick
the best of them to publish in the newsletter. And the chosen entries
will receive a one year subscription to MQU! (Or an extension if you
are a current subscriber.) We are looking for details, at least 100
words but no more than 200. And the content has to relate to machine
quilting. There are many great ideas about piecing, storing and
cleaning quilts, etc., but that is not our focus. In the case of
duplicate entries, the time stamp on the email will be the deciding
factor for use. So put on your thinking caps and share your ideas
with all of us. Send them to submissions@mqumag.com
Look what's happening in the January
issue! The cover story is Laura Wasilowski, an amazing quilter
and co-founder of the Chicago School of Fusing. Wait until you
see her fun quilts! And Eileen Doughty shares her insights
into quilting with physical challenges in a very inspiring story.
Sharon Bowen reports on quilting retreats, Cathy Franks
talks about using machine quilting for creating the embellishments on
quilts, Helen Baczynski teaches us a new way to use the
IntelliQuilter computerized system, Sarah Ann Smith
wraps up her series on Design Elements and the staff shares
new books and products discovered at the fall quilting shows. Don't
miss Kathy McNeil in the Art Studio! Another exciting issue full of quilts and techniques. |
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Special Notice!
Machine Quilting
Unlimited Magazine makes a great Holiday gift, and we are making it
easier for you to be the giver! We are offering a 10% discount on
gift subscriptions through the end of December 2009. Just go to the
website www.mqumag.com and follow the subscription link. Enter the
code GIFT2009 in
the appropriate box and the discount will be taken. Be sure to
include your information for payment, but the recipient's name and
address under SHIPPING INFO.
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Spotlight On Teachers
Pam Clarke
Pam Clarke teaches longarm,
midarm and domestic quilting and design classes at major quilt shows
and retreats all over the country. An inspiring and encouraging
mentor to her students, she has an upbeat and positive style that
appeals to everyone. Look for her helpful videos and books, or
contact her for her teaching schedule, at Home Stitches
www.homestitches.com.
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Featured Business
A Touch of Thread Quilting
Gallery, Zanesville, OH
Doug and Martha Creasy, owners
of A Touch of Thread Quilting Gallery, offer the
best in quilting,
sewing and embroidery, continuing education, supplies and
accessories, and, most of all, service to all quilters. Priding
themselves on training, they bring in the top name professional quilters from the longarm and sewing industry to teach
in their
state-of-the-art facility. Visit the website at
www.atouchofthread.net. |
Tip of the Month
Thread
There are many different threads
available for machine quilters today, giving us a huge selection of
types, weights and colors to choose from. The most important issue
facing you is the thread quality. You will have fewer problems, and
less aggravation, using a good quality thread in your sewing or
longarm machine. Using old thread can be frustrating
for machine quilters. As thread ages, it can become brittle and shred
easily.
Cotton threads are always a favorite
with machine quilters. The simplest test of cotton thread quality is
staple length -- the longer the staple, the stronger the thread.
Longer staple threads will have less lint as well. Better quality
threads are often mercerized, a process that treats cotton thread,
causing the fibers to swell and allowing the dyes to better penetrate
the fibers. Mercerizing improves the thread strength. Most
long-staple cotton threads are mercerized, although they may not be
labeled as such.
Polyester thread comes in three types.
Spun polyester is created by twisting short lengths of polyester
fibers together. Filament polyester is a continuous fiber.
Monofilament is one type of this thread. Trilobal polyester is a
multiple-filament, twisted thread with a very high sheen. The threads
are triangular in shape and reflect light better than other threads.
Trilobal has the look of rayon or silk threads.
Rayon is a high sheen thread, and often
used as a lower cost alternative to silk thread. A wide range of
colors and shades are available, including variegated colors. Some, but not all, brands of rayon thread are
colorfast. It is best
to avoid using any bleaching agents, including those made for colors.
Silk Thread is a very strong thread,
with a high sheen. Pure filament silk is the highest quality silk, as
the fibers are spun in long strands from the silkworm. Spun silks
are made of shorter fibers from broken cocoons or the beginning and
end of cocoons. Silk thread, and projects created with silk thread
can be gently washed in the washing machine with a mild soap.
Bleaching agents should not be used with silk to avoid damage. |
Favorite Website
Linda
Schmidt
Linda
Schmidt is a prolific quilter and garment designer and has been creating and
teaching for over 20 years, using almost every technique there is. She is
available for talks, trunk shows and workshops at guilds locally, nationally
and internationally. She exhibits over 40 quilts and garments in the course of
her trunk show, entitled "Short Attention Span Quilting". Visit
Linda's website www.shortattn.com. See Linda's quilt, Come To the Water, in the November issue of MQU.
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Industry News
A New Quilt Show Is Coming To Milwaukee!
Milwaukee Machine Quilting Show (MMQS)
www.mmqshow.com
"A Great Show on A Great
Lake"
Show Dates: August 3-7, 2010
Classes start August 3rd
Vendor Mall and Juried Quilt Show:
August 5-7, 2010
Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel &
Convention Center
4747 South Howell Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53207
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MQX WEST Announced
Janet Lee Santeusanio and Mary Schilke, owners of
the Machine Quilters Exposition (MQX), announced a second venue in 2011 in
Portland, Oregon. www.mqxshow.com
MQX WEST
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon
October 11-15, 2011
MQX EAST will be held April 12-17, 2010
Rhode Island Convention Center
Providence, Rhode Island
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