Machine Quilting Unlimited E-News
www.mqumag.com
April 2010
In This Newsletter
Preview of May Issue
Favorite Website
Featured Business
QUILT OF THE MONTH
Calling All Guilds
Spotlight On Teachers
Industry News
Tip of the Month
Ask Kimmy!

Art&StitchThe May issue is ready for printing. Our featured artist is Carol Ann Sinnreich and her quilts literally leap off the pages at you! Gloria Hansen joins us In the Art Studio and Crystal Smythe explores the IntelliQuilter's design capabilities.

Ask Kimmy launches with questions  for Kim Brunner about blocking quilts and rolling on smooth backs.  Diane Rusin Doran shows how to re-size, transfer and design motifs in Creating Unique Quilting Motifs and Barb Hollinger talks about finding patterns for fillers in her Foundations column. Eileen Doughty shares Celebration quilts, Jenny Bowker is back to tell more about Teaching, Traveling and Traditions in the Mideast and Linda Hahn gives advice on the myriad quilting business opportunities available.
We take a trip to Deb Geissler's workspace in Studio Tour - and fall in love with her purple bathtub!

Kathy Thompson tells us all about the ALS quilt project. You can enter to win, and make money for much needed research at the same time. The Jaw Dropper quilt is from Birgit Schueller. Don't miss this design-packed issue!


Favorite Website
SUBVERSIVESTITCHERS:
WOMEN ARMED WITH NEEDLES


A writer's look at the quilting and quilt art community and anything else fabric. Dawn Goldsmith authors this fun, educational and always interesting blog about women in the stitching world. Check it out at
http://subversivestitch.blogspot.com/

Featured Business
CHERI's CRYSTALS

Providing quality products at affordable prices - Cheri's Crystals offers Austrian Swarovski iron-on hot-fix color crystals and tools for applying them to crafts, quilts, and fabric. Includes, helpful hints, instructions and tips for usage and crystals motifs design and crystal crafts, crystals etc, embellishments.

Just think of what you can do! Crystals add that little sparkle to anything they are applied to from quilts to jeans or anything in between. Let your imagination go!

www.cheriscrystals.com
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!

CONTACT US

On the Web
www.mqumag.com

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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HQ Logo
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HMQS logo

HMQS, May 6-8, 2010,
Salt Lake City. 
CALL FOR QUILT ENTRIES!  Online quilt entry available. Entry form deadline April 5th; quilts due April 17th. $24,000 in awards.  Register online for classes too. Don't forget to include your Awards Night ticket.  Desserts, entertainment & quilts!  Hotel info. and local attractions:  www.hmqs.org


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Edgerider

The EdgeRider wheels provide stability and easy rolling at the same time by combining three major design solutions: Shape, Material and Dual Ball Bearings. The wheels are manufactured by precision machinery, and each wheel is tested/ by spinning at 16,000 RPM. Call your dealer today! www.edgeriderwheels.com
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One Song Needle Arts logo
One Song Needle Arts - for all of your designing needs!
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MQX new

MQX EAST Providence RI
April 12 - 17, 2010

MQX WEST Portland, OR
October 11-15, 2011

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Art&Stitch
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QWM

September 22-25, 2010
Sawmill Creek Resort and
Convention Center, Huron, OH

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JLM Graphics

We specialize in affordable graphics and printing solutions for small businesses.
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EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR
INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIBERS!


As you know, last year we suspended subscriptions to International subscribers (except Canada and Australia) due to the enormous rise in postal rates. We have been struggling with a solution for quite a while now. Recently we decided to pursue other avenues, such as digital. When we sent an email to current and former International customers asking the interest level for digital, we were completely surprised by the responses. Overwhelmingly the majority want a print copy in their hand - and are willing to pay the postage fees to get it. We are still investigating a digital option for later this year, but in the meantime we have reinstated the International subscription option. The cost is $84 per year (6 issues). Go to the website www.mqumag.com and click on the globe to order. There is no change to the Canada and Australia pricing.

Thank you all for your honest and encouraging responses to our survey.

And for the US market...we will also send a new survey to you about digital versions in the near future.
 
Vicki Anderson       Kit Robinson        
Executive Editor     Managing Editor        


QUILT OF THE MONTH

Quilt of the month April
Jasmine
©2009  Ingrid Cattaneo
Grass Valley, CA
18 x 15.5 inches
 

Jasmine is a Blue Merle Australian Shepherd who is owned by a friend. Although this quilt is made from a photo taken when she was nine weeks old, Jasmine is now seven years old and has 19 titles from agility competitions and is now only three qualifying runs away from her Championship title.  Jasmine's portrait is made with cotton fabric and batting and is free motion machine embroidered using solid and variegated polyester threads.

CALLING ALL GUILDS!
We added a GUILD LINK to our Links page on the website. If you would like to have your Guild added, send your website information to liz@meanderpublishing.com. Guilds will be grouped by state, making it easy for potential members to find Guilds in their area. No matter how large or small, let us share your Guild information.
 
Spotlight On Teachers

IRENA BLUHM

Irena Bluhm: an award winning quilter, instructor, pattern designer and author of 8 books. With 18 years of garment making/design and 12 years of doing art for hobby, she has transitioned the experience in creating fine art and other skills into making quilts for shows and exhibits exclusively. Irena is very passionate about creating many different quilting design patterns, innovative ways of making show quality quilts, writing books and teaching.

Visit her website for more information
INDUSTRY NEWS!

AMQ Show
Australian Machine Quilting Festival
1-4th October 2010
Adelaide SA

Great Teachers - Pam Clarke, Kim Brunner, Helen Stubbings, Helen Baczynski, John Nielsen, Belinda Betts, Stewart Plank, Rachelle Denneny, Keryn Emmerson, Sharon Parkinson, Jenny Scott, Raylene Smith, Michele Turner.

Vendors, and a judged quilt exhibit as well!

Brought to you by Tracey Browning and Sharon Parkinson. Dick & Vicki Anderson plan to attend and visit with our many Australian subscribers!

Check the website, www.amqretreat.com.au for more details.
 
Tip of the Month
Decorative and metallic threads used in machine quilting often can be a struggle. To keep the thread from breaking, here are a few things to try.
  • Use a Top Stitch needle. These needles have larger eyes.
  • Change the needle. Needles can have microscopic burrs or rough spots that can tear or shred the threads.
  • Loosen the tension.
  • Be sure the thread is coming off the spool correctly. Cross-wound threads (the threads are wound back and forth in a diagonal) should be pulled from the top of the spool. Use a vertical spool holder for these threads. Stack-wound threads (these are wound in a straight spiral, with the threads lying evenly next to each other) should pull from the side of the spool. Place stack-wound threads on a horizontal spool-holder.
  • Use a separate thread spool holder from behind the machine. Sometimes having a longer length of thread allows the twist to straighten out more, and results in fewer problems.
  • A lubricant can be added to the thread. If you have an older machine, with metal tension plates, you can run a bead of lubricant down the thread spool. But be aware, newer machines use silicon tension plates and the lubricant can interfere with their action. It's better to add the lubricant AFTER the thread leaves the tension plates. Place a small piece of moleskin (sold at pharmacies for corns, etc.) on the machine above the needle so that the thread runs over it as it heads for the needle. Soak the moleskin with lubricant. The thread will be coated as it passes over the moleskin. Note: My favorite lubricant is Sewer's Aide.
  • In some cases, you can run a second thread along with the decorative thread. I often use a very fine monofilament thread, but you can also use a fine polyester thread, such as Bottom Line.
If you find it really a problem, use the decorative thread in the bobbin and quilt 'upside-down', as Ellen Anne Eddy showed us her article Topsy- Turvy Bobbin Work in the March issue.
New Column in the Magazine

ASK KIMMY


You wanted it...now it's here! Whether a beginner or an experienced machine quilter, no matter if you are using a longarm, midarm or sit-down machine, many of you have problems and nowhere to turn. Several subscribers have emailed asking for a column to answer reader questions. Well, we heard you! Kim Brunner, renowned author, quilter, teacher and training DVD queen, starts her column ASK KIMMY in the May 2010 issue. Kimmy has the answers, and if she doesn't, she will go to other experts to get them.
Email questions to AskKimmy@meanderpublishing.com and we will ASK KIMMY!
See Us at the Shows!

MQX EAST - Providence Rhode Island
Vicki will be there April 14-16

DENVER NATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL
Vicki & Kit will be there April 30-May 1
Kit's quilts are in a Special Exhibit!

HMQS - Salt Lake City, UT
May 6-8  Look for our BOOTH #705!
Kit, Vicki and Dick will be ready to greet you.

MQS Overland Park Kansas
You will see Vicki May 13-14

QUILT COLORADO Estes Park
Kit, Vicki & Liz will be shopping like mad June 17-18

MILWAUKEE MACHINE QUILTING SHOW
Aug 4-7 both Kit and Vicki will be available!
Look for our Special Quilt Exhibit

ROCKY MOUNTAIN QUILT FESTIVAL
Loveland CO
The whole gang will be there August 20-21. It's in our own back yard!

QUILTING WITH MACHINES  - Huron Ohio
Vicki will attend Sept 23-24

AUSTRALIA MACHINE QUILTING FESTIVAL - Adelaide, South Australia
Dick and Vicki will be there Oct 1-4! We can't wait.