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CURRENT
INTERNET SPECIAL | | |
Celtic Hearts
Sale Price: $10.00
(Regular Price: $12.00)
click here
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WHAT'S NEW! | | |
Yippee!
We are celebrating a newly updated website! Nothing radical, it should look quite familiar. But we have cleaned it up; improved the navigation; and made it so the Add to Cart buttons line up with the spools of thread on the Applique Thread page, for all browsers now! Yeah!
Come take a look.
Most of the improvements happened behind the scenes and are quite invisible to you. But one of the motivators behind all that work is so we can add a Search box to make it faster and easier for you to find what you are looking for. Keep watching for when we get that up and running.
If you experience any problems, find mistakes, or something doesn't work, please let Janice know right away!
Note: If you use Internet Explorer 8 or 9, turn the Compatibility View off, so the left navigation bar will sit in its proper place. There are instructions for this on our Home page. It is just one of the joys of IE, nothing we can do about it. Thanks!
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NEW FABRIC, TOO | | |
Sun-prints
We just received new bolts of sun-print fabric from Batik Textiles. We love this fabric for making our quilts - we hope you do too!
Look for the label next to the NEW fabrics on the Fabric Finder page.
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BIG ISLAND QUILT SHOP HOP | | |
You'll find us on the Big Island
February 1-11!
Check our Calendar
to see classes with Nancy, and free events with Janice and Nancy, at:
- Pahala Quilting
- Quilt Passions
- Kilauea Kreations II
We look forward to seeing you there!
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CRUISE THE CARIBBEAN | | |
With Nancy!
There is still room for you on this amazing cruise of the Western Caribbean, leaving from New Orleans. March 24-31, 2013.
Two classes with Nancy:
Mayan Calendar applique - you choose a date that is significant to you and Nancy will provide you a one-of-a-kind pattern using the Mayan Long Count and Calendar Round as inspiration.
Celtic applique - Learn Nancy's incredibly easy method of making bias tape, plus all her tips for easy Celtic knotwork applique.
Sign-up now before all the spaces are filled, and to get your supply list, or to order your kits.
Remember: Applique classes mean you don't have to deal with a sewing machine and all those supplies! Just a needle, thread, scissors and maybe a thimble.
Call CP Trips for details and to register: 503-658-5646
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Greetings!
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Happy New Year!
Celebrate 2013! |
There are many words and phrases in the Hawaiian language that were not a part of the language before Western contact. Mele Kalikimaka-Merry Christmas-is a good example. While mele means 'song', in this case it is more a phonetic transcription of 'merry' and Kalikimaka has no other meaning apart from being a word coined by Hawaiians to mean Christmas.
The words Hau'oli Makahiki Hou (how-OH-lee mah-kah-hee-kee ho) do have meanings within the traditional Hawaiian language and culture. Hau'oli means 'happy, glad, joyful'. Hou means 'new'. And Makahiki, not only means 'year', it is also the name for the four-month time of the year (roughly mid-October through mid-February) when Hawaiians expressed their thanks to the god Lono for their abundance and celebrated with spiritual cleansing, offerings, mele (song), hula (dance), games and sports. During Makahiki there was no fighting, no wars, it was a time of spiritual renewal, giving, feasting, resting, and celebration.
The actual phrase Hau'oli Makahiki Hou emerged after Western contact, with the introduction of the Western calendar and holidays. But, it was an easy linkage with the shared spirit and celebrations during the same time of year.
While the holiday season is behind us, let's commit to a New Year full of thanksgiving, sharing, joy, and celebration. What will you celebrate in 2013?
E komo mai,
Welcome,
Nancy & Janice
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| CELTIC HEARTS - 2 Fabric Applique Quilt | | |
Heart's Desire
Do you have a special place in your house where you rotate a series of quilts throughout the year? Quilts to celebrate each
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season, favorite holidays, momentous occasions? Many quilters do. So, if you are looking for a quilt to celebrate Valentine's Day, or an anniversary, birthday, or something else you really love, we hope we have just what you are looking for. To entice you, we are offering our Celtic Hearts pattern as our current Internet Special.
The perfect blend: the eye-catching look of Celtic knotwork, but without the need to make bias tape. This quilt is made using the same simple mark-baste-cut-stitch techniques you use for all our
2 Fabric Applique Quilts. Easy-peasy!
Celtic Hearts: 24" x 36" pattern, normally sells for $12.00, for limited time it is our Internet Special for just $10.00. Buy it here.
With our Fabric Packs you can make this quilt in red and white, or any color combination your heart desires!
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APPLIQUEING A KING-SIZE QUILT: Help! | | |
What to do with this big wad?
Quilter's Question:
I have been asked to finish a king-size Hawaiian quilt that someone else started. The problem I am having is that when I do needleturn applique, my left hand holds the fabric positioned so that my finger is under where I am working and my thumb can hold the edge of the applique as I sweep the raw edge under with the needle and stitch. But with this king-size project, as I move to the middle of the design, there is too large a wad of fabric for my left hand to do its job. How do people do these king-size quilts?!
Nancy's Reply:
There is a very easy way of dealing with this, though it may feel awkward at first.
 Place your entire left hand underneath the large Hawaiian quilt top, in the vicinity of where you will be appliqueing. Take hold of a small amount of fabric, like pictured at right.
Now, using your other hand, fold the fabric back over your hand and forearm, so you can see the area that you will be stitching. Arrange the bulk of the fabric on top of your underneath hand and arm so that it rests in the crook of your arm, and so that the fabric is held snuggly against the tip of your thumb. (The weight of the fabric resting on your arm helps keep the fabric pulled taught against the tip of your thumb.) Your underneath hand should be in the same position as if the thumb were on top, as you described in your question. The only difference is that there is a layer of fabric over your thumb.
 This arrangement allows you to use your thumb just as if there was no fabric on top of it. My thumb is always held so it points toward the applique edge I am sewing (perpendicular to the sewing edge), and my needle is pointed parallel to the edge. That way, the tip of the needle is never pointed toward the fabric covering my thumb, so it never snags that fabric. Look closely at the needle in my right hand in the second photo and you will see my needle at work.
TIP: I always try to get my thumb in a position where it is covered just by a single layer of the background fabric. If possible, I try to avoid having my thumb covered by any of the applique fabric.
It may take some getting used to, but with this method you are only holding a very small amount of fabric in your hand underneath, so you can comfortably applique in the center of a very large quilt.
Another way to see what I have described here is to view my demonstration of this technique on our video Hawaiian Quilting with Nancy Lee Chong.
Quilter's Follow-up:
Thank you for your response to my question. I actually had someone tell me about your DVD, and I ordered it online. It is well worth what I paid! It is an excellent DVD. Thank you so much for responding, and thank you for producing such an excellent DVD. I know it will take some practice to get the hang of this technique, but I now know what to try to do. I was at a loss before this. Thank you.
For a more thorough explanation and demonstration of this technique, plus many, many more tips and techniques for making your Hawaiian Quilt watch our DVD. Check with your local library, your quilt guild library, or order your own copy here. Hawaiian Quilting with Nancy Lee Chong.
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| TROPICAL II - Hawaiian Quilt Blocks | | |
Distinctive Style
Not up for a large quilt, even with our tip above? We understand. Whether you want a small project to practice your techniques, a quick project to feel real accomplishment, or a series of blocks for a large quilt - with Tropical II you get these six patterns in one set to use just as you choose.
It wasn't until the late 1970's and early 1980's that Hawaiian quilt patterns became available for purchase. And most of what was available were "pillow patterns", or what we think of now as block patterns. These 20-inch square patterns were, and still are, made into pillows for decorating in a tropical style.
 But, if you are not what we call a pillow person, you can still use these patterns for small or large quilts, tablerunners, placemats, tote bags...lots of things!
We love how people have combined these block patterns with our wall quilt patterns to make bed-sized quilts. You can find examples in the Gallery of Hawaiian Quilts on our website. Scroll down that page and you will see several inspirational examples.
Tropical II: six 21" square blocks, for $12.00. Get yours here
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COMING EVENTS | | |
Nancy's Whereabouts:
Whew! Are you celebrating that the world did not end on December 21? We are! Here is our schedule for the first several months of 2013. Start making your plans, and register for these events now.
2013 Shows, Classes, and Events:
- Feb 1, Hawaiian Applique class with Nancy at Pahala Quilting on the Big Island of Hawaii
- Feb 2, Afternoon Trunk Show and Personal Shopping at Kilauea Kreations II in Hilo
- Feb 5, Join us at Quilt Passions in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, for a day of free demonstrations
- Feb 8, Join us at Pahala Quilting in Pahala, on the Big Island, for a day of free demonstrations
- Feb 9, Design Your Personal Hawaiian Quilt with Nancy at Kilauea Kreations II, Hilo
- Feb 11, 2FAQ class with Nancy at Quilt Passions, Kona, Hawaii
- Mar 9, "Evolution of an Applique Addict" presentation at the Northwest Quilting Connection, Lynden, WA
- Mar 13-15, Nancy will be teaching at the American Quilt Society (AQS) Show in Lancaster, PA
- Mar 24-31, Cruise and applique with Nancy from New Orleans through the Western Caribbean!
- April 2-3, Take a Mystery Applique class from Nancy at The Applique Society retreat in Seabeck, WA
- April 5, Hawaiian Applique class at Quilted Strait, Port Gamble, WA
- April 8-9, presentation and two workshops at Q.U.I.L.T.S., Springfield, IL
- April 25-27, Mid-Valley Quilt Guild Show, Rickreal, OR - come visit Nancy and shop in our booth!
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.
Schedule Nancy now for your show or event in 2013 and beyond. 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.
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."
Nancy's upcoming classes begin:
- January 18, Stress-free Celtic Tablerunner
- February 15, 2 Fabric Applique Quilts
- March 8, Hawaiian Quilting 101
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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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