Monthly Newsletter From Jinny Beyer Studio

March 5, 2016

Greetings!,

When last month's newsletter arrived in your mailboxes, I was off in sunny Costa Rica with a delightful group of quilters teaching and soaking up the sun. We've had some bitterly cold days here in Virginia but as I write this month's newsletter it is sunny and in the low 60's outside giving hope that spring is just around the corner.

Around the Studio, we have, as always, a busy schedule. We are expecting my latest collection to arrive any day and will have students from as far away as Australia gathering to take classes.

We have new fabrics, bundles, products and tips featured this month along with the latest block for Cosmos, my 2016 BOM.

New Collection of Border Prints - Border Basics 2016

This 24-piece collection - all border prints - features the rich designs of my favorite border print fabrics. Border Basics is comprised of several different prints with each print available in a number of distinct colorways.

All the fabrics are now available by the yard.

If border prints are new to you, don't miss my videos showing how to incorporate them into your blocks or as a frame around your quilts.


	Quilt finishes at 56" x 70"

Thousand Pyramids

This quilt is a classic design, created specifically for the new Border Basics collection. A new look is created by fussy-cutting many different border prints to create an almost endless number of different pyramid designs. These are set off with a scrappy-look background.

Tip of the Month - Working with Border Prints

Creating the border print triangles for the Thousand Pyramids quilt is easier than it looks. Only two templates are required -- Template A and Template B.

Templates on the fabric

A line on each template indicates the "mirror line". This line must be placed on a mirror image motif in the border print fabric. Three pieces make up the triangle: one "A" piece for the base and a "B" and "Br" (that's a "B" flipped upside-down or reversed) piece for the tops of the triangle. The mirror line must be placed in exactly the same place for all three patches. Use not only from the wide border stripe but cut from the narrow one too!

Individually cut pieces and pieces coming together to form the triangle. The Thousand Pyramids pattern has more detailed instructions on cutting and sewing these pieces.

We have the five templates needed for the Thousand Pyramid quilt pre-printed and on our new Template Film.

Check out Making Other Shapes in Border Print Fabrics

to see how this block and other blocks are made along with information about printing templates on my blog.

Save the Date for Quilters' Quest 2016

One of the highlights of the year for us is our annual shop hop, Quilters' Quest. Mark your calendars -- November 4 - 13, 2016. Visit the Quilters' Quest website for information, participating shops, special discounts, promotions and to subscribe to the Quest newsletter with the latest updates and a free Block of the Month pattern.

Leave the driving to us! We are hosting two buses this year-- November 4-5 and 9-10. Call the Studio to get your name on a list so we can inform you as soon as details are finalized.

Cherry Blossom Batik

Here in the Washington DC area, the end of March not only means the arrival of spring but also the beginning of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

Just in time for the festival, we received a new shipment of our popular batik in the gorgeous colors of the cherry blossoms. Featuring motifs which are special to our region, this fabric is a great reminder of springtime here in Washington DC. It is available by the yard or as one of our Beaded Batik Scarves.

Small Business Spotlight

Local quilter Gayle Ropp was on my seminar staff for years and is responsible for the method I use to hand quilt. Gayle, through her business, The Backroom Quilter, owns T.J.'s Quick Quilter, a spoon-like device used for hand quilting. Used in the hand under the quilt, the spoon receives the needle then helps to guide it back up through the surface of the quilt. There is no pricking of the finger underneath eliminating sore fingers. With practice, your stitches become smaller and more even.

This is a small, made in America business and we are proud to carry T.J.'s Quick Quilter along with Gayle's DVD, Mastering Spoon Quilting.

Click here to see Gayle demonstrate the spoon quilting technique.

New Multi-Purpose Jinny Beyer Template Film

We have found a new template material which I now use for all my projects. Why do I like it so much?

Print templates directly onto film using laser printer or copier
Heat Resistant - press fabric over the template for appliqu�
Double-sided matte finish won't slide on fabric
Write on both sides with pen, pencil or marker
Remove marks with eraser or rubbing alcohol to re-use

Our new Multi-Purpose Template Film is available in packs of four or eight sheets.

2016 Block of the Month - Cosmos - Block 5

This month you are just making one large block, building on the fussy-cutting and sewing inset seams you've already learned. If you're just joining the program, there's no need to worry about catching up. In addition to this month's block, the download link below will give you access to all the materials we've shared so far.

[Download link available in subscriber e-mail only]

Cosmos has two main color schemes: blue/teal or red/gold. Each of those is available with a light or a dark background for a total combination of four quilts from which to choose.

Click here for more information on Cosmos kits.

We've also created beautiful fat quarter bundles of the fabrics used in the two Cosmos colorways. If you love the colors in the quilt and would like to use them in a different project, this is the choice for you.

Happy Quilting!