Dear Quilting Friends,
I
hope you all made wonderful memories this holiday season,
celebrating with your family and friends. My grandson, Titus, is
now two years old and he certainly added some excitement to our
family Christmas! He loved passing out the gifts to everyone and
helping us all open each one! You can see he enjoyed his new
“teepee” sewn from a pattern we carry at Threads of Tradition - it
was a real hit! The pattern also includes a kid-sized sleeping bag
for a complete camping package of fun.
Now
that the holidays are past and the decorations put away, I’m in a
real “clutter banishment” mood. This morning I started cleaning
out the computer hutch, one of the places in my house where all
the homeless items seem to gather, and one thing led to another
until my entire day had been spent cleaning files and
cupboards. The four large bags of trash I hauled out to be burned
included such priceless treasures as owners manuals for appliances
that died 10 years ago and free handouts of counted cross stitch
patterns from the 1980’s. As you can see, I don’t get in the
cleaning mood very often, so when I do, I have to stick with it!
Winter
Quilting Fun
Plans for winter activities look like we are
in for lots of good times at Threads of Tradition. Saturday,
January 12 was the first session of a new round
of Saturday
Sampler
demonstrations. At last count, over 150 people planned to participate
and the number is growing daily. It’s not too late to join, but if
at all possible, please stop in or call to pre-register and let us
know which fabrics you prefer so that we can be sure to have
enough kits ready for everyone!
If you haven’t previously been a part of this
popular program, more information can be found at:
http://www.saudervillage.org/Hospitality/quiltshop.asp#Saturday_Sampler. I’ve
included pictures of three of last year’s Saturday Sampler quilts
so you can see just how unique each quilt can be even though
everyone is using the same block patterns. Join us and find a new
way to express your creativity this year!
January
Classes
We do not really consider Saturday Sampler to
be a “class” even though everyone does learn from the
demonstrations, but we do have several other opportunities for
classes in January. The Rotary Cutting class would be
perfect for all the beginners who are attending Saturday Sampler
or for anyone who struggles with cutting quilt patches. The
January session of One Block Wonder is full, but we will be
offering it again in March. Watch your mail or check our
website for the new classes offered in March –June. Both sources
of information will be available in early February.
Basic Rotary Cutting
Tuesday, January 15, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Instructor: Glora Belle Yoder
Skill Level: Beginner
Class Fee: $15.00 / $13.50 Members
Class Size: Min 4 / Max 10
If you own a rotary cutter, ruler and mat and do not know how to
use them, or just want to learn how to cut fabric for piecing
quilts, this is where you need to begin. We will cover the grain
of fabric, squaring up your fabric, how to cut different shapes
and the different tools and how to care for them.
One Block Wonder
Watch for this Spring Class offered in March!
Instructor: Linda Stuckey
Skill Level: Skilled Beginner
Class Fee: $30.00 / $27.00 Members
Class Size: Min 4 / Max 10
One fabric plus one shape equals one stunning quilt! This
kaleidoscope quilt uses hexagon blocks that are joined together to
create your own unique quilt design.
Bargello
Saturday, January 19, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Instructor: Carolyn Snyder
Skill Level: Skilled Beginner
Class Fee: $30.00 / $27.00 Members
Class Size: Min 4 / Max 10
Bargello quilts are made using a quick strip method including a
range of colors or shades to produce a gradual color change of
exciting patterns. These striking contemporary quilts will
stimulate your creativity with their endless possibilities!
Free
Motion Machine Quilted Purse
Saturday, January 26,
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Instructor: Donna Missler
Skill Level: Skilled Beginner, but no machine quilting
experience needed.
Class Fee: $30.00 / $27.00 Members
Class Size: Min 4 / Max 10
While making a tri-colored lined purse, you will learn free motion
quilting as well as binding and zipper application.
OH-MI Shop Hop
Mark your calendar now for
the OH-MI Shop Hop on
February 20-23, 2008. Our
theme this year is “Mardi Gras” and each shop will be ready to
party! For this year’s progressive quilt, Kathy Seal has designed
a beautiful large bed quilt that you won’t want to miss. Passports
are now available for sale at each shop. If you want to travel
with a group but would rather not worry about driving, Corner
Quilts, The Quilt Patch and Sew What are all offering bus packages
on Saturday. Contact your closest shop to find out all the details
about the bus leaving from their location. We hope you’ll join in
the shop hopping fun!
Wednesday,
February 20 - Saturday, February 23, 2008
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- The Progressive Quilt
-
Door
prize drawings
- Free! Quilter's
sewing kit (one item at each shop)
- Special sales for "Hoppers"
only
- Passports only $5... and includes large tote bag!
- Special demonstrations at each shop at 11:00 AM, 1:00, 3:00
and 5:00 PM.
Corner Quilts
14707 Co. Rd. J
Wauseon, OH 43567
419-337-8458 |
The Quilt Foundry
234 W. Wayne
Maumee, OH 43537
419-893-5703 |
Pieceful Traditions Quilt Shop
3010 Van Horn Rd. Suite D
Trenton, MI
48183 734-692-1333 |
The Quilt Patch
112 N. Evans Suite #5
Tecumseh, MI 48286
517-423-0053 |
Sew What!
13736 Fort St.
Southgate, MI 48195
734-281-1344 |
Threads of Tradition
at Sauder Village
22611 St. Rt. 2
Archbold, OH 43502
419-445-9610 |
The Material Girls, LLC
1850 Grindley Park
Dearborn, MI 48124
313-561-1111 |
Viking Sewing Center
5235 Jackson Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-761-3094 |
March
Quilting Retreat
Our next two-day retreat at the beautiful
Sauder Heritage Inn is scheduled for Friday, March 14
& Saturday, March 15. Planned by
Threads of Tradition staff, these events include lots of sewing
time, fun and inspiring interaction with other quilters,
demonstrations of quilting techniques, after-hours shopping at
Threads of Tradition, door prizes and meals. Bring your quilting
friends and let us take care of all the details. For more details
or to register, go to
http://www.saudervillage.org/Hospitality/quiltshop.asp#Events
- or stop in
the shop or give us a call at 419-445-9610. These retreats are
limited to first 36 fun-loving quilters who register and I hope
you will be one of those to join us in March!
Fabric
Finds
As always, new fabrics continue to arrive
almost daily. The most recent exciting arrivals include Surf
and Sand by Marcus Brothers, Dandelion Days by Camelot,
Fanciful Felines designed by Laurel Burch for
Clothworks and Kashmir II by Moda. As you can see in the
pictures, these fabrics exhibit a wide variety in style and color,
so there is something for every taste - from traditional to
contemporary. And, for those of you who think you’ve seen
everything... can you recall any previous fabrics celebrating
dandelions? Dandelion Days even includes one print of dandelions
gone to seed and ready to blow in the wind. They are beautiful on
fabric, but not so wonderful in my yard!
Surf and Sand |
Dandelion Days |
Fanciful Felines |
Kashmmir II |
New Ideas
I’ve
mentioned Quilter’s Home magazine in a previous issue of
Current Threads, but I just wanted to remind you again about this
unusual, interesting, challenging and definitely humorous
magazine. Occasionally the humor gets a bit “over the top” for me,
but usually it is refreshing to hear someone write so
honestly. And there are serious articles about issues all quilters
care about in the magazine as well. For instance, the
January/February issue contains articles about getting the most
from a quilt show, organizing tips and a thought provoking article
titled McQuilting: Are We Taking the Creativity Out of
Patchwork? More of a lifestyle magazine than a pattern
magazine, you just might find a refreshing new view of quilting
and quilters in its pages.
The
Electric Quilt Company, based in Bowling Green Ohio, has
created three different CD’s that feature a beautiful variety of
hundreds of the most popular quilting designs from past issues of
Quiltmaker magazine. Using the designs on the CD is a snap. Browse
through the collection, find the design you want, then specify the
size - any size at all. Then print. Easily customize these designs
to precisely fit borders, blocks and sashes for every quilt you
make. The only way it could get any better would be if they can
figure out a way to make your computer print the designs on
plastic and cut them out for you!
Books
Judy
Martin is known for her extraordinary sense of color and style and
for providing accurate, thorough instructions. Her latest release,
Judy Martin’s Log Cabin Quilt Book is no
exception. She offers 100 setting plans, both new and old for log
cabin quilts with 16 complete patterns for glorious quilts and
pieced borders for each quilt. Some of her designs include curved
looks from simple logs. The log cabin just might be the perfect
pattern. Its basic shapes, simple contrasts, and minimal joints
make it ideal for beginners. Steeped in tradition, it also lends
itself to current techniques and is amenable to creative
interpretations. At Quilt Fair in April, we are planning to
demonstrate hand quilting with the Snake River Log Cabin on the
front cover of Judy’s book. Kits are already cut and packaged, so
you could begin piecing yours today!
The Original Turning Twenty Just Got
Better! by Tricia Cribbs, new edition, contains the original,
immensely popular Turning Twenty quilt plus five exciting new
quilt designs. All use the basic Turning Twenty block to make even
more great quilts. Jump on out and sew one of the exciting new
designs featured in this book. There is nothing to intimidate you,
even if this is your very first quilt. The results will impress
even you!
If
art quilts are your current passion, check out Cutting Garden
Quilts by Melinda Bula. She shows you how to use a simple,
paint-by-number-style process to create these breathtaking floral
quilts. Combine a quick layer-and-fuse technique with simple color
placement tips for stunning results. Also learn how to use machine
quilting to “paint” with thread to add extra dimension and detail
to your projects.
Also
worth some studying and playtime is Mosaic Picture Quilts
by Pat Durbin who shows you how to turn favorite photos into
stunning quilts. With fabric as your palette, you can create
gorgeous wall quilts from photos of landscapes, flowers, people
and more - and get results that resemble watercolor paintings.
Learn this easy square-by-square technique with five step-by-step
projects. Simply print photo onto paper; then use a transparent
grid to lay out your fabrics.
One of my favorite aspects of quilting is
that no one will ever be able to say that they have totally
mastered this art form because there are always creative people
coming up with new ideas and new ways of doing things. Be
adventurous this winter and try something new - it just might add
new life to your quilting passion!
Keep on learning, Linda
P.S. January 31st is the end of
our fiscal year; therefore we will be counting inventory on
January 30 and 31. We will remain open for business on those days,
but may be a bit distracted by all the necessary counting. All
that to say... if you have a project with which you would like
extensive help, we’re happy to oblige, but you might be better
served on a day when we are not preoccupied with inventory. Thanks
for understanding!
Threads of Tradition @ Sauder Village
22611 State Route 2, Archbold, Ohio 43502
800.590.9755 or 419.446.2541 ext. 3011
www.saudervillage.org
send email inquiries to:
lrufenacht@saudervillage.org
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