ATCs: Three Words of Advice

"Support Our Troops"
by Debbie Joyner

After several days on the road that concluded with me teaching a full-day Free-motion Quilting class at The Fabric Shop, it was nice to get back home. Since it was after midnight when I pulled into the driveway, it was not until this morning—with a hot cup of tea at hand—that I was able to open the "squishy" envelopes containing the ATCs [Artist Trading Cards] for the first FiberAntics ATC swap of 2015. The theme for the January swap was "Three Words of Advice."

I didn't intentionally plan to kick off the new year with inspirational quotes or philosophical devotions, but I was both uplifted and calmed while reading the "three words" that were depicted on each batch of cards that spilled from its envelope. (Hmmm. Maybe I should be more cognizant of which themes are slated for different times of the year.) Or maybe I am still on my weekend "teaching high." Likely both.

Take a look and see what you think.

"Praise the Lord!"
by Elizabeth Armstrong

"Live to Love"
by Lisa Howard

"Believe in Yourself"
by Sharon Joyner Griffith

"Always Be Yourself!"
by Diane Pineschi

"3 Wise Words"
by Karen Downer

"Let it go…"
by Carlene Jacobsen

Oh, I need to find more time for this...

"Read more books"
by Bonnie Stevens

This ATC artist is the dream of every quilt shop owner and fabric rep!

"Buy More Fabric!"
by Cathy Dillon

Can you hear your mother saying this?

"Eat your vegetables."
by Veronica Hofman-Ortega

And this?

"Don't Eat That"
by Marilyn League

Traders also got a thoughtful gift that accompanied Bonnie's "Read more books" ATC. Here is the note she sent me: 

A magnetic bookmark to keep your place in the fabulous book
you are now reading.

Sharon included a Thank You note with her cards along with this little gem. As a fabric rep whose virtual "office" is a briefcase and a car, this is going to be so useful and handy! (Sharon, how did you know? This little desk-mate is perfect.)

Desk-mate: Sticky notes, paper clips and a built-in ruler
in a see-through compact.

2015 begins the 7th year of my Artist Trading Card swaps. My ATC collection—and my heart—overfloweth! Thanks to all the ATC traders who have shared their Art and Heart with us. Happy February to everyone.

Angle Improv: an unscripted technique

Looking for a fabric adventure with a package of 2.5" pre-cut strips?

Student quilt top made from Sumatra batik pre-cut strips [by Blank Quilting]
 in the Angle Improv class.

Join me for the Angle Improv class on Saturday, February 7 at Hyderhangout (423) 715-2908, and see what you can do with a package of 2.5" pre-cut strips and some scraps! The quilt top shown here was made with Sumatra batik Fabrications by Blank Quilting Corp. and scraps from this quilter's stash. What could be easier and more fun?

The "project"" (and I use the term loosely) for this class is free-form, unscripted, and the technique is very liberating. See what fun students had in a previous class here. It's improv! As Drew Carey might say, "the measurements are made up and the points don't count."

On the road to Springfield with Free-motion Quilting

Intro to Free-motion Quilting class
at The Fabric Shop in Springfield, TN

I'm elated that so many people are interested in learning to free-motion quilt lately. Whether quilters are threading a hand quilting needle, using the walking foot, or dropping the feed dogs to do the free-motion thread dance (like me!), it means that lots of lovely quilt tops are getting finished… so these quilts can be enjoyed!

Last Saturday, we celebrated National Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day by visiting our local shops, purchasing fabrics or gadgets for new projects, or taking a class. A huge Thank You goes out to our beloved, hard-working quilt shop owners for keeping us inspired with unique new fabric collections, encouraging our creativity, and offering classes so we can learn new techniques, improve our skills and share our passion for quiltmaking with each other.

This Saturday, January 31, I'll again be sharing my love for free-motion quilting in Springfield, TN at The Fabric Shop. Donna Sandidge, the shop's owner, had an overflowing response to a charity quilt sew-a-thon last weekend for Visit YLQS Day. She is following it up with my Intro to Free-motion Quilting class this Saturday. Back-to-back quilting Saturdays—what a blast!

There are a few seats available in the class, so call the shop immediately (615) 382-5600 or leave a message on The Fabric Shop's Facebook page so they can get your kit ready.

Here is a peek of what I'm bringing for Show and Tell.

Free-motion quilting on a home sewing machine.

"Sidewalk Surprise" detail of machine quilting.

Free-motion quilting, "Radiant Triangles."

"Pi E²" detail of free-motion quilting.

So, if you want to see this quilting up close, come on out to The Fabric Shop in northern Tennessee for some free-motion quilting fun! I've got lots of information and inspiration to share.

Reverse Appliqué with Circle in a Square

Despite the frosty weather, my 3-day visit with the quilters in Huntsville at Huntsville Sew and Vac was absolutely delightful. I'm still astounded that so many of the students completed the table runner project from the "Circle in a Square" reverse appliqué class. Several of them even used this project in the afternoon class to work on free-motion background filler designs in my new "Fillers, Spillers and Thrillers" class. They are super productive quilters!

Terri (left) and Gisele with their reverse appliqué blocks.

Ginger (left) and Diane completed multiple blocks for their table runners.

The "Circle in a Square" pattern [by my friend Janice Pope of Anything But Boring] is perfect for using the pre-cut strip packages like Fabrications from Blank Quilting Corp. Here are the students making blocks from their strip sets.

Cutting blocks from the strip sets. Teamwork!

At the ironing stations, the reverse appliqué blocks are pressed prior to machine stitching.

Pressing the appliqué blocks.

Reverse applique Circle in a Square block using the Pretty in Pink
Fabrications strip set by Blank Quilting Corp.

Reverse applique Circle in a Square block using the Skidoodles
Fabrications strip set by Blank Quilting Corp..

Once these quilters mastered the reverse appliqué technique with the first block, they were off and running!

Reverse appliqué class, "Circle in a Square"
at Huntsville Sew and Vac.

Several experimented with multiple appliqué layers, asymmetrical layouts, different shapes and creative patchwork.

Trying different appliqué shapes.

Here are Denise, Maureen and Susan with their completed "Circle in a Square" table runners.

Circle in a Square class projects. From left: Denise, Maureen and Susan. 

Great job!