Quiltmaker March/April 2020 Gift-Away!

Let’s have a bit of fun!

I returned from Arizona to find some GREAT goodies in my mail box. Best of all – The March/April 2020 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine, which at long last is shouting SPRING to all of us above the equator!

I spent last evening perusing its pages, taking in color and design, and wonderful spotlight articles on quilters you will love getting to know better.

Winter is still hanging on in Southwestern Virginia.  In fact, I drove up through heavy snow and much wet.  The flakes were huge – unbelievably so, giving the world a veritable snow globe appearance.  I knew they wouldn’t stay – the pavement was too warm and temperatures were hovering right at 35 degrees.  No chance for a build up, but a great way to send January on its way out the door.

And spring quilty things help even more!

All the colors -

Sew many projects!

I’ve chosen a few of my favorites to share with you.

This is Cherry Surprise by Nancy Mahoney!

Those cherries are all tiny yoyos – what a fun “on the go project” making those yoyos would be.  I love the 1930s feel to this quilt – the light airiness,

Working on this would definitely be a cure for the winter blahs!

For those who love stars -

And who doesn’t love stars?

Vintage Vibe is designed by Pam Boswell.

Boxed Up – And totally FUN!

Quilt designed by Ramona Sorenson.

What a great Fat-Quarter quilt this would be!

(Are you looking for something to put together on retreat?!)

And of course – my Addicted to Scraps Column block!

Jack’s Delight.

You’ve seen me working on these.  In fact – I’m STILL working on these!  I’m ready to put the blocks together if I could stay in one place long enough to get the job done.  Maybe this weekend?

I used a combination of Scrap User’s System strips and recycled fabric scraps to make my blocks – and you know I also used my Essential Triangle Tool in the process, right?

And while you are sewing this weekend, and since we are talking Quiltmaker Magazine, I just recorded a podcast on Quilt & Tell with these fine folks.  Click HERE to listen!

Gift-Away Goodies!

Along with the March/April 2020 issue of Quiltmaker, I am throwing in an “Off the Bookshelf” coloring book for adults, a Plan to Quilt project organizer tablet, a set of MAKE clothespins by Moda, a 4.5 inch Swiss style angled tweezers by Tula Pink, and my 2 1/2’’ x 6 1/2’’ MUST HAVE Quiltville ruler by Creative Grids into this drawing.

The winner must have this package shipped to an address within the US of A.  If you are from outside of the country, have it sent to a friend within the USA who can forward it to you at international shipping rates.

Drawing to happen on Thursday, February 6th!  Good luck, everyone!

And while I have your attention – something very special STARTS TODAY! 

For those who were interested in the Free Motion Quilting Academy last September, but needed to put it off until the New Year, guess what?  

Spring 2020 Free Motion Quilting Academy registration begins TODAY – the Course starts February 17th, with registration only available now through the 15th, so don’t delay!

Why take this online course?

YOU can finish your own quilts-- bee-yoo-tee-fully-- right at home on your domestic sewing machine.

Finishing your own quilts saves you money

Sending quilts out may allow you to skip the “complicated” steps of basting and quilting, but if you’re a quick piecer, those long-arming bills add up fast

Finishing your own quilts saves you time

No more waiting for your quilts to arrive home again. When you’re ready to wrap up a project to clear space in the sewing room, give an amazing gift, or get something fresh on your bed, you have the awesome sauce skills to get ‘er done

Finishing your own quilts gives you creative control

Ever had a vision for a quilt but felt like you had to settle for something else because of time, skill, money, or communication challenges? When you are the piecer AND the quilter, you have amazing creative freedom to execute your dreams exactly as you dreamed.

Finishing your own quilts is fun!

FMQ Academy isn’t so much a class as an adventurous journey of realizing that you are more creative and capable than you’ve allowed yourself to believe.

Yes, you’ll learn the nitty gritty of setting up your machine and adjusting your tension, how to baste a quilt, and how to stitch over two dozen free motion quilting motifs. But even more than that, you’ll have a specific, guided, step by step outline for not only learning motifs but also going from a quilt top to a complete and beautiful quilt, including learning how to decide what to quilt where.

In the end: your free motion quilting will be beautiful, but you’ll also enjoy the process of completing your quilts.

In fact – we’ve got something extra special to help those fence sitters get off the fence. How would you like to receive the first module for FREE?

Before you invest your money and time, join HollyAnne for the Intro to FMQ Challenge, live on Facebook. She will guide you through Module 1 of Free Motion Quilting Academy so you can get a taste of the larger class and of your future Quilting Rockstar success!

Click and register to try out Module 1 via Facebook LIVE! This challenge runs February 3-7 only.

Registering for the event means you'll get daily reminders about the live videos and links to the replays through Facebook delivered straight to your inbox. There are also some handy PDF downloads as gifts for you!

Registering also means you'll be added to the String & Story Newsletter to hear about new blog posts and online classes. You can unsubscribe at any time.

FREE MOTION QUILTING ACADEMY IS THE FIRST COURSE OF ITS KIND THAT:

ALLOWS YOU TO LEARN FREE MOTION QUILTING FROM THE PRIVACY AND COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME


Lugging your machine out to class is is inconvenient and time consuming, and learning on a dealer machine doesn’t always mean you can work well with your machine at home. Plus, it’s hard to learn a new skill if you’re nervous about what the students around you think. At home, you can be in your space, on your machine, and at your own pace


ENCOURAGES YOU TO START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, KEEPING SUPPLIES MINIMAL AND AFFORDABLE, RATHER THAN URGING YOU TO BUY A FANCIER MACHINE


The best machine to learn Free Motion Quilting on is the machine you already own. 90+% of the time, your machine is capable of at least basic free motion quilting, you need very few new accessories, and the belief that learning takes a lot of expensive gizmos is just a gimmick.


IS READY WHEN YOU ARE, REGARDLESS OF GEOGRAPHY OR TIME ZONE, WITH ON-DEMAND, PRE-RECORDED VIDEO LESSONS


Whether you live around the globe, have a day job, work nights, have kids at home that make your schedule irregular, or anything else, the meat of this course is pre-recorded, so you can watch it whenever you want! Plus, once you purchase, you have access forever, to watch and re-watch as often as you want or need.


OFFERS YOU ONGOING ACCESS TO THE INSTRUCTOR SO YOU NEVER FEEL ALONE OR STUCK AND YOU CAN GET NEAR-REAL-TIME HELP DURING LIVE-STREAMED Q&A SESSIONS


While the lessons are pre-recorded, real-time or nearly real time feedback is important. Inside the course Facebook group, you will value the live Q&A sessions during the 12 weeks of the course for help with any hurdles each step of the way.


CONNECTS YOU TO OTHER ROCKSTARS-IN-TRAINING AROUND THE WORLD SO YOU CAN HELP AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER


While it can be difficult to learn something new while sitting next to a stranger, it is also valuable to learn in community. 

The course Facebook group allows you to get to know and share your work with FMQA Rockstar alumni and your fellow Rockstars-in-Training so you never feel alone as you learn.

The course begins Feb 17, 2020 and runs through May 9, 2020 ending with a very fun & rewarding graduation!

THIS AMAZING COURSE,  Private FACEBOOK GROUP, AND THE LIVE Question & Answers ARE YOURS FOR JUST $197.00

That’s right-- for the cost of sending just ONE quilt out, you can learn to quilt all of your quilts forevermore.

It’s time to turn your tops into completed quilts – YOURSELF.  You can do this!

Quiltville Quote of the Day

Vintage quilt shared by Kevin the Quilter.

I love that Nile green!

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.

Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone!