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What's New at CQ 7/13/17


"It ain't the heat, it's the humility." Yogi Berra



Dear Hot Stitchers,

Whew!  I have finally published the 3rd Quarter Newsletter and class schedule.  Look for it on the home page of www.capitalquilts.com.   There are lots of great classes and events listed in there.

A huge thank you to all who have donated yards of holiday fabrics for our Capital Quilts Cares: Stockings and Gift Bags for Children’s Inn at the NIH.  We can use more!  If you would like to participate in this event on July 24 from 10-12 but don’t want to sew, there are other ways to help.  You can do the pressing, or pull the ribbons through the drawstring channels, or other jobs as assigned by Laurie!  We’d love to have you join us.

We have another thread event coming up, this one with Superior Threads.  Superior Threadologist (really) Diane Henry will be with us on Thursday, September 21.  In her morning lecture, from 10:30-11:30, Diane will talk about the features of the various Superior threads, such as King Tut, Bottom Line, and Metallica.  She’ll go over the uses of the various threads and what needle is best used to achieve a good stitch.  Her afternoon workshop, which is limited to 20 people, will be a hands-on sewing event in which you will make a thread sampler using different Superior threads and thread weights.  The lecture alone is $5.  The lecture plus the workshop (you must take both) is $25, which includes a kit.  See the website for more information.

Our Fall Handi Quilter event, “Quilting is a Stitch”, is now open for registration!  National HQ Educator Diane Henry will be with us on September 22 & 23 and will teach 4 different classes.  On Friday, it’s the 3B’s: Backgrounds, Borders, & Blocks in the morning and Creative Textures & Fills in the afternoon.   These classes consider what designs to use in what situation, how to create different effects with quilting, some basic techniques such as turning a quilt, and how to extend designs.  On Saturday, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of creating the designs using rulers and templates.  In the morning, Diane teaches basic ruler safety, how to use rulers accurately, and reviews what all the different shaped rulers can do in the “Ruler Mania” class.  In the afternoon, she will open up a new world of design options in “Custom Waves, Curves, & Circles.”  Diane will introduce you to all the circle and curve rulers.  Each class is 3 hours long and costs $30.  Register for all four and save 10%.  Purchase  a Handi Quilter longarm machine from Capital Quilts between now and September 23 and take any or all four of the “Quilting is a Stitch” classes for free!

From blog.modafabarics.com: “NOTE: If you have purchased the Bonnie & Camille Vintage Picnic Gingham 108” wide backing in RED, please pre-wash your fabric before using it in your quilt.  Despite passing the quality control tests, we have heard that some quilters have experienced problems with the color bleeding.  (If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Customer Service at Service@unitednotions.com).”  I’d throw a couple of Color-Catcher dye sheets in the wash with the fabric (always a good idea with red fabrics); if nothing else, you’ll know whether or not it is bleeding.  I am not aware of any complaints from any of you who have purchased this fabric here.

Pierce Mill in Rock Creek Park is seeking a small group of hand quilters to give a demonstration on Saturday, October 14 at the Heritage Day festival. Please contact Steve Dryden at jsdryden@comcast.net or by phone at 301-512-5899.

I have a brand new Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen in stock, available for immediate free delivery! In addition to the machine and frame, you'll receive a bobbin winder, a starter kit of thread, needles, tools, DVD, and more, and free admission to the next available Getting Started: the HQ Simply Sixteen class with Annette Burns (a $25 value) as well as the Quilting Is A Stitch Event in September (a $120 value).  You also save $225 in shipping.  Call or email me if you’d like to be the owner of this machine.  You, too, can finish your own quilts at 3 in the morning and in your pajamas!

I am once again looking for salespersons.  The successful candidates will have extensive knowledge of quilting, and/or knowledge and experience with sewing machines, be friendly and customer-service oriented, and have a good sense of humor, and like to have fun.  Prior experience in retail is helpful.  We need people to work 2 or 3 shifts of 4 hours each during the week plus at least one weekend 4-hour shift per month.  Please send your resume to alison@capitalquilts.com.


Go ‘n’ piece,

Alison Zacharkiw



VENDOR SPECIALS:

Horn of America’s Deal of the Month is the new Model 3240 cabinet, a mid-sized Quilter’s Dream cabinet.  At 48” wide, it is a great cabinet for a smaller space.  The 25” x 13” cut out on top fits today’s larger sewing machines.  The airlift is heavy duty, making it easy for you to push your machine down into the cabinet when you want to use the top as a work space.  There is free arm support for embroidery units, too.  The Deal of the Month price is just $1340.  Use your savings to treat yourself to a Heavenly Seating Chair!



NEW & NOTEWORTHY:


A beautiful, traditional-but-still-fresh Christmas line called “Magnolia Metallics” has arrived from Moda.  Moda has used the magnolia in place of the poinsettia.  $12.50/yd.

Cat lovers!  “The Cat’s Meow” from Henry Glass & Co. will make you giggle and purr.  It is completely delightful.  $11.99/yd. 

While we are talking cats, we have “Cranberry Kitty” ornaments from StoryQuilts.  Designed by Helene Knott, the cat faces are cranberry-shaped (round!).  This pattern is $8.50.

Still on cats, “Mod Cat” from colourwerx is a pattern featuring sleek and stylish felines with a modern attitude.  $12.

Finally, a pattern with no cats.  “Scrap Petal Garden” is a 68” square quilt made by appliquing scrappy petals onto a background.  Make the petals using the Nested Petal Template.  We saw this quilt at Quilt Market and loved it.  It will make a dent in your stash, too!   Pattern and Template from Cabin in the Woods.  The pattern is $8. The Template is $10. 

“Mittens” is a kit for embroidered mitten-shaped Christmas ornaments.  It includes felt, pattern, embroidery floss, gold string, and buttons and beads for embellishment for six ornaments.  Non-breakable!  $18.99


CLASSES:

You can sign up for classes online, by phone at 301-527-0598, or in person at the shop.

Our next CQ Cares event is scheduled for Saturday, July 15 from 1:30 to 5:30. Come help Billye Roberts make quilts for the Interfaith Works Shelter for Women in Rockville, MD.  There are many opportunities to help out.  Bring your sewing machine if you have one, we provide everything else. And if you don't have a machine, come anyway! You can press or cut or square up blocks; or just come & keep us company!

Kat is again offering Night Owl Sewing on Saturday, July 15th from 6-midnight.  Enjoy up to six blissful hours of distraction-free sewing and fun. It's almost a mini-retreat! Includes a $10 Gift Card, dinner, and beverages. Work on a new project or finish up an old one.

Have a dress pattern you love but it doesn’t fit you right?  Don’t like the neckline of the blouse or T-shirt you are making?  Need to know how to finish seams when the fabric frays a lot?  Bring your pattern(s) and fabric to Dressmaking: Finishing Details on Tuesday, July 18, with Nora Elias.  Nora will teach you what you want to learn, whether it is one of these problems or any other.  Class size is limited to 6 persons.

If you prefer to quilt sitting down, take Annette Burns’ Getting Started: the Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen Machine class on Wednesday, July 19, 10:30-12:30.  This is a great class for someone who is considering purchasing one of these machines, or who has recently purchased one.  It also certifies you to rent ours.

Annie is teaching another Retreat Bag class! Two of them, actually.  The Retreat Bag comes in two sizes.  The best thing about it: when you unzip the zipper and open the top, it stays open wide, so you can reach in and easily find what you are looking for.  The first class meets on Wednesday evenings, July 19 & 26, from 6-8:30.  The other class meets once, on Thursday, July 20, 1-6. 

Our next CQ Cares: Quilts of Valor workshop is on Friday, July 21, 10:30-12:30.  Sue Moats is the project leader.  Come sew, press, or be a gofer as we put together blocks and quilts for our military service members.  Free, and all fabric is provided.  Bring your sewing machine, neutral thread, and sewing supplies if you plan to sew.

CQ Cares: Stockings and Gift Bags for the Children at Children’s Inn at NIH is part of our Christmas in July event!  Laurie Sieminski will lead this workshop on Monday, July 24, 10-12.  The event is free and all fabric is provided.  I hope you will join us for this opportunity to make a sick child’s holiday a bit brighter!  The gift bags are large and are filled by firemen and other public servants with gifts for the kids. 

Crosswalk is a lovely table runner made with 2½“ strips.  Hilary Hastie will teach you how to make one on Tuesday, July 25, 10-1, as part of our Christmas in July event.  We promise not to insist that you use Christmas fabric! 

So we have a sort of mystery class to offer you: we are planning on having Annie teach the new FabriFlair Star Ornament pattern from Indygo Junction on Tuesday, July 25, 2-5.  This is a fabulous star in three sizes that we saw at the Spring Quilt Market.  Unfortunately, Indygo Junction is releasing the pattern on July 21, and we are not sure we will get the patterns in time for the class.  If we can’t, we will have a Plan B!

Annie found a pincushion pattern that has pockets and straps on the cushion so that you can store not only pins, but scissors, marking pens, small rulers and the like as well.  She will be teaching the Carry All Pincushion on Thursday, July 27, 1-4.  We love things that help us keep our sewing desk organized!

Want a sophisticated quilting pattern but can’t afford a computerized quilting machine?  Try Groovy Boards and Pantographs!  Learn what they are and how they work in Barbara Bean’s hands-on workshop, Groovy Boards and Pantographs for the Longarm, on Friday, July 28, 11-1.

Sit n Sew is Friday, July 28, 5-9.  Bring some food to share and a project and spend quality time with your sewing friends.  Free!

The last (but not least) class in July is on Sunday, July 30.  Kim Jalette will teach Cookie Cutter, a Julie Herman pattern that is as pretty as a rainbow.  Use the Super Sidekick Tool.

In Getting Started: the Handi Quilter Longarm Machine, you will become familiar with the parts, use, and maintenance of the Avante and Fusion longarm machines.  Completion of this class makes you eligible to rent the machines so that you can finish your own quilts.  The next available class is Tuesday, August 1, 11-2.

 

SAVE THE DATES

July 17: "Inside Aurifil and Aurifil Inside" with Alex Veronelli
July 23-25: It’s Christmas in July!
August 11-13: Four County Quilters Guild Quilt Show at the Frederick County Fairgrounds
September 21: Superior Threadology – lecture and workshop with Diane Henry
September 22 & 23: Quilting is a Stitch – a Handi Quilter education event with Diane Henry
September 23 & 24: Friendship & Eternal Quilts Guilds Show in Linthicum Heights
October 6-8: Everybody’s Quilt Guild Quilt Show in Westminster
November 9-18: Quilters’ Quest Shop Hop


COMMUNITY CORNER


Sacred Threads is an exhibition of quilts exploring the subject themes of spirituality, joy, inspiration, peace/brotherhood, grief and healing. This biennial exhibition was established to provide a safe venue for quilters who see their work as a connection to the sacred and/or as an expression of their spiritual journey. The objective is to create a dignified exhibition of artwork that touches on both spiritual and personal levels all those who view it. The intent is to share with others the experiences of quilters whose stories may be a source of healing and strength. Visit this powerful exhibit now through July 23rd at Floris United Methoist Church in Fairfax, Virginia.

Local quilt artist Cindy Grisdela recently announced the opening of her solo show at the Crossroads Gallery! There will be an opening reception at the gallery on Sunday, July 16, 2017 from 2-4 PM, featuring light refreshments, a short talk about her work, and a question and answer session. The show includes 30 wall quilts. The Crossroads Gallery is located at Goodwin House, Bailey’s Crossroads, 3440 S. Jefferson Rd., Falls Church, VA. It’s open daily from 9 AM – 6 PM on the first floor.

George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum are hosting the traveling Ebony Fashion Fair exhibit now through July 24. In addition to displays of clothing, 50 years’ worth of Ebony Magazine covers adorn the walls. The Ebony Fashion Fair began in the 1950’s as a fundraiser for a hospital in New Orleans and grew from there, exposing black fashion to the world. It wasn’t always easy, as you can imagine. Visit the show to learn more!


CAPITAL QUILTS BLUE BAG BONANZA

Our July prize is a Fat Quarter Bundle from Blank Fabrics and two patterns, “Nessie” by Elizabeth Hartman and “Play, the Store Away” by Cozy Nest Design. To be entered in each month’s drawing, bring your Capital Quilts Blue Bag with you when you shop. Make sure you show it to the staffer at the register! Upon completion of your sales transaction, your name will be put in the jar for the drawing at the end of the month. The more you shop, the more chances you have to win.  Don’t have a Blue Bag? Purchase one at the shop, by phone, or online for just $4.99. We save all of the entries for the year, and at the end of the year we draw a Grand Prize Winner from all the entries.

Sign up for our 5th Saturday Club! Purchase your Green Tag for $10 and come to our special events on the four 5th Saturdays of 2017. The next one is July 29!

Our thanks to everybody who shops at Capital Quilts and participates in the Blue Bag Bonanza.

 

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