Dear Sewists for All Seasons,
The classes for April, May, and June are in our computer system. You can find them listed on our website, on the Calendar page. Click on a class name to pull up a description of the class. The Supply List is at the bottom of the class description. Click on the word “next” at the upper right of the calendar to get to the next month or “prev” at the upper left to get to the previous month. There are lots of classes to choose from! Keep an eye on this newsletter each week to see what new classes we’ve added as the weeks go by. Register online, by phone, or in the shop.
The Quarterly Newsletter for Classes is also online now, on the home page of the website. The newsletter has descriptions of the classes being offered. You can print it out if you like to have a paper copy to refer to.
Coming right up, on April 12 & 13, is our Handi Quilter National Educator Spring event, “Quilting Is a Stitch”. Patty Holley will be here on Friday and Saturday to teach two classes each day:
Friday, 4/12, 10-1 Stand-Up Longarm Machine Quilting Basics teaches you about the machine, how to load a quilt, and vital facts about needles, thread, and tension.
Friday, 4/12, 2-5 This afternoon we explore Fast, Fun, and Fabulous Free Motion Quilting. Create flowing designs by connecting simple design elements with continuous lines. Find out how drawing and muscle memory contribute to beautiful free-motion quilting.
Saturday, 4/13, 10-1 Come play in A Longarm Toy Box! These nifty gadgets and accessories make your quilting even more accurate, faster, easier, and more fun!
Saturday, 4/13, 2-5 You can do more than just quilt on a longarm, as you will find out in our final class, You Can Do That On A Longarm, Too?. Piecing, couching, and binding are among the possibilities. Make a small project to take home!
You will have the opportunity in each class to try out the quilting machines and the techniques being taught. Take as many classes as you’d like; each one is $35. If you are taking 2 classes in one day, please bring your lunch or plan to eat at a local eatery. Capital Quilts will provide snacks and water.
Discounts on the Handi Quilter machines, gadgets, and accessories will be available during the event. It is a great time to learn about the longarm machines, try them out, and take advantage of discounted pricing.
Call us at 301-527-0598, go online, or stop by the shop today to sign up for these fabulous classes! |
Did you know… you can take a private lesson at Capital Quilts on most any sewing or quilting related topic? This includes longarm machine lessons, sewing machine lessons, serger lessons, technique lessons, and infinitely more. The fee is $13.50 for 15 minutes, with a one hour minimum.
Did you know… you can shop at Capital Quilts around the clock from anywhere that has internet service? In your pjs and slippers? With a glass of wine or hot chocolate in your hand? We have a web shop: https://www.capitalquilts.com/shop.htm Check it out!
Sewing Tip: we really like the Chaco chalk pens for marking quilting designs and sewing lines. They work well with stencils and Crosshair rulers and produce a fine line. When it comes time to refill your Chaco, try using the white iron-off Pounce powder for an easy-to-remove line! Regular Chaco Pen refills are also available. Always test any marking tool on a scrap piece of the fabric you plan to mark to make sure you will be able to get the marks out after you are done sewing.
Charles, one of our machine technicians, is moving out of the area. We will miss him greatly! This means that Capital Quilts is once again in need of a machine tech, especially one who is familiar with sergers. If you know of anybody, please send him or her our way!
Go ‘n’ piece,
Alison
THIS WEEK’S SHOP SPECIAL: Come in to the shop this week and save on marking pens and pencils and their refills. Take 15% off your favorite brand, or try some new ones! Offer good April 5-11; may not be combined with other discounts. In-store only.
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SHOP OPEN LATER HOURS:
We are always open until 9 on Fridays; when we have an evening class, we keep the shop open until 9 on that day, too. Upcoming evenings when we will be open until 9pm: Friday, April 5; Tuesday, April 9; Friday, April 12. Beginning Sunday, April 7, we will be open from 12-6 on Sundays.
IN THE GALLERY:
Karen Fricke’s beautiful work will hang in the Gallery through this weekend. If you haven’t been in to see it yet, this is your last chance!
FLOOR MODEL SALE:
Handi Quilter longarm machines for less!
Simply Sixteen: MSRP $5995, now $5,245
Amara: MSRP $11,995, now $9,499. Your choice of a 10’ or 12’ frame.
Forte with ProStitcher: MSRP $24,495, now $21,150. Your choice of a 10’ or 12’ frame.
We will install your machine free of charge and provide a free lesson on its basic use and maintenance. There is a separate free class for the ProStitcher.
EQ7:
I have an EQ7 for MAC software package in stock. The retail price is $189.99; I will sell it for $115. The Electric Quilt Company offers an upgrade for it, which I am happy to order for you. If you would like us to offer a class in EQ6 or EQ7, please let me know.
VENDOR SPECIALS IN APRIL
ACCUQUILT GO!: 4/2—4/15: $5 off dies priced $29.99 to $49.99. $10 off dies $59.99 and up
JANOME: Janome has announced their Spring Sale! April 1-May 31, look for savings and free gifts on the MC15000, HMC 9450 QCP, MC6700P, Skyline S7 and S9, MC500E, Sewist 780DC, 4300QDC, CoverPro 2000CPX, and AirThread 2000D Professional serger. Come see the brochure and the machines in the shop (except the 780DC and 4300QDC, which we don’t stock), or click here to see the brochure.
SEW STEADY: Sew Steady has a new table bundle available. Get a large 18” x 24” Sew Steady table, a Large travel bag for transporting the table, and the new Grid Glider for $149. The regular price is $183.
CLASSES:
Register for classes online, in the shop, or by calling 301-527-0598. Please register early; we need at least 3 people to make a class happen. If the class is cancelled by Capital Quilts, or if you let us know you can’t make it at least 7 days in advance of the class, you will get a refund or store credit.
Learn how to quilt! Take it from the very beginning in the Capital Quilts Complete Course of Quilting. This 10-week quilting course teaches everything you need to know to start making your own quilts. We cover the basics: getting to know your sewing machine, rotary cutting, fabric selection, and a variety of techniques for machine piecing quilt blocks. You‘ll make a sampler quilt and learn to sandwich, quilt, and bind your masterpiece. This is the perfect opportunity to explore the quilter’s art, which is both ancient and modern! The class meets on Sundays, 4-6 (there are 6 seats available).
Barbara Kascic is teaching the Just Hugs Zipper Pouch on Tuesday, April 9, 10-3. Not only will you take home a fun zipper pouch, you’ll learn some new sewing techniques along the way! An American Sign Language interpreter is available for this class.
EQ8 has a brand new and more intuitive look, and some new and improved tools. EQ8 is a computer-based application with which you can preview, color, and even design and resize your quilt. It will calculate yardage, add the ¼ inch seam allowance, and create templates, rotary cutting instructions, or foundation piecing patterns. If you use or own EQ7, you will be impressed with the upgraded EQ8. EQ8 is available at Capital Quilts. Drop by Capital Quilts, or call (301) 527-0598, to reserve or order a copy. Learn how to use it on Tuesday, April 9, 6-9, with Elyse Turkeltaub. EQ8 works with both Windows and Mac. Skill level: beginner on up.
“Rag Basket” may be a misleading name for these lovely bowls! Make your bowl with clothesline wrapped with strips of fabric (very easy to cut on your AccuQuilt GO! machine!). Learn how to finish off with a fancy handle and add embellishments. Get tips for shaping the bowl. Take this popular class on Wednesday, April 10, 10-1. Limit: 8 people
Take your longarm quilting to the next level with Getting Started: The Basics of HQ ProStitcher Premium. Become familiar with the software structure, what all the buttons mean, and how to do a basic edge-to-edge design. Elyse Turkeltaub teaches this class on Thursday, April 11, 11-2.
There is 1 seat left for our Capital Quilts Cares: Quilts of Valor event on Friday, April 12, 10:30-12:30. This is a free event and all fabric is provided. Bring your sewing machine, neutral thread, and sewing supplies and help make quilts for our military veterans. Consider joining our QOV chapter! Sue Moats, our program leader, has more information; contact her at moatsue@aol.com
Need help sandwiching a quilt? Make an appointment on Friday evening, April 12, at 8 (that’s the only appointment left). If you are planning on having your quilt quilted on a longarm machine, you should not sandwich it.
On Saturday, April 13, Lois Sumser is teaching an Advanced Rag Basket class 2:30-5:30. Bring a completed rag basket to class and learn how to make a lid for it and embellish it with lots of fun stuff.
If you’ve got the basics of ProStitcher down pat and want to know more, come to Custom Quilting with ProStitcher on Sunday, April 14, 1-4. Elyse will show you how to use ProStitcher to fit various quilting designs to blocks, triangles, sashing, and borders. You will learn how to size, align, and skew, as well as fit border corners and “chunk” borders. Learn how to crop out areas of the quilting design for appliques and embroideries.
Learn how to embellish with beads in the Beaded Sampler class on Tuesday, April 16! You can add interest and excitement to quilts, bags, clothing, buttons, and more. Make a 9-patch block and fill each piece with a different beaded stitch. You’ll go home with a sampler and printed directions for making each stitch. Your kit includes beads, beading thread, beading needle, pages of instructions, and a metal ring to bind your booklet. Karen Fricke is teaching.
CAPITAL QUILTS CARES:
All events are free and fabric is provided. You need bring only your sewing machine, neutral thread, and sewing supplies. Please register for each workshop so that we know how many to expect.
April 12 – Quilts of Valor: Help us make quilts to give to military veterans who have served our country so selflessly. Skill level: confident beginner and up. “Confident beginner” means you know how to use a sewing machine and sew a ¼” seam.
April 29 – Pillowcases: Ryan’s Case For Smiles distributes our pillowcases to children’s centers and hospitals in the Washington/Baltimore area, brightening many lives. Skill level: confident beginner and up.
Small Kennel Quilts: We are always accepting small kennel quilts, and we always have free kits available for you to take home to make and return to us. They are a perfect little project for practicing your quilting skills! We receive requests from shelters for completed kennel quilts on a frequent basis, and there are a lot coming in now from the flooded parts of the Midwest. We are running low on finished quilts and need your help making more.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
Clothworks has sent us Laurel Burch's Sea Goddess, and several bolts of the coordinating "water droplets" blender to go with. The panels and border prints are both available in two different colorways; coordinates go with both! Panels, $8.99 each; Sea Goddess, $12.99 per yard; Water Droplets, $11.99 per yard. Strips and charms are in the works!
Oceana from QT Fabrics is an all-digitally-printed sea themed collection. You'll love the vibrancy and variety of prints. $13.99 per yard; 2-1/2" strips $43.99; 5" charms $10.99.
White Sands from Northcott is another beachy collection, featuring seabirds, seashells, coral, and lots of watery prints. $13.99 per yard.
The Huggable and Lovable books from Studio E are always a hit! We have three right now, I Toadally Love You, Old MacDonald's Farm, and Where's Llama's Mama? $12.50 per panel.
Sue Spargo block kits are here! Kits include a 6" x 6" mill dyed wool background, pre-cut mill dyed wool appliqué pieces, whipstitch and stitch placement diagrams, and quick reference, illustrated, embroidery stitch cards. Chose from Polka Dot Bird, Ladybug, Flower, or Butterfly. $15.99 each.
SAVE THE DATE
• April 12-13: Handi Quilter Classes with HQ National Educator Patty Holley
• April 26-28: Friendship Star Quilt Guild Quilt Show, Gaithersburg, MD
• April 26-27, Ocean Waves Quilt Guild 2019 Quilt Show, Georgetown, DE
• May 31-June 2: Quilters Unlimited Quilt Show, Chantilly, VA
• June 8-9: Annapolis Quilt Guild Quilt Show, Annapolis, MD
• July 11-28: Sacred Threads, Reston, VA
• August 2-3: Four County Quilters Guild Quilt Show, Frederick, MD
• October 11-20: Quilters' Quest
• November 1-3: Everybody's Quilt Guild Quilt Show, Westminster, MD
COMMUNITY CORNER
Morgan Arts Council presents the Delectable Mountains Quilt Guild Show, “Music to my Eyes”, April 12-May 26, 2019, at the Ice House Gallery in Berkeley Springs, WV. Visit www.macicehouse.org for more information.
BLUE BAG BONANZA
Congratulations to Cathy S., winner of the March Blue Bag Bonanza prize of Floriani threads!
April’s prize is a tote bag made of Australian fabrics, with a zippered top, two pockets on the outside with
Velcro closures, a zippered pocket on the inside, and a water-resistant interior.
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.
Our thanks to everybody who shops at Capital Quilts and who participates in the Blue Bag Bonanza.
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