Dear Friendlies,
I hope you are staying healthy and happy. With the coronavirus becoming more prevalent, I want to communicate to you what we are doing here at Capital Quilts. Your safety, and ours, is important to me. The staff is cleaning and disinfecting surfaces daily and have strict instructions to stay home if they are feeling unwell.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you about our online store! We can ship you what you want, or you can specify Pickup in Shop (a new service!). We’ll let you know when the order is ready for you to pick up and meet you at the door. If shopping online is not your thing and you know what you need, you can send me or Kat an email, including your phone number, and we’ll give you a call to process the order. Do email instead of calling the shop; that way, you're sure to get in touch with us. Our emails are alison@capitalquilts.com and kat@capitalquilts.com.
The safety of our community is our first priority. Please, if you are feeling at all unwell, including but not limited to a sore throat, cough, fever, or shortness of breath or if members of your family are feeling poorly, practice responsible social distancing, and restrict your outings as much as possible. Many of our customers are over 60 (the average age of a quilter in this country is 64!), and this is the group that is particularly susceptible to coronavirus. Many of us have elderly parents at home that we want to protect. Let us protect each other with our courtesy and respect for one another.
Sign up today for our next Handi Quilter Education Event, Quilt Like a Pro, on April 24 & 25! Adam Rateliff will be our Handi Quilter National Educator. Adam will teach classes on preparing quilts for quilting, using the Capri stationary quilting machine, how to build a free-motion quilting design library, and straight-line quilting for a modern look. Look at April 24 & 25 on our online classes calendar and click on the class names to learn more about them and to register. Save $$: register for all 4 classes and get the 4th class free! Please note that if you register online, the system will not give you the free class. Not to worry; we’ll take care of it at the shop. You can, as always, call 301-527-0598 or visit the shop to register.
Did you know Capital Quilts offers financing on Handi Quilter machines and on Janome machines over $3,000? Ask us about it when you are shopping for a new machine!
As always, thank you for supporting Capital Quilts with your dollars, your online voice, and your energy. There are lots of places and ways to shop these days, and I appreciate your choosing to shop at Capital Quilts to keep our wonderful community here for all to enjoy.
Go ‘n’ Piece,
Alison
IN THE GALLERY
Drop by to see quilts that have been made as models for past classes. Most of them are available for sale.
If your guild is having a challenge and you’d like to hang the challenge quilts in our Gallery for a week or two, let me know!
SHOP OPEN LATE
Capital Quilts is always open until 9 on Friday evenings. In the upcoming week, we will also be open until 9 on Wednesday, March 18.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
Catch of the Day from Northcott Fabrics features classic New England fishing shacks, lobsters, clams, and more! Panel, $13.99 each; bolted fabrics, $12.50 per yard.
ACCUQUILT
3/1-3/31 Take $100 off your new Ready. Set. GO! Ultimate Fabric Cutting system. We have 2 in stock!
3/1-3/31 Take $150 off your new GO!Big Fabric Cutter. We sold the 2 we advertised last week; I have 2 more on order.
HANDI QUILTER
Celebrate National Quilting Day! March 13-23, receive a Bounce Back Rebate with the purchase of any new longarm machine or Pro-Stitcher. Depending on the machine you purchase, you’ll get a rebate coupon for $200, $300, or $400 to spend right here at Capital Quilts! Spend it on anything you want, from needles to notions and fabric and quilting rulers. Nice for you, nice for Capital Quilts! National Quilting Day, by the way, is March 21. I’d like to invite you in for tea and crumpets, but as large gatherings are discouraged, I think we will beg off for this year.
With the purchase of any new Handi Quilter machine, including ProStitcher, you get one year’s free membership in our Longarm and/or ProStitcher clubs, a free class in using and maintaining your new machine, and free installation in your home or business. The support Handi Quilter provides to you is phenomenal, the best in the business. The shop also provides support, and our techs will in most cases come to your home to clean, tune, and/or repair your machine. The machines are highly reliable; repairs are rarely needed. If you are shopping for a longarm, make sure you take a look at Handi Quilter!
Handi Quilter ProStitcher owners: Handi Quilter is replacing the Art & Stitch software with their own Pro-Stitcher Designer software. If you are already a Pro-Stitcher owner, you can take advantage of a limited-time offer and save almost $400. Until June 30, 2020, purchase your digital copy of Pro-Stitcher Designer for just $199.95. Visit the new www.ProStitcher.com to learn more. While Art & Stitch is still in existence, Handi Quilter will no longer support it.
JANOME
Janome is celebrating its 99th anniversary in 2020. To celebrate, they are offering great pricing and bundles on most of their machines. Check out the brochure in the shop or at www.janome.com. If I don’t have a particular model in stock, I am happy to order one for you.
• Save $500 on the new Continental M7 or the top-of-the-line quilting machine, the 9450, and receive a gift with a value of $1,001 that includes a roller bag, the Kimberly Einmo Block of the Month, 3 Kimberly Einmo rulers, and a Kimberly Einmo jelly roll.
• Save $300 on your purchase of the embroidery-only Memory Craft 550E and receive the Acufil Quilting Kit, AcuStitch Software, AND the new Artistic Digitizer 1.5 for FREE, a $1,734 value.
• Save $300 on the MC6700P, a workhorse of a machine that sews 1200 stitches per minute.
• Save $200 on the Skyline S6, with 196 stitches, 9mm stitch width, the Acufeed Flex Fabric Feeding System, and great lighting!
These are just four of the many machines Janome has placed on sale and in most cases bundled with freebies. Janome has extended this sale through the end of March. It’s a great time to buy a Janome!
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, you will get a refund of the class fee. If you let us know you can’t make it at least 8 days before the class, you will get a store credit of the class fee. Cancellations 7 or fewer days before the class are not refundable, but you can try to find someone to take your place. If there is a waiting list, we’ll try to help with that. The Supply List for each class may be found on our website at the lower left-hand corner of the class page. You may have to scroll down to find it.
 Learn how to embellish with beads! Karen Fricke shows you how to add interest and excitement to quilts, bags, clothing, buttons, and more in Beaded Sampler, Saturdays, March 14 & 21, 2:30-5:30. Kit included. Skill level: intermediate.
Need help sandwiching a quilt? Make an appointment with Carol on Sandwich Day, Tuesday, March 17, at 4, or 5 o’clock. Bring your pressed top and back and some batting, along with spray baste or pins, and your quilt will be sandwiched in no time. If you are planning on having your quilt quilted on a longarm, you do not need to sandwich it.
Use a pre-cut set of 2½” strips or cut your own (the AccuQuilt GO! machine is great for this task) and make a braided quilt or table runner in Braid in a Day. Debbie Ball teaches this class on Wednesday, March 18 & 25, 11:30-1:30.
Learn how to use the Handi Quilter Pro-Stitcher in Getting Started: the HQ Pro-Stitcher on Wednesday, March 18, 10:30-1:30. Carmen Contreras-Sesvold will show you the basic functions and how to do edge-to-edge quilting. Completion of this course allows you to use the shop’s Pro-Stitcher. You must have taken the Getting Started: the Handi Quilter Longarm before taking this Pro-Stitcher class.
Customers are flipping out for Flipping Out! Make this sturdy case in small (8.5” tall) or large (14.5” tall) form. It’s great for carrying pens and pencils, sewing tools, knitting needles, and more. The case stands up and holds its shape; fold down the tops to allow easy access to your tools. Mesh pockets on the inside help organize the supplies. The case zips shut for safe and secure storage. Kathy Barden teaches this ByAnnie class on Friday, March 20, 10:30-1:30.
There is one slot available in the Getting Started: the Handi Quilter Longarm class scheduled for Saturday, 3/21 at 11am.
Take a break from the everyday world and come sew with Kat in the Night Owl mini-retreat on Saturday, March 21, 6-12. We provide you with yummy pizza and beverages and FUN. You bring your own project; Kat will provide any help or insights you need. Hilarity generally ensues!
Take the ever-popular Rag Basket class with Lois Sumser on Sunday, March 22, 1:30-4:30. You’ll make-and-take a bowl out of clothesline and scraps of fabric. Take this class so you can take the Advanced Rag Basket class on June 27!
Learn how to quilt using the Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen in Getting Started: the HQ Simply Sixteen on Tuesday, March 24, 11-1. Barbara Bean teaches. Completion of this class allows you to rent the machine here in the shop.
The March Sit-n-Sew is on Friday, March 27, 5-9. Each month we offer you the free use of the classroom to work on your own project and enjoy the company of fellow quilters and sewists. Bring some food to share; Capital Quilts provides the beverages.
Taking the Getting Started: the HQ Longarm Machine allows you to rent our Amara and Forte machines. Barbara Bean teaches. There are two spots open in the March 31 class, 11-2. It is a great class to take if you are thinking about purchasing one of these machines and want to know more about it. Ask about our Rent to Own program!
1st Saturday Club members: If you need to learn more about using the Studio 180 Wedge Ruler before we start to make the Alaska quilt, sign up for Pat’s workshop, Alaska Specialty Ruler Class. The class meets on Sunday, April 5, 2-5. The maximum number of students in this workshop is 12. If a second session is needed to accommodate all those who want to take this class, we will schedule another workshop.
CAPITAL QUILTS CARES All CQ Cares events are free, and we provide fabric and patterns. Please bring your sewing machine, neutral thread, and supplies. Please register for each event online, by phone at 301-527-0598, or in the shop so that we know how many to expect. Thank you!
Quilts of Valor: The next QOV workshop will be on Friday, March 13, 12:30-3. Help us make quilts that will comfort our veteran service men and women.
 Pillowcases: Join us in making pillowcases for the American Patchwork & Quilting 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge! We are having a free workshop on Saturday, March 28, 1-5. You can also make pillowcases at home and drop them off here. All pillowcases will be given to Ryan’s Case for Smiles. Free kits are available. The deadline for turning in pillowcases to the shop is Tuesday, March 31 at 6pm.
Every pillowcase turned in at Capital Quilts earns the maker one entry into a prize drawing for a “Swag Bag” of goodies, including a $10 Capital Quilts Gift Card!
Walker Bags: These bags attach to walkers and wheelchairs and are useful for carrying keys, wallets, tissues, and more. They will be donated to local senior centers. Jan Wisor leads this workshop on Sunday, March 29, 1-4. (Please note the change of date).
Small Kennel Quilts: We are always accepting small kennel quilts, and we always have free basic kits available for you to take home to make and return to us. (The quilts are great stash-busters, too!) They are a perfect little project for practicing your quilting skills. We receive requests from shelters for completed kennel quilts on a frequent basis. Shipping these kennel quilts is expensive for us; we appreciate any cash donations, no matter the size, to alleviate this. Thank you!
COMMUNITY NEWS
Working with the Muse is an exhibit at the Strathmore Mansion in Rockville of work done by members of Studio Art Quilt Associates. The exhibit is open now through April 19.
Local quilter and fiber artist Sandra Smith has work included in a current exhibit on display at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown. The exhibit is called HANDCRAFTED: Fiber Art + Turned Wood, and it is open now through April 11. There is a free Meet the Artist reception from 2-4 on March 14. Sandra will be here at Capital Quilts on May 9, 2:30-4:30, to share her story and her quilts with us! She is a delightful person, and her work is stunning and intriguing. Learn more at www.sandrasmithquilts.com.
SAVE THE DATE:
• March 21 & 22: Southern Comforters "Best Little Quilt Show in Maryland", Bowie, MD
• April 16 - 18: Faithful Circle "Facets of Quilting" Show, Columbia, MD
• April 24 & 25: "Quilt Like a Pro" Handi Quilter Education Event, Gaithersburg, MD
• May 29 - 31: Quilters Unlimited "QU Goes to the Zoo" Show, Chantilly, VA
• June 13 & 14: Annapolis Quilt Guild "Quilts by the Bay" Show, Annapolis, VA
• October 8 - 12: Quilter's Quest
BLUE BAG BONANZA
March’s prize is a Fabric Roll-Up (forty 2-1/2” strips) from Robert Kaufman featuring “Instead”, a collection by Carolyn Friedlander.
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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