Dear Magnificent Makers,
We have added another FREE virtual class to our roster! This one is coming right up, next Tuesday, February 23, from 12-2. The class is from AccuQuilt, and it is called “There is a Die for That”. You will learn how to take a quilt pattern that was not written with AccuQuilt GO! machines in mind and “translate” it so that you can do the cutting with your GO! machine. Click here to register for this class.
The “Lots of Dots” Zoom class is tomorrow!. See “Classes” below for details.
Capital Quilts has teamed up with Sew Steady and Westalee Rulers to bring you virtual quilting classes! These classes are designed to teach you how to quilt on your home machines, using rulers and templates to give your project a professional finish. Our first class is a FREEBIE! It is on Tuesday, March 2, 2-4pm. Participate from home: no masks, no social distancing. The Ruler Work for Beginners class is given on YouTube; you don’t even have to worry about zooming! The class is recorded and you can access it for 30 days following the class. This means you can watch the instructor live, then use the recording to practice the skills and techniques on your sewing machine for the rest of the month. This is a beginning class. More advanced classes will follow. Click here to register for Ruler Work for Beginners!
Keeping with our quilting education theme, we are also having a Handi Quilter event, by Zoom, the last weekend in March. This 3-day event focuses on Pro-Stitcher and Pro-Stitcher Designer. Diane Henry, Handi Quilter National Educator and Pro-Stitcher wiz, is our instructor. The first day, Thursday, March 25, Diane will have two classes about Pro-Stitcher. The 1st, an introduction to Pro-Stitcher, is a prerequisite for the 2nd one, which goes into more depth about the program. The second and third days, March 26 & 27, are dedicated to Pro-Stitcher Designer; you must take the 1st, introductory class on Friday morning in order to take any or all of the other three classes. In addition, Diane will teach a one-hour long class on Pro-Stitcher Catalog, HQ’s new software for organizing and retrieving your collection of quilting designs, on Friday, and a one-hour long class on how to lay out a quilting design over your entire quilt top and then stitch it out on Saturday. Diane has found that Zoom is the perfect medium for software classes. You will be able to see her screen clearly and up close as she talks about the program. You don’t have to worry about weather or traffic or wearing a mask! Each of the 2-hour classes is $30, and each of the 1-hour classes is $15. Class size is limited to 20. More detailed information about the classes is available on our website: go to the Calendar and click on March 25, 26, and 27.
I have had another interesting email from a fabric company, this time Windham/Anthology. Windham partners with mills in Korea, Japan, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan to produce their fabrics; in spite of COVID-19 delays, the mills are able to produce orders pretty much on time. The much larger problem is in the logistics of shipping cargo around the world. “Demand for shipping containers and space on vessels has skyrocketed, resulting in a limited number of 40’ containers and space on the ships that carry them.” Where Windham has in the past has placed orders with the mills 60 days before the scheduled release of the fabric to the public, they are now placing their orders up to 120 days ahead of time. This is a big change in how they plan a collection, from the designer on up, and it is causing some stress in the company.
Windham’s email included the following causes behind global shipping delays:
• The restart of manufacturing in Asia followed the early spring slump in global shipping that left millions of 40-foot containers stranded or out of position in countries that import from Asia.
• Container availability has been further impacted by soaring demand because of the ongoing demand for Person Protective Equipment, a reduction in global air freight capacity, changing ecommerce trade-flows, and anticipated demand for refrigerated containers for COVID-19 vaccine logistics.
• The current scramble for containers has contributed to a spike in ocean rates, particularly along Transpacific lanes. In some cases, ocean carriers have been unable to fulfill bookings because of the shortage of containers in Asia.
• Manufacturers of ocean-going containers say they are no longer able to fill orders for new containers, even though the price of a new 40-foot box has climbed from $1,600 to $2,500 over the past year.
You can see that everything coming out of Asia is or will be impacted, from fabric and sewing machines to all the notions made in China to an awful lot of things that we take for granted will be in our stores every day.
 VOTE! It is time once again to let the world know what your favorite quilt shop is! ByAnnie is running their annual Local Quilt Shop Contest, this year sponsored by 4 fabric companies, Blank, FreeSpirit, StudioE, and Henry Glass. The winning quilt shop, based on number of votes cast, will win a $2400 store credit at those four companies (all of which we carry) and from ByAnnie. This is a lovely prize, and I hope you will all cast a vote for Capital Quilts and help make us a winner. Just go to https://www.byannie.com/LQS-Contest to vote. Thank you!!!
 |
 |
Day of the Dead CHALLENGE!
It seems I have inadvertently ordered 2 bolts of Day of the Dead Dog fabric. Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is celebrated on November 1 & 2. Google tells us “Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, the day celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life.” I am issuing a Challenge to all you quilters out there: $8 gets you a yard of Day of the Dead Dog fabric. Make a quilt that is at least 20” square that speaks to the Day of the Dead holiday. How do you honor the lives of deceased loved ones? Perhaps you would remember a deceased pet. Quilts are due October 15. Please be sure to put a hanging sleeve on the back, either sewn on or pinned on with safety pins. The sleeve should be at least 4” wide and one inch shorter than the width of the quilt.
Click HERE to join the fun!
|
Shopping at Capital Quilts: Please give us a call at 301-527-0598 if you’d like to make an appointment to come shop in the store. You can usually get in the same day. We are no longer making appointments online, only by phone. I’d like to be able to open the shop entirely, but I still feel the need to control the number of people in it in order to protect both you and us. The virus numbers are rising again, there seem to be new, more transmissible mutations around, and we want to reduce the odds anybody in our quilting and sewing community gets COVID-19. Remember that if anybody on the CQ Staff comes down with the virus, we will have to completely close the shop for at least 10 days, as we will all have been exposed.
If you are exposed to the virus and/or get a positive COVID-19 test result, please do not come to the shop, and if you have been to the shop while you may have been infectious, please call the shop so that we may let others know. There is nothing political about this, and there is no judgment from us. We just want to do our best to help stop the virus from spreading and protect our friends and families and community.
We really and truly appreciate your continued patronage and your patience through this pandemic. Your support has been, and continues to be, awesome. You are truly loyal friends! Keep wearing those masks! When your number comes up, get that vaccine! Stay safe.
Go ‘n’ Piece,
Alison
CLASSES and CLUBS
We are having classes via Zoom. We will make the virtual classes as easy as we can for you, sending you a link to the Zoom class. All you have to do is add the Zoom app to your computer, iPad, or other device so that you can open the link and participate in the class.
Class size will be limited. As before COVID, you can sign up online, by phone, or in the shop if you are here on a shopping appointment. Class descriptions are found below and on our website. Each class will have a supply list; look for this on our website: click on “Class Calendar in the blue bar at the top of the home page. Find the class on the calendar and click on that, then scroll down to the bottom left of the page to find “Supply List” and click on that.
For classes we may have in the shop, we require that you wear a mask during the class and social distance as much as possible. Each person will have their own table. We may also take your temperature when you enter the shop and ask that you use hand sanitizer or wash your hands with soap and water.
CLUBS:
The Longarm and Pro-Stitcher Clubs will meet on the first Saturday of each month in 2021. We will continue to meet via Zoom, until such time as we can once again meet in the shop. Barbara Bean and Elyse Turkeltaub have done a great job of continuing the clubs during the COVID crisis. Thank you, ladies! Members of the clubs enjoy a 10% discount on Handi Quilter items purchased in the shop on the first weekend of each month. If you can’t make it into the shop, please call us at 301-527-0598 to make your purchase.
QUILTING CLASSES: Currently all classes are ZOOM classes. You must download the Zoom app/client, and you will need a camera/webcam, microphone, and speakers as well as an internet connection. On the day of the class, you’ll receive an email with a link to the Zoom meeting. Please confirm that Capital Quilts has your current email address and phone number.
Sew Together: Ask an Expert Tired of sewing alone? Join fellow quilters for a virtual quilting bee. Settle into your favorite sewing space with your favorite Zoom-compatible technology for 2-1/2 hours of stitching and chatting. Everyone will have a chance to talk about what they’ve been working on and pose questions to the other quilters. No masks required! Each month, we are inviting a guest who is expert in some aspect of quilting and needlework to join us to answer questions about his or her specialty.
March 5: our very own Kat Martinez loves improv quilting and shares her knowledge and experience with you.
April 2: Sue Fierston, president of the Nature Printing Society, talks about leaf and fish printing on fabric.
May 14: SherriJoyce King immerses us in the world of Dear Jane quilts, where blocks from an 1863 sampler inspire classic and modern expression.
June 4: Beth Morningstar, an accomplished longarm quilter, answers questions about sending quilt tops to be quilted on a longarm machine.
July 2: Marianne Losey, one of Capital Quilts’ sewing machine technicians, provides tips to help you be your sewing machine’s best friend.
Skill Level: any
Instructor/Moderator: Betsy Kulamer
Class Size: max. 18
Cost: $8
Time and Date: 6:30-9 on dates listed above.
Lots of Dots This lovely quilt provides a good study in color and value. There are four small blocks that make up each larger block. Each ring is made using four different values of a color. The center is made using two lighter values of the ring color. You will also learn how to create the pieced ring. The original pattern has you piecing each part of the arches that make up the circles by sewing blocks together. Julie will show you how to paper piece the arch, a technique she finds easier than sewing blocks together. Finished quilt: about 70” square.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Instructor: Julie Taylor
Class Size: max. 20
Cost: $65
Time and Dates: 2 sessions, 1-4, Saturday, February 20 & 27
 Walk About This is the perfect pattern for highlighting your favorite large print fabric. It is fast and straightforward, great for beginners and for making a quick gift. The darker sashing resembles a pathway set among garden blocks, or take a walk on the wild side and use an animal print. Make a child’s quilt and applique animals in the large blocks. It would also be wonderful for unusual fabrics, such as the Aboriginals. The possibilities are endless!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Instructor: Julie Taylor
Class Size: max. 20
Cost: $65
Time and Dates: 9-12, Saturday, April 24
SOFTWARE CLASSES:
Demystifying EQ8 Learn how to design your own quilts using computer software. Import existing fabrics, make or modify blocks, resize, add borders, play with color…there is so much you can do! In this class, meant for beginners, you’ll learn the basics of how the program works and what the various buttons and functions are.
This is a ZOOM class. You must be comfortable using a computer, and you must have the EQ8 program loaded on your computer. Please contact the shop to purchase EQ8, as I do not stock them and must order one for you. Allow a couple of weeks at least. Thanks!
Skill Level: beginner
Instructor: Elyse Turkletaub
Class Size: max. 6
Cost: $45
Time and Dates: 2-3 on March 20
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
From Timeless Treasures, we have the Tonga Tulip line of batiks. Evoking a hidden garden, we think these twenty gorgeous bolts will be perfect for your next project! $13.99 per yard.
Tamara Kate says of her new collection Aerial, "Appreciating the little things... Sunlight, little colorful winged creatures, petals and leaves floating on the wind... Simple things that delight! With hand drawn and watercolor painted elements, Aerial is an enchanting collection that is teaming with vibrancy and life. My hope is that it brings you the visual breath of fresh air that it does for me." $12.99 per yard.
JANOME
Janome is having a RED TAG SALE from Monday, January 7 – Sunday, February 28! Score one of these great deals:
MC 15000: Save $2,000.
Includes the following gifts: Horizon Rolling Cart, Hilos Iris 100 best polyester thread, and the Janome Artistic Digitizer.
Continental M7 Professional: Save $1,000.
Includes the gift of an M7 table, a $699 value.
MC 9450: Save $1,500.
Includes the gift of a Universal table, a $599 value.
AirThread 2000D: Save $300. This is the newest Janome serger, with a built-in one-push air threading system an 8-piece feed dog, and a built-in needle threader. We have these in stock.
Contact the shop to purchase any of these machines.
Artistic Digitizer: Are you the proud owner of an Artistic Digitizer? Janome has announced an update, to version 1.6. You can download the update from the Artistic Digitizer page on the Janome website.
 
Meet the Continental M7! We had a Continental M7 sewing machine in the shop for a couple of days this week. I haven’t ordered one as a shop model, as they are rather expensive, buy my goodness, what a gorgeous machine. It absolutely purrs as it is stitching. The throat space is huge, 13.5” from needle to post, compared to 11” for the 9450 or 8” for the Skyline 7. It is perfect for quilting with rulers and templates. The Touch Screen is large and easy to read and access. At the bottom right of the screen is a QR code; scan the code with your smart phone and it will provide details on how to proceed with a particular stitch or function, easier than hunting for it in the manual! It has new functions, such as computerized needle plate removal and advanced feed systems, and the newly designed motor provides plenty of power to make sewing easier and faster. MSRP is $7,999; the RED TAG SALE price is $6,499 and you get a free Universal Table with it. If you are in the market for the ultimate domestic sewing machine, this is it! Take a look at more features on the Janome Website.
HANDI QUILTER
Tune in to the Handi Quilter Facebook page every Tuesday at 2pm EDT for Handi Quilter’s Watch and Learn Quilting Show, which features tips, tricks, and tutorials on Handi Quilter products with limited-time special pricing and a give-away to a random live attendee. They announce a special on a different machine or accessory each week. If you can’t watch the Tuesday show, go to the HQ website and enjoy the “And I Quilt” series of videos. You can still get the special pricing on the week’s product through Sunday.
This week, purchase any HQ longarm machine and get a FREE Longarm Starter Kit with a value of up to $390. The kit for the movable longarms includes a ruler base, the Versa Tool, a Wave B template, 8 bobbins, a bobbin box, the Glide Foot 2, a sure foot, and 40 standard needles, sizes 16 and 18. The kit for stationary longarms (the Capri and the Sweet 16) includes Handi Grip, HQ Sweet Spots, HQ Paddles, a Versa Tool, an Wave B template, 8 bobbins, a bobbin box, the Glide Foot 2, a horizontal spool pin, and 40 standard needles, sizes 16 and 18.
Longarm quilters: there is a new website you should check out! It’s www.quiltable.com and it is all quilting designs to view and purchase. The digital products include several file types and are intended for robotic quilting systems (not just Handi Quilter). There is an option to join a club and automatically receive new designs every month plus get a discount on other designs throughout the site.
Handi Quilter has launched a new program called Pro-Stitcher Catalog. Get it through the Handi Quilter website. The program will store, organize, and give you a quick way to find your designs. Heaven on Earth! Use the code HQ1498 to get a $10 discount. You’ll also be supporting Capital Quilts, as we will then get a commission from Handi Quilter. Diane Henry will be teaching a class on this software on Friday, March 26, 3:15-4:15.
Our Handi Quilter Moxie is now fully functional and ready for you to come try. I’ve sold one to a quilter who already owns a Fusion. She said she wants to use it for free motion quilting while the ProStitcher on her Fusion is working on another project. The Moxie is very light compared to the bigger machines and is easy to move around, with less stress to your joints. You can also put a Simply Sixteen on a Loft frame (the one the Moxie uses). You’ll get a little more quilting space and a more sophisticated machine on the smaller frame. If you already have a Simply Sixteen and want to move up to the Loft frame, you can do that, too.
I have a Moxie in stock: take home a longarm quilting machine today! Get one year’s free membership in our Longarm Club!
Also on display is the Handi Quilter Capri, a stationary, sit-down quilting machine. It is right next to the registers. This machine has the smallest footprint of the longarm machines and is most like your sewing machine in terms of feel. Rather than move the machine over the fabric as you do on the machines that have a frame, you move the fabric under the needle on the Capri. Have a seat and give it a try!
SEW STEADY
Wish Table Sale: Buy a Wish Table and get the Grid Glider for just $1! The table is 22.5” x 25.5”, with beveled edges, a blue drawer for notions, holes and a tool for circle sewing, and a table lock. The Grid Glider, valued at $25, offers all the right markings to make sewing easier and adds a slick sewing surface, especially good for free motion quilting. MSRP: $200. Capital Quilts price: $149 plus $1 for the Grid Glider.
CAPITAL QUILTS CARES On March 19 at 1pm, Sue Moats will lead 5 people in working on a Quilt of Valor here in the shop. These quilts are tremendously important to the men and women who serve our country in the military. All fabric is provided. Just bring your sewing machine, supplies, and lots of energy! Masks and social distancing are mandatory. This session is FREE to participants. Please register through our website, or call 301-527-0598 or email us.
Thanks to those who have donated kennel quilts in the last few weeks! Keep them coming. If you are willing to help, please make more for us! Find the directions here. Please be careful of the dimensions of the little quilts; too big or too small and we can’t send them. Drop them off “curbside” at the shop; no need to make an appointment (unless you want to shop, of course!). We have both pillowcase and kennel quilt kits available, free. Make them at home and return the completed project to us for distribution.
|
