Dear Dear Delightful Customers,
Join in the fun at our Handi Quilter event, by Zoom, this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday! 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.
Purchase a Handi Quilter machine package during or shortly after our event and save 20% off MSRP!
When the pandemic started and the call went out to make masks, you may have hauled your old machine down from the attic or up from the basement and gotten it cleaned up, or maybe you bought a new machine, and you started the mask making. Now that mask making has slowed down, you may be thinking, ‘now what?’
I hope your answer is, keep on sewing! There are so many ways to be creative with your sewing machine: quilts, bags, table runners, clothing, fabric art, ornaments, and on and on. You can sew for charity. You can sew to sell things on Etsy or at neighborhood shows. Join a guild to find friends with your same interest as well as a wealth of knowledge.
As a somewhat new sewist and/or quilter, you need some basic supplies. It can seem like a big investment, but this is basic stuff that is going to last you a long time, and you will find that the better your equipment, the more you will enjoy the process of sewing. Here are the five basic tools we recommend:
1. Cutting Mat: We like the Olfa brand. It has lines on one side and is blank on the other. If you are sewing primarily at home, get the big 24” x 36” size. It will be easier to cut large pieces, such as borders or pants, and easier to trim your projects. The 18” x 24” size is good for taking to classes, retreats, and other destinations.
2. Rotary Cutter: If you are going to buy one rotary cutter, get the 45mm with the squeeze handle. This has a built-in safety feature that automatically keeps the blade covered when not in use.
3. Rulers: If you are a beginning quilter, you need a good, basic set of rulers. Creative Grids are top quality, have a non-skid surface on the bottom of the rulers, and are made in the USA. They also have a fabulous website with lots of videos that show you how to use each ruler. You can print out the instructions and see companion patterns for each ruler.
For sizes, get these sizes in this order:
• 24” x 6” or wider. A wider ruler makes it easier to cut borders for your quilts.
• 6.5” square, handy for cross-cutting and trimming
• 18.5” square. Your friends may tell you to get the 12.5” square, and that is a good tool, but if you have the bigger square, you can always cut smaller. The larger square is great for cutting out and trimming table runners, pillows, bags, and other similarly sized projects. It is frustrating to cut out an 18” pillow with a 12” square!
4. Scissors: If you are making clothing, you will need a good pair of shears, such as Gingher 8” shears or the Elan 8” dressmaker scissors (the Elan is out-of-stock until July). For other needs, such as trimming corners, snipping threads, and cutting odd shapes, we really like the Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Scissors line, especially the 7.5” inch. These scissors have micro-serrated edges that grip the fabric as you cut and produce a clean, straight cut.
5. Seam Ripper: Your sewing room is not well equipped without a good-quality seam ripper! We think the best one is the Clover tool with the exotic name of “Seam Ripper White Plastic”. The point is thin, making it easy to slide under stitches. The blade is sharp and stays that way. The handle is long and thick enough to make it easy and comfortable to hold, and a rubber grip keeps it from slipping. You’ll probably find you want one for next to your machine, one for your ironing area, and one to keep in your travel kit.
There you have it, the basic sewing supply list. At Capital Quilts, if you purchase a 24” ruler, a rotary cutter, and a medium or large size cutting mat all at the same time, we’ll give you a 15% discount on those three items (in-store only). We want to help you with a good foundation.
For beginners, we recommend that you take the CQ Complete Course of Quilting via Zoom for beginning quilters starts on April 21. This is a 10-week long course designed for those who are new to quilting or who feel they would like to brush up on their basic skills. This one meets from 6:30 to 8:30 on Wednesday evenings and is taught by Betsy Kulamer. Sign up online, in the shop, or by calling 301-527-0598.
Horn of America, maker of sewing cabinets, has 7 models that all fit the new larger sewing and embroidery machines. The 8000 and 9000 series of cabinets feature a cut out of 31” x 15.5” that fits Janome’s 15000 and M7 machines, as well as other manufacturer’s machines, such as Brother’s Luminaire 2 and Bernina’s 880. These cabinets also feature the extra-smooth “Whisper Quiet” electric lift, so positioning your machine can be done at the touch of a button. When closed, use the large surface for cutting, layouts, and other table top projects. Choose from 4 different finishes: white, gray, light maple, or dark maple. There are options for drawers, thread storage, an extension for your serger or cutting mat, and caddies. Many of the cabinets come with storage for your extension table and or hoops. Once you’ve enjoyed sewing on a Horn cabinet, you’ll wonder how you managed to sew on your kitchen table for so long!
SEW STEADY/WESTALEE QUILTING CLASSES
The Sew Steady Ruler Work for Beginners class a few weeks ago was very informative and fun. If you registered for the class, don’t forget that you have until March 30th to view the class as often as you like.
Our next virtual Sew Steady class is Wednesday, April 7, 12-2 Eastern Daylight Time. It is called “Ribbons & Bows”, taught by Sew Steady Educator Donna McCauley. Donna will be teaching several new designs, including Ribbon Candy, designs you can make with the Bow template, Crosshatch, and a wreath. Directions for all of these are provided in a 30-page download that you will receive when you register for the class, along with a pattern for a wholecloth quilt. Win prizes and learn a lot! The class fee of $20 includes the $30 pattern and lots of information, tips, and tricks plus the opportunity to review the class anytime for the following 30 days. It’s a good deal!
• Click here to learn more and register for this event.
• See and purchase the items on the Supply List here.
• A discount code to use during class and 2 weeks following the class will be provided closer to the class date.
Due to technical difficulties, our Flying Geese class, scheduled for March 10, was postponed to April 27, 5-7pm. In this class, Donna shows us 4 ruler work designs, including Bishops Fan, for Flying Geese quilts. We will also learn amazing all over quilt designs for Flying Geese projects. Each design uses different templates, so we’ll learn how to use several new templates. Combine them with designs you already have in your library! We’ll also get a pattern for a Flying Geese quilt. Win prizes and learn a lot in this class, too! Class fee of $20 includes the pattern and lots of information, tips, and tricks, plus the opportunity to review the class anytime for the following 30 days. You also have the opportunity to save 10% on items purchased using the code below.
• Click here to learn more and register for this event
• Use coupon code FGDMQVE21 to get 10% off when you purchase from the class sales page at Sew Steady.
If the date and time of a Sew Steady class are inconvenient for you, register for the class anyway; you have the ability then to watch the class as often as you like for the 30 days following the class, plus you’ll get the discounts and downloads.
| Dia De Los Muertos Challenge! |
 Day of the Dead (Dia de los Meurtos) 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!
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Shopping at Capital Quilts: Good news! We are planning on opening up the shop on April 1. We will still have shopping by appointment from 11-1. 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. This time is for those who have not yet been vaccinated and/or feel more comfortable shopping in a controlled environment. It would also be a good time to shop if you are picking out a lot of fabrics for a quilt, as the staff will have more time to dedicate to you. From 1-5, seven days a week, the door will be unlocked and we will be open to all comers. We require that you wear a well-fitted mask and sanitize your hands upon entry to the shop. If more than 10 customers enter the shop, we may ask you to wait outside until someone leaves. We must still protect ourselves against the virus; it is not gone yet, and we don’t want to have to shut down again as is happening in Italy, France, and elsewhere in Europe right now.
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! Get vaccinated as soon as you can; you will feel a lot less stressed, take it from me! Stay safe.
Go ‘n’ Piece,
Alison
CLASSES and CLUBS (Click here to see Handi Quilter and April Classes summarized)
We are having classes via Zoom and, to a limited degree, in the shop. 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 may 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 “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 will 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. In the shop or on the phone, be sure to tell us that you are in one or both clubs.
NEW! Pro-Stitcher Design Club This new club will begin meeting via Zoom in April. It is designed for people who own Pro-Stitcher Designer and are looking for an exchange of ideas, answers to questions, the forum to ask questions, and the opportunity to learn new skills and techniques. It is open to quilters of all levels. The club will meet on the third Saturday of each month from 10 to 12. Elyse Turkletaub is hosting. Sign up online, in the shop, or by calling 301-527-0598. Members of the club 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. In the shop or on the phone, be sure to tell us that you are in the club.
QUILTING CLASSES: I am scheduling classes, both via Zoom and in-store, for March, April, May, and June. Some are listed below. To see more of what is scheduled, go to the Calendar on our website, and look through it to see what looks interesting. Click on the name of the class for more information about that class.
For 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 (via Zoom) 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.
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 April 2, May 14, June 4, and July 2.
Flash Story Quilts In this hands-on quilt workshop inspired by the “6 Word Memoir” project, capture quick images of personal stories in quilted wall hangings. Before class, select a life anecdote to portray and write several very short word stories about it. It could be a first love, the birth of a child, the day your dog climbed the ladder to the roof, a story about a beloved aunt…whatever you would like to have quilted memory of. Fusing will allow you to applique shapes quickly. Embroidered details will emphasize essential ideas. You may choose to include found objects like jewelry or trinkets. For more information on the 6-word story, see www.sixwordmemoirs.com.
This class will be taught in the shop (not Zoom). Well-fitted masks must be worn.
Instructor: Lauren Kingsland
Class Size: Max. 5
Cost: $25
Time and Date: 1-2:30 on Saturday, April 10.
T-Shirt Quilt Make a t-shirt quilt using beloved and/or new t-shirts. You’ll learn how to stabilize your t-shirts, determine how best to cut them for blocks, and how to put them into a design for your quilt top. Great for graduation presents or memory quilts!
This class will be taught in the shop (not Zoom). Well-fitted masks must be worn.
Instructor: Deb Ball
Class Size: Max. 5
Cost: $45
Time and Date: 11:30-1:30 on Wednesday, April 13 and 27.
The Spring 2021 Complete Course of Quilting (via Zoom) will begin on Wednesday, April 21st. This 10-week quilting course teaches everything you need to know to start making your own quilts. This course covers the basics: getting to know your sewing machine, rotary cutting, fabric selection, and a variety of techniques for machine-piecing quilt blocks. You 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!
Walk About (via Zoom) 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: $35
Time and Date: 9-12, Saturday, April 24
SOFTWARE CLASSES:
Pro-Stitcher Premium: Getting Started (via Zoom) will teach you how to navigate through the screens, tabs, buttons, and tools of Pro-Stitcher Premium. You will customize an Edge-to-Edge (E2E) design on your computer using the Pro-Stitcher Simulator and transfer the design to the Pro-Stitcher on the longarm, if you have one, for accurate stitch out.
Instructor: Elyse Turlkletaub
Class Size: max. 6
Cost: $45
Time and Date: 12-3, Sunday, April 11
Demystifying EQ8: EQ8 is a computer-based application used to design quilt blocks and quilts. You will learn to use EQ8 libraries of thousands of blocks and fabrics, personalize and create your own quilt blocks, preview quilts, select colors, resize quilts, calculate yardage, print out piecing templates, rotary cutting instructions, and foundation piecing patterns.
Instructor: Elyse Turlkletaub
Class Size: max. 6
Cost: $45
Time and Date: 12-3, Sunday, April 18
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
From Windham, we have Purrfect Day by Terri Degenkolb. Terry says, "A little over a year ago, we found ourselves as guardian parents to a very large, one-eyed orange tabby cat, Toulouse, who is now here to stay. Sometimes he appeases me and curls up at my feet (or right next to me). Other times he just wants to be playful and gets into all sorts of mischief, as cats tend to do. Although I was very reluctant to take him in, Toulouse has managed to wiggle his way into the fabric of our lives and hearts, as well as my newest fabric collection! Yes, Toulouse and his silly antics was my inspiration for several of the kitties playing amongst the books on the panel print in this collection. As I created the panel, I kept envisioning Toulouse and thinking that for him, it would be a Purrfect Day of fun! My hope is that it will capture your heart, just as he did ours!" Prints, $12.99 per yard; 21 FQ Bundle, $78.75; panel, $10.50 each. Strip sets and charm squares coming soon!
Midsummer is also from Windham. Midsummer is time centered around the summer solstice, a moment of celebration, festivals and reflection. This collection evokes long sunny afternoons and silvery moonlit evenings., when the wildflowers are in full bloom and the tall grasses are swaying in the breeze. Dark Navy blues, hues of mauve and fresh greens work in contrast with tones of clean white linen. $12.50 per yard; 10 FQ bundle $37.50.
Dinosaur Friends from In the Beginning is sure to please the budding paleontologist in your life! $12.99 per yard.
This bright and colorful quilt is perfect with the "Walkabout" Fat Quarter Pack by Sherri & Chelsi! Stars and Squares stitch together quickly in this project. Blend in scraps to sweeten the combination of fabrics. Get a FREE Splash Rotary Cutter with this bundle! $60.99
These fish scissors are simply adorable! Made from stainless steel, they are 3.5" long with a fine tip point. $9.99 each.
Grabbit Magnetic Pincushion has a powerful magnetic field which sweeps up pins from a distance and aligns them in an organized pile. The Grabbit makes life easier for sewing enthusiasts of all ages. Comes stocked with 50 color ball pins. The pins have ample sized 4mm plastic heads and are 1-1/2 inches long. Grabbit is safe near computer sewing machines, and comes in a variety of colors. $14.99 each.
JANOME
Enjoy Shamrock Savings from March 1-31! 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 together valued at $2,065. Total Savings: $4,065!
Continental M7 Professional: Save $1,000. Includes the gift of an M7 table, a $699 value, for a total savings of $1,699.
MC 9450: Save $1,500. Includes the gift of a Universal table, a $599 value. Total Savings: $2,099
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 Janome.com.
Highlight on the Janome 9450: This is your sewing and quilting Dream Machine! I love sewing on mine. The easily-navigated large LED screen puts 350 stitches (for quilting and sewing as well as decorative stitching), 4 alphabets, 11 buttonholes, and a myriad of functions at your fingertips. 11” of space to the right of the needle gives you lots of space for quilting and sewing larger pieces. My favorite feature is the automatic presser foot lift: when I take my foot off the pedal, the machine stops and lifts the presser foot so that I can pivot the fabric. The lighting is fantastic; it includes a high light that pulls out over the needle area and is really bright. It has a powerful motor; I’ve had no problem at all sewing over the folds in masks. Click here to find a listing of the key features.
HANDI QUILTER
Would you like to quilt your own quilt on the shop’s Amara or Moxie? They are available to rent. Take a one-on-one class with Carmen Sesvold for $50 to get certified or re-certified. The rental fee for the machine is $20/hour. Please call me at 301-527-0598 to make arrangements for the certification. If you have been longarm quilting all during the last year at other locations and do not feel that you need to be recertified, please contact me at the same number.
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.
March 25-28: take 15% off Glide Foot 2 and Preview Paper
See the flyer at the end of this newsletter to see what is coming up in April at Handi Quilter.
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.
Like the Simply Sixteen machine but don’t like the hoop frame? Get the Simply Sixteen on the Loft frame! You’ll get more quilting space and a longer frame. If you already have a Simply Sixteen and want to move up to the Loft frame, you can do that.
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 The next QOV Workshop is on Saturday, April 17, 1-3:30. This is a free in-shop event limited to 5 people.
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.
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