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Friday, July 31, 2015

Homemade Light Table!

After several years of using my window as a light box and not wanting to spend money on a expensive light box. My wonder husband made me a wonderful new a portable light table box in just a few hours.

After a run to our local Home Depot he came back with a piece of plexi glass, several 3/8"x3"x24" Oak Balsa Wood sheets, and a couple lights.  

Out of these supplies he built this wonder new light box that I have been needing in a long time. 

Getting the lights to the brightness I need was a trick.  After several attempts with small portable lights we found some nice Bright LED Lights at Lowes.  I would of got 2 of the long lights but they only had one, so I have to go with the next size down.  These are nice since they link together so after I plug it in, I just have to one touch the button then they both light up. 
 



I have already used this box several times on varies applique projects.   

Would love your hear comments on this new toy in my studio. 

 Have a Great Weekend!

Tina

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Just Released, Double Illusion!

Just Release!  "Double Illusion" this is the latest piece pattern.  This pattern covers comes in 4 different sizes from a wall hanging to king. 

"Double Illusion" loves to play with your eyes.  How many shapes can you see in the quilt?

The fabric in this quilt was from Timeless Treasure Fabrics Tonga “Pashmina” Collection.  But any fabric collection would look great with this quilt.

The quilt is very easy to make has 3 different blocks for you make, for the corners, middle and sides.  The blocks unfinished measured are 12 1/2".  They are made from half square triangles with squares and rectangles sewn together.  

The pattern includes full color diagrams on piecing and finishing the quilts.  

The pattern can be purchased Wholesale and Retail at QuiltWoman.com. Click HERE!


Tina


Monday, July 27, 2015

Hershey Fun

I arrived home safely on Friday evening after the Retreat in Perry, New York.  The next day, My husband, myself and my girlfriend Lynn got up early and we headed to Hershey, Pennsylvania for the Quilt Odyssey Quilt Show.  My girlfriend really hadn't been to a big show like this one, it was fun to walk around with her to get her opinion on the quilts.  Oh yeah! I should point out she is not a crafty person.  This was the first time we all attended this show.  It was a nice show it ended up being probably a medium size show.  I love going to the shows for ideas for designing.

After the show we went to lunch and decided to head over to Hershey Chocolate World.  Chocolate World is a blast, we got tickets for all the attractions.  We started with the 4D Chocolate Mystery Movie.  It was fun watch and interact with the Movie.  My husband was having fun styling the 4-D glasses before the show.

Next attraction we that we were scheduled for was the Chocolate Tasting Experience.  In this Experience you learn to how to engage all your senses to taste Chocolate.  they give you four different mini chocolate bars to taste, from Milk Chocolate and Dark, and varies of other varieties.

Next on our ticket schedule was the Trolley Works.  This fun trip gives you an entertaining way to explore Downtown Hershey and learn about Milton Hersey's Life Story.  The actors on the trolley keep you entertained with costumes and songs of the time period.  We made stops at the Hershey Mansion, the first factory, and other buildings Mr Hershey build in the town. 
varieties

Our last stop was create your own chocolate bar. 

In this tour you get to have your vary own chocolate bar made the way you want it and watch the experience.  You get it at the end you get our candy bar in a Hershey tin, with a cover you design. It was great to watch the process.

At the end of the tours we picked up a few souvenirs and head back home.  This was one the funnest Saturdays I had in a long time. 


Like Hershey Said as we left "Have A Sweet Day"!

Tina

PS.  You can now Receive our blog directly in you email box so you will not miss a blog posting.



  


Sunday, July 26, 2015

Designer Retreat Final Days!

The Final Days of the QuiltWoman.com Designer Retreat were great.  So much to absorb and to take back with all of us it was almost overwhelming.

Day 3 - Started out with a Business Workshop 101, where we learned the business end of being a Pattern designer from Your Professional team, to Legal and Financial.  Use your Brain Trust in your business. Then we went into a Creative Workshop that broke us out of your comfort zone to Reveal your creative style. In the Afternoon session after lunch we had a great workshop from Reeze Hanson from Morning Glory Designs on Social Media and how to make money off it.  

That Evening we had the second Zentangle class on shading and more string styles. So much fun and relaxing.

Day 4- Was packed of lots of information. Started with the second part Business Workshop 102. One of the ladies that attended the retreat works for NorthCott Fabrics, she spoke on the the ends and outs of working with Fabric Companies, which was very interesting and eye opening.  The Creative Workshop for that day was Designing for the Market. We had a long decision on how to work and design for what people are looking for and Know who the Customer is.  We also discussed the layout of patterns from the main instructions to the cover. 

Each evening during the retreat we have a brainstorming sessions that would help 4 of us each night work their problems with the business to get to their goal.

The Final morning, we turned in our surveys and discussed the retreat and how to make it better for next year.  We said our good byes and we all head home, which was sad to have it all end. 

I so look forward to next year Aug 3-7, 2016.

Tina



Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Designer Retreat Day 1 & 2!

This week I'm in Perry, New York attending a one of kind retreat for Pattern Designers.  Perry is a small town located south of Rochester.  The setting here is just beautiful, I look out my window and I see Silver Lake.  The weather has been just fabulous for us all, high 70's and the nights are in the low 60's.  

The retreat is put on by my pattern publisher, QuiltWoman.Com.  I have met over the last couple days, some fabulous other ladies that love to sew, and they are coming from all over the country, Texas, Kansas, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.  We even have a ladies here from New Zealand and Canada.  

Nancy Dill and Barb Sackel are hosts and the owners of QuiltWoman, and they are giving us a wealth of knowledge on the business, from Marketing, Business, Time management, and much much more.

Day 1- Started about 5:30 after dinner, were we did introductions, and had nice social hour.

Day 2 - We started in around 9am after breakfast with a Part 1of a Marketing Workshop.  We talked about finding that "One Big Thing", and focus in on that goal.  Then we had a workshop on Time Management.  Blocking time out during the day to focus on that goal.  We had a workshop on Book Publishing 101, getting the basics on how to find a publisher. 

During the day, we have plenty time of down time to work on projects, either on the computer, or sewing.  

In the evening, we learned the basics of Zentangle, and I'm hooked.  I will show more tomorrow on my finished projects.  

So looking forward to next couple of days.

Have a great Day!

Tina

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Gone Bernina!


For years, I said "I would never buy a Bernina Sewing Machine they are always in the shop for repairs", but now I can say I was totally wrong.  But in February,  I had to finally make the move, and so glad I did. I have gone Bernina and Loving It! 

Here is the story! 

In February, I dropped my Janome 7700 off to have a repair service done, since it stop letting me make any zigzags or blank stitches.  The following, we called about it, and found out the Quilt Shop where I dropped it off at Flooded.  My machine was not damaged but was in a box in storage, so I would have to wait a while.  So I was using my smaller Janome and Brother Machine, but they were not doing the job.  

So, My husband and I talked about it that a good back-up machine was needed.  We went down to my favorite quilt shop in the local area Material Girls Quilt Boutique (LaPlata, Maryland), which is a Bernina Dealer.  We talk to the girls down there for a good hour or so, about what machine would be good for me.  I even went back the next day, to talk to them again.  I decided on a B580 with Embroidery attachment.  I got the machine a couple days later.  When I picked up the machine they should me everything I need to know to get started.  I have just fell in love with this machine, it is such an easy machine to use.  The only thing I miss is the larger neck that is on my Janome 7700, but not missing that much to buy the bigger machine.  This machine does everything I need and more.  I sold my Brother Embroidery Machine, due to the Bernina can do the Embroidery when I set it up and does it so much smoother. I love the Blanket Stitch on the machine, which is the only stitch besides the Straight Stitch.

As for my Janome, I still have not received it back, due to after the shop that had it reopened in April, and I was told that my machine need a new A-Board, and it was on order.  To date, we keep calling the quilt shop on status, and have been told that the part was in the US in a Shipping Container with a customs number, just waiting for it to be shipped to Janome.  I have a feeling it could be a couple more months until I get it back.  Thats ok, I have my wonderful Bernina to use and is my new main machine.

Tina

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Monday, July 13, 2015

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A New Applique Toy!

I have a new applique toy, and it is so much fun.  I pick up the Silhouette Cameo, and it so much fun to play with.  So far in the last couple weeks my applique projects have gone much faster.

As I'm designing in Adobe Illustrator I have save the template images as a SVG and the import the images in Silhouette.  Saving as SVG saves the image as its original size so I don't have to resize.

The Silhouette software is really easy to learn.  I found a lot of great information on internet and YouTube, if I needed a question answered.

The cutting mat is nice, it has a sticky surface to help keep the fabric or paper from moving.

To prepare the fabric, first spray the fabric with starch to get it stiff like paper.  Or you can use Terial Magic, which is a water soluble product that makes your fabric feel and act like paper, and stops the fabric from fraying.  It is easy to use, just spray, air dry, and iron.  After the fabric is ready, you can put on your fusible webbing.

Place the piece of fabric with fusible webbing down on the mat, but remember to remove the paper backing. Then place the mat in the Cameo, press the load mat button.

Then in the Silhouette software, tell the how you want to cut the design.  Then tell it to start and it will cut the pieces for you.

When the cutting is done you take the mat out and use the scraper to peel back the fabric off the mat carefully.

The pieces that are cut match the template pieces exactly in size, and have the fusible already on them so all I have to do is put them on the fabric.

In a couple hours, I cut over 200 pieces for my latest project. What a time saver.  I would have spent a day or two tracing, cutting the fabrics out.

I love my new silhouette! 

Back to work,

Tina