Confession: I didn’t expect to like these as much as I do.

Quilt Patis are little templates for English piecing — but made of flexible plastic instead of paper, so they can be used over and over again. The best part may be that they’re portable — you can stick a little kit (some  Patis, fabric scraps, two pins and a needle and thread) in your bag and play with them when you’re waiting out one of life’s little delays.

New Pieces currently has diamond and hexagon-shaped Patis, in two sizes each. The pincushion above was made by Mary Risard Burnett, from the smaller diamond Patis, and there are a few of the larger ones under it. Using the cutting board for scale, you can see how small they are. You can’t see that they’re easy to use. Look for them the next time you come in!

For additional information on these quiltlets, or the May challenge which has just begun, please check out our designated Facebook page New Pieces 12 x 12″ x 12″ Challenge. There is a new 12″ x 12″ challenge theme every month of 2012 –  you can come play with us any time!

Kathy Ritter                                          Mary Risard Burnett

Helen Zung                                          Fern Royce

Roxanne Fiscella                                   Sharona Fischrup

Julie Banfield                                        Jane Voytek

Lolly Schiffman                                    Annalisa Tay

Lissa Miner                                          Claire Adams

Heather Jacobsen

Among the May classes are two you may have been waiting for:

Cindi's Class Sample, using Saturday Sampler Blocks

Cindi Cossen will offers Setting Your Blocks class on Saturday May 12, from 10 – 2:00pm. Many of you remember Cindi from the Store, but also from years of Saturday Samplers. This class is the help you need to get from blocks to a quilt top, and Cindi is an excellent guide.

The following Saturday (May 19th) Pat Dicker offers  Introduction to Free Motion Quilting from 10 – 3:00pm. Pat’s class is designed as a true introduction to free-motion quilting, starting with supplies and threads, and with time to practice under her watchful eye.

If you’ve wanted to try free-motion, but were feeling insecure about it, Pat’s class provides the perfect opportunity to jump in and give it your best try. It’s not that you can’t do it — it’s that you can’t do it yet.

Then, on June 3rd, from 10 – 3:00pm, Pat offers Beyond Basic Binding. This class designed for those with an understanding of standard fold-over bindings who are looking for other options for finishing edges on quilts and wall-hangings. Pat has a talent for novelty bindings that complement her pieces. You can see her fused bindings on her 12 x 12″ x 12″ Challenge quiltlets. She’s also a great teacher and her classes are fun.

UPDATE: April 25, 2012

Much to my surprise, I find there are spaces available in Mary Mashuta’s June 2 class, “Foolproof Machine Quilting: The Fun Stuff”

Mary’s class is an intense introduction to a very special form of machine quilting that combines elements of straight-line and template quilting with the use of novelty threads and clever techniques. For this class it is highly recommended students acquire Mary’s book, Foolproof Machine Quilting (we have some copies in the store) to use as a resource in her class. There are also additional samples of Mary’s quilting style on display at New Pieces.

Retayne FIXES dye to fabric and should be used in cases where you are concerned that a fabric dye may bleed. Use Retayne as directed,  as a pre-wash or before putting suspect fabrics into a quilt.

Synthrapol is a special detergent that suspends dye particles so that they do not reattach to fabric. Dyers use Synthrapol as a pre-wash to REMOVE  sizing, oils, fingerprints and other impurities that would interfere with an even dying of fabric — and then they wash the dyed fabric with Synthrapol to remove any remaining unattached dye particles.

Here is one situation that requires further research; I’ll update when I can confirm or deny it:

It’s my understanding that you don’t use Retayne on a completed quilted, because of the possibility that dye might migrate and THEN affix to (the wrong) fabric. The proper procedure in that case would seem to be to wash the quilt with Synthrapol (to remove the extra dye), and THEN use Retayne to affix the dye that remains.

Both products are available at New Pieces, and we have directions on how to use either one. If you’re interested in the chemical reactions that each one employs, please contact Heather (who is interested is such things) at Rags1927@gmail.com.

We picked a complicated theme fabric for March, but evidence shows it didn’t slow our quilters down very much.  Each piece has a story, and some of those stories are available on the Facebook page  New Pieces 12 x 12″ x 12″ Challenge . The April Challenge has just begun, and the challenge “kit” (theme word & fat 1/8 of the theme fabric) are available at New Pieces. We welcome you to come play with us — just for the fun of it!

 by Barbara Hazard                                                 by Joy Troyer

by Mary Risard Burnett                                         by Julie Banfield

by Sharona Fischrup                                               by Jane Voytek

by Shawn Dubin                                                         by Helen Zung

by Claire Adams                                                        by Roxanne Fiscella

   
by Lisa Doyen                                                          by Sharon Whipkey

by Karen Dugas                                                          by Lissa Miner

by Heather Jacobsen                                                  by Kathy Ritter

by Pat Dicker

I hope that you all found a way to get beyond soaking wet feet and dubious traction for at least a few moments –  to enjoy some of the beauty of these difficult days. I forget sometimes that it’s the dark grey skies that give the most stunning, saturated colors of green and brown, and bring us the suddenly, wildly overgrown spring flowers. It’s not easy, but it is a joyful part of the cycle — and a great time to be inside sewing, or reading, or just looking out the window at the beauty of it all.

And of course, the view from the windows at Craneway Pavilion/the “Voices in Cloth” (EBHQ) Quilt show is spectacular too.

I don’t have pictures of the Show right now, but it really is wonderful. So many quilts, and such a range of talents and experience. It’s almost overwhelming to think that each one is the product of a unique concept, and a different set of hands. It’s like going to a commencement and realizing that every graduate is someone’s baby. Lovely, and almost overwhelming.

You’re likely to encounter old friends at “Voices in Cloth”,  and you might make some new ones. Go now, if you haven’t been yet – today until 4:00pm. Craneway Pavilion, in Richmond.

Lissa Miner                                                    Mary Risard Burnett

Gail Hynes Shea                                            Roxanne Fiscella

Jeanne Bartlett                                              Claire Adams

Kristin Takakuwa                                         Sharona Fischrup

Lisa Doyen                                                     Karen Dugas

Pat Dicker                                                     Betsy Livak

Heather Jacobsen                                         Julie Banfield

Kathy Ritter                                                    Jane Voytek

Lissa Miner

The next theme is “Spring”. If you’d like to take part in the March Challenge, come pick up your challenge “kit” (theme and fabric) at New Pieces. The kit is $3.00, and the “Favorite” receives a $10.00 New Pieces Gift Certificate. Deadline for finished pieces is 6:00pm, Saturday, March 31st. Come Play with Us!

Sometimes customers come to New Pieces looking for dots…

Polka dots, and spots, and the usual “I’ll know it when I see it”…

Sometimes customers don’t tell staff what they’re looking for….

but, maybe they find something they love.  As they get ready to leave…

they discover a few bolts of dots and spots they missed before…

Come in soon — we promise to have at least a few bolts of dotty fabric for you…

(Psssssst — They’re under the counter by the cash register!)

These are the January 12 x 12s. The theme for the month was “bird”, and the variety and creativity are just plain amazing. The February challenge starts today. Stop by New Pieces to pick up your “kit”. Come soon, and the January quiltlets may still be up on the board! Pictures can’t do them justice. Additional information is available on the New Pieces 12 x 12″ x 12″ Challenge page at Facebook.

L

Mary Risard Burnett   Jane Voytek   Gail Shea   Jeanne Bartlett   May Lynne Gill

Roxanne Fiscella   Lissa Miner   Kathy Ritter   Julie Banfield   Sharona Fischrup

Leah Brown   Karen Dugas   Heather Jacobsen    Betsy Livak    Lisa Doyen    Pat Dicker

 

I just spent half an hour looking at the class sample for Sue Well’s “Kaleidoscope” class. Wow!

My photos can’t do justice to this luscious and lively quilt. The quilt has 30 blocks, each with a unique pattern, and all cut from ONE stunning Asian print fabric. The same fabric  becomes the quilt’s border.

The method is similar to, but simpler and more controlled than, a “One-Block Wonder”. Your fabric choice will strongly effect your result.

Sue says her favorite part of making this quilt is the sense of excitement and wonder  she gets opening each and every block — when each one turns out to be different, and lovely.

The Kaleidoscope class will be held on Tuesday February 28 and March 13, from 2-4:00pm. A few spaces remain as of today.