Saturday 27 December 2014

Best Christmas Present Ever!

New English Quilter set up in Martha's home
 Kirstie came to visit our stand at the Festival of Quilts last summer. She tried our New English Quilter frames and fell in love with it. 

New English Quilter - a side view

Kirstie must have dropped some hints like anchors because her dear husband bought her our 8 foot NEQ2 frame, purpose built table and a set of Nifty Grips to go with her sewing machine for Christmas.

"However, (wide grin now plastered on face), I was an EXTREMELY spoilt Lady this Christmas.  The Husband saw fit to give in to my not-so-subtle pleadings and bought me The Best Christmas Present. EVER."

I think she likes it! And that makes us really happy!!
"...this quilting frame is just the BEST!" 

Perfect timing


Look who got a new quilt for Christmas! Tricia gave her great-grandson Finnley this gorgeous quilt! Don't they look great together?

Tricia machine quilting Finnley's quilt on the 6 foot New English Quilter



Tricia machine quilted Finnley's quilt in a couple of hours on his due dateFinnley's parents wanted to surprise the family so Tricia wasn't exactly sure what colours to choose. But I think this fresh modern green and white was a good choice.  

It was the very first time that Tricia machine quilted on a frame. Our New English Quilter frames make finishing your project fast and fun. Isn't it nice when a plan comes together!

Home for Christmas

the Milne family and Jade
With lots of our kid's grown up  and away at work and University, it was wonderful to have all my favourite-distractions-from-quilting together in one room.

Boxing day snow flurries



We even had some snow flurries for white Christmas moments.

Emily, Jade, Ben Peter, Ellie, Kate and Rosie

Wishing you and your families 
joy at Christmas 
and all the new year!













Tuesday 9 December 2014

I'm Makin a List

King Tut thread in Christmas colours

and checkin it twice! This is a reminder for the UK and European readers. I'm getting the December Superior Threads order ready.

Superior Threads make wonderful Christmas presents! So if you're looking for gifts for your quilting family and friends we have lots of ideas on our website and pinterest board.

 I'm putting the order through on Thursday so it will arrive in plenty of time for Christmas. Follow this link for prices and thread descriptions. There are so many different ranges all perfect for machine quilting.

It's a good time to try something NEW! Everyone using the new Magnifico and OMNI cones are delighted with such good value for money. New colour-ways are still coming out for Fantastico so use this American site link as a shop window and email me with your list. I'll be checkin it twice!

Sunday 7 December 2014

Santa's Workshop

Linda and Paul Hayes in the workshop


Our New English Quilter frames are designed and made by Paul Hayes in Lincolnshire, UK. Paul is our genius designer and see, he does look like Santa! Paul took all the best ideas from the American machine quilting frames and adapted them to fit into smaller English and European homes. Designed to be quick and easy to set up, our frames can be ready to use in less than 2 minutes. So we can set up the frame on the kitchen table, get in a couple of hours quilting and take it down again in time for dinner.
   
New English Quilter frames in the making





Paul is inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement so simplicity is a common thread or guiding principle in the design and engineering of the frames. Our frames are made to order, designed and created by local craftsman from the finest materials. We believe that tools can be beautiful as well as useful.



 "In Britain, the Arts and Crafts Movement flourished from about 1880. At its heart lay a concern for the role of the craftsman. Inspired by the ideas of John Ruskin and William Morris, it advocated a revival of traditional handicrafts, a return to a simpler way of life and an improvement in the design of ordinary domestic objects."

New English Quilter frame crafted to last a lifetime






Our New English Quilter frames celebrate a revival of the Arts and Crafts movement. They're crafted by hand guided machines using the finest materials and designed to last a lifetime. New English Quilter frames make wonderful Christmas presents for quilters. They are the gift that keeps on giving.

Saturday 6 December 2014

Secret Santa


Paul Hayes, our genius designer looks just like Saint Nick. Really!

 Every year I look for a new Santa-look-alike Christmas tree ornament for him. Here's the one I found last year.

Paul Hayes a Father Christmas look alike




We've been busy getting our Christmas orders ready. It's kind of fun to think that our New English Quilter frames are made by someone who looks just like Father Christmas!

the night shirt is spot on!


Tuesday 2 December 2014

Glow in the Dark

Nitelite Glow in the Dark thread from Superior Threads


Glow in the dark thread is the perfect antidote for bleak mid-winter dark nights. 

When our kids were small, the quilted glow-in-the-dark stars made bedtimes fun.


This pattern was created with white NiteLite Extra Glow from Superior Threads on black fabric loaded on a New English Quilter frame using a JUKI TL98P straight stitch sewing machine. We found that layering the thread by stitching over the lines a few times made a bolder line of glowing stitches.




My son's girlfriend Jade, is using the thread for an art project for her University course. 

Jade wanted to show the process of 'drawing the design' on fabric with a sewing machine on a quilting frame.

Jade using the Juki TL98P to draw designs with NiteLite ExtraGlow thread

Her tutors have been mystified by how Jade has been completing her textile art projects.

We used a black light to get a good effect for the video images.

These still shots are fun too. I'll post the little video clip as soon as Jade edits it together.


NiteLite Extra Glow threads come in500 yd cross-wound mini cones for £14.95

We have white and pale blue mini cones in stock

NiteLite Extra Glow from Superior Threads available here in the UK from MachineQuilter
and one 80 yd spool of pink extra glow for £4.95.






NiteLite ExtraGlow is happy to go at high speeds on long arm quilting machines.

The cross-wound mini cones are ideal for machine quilting on and off a frame.

To order call or email Martha
01526 378551 or 01526 378057
martha@machinequilter.co.uk

Monday 1 December 2014

SuperQuilter Spares


my schoolhouse quilt on the SuperQuilter frame
Martha at the 2004 Festival of Quilts

The SuperQuilter was my very first machine quilting frame. 

My mom gave it to me for a Christmas present in 2002 and I began selling them here in the UK in the summer of 2003.

 So when I found the old box of spare parts I felt all nostalgic remembering quilting my schoolhouse quilt 

and the early shows at the Festival of Quilts and little Emily machine quilting her first stack and wack Daisiez Quilt!

little Emily machine quilting her first quilt!and  Emily's first try quilting her Daizez quilt. 
Here are some photos of the SuperQuilter spare parts available to purchase:

SQ carriages top and bottom
  • Top carriages £10 each (2 available)
  • Bottom carriages £10 each (3 available)

SQ right hand side arms
  • 3 ratchet end side pieces £5 each (2 sold 1 remaining)
  • 3 non-ratchet end side pieces £5.00 each
6 replacement wheels for the carriages
  • 4 carriage wheels £5.00
replacement levers for the side arms
  • 5 ratchet engagers complete with screw fixings £1.00 each (4 sold 1 available)

set of 3 extension bars for the fabric bars
  • set of 3 extension bars for changing 6 foot to 8 foot bars £5.00 (1 set available)
upright side standing pieces
  • side piece uprights including non ratchet end side arms £25 each (1 sold 2 available) This is probably the easiest part to break and well worth a spare!
3 ratchet end pieces, 3 non ratchet end pieces and 6 pins
  • bag containing 3 ratchet end pieces, 3 non-ratchet end pieces and 6 pins £5.00 (2 sold 2 available)
4 black knobs
  • black knobs £1.00 each (4 sold zero available)
Prices do not include shipping. If you like any of these give me a call:

01526 378551
or email: martha@machinequilter.co.uk

When they're gone 
they're gone!