Copy Cat

Imitation is the highest form of flattery! My Amy Butler, Kaffe, and Heather Bailey fabric came by post last week and I can't wait to make my copy of Trudy's quilt. It's the only way I'm going to be able to bring myself to return it!

Right now I'm still at the stroke the fabric stage. But it's calling me to get started! Ever noticed that cats just love to be where you don't want them to be. Now for this post I wanted Jasper on the fabric but would he stay for the shot? No!

Charity Shop Swap

Here's a fast fun idea for making cushion covers. The best part is the back. I used a second hand denim skirt with buttons down the front. I cut it to the necessary size, sewed in some piping and wha la! I had a great little cushion cover without bothering with sewing in zips or making my own button holes. My son thought it was just great, five years later he still likes it, high praise indeed!

Coming to Grips

We introduced Nifty Grips to the quilting public for the first time at the Festival of Quilts a few weeks ago. They were a big hit. Many people who already had other handles appreciated the ergonomic design. Everyone found them easy and natural to use. My daughter Emily and I spent four non-stop days using the Nifty Grips with a JUKI on the New English Quilting frame. At 7 1/2 hours a day we had a good opportunity to really try them out. What I liked best about the grips was how easy they were to forget. This may sound strange but think about it. A good shoe is a shoe you don't notice. The Grips were so responsive that I didn't need to waste energy or attention trying to work them. Once I got going, I barely noticed the grips, because they were so easy to use I could concentrate on my stitching. That's what I call a great gadget!

Nifty Grips put speed control at your finger tips. They are custom made to replace any foot pedal and can be used with any machine quilting frame. Nifty Grips are currently available for JUKI and Janome sewing machines. But we can custom make the grips to go with any sewing machine. If you've been frustrated kicking the foot pedal across the floor or squeezing the foot pedal by hand, Nifty Grips may be just what you're looking for. The photo below shows a set of Nifty Grips made to go with a Bernina Activa, a machine, by the way with the reputation of being one of the most sought after second hand models ever!

Back to School

There are so many ways to measure time. New Year's day heralds the calendar year, my accountant is keen on the tax year but my personal year really begins in September with the school year. Perhaps it's because my husband is a teacher. Or that I used to teach. But for whatever reason, I love the last minute rush for school supplies and uniforms. Then it's off to school dressed and pressed for the first day back. Four of my five kids still at home are in the same High School this year. So yesterday was an exciting day getting everyone out the door and then hearing all the news when they got back. I love savouring the feel of the new routines and the familiarity of old rhythms as the new school year swings to life.


Red Schoolhouse Block machine quilting detail
from Little Houses in the Big Woods August 07

About Trudy...

Two years ago, a couple of Trudy's friends visited our stand at the Festival of Quilts. They said "We have this friend who would just love one of these!" By happy coincidence, Trudy ended up living 30 minutes away, came for a visit and bought an 8 foot New English Quilter.

Now Trudy lives in a typical English house. For you American gals that means smaller rooms and less square footage. But she does have a workroom that's half a garage and the frame was able to just slip in. By clever use of wall space Trudy has a super little dedicated work-space where she can keep her frame up. She's made the most of it too - completing over 35 quilts in two years! Rather amazing! Follow this link to Trudy's blog and get inspired: http://trudi-quiltingprolifically.blogspot.com/

Trudy wasn't able to make it to the Show this year but she did send 3 gorgeous quilts to brighten up our stand. I'm not sure which one I love best, the stripy Amy Butler or the Rowan Chinese Coins. Both are stunners and drew lots of comments from the crowds. The earlier stand photos didn't do them justice so I've taken a few more in natural light so you get a better idea of the vibrant colours.

My favourite stand at the show was just around the corner from us. It was one of Doughty's and was full of Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett Prints. Absolutely gorgeous and on sale! Now I've got some fabric to make my own version of Trudy's quilt. I can't wait to get started - once I get the kids all back to school. If you're keen on these designers, here's a link to Doughty's online shop:

http://www.doughtysonline.co.uk/and another to a super American site I've just discovered that features all the designers: http://quilthome.com/ Happy shopping!

Compliments

My favourite compliment of the show was from a husband of one of the quilters. He was an engineer and kept coming back to visit our stand asking lots of pertinent questions. By the end of the show, he'd become quite enamoured with the New English Quilter. He said that what he appreciated most about the frame was the simplicity. He quickly added that he didn't mean this as a put down but rather that it took a certain amount of engineering genius to achieve this sort of simplicity. We smiled and thanked him.

We love the simplicity too. There is a cleanness of line, pure and simple - no unnecessary bits added on. There is a reason and purpose for everything about the frame. And an intuitive logic that even transcends language barriers - very helpful at such an international show! Engineers can appreciate what goes into creating and implementing such a design but quilters are just happy to have a simple-to-use tool that lets them get on with the quilting.

Behind the Design

Simplicity. Beauty. Utility.

Simplicity is the hallmark of the New English Quilter. So is the idea that something can be useful and beautiful. These qualities stand out when we demonstrate the frame to the thousands of people visiting the Festival of Quilts. The Festival is a wonderful opportunity for people to try out all the latest gadgets - because in one place for four days, everyone and everything is there! So we encourage our potential customers to make the rounds and try out all the frames. We want our buyers to be confident that they have the right frame for them. For anyone interested in a simple useful and beautiful frame - the New English Quilter is the frame for you.