Books for
Quilters!
More than 200 Titles, Most at a Discount, in the Planet Patchwork Quilters' Bookstore!
Number Twenty-Six * August 15,1998
Classifieds | Table of Contents
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BOOK REVIEW: Two on Paper Piecing
By Christina Holland
Show Me How to Paper Piece
Carol Doak
That Patchwork Place, Inc. 1997 $??.?? 16 pages
Easy Reversible Vests
Carol Doak
That Patchwork Place, Inc. 1995 $19.95 88 pages
My mother has a thing for Noah's ark.
I'm not sure what the fascination is, but her entire apartment is
filled with pictures and pillows and miscellaneous stuff
featuring Noah and his ark and animals in pairs. So when I needed
a present for her, a patchwork vest with an ark theme seemed just
the thing.
I've never made a vest (or any other clothing) before, but Carol Doak's Easy Reversible Vests showed me the way. With three distinct vest styles included, plus a huge color gallery of finished vests for inspiration, it was easy to design exactly the perfect vest for Mom.
Easy Reversible Vests is well organized and the instructions are, for the most part, clear and easy to understand. Because of the many style options, the final vest assembly instructions are a little confusing, but they don't take long to figure out.
All of the vest designs include at least one or two paper pieced squares, another novelty for me. The book includes several different patterns, but explains the technique of paper piecing only briefly. Being the kind of person I am, I tried to teach myself. You'd think I'd learn not to do this, wouldn't you?
Many scraps of paper and fabric soon piled up next to the machine.
To my rescue came another Carol Doak book, Show Me How to Paper Piece. This book contains only one pattern - a heart with 11 pieces. The directions are step by step and easy enough even for me. The pictures are black and white, but numerous and helpful.
The first two thirds or so of Show Me How to Paper Piece walks the reader through making a single square. After that come concise but informative sections on joining blocks, joining rows, adding borders, removing the paper, and finishing the quilt. Most of these additional techniques are not unique to paper piecing - they will be old hat for many of you. That's as it should be. All of Show Me How to Paper Piece is written for the reader who has never done any of this before. It apparently takes no previous patchwork skill for granted. Of course, that same reader is expected, according to the supplies section, to own a sewing machine, rotary cutter, mat, rotary ruler, and an add-a-quarter ruler. Even this is not a serious problem. My sewing machine, when closed, doubles as my cutting table. Rather than juggle the machine, lid, mat, ruler, and fabrics, I used my scissors and some guesswork (always intentionally overestimating the fabric required), and it all worked out fine.
After making a couple of the paper
pieced hearts, I went back to my vest. By now, I was feeling
cocky again, so I designed my own squares rather than go with
those included in Easy Reversible Vests. To fit with the theme, I
made a Noah's ark and a white dove (rather impressionistic).
After that, it didn't take much more than an evening to finish.
Mom loved it.
I wholeheartedly recommend both of these fine books. They are written at different levels, Show Me How to Paper Piece for novices and Easy Reversible Vests for those with a little more experience. With both, however, Carol Doak is a patient and helpful teacher, imparting both knowledge and confidence to her students.
Beautiful hand Dyed Fabric perfect for piecing, applique and pictorial quilts. Colors range from a sunrise spectrum of mauves, pinks, and golds to deep purples, blues and teals. Available in the following convenient packages:
| 8 step color progression- | fat eighth cuts- | 1 yard | $25.00 |
| 12 step color wheel- | 6"x22"cuts | 1 yard | $25.00 |
| 24 step color wheel- | 6"x22" cuts | 2 yards | $45.00 |
| 10" squares | 1.5 yards | $35.00 |
Send a self addressed, stamped envelope for free samples and full price list or to order send check or money order to:
Jay Dee Designs
18640 South Lowrie Loop
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
E-mail: unique@alaska.net
PCQuilt for Windows
PCQuilt for Windows is easy to learn and easy to
use quilting software. The block and the quilt are on the same
screen so you can see your quilt emerge as you design and color
your blocks. Combine blocks in a variety of ways to see endless
new designs. The program includes all the features that have
always made PCQuilt easy and fun to use. Now with the new Windows
version, PCQuilt will help you estimate your yardage, print
templates, quilts and blocks, and has a friendly Windows
interface with easy to use toolbars. PCQuilt comes with a
extensive library of blocks, border, quilts, palettes and fabric
patterns. Manual with disk, $85. PCQuilt is also available for
the Macintosh. Look for PCQuilt at your local Husqvarna VIKING
Dealer or visit our web site at http://www.pcquilt.com
.
Nina Antze 7061 Lynch Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 1-800-731-8886
DESERT THREADS Custom Embroidery and Screenprinting
Want to make a splash at the next guild meeting
or quilt show? We embroider Ocean Waves, Jacob's Ladder, Shoo-fly
and three other popular quilt designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts,
and large zippered tote bags. Available in a variety of colors on
six different colored garments, these designs will be the envy of
your quilting friends.
We also specialize in custom logos for quilt guilds and
businesses. Also available are quality embroidered custom labels
for quilt backs. No minimum quantity is required and vendor
inquiries are welcome.
E-mail us for more information at bob@desertthreads.sparks.nv.us
or visit our website at http://www.greatbasin.net/~desertthr.
You can take a look at our designs and order
online using our automated form.
Desert Threads 195 Regier Springs Drive Sparks, NV 89436 (702)
425-2726
THE QUILT BLOCK
We are a cottage industry located just outside of
Yosemite National Park. We specialize in clothing and patterns
for quilters and for people who love quilts.
We offer t-shirts and sweatshirts in sizes from medium to
xxx-large. All of our quilts are machine pieced. Most of our
patterns are easy enough for beginning quilters. The photo at
right shows our watercolor sweatshirt called "Kristie's
Watercolor." There are 361 pieces in the quilt. Come see
what else we have to offer at our website at http://www.sierratel.com/thequiltblock
!
Or e-mail for more information to gastinc@sierratel.com
The Quilt Block P.O. Box 127 Midpines, CA 95345
(209) 742-5418 Fax: (209) 742-7662
MY FAVORITE THIMBLE
Combining the best features of metal and leather
thimbles, My Favorite Thimble's tough, colorful, rubbery surface
grips the needle for wonderful stitch control, while the metal
base guarantees that you never have to worry about sticking your
finger. This thimble is a breeze to pick up or put down when you
need to switch to another task.
My Favorite Thimble comes in two styles. You can choose between
the standard royal blue, and my new embellished version on which
I have added colorful free-form designs. Both styles work equally
well, the embellished one just puts a smile on your face.
My Favorite Thimble wants to help you celebrate the coming of
Fall and the Quilting Season. If your quilting guild has a Secret
Pal program we would like to help you make your Pal happy. Order
a thimble for your Pal and we will ship it directly to her. We'll
enclose a card, but one that keeps your Secret. We'll let her
know she can exchange sizes if necessary. If you order two My
Favorite Thimbles (one for you and one for your Pal) take a $1.00
discount off the regular price of $6.00 each for the standard and
$10.00 each for the embellished thimbles. Questions or comments?
- email us. To order
send check with your choice of size plus addresse(s)to:
Chris Hanner & Company
3687 Coldwater Lane
Snellville, GA 30039
E-mail: mailto:hanner@mindspring.com
http://www.americanquilts.com/thimbles/
The MINI DUST-IT. Genuine sheepskin duster on a 6" stick that is perfect for picking up dust and lint from your sewing machine and serger. Soft, beautiful sheepskin won't scratch polished surfaces. Picks up the lint and tiny threads; doesn't spread them around. Prevents lint build-up. Inexpensive way to protect expensive sewing machines and sergers. Fun and handy to use. Also works great on the computer.
Price: $3.50 each including mailing.
To order send check to Silver Dollar Sheep Station, 5020 Winding Way, Sacramento, CA 95841. 800-887-8742. E-mail: Sheep50@aol.com.
SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER: Because we manufacture the Mini Dust-it to a very high standard, we currently have a supply of imperfects. They may be thinner and not as pretty or have some other defect, but they still work great! And best of all we offer these to you for just $1, including postage. You can order them at the address above and enjoy this wonderful product at a bargain price!
It's FAT QUARTER TRADE time at the QuiltBroker!
Two for Two! Two for Two! Two for
Two! Two for Two! Get any 2 QUILT LABELS of your
choice in exchange for any 2 FAT QUARTERS that
you send with an S.A. S. E.
Mail fat quarters & Self Addressed Stamped Envelope with your
choice of quilt labels to Heidi at:
FQT - Special
Design Plus
907 Columbia Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
See quilt label choices at: http://www.quiltbroker.com
Quilt Shop Service -- Discount Prices
20% off retail on most items
When you visit PineTree Quiltworks' website catalog, don't
forget to check out the Virtual Fabric store, where fabric is
discounted! With more than 2500 bolts on the floor, more fabric
goes on the website catalog each week, at prices 20% off retail.
Don't miss PineTree's **New** Stash Stockers(tm), the exciting
selections of six fat quarters from top manufacturers!
PineTree now carries the complete line of EQ software, including
New SEW PRECISE stand-alone software for foundation piecing.
You'll find it with EQ 3 and Block Base software and the books,
TOO MUCH FUN, EQ3 SIMPLIFIED The Basics, and the EQ3 BLOCK BOOK.
PineTree is proud to offer Quilter's Cotton fine cotton batts as
well as the full lines of Hobbs' and Fairfield's cottons, blends,
and polys. Look for tools to make applique easier and more fun;
fabric and hand care products; pencils and markers; templates and
template plastic; needlecraft gloves; rotary cutters and related
supplies; rippers, clippers, snippers, and scissors; machine
sewing needles; seven (!) brands of hand sewing needles --
including Jeana Kimball's renowned Foxglove Cottage needles;
basting systems; thread, including Mettler and Gutermann cotton
sewing and quilting, Tire silk sewing, and Sulky rayon, metallic,
and sliver, and *new* Roxy 100% cotton thread on economical
1200-yard spools; patterns ... and
There are many more books at PineTree than you'll find in the
books listing online, so if you don't see what you want, e-mail
and ask. All books are discounted 20%.
Just scope out the website catalog at http://quilt.com/pinetree
and place your credit card order from the ***new*** secure
website order form. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and
Discover are welcome.
Free with each order a hard copy of the catalog and a Mettler
thread color card!
PineTree is online to answer questions about quilting products at
mailto:pinetree@quiltworks.com
Gridded Geese(c) is a unique paper foundation method for mass-producing Flying Geese units up to 24 at once (no kidding!). Schoolhouse Enterprises, inventors and manufacturers of this revolutionary product, offers both an on-line ( http://www.planetpatchwork.com/store/index.cfm?DID=21 ) and printed version of their catalog.
The folks at Schoolhouse Enterprises and Planet Patchwork search for items for quilters (and friends of quilters) which are unique and often overlooked by other catalogs you might connect with. Check out their on-line catalog, which offers such interesting items as Photos-to-Fabric(tm) photo transfer paper, Ott Lights, and Planet Patchwork t-shirts, sweats, and tote bags... all at discounted prices! And while you're visiting, be sure to check out the current Monthly $pecial!!
...And in case you haven't heard, Schoolhouse Enterprises is now even better! They now offer an on-line shopping cart service in conjunction with Planet Patchwork. You can safely order online through Planet Patchwork's secure server with your credit card!
If you're not able to access the web page, just e-mail Schoolhouse Enterprises ( mailto:gridgees@algorithms.com ) with your "snail mail" (post office) address for your FREE CATALOG and Sample of Gridded Geese(c)! (Sorry, but Samples are only available in the printed catalogs.)
Perfect Square's mother is pregnant and about to have a new product. Perfect Triangle is due any day now. Perfect Triangle is also a REUSABLE iron-on design but it will make quarter square triangles instead of half-square triangles.
Perfect Square is growing up now and has gotten a job at a creative quilt pattern company and is doing quite well. In fact, patterns are being written exclusively for Perfect Square. See the Perfect Square web site at http://www.webworldinc.com/perfectsquare fore details.
Our advertisers, both here in the newsletter and at the Planet Patchwork website, have found TVQ to be an effective and economical way to reach thousands of online quilters. Ads in the newsletter are only $5 each (up to 100 words, inquire about longer ads) or 3 for $10, and there are also attractive packages available which combine newsletter and website ads. For more information e-mail rholland@planetpatchwork.com or visit http://www.planetpatchwork.com/adcard.htm. We specialize in helping small quilting-related businesses gain exposure on the internet.
Following is a list of the rest of the stories in this issue
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Celia Eddy and Janet Hazelton give us a tour of the very active quilting scene in Great Britain. From paper piecing to art quilts, the English landscape is covered with patchwork!
Diane and Jim Lockwood donate the rare "Civil War Quilt" to the Atlanta Historical Society. They invited TVQ to go along.
Christina Holland takes us to the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill in Michigan's version of Bavaria.
Celia Eddy introduces us to one of England's finest quilters, Pauline Burbidge. Internationally known and admired, Pauline moves toward a freer style.
Like any news publication, TVQ is always hungry for
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about something you are doing which relates to computers and
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We'd like news of new classes starting up to teach quilt design
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