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Number Thirty-Six * November 15, 1999

Classifieds | Table of Contents

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SOFTWARE REVIEW

STASH: Virtual Fabric Comes into its Own

Virtual fabric is not a new idea. It has been around for a few years as an adjunct to quilt and other textile design programs. It can be seen everywhere on the Web, of course, illustrating the growing number of online fabric shops such as Pinetree Quiltworks and eQuilter.com.

If you think about it, it's kind of a strange idea. I mean, what the heck good is it? You can't make a real quilt out of it; it won't keep you warm in the wintertime. It doesn't have the nice feel of a real bolt as you slip a few inches of it through your fingers. It's hard to imagine that 10 years ago the corporate board of Benartex foresaw a time when they would be striking deals with software companies to reproduce their lines in pixels!

And yet that's exactly what has happened as we have inexorably continued our quest to reproduce everything in the "real" world in the virtual world of the computer. Up to now, virtual fabric swatches have been add-ons to quilt design programs. They were the "paint" the designer used to create her virtual quilt on the screen, and as the programs and their users have become more sophisticated, they have had less patience with generic representations of fabric. They want the real thing! So QuiltSOFT, Quilt-Pro and Electric Quilt began to make designer fabrics a part of their software libraries.

With the introduction of STASH, though, The Electric Quilt Company has taken virtual fabric to a whole new level. This CD for Windows, which boasts more than 2,000 fabrics (it's actually more than 3,000 if you include those it duplicates from Electric Quilt 4), is a standalone program. It allows you to view, organize, print, save, and export fabric swatches from the latest lines of fifteen of the world's greatest fabric designers. And it doesn't take up any space in your sewing room!

STASH has a relatively simple interface similar to that used in the company's Sew Precise disks, with an expanding table of contents on the left side of the screen (alphabetical by manufacturer) and a window to display swatches on the right. You can customize the display to show more or fewer swatches (from 4 at a time to 25 at a time). A button bar at the top gives access to the program's few basic functions.

It's kind of fun to imagine the dialogue that might have taken place when this program began to take shape and its central metaphor was developed:

"So we scan a bunch of fabrics into the program, but what should you be able to do with them?"

"Well, what do people do with REAL fabric?"

"Look at it. Touch it. Sew with it."

"No, I mean what do they REALLY do with it?"

"BUY it and stick it in a chest!"

And so STASH was born, and the main actions that can be taken in it all involve a shopping bag. You can create a shopping bag, put swatches in a shopping bag, save, print, and view a shopping bag. You can have as many bags as you want, each saved in a file with the file extension of (what else?) .bag. It's the virtual equivalent of visiting the fabric store.

And after you put it in the bag? Some of the stash actually gets used eventually, doesn't it? Well, you can export it in bitmap form into a variety of other applications. You can use it as a background for your web page, or decorate letters to your friends. You can send it by e-mail to somebody you wish to share it with, including perhaps one of those online fabric stores to see if they have it in stock.

When I first started playing with STASH, I became mesmerized by the beauty of the fabrics. In some ways it's a better way to view fabrics than to see them in a fabric store. Many quilt stores organize their fabrics by color, which makes sense if you're shopping that way, but having them laid out in complete sets by designer lets you appreciate them in new ways. You can see the same design in several different colorways and you can easily see the creative influence of a single sensibility. The designer lines in the program run the gamut from Thimbleberries and Debbie Mumm to Kona Bay's luscious Asian influences and Kaffe Fassett's bright bold Madras plaids. If you're a person who gets inspiration for your quilts from seeing fabric you like, then this program will be a big boost to your creativity.

Many quilting teachers teach the "theme fabric" method for choosing colors for a quilt. You find a fabric you like with a number of colors in it, and you then choose other fabrics to complement it. STASH creates a new way to do that by providing a wonderful utility that allows you to search the entire CD library by color. It will find every fabric in every designer library with the color you choose. While you will still need to go and look at the fabrics "in the flesh," this gives you a good start and suggests combinations and possibilities you probably hadn't thought of.

The ultimate use of this fabric library, of course, is with a quilt design program. STASH is part of the Electric Quilt Company suite of programs and adds a major new dimension for users of Electric Quilt 4, the company's flagship product. By putting the STASH CD in your computer's drive, you effectively expand EQ's fabric library by some 2,000 designer fabrics. All the old familiar favorites are there, on the new disk (no need to do any switching with the EQ4 disk), along with the STASH libraries, clearly labeled and ready to go. These can be saved into your project files and used in the design of your quilts seamlessly (no pun intended) and with no fuss.

Like so many things virtual which seem silly or frivolous at first (what possible serious use can there be for chat?), STASH reveals new ways to enhance our creativity each time we play with it. Even real fabric, after all, is primarily an aesthetic experience. Plain old gray wool would do to keep us warm, but the beauty and appeal of fabric design is as old as civilization. STASH gives us another way to enjoy it as well as put it to practical use.

Classifieds

SEAGULL QUILT PATTERNS

72 ELMWOOD AVENUE, EAST AURORA, NY 14052

http://users.aol.com/seagullq/seagullq.htm

NEW BUTTON QUILT KITS
Composed of small quilted wall hanging with 3 to 4 polymer clay buttons. Kits include fabric and buttons. $13.00 plus $1.00 shipping. Halloween Log Cabin -cat, candy corn, bats, pumpkin buttons Christmas Stars - mitten, candy cane, gingerbread man, Christmas present buttons

Winter Scene -3 snowmen, star, pine tree, candy cane buttons Spring Flowers -watering can with flowers and pansy buttons Busy Beehive with bees and sunflower button

ALL PATTERNS BELOW $6.75 PPD. HOLLY WREATH STARRY SNOWMAN WALL HANGING PAPER PIECED CHRISTMAS BLOCKS

HEARTLAND QUILTWORKS

Heartland Quiltworks asks:

Are you tired of basting your quilts?

Would you like a space friendly quilting frame?
Would you like to quilt and still be in the same room with your family?

Does quilting aggravate your neck and shoulders or bother your carpal tunnel syndrome?

Would your like to be able to put a quilt in the frame by yourself?

If your answer was yes to any of these questions--

The Heartland Quilting Frame Is the only frame you will ever need!

Call or write for more information Heartland Quiltworks 100 Cherry St. Cherokee, OK 73728 1-800-441-8112

http://planetpatchwork.com/tvqmain/<http://www.heartlandquiltworks.com%20<

MOTHER HEN'S QUILT EMBROIDERIES

Quick, easy, machine embroidered quilt blocks to embellish vests and jackets, towels, pillows, wallhangings or create a quilt. Come and visit Mother Hen's Quilt Embroideries and view the goodies! http://www.accn.org/~lildozer

Fabric Loft of New England

Home of the wide width fabrics. Specializing in one piece quilt backings. All fabrics are 90" to 120" wide.

Imagine no more seams on the back of your quilt! End the frustration of piecing your quilt back.

We strive to carry the largest variety of colors and prints (40+ in stock) at discount prices. Fabrics are name brand and top quality. All quilt backings are 100% cotton.

Come and visit our website. Many new ones just added! http://www.fabricloft.com/

Secure online ordering. Samples available

CHECK OUT AND COMPARE OUR LOW PRICES WHERE YOUR MONEY BUYS MORE FABRIC FOR LESS!

Old-Fashioned Quilt Frames

Thomas and Annie Kaczmarek offer easy-to-assemble old-fashioned quilt frames with a variety of features. Style #1 has 3 tilt positions. They're 93 inches long and 24 inches wide. Only $135.00 INCLUDING shipping and handling. A smaller version, 58 inches long, is $100.00 including s&h.

New! Style #2 is 108" x 31.5" with a working area of 102" x 24". It breaks down to a smaller frame when needed, 54" x 31.5", and for storage it breaks down to 5'. It has muslin on poles to baste the quilt on to roll in position for quilting, with 3 tilt positions. Made of good quality wood. $160.00 includes S&H.

Send check or money order along with your order (USA only) to:

Annie Kaczmarek
609 Hunting Ridge Rd.
Wilmington, N.C. 28412

For more information you can call Annie at (910) 791-5904 or e-mail her at tmankacz@wilmington.net

BREAKING TRADITIONS

Cathedral Windows Quick Method Quilt

This book will instruct even the novice sewer how to create an heirloom quality quilt, entirely by sewing machine, in a fraction of the time it would take to sew by hand. Full color cover, clear concise illustrations, yardage charts and many tips.

The possibilities are endless!

$8.95 per book plus $1.95 s&h
Please make check payable to 'Kimberly Nappier' and mail to: Kimberly Nappier
6827 Sparkman St. Dept. tvq
Tampa, FL 33616
E-mail inquiries to: Bountipres@aol.com

Greenhaven Enterprises

Greenhaven, a bed and breakfast retreat especially for Quilters, on the Olympic Peninsula.

Visit Washington State and stay with a quilter, and her cat Oliver.

The Herbolds live just outside of Sunny Sequim. Their home, set in the tall trees, is warm, pleasant, and affordable.

Norma can direct you to quilt shops in the area, plus the natural wonders located on the Olympic Peninsula. For those in the Northwest, Norma can also plan a personal retreat for you and your quilting friends.

You are invited to visit the website for Greenhaven, where you can check out Norma's quilts, learn more about Sequim, and of course, see Oliver. The address is: http://www.olypen.com/normah

You may email Norma at normah@olypen.com or call 360-681-0364 for more information.

MY FAVORITE THIMBLE

My Favorite Thimble is so glad that the Fall Quilting Season is upon us. It's time to start a new project or finish one that you began earlier in the year. Make your quilting much easier with My Favorite Thimble. Also, we will soon be introducing our new line of note cards called FABRICNOTES. These handmade cards feature swatches of beautiful fabrics. They're the perfect card to send to your quilting friends. Just $8.00 for a pack of 6 cards including matching envelopes.

Visit our web site at http://www.myfavoritethimble.com/ and receive a FREE FABRIC gift with your order. This season's fabric is six 6" squares of Swedish fabrics that we picked up during a recent trip to Europe. This offer is being made only to TVQ subscribers, so be sure to mention TVQ in the Special Instructions box on our Order Form.

Hello Canadian quilters! We still ship free to Canada as well as the USA. Canadian and other foreign quilters can now also get Currency Exchange information from our site. The Order Form has a handy link that you will want to bookmark.

Chris Hanner & Company 3687 Coldwater Lane Snellville, GA 30039

Email: mailto:hanner@mindspring.com

THE CRAFT CONNECTION

The Craft Connection ( http://www.craftconn.com/ ) is the most exciting place on the Internet if you want to make or sell handcrafts. We sell quality cotton fabric, Mettler and Sulky thread, and quilting notions, all at a discount. Fabrics are linked to coordinating fabrics, so you know your choices will look great together. We try to find fabrics you won't see anywhere else. And we'll package them into packets of fat eighths, fat quarters, or 5" squares, so you can get a good variety without a big cash outlay. Among our fabric categories are florals, pictorials, and guy stuff, and you should see the new Lost Fabrics of Atlantis collection.

Every month some items are for sale at 20 percent off our already discounted prices. You can use your credit card online on our secure server to safely purchase our fabrics and also our crafters' products. If you're a crafter, you can sell here and take credit cards without having your own credit card vendor account.

Check out our Free Stuff. Each month we offer a new pattern and a new lesson. We also have a Calendar of upcoming Quilt Shows. Come by our website at http://www.craftconn.com/.

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. Come see what we have to offer at our website. We have a great sale page, and we now offer secure online shopping!

http://www.sierratel.com/thequiltblock/salepage1.htm

Or e-mail for more information to
mailto:gastinc@sierratel.com

The Quilt Block
P.O. Box 127
Midpines, CA 95345

(209) 742-5418
Fax: (209) 742-7662

SILVER DOLLAR SHEEP STATION

What is small, soft, and furry and kind to your sewing machine and serger?

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. Fun and handy to use. Also works great on the computer.

ANNOUNCING: New colors -- white, black, navy, gold, cocoa, taupe,teal blue, gray, charcoal.
Price: $3.50 each INCLUDING mailing.

To order send check to:

Silver Dollar Sheep Station 5020 Winding Way Sacramento, CA 95841. Or call 800-887-8742. Or E-mail: :Sheep50@aol.com

SECONDS: Because we manufacture the Mini Dust-it to a very high standard, we currently have a good 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. HOWEVER, minimum order is three (no maximum). You can order them at the address above and enjoy this wonderful product at a bargain price! These will make wonderful stocking stuffers and you can request red and green labels for the season.

PINETREE QUILTWORKS, Ltd.

http://www.quiltworks.com/

PineTree Quiltworks is settling comfortably into its new site and now frequently updates the "What's New" link (so you can check on *new stuff* there. The menu in the fabrics department also lists update dates for your convenience!. Shopping Cart enables you to add items to your basket with a click!

Recent, exciting arrivals include Shalimar II from Northcott, Victoria Falls from RJR, *more* Fossil Fern colors, *more* prints and batiks from Hoffman, new lines from Moda, and more, more, more! Coming soon ... Kaffe Fassett's yarn-dyed fabrics! Fassett's new book, Patchwork and Quilting, Book #1, is now in stock! Please stop by PineTree's new store at http://www.quiltworks.com/ , and don't forget to make a bookmark!

SCHOOLHOUSE ENTERPRISES

Amazing but true!

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 a printed version of their catalog, and an on-line ( http://www.planetpatchwork.com/store/index.cfm?DID=21 ) shopping cart service in conjunction with Planet Patchwork. You can safely order online through Planet Patchwork's secure server with your credit card!

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, beautiful embossed note cards, kaleidoscope pendants, and much more! And while you're visiting, be sure to check out the current Monthly $pecial!!

Schoolhouse carries the complete line of Electric Quilt products, including EQ4 design software, and Sew Precise! and Sew Precise with Shirley Liby. We also carry the popular Quilt-Pro program. We offer some of the best prices on quilt design software you'll find anywhere. EQ4 is only $86.88 and Quilt-Pro is an unbelievable $76.88 We also offer some great package deals for even bigger savings.

If you're having trouble deciding which program is best for you, call our toll-free Quilt Software Hotline at 877-558-3660.

We also offer a large selection of Merry Mayhem's Mystery Quilts. If you missed any of the Cases which were previously online, you'll find them here!

If you're not able to access the web page, just e-mail Schoolhouse Enterprises (mailto:cluesew@jerseycape.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

PERFECT SQUARE and PERFECT TRIANGLE are tools that help quilters make quiltpieces more easily and accurately. Patterns have been written especially for PERFECT SQUARE and the necessary sheets to make the quilt are included in the pattern.

The PERFECT SQUARE website has been updated to include information on all products and patterns complete with pictures. Credit cards are accepted.

Also included are pictures of Monica's art quilts and links to really cool quilt sites.

http://www.webworldinc.com/perfectsquare for details.

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. PCQuilt is also available for the Macintosh. Look for PCQuilt at your local Husqvarna VIKING Dealer or visit our website at http://www.pcquilt.com/ .

Nina Antze
7061 Lynch Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707- 823-8494
1-800-731-8886

ADVERTISING WITH TVQ.

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.

In This Issue:

Following is a list of the rest of the stories in this issue of TVQ. In order to read them, you must be a subscriber. Subscribing online here and following up with the small subscription fee will entitle you to eight issues of TVQ, including this one. You will receive TVQ every six weeks by e-mail, and will be issued a password to access it here at Planet Patchwork.

Subscribers: Please report any password problems to Rob Holland. Be sure to include your name & e-mail address. We will try to resolve all password problems within 24 hours. Thank you!

And here's what's inside!

• Two Gyms Full - Behind the table at a craft fair booth

Lynn Holland always wanted to work a craft fair. She writes about the experience.

• Alsace Museum

Odile Berget shares with us her visit to a unique museum in Alsace and its display of Provencal textiles.

• Houston - A Whirlwind Tour

Carol Miller is a newbie at Houston, and she brings the big show to life.

• Houston Vendors - Were there quilts?

Lynn Holland was also at Houston for the first time. She visited a dizzying array of vendors!

COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, NEWS, IDEAS, BRICKBATS?

Like any news publication, TVQ is always hungry for information about new developments in the area we are trying to cover. If you have an idea for a story, or want to tell the world about something you are doing which relates to computers and quilting, we'd like to hear about it.

We'd like news of new classes starting up to teach quilt design on computers, or new approaches to that teaching. New products, maillists, World Wide Web pages, etc., are all fair game, and we'd appreciate any tips you can provide. Send your tips by e-mail to rholland@planetpatchwork.com.

If you have a comment about an article, a complaint or a correction, we're glad to hear that, too, and may publish some comments as letters to the editor. Again, these may be sent to rholland@planetpatchwork.com.

SUBSCRIBE TO TVQ!

If you would like to see the rest of this newsletter here, and have it appear in your e-mail about every 6 weeks for the next year, all it requires is a small contribution of $5.00!

That buys you 8 issues (including this one) of news and in-depth features. We are now also offering a two-year subscription option, 16 issues for $9.00.

In upcoming issues you will find more in-depth reviews of quilt design software, more profiles of quilters, as well as profiles of online quilting communities. These features will be interspersed with news of developments in the quickly changing and expanding world of online quilting.

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