Quilter's Way Blog

Batik Club!

Valerie — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

The last week was dark and gloomy with lots of rain. It's times like these where a working in a quilt shop is quite a joy--there is no lack of color surrounding you! In the middle of all that grey and rain, we pulled out some past Batik Club packages and spread them out for a full color fix. Each fan consists of 10 fat quarters that you could be receiving on a monthly basis! This club is ideal for all of our batik lovers who want to increase their stash (and let's be honest, who doesn't?!). Want to learn more about Batik Club? See the Batik Club product page and sign up today! Wondering what you could do with your Batik Club collections? See the quilt below, which was made by Mary. The only fabric she purchased outside of Batik Club was the brown. Isn't it fabulous?

We're Moving!

Valerie — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Some of you may have noticed that we have expanded the sale area at the shop. This is because we've been preparing for a big announcement--we're moving! We are so excited to announce that after ten years at our current home in West Concord, we're moving. We've loved our corner spot, right across from the train (and Teacakes!), but we've outgrown it. It's time to move so we can offer our customers more fabric, services, classes, and space. While we'll be moving our location and updating our look, though, don't worry; we'll still be the friendly, helpful Quilter's Way you've come to know and trust. And the best part? We'll have free parking! We are moving the the Acton Woods Plaza at the corner of Rt. 2A and Rt. 27 in Acton, MA. We will be two doors down from The Woolpack, so you can consolidate all of your crafty shopping in one great swoop. Our exact move date is still to be determined, as the landlord has to do a build-out in the space. But, as soon as we have a date, we will let you know. You will a ...

Laminate Allows You to Get Messy!

Valerie — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT

On my first day as director of an after-school program, one of the kindergarteners was making an absolute mess during snack. I looked at her and told her that she should only make as much of a mess as she's willing to clean up. She looked right back at me, and without skipping a beat said, "My mom says, 'If you didn't get messy, you didn't have fun." In the last five years, or so, I have completely embraced that phrase as a life philosophy. In order to embrace that kind of philosophy, though, you have to be willing to make certain changes in your life. The first and probably most obvious is that you have to be willing to clean UP the mess. I tend to know just how much fun we've had in an activity at the shop, or in life, by how long it takes me to clean up. My best dinner parties aren't fully cleaned up for days. If I have no clean-up, people must have been bored out of their minds. I have also, though, learned to love certain products that make my messy life easier and slightly faster to clean up. One of ...

Don't be Afraid of the Laminate!

Valerie — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:19:00 GMT

As we have been overwhelmed with new fabric the last several weeks, we have been lax in mentioning the new laminates that have also arrived. These new laminates are soft, very wearable, and fun to work with. We currently have four new laminates in the shop: Dear Stella's Wildflowers Dear Stella's Teardrop Brandon Mably's Gone Fishing Kaffe Fassett's Plink We have gotten the impression, though, that many people can be a little fearful of working with laminate. We're here today to assure you that it's not all that scary to work with. As a matter of fact, Mary discovered, while making some samples that you'll get to see next week, that even the serger can be used! There are a few tips we give to people in the shop when they are considering laminate. Use a Teflon foot on your machine. This will help keep the laminate moving. If you are having trouble with the laminate sticking to your machine, place tissue paper over the base of your machine so it will slide more easily. ...

Jane's Standard Tote Bag Tutorial

Valerie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:27:00 GMT

Quilter's Way's owner, Jane, has a standard tote bag pattern in her head that she always uses when she makes bags. She also shares it with customers when they come into the shop. She walked me through it, so I can share this easy and versatile pattern with our extended community. You got a sneak-peek at the bag last week: What You Will Need: 1/2 yard 60" wide canvas (We used Dear Stella's Peacock)--you can also use a cotton, linen, etc. for the outside of the bag 1/2 yard 45" coordinating fabric 1 yard DecorBond Thread Coordinating buttons (optional) Cut your fabric: 1. Decide the size you would like your bag. You've purchases 1/2 yard of fabric, so the widest your bag will be is 18". Your height should not be more than your width. Also, remember that you will have a bottom in your bag, so that will take about 3". For this bag, we assumed a 15" height. So, we cut a piece of canvas that measured 18" x 30". 2. Cut your main fabric. Be sure to set aside your remaini ...

New Shop Samples

Valerie — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:06:00 GMT

With all of the new fabric that has come in, we've had our working bees making fabulous samples and wanted to share some of them with you. Today, we'll showcase the Dear Stella fabrics. Sew Liberated's Schoolhouse Tunic in Dear Stella's Orange Stained Glass. Izzy and Ivy Design's Macy Giggles Dress in Pink Sunburst Stripe and Peony Basketweave by Dear Stella. Laminated Teardrop tablecloth, Peacock canvas tote bag, and blue and white polka dot and Sunburst Stripe with white linen miter-bordered napkins.

Busting at the Seams with New Fabric

Valerie — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:56:00 GMT

The UPS man has visited frequently the last several weeks with massive deliveries of new fabric. Even knowing what is coming, there is nothing more exciting than opening those boxes and seeing the new fabrics for the first time. Each time a delivery is made, we rearrange the shelves to make room, and goodness has there been a lot of rearranging! Let me tell you a little about the fabric that has arrived recently. Aneela Hoey's "A Walk in the Woods" for Moda Fabrics is an absolutely darling interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood. We have many bolts of fabric from the line, as well as charm packs and layer cakes. Moda offers a free pattern to go along with this fabric line. Clematis is a stunning new line designed by Cedar West for Clothworks. Trust me when I say that the pictures of this line just do not do it justice. The florals just pop, and the coordinate fabrics are just luscious. Clothworks offers a free pattern to accompany this line of fabrics. Denyse Sc ...

We Love Minkee!

Valerie — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:34:00 GMT

Last week, a customer came into the shop, and as I worked with her, she exclaimed, "I feel like I've found my home! I went into a shop to buy minkee to bind a quilt, and the workers thought I was crazy. But, I walked in here and saw you had TWO quilts with Minkee binding. You're my kind of shop!" We love working with Minkee. We use it to make baby quilts, to back quilts, and even to bind quilts! Recently, we've started offering kits to make Stitch 'n Flip quilt-as-you-go kits. Everyone who comes into the shop loves the look and feel of the quilts. They're soft, cozy, and heavy--just what you would want wrapped around you on a cold night or when you're feeling under the weather. But, people are often a little unsure about working with just that much Minkee. So, here are some tips for working with Minkee to keep your sanity long enough to get the most luxurious feeling quilt you'll ever own or gift. First, before you even start working with the Minkee, take it outside and shake it out. When Minkee is ...

We have a Winner!

Valerie — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:21:00 GMT

Our Kit Designer Makes it Easy to Fall in Love Again contest has come to a close, and we have a winner!

Congratulations, Amy from Paso Robles. It's time for you to go design a queen-sized quilt of your choice! We can't wait to see what you put together.

Thank you all for entering, and keep playing with the Kit Designer!

Girl Scout Badge Visit!

Valerie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Girl Scout Troop 72687 stopped by yesterday for a tour and sewing lesson. I really love it when these groups come in, because I get to introduce my love of stitching to a wide range of kiddos. Some have sewn before, and some haven't. Some think they can't do, then are quite surprised when they do quite well. Some think they won't like it, then love it. Some come in thinking they know everything about stitching, but still learn something new. It's really fun to work with these troops. This troop is donating their squares to the Concord Piecemakers Guild to be made into a quilt for someone in need. The girls loved this idea, and I was proud of them for sticking with this plan when they inevitably fell in love with their blocks. Didn't they do beautiful work? If you are interested in having your Girl Scout Troop come in for a tour and stitching class, give the shop a call. We'd love to have them!