You are wasting money if you don’t do your own quilting on your projects. A little math will show that you could save hundreds of dollars by doing our own quilting.
You Are Wasting Money If You Don’t Do Your Own Quilting
Every Quilter Needs to Know How to Free Motion Quilt
You really, really need to know how to free motion quilt. Free motion quilting is the most creative and satisfying part of the quilting process. You’re missing out on this part of your project if you don’t know how to free motion quilt.
Tips for Holding Virtual Guild Meetings
We’ve been using ZOOM in The Quilter’s Way for over a year now to allow our members (who live in many different countries) to interact with each other virtually. Recently, we held our first virtual quilt retreat, Energize!, to great success. Participating in a virtual meeting is not quite the same as attending one in-person but it sure is a lot more convenient (i.e. no travel and no “forgotten” items). It can allow for some extra creativity such as sharing video courses or photos as part of your meeting. It’s also very easy to host guest speakers from different locations – and it’s a lot cheaper too!
A number of guilds, including the local one that I belong to, are adapting to social distancing by holding virtual meetings. This is a great way to interact with your other guild members at a time when it’s difficult, if not impossible, to be in the same place together. It does take a little getting used to get comfortable using this type of technology, but it isn’t hard and it’s the perfect way to connect with your quilting friends.
If you are considering holding a virtual meeting in your guild, I have a few tips to help the meeting go smoothly:
Assign someone to “run” the meeting and manage the technology and member interaction to ensure everyone gets to participate. It is difficult to be “leading” the guild meeting and managing the members and technology at the same time.
Have someone available to help members who may be struggling with technology.
Decide if the interaction with members is going to be via the chat feature (where people can type in their comments) or video/audio. Video is more interactive but requires a more structured approach to the meeting to ensure everyone gets a “turn” and that only one person talks at a time.
Provide a fun activity (even just a chat) at the start of the meeting to keep members entertained while people are joining the meeting. It can sometimes take a minute or two for everyone to be admitted to the meeting.
Encourage members to have good lighting especially if they want to show off their quilts.
If you are having a guest speak at your guild, work with them ahead of time to make sure that any tech issues are resolved and that they have the right amount of control of their portion of the meeting. Supporting them with member interaction or chat responses helps them focus on their presentation and makes the experience better for everyone.
I am currently booking for virtual presentations or workshops. If you are planning your guild program, I offer the following presentations:
Conquer Your Fear of Free Motion Quilting
Setting up Your Studio Space
How to “Wrangle Your Scraps”
You can go to the Chatterbox Quilts website here to get more information or you can email me at kjh@chatterboxquilts.com if you are interested in hiring me for a guild presentation or workshop. I’d love to speak to your guild or quilt group.
Take Care,
Kim
Creatively,
Tips for Solving Bobbin Thread Issues
When having issues like this, it's best to start from scratch and use a new bobbin and a new needle. Unthread your machine, clean out the bobbin area, insert a new needle, wind up a new bobbin, and then rethread your machine and see how it goes.
My Favourite Quilting Tools 2020
I know you have them: those tried and true tools that you use all the time in your studio. They might not be fancy or expensive - the don’t have to be, they just have to work!
Martelli Palm Quilting Paddle Set
I have tools that I love to use in the Chatterbox Quilts’ studio and I recently shared them with my YouTube audience. If you’re wondering what I like to use and can recommend will work well for you, check out my video below. #affiliatelink
For more information on all of these items, be sure to check in the Description below the video.
If you would like to see more of my favourite tools and books visit here.
Creatively,
P.S. Do you strive to improve your quilting skills? Do you want to have fun doing it? Do you want to meet other quilters in a supportive, safe environment? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you need to join The Quilter’s Way. The Quilter’s Way is the only quilting membership site that includes both training and an active, supportive online community. It’s not your grandmother’s quilting circle! Don’t wait another day! Join now.
P.S. I am an Amazon affiliate and, if you purchase items by clicking through the links in this post, I will receive a small amount of commission. This doesn’t cost you any more $$$, but helps me to continue creating free content for you. Thanks!