Telecast Thursday - Book Review: Sweet Tweets by Erin Cox

I'm on vacation this week as it's spring break at our school, but that doesn't mean that I've forgotten about you, my blog followers! 

This Telecast Thursday I have a review of Sweet Tweets by Erin Cox and published by Martingale. 

As the title suggests, this book is full of delightful designs featuring sweet birdies. The projects are small and easy enough for even a beginner quilter. I loved this book and I'm sure you will too!

You can watch the video review below or on my Youtube channel.

Click here to purchase your own copy of Sweet Tweets.

Next week I'll be showing you more uses for the Janome Circular Sewing Attachment, so stay tuned.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. You can also click on the Chatterbox Quilts logo in the lower right corner on the video itself to subscribe. If you like what you see, please share my videos with your fellow creatives.

Creatively,

I am an Amazon affiliate and will receive a small amount of compensation if you purchase by clicking on the link in this blogpost. This helps me to continue posting video tutorials and information for you. Thank you!

Telecast Thursday - Book Review: Moda All-Stars All in a Row by Lissa Alexander

Have you been swept up by the row quilt craze? I have yet to make one of these, but they do look like fun. 

I recently received Moda All-Stars All in a Row from That Patchwork Place (a division of Martingale) and wanted to share my thoughts about this book with you.

First, it's a book about creating row quilts - I guess you could tell that from the title :) This book contains over 24 rows (designs) from some of my favourite designers. There are pieced rows and appliquéd rows, so it appeals to all types of quilters. The designs in the book allow you to create your own custom row quilt or not: there are suggestions for combining rows to create wall hangings and other smaller projects. 

I liked the designs in this book a lot and while I don't know if I would create an entire quilt, I could certainly see me making a table runner or small wall hanging using these rows.

Watch the video below or on my Youtube channel to see more of Moda All-Stars All in a Row.

Have you created a row quilt or or considering doing one. Let me know your thoughts on row quilts in the comments below. To get your own copy of Moda All-Stars All in a Row, click here.

Creatively,

I am an Amazon affiliate and will receive a small amount of compensation if you purchase by clicking on the link in this blogpost. This helps me to continue posting video tutorials and information for you. Thank you!

Telecast Thursday - Bohin Double Needle Threader Review

Do you have problems threading small eyed needles?

I like to use size 10 sharps when hand stitching on my binding and struggle to get the thread through the small eye on this size needle.

I've been using the Clover Double Needle Threader and it works okay, but I find that the metal part that you use to thread the needle becomes distorted over time and eventually breaks, so I have to buy a new one.

I also need to have my reading glasses on to use this product - so I can get the thread into the metal part - but I've found a wonderful alternative that I'm loving: the Bohin Double Needle Threader.

This product threads my needles easily and best of all I don't need my reading glasses to use it!

Watch the video below or on my Youtube channel to see how easy it is to use the Bohin Double Needle Threader.

If you're having trouble threading your small eyed needles, give the Bohin Double Needle Threader a try - you'll find it a snap!

Creatively,

P.S. I'm an Amazon affiliate and will receive a small compensation if you purchase an item using the links in this blogpost. This helps me continue to provide you with videos and tutorials. Thanks!

Telecast Thursday - EuroSteam Next Generation Iron - a Review

Welcome to Telecast Thursday! This week I'm sharing my review on my latest acquisition.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have purchased a new iron. Previously I had been using one of the standard irons that you can buy for regular ironing - you know, clothing and things like that (I can't remember the last time I ironed a piece of clothing!). I have never purchased a "quilting iron". I was okay with the iron I was using, but was on the look-out for a new one as I'd had this one for several years and it didn't seem to be getting quite as hot as it used to.

Luckily, there was a booth at Quilt Canada 2015 that was selling the EuroSteam Next Generation (sounds Star-Treky, doesn't it?) iron, and, at the encouragement of my husband, I decided to check it out. 

EuroSteam Next Generation iron

Wow, was I impressed! First, the saleslady was so knowledgeable about the iron and had her spiel down pat, but she also was able to answer all the questions I had. In the space of about 5 minutes, I'd bought one and was looking forward to trying it out on some quilt fabric once I returned home.

I was a bit sceptical that the iron would perform as well at home as it did at the show, but I didn't need to be concerned. This iron is wonderful! It has an internal water tank/boiler and when you add water (it uses regular tap water) to it and turn it on, it heats up very quickly. You can choose to have steam with it or not. You can have constant steam, which is helpful for ironing draperies or using on a vertical surface and you can adjust the volume of this steam. If you prefer, you can keep the steam off and just use a burst of steam when it is required. This uses up less water and you won't have to refill the tank as often.

Increase your level of constant steam by turning the black dial to the right. Turn the dial all the way to the left for no steam and press the white button in the centre of the steam control dial to get a burst of steam.

The iron came with a measuring cup to use when filling the tank as well as a cap remover to use when taking the cap on and off the iron (helps to get this very tight and makes it easy to loosen). Like a radiator in a car, you need to let the iron cool down before taking the cap off to add more water (or to empty the water). A rubber mat was also included on which to put the iron when not in use.

The measuring cup and cap remover - some of the accessories included with the iron. Note the red line on the measuring cup which indicates how much water to put in the iron.

The function I like best about this iron is that I don't have to stand it on its end - it remains with the soleplate down when you're not using it. And... you can leave it on fabric and it won't scorch the fabric! It's hard to believe, but it's true! As I use my iron for cotton fabric almost exclusively, I have scorched other fabric types when pressing as I turned the heat on the iron up too high. I don't have to worry about this with the EuroSteam iron. I can go from pressing cotton fabric to pressing silk ribbon without any concerns. This is brilliant!

Okay, do I sound excited about my iron? Well, I am. It presses much better than my regular iron and is quick to take out all the wrinkles in my fabric. It's simple and has no bells and whistles, but it does exactly what I want it to do: press any of my fabrics quickly and without scorching. You just turn the iron on, choose the steam level (or not) and you're ready to press. I also like the fact that it doesn't shut off automatically. I dislike that feature in an iron because I use it when I'm quilting and I like my iron hot and ready at all times. 

On or off - no need to select special fabrics for this iron to work.

To see how the EuroSteam Next Generation iron works, watch the video below or on my Youtube channel.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. You can also click on the Chatterbox Quilts logo in the lower right corner on the video itself to subscribe. If you like what you see, please share my videos with your fellow creatives.

So, if you're looking for a new iron and aren't sure what to get, I would highly recommend the EuroSteam Next Generation iron. Tell them Kim sent you!

Creatively,

Telecast Thursday - Crazy Strips Quilt

It's Telecast Thursday! Join me this week for some modern, wonky quilting. 

I was recently going through the modern quilting books in my library and found a pattern in Quilting Happiness by Diane Gilliland and Christina Lane, that I wanted to make. 

I never completely follow the instructions on any pattern, and this one was no exception. Rather than making the quilt in two fabrics as it is in the book, I decided to use two background fabrics and then throw in some fat quarters that I had recently purchased. 

Two fabrics - a light and dark - for the background fabrics

Here are the fat quarters that I used - fun and happy prints!

I used fabrics that I already had in my stash for the entire quilt top - and gave myself a pat on the back! Find out how my version will look and some tips about the construction process in the video.

You can watch it below or on my Youtube channel.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. You can also click on the Chatterbox Quilts logo in the lower right corner on the video itself to subscribe. I hope you enjoy my videos and will share them with your fellow creatives.

Creatively,