Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Prepared Applique Class...

Here are some photos from our Prepared Applique Class. Didn't these ladies do a great job!




We will be offering another Prepared Applique Class soon. Watch the calendar and post for more information. Follow us on Facebook or check out our web site to see what's going on!

Happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Handwork...

Did you know that here at the Parish we offer more than just quilting? We also love handwork! We have a wonderful Embroidery Club each month and an Applique Club. If you like hand work and would like to give it a go, stop in and see us.

This is what we are working on...


I still have to stitch the border, but you get the idea. Each month we will have a new cottage with the month's theme.

Then Saturday, January 26th Kathy's teaching needle turn applique. Isn't this pretty!?!


 
On the first Sunday of each month we offer a fusible applique class. Watch the calendar for upcoming classes. If you'd like to try your hand at something new or if you'd like to come stitch with us we'd love to have you!
 

 
 
Happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Paper Piecing...

Are you up for a new challenge this year? I know many of you out there in quilt land have been quilting for years. Many of you have admired those AMAZING paper pieced quilts and said, "some day". Well, maybe some day is TODAY! Learn something new in 2013, challenge yourself and take your quilting to the next level! We are so proud to offer Judy Niemeyer's Mariner's Compass class, taught by Linda Tellesbo.

Linda will walk you through each step of this magnificent quilt, making it manageable for even a confident beginning quilter. Linda is a Judy Niemeyer Quilting Certified Instructor. She has won many prestigious awards in almost every major quilt show event in the Pacific Northwest Region. Many of her students have also gone on to win awards for their quilts as well.

Beginning March, 23rd we will kicking off this amazing quilt. Call the shop to register 253.531.4309. This will be a 5 month class meeting the 4th Saturday of each month. The cost is $40 per month. To register you will be paying $80 for your first and last month. This class runs from 10am - 4pm. Call us and we can get you registered and answer any questions you may have.

Some of our current student are just finishing up with Linda's last class for the Glacier Star quilt. Here is one of her student's quilts. What a nice job! You can do it too! Call and register today!


Happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Aprons!

Are you an apron person? Some people find them old fashion, but they can be cute and make great hostess gifts, etc. With Valentines day just around the corner an apron may be a great thing to give your Valentine. You may also want a new one for that Super Bowl game or that nice Easter dinner coming up. I know we just had Christmas and Easter may seem like a ways off, but if you get it done now you'll be all ready!

Here at the Parish we all wear aprons when we are working in the shop and this year will be changing our aprons each quarter. I will be posting the pattern here with a quickie tutorial. For the full directions call the shop and we can set you up! Here's this quarters apron.



It's a 1920's reproduction and has a feminine scalloped edge.

One of the girls made pattern pieces from the pattern. It made it much easier to lay out.

Once I got everything cut out... just need to begin putting the pieces together. I goes pretty quickly.

I first put the pockets and ties together and pinned them to the body.


Then sewed the scalloped border together and attach it to the body. Now just sew, sew, sew!



Once you have all the pieces on, all that is left to do is the top stitching and your done!


Here are a couple other versions, including a child's one. Enjoy! May your bobbin always be full!




Thursday, January 10, 2013

Valentines Project...

Here's a really quick project for you just in time for Valentines Day! This is a sweet little embroidery pattern created by Erica Plank of Unseen Hands.

The kit we have in the shop has all you need to make this. In addition you will need some embroidery floss, rick a rack, stuffing or pillow form and you too can create this adorable pillow!


After you have your embroidery complete, just border your piece. 





You can really make the border any size you like. I just eyeballed it, to make it look even. If you're just stuffing it and not using a pillow form this is really easy. Then just cut a piece for the back and make them even. I then placed the rick a rack around the edges so when I flipped it out it had a nice edge.




Now just stuff and there you go! I bet your Valentine will love it!



Buy your kit today! Click here to make it yours!

Happy stitching and may your bobbin always be full!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Meet Grand Champion Quilter Norma Jean Nyman



We are honored to have her as a teacher here at the Parish! Norma Jean has been quilting for over 11 years. In all her years of quilting she has always quilted her own quilts. Norma Jean finds quilting relaxing. It’s a great stress relief for her. If anyone finds quilting stressful, whether it be the selecting the fabric to quilting your project, she suggests that you get comfortable with that part of the process. She has found that as you get better you become much more relaxed. The key is to not get overwhelmed. To that end Norma Jean only works on three projects at a time! She will not take on another project while working on those three. They can be in any part of the process, but there can only be three.


No matter what project Norma Jean undertakes her process is always the same. She begins visualizing her quilting while piecing her top. To Norma Jean the quilting at the end is a crucial part of the beginning as well. The most important point I took away from our conversation was basting and stabilizing. That is the most daunting part of the quilting process, but also the most crucial! If you baste and stabilize your quilt well and correctly, you should be able to begin quilting anywhere on your quilt. In fact she often begins at the boarders to reduce weight on the quilt. This is a tremendous help when quilting a large quilt. Marking your quilt is another vital part of the quilting process. How you mark you quilt can make all the difference in how difficult your quilting is. Having an idea of your design, doodling it and then practicing that design is a huge benefit.
Grand Champion Quilt
Norma Jean has one Grand Champion quilt that has traveled all over the country. She sends them to different events to be judged. She also has one Reserve Grand Champion quilt that won in the Master’s Division.

Norma Jean is, as you can see, an extremely talented and accomplished quilter. We are so honored to offer her classes here. Click here to view our calendar so you can sign up for one of her upcoming classes.


Reserve Grand Champion

Happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full!

Friday, January 4, 2013

100 Yard Stash Dash...

It's a new year and new projects to work on. Or maybe it's a new year to tackle those UFO's!! Here at the Parish we are offering a new program to help you get those UFO's that are laying about your sewing room done! Let's all get reacquainted with our stash and get some projects done!

To that end I'm kicking off our 100 yard Stash Dash with a newly embroidered pillow! This year I have set a goal to learn a new skill and my first one is embroidery. Here's what I did...

I inherited this partially done with a quick lesson on the basics. I then finished the project and went through my stash an found a pillow form and fabric to make this pillow.




 To make this pillow I just bordered the embroidery fabric. If you're not sure how to add a border you can click here for my past post on borders.


Once I bordered my image I made a pocket in the back to create the sham.


I sewed everything right sides together and the turned it out.



Kicking Off the 100 yard Stash Dash Challenge!
How well do you know your stash?  How many unfinished projects do you have?  Well, if you are like most of us, you have way too many UFO’s and that stash is just begging to be put to use!  So we have just the best, most fun program to help you get through all those projects and into your stash:  The 100 Yard Stash Dash Challenge!  

Here is how it works:
Purpose:  To finish projects, use our stash and just have some good stitching fun!
The Dash officially begins February 3, 2013 and runs through December 31, 2013.
Register for the Dash January 1-28, 2013.  To participate you can either use 2 fat quarters from your stash and pay $3.75 or pay just $10 and we will purchase your fat quarters for you!  You then become a Stash Dasher and are eligible to play!

Rules:
1.       Fabric used must be part of your stash by January 28th (honor system here).
2.       You may purchase fabric for backgrounds, bindings, backings and borders - that will count too if purchased at The Parish Quilt Shoppe.
3.       All projects completed this year will count towards the 100 yards.  This includes table toppers, bags, wall hangings, and, of course, quilts.
4.       Projects must be completed – the goal is to use our stash and complete UFO’s – not make more UFO’s!!
5.       How to calculate how much fabric you used in your project? The easiest way is to take the width times the length and divide by 40 to get how many inches and then divide that by 36 to get your yardage.  If you use yardage from your stash for the backing, then you would double this amount for the project.  Don’t stress on this part – we will help you!
6.       If at the end of each month you're not able to finish a project from your stash. Your penalty will be one fat quarter for the kitty. You can bring it in or send it to the Parish.
7.       Quarterly winners!!  Each quarter we will draw a name from all our participants and they will win a prize in addition to being featured on our facebook page, or blog or blast so we can see what everyone is working on!
8.       As the 100 yards is completed, each participant will win a fat quarter bundle, beautifully coordinated and bundled from all entry the fat quarters!  What fun!
9.       Be on the watch throughout the year for Stash Dash Sew Days and specials for everyone participating and playing!

This will be sew much fun and inspiring – we will encourage each other with just a bit of competing! I am excited to see who can use 100 yards from their stash and complete those UFO’s this year.

May your bobbin always be full!