Fabrics Unlimited Outdoor Quilt Show

We held our annual Outdoor Quilt Show on Saturday, July 21.  Our 1-day show was a big success again this year with 246 projects on display. (Not quite as big as the Sisters, OR show, but even they had to start somewhere!) In addition to the quilts, we served free hot dogs and water, had product demonstrations, and gave away many doorprizes.  Award winning free motion quilter Jill Schumacher was here demonstrating her free motion quilting technique on her sewing machine.  She will be back at Fabrics Unlimited to teach her beginning class on Wednesday, August 15.  Click here for more information and to register for her class. Sandy Weber demonstrated clothesline bowls on her sewing machine.  The fact that she had so many samples is evidence of how addicting this technique is! No special machine necessary...just use your sewing machine.

Also joining us were the very talented Fiber Art Chix all the way from Florida.  Cynthia, Paula, and Roxie brought several of their creative pieces for display and for sale. Click here to visit their website. Be sure to check out their gallery pages.  

 Jerry and I would like to thank everyone who volunteered to work at the Quilt Show and also those who displayed  projects.  You are the reason the Show was a success!

Following are pictures from the Quilt Show. Enjoy!

Happy Quilting!

Sheri and Jerry Lilienthal
Fabrics Unlimited
155 Shady Lane
Stateline, NV 89449
775-588-3211
www.FabricsUnlimited.net

Free Motion Quilt Retreat with Jill Schumacher

We just finished up one of our two annual free motion quilt retreats with Jill Schumacher.  The retreat was held at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center, which sits on the east shore of beautiful Lake Tahoe.  

21 Quilters came to Lake Tahoe on Sunday, which was "set-up, check in, and get settled" day. We saw lots of familiar faces and made new friends.  Jill started right in after dinner with warmup exercises.  Monday was a big day for the Beginners because they didn't really know what to expect.  On Monday evening we had a small gift exchange to help everyone relax and get to know each other.  Quilters were a little more comfortable on Tuesday and were starting to really get the hang of free motion quilting.  Champagne and Chocolate was in order at Fabrics Unlimited on Tuesday evening, followed by more quilting.  Wednesday was "Trapunto" day.  Trapunto literally means "double stuffed" and is recognized by distinct puffy design areas on a quilt.  Several teams of 2 quilters paired up for a sewing race on Wednesday evening.  They took 40 strips of fabric 2 1/2" wide by 42" long and sewed them together end to end.  They ended up with one gi-nor-mous strip, which they then cut in half and sewed together along the long sides.  They continued sewing and cutting until they ended up with a quilt top that was about 32 strips wide.  The fastest 3 teams won gift certificates at Fabrics Unlimited, and the quilt tops will be quilted and donated to Shriner's Hospital in Sacramento.  Thursday was "Sashiko Sampler" day, and Jill taught everyone how to make those beautiful Sashiko stitches with their machines.  (Traditional Sashiko is done by hand.)  It was cleanup on Friday morning, followed by good-byes.  Everyone had a great time.  The good news is that we're planning on doing it all over again next year!!

Joyce Hatzell and Twink Mann won the race!!

Chris Parks and Julia Nakao

Gift Exchange

Group Photo

Twink Mann

Palah Massey's Supplies

Inspiration Point - Lodging and Quilting

Chris Parks and JIll Schumacher

Leslie Weatherwax and Patsy Pavon

Wendy Benner and Ruby Lee Foster

Somebody is missing a shoe!!

Yumm

Jill Schumacher and Ruby Lee foster

Jill Schumacher

Mariemay Carlson

Paula T and Jerry Lilienthal

Florence Schnitzel

Watching the Dixie Belle go by

How should we quilt it??

Christine Donovan customized her shirt

Christine Donovan

Ruby Lee Foster and Wendy Benner

Lynn White

Julia Nakao and Paula T

Jill Schumacher

Lee Sigler

Andy Francis

What a view!!

Mystery Quilt Monday Step 9

 

Ok, I know it's Tuesday.  I got to spend the weekend with my kids and grandkids and didn't get back to the shop until yesterday afternoon and didn't get Step 9 posted like I should have. (It was worth it, though!) So here is Step 9, which is the final step.  You have 2 blocks to assemble that are the same, and then instructions for the sashing and cornerstones.  As usual, all of the previous steps are included in case you missed anything.  This project will remain available for free download until May 20. After that time, the pattern will be available for purchase through our website or in the shop.  

I hope you liked this Mystery Project.  Please give me your feedback and let me know if you're interested in continuing with Mystery Quilt Monday and how we can improve it.  I'd also love to see photos of your projects!!

Click here for Step 9

Sheri Lilienthal

Fabrics Unlimited

155 Shady Lane

Stateline, NV 89449

775-588-3211

www.FabricsUnlimited.net

info@FabricsUnlimited.net

Mystery Quilt Monday - Step 8

Here's Step 8, which is the final assembly of Block 1.  We're coming down the home stretch.  Have fun!  As always, Steps 1 thru 7 are also included in case you missed any steps.

Click Here for Step 8 Instructions.

Sheri Lilienthal

Fabrics Unlimited

155 Shady Lane

Stateline, NV 89449

775-588-3211

www.FabricsUnlimited.net

info@FabricsUnlimited.net

A Word About Thread

Many of us have a great stash of quilt fabric, but what does your thread stash look like?  If you ask a room full of quilters about what thread to use or not use, you're likely to get a different opinion from everyone in the room.  I go by a few simple guidelines.

1. For piecing quilts, my favorite thread is Aurifil 50wt cotton.  This 2 ply thread is made of long staple Egyptian cotton fibers.  When you press your seams, Aurifil lies very flat. Aurufil 50wt is also wonderful for machine quilting detailed areas that require backtracking, such as with feathers and heavy background quilting.

2.  For quilting, I try everything that looks good to me.  Sometimes that means a cotton variegated, cotton solid, rayon, silk, and yes, even polyester thread.  Superior Threads makes a wonderful 40wt variegated tri-lobal polyester thread called "Rainbows." Isacord makes a great 40wt solid polyester thread that many machine embroiderers use in place of rayon.  It has the shine of rayon but rayon can break down over time when exposed to light. Silk thread is beautiful for heirloom quilting.

Ultimately, I believe what thread to use comes down to what you AND your machine like.  Some machines don't like some threads.  High quality threads are made from the longest fibers.  Low quality threads are made from the leftover shorter fibers.  When the short fibers are twisted, they are much like when you braid your hair and get down to the end with all of the short pieces sticking out.  These short pieces are called "barbs" and result in thread breaks and weak stitches as well as lots of lint in your machine.

One more word about polyester thread as quoted from Superior Threads:

"The stories we hear are mostly myths handed down from earlier generations. Back in Grandma's time, most of the available thread was cotton and the quilting was usually done along the pieced seams, or "stitch in the ditch." Times have changed and machine quilting has opened up a new world. No longer is quilting done only along the seams. Machine stitching can enhance the beauty of the quilt by adding intricate and complementary designs throughout the entire quilt. Machine quilting does not add stress to the quilt. The stress points remain in the piecing. Some say that polyester thread is too strong and will tear the fabric. If the fabric ever tears as a result of heavy use, most likely it will tear at the seams. The seams are the true stress points of a quilt, not the machine quilted areas."

So there you have it.  My advice is to try as many high quality threads as you can and decide for yourself what YOU like.  Besides, a good thread stash will look great on a thread rack hanging on the wall in your studio!

Sheri Lilienthal

Fabrics Unlimited

155 Shady Lane

Stateline, NV 89449

775-588-3211

www.FabricsUnlimited.net

info@FabricsUnlimited.net

MYSTERY QUILT MONDAY - STEP 7

Here's Step 7 of our Monday Mystery Quilt Project.  As always, previous steps are also included in case you missed any of the steps.  We're getting close!!! Enjoy...

Click here for Step 7 Instructions

Sheri Lilienthal

Fabrics Unlimited

155 Shady Lane

Stateline, NV 89449

775-588-3211

www.FabricsUnlimited.net

info@FabricsUnlimited.net